Game Design Basics Archives - Board Game Design Lab

Justin Gary, designer of Ascension, talks about his personal process for designing and publishing games. Justin has designed and released a ton of hit games over the years and worked in lots of different segments of the gaming industry, so he has a ton of great tips and advice. The post How to Design and Publish Games with Justin Gary appeared first on Board Game Design Lab .

Joe Slack, designer Relics of Rajavihara, talks about the many different jobs in the board gaming industry and how people have found their way to those jobs. Joe recently released a book devoted to this topic, so we talk a lot about what he found through his interviews and research. And you can find Joe’s latest book about jobs in... The post Getting a Job in the Board Game Industry with Joe...

Nick Metzler, game designer at Spin Master, talks about designing games that create excellent social experiences. We also dive into chasing dreams, overcoming obstacles, and gamification.​ The post How to Design Social Experiences with Nick Metzler appeared first on Board Game Design Lab .

BGDL community member Trevor Laforce discusses how to optimize your life to get more designing done in less time. We talk about habits, time management, and self-management in the context of designing games while also having a job, family, and busy schedule. And you can find Trevor’s daily planner and more time optimization content on his... The post Optimizing Game Design Time with Trevor L...

In this BGDL community spotlight episode, Wayne Koenig, designer of lots of games, discusses his experience and process of designing a brand new game every single week. The post BGDL Community Spotlight – Designing a Game a Week with Wayne Koenig appeared first on Board Game Design Lab .

Isaac Childres designer of Gloomhaven, talks about how to design games that are massive in scope. Gloomhaven is a 25-pound box of hours upon hours of gameplay, and we dive into design challenges, player progression, marketing, and more. The post Designing Massive Games with Isaac Childres appeared first on Board Game Design Lab .

James Fazio, founder of Pique Games, discusses how to overcome failure in game design and game publishing. We talk about defining success, the danger of comparison, taking feedback gracefully, and more. The post Overcoming Failure with James Fazio appeared first on Board Game Design Lab .

Azhelle Wade, the toy coach, discusses how to design board games for the mass market and toy industry. We talk about “toyetic” games, patents, pitching to publishers, contraption based games, and more. The post Designing Mass Market Games with Azhelle Wade appeared first on Board Game Design Lab .

Justin Chu, founder of Mobo Games, discusses how to design board games made specifically for the digital space. We talk about the pros and cons of digital-only board games along with the many things to think about and to be aware of when traveling into this side of the market. The post How to Design Digital Board Games with Justin Chu appeared first on Board Game Design Lab .

Your friend Ben Moy, desinger of Breakdancing Meeples, discusses his thoughts on how to make the game design space (and subsequently the world) a better and brighter place to be a part of. We talk about joining communities that resonate with you, like Girls’ Game Shelf and TGC Designer Discussion, using emojis and GIFs to foster relationships, reminding yourself... The post How to Make the G...

Leslie Scott, desinger of Jenga, and Freddie Scott Vollrath, designer of Slappy Camper, discuss what all goes into designing and pitching games for the mass market. We talk about what makes a game “mass market,” getting games into museums, where to pitch game ideas, and more. The post How to Design Games for the Mass Market with Leslie Scott and Freddie Scott Vollrath appeared first on...

Jeremy Howard, reviewer at Man vs Meeple, discusses what makes a great solo game. Jeremy is super passionate about solo games, and we dive into examples of excellent solo games, capturing tension, solo modes for multiplayer games, and more. [mobileonly]To download this episode to your phone, click HERE.[/mobileonly] The post What Makes a Great Solo Game with Jeremy Howard appeared first on Board G...

Charlie McCarron, designer of Four Humours, discusses what it looks like for a board game designer to live a creative lifeWe talk about scheduling, self-care, betting on yourself, inspiration, and more. And be sure to check out Charlie’s game on Kickstarter HERE.​​ [mobileonly]To download this episode to your phone, click HERE.[/mobileonly] The post How to Live a Creative Life with Charlie M...

Bevan Clatworthy, designer of Ghostel, discusses all the different angles of bringing a game to life when you work exclusively online. Bevan has been co-designing games online since 2015, and we talk about scheduling, software, good habits, and more. And be sure to check out Bevan’s game Haunticulture on Kickstarter HERE. The post How to Design Games Online with Bevan Clatworthy appeared fir...

Dustin Hendrickson, designer of Don’t Let It Die, discusses all the ins and outs of creating your game with Tabletop Simulator. Dustin has been working with TTS for years, and we cover basically everything you need to know to get your game on the platform and why it’s a good idea to do so. The post Designing with Tabletop Simulator with Dustin Hendrickson appeared first on Board Game D...

Kirk Dennison, founder of Piecekeeper Games, discusses some pretty heavy topics as we get into self-care, mental health, depression, burnout, and more. Kirk went through a pretty tough time of life a while back, and we delve into issues that I believe a lot of people are struggling with right now. We also get into strategies for... The post Self Care and Dealing with Designer Burnout with Kirk Den...

In this episode, it’s just me and I’m talking about why game design matters. In a world with so many pressing issues, it’s easy to not realize how important games and game design really are. I tell some personal stories and also get into where the Board Game Design Lab is headed. And be sure... The post Why Game Design Matters with Gabe Barrett appeared first on Board Game Design...

John de Campos, founder of Terrible Games, discusses everything that goes into creating miniatures for a game. We talk about the design process, materials, manufacturing, and more. And be sure to check out John’s game, Token Terrors, on Kickstarter HERE. The post Miniatures with John de Campos appeared first on Board Game Design Lab .

Corey Konieczka, one of the best designers on the planet, gives us a behind-the-scenes look at his creative process. We talk about what it’s like to work at Fantasy Flight Games, coming up with ideas, playtesting, and more. If you’re not familiar with Corey, he’s worked on these games: Battlestar Galactica Space Hulk: Death Angel... The post The Design Process of Corey Konieczka...

Danielle Reynolds, designer with DMR Creative Group, discusses the many ways a designer can get involved in the game design community. We talk about volunteering, design groups, mentorships, and more.  The post How to Get Involved in the Game Design Community with Danielle Reynolds appeared first on Board Game Design Lab .

Hankerin Ferinale, founder of Runehammer Games, discusses what board game designers can learn from the world of tabletop RPGs. Hankerin is one of the most creative people I know, and he’s been creating RPG content for years. He has a ton of insight on how RPG concepts can improve board games. The post What Board Game Designers Can Learn from Tabletop RPGs with Hankerin Fe...

Ignacy Trzewiczek, founder of Portal Games and designer of Robinson Crusoe, discusses his company’s motto: Games that tell stories. We go in-depth into Ignacy’s design process, talk about his most popular games, and get to the heart of what it looks like to create games that have players leaving the table with a story to tell. The post Designing Games that Tell Stories with Ignacy Trze...

Martin Gonzalvez, expert print-n-player, discusses why having a print-n-play version of your game is so important.  We talk about best practices and ways to make PnP files with excellence. We also get into some game creation techniques. The post Designing an Awesome Print-n-Play with Martin Gonzalvez appeared first on Board Game Design Lab .

Jason Brooks, designer of Legacies, discusses his best time management tips. We talk about all sorts of different ways to make time for game design, and we get into specific strategies for creating habits that make success inevitable. And be sure to check out Jason’s game, Legacies, which is on Kickstarter HERE. The post Time Management and Getting Things Done with Jason Brooks appeared firs...

David and Jordanna Santiago, the father/daughter team behind the game Jujo, discuss their process for designing games and how other families can do the same. We talk about the importance of games as they relate to the development of children, and Jordanna gives lots of advice on how to design alongside kids. And be sure to check out their game Jujo which... The p...