The Board Game Design Lab

Ben Downton, designer of  Micro Dojo , talks about designing micro-micro games – games so small they can fit in a regular-sized envelope. We talk about component constraints, focus, player expectations, and more! And be sure to check out Ben’s game, Micro Dojo, on Kickstarter HERE . The post Designing Games that Fit in an Envelope with Ben Downton appeared first on Board Game Design La...

Josh Horsley, designer of  Castlescape , talks about designing deck-building games that have more going on than just building a deck. We talk about adding boards and other components, and we get into the benefits and obstacles of creating these kinds of games. And be sure to check out Josh’s game, Castlescape, on Kickstarter HERE . The post Deck Building and MORE with Josh Horsley appeared f...

The brand new BGDL community site is now live at www.bgdlplus.com ! The post BGDL+ is live! appeared first on Board Game Design Lab .

Ami Baio, designer of  You Think You Know Me  and several other conversation-based games, talks about what all goes into designing and publishing them. We talk about how to create gaming environments that encourage people to talk, listen, and enjoy chatting with each other. The post Designing Conversation Games with Ami Baio appeared first on Board Game Design Lab .

Joe Klipfel, designer of Griphold Tower , discusses what it’s like to take a large, published game and turn it into a microgame. Joe has done this with Set a Watch and Gloomhaven and offers lots of insight on how to break a game down to its essence. The post [Community Spotlight] Turning Big Games into Microgames with Joe Klipfel appeared first on Board Game Design Lab .

Marco Pecota, designer of Legions of Steel , discusses the ways he’s engaging with the fans of his game. We talk about building a community, releasing bonus content, reaching out to your fans for feedback, and more. The post [Community Spotlight] Customer Engagement, Support, and Satisfaction with Marco Pecota appeared first on Board Game Design Lab .

Martin Wallace, designer of  Brass: Birmingham  and about 100 other great games, talks about Euro games and his process for designing them. Martin is one of the greatest designers of all time, and he offers tons of excellent advice based on his 30+ years in the industry. The post How to Design Euro Games with Martin Wallace 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 gaming industry HERE .​ The post Getting a Job in the B...

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 website here . The post Optimizing Game Design Time w...

Dennis Furia talks about the board game identity pyramid. The pyramid is an excellent tool and framework to help you break down a game into its main selling points and help you figure out the why, what, and how behind your game. You can find more about the pyramid HERE . The post The Board Game Identity Pyramid with Dennis Furia appeared first on Board Game Design Lab .

Laura Hoffman, COO of  Game on Tabletop , discusses the ins and outs, pros and cons of crowdfunding your game. Game on Tabletop is a crowdfunding platform specifically for board game campaigns, and Laura has a ton of experience working with creators and project managers.​ The post Why You Should Crowdfund Your Game (or Not) with Laura Hoffman appeared first on Board Game Design Lab .

Wade Hayes designer of  Poetic License , dives into everyone’s favorite topic…taxes. We talk about lots of the major accounting topics designers and publishers need to be aware of. Wade is a tax pro, and this episode will be super helpful in making sure you stay in the government’s good graces (assuming you’re in the U.S.). Here’s an excellent tax guide PDF Wade creat...

Joe Hout, designer of  Dungeon Draft , talks about how to design a roll and write game. Joe has designed  quite a few  roll and writes, and we get into dice vs cards, combos, player counts, and more. And be sure to check out Joe’s game Dice in the Darkness and play along on Twitch  HERE . The post Designing Roll and Write Games with Joe Hout appeared first on Board Game Design Lab .

In this BGDL community spotlight episode, Alex Lu, designer of Dogs Bond , discusses how to implement interchangeable win conditions in a game. The post BGDL Community Spotlight – Interchangeable Win Conditions with Alex Lu appeared first on Board Game Design Lab .

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 .

Sara Perry, designer of  Gift of Tulips , talks about all the many angles of shipping and logistics. Sara handles logistics for quite a few publishers (including me), and we talk about vetting fulfillment partners, shipping rates, what to think about if you’re just a game designer, and more. And be sure to check out Sara’s game on Kickstarter HERE .​ The post Board Game Logistics and F...

Today, it’s just me on the show, and I’m discussing different angles of designing and publishing solo games, and I’m talking through the design process for my latest solo game, Hunted: Wode Ridge . I talk about pros, cons, design challenges, the business side of things, and more. And you can check out Hunted: Wode Ridge on Kickstarter HERE . The post Designing Solo Games and the...

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 .

Debbie Moynihan, COO of  White Wizard Games , discusses how to market yourself, your game, and your company. Whether you’re a designer pitching to a publisher or wanting to run Kickstarter campaigns of your own, you’ll find some great wisdom in this one. Debbie also breaks down the seven P’s of marketing. The post How to Market Yourself, Your Game, and Your Company with Debbie Mo...

John D’Angelo, desinger of  Runelords , discusses how to receive, process, and utilize feedback. Whether you’re talking to playtesters, gamers, members of your target audience, or anyone else, it’s important to know how to take in feedback, and it’s vital to know how to use it to make your games better. And be sure to check out John’s game, Runelords, on Kickstarter H...

Grant Lyon, desinger of  Curmudgeon , discusses everything that goes into crafting a fun and humorous gaming experience. Grant is a professional stand-up comic, and we talk about joke theory, humor in rulebooks, party games, and more. The post Crafting a Humorous Experience with Grant Lyon appeared first on Board Game Design Lab .