The 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 that everyone is a perso...

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 firs...

Mike Lee, professional rulebook writer , discusses how to put together a clear, concise set of rules for your game. Mike has written rulebooks for publishers like Button Shy Games, and he’s put together the most in-depth rules writing  guide I’ve ever seen. We talk about cognitive load, structure, accessibility, and more. And if you want to dive deeper, make sure to check out the Ruleb...

AJ Brandon, storefront manager at  Board Game Bliss , discusses how to make sure your game stands out in retail. We talk about why some games stay on a store shelf for 2 minutes while other games sit there for 2 years. And we talk about what both designers and publishers can do to get their games noticed. And be sure to check out AJ’s new podcast about board game design, Fun Problems .​​ The...

Emerson Matsuuchi, designer of  Century: Spice Road , discusses how to use math to design better games. We talk about game balance, spreadsheets, mathematical models, and more. The post Using Math to Design Better Games with Emerson Matsuuchi appeared first on Board Game Design Lab .

Travis Jones, designer of  Pendulum , discusses what all goes into the design process for a real-time game. We talk about time constraints, chaos, analysis paralysis, board layout, and more. The post Designing a Real-Time Game with Travis Jones appeared first on Board Game Design Lab .

Shannon McDowell, puzzle maker and escape room designer, discusses what designers and publishers need to think about when designing puzzle games and games with puzzles in them. Shannon has done a ton of research on puzzles and how they relate to culture and cultural biases for Wilfred Laurier University. And she has a great system for defining and understanding the different types of puzzles in ga...

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 Boar...

Charlie McCarron, designer of  Four Humours , discusses what it looks like for a board game designer to live a creative life We 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 Char...

Allen Wolf, founder of  Morning Star Games , discusses various ways to promote a game and get the word out about it. We talk about how to contact game stores, traditional media, digital content creators, and more. [mobileonly]To download this episode to your phone, click HERE .[/mobileonly] The post How to Promote a Game with Allen Wolf appeared first on Board Game Design Lab .

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 ap...

Patrick Lysaght, designer of  Commissioned , discusses the process of designing and publishing an expansion for a game. We talk about the different kinds of expansions, design challenges, and what it takes to bring them to the marketplace. And be sure to check out Patrick’s  expansion to Commission   on Kickstarter  HERE . The post How to Design and Publish an Expansion with Patrick Lysaght...

Lori Love and Lea Velocci , founders of  People for Goldfish , discuss the ins and outs of designing word games. We talk about  components, scoring systems, accessibility, fun factor, and more. And be sure to check out Lori and Lea’s game Word Hustle on Kickstarter  HERE .​ ​ The post Designing Word Games with Lori Love and Lea Velocci appeared first on Board Game Design Lab .

Scott Gaeta, founder of  Renegade Game Studio , discusses his journey to become one of the most well-known publishing companies in the industry.  We talk about business advice, marketing, game development, and more! The post How to Run a Publishing Company with Scott Gaeta appeared first on Board Game Design Lab .

Frank West, designer of  Isle of Cats , discusses  the ins and outs of designing a polyomino game (games with those funny Tetris tiles).  Isle of Cats is one of the best polyomino games on the market, and we get into what makes these games fun, prototyping, and more. The post How to Design a Polyomino Game with Frank West appeared first on Board Game Design Lab .

Sam Stockton, founder of  B.A. Games , discusses everything you need to be planning for and thinking about when demoing your game at conventions (both in-person and online). Sam has been working conventions for years, and we get into booth setup, hiring volunteers, explaining your game, and more. The post How to Demo Games at Conventions with Sam Stockton appeared first on Board Game Design Lab .

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...

Stephanie Kwok, designer of  Ducks in Tow , discusses the process of simplifying a game down to its best possible version. Stephanie is both a designer and a publisher, so she offers both perspectives as we talk through ways to trim, cut, slice, and dice a game so that its most fun parts shine through. The post How to Simplify a Game with Stephanie Kwok appeared first on Board Game Design Lab .

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 dealing with and overcoming dark times. And be sure to check out Ki...

Al Leduc ,  designer  of  Yukon Airways , discusses  what all goes into designing a dice drafting game. We talk about balance, dice mitigation, why the d6 is king, and more! The post Dice Drafting Games with Al Leduc appeared first on Board Game Design Lab .

Casey Hill, founder of  Hill Gaming Company , discusses the process of turning gamers into raving fans. Casey works for the software company  Bonjoro  which is hyper-focused on customer engagement and retention, so we have a lot to chat about when it comes to creating raving fans. The post How to Turn Gamers into Raving Fans with Casey Hill appeared first on Board Game Design Lab .

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 to check out my latest project, the Board Game Design Starter Kit, on Kickstarter  HERE ....

Alex Hague, designer of  Wavelength , discusses all the ins and outs of designing a party game. We talk about simplicity, expectations, scoring systems, time constraints, and more! And be sure to check out Alex’s game, The Fuzzies, on Kickstarter  HERE . The post Designing Party Games with Alex Hague appeared first on Board Game Design Lab .

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 .

Malachi Ray Rempen, founder of  Itchy Feet , discusses what it means to design more than just a game. We talk about branding, spinoff products, merchandise, and more. And be sure to check out Malachi’s game, Roll Camera! , on Kickstarter  HERE . The post Designing More than Just a Game with Malachi Ray Rempen appeared first on Board Game Design Lab .