The Board Game Design Lab

In this episode, Rob Daviau and I chat about how to playtest, receive feedback, iterate, and playtest a whole lot more.

The post How to Playtest like a Pro with Rob Daviau appeared first on Board Game Design Lab.

In this episode, Jay Cormier and I chat about how to teach game design concepts to others and help them become game designers.

And be sure to check out Jay’s new game design activity book HERE.

The post How to Create More Game Designers with Jay Cormier appeared first on Board Game Design Lab.

In this episode, I chat with Ben Downton who designs games and runs the publishing company Prometheus Game Labs. We chat about how lonely design work can be, how to balance being creative with running a business, Board Game Arena, and more!

And here’s the Board Game Arena article mentioned in the show: https://prometheusgamelabs.wordpress.com/2023/08/14/how-a-game-gets-on-board-game-arena/

The post How to Design AND Publish games with Ben Downton appeared first on Board Game Design Lab.

Kyle Sussenbach and I chat about how to get started in creating a publishing business and how to go from absolutely nothing to launching a crowdfunding campaign.

The post 10 Steps to Go from Nothing to Crowdfunding Campaign with Kyle Sussenbach appeared first on Board Game Design Lab.

In this episode, I talk through pretty much every tip about game design that I can think of!

And if you want to see the video version, you can check it out on YouTube HERE.

The post 71 Ways to Become a Better Game Designer with Gabe Barrett appeared first on Board Game Design Lab.

In this episode, I chat with Jason Tagmire about everything related to 18-card games. We talk about designing, publishing, manufacturing, shipping, marketing, crowdfunding, and more!

The post Small Games that Pack a Big Punch with Jason Tagmire appeared first on Board Game Design Lab.

In this episode, I chat with Jonny Pac about how to create games that fully engage players and keep them coming back for more. We talk about the difference between puzzles and games, designing for different types of players, utilizing randomness, fuzzy logic, and a whole lot more!

The post How to Craft the Perfect Player Experience with Jonny Pac appeared first on Board Game Design Lab.

In this episode, I chat with James Ernest about how to make a game that doesn’t just work mechanically but is also a lot of fun to play. We talk about how to identify when testers are having fun, the design decisions that create fun experiences, utilizing surprise, and a whole lot more.

You can find James’s game design lectures and articles here: https://crabfragmentlabs.com/lecture-hall

And here’s that video he mentioned about goats: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=58-atNakMWw

The post How to Design Fun Games with James Ernest appeared first on Board Game Design Lab.

In this episode, I chat with Amy and Dusty Droz who raised over $1 million on Kickstarter as first-time creators with a game that only costs $39.

You can late back their game, Botany, here: https://botany.backerkit.com/hosted_preorders

The post How to Have Massive Success on Kickstarter with Amy and Dusty Droz appeared first on Board Game Design Lab.

In this episode, I give my best advice on how to reach out to content creators and get featured on podcasts, and I chat with my friend, Justin Kral, a professional audio engineer about how to create an audio setup that sounds great.

The post How to Get Featured on Podcasts and Sound Great with Justin Kral appeared first on Board Game Design Lab.

In this episode, I chat with Andrew Lowen, and we break down a recent crowdfunding campaign I ran that I had to cancel. I talk about the mistakes I made and what I’m doing to fix things as I get ready to relaunch the campaign.

The post My Crowdfunding Failure: A Post Mortem with Andrew Lowen appeared first on Board Game Design Lab.

Jorge Velez, professional illustrator, discusses topics related to art and creativity. We talk about how comparison destroys creative people, how to make your own luck, the different paths to becoming a pro artist, best practices for finding and working with artists, and a whole lot more.

The post Art, Working with Artists, and Becoming Your Best Creative Self with Jorge Velez appeared first on Board Game Design Lab.

Zachary Strebeck, a lawyer who specializes in games, dives into the many legal issues that arise when bringing games to life and getting them on the market. We talk about clauses to look out for in contracts, the pros and cons of NDAs, what you need to know about copyrights and trademarks, and a whole lot more.

If you want to contact Zachary, you can find his website here: https://strebecklaw.com

The post The Legal Side of Creating Games with Zachary Strebeck appeared first on Board Game Design Lab.

In this episode, Sen-Foong Lim talks about how he balances his 50+ hour a week teaching job with working on 40+ games a year. We talk about how to design like crazy without burning out, how to get into a flow state, the myth of being self-made, how to work with co-designers, and a whole lot more!

The post How to Balance Game Design with a Full Time Job with Sen-Foong Lim appeared first on Board Game Design Lab.

Peter C. Hayward, from Jellybean Games, is back, and we’re talking about how a hyper-creative person can pursue lots of different projects and actually get things done.

The post How to Work on Lots of Projects at Once with Peter C. Hayward appeared first on Board Game Design Lab.

In this episode, Jamey Stegmaier talks about how to make money creating games.

We talk about how to monetize creativity and the many roadblocks people run into. Jamey unpacks what he would do if he had to start over and build a publishing company from scratch. He opens up about his biggest financial mistake. We talk about why people should design games. And a whole lot more.

The post How to Make Money Designing Games with Jamey Stegmaier appeared first on Board Game Design Lab.

Here’s a quick update about the relaunching of the podcast and the future of the Board Game Design Lab. Lots of cool things ahead!

The post So, where were we? appeared first on Board Game Design Lab.

The post See You Space Cowboy with Gabe Barrett and Jamey Stegmaier appeared first on Board Game Design Lab.

I’m celebrating the podcast’s 300th episode by chatting with Alan Moon, the designer of Ticket to Ride.

We go through his long career in the gaming industry, discuss the genesis of Ticket to Ride, chat about playtesting and pitching, and more!

The post (Celebrating 300 Episodes!) The Design Journey of Alan Moon appeared first on Board Game Design Lab.

Peter C. Hayward, from Jellybean Games, is back, and we’re talking through our absolute best tips and advice for game designers.

We split the conversation into two parts: new designers and experienced designers. And we talk through our own successes and failures.

And be sure to check out Peter’s latest game, Sunshine City, which you can download for free HERE!

The post Our Best Game Design Advice with Peter C. Hayward appeared first on Board Game Design Lab.

Patrick Mcneil, from McMeeple Games, discusses what it’s like to design games with his children.

Patrick has been creating games with his kids for years and has gotten many of the designs to the point of being fully published games. We talk about being intentional, setting the right expectations, overcoming negative feedback, and more.

The post Designing Games with Your Kids with Patrick McNeil appeared first on Board Game Design Lab.

Ben Rosset, designer of The Search for Planet X, talks about how to design games based on real-life systems and processes.
​
Ben has designed games based on aging cheese, brewing beer, finding planets, manufacturing board games, and many other themes that happen in the real world, so we have quite a bit to chat about.

The post Designing Games Based on Real-Life Systems with Ben Rosset appeared first on Board Game Design Lab.

Jess and Steph Nguyen, from Hot Potatoz, talk about how to design take that games.

We talk about finding a good balance of fun, game length, and hurt feelings. And we get into finding the right audience, playtesting, and more.

The post How to Design Take That Games with Steph and Jess Nguyen appeared first on Board Game Design Lab.

Jesse Stacy, from Triceratops Games, discusses how to design drafting games. Jesse has been working on a drafting style game for a while, and we dive into the different types, how to keep a game moving, stacking other mechanisms, and more.

The post [BGDL Community Spotlight] How to Design Drafting Games with Jesse Stacy appeared first on Board Game Design Lab.

Gino Brancazio, from Tinkerbot Games, talks about the three stages of prototyping, and we discuss what you need to know depending on which stage you’re in.

The post [BGDL Community Spotlight] The 3 Stages of Prototyping with Gino Brancazio appeared first on Board Game Design Lab.

Andrew Lowen and Sean Bradford, from Next Level Web, talk about how to get the most out of your crowdfunding campaign.

We spend most of the time talking about different aspects of marketing and break down examples from our own campaigns of what worked and what didn’t.

The post How to Get the Most out of Your Crowdfunding Campaign with Andrew Lowen and Sean Bradford appeared first on Board Game Design Lab.

Rob Dougherty, founder of Wise Wizard Games, talks about how to run a successful publishing company.

We talk about how Rob got started, how to actually make money, how to use Kickstarter effectively, and more.

The post How to Run a Publishing Company with Rob Dougherty appeared first on Board Game Design Lab.

Ryan Laukat, designer of Sleeping Gods, talks about designing open world games.

Sleeping Gods is a phenomenal example of how a board game can pull off the open world experience, and we do a deep dive into basically every aspect of its design. I’ve also been working on an open world game of my own over the last couple years, so we get into the ways we overcame similar issues.

The post Designing Open World Games with Ryan Laukat appeared first on Board Game Design Lab.

Matt Bivens discusses how to teach game design. Matt has been teaching design to high school kids for years, and we get into the usefulness of game design concepts, feedback, and more.

The post Teaching Board Game Design with Matt Bivens appeared first on Board Game Design Lab.

Jess Metheringham, founder of Dissent Games, talks about designing games that are housed completely on greeting cards. We talk about the value of constraints, holiday themes, and more.

The post Designing Greeting Card Games with Jess Metheringham appeared first on Board Game Design Lab.

Kathleen Mercury, designer of Greece Lightning, talks about designing race games.

We talk about meshing a racing theme with mechanisms that actually feel like a race, different ways to win, general design concepts, and more.

The post How to Design a Race Game with Kathleen Mercury appeared first on Board Game Design Lab.

Stephen Schwartz and Floyd Lu, designers of Slash and Spells, talk about designing asymmetrical games.

We talk about creating interesting differences, balancing factions, the challenges of playtesting these kinds of games, and more.

And be sure to check out Stephen and Floyd’s game on Kickstarter HERE!

The post How to Design Asymmetrical Games with Stephen Schwartz and Floyd Lu appeared first on Board Game Design Lab.

Ted Alspach, designer of Maglev Metro and several other route building games, talks about what makes these games special.

We talk about themes that mesh well with the mechanism, end conditions, keeping players interested, and more.

The post How to Design Route Building Games with Ted Alspach appeared first on Board Game Design Lab.

Arthur Franz, founder of Uplink Underground Games, discusses what it looks like to run a publishing company that’s based on print-on-demand manufacturing.

We talk about pros and cons, pricing challenges, community building, and more.

The post [BGDL Community Spotlight] Print-on-Demand Publishing with Arthur Franz appeared first on Board Game Design Lab.

Frank Sarro, designer of Pathways, talks about abstract dexterity games. We get into component quality, manufacturing challenges, complexity, and more.

The post [BGDL Community Spotlight] Designing an Abstract Dexterity Game with Frank Sarro appeared first on Board Game Design Lab.

Phil Walker-Harding, designer of Sushi Go, Barenpark, Imhotep, Gizmos, and several other great games, takes us behind the scenes of his personal design process.

We talk about coming up with ideas, honing big ideas into super fun games, knowing when to walk away from a design, pitching to publishers, and more.

The post The Design Process of Phil Walker-Harding appeared first on Board Game Design Lab.

Carla Kopp, from Weird Giraffe Games, discusses how to multiply your time and get more done.

Carla runs multiple companies while also designing games and creating solo modes for other designers’ games, so she’s had to figure out how to create more hours in the day. We talk about time management, scheduling, and all sorts of other things.

The post How to Multiply Your Time with Carla Kopp appeared first on Board Game Design Lab.

The post How to Design 2 Player Games with Alf Seegert appeared first on Board Game Design Lab.

Carol Mertz and Elan Lee, from Exploding Kittens, discuss how to build a community.

​​We talk about their record-setting Kickstarter campaign, building relationships with customers, guerrilla marketing techniques, and what it looks like to focus on the “crowd” portion of crowdfunding.

And be sure to check out their latest Kickstarter project, Hand to Hand Wombat, HERE.

The post Community Building with Carol Mertz and Elan Lee appeared first on Board Game Design Lab.

Kevin Carroll and Steve Mark, designers of Tenzi and owners of Carma Games, discuss how they built a game publishing company that’s made several million dollars.

They tell their origin story, share guerrilla marketing techniques, discuss mistakes they’ve made, and much more.

Also, you can get 20% off in the Carma Games online store by using coupon code BGDL.

The post Building a Million Dollar Board Game Company with Kevin Carroll and Steve Mark appeared first on Board Game Design Lab.

Tyler Langtimm, designer of Moxie: A Journey of Monsters, discusses how to design a game about monster taming (think Pokemon). Tyler has been working on a monster hunting/taming game for a while (and so have I), so we have quite a lot to talk about. We get into exploration, combat, puzzles, progression, and more.

The post [BGDL Community Spotlight] Designing Monster Taming Games with Tyler Langtimm appeared first on Board Game Design Lab.

Thomas Covert, founder of the Board Game Revolution Facebook group, dives into how to promote your game in Facebook groups without seeming like a slimy used car salesman.

We talk about asking for feedback, how to create engaging posts (and when to post them), paid promotion, and more.

The post [BGDL Community Spotlight] How to Promote Your Game in Facebook Groups with Thomas Covert appeared first on Board Game Design Lab.

Steve Finn, founder of Dr. Finn’s Games, discusses how to design set collection games. Steve has designed a ton of games with this mechanism including Biblios, Herbaceous, and Sunset over Water, so he has a lot to say on the topic.

And be sure to check out Steve’s Latest game on Kickstarter HERE.

The post Designing Set Collection Games with Steve Finn appeared first on Board Game Design Lab.

Jasper Burch, founder of Pine Island Games, dives into business plans and why you probably need one.

The post [BGDL Community Spotlight] Creating a Business Plan with Jasper Burch appeared first on Board Game Design Lab.

Scott Smith, designer of Dungeon Drop, discusses how to design games by starting with the components. Scott has become a master at this, and it’s an interesting way to approach design that often begins with theme or a mechanism.

The post [BGDL Community Spotlight] Component First Game Design with Scott Smith appeared first on Board Game Design Lab.

Hersh Glueck, founder of Hero Time Manufacturing, discusses the most common pitfalls and frequently asked questions when it comes to printing a board game.

Hersh lives in China and started a manufacturing company several years ago, so he has a ton of experience and knowledge when it comes to bringing a game to life. We also get into logistics and fulfillment during the episode.

The post Manufacturing Frequently Asked Questions with Hersh Glueck appeared first on Board Game Design Lab.

David Turczi and Nigel Buckle discuss the making of their hit games Imperium: Classics and Imperium: Legends.

We talk through everything from the initial idea all the way to getting the games published and onto people’s tables.

The post The Making of Imperium with David Turczi and Nigel Buckle appeared first on Board Game Design Lab.

Jerry Hawthorne, designer of Stuffed Fables, discusses how to design a game that focuses on storytelling.

Jerry has created several super popular storytelling games (and has a new one about to come out), and we dive into writing, scenario design, combat mechanisms, and more.

The post Designing Storytelling Games with Jerry Hawthorne appeared first on Board Game Design Lab.

Fabio Lopiano, designer of Merv: The Heart of the Silk Road, discusses how to use entangled decision-making as the primary mechanism in a game.

In several of Fabio’s designs, players have to make choices based on how things like resources and actions are paired together or “entangled.” We unpack everything that goes into designing games that intertwine various options.

The post Entangled Decision Making in Games with Fabio Lopiano appeared first on Board Game Design Lab.

Mike Kelley, designer of Mega Man Adventures, discusses cooperative games and what goes into designing a good one.

Mike has been designing and reviewing cooperative games for years, and we dive into both creating co-op games and how to stand out to reviewers and gamers.

The post How to Design a Cooperative Game with Mike Kelley appeared first on Board Game Design Lab.

Assad Quraishi, designer of Genesis: Battle of Champions, discusses everything to think about if you want to design a trading card game for today’s market.

We talk about how to get started, building an audience, when to go to Kickstarter, how to stand out, and more.

The post Designing a Trading Card Game in the Modern Era with Assad Quraishi appeared first on Board Game Design Lab.

Jonny Pac, designer of Merchants Cove and lots of other games, discusses his process of finding the perfect mesh of theme and mechanisms.

We talk about his approach to theme in his various games, research, and what it looks like for mechanics to make sense inside the theme.

The post Thematically Informed Game Design with Jonny Pac appeared first on Board Game Design Lab.

Marvin Hegen, designer of Mindbug, discusses how to use a blue ocean strategy in game design and game publishing.

We talk about blue ocean vs red ocean concepts, how the strategy can help you pitch games, marketing, and more.

The post Using Blue Ocean Strategy in Game Design with Marvin Hegen appeared first on Board Game Design Lab.

Trevor Benjamin and David Thompson, designers of the Undaunted series, discuss how to take a solid core idea and then expand on it.

We talk about the making of Undaunted games, what goes into creating expansions, standalone sequels, and new games with similar DNA to previous designs.

The post How to Expand on a Core Idea with Trevor Benjamin and David Thompson appeared first on Board Game Design Lab.

Ariel Rubin and Juliana Moreno, designers of the Escape Room in a Box series, discuss what it takes to put a new twist on a familiar genre.

Over the last few years, they’ve designed and published several games that brought new angles and fresh ideas to various different genres, so we dive into lots of great examples of how to do this.

The post How to Put a New Twist on a Familiar Genre with Ariel Rubin and Juliana Moreno appeared first on Board Game Design Lab.

Darren Terpstra, designer of Ignite, discusses what to be aware of when designing games that go up to six or more players

We talk about the pros and cons of higher player count games, balance, finding playtesters, and more.

The post Designing Games with Higher Player Counts with Darren Terpstra appeared first on Board Game Design Lab.

Nicolas Fournier, designer of Megapulse, breaks down his top 10 Photoshop tips and tricks to help game designers.

The post Top 10 Photoshop Tips for Game Designers with Nicolas Fournier appeared first on Board Game Design Lab.

Jon Spike, designer of Gamestormers, discusses his game about designing board games (it gets a bit meta). I think it’s an excellent way to introduce new people to the game design hobby and also might make for a helpful resource for seasoned designers.

The post A Game about Game Design with Jon Spike appeared first on Board Game Design Lab.

The post How to Design a Pick-up and Deliver Game with Marcel Köhler appeared first on Board Game Design Lab.

The post The Pros and Cons of Doing Everything Yourself with Malachi Ray Rempen appeared first on Board Game Design Lab.

Lucas Sosnick, designer of Crisis on Cardea, discusses different ways we can bring young people into both gaming and game design.

Lucas is seventeen years old and has been both a gamer and a designer for a while, so he gives an inside look at what we can do to make the hobby a more welcoming place.

And be sure to check out Lucas’s game on Kickstarter HERE.​​

The post How to Reach the Next Generation with Lucas Sosnick appeared first on Board Game Design Lab.

Robert Longtin, professional data analyst, discusses all angles of playtest data.

We talk about what data to collect, when to collect it, how to collect it, how to analyze it, and more.

Learn more about Robert’s games HERE.

The post Collecting and Analyzing Playtest Data with Robert Longtin appeared first on Board Game Design Lab.

Morten Monrad Pedersen, from Automa Factory and Stonemaier Games, dives into a more serious topic as we discuss bipolarity, depression, and using game design to cope.

Morten was diagnosed with bipolarity several years ago and sheds a ton of light on the subject. He goes into a lot about his own personal journey and how games and game design have helped him.

Also, here’s the Malcom Gladwell video I mention on the show.

The post Bipolarity, Depression, and Using Game Design to Cope with Morten Monrad Pedersen appeared first on Board Game Design Lab.

Carol Mertz, senior game designer at Exploding Kittens, gives us a behind the scenes look at the inner workings of a major publisher.

We talk about timelines, working with internal and external designers, pursuing excellent game ideas, how to get a job at Exploding Kittens, and more.

The post A Look Behind the Scenes at Exploding Kittens with Carol Mertz appeared first on Board Game Design Lab.

Today, it’s just me, and I’ve got a word of encouragement for you. Pursuing a creative lifestyle can be incredibly difficult, so I wanted to do an episode to help you stay motivated and inspired.

The post A Word of Encouragement from Gabe Barrett appeared first on Board Game Design Lab.

Luke Badger, Paul Abrahams, and Andy Richdale, from Badgers from Mars, talk about how to design a game based on nothing more than a standard deck of cards.

We talk about their game Regicide (currently number one on BGG’s Hotness list), pros and cons of such tight constraints, marketing, and more.

The post Designing Games Based on a Standard Deck of Cards with Luke Badger, Paul Abrahams, and Andy Richdale appeared first on Board Game Design Lab.

Fertessa Allyse, producer at Funko Games, talks about how to design a trick taking game.

We talk about table talk, bringing new ideas to the genre, what to look for while playtesting, and more.

And be sure to check out Fertessa’s trick taking game, Wicked and Wise, on Kickstarter HERE.

*Also, at one point, I mention UNO as a trick taking game, however, it’s definitely a matching game. (duh, haha)

The post How to Design Trick Taking Games with Fertessa Allyse appeared first on Board Game Design Lab.

Jeff Fraser, designer of Cartouche, talks about various skill barriers in games and what you should be aware of when designing games with elements like spatial reasoning, dexterity, memory, math, and negotiation.

We talk about playtesting these elements, designing based on your target audience, and more.

And be sure to check out Jeff’s game, Cartouche, on Kickstarter HERE.​

The post Skill Barriers in Games with Jeff Fraser appeared first on Board Game Design Lab.

Rachel Bruner, designer of Harsh Shadows, talks about how to create print-n-play games and the many reasons why you might want to.

Rachel is super active in the PnP community, and we discuss her thoughts on best practices, tools of the trade, getting a PnP game published, and more.

And here are all the links and whatnot that were discussed on the show:

The post How and Why You Should Create Print-n-Play Games with Rachel Bruner appeared first on Board Game Design Lab.

Perry Berkum, founder of Game Decks, talks about how to turn a video game into a board game.

Perry’s company has published several board games inspired by video games, and we talk about theme, mechanisms, licensing, marketing, and more.

The post How to Turn a Video Game into a Board Game with Perry Burkum appeared first on Board Game Design Lab.

In another BGDL community spotlight, Jeff Turner, founder of Skip Work Play Games, dives into how to use InDesign to do data merge and speed up your prototyping process.

Data merge makes it easy to edit or change hundreds of cards with one click, and we get into both high-level concepts and technical how-to.

The post (Community Spotlight) Using InDesign and Data Merge with Jeff Turner appeared first on Board Game Design Lab.

Anthony Howgego, developer at Osprey Games, what goes into developing a game and nearly everything else surrounding development.

We talk about taking games from good to great, how to work with a developer effectively, how to become a developer, and more.

The post Developing Games and Working with Developers with Anthony Howgego appeared first on Board Game Design Lab.

Dave Beck, designer of Distilled, talks about improving games through experiential graphic design.

Dave did a TON of research for his latest game, hired experts, and dove as deeply into the theme as he could. So, he’s got a lot of advice for anyone wanting to make a super thematic game.

And be sure to check out Dave’s game, Distilled, on Kickstarter HERE.

The post How to Make a Super Thematic Game and Do Research with Dave Beck appeared first on Board Game Design Lab.

Kate Otte, designer of First Ascent, talks about improving games through experiential graphic design.

Kate is a professional graphic designer, and we get into how to make games more accessible, understandable, and fun using excellent graphic design techniques.

And be sure to check out Kate’s game, First Ascent, on Kickstarter HERE.

The post Experiential Graphic Design with Kate Otte appeared first on Board Game Design Lab.

Nick Murray, founder of Bitewing Games, discusses how you can evaluate your game and ideas using SWOT analysis. This is a common technique in the business world to analyze ideas, products, companies, etc., and it can really help with game design as well.

The post (Community Spotlight) Evaluating Your Game with SWOT Analysis with Nick Murray appeared first on Board Game Design Lab.

Dan Hundycz, founder of DPH Games, discusses layered victory conditions. In his latest game, Usurp the King, there’s a hierarchy of ways to win, and Dan breaks down how it came together.

And be sure to check out Usurp the King on Kickstarter HERE.

The post (Community Spotlight) Layered Victory Conditions with Dan Hundycz appeared first on 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.

Andrew Lowen, designer of Deliverance, talks about going through the process of deciding between traditional publishing and self-publishing.

We talk about the pros and cons on both sides along with how to make things work if you go the self-publishing route.

And be sure to check out Andrew’s game, Deliverance, on Kickstarter HERE.

The post Why to Self Publish…or Not with Andrew Lowen appeared first on Board Game Design Lab.

Janice Turner, designer of Assembly, talks about designing puzzle games.

We talk about player experience, designing during nap times, how to make puzzles fun and not tedious, and more!

And be sure to check out Janice’s game, Pilfering Pandas, on Kickstarter HERE.

The post Designing Puzzle Games with Janice Turner appeared first on 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 Lab.

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 first on Board Game Design Lab.

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 Board Game Industry with Joe Slack appeared first on Board Game Design Lab.

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 with Trevor Laforce appeared first on Board Game Design Lab.

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 created.

And be sure to check out Wade’s game, Poetic License, on Kickstarter HERE.

The post Taxes for Designers and Publishers with Wade Hayes appeared first on Board Game Design Lab.

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 Fulfillment with Sara Perry appeared first on Board Game Design Lab.

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 Making of Hunted: Wode Ridge with Gabe Barrett 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.

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 Moynihan appeared first on Board Game Design Lab.

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 HERE.

The post How to Process Feedback with John D’Angelo appeared first on Board Game Design Lab.

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.

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 person beyond the screen, owning up to and growing from your mistakes, and more.​​

Ben devotes a great deal of his time to helping and encouraging others in the game design community and has some great ideas on how we can all work to make this a truly excellent hobby.

The post How to Make the Game Design Community a Brighter Place with Your Friend Ben Moy appeared first on Board Game Design Lab.

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 Board Game Design Lab.

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 Rulebook Editors’ Hangout Discord channel HERE.

The post How to Write a Great Rulebook with Mike Lee appeared first on Board Game Design Lab.

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 post How to Stand Out in Retail with AJ Brandon appeared first on Board Game Design Lab.

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 games.

[mobileonly]To download this episode to your phone, click <a href=”https://media.blubrry.com/board_game_design_lab/content.blubrry.com/board_game_design_lab/BGDL_209_Shannon_McDowell.mp3″>HERE</a>.[/mobileonly]

The post Puzzles in Games with Shannon McDowell appeared first on Board Game Design Lab.

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 Game Design Lab.

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 Charlie McCarron appeared first on Board Game Design Lab.

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.

The post How to Design Games Online with Bevan Clatworthy appeared first on Board Game Design Lab.

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 appeared first on Board Game Design Lab.

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 Game Design Lab.

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 Kirk’s latest project, Rurik: Stone and Blade, on Kickstarter now.

The post Self Care and Dealing with Designer Burnout with Kirk Dennison appeared first on Board Game Design Lab.

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.

The post Why Game Design Matters with Gabe Barrett appeared first on Board Game Design Lab.

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.

Jon Vallerand, founder of Subsurface Games, does a deep dive into the mechanism of majorities.

We talk about the best majorities based games, ways to incentivize players, interactive play, and more.

And be sure to check out Jon’s game, With a Smile and a Gun, on Kickstarter HERE.​​

The post Designing Majorities Based Games with Jon Vallerand appeared first on Board Game Design Lab.

Justin Gary, designer of Ascension, discusses what goes into both designing and publishing games that continue to have new content.

We talk about content creation, different types of expansions, reinventing the fun for a game, and more.

The post Designing Games in a Series with Justin Gary appeared first on Board Game Design Lab.

Rachael Blaske, owner of Five24 Labs, discusses everything that goes into designing and publishing games that can fit in your pocket.

We talk about design constraints, managing expectations, marketing, and more.

The post Designing and Publishing Small Box Games with Rachael Blaske 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
• Descent 2nd Edition
• Eldritch Horror
• Star Wars: Imperial Assault
• Star Wars: Rebellion
• Twilight Imperium 4th Edition
• Star Wars: Outer Rim​​​​
• ​​​​​​​​​And a TON more!

The post The Design Process of Corey Konieczka appeared first on Board Game Design Lab.

Shem Phillips and Sam Macdonald, from of Garphill Games, discuss what all goes into designing worker placement games.

We talk about creating unique mechanisms, board design, player interaction, and more.

The post Designing Worker Placement Games with Shem Phillips and Sam Macdonald appeared first on Board Game Design Lab.

Phalgun Polepalli, founder of DICE Toy Labs in India, discusses the process of defining your target audience and creating products for them.

We talk about market research, community building, figuring out your ideal customer, and more. 

The post Designing Games for a Specific Audience with Phalgun Polepalli appeared first on Board Game Design Lab.

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.

Christian Martinez discusses the making of his hit game, INIS.

INIS is one of the highest-rated games of all time, and we go into everything from its title to its theme to its mechanisms. 

The post The Making of INIS with Christian Martinez appeared first on Board Game Design Lab.

Brad Talton, founder of Level 99 Games, discusses what goes into designing a game that lasts.

We talk about creating games that are easily expandable, are easy to get into but provide depth for long-time players, and creating worlds that players want to keep coming back to.

And be sure to check out Level 99’s latest game, Bullet, on Kickstarter HERE.

The post Designing Games that Last with Brad Talton 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 Ferinale appeared first on Board Game Design Lab.

T.C. Petty III, designer of VivaJava, discusses how to create positive player interaction in your game.

Most games have a tendency to focus on negative interactions between players, but it doesn’t have to be that way!

The post Creating Positive Player Interaction with T.C. Petty III appeared first on Board Game Design Lab.

Assad Quraishi, designer of Genesis: Battle of Champions, how to design a collectible card game and how to run a company with a CCG as your main product.

Assad has been designing CCGs for 20+ years and running his own CCG company for quite a while, so we’re able to explore nearly every angle of this aspect of gaming.

The post How to Design a Collectible Card Game with Assad Quraishi appeared first on Board Game Design Lab.

Chris van der Linden, founder of Loresmyth Games, discusses his journey about going full-time in the gaming industry and how he turned his passion into his profession.

It’s no small task to turn your hobby into a business, so Chris and I talk through how to make it happen, pitfalls, failure, and what the best parts are.

And be sure to check out Chris’s latest RPG supplement on Kickstarter HERE.

The post How to Turn Your Hobby into a Business with Chris van der Linden appeared first on Board Game Design Lab.

Justin Marty, accountant at Anders CPA, discusses everything you need to be thinking about when it comes to taxes and accounting as a game designer or publisher.

Whether you want to just design games on the side, run Kickstarters, or make games your full time job, we go in-depth on everything you should be thinking about to make sure you stay on the IRS’s good side.

The post Accounting, Taxes, and Game Design with Justin Marty appeared first on Board Game Design Lab.

Marco Pecota, designer of Legions of Steel, discusses everything that goes into designing a miniature war game.

Marco has been designing these types of games since the 90s, and we go into combat systems, movement, metal vs plastic, and everything in between.

And be sure to check out Marco’s miniatures packs on Kickstarter HERE.

The post How to Design Miniature War Games with Marco Pecota appeared first on Board Game Design Lab.

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 Trzewiczek appeared first on Board Game Design Lab.

Peter C. Hayward is back on the show, and we’re delving into the secret sauce of his personal design process. Hint: It all hinges on blind playtesting.

Peter is a designer, developer, and publisher, so he has the benefit of seeing games from lots of different angles.​​

The post The Secret Sauce of Game Design with Peter C. Hayward appeared first on Board Game Design Lab.

It’s just me on the show, and I’m talking about my latest book project called Board Game Kickstarter Advice. 

I go through some of my favorite excerpts from the 50 interviews I did for the book and discuss why it’s such good advice if you want to fund a game on Kickstarter.

Be sure to check out my book on Kickstarter HERE.

The post How to Fund a Game on Kickstarter with Gabe Barrett appeared first on Board Game Design Lab.

Charlie Cleveland, professional video game designer and founder of Unknown Worlds Entertainment, discusses the crossover of video games and board games and what board game designers can learn from their digital counterparts.

And be sure to check out Charlie’s game, Vampire Vendetta, on Kickstarter HERE.

The post What Board Game Designers Can Learn from Video Games with Charlie Cleveland appeared first on Board Game Design Lab.

Bez Shahriari, designer of Yogi, discusses how to design not just a game but a gaming system that can support lots of different games.

Bez designed a system called the ELL Deck a while back, and we get into everything a designer has to think about when working on a project that’s going to consist of more than one game.

And be sure to check out Bez’s game system, the ELL Deck, on Kicstarter HERE.

The post Designing a Game System with Bez Shahriari appeared first on Board Game Design Lab.

Victoria Caña and Alex Uboldi, designers of Gladius, discuss the design process for creating a game with betting at its core.

We go into the ins and outs of balancing hidden vs open information, tension, and why people like these games so much.

The post Designing a Betting Game with Victoria Caña and Alex Uboldi appeared first on Board Game Design Lab.

Tim Eisner, designer of Tidal Blades, discusses the design process for creating big games.

Tim is a master of designing games that take up a bunch of space on your table, but his games are also super approachable.

The post Designing Big Games with Tim Eisner appeared first on Board Game Design Lab.

Juma Al-JouJou, designer of Clans of Caledonia, discusses the design process for a farming centric game.

We talk about market economies, resources, balance, and more.

The post Designing a Farming Game with Juma Al-JouJou appeared first on Board Game Design Lab.

Mohamed Alqadi, designer of Conqueror: Final Conquest, discusses what localization is and how you can take it to the next level. 

We talk about not only translating a game but also changing the art and gameplay depending on where the game is being sold.

The post Localization with Mohamed Alqadi appeared first on Board Game Design Lab.

Erica Bouyouris, designer of Bosk, discusses what all goes into designing a nature-themed game. 

We talk about bringing a theme to life, mechanisms, art, components, and more.

The post Designing a Nature-Themed Game with Erica Bouyouris appeared first on Board Game Design Lab.

David Smith and Travis Winstead, designers of 10 Gallon Tank, discuss what all goes into publishing your first game. 

We talk about idea selection, creating a product, long-term planning, and more.

And be sure to check out their game 10 Gallon Tank on Kickstarter HERE.

The post Publishing Your First Game with David Smith and Travis Winstead appeared first on Board Game Design Lab.

For this episode, I’m doing another design diary, and this time I’m talking about my monster-themed football game Dungeon Ball.

I talk about how the game came to be and what went into its design process.  I also go into the business side of things and talk about the highs and lows of its Kickstarter campaign.

The post The Making of Dungeon Ball with Gabe Barrett appeared first on Board Game Design Lab.

Mike Gnade, designer of Maximum Apocalypse, Set a Watch, The Few and Cursed, discusses what all goes into designing an adventure game. 

We talk about open worlds, story moments, combat, events, luck, and all sorts of other things that come together to make a good adventure game.

The post Designing Adventure Games with Mike Gnade appeared first on Board Game Design Lab.

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.

Andrew Lowen, from Next Level Web, is back to discuss even more things you need to know in order to market a game effectively. We talk about Facebook ads, post-Kickstarter marketing, working with a marketing agency, and more.

The post How to Market a Board Game (Part 2) with Andrew Lowen appeared first on Board Game Design Lab.

Andrew Lowen, from Next Level Web, discusses everything you need to be thinking about when it comes to marketing your game.

We talk email lists, Facebook, timelines, and more. There was so much, in fact, that this podcast will be a 2-part series.

The post How to Market a Board Game (Part 1) with Andrew Lowen appeared first on Board Game Design Lab.

Jayson Smith and Jason Zmuda, from Gold Cauldron Games, discuss the ins and outs of various combat systems.

We talk dice, cards, dexterity and more. And we analyze several “must play” games to learn how to design awesome combat. 

The post Combat Systems with Jayson Smith and Jason Zmuda appeared first on Board Game Design Lab.

The post [ANNOUNCEMENT] The Board Game Design Calendar appeared first on Board Game Design Lab.

Chris Totten, designer of La Mancha, discusses the intersection of the fine arts and modern gaming.

Chris is a professor of game design at Kent State University and has written several books on game design.

The post Mixing the Fine Arts with Game Design with Chris Totten appeared first on Board Game Design Lab.

Omar Tarancon, designer of Safari Turbo, discusses how to design a racing game.

We talk about creating tensions, special abilities, board design and more.

The post Designing a Racing Game with Omar Tarancon appeared first on Board Game Design Lab.

Tobias Olsson and Samuel Sapire, from Tea Time Productions, discuss how they get the most out of the themes in their games.

We talk about starting with a theme in mind and making the mechanisms bring it to life, and we go into how to start with mechanisms and add a theme to the mix.

And check out their super thematic biathlon game on Kickstarter HERE.​​

The post Getting the Most out of a Theme with Tobias Olsson and Samuel Sapire appeared first on Board Game Design Lab.

Toby Truman, warehouse owner and product fulfiller, discusses his best advice on shipping, logistics, and saving money.

This was honestly one of the most enlightening episodes I’ve done, and Toby has great tips and tricks on how to get your game into the world for the best rates.

The post Fulfillment, Shipping, and Logistics with Toby Truman 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 first on Board Game Design Lab.

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 is on Kickstarter HERE.

The post Designing Games with Your Kids with David and Jordanna Santiago appeared first on Board Game Design Lab.

For this episode, I’m doing basically a design diary for my latest game, Hunted. I talk about inspiration, playtesting, and development, and I interview the graphic designer and the artist to discuss their creative processes.

Hunted has been a blast to design, and in this episode, I go through all the ins and outs of how it came to be.

The post The Making of Hunted with Gabe Barrett, Drew Corkill, and Jorge Velez appeared first on Board Game Design Lab.

Shawn Stankewich, founder of Flat Out Games, discusses how he’s building a publishing company that’s built on collaboration.

Shawn’s company doesn’t hire out tasks but instead brings on team members who share in both the work and the profits.

And be sure to check out Shawn’s game Calico which is on Kickstarter HERE.

The post Building a Collaboration Based Publishing Company with Shawn Stankewich appeared first on Board Game Design Lab.

Adam McCrimmon, CEO of XYZ Game Labs, discusses how to design games with non-gamers and new gamers in mind.

Adam’s company focuses on gateway games, and they’re constantly trying to get more people into the hobby.

And be sure to check out Adam’s game Arch Ravels which is on Kickstarter HERE.

The post Designing Games for Non-Gamers with Adam McCrimmon appeared first on Board Game Design Lab.

For this episode, it’s just me on the show, and I’m taking some time to look back at where the BGDL has come from, look ahead to where we’re going, and answer your questions.

It’s been an amazing three years of episodes, and I’m excited about what’s next!

The post Celebrating 150 Episodes! with Gabe Barrett appeared first on Board Game Design Lab.

The post [BONUS] Andrew Birkett on Working a Booth at a Convention appeared first on Board Game Design Lab.

Andrew Birkett, founder of Atheris Games, discusses what it looks like to be an indie game publisher.

Andrew has been running his own game company for four years, and we do a deep dive into the ins and outs of the publishing world.

And be sure to check out Andrew’s game Ruins of Mars which is on Kickstarter HERE.

The post Running an Indie Game Publishing Company with Andrew Birkett appeared first on Board Game Design Lab.

The post [BONUS] Glenn Ford on Designing Small Skirmish Games appeared first on Board Game Design Lab.

Glenn Ford, the lead developer for Gaslands, discusses all the ins and outs of being able to legally place the CE mark on the back of your game box.

There are a ton of misconceptions and misinformation about the process, and Glenn goes through everything step-by-step to make sure it’s crystal clear.

And for more reading on CE Marking:

https://www.gov.uk/guidance/toy-manufacturers-and-their-responsibilities (UK government advice)

http://www.btha.co.uk (British Toy and Hobby Association)

And be sure to check out Glenn’s new game Moonflight on Kickstarter HERE.

The post CE Marking and Board Games with Glenn Ford appeared first on Board Game Design Lab.

The post [BONUS] JB Howell on How to Work on Multiple Designs at the Same Time appeared first on Board Game Design Lab.

JB Howell, designer of Flotilla, discusses the three types of creativity and how they relate to game design.

JB is an up and coming designer who I believe will be a household name by the end of this year, and we go into a lot of the ins and outs of his own creative process.

The post The Three Types of Creativity with JB Howell appeared first on Board Game Design Lab.

The post [BONUS] Jamey Stegmaier on How to Win the Spiel des Jahres appeared first on Board Game Design Lab.

Jamey Stegmaier, designer of Tapestry, discusses how to design a civilization game.

Creating a civ game is no small task, and we get into all the ins and outs of putting one together.

The post Designing a Civilization Game with Jamey Stegmaier appeared first on Board Game Design Lab.

The post [BONUS] Odin Phong on Creating an Anthology of Games appeared first on Board Game Design Lab.

Odin Phong, founder of Inkwell Games, discusses how to design a roll and write game.

The roll and write genre has exploded in popularity over the last couple of years, and we get into why people are drawn to them and how to design a good one.

And be sure to check out Odin’s roll and write anthology on Kickstarter HERE.

The post Designing a Roll and Write with Odin Phong appeared first on Board Game Design Lab.

The post [BONUS] Ann Losito on Tips for Streaming appeared first on Board Game Design Lab.

Ann Losito, Twitch streamer with Twist Gaming, discusses how to engage with media as a game designer.

In today’s world, designers and publishers are more and more having to be on top of their media game in order to be successful. Ann and I get into what that looks like.

The post Media and Game Design with Ann Losito appeared first on Board Game Design Lab.

The post [BONUS] Dave Schultze on the Intersection of Industrial Design and Game Design appeared first on Board Game Design Lab.

Dave Schultze, designer of Gridopolis, discusses how to design a game that not only spreads out on the table but also goes up.

Dave has worked for companies like Lego, Hasbro, and Mattel designing toys and games and has a ton of knowledge on how to design three-dimensional games.

The post Designing 3D games with Dave Schultze appeared first on Board Game Design Lab.

The post [BONUS] Lizzy Funkouser on Designing with Kids in the House appeared first on Board Game Design Lab.

Lizzy Funkhouser, designer of Something to Fear, discusses what it looks like to pay attention to detail when designing a game.

Lizzy loves to add Easter egg type details into her games to enhance the gaming experience, and we get into lots of examples and ways to add cool things to a design.

The post Paying Attention to Detail with Lizzy Funkhouser appeared first on Board Game Design Lab.

The post [BONUS] John Brieger on Re-Theming a Game appeared first on Board Game Design Lab.

John Brieger, professional freelancer, discusses what it looks like to make a living working on board games.

John is a designer, developer, editor, and more, and he’s been working on games full-time for about a year.

The post Freelancing in the Gaming Industry with John Brieger appeared first on Board Game Design Lab.

The post [BONUS] Joe Pilkus on Overcoming Failure appeared first on Board Game Design Lab.

Joe Pilkus, professional game developer, discusses the lessons he’s learned from developing games over the years.

Joe has worked on games from Stonemaier Games, Academy Games, and many other major publishers, and he’s been helping fledgling game designers online for years.

The post Lessons Learned from Developing Games with Joe Pilkus appeared first on Board Game Design Lab.

The post [BONUS] Derek Funkhouser on Going from Freelancer to Working for a Publisher appeared first on Board Game Design Lab.

Derek Funkhouser, designer of Walking Dead: Something to Fear, discusses how to design games that create magic moments.

Derek is the lead developer at Skybound Games and loves designing so that players enjoy awesome moments that they’ll talk about for years to come.

The post Creating Magic Moments with Derek Funkhouser appeared first on Board Game Design Lab.

The post [BONUS] Wes Woodbury on Tips and Tricks for Tabletop Simulator appeared first on Board Game Design Lab.

Wes Woodbury, designer of Legends of Novus, discusses how to design a fantasy-themed game.

We talk about world-building, combat systems, art, and more. 

And be sure to check out Wes’s fantasy-themed board game on Kickstarter HERE.

The post Designing Fantasy Themed Games with Wes Woodbury appeared first on Board Game Design Lab.

The post [BONUS] Ryan Langewisch on Tile-Placement Games appeared first on Board Game Design Lab.

Ryan Langewisch, designer of Tasty Humans, discusses how to create and update a game quickly and efficiently.

Ryan recently won a 48-hour game jam and has gotten really good at the iteration process.

The post Rapid Iteration with Ryan Langewisch appeared first on Board Game Design Lab.

The post [BONUS] Luke Laurie on Designing Expansions appeared first on Board Game Design Lab.

Luke Laurie, designer of Energy Empire, discusses all the ins and outs of creating a worker placement game.

Luke has a ton of experience with the genre with 4 more worker placement games set to come out over the next 2 years.

The post Designing Worker Placement Games with Luke Laurie appeared first on Board Game Design Lab.

The post [BONUS] Ian Zang on Rondel Games appeared first on Board Game Design Lab.

Ian Zang, developer for Deep Water Games, discusses 4 different types of gamer experiences.

Ian has simplified and categorized different ways that people experience games, and he shares a lot to think about as designers.

The post 4 Types of Gamer Experiences with Ian Zang appeared first on Board Game Design Lab.

The post [BONUS] Nikki Valens on Designing Games with App Integration appeared first on Board Game Design Lab.

Nikki Valens, designer of Mansions of Madness, discusses how to design a narrative driven game.

Nikki has designed some of my absolute favorite games and is a master of creating games that tell good stories.

The post Designing a Narrative Driven Game with Nikki Valens appeared first on Board Game Design Lab.

The post [BONUS] Bob and Ryan Craig on Drawing Inspiration from Retro Games appeared first on Board Game Design Lab.

Bob and Ryan Craig, founders of One Day West Games, discuss how to design a tile-laying game.

Their game, Monster Highway, is a fast-playing tile laying game about escaping from a Godzilla style monster, and they have several other tiling games in the works.

The post Designing a Tile-Laying Game with Bob and Ryan Craig appeared first on Board Game Design Lab.

The post [BONUS] Geert Sillevis on Translating a Game appeared first on Board Game Design Lab.

Geert Sillevis, founder of Mystery City Games, discusses how to design an outdoor escape room type of game.

Geert’s game, “A Secret Sender,” is designed to help tourists experience Amsterdam while also enjoying a mystery game. (And it has a 5-star rating on Trip Advisor.)

The post Outdoor Mystery Games with Geert Sillevis appeared first on Board Game Design Lab.

The post [BONUS] Elizabeth Hargrave on How to Get More Women into Game Design appeared first on Board Game Design Lab.

Elizabeth Hargrave, designer of Wingspan, discusses how to design engine building games.

Wingspan is ranked in the top 100 on Board Game Geek, and we talk a lot about Elizabeth’s design process for creating the game.

The post Designing an Engine Building Game with Elizabeth Hargrave appeared first on Board Game Design Lab.

The post [BONUS] Evan Derrick on the Dos and Don’ts for Artists appeared first on Board Game Design Lab.

Evan Derrick, designer of Detective: City of Angels, discusses his own journey and his advice on how to go pro in the gaming industry.

Evan works for Van Ryder Games and has been a full-time pro for over a year.

And be sure to check out Hostage Negotiator: Career on Kickstarter HERE.

The post Going Pro in the Gaming Industry with Evan Derrick appeared first on Board Game Design Lab.

The post [BONUS] Daryl Andrews on the Best Conventions to Go to as a Designer appeared first on Board Game Design Lab.

Daryl Andrews discusses designing games based on licensed IPs.

Daryl has designed a TON of games based on comics, TV shows, and movies, and he goes through lots of ins and outs on how the process works.

The post Designing Games Based on a Licensed IP with Daryl Andrews appeared first on Board Game Design Lab.

The post [BONUS] Darren Terpstra on Building an Audience through Going to Conventions appeared first on Board Game Design Lab.

Darren Terpstra, designer of Ignite, discusses designing games with multiple moving parts and several mechanisms integrated together.

Ignite has quite a few mechanisms working together, so Darren has had to figure out how to make this concept work in a streamlined way.

And be sure to check out Ignite on Kickstarter HERE.

The post Multiple Mechanisms in a Game with Darren Terpstra appeared first on Board Game Design Lab.

The post [BONUS] Tom Butler on Organizing Game Design Time appeared first on Board Game Design Lab.

Tom Butler, designer of Patriots and Redcoats, discusses the design of historical games. 

Tom has specialized in creating games based on history and has lots of interesting insight on the topic.

And be sure to check out Tom’s new game, Paradise Lost, on Kickstarter HERE.

The post Designing Historical Games with Tom Butler appeared first on Board Game Design Lab.

The post [BONUS] Adam Chunn and Woody Hutsell on Creating Miniatures appeared first on Board Game Design Lab.

Adam Chunn and Woody Hutsell discuss designing economic games.

Adam and Woody have years of experience working in the real world of finance and economics and decided to design a game that translates those concepts into game mechanics.

Check out their back-alley economic game set in a fantasy world, Plunderbund, on Kickstarter HERE.

The post Designing Economic Games with Adam Chunn and Woody Hutsell appeared first on Board Game Design Lab.

The post [ANNOUNCEMENT] 2019 Board Game Design Challenge appeared first on Board Game Design Lab.

The post [BONUS] Jesse Zamora on Hidden Information Games appeared first on Board Game Design Lab.

The post [BGDL+] Quality vs Quantity, Lessons from Steve Martin, and the Weight Room appeared first on Board Game Design Lab.

Jesse Zamora discusses modifying published games and what can be learned from the process as game designers.

The post Modifying Published Games with Jesse Zamora appeared first on Board Game Design Lab.

The post [BONUS] John Coveyou on Building a Brand appeared first on Board Game Design Lab.

John Coveyou, founder of Genius Games, discusses how to design games that also happen to be educational.

John is the designer of Cytosis, Subatomic, Ion, and several other well-received science based games, and he’s really figured out how to take scientific ideas and translate them into enjoyable games. 

The post Fun AND Educational Games with John Coveyou appeared first on Board Game Design Lab.

The post [BONUS] Peter C. Hayward on Designing 2nd Editions appeared first on Board Game Design Lab.

Peter C. Hayward, founder of Jellybean Games, discusses how to be a great playtester.

Peter often gets paid by publishers to playtest games and probably playtests more games than anyone you know. He’s got great advice on what it looks like to be the most helpful playtester at the table.

Be sure to check out Peter’s new game on Kickstarter HERE.

The post How to Be a Great Playtester with Peter C. Hayward appeared first on Board Game Design Lab.

The post [BONUS] Noel Gussen on Workflow and Organization appeared first on Board Game Design Lab.

Noel Gussen, designer of Deckfighters, discusses designing a game with multiple win conditions.

Noel’s MMA style card game has lots of ways to win (and lose), so we talk through different ways to add multiple end-game triggers.

The post Multiple End Game Triggers with Noel Gussen appeared first on Board Game Design Lab.

The post [BONUS] Jay Cormier on Managing Multiple Designs at the Same Time appeared first on Board Game Design Lab.

Jay Cormier, designer of Belfort and tons of other games, discusses tons of ins and outs of playtesting.

Jay has been designing games for over 15 years and has a ton of experience and advice on how to get to the best game possible. 

And be sure to check out Jay’s playtest journal on Kickstarter HERE.​​

The post Playtesting Pro Tips with Jay Cormier appeared first on Board Game Design Lab.

The post [BONUS] Joe Slack on Going Pro in the Gaming Industry appeared first on Board Game Design Lab.

Joe Slack, college instructor of game design, discusses the ins and outs of teaching game design to other people.

Joe recently went full-time in the gaming industry and is focussing on helping others learn how to bring their games to life.

And be sure to check out Joe’s board game design course HERE.

The post Teaching Game Design with Joe Slack appeared first on Board Game Design Lab.

The post [BONUS] Patrick Rauland on Designing Asymmetrical Games appeared first on Board Game Design Lab.

The post [ANNOUNCEMENT] Learn How to Design Great Games People Love appeared first on Board Game Design Lab.

Patrick Rauland, designer of Fry Thief, discusses product management and how it relates to game design.

Patrick has worked as a pro product manager in the software industry, and there are tons of ways that understanding product management will make you a better designer in everything from prototyping to playtesting to running a Kickstarter.

Patrick’s game, Fry Thief, is on Kickstarter right now and is already fully funded. Check it out HERE.

The post Product Management and Game Design with Patrick Rauland appeared first on Board Game Design Lab.

The post [BONUS] Jason Tagmire on Kickstarting Small Games appeared first on Board Game Design Lab.

Jason Tagmire, founder of Button Shy Games, discusses the process of designing and publishing small games that pack a big punch.

Jason’s company specializes in 18 card games, and he’s become a master at packing a ton of game into a small package.​​

And check out Button Shy’s latest game on Kickstarter HERE.

The post Small Games that Pack a Big Punch with Jason Tagmire appeared first on Board Game Design Lab.

The 2nd edition will hit Kickstarter on February 19th, so be sure to check it out!

The post [BGDL+] Interviewing Reiner Knizia for the 2nd Edition of the Board Game Design Advice Book appeared first on Board Game Design Lab.

The post [BONUS] Eric Rayl on How to Film a Great Video appeared first on Board Game Design Lab.

For the past 3 years, Eric Rayl has been traveling around the world interviewing some of the best designers in the world about their games, their processes, and their experiences in the industry.

Check out the documentary HERE.

The post The Game Designers Documentary with Eric Rayl appeared first on Board Game Design Lab.

The post [BONUS] Bill Lasek on the 5 Starting Points for Design appeared first on Board Game Design Lab.

Bill Lasek, designer of Koi, discusses how to design programmable action games.

Programmable actions provide really interesting options for players and create really interesting challenges for designers. Bill’s game, Koi, programs fish moving around a pond, so he has first-hand experience with this type of game.

The post Programmable Action Games with Bill Lasek appeared first on Board Game Design Lab.

The post [BONUS] James Van Niekerk on Approaching Publishers appeared first on Board Game Design Lab.

James Van Niekerk, professional graphic designer and creator of Valor & Villainy, discusses colors, fonts, hierarchies, and tons of other concepts that you need to think about when working through the graphic design of a game.

The post Board Game Graphic Design with James Van Niekerk appeared first on Board Game Design Lab.

The post [BONUS] Tim Fowers on Connecting with Gamers appeared first on Board Game Design Lab.

Tim Fowers, designer of Burgle Bros and Fugitive, discusses how to design deduction games.

Fugitive is one of my favorite deduction games, and Tim’s next game, Sabotage, is also a really cool deduction game coming out later this year.

The post Designing Deduction Games with Tim Fowers appeared first on Board Game Design Lab.

The post [BONUS] Steven Aramini on Re-Theming a Game appeared first on Board Game Design Lab.