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 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... 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... 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... 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,... 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... 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,... 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... 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... 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 lifeWe talk about scheduling, self-care, betting on yourself, inspiration, and more. And be sure to check out Charlie’s game on Kickstarter HERE.​​ [mobileonly]To download this episode to your phone, click HERE.[/mobileonly] The post How to Live a Creative Life with Charlie 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.

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