The Board Game Design Lab

The design process of one of the world’s best designers, Corey Konieczka Feb 26, 2024

In this BGDL rewind from June of 2020, Corey Konieczka breaks down his entire design process.

Corey has several games ranked in the top 100 games of all time, and it was incredibly insightful to learn about how he brings a game to life. We chat about his path into the industry, his prototyping process, the challenges of working on IPs like Star Wars, when to walk away from a design, and more!

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How to Design an Engine Building Game with Elizabeth Hargrave Feb 19, 2024

In this BGDL rewind from May of 2019, Elizabeth Hargrave dives into all the ins and outs of designing an engine-building game. We chat about her personal design process and all the interesting obstacles she encountered when designing Wingspan. We also talk about how to layer concepts on top of each other, balancing winning strategies, creating a satisfying conclusion, and more!

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How to Design Games that Tell Stories with Ignacy Trzewiczek Feb 11, 2024

In this BGDL rewind from April of 2020, 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.

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Using math to make your games better with Emerson Matsuuchi Jan 29, 2024

In this BGDL rewind from December of 2020, I chat with Emerson Matsuuch about all the many ways a designer can use math to create better games. We talk spreadsheets, game balance, mathematical models, and more!

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Finding the Right Mixture of Luck and Skill with Richard Garfield Jan 21, 2024

In this BGDL rewind from May of 2018, I chat with Richard Garfield about finding the right balance of luck vs skill when designing a game.

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Where the BGDL Is Headed in 2024 Jan 21, 2024

In this update, I talk about 2024’s vision for the BGDL.

And if you need help with your game, company, or upcoming crowdfunding campaign, and you think I might be able to help, please click HERE.

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Your game design questions answered Dec 16, 2023

In this episode, I answer a bunch of questions that were submitted by BGDL community members!

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How to Publish Games with a Grassroots Approach | Joe Bragg Nov 29, 2023

In this episode, Joe Bragg, founder of the indie publishing company Meek Heroes Gaming, discusses the grassroots approach he’s taking to building his publishing company. We chat about why this approach makes sense for a lot of people, the pros and cons of not using crowdfunding, how to build a community from the ground up, and a whole lot more.

I also dive into the slightly different approach my own publishing company is planning to take in 2024, so hopefully this episode gives you lots to think about if you’re interested in publishing games.

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How to Boost Creativity and Avoid Tropes | Jason Perez Nov 21, 2023

In this episode, Jason Perez and I chat about how designers can boost their creativity by thinking outside the box, pushing past tropes, and being more intentional about their thematic choices.

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Listen to this BEFORE you start an indie publishing company | John de Campos Nov 14, 2023

In this episode, John de Campos, founder of Terrible Games, and I chat about the highs and lows of starting and running an indie publishing company in the board game industry.

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**Board Game Design Productivity Hacks with Gabe Barrett** Nov 09, 2023
In this episode, I break down some game design productivity hacks that have been helping me lately, and I’m specifically talking about a concept called “habit fields.”

This was a presentation I gave recently for Board Game Design Pro, so if you find it useful and want more helpful content like it, be sure to check out BGDP here. You’ll find all sorts of skill sessions on designing, crowdfunding, and publishing games!

And if you use coupon code “**33today**” you’ll receive 33% off the membership price

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Do this BEFORE designing a game | Leo Taylor Nov 03, 2023

In this episode, Leo Taylor, designer of games in the Risk, Clue, and D&D universes, breaks down his “key pillars of game design” as we chat through the many questions designers should think through as they dive into a new game design.

You can download a PDF of the key pillars HERE.

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How to Make Money from Your Game Design Hobby with Joe Slack Oct 25, 2023

In this episode, Joe Slack and I talk about how we’ve both been able to piece together lots of different revenue streams in the gaming industry to be able to make a full-time living from game design.

And be sure to check out Joe’s latest puzzle game here: http://kck.st/3SfV1Np

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Designing Games FOR and WITH Young Kids with Elan Lee Oct 21, 2023

In this episode, Elan Lee, the creator of Exploding Kittens, talks about his venture into creating games for small children. Elan has been designing the games alongside his four-year-old daughter, and we talk about the process of designing games both for and with small kids. We also get into the business side of things and discuss marketing, manufacturing, and more!

And be sure to check out the games HERE.

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4 Amazing (and Useful) Examples of Board Game Design Theory with Geoff Engelstein Oct 13, 2023

In this episode, Geoff Engelstein and I chat about design theory and break down Geoff’s favorite examples and how they relate to designing games.

Geoff’s book about loss aversion can be found here: https://amzn.to/3rIgi7y

More info about the Tabletop Network Conference can be found here: https://www.tabletopnetwork.com

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Why You Should Create Print-n-Play Games with Jason Greeno Oct 03, 2023

In this episode, Jason Greeno and I chat about the current boom in the print-n-play side of the market, and we dive into how and why more designers should create printable versions of their games.

You can find a ridiculous number of PnP games on Jason’s website, PnP Arcade.

And you can find his game, The Cursed Managerie, on Kickstarter HERE.

Here’s the best PnP Facebook group.

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The Games Every Designer MUST Play with Pam Walls Sep 28, 2023

In this episode, Pam Walls and I chat about the games on our “must play” lists if you’re a game designer. And be sure to check out Pam’s awesome channel about game design here: https://www.youtube.com/@pamwallsgamedesign

Here are the games we discuss:

-Imhotep

-Dungeons & Dragons

-Catan -Chess

-Magic: the Gathering

-Robinson Crusoe

-Kemet -Creature Comforts

-Twilight Imperium

-Dune

-Century: Spiced Road

-Le Havre

-Vast

-Root

-Concordia

-Istanbul: the dice game

-Sagrada

-Gartenbau

-Silly Street

-Tyrants of the Underdark

-Legendary

-King of Tokyo

-Sleeping Gods

-Charterstone

-Arkham Horror: the card game

-RoboMon

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How to Playtest like a Pro with Rob Daviau Sep 23, 2023

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

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How to Create More Game Designers with Jay Cormier Sep 12, 2023

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.

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How to Design AND Publish games with Ben Downton Sep 07, 2023

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/

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10 Steps to Go from Nothing to Crowdfunding Campaign with Kyle Sussenbach Aug 30, 2023

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.

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71 Ways to Become a Better Game Designer with Gabe Barrett Aug 22, 2023

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.

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Small Games that Pack a Big Punch with Jason Tagmire Aug 16, 2023

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!

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How to Craft the Perfect Player Experience with Jonny Pac Aug 07, 2023

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!

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How to Design Fun Games with James Ernest Jul 31, 2023

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

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How to Have Massive Success on Kickstarter with Amy and Dusty Droz Jul 24, 2023

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

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How to Get Featured on Podcasts and Sound Great with Justin Kral Jul 18, 2023

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.

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My Crowdfunding Failure: A Post Mortem with Andrew Lowen Jul 11, 2023

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.

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Art, Working with Artists, and Becoming Your Best Creative Self with Jorge Velez Jul 03, 2023

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.

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The Legal Side of Creating Games with Zachary Strebeck Jun 25, 2023

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

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How to Balance Game Design with a Full Time Job with Sen-Foong Lim Jun 19, 2023

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!

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How to Work on Lots of Projects at Once with Peter C. Hayward Jun 11, 2023

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.

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How to Make Money Designing Games with Jamey Stegmaier Jun 05, 2023

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.

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So, where were we? Jun 05, 2023

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!

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See You Space Cowboy with Gabe Barrett and Jamey Stegmaier Jun 22, 2022

Today’s show is the final episode of the BGDL podcast for the foreseeable future.
Jamey Stegmaier, the show’s very first guest, joins me, and we talk through the past, present, and future of the BGDL, and I talk a lot about what’s next for me.
I tell lots of stories, get a bit emotional, and talk about things I hope other designers can learn from. But more than anything, I hope you know how much I appreciate you and the BGDL community.
Thanks for listening!
Also, if you’d like to check out the new YouTube channel I’m launching in August, you can find it and subscribe HERE.
And one final time, good luck with everything you’ve got going on right now.

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(Celebrating 300 Episodes!) The Design Journey of Alan Moon Jun 15, 2022

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!

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Our Best Game Design Advice with Peter C. Hayward Jun 08, 2022

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!

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Designing Games with Your Kids with Patrick McNeil Jun 01, 2022

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.

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Designing Games Based on Real-Life Systems with Ben Rosset May 25, 2022

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.

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How to Design Take That Games with Steph and Jess Nguyen May 18, 2022

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.

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[BGDL Community Spotlight] How to Design Drafting Games with Jesse Stacy May 11, 2022

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.

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[BGDL Community Spotlight] The 3 Stages of Prototyping with Gino Brancazio May 11, 2022

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.

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How to Get the Most out of Your Crowdfunding Campaign with Andrew Lowen and Sean Bradford May 04, 2022

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.

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How to Run a Publishing Company with Rob Dougherty Apr 27, 2022

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.

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Designing Open World Games with Ryan Laukat Apr 20, 2022

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.

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Teaching Board Game Design with Matt Bivens Apr 13, 2022

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.

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Designing Greeting Card Games with Jess Metheringham Apr 13, 2022

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.

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How to Design a Race Game with Kathleen Mercury Apr 06, 2022

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.

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How to Design Asymmetrical Games with Stephen Schwartz and Floyd Lu Mar 30, 2022

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!

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How to Design Route Building Games with Ted Alspach Mar 23, 2022

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.

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[BGDL Community Spotlight] Print-on-Demand Publishing with Arthur Franz Mar 16, 2022

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.

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[BGDL Community Spotlight] Designing an Abstract Dexterity Game with Frank Sarro Mar 16, 2022

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

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The Design Process of Phil Walker-Harding Mar 09, 2022

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.

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How to Multiply Your Time with Carla Kopp Mar 02, 2022

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.

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How to Design 2 Player Games with Alf Seegert Feb 23, 2022

Alf Seegert, designer of Haven, discusses how to design two-player games.
Alf has designed several published two-player games, and we talk about tension, component limitations, delivering on expectations, and more. Alf Seegert’s Designer Diary for his latest game, Illumination, which includes a lot of information about his other games as well. His website. You can find his games at Eagle-Gryphon Games, the easiest place to order Illumination, The Road to Canterbury, Fantastiqa, Heir to the Pharaoh, and others if you can’t find them at your FLGS. Many Alf Seegert games are on sale, and Heir to the Pharaoh is half off!

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Community Building with Carol Mertz and Elan Lee Feb 16, 2022

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.

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Building a Million Dollar Board Game Company with Kevin Carroll and Steve Mark Feb 09, 2022

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.

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[BGDL Community Spotlight] Designing Monster Taming Games with Tyler Langtimm Feb 02, 2022

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.

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[BGDL Community Spotlight] How to Promote Your Game in Facebook Groups with Thomas Covert Feb 02, 2022

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.

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Designing Set Collection Games with Steve Finn Jan 26, 2022

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.

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[BGDL Community Spotlight] Creating a Business Plan with Jasper Burch Jan 19, 2022

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

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[BGDL Community Spotlight] Component First Game Design with Scott Smith Jan 19, 2022

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.

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Manufacturing Frequently Asked Questions with Hersh Glueck Jan 12, 2022

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.

Youtube series about Artwork: https://youtube.com/playlist?list=PLCS1rWvDVjF44CLfYSvnn4kwmdWQstoD7 Check all prices for board game pieces: Board Game Pieces with Prices | Get a quote – Hero Time Manufacturing (herotime1.com) All resources related to manufacturing and shipping: Resources for making a board game – Hero Time Manufacturing (herotime1.com)

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The Making of Imperium with David Turczi and Nigel Buckle Jan 05, 2022

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.

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Designing Storytelling Games with Jerry Hawthorne Dec 29, 2021

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.

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Entangled Decision Making in Games with Fabio Lopiano Dec 22, 2021

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.

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How to Design a Cooperative Game with Mike Kelley Dec 15, 2021

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.

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Designing a Trading Card Game in the Modern Era with Assad Quraishi Dec 08, 2021

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.

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Thematically Informed Game Design with Jonny Pac Dec 01, 2021

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.

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Using Blue Ocean Strategy in Game Design with Marvin Hegen Nov 24, 2021

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.

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How to Expand on a Core Idea with Trevor Benjamin and David Thompson Nov 17, 2021

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.

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How to Put a New Twist on a Familiar Genre with Ariel Rubin and Juliana Moreno Nov 10, 2021

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.

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Designing Games with Higher Player Counts with Darren Terpstra Nov 03, 2021

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.

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Top 10 Photoshop Tips for Game Designers with Nicolas Fournier Oct 27, 2021

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

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A Game about Game Design with Jon Spike Oct 27, 2021

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.

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How to Design a Pick-up and Deliver Game with Marcel Köhler Oct 20, 2021

Marcel Köhler, designer of Dutch Resistance: Orange Shall Overcome!, discusses what all goes into designing a pick-up and deliver game.
We talk about how to make things thematic, the best number of resources, route obstacles, and more.
And be sure to check out Marce’s pick-up and deliver game on Kickstarter HERE.

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The Pros and Cons of Doing Everything Yourself with Malachi Ray Rempen Oct 13, 2021

Malachi Ray Rempen, designer of Roll Camera, discusses the pros and cons of doing all the main aspects of design, art, and publishing yourself.
Malachi has both worked with others and done everything himself, so he can speak well on both perspectives.

And be sure to check out Malachi’s expansion for Roll Camera on Kickstarter HERE.

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How to Reach the Next Generation with Lucas Sosnick Oct 06, 2021

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.

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Collecting and Analyzing Playtest Data with Robert Longtin Sep 29, 2021

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.

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Bipolarity, Depression, and Using Game Design to Cope with Morten Monrad Pedersen Sep 22, 2021

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.

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A Look Behind the Scenes at Exploding Kittens with Carol Mertz Sep 15, 2021

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.

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A Word of Encouragement from Gabe Barrett Sep 08, 2021

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.

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Designing Games Based on a Standard Deck of Cards with Luke Badger, Paul Abrahams, and Andy Richdale Sep 01, 2021

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.

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How to Design Trick Taking Games with Fertessa Allyse Aug 25, 2021

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)

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Skill Barriers in Games with Jeff Fraser Aug 18, 2021

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.

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How and Why You Should Create Print-n-Play Games with Rachel Bruner Aug 11, 2021

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:

Print and Play Gaming Facebook Group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/printandplaygaming/ Martin’s Print and Play Hideaway Facebook Group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/pnphideaway/ Board Game Geek Monthly Print n Play Subscription Thread:
(Subscribe to this list and then go to the last post on the last page to find the current month’s PNP Geeklist.) https://boardgamegeek.com/thread/482943 BGG Print and Play Guild: https://boardgamegeek.com/guild/477 BGG Design Contests Forum: https://boardgamegeek.com/forum/974620/bgg/design-contests BGG Works in Progress Forum: https://boardgamegeek.com/forum/1530033/bgg/works-progress Rachel Bruner’s BGG PNP Geeklist: (A list of products, tools, and techniques I use, as well as photos and details of my pnp builds.) https://boardgamegeek.com/geeklist/241052/rachels-print-and-play-game-builds Rachel Bruner’s YouTube Channel with PNP tips and tricks: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC7N6oqyIFzqircljsXGgY7g Martin Gonzalvez’s PNP YouTube Channel: https://www.youtube.com/c/MartinGonzalvez/videos Dining Table Print and Play YouTube Channel: https://www.youtube.com/user/jakestaines/videos

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How to Turn a Video Game into a Board Game with Perry Burkum Aug 04, 2021

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.

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(Community Spotlight) Using InDesign and Data Merge with Jeff Turner Jul 28, 2021

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.

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Developing Games and Working with Developers with Anthony Howgego Jul 21, 2021

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.

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How to Make a Super Thematic Game and Do Research with Dave Beck Jul 14, 2021

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.

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Experiential Graphic Design with Kate Otte Jul 07, 2021

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.

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(Community Spotlight) Evaluating Your Game with SWOT Analysis with Nick Murray Jun 30, 2021

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.

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(Community Spotlight) Layered Victory Conditions with Dan Hundycz Jun 30, 2021

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.

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How to Design and Publish Games with Justin Gary Jun 23, 2021

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.

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Why to Self Publish…or Not with Andrew Lowen Jun 16, 2021

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.

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Designing Puzzle Games with Janice Turner Jun 09, 2021

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.

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Designing Games that Fit in an Envelope with Ben Downton Jun 02, 2021

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.

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Deck Building and MORE with Josh Horsley May 26, 2021

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.

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BGDL+ is live! May 25, 2021

The brand new BGDL community site is now live at www.bgdlplus.com!

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Designing Conversation Games with Ami Baio May 19, 2021

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.

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[Community Spotlight] Turning Big Games into Microgames with Joe Klipfel May 12, 2021

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.

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[Community Spotlight] Customer Engagement, Support, and Satisfaction with Marco Pecota May 12, 2021

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.

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How to Design Euro Games with Martin Wallace May 05, 2021

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.

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Getting a Job in the Board Game Industry with Joe Slack Apr 28, 2021

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.

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How to Design Social Experiences with Nick Metzler Apr 21, 2021

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.

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Optimizing Game Design Time with Trevor Laforce Apr 14, 2021

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.

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The Board Game Identity Pyramid with Dennis Furia Apr 14, 2021

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.

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Why You Should Crowdfund Your Game (or Not) with Laura Hoffman Apr 07, 2021

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.

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Taxes for Designers and Publishers with Wade Hayes Mar 31, 2021

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.

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Designing Roll and Write Games with Joe Hout Mar 24, 2021

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.

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BGDL Community Spotlight – Interchangeable Win Conditions with Alex Lu Mar 17, 2021

In this BGDL community spotlight episode, Alex Lu, designer of Dogs Bond, discusses how to implement interchangeable win conditions in a game.

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BGDL Community Spotlight – Designing a Game a Week with Wayne Koenig Mar 17, 2021

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.

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Designing Massive Games with Isaac Childres Mar 10, 2021

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.

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Board Game Logistics and Fulfillment with Sara Perry Mar 03, 2021

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.

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Designing Solo Games and the Making of Hunted: Wode Ridge with Gabe Barrett Feb 24, 2021

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.

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Overcoming Failure with James Fazio Feb 17, 2021

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.

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Designing Mass Market Games with Azhelle Wade Feb 10, 2021

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.

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How to Design Digital Board Games with Justin Chu Feb 03, 2021

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.

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How to Market Yourself, Your Game, and Your Company with Debbie Moynihan Jan 27, 2021

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.

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How to Process Feedback with John D’Angelo Jan 20, 2021

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.

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Crafting a Humorous Experience with Grant Lyon Jan 13, 2021

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.

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How to Make the Game Design Community a Brighter Place with Your Friend Ben Moy Jan 06, 2021

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.

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How to Design Games for the Mass Market with Leslie Scott and Freddie Scott Vollrath Dec 30, 2020

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.

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How to Write a Great Rulebook with Mike Lee Dec 23, 2020

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.

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How to Stand Out in Retail with AJ Brandon Dec 16, 2020

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.

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Using Math to Design Better Games with Emerson Matsuuchi Dec 09, 2020

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.

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Designing a Real-Time Game with Travis Jones Dec 02, 2020

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.

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Puzzles in Games with Shannon McDowell Nov 25, 2020

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]

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What Makes a Great Solo Game with Jeremy Howard Nov 18, 2020

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]

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How to Live a Creative Life with Charlie McCarron Nov 11, 2020

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]

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How to Promote a Game with Allen Wolf Nov 04, 2020

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]

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How to Design Games Online with Bevan Clatworthy Oct 28, 2020

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.

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How to Design and Publish an Expansion with Patrick Lysaght Oct 21, 2020

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.

Designing Word Games with Lori Love and Lea Velocci Oct 14, 2020

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.

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How to Run a Publishing Company with Scott Gaeta Oct 07, 2020

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!

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How to Design a Polyomino Game with Frank West Sep 30, 2020

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.

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How to Demo Games at Conventions with Sam Stockton Sep 23, 2020

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.

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Designing with Tabletop Simulator with Dustin Hendrickson Sep 16, 2020

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.

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How to Simplify a Game with Stephanie Kwok Sep 09, 2020

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.

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Self Care and Dealing with Designer Burnout with Kirk Dennison Sep 02, 2020

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.

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Dice Drafting Games with Al Leduc Aug 26, 2020

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!

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How to Turn Gamers into Raving Fans with Casey Hill Aug 19, 2020

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.

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Why Game Design Matters with Gabe Barrett Aug 12, 2020

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.

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Designing Party Games with Alex Hague Aug 05, 2020

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.

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Miniatures with John de Campos Jul 29, 2020

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.

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Designing More than Just a Game with Malachi Ray Rempen Jul 22, 2020

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.

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Designing Majorities Based Games with Jon Vallerand Jul 15, 2020

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.

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Designing Games in a Series with Justin Gary Jul 08, 2020

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.

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Designing and Publishing Small Box Games with Rachael Blaske Jul 01, 2020

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.

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The Design Process of Corey Konieczka Jun 24, 2020

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!

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Designing Worker Placement Games with Shem Phillips and Sam Macdonald Jun 17, 2020

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.

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Designing Games for a Specific Audience with Phalgun Polepalli Jun 10, 2020

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.

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How to Get Involved in the Game Design Community with Danielle Reynolds Jun 03, 2020

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.

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The Making of INIS with Christian Martinez May 27, 2020

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.

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Designing Games that Last with Brad Talton May 20, 2020

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.

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What Board Game Designers Can Learn from Tabletop RPGs with Hankerin Ferinale May 13, 2020

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.

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Creating Positive Player Interaction with T.C. Petty III May 06, 2020

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!

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How to Design a Collectible Card Game with Assad Quraishi Apr 29, 2020

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.

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How to Turn Your Hobby into a Business with Chris van der Linden Apr 22, 2020

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.

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Accounting, Taxes, and Game Design with Justin Marty Apr 15, 2020

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.

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How to Design Miniature War Games with Marco Pecota Apr 08, 2020

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.

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Designing Games that Tell Stories with Ignacy Trzewiczek Apr 01, 2020

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.

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The Secret Sauce of Game Design with Peter C. Hayward Mar 25, 2020

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.

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How to Fund a Game on Kickstarter with Gabe Barrett Mar 18, 2020

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.

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What Board Game Designers Can Learn from Video Games with Charlie Cleveland Mar 11, 2020

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.

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Designing a Game System with Bez Shahriari Mar 04, 2020

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.

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Designing a Betting Game with Victoria Caña and Alex Uboldi Feb 26, 2020

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.

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Designing Big Games with Tim Eisner Feb 19, 2020

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.

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Designing a Farming Game with Juma Al-JouJou Feb 12, 2020

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.

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Localization with Mohamed Alqadi Feb 05, 2020

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.

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Designing a Nature-Themed Game with Erica Bouyouris Jan 29, 2020

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.

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Publishing Your First Game with David Smith and Travis Winstead Jan 22, 2020

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.

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The Making of Dungeon Ball with Gabe Barrett Jan 15, 2020

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.

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Designing Adventure Games with Mike Gnade Jan 08, 2020

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.

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Designing an Awesome Print-n-Play with Martin Gonzalvez Jan 01, 2020

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.

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How to Market a Board Game (Part 2) with Andrew Lowen Dec 25, 2019

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.

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How to Market a Board Game (Part 1) with Andrew Lowen Dec 18, 2019

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.

Combat Systems with Jayson Smith and Jason Zmuda Dec 11, 2019

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.

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[ANNOUNCEMENT] The Board Game Design Calendar Dec 06, 2019

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Mixing the Fine Arts with Game Design with Chris Totten Dec 04, 2019

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.

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Designing a Racing Game with Omar Tarancon Nov 27, 2019

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

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

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Getting the Most out of a Theme with Tobias Olsson and Samuel Sapire Nov 20, 2019

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.

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Fulfillment, Shipping, and Logistics with Toby Truman Nov 13, 2019

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.

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Time Management and Getting Things Done with Jason Brooks Nov 06, 2019

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.

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Designing Games with Your Kids with David and Jordanna Santiago Oct 30, 2019

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.

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The Making of Hunted with Gabe Barrett, Drew Corkill, and Jorge Velez Oct 23, 2019

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.

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Building a Collaboration Based Publishing Company with Shawn Stankewich Oct 16, 2019

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.

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Designing Games for Non-Gamers with Adam McCrimmon Oct 09, 2019

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.

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Celebrating 150 Episodes! with Gabe Barrett Oct 02, 2019

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!

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[BONUS] Andrew Birkett on Working a Booth at a Convention Sep 27, 2019

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Running an Indie Game Publishing Company with Andrew Birkett Sep 25, 2019

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.

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[BONUS] Glenn Ford on Designing Small Skirmish Games Sep 20, 2019

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CE Marking and Board Games with Glenn Ford Sep 18, 2019

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.

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[BONUS] JB Howell on How to Work on Multiple Designs at the Same Time Sep 13, 2019

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The Three Types of Creativity with JB Howell Sep 11, 2019

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.

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[BONUS] Jamey Stegmaier on How to Win the Spiel des Jahres Sep 06, 2019

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Designing a Civilization Game with Jamey Stegmaier Sep 04, 2019

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.

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[BONUS] Odin Phong on Creating an Anthology of Games Aug 30, 2019

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Designing a Roll and Write with Odin Phong Aug 28, 2019

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.

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[BONUS] Ann Losito on Tips for Streaming Aug 23, 2019

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Media and Game Design with Ann Losito Aug 21, 2019

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.

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[BONUS] Dave Schultze on the Intersection of Industrial Design and Game Design Aug 16, 2019

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Designing 3D games with Dave Schultze Aug 14, 2019

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.

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[BONUS] Lizzy Funkouser on Designing with Kids in the House Aug 09, 2019

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Paying Attention to Detail with Lizzy Funkhouser Aug 07, 2019

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.

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[BONUS] John Brieger on Re-Theming a Game Jul 26, 2019

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Freelancing in the Gaming Industry with John Brieger Jul 24, 2019

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.

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[BONUS] Joe Pilkus on Overcoming Failure Jul 19, 2019

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Lessons Learned from Developing Games with Joe Pilkus Jul 17, 2019

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.

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[BONUS] Derek Funkhouser on Going from Freelancer to Working for a Publisher Jul 12, 2019

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Creating Magic Moments with Derek Funkhouser Jul 10, 2019

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.

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[BONUS] Wes Woodbury on Tips and Tricks for Tabletop Simulator Jul 05, 2019

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Designing Fantasy Themed Games with Wes Woodbury Jul 03, 2019

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.

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[BONUS] Ryan Langewisch on Tile-Placement Games Jun 28, 2019

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Rapid Iteration with Ryan Langewisch Jun 26, 2019

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.

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[BONUS] Luke Laurie on Designing Expansions Jun 21, 2019

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Designing Worker Placement Games with Luke Laurie Jun 19, 2019

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.

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[BONUS] Ian Zang on Rondel Games Jun 14, 2019

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4 Types of Gamer Experiences with Ian Zang Jun 12, 2019

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.

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[BONUS] Nikki Valens on Designing Games with App Integration Jun 07, 2019

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

Designing a Narrative Driven Game with Nikki Valens Jun 05, 2019

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.

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[BONUS] Bob and Ryan Craig on Drawing Inspiration from Retro Games May 31, 2019

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Designing a Tile-Laying Game with Bob and Ryan Craig May 29, 2019

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.

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[BONUS] Geert Sillevis on Translating a Game May 24, 2019

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

Outdoor Mystery Games with Geert Sillevis May 22, 2019

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.)

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[BONUS] Elizabeth Hargrave on How to Get More Women into Game Design May 17, 2019

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

Designing an Engine Building Game with Elizabeth Hargrave May 15, 2019

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.

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[BONUS] Evan Derrick on the Dos and Don’ts for Artists May 10, 2019

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

Going Pro in the Gaming Industry with Evan Derrick May 08, 2019

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.

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[BONUS] Daryl Andrews on the Best Conventions to Go to as a Designer May 03, 2019

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Designing Games Based on a Licensed IP with Daryl Andrews May 01, 2019

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.

[BONUS] Darren Terpstra on Building an Audience through Going to Conventions Apr 26, 2019

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

Multiple Mechanisms in a Game with Darren Terpstra Apr 24, 2019

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.

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[BONUS] Tom Butler on Organizing Game Design Time Apr 19, 2019

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Designing Historical Games with Tom Butler Apr 17, 2019

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.

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[BONUS] Adam Chunn and Woody Hutsell on Creating Miniatures Apr 12, 2019

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

Designing Economic Games with Adam Chunn and Woody Hutsell Apr 10, 2019

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.

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[ANNOUNCEMENT] 2019 Board Game Design Challenge Apr 09, 2019

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[BONUS] Jesse Zamora on Hidden Information Games Apr 05, 2019

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[BGDL+] Quality vs Quantity, Lessons from Steve Martin, and the Weight Room Apr 04, 2019

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

Modifying Published Games with Jesse Zamora Apr 03, 2019

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

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[BONUS] John Coveyou on Building a Brand Mar 29, 2019

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Fun AND Educational Games with John Coveyou Mar 27, 2019

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.

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[BONUS] Peter C. Hayward on Designing 2nd Editions Mar 22, 2019

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How to Be a Great Playtester with Peter C. Hayward Mar 20, 2019

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.

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[BONUS] Noel Gussen on Workflow and Organization Mar 15, 2019

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

Multiple End Game Triggers with Noel Gussen Mar 13, 2019

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.

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[BONUS] Jay Cormier on Managing Multiple Designs at the Same Time Mar 08, 2019

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

Playtesting Pro Tips with Jay Cormier Mar 06, 2019

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.

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[BONUS] Joe Slack on Going Pro in the Gaming Industry Mar 01, 2019

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Teaching Game Design with Joe Slack Feb 27, 2019

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.

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[BONUS] Patrick Rauland on Designing Asymmetrical Games Feb 22, 2019

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[ANNOUNCEMENT] Learn How to Design Great Games People Love Feb 21, 2019

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

Product Management and Game Design with Patrick Rauland Feb 20, 2019

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.

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[BONUS] Jason Tagmire on Kickstarting Small Games Feb 15, 2019

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

Small Games that Pack a Big Punch with Jason Tagmire Feb 13, 2019

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.

[BGDL+] Interviewing Reiner Knizia for the 2nd Edition of the Board Game Design Advice Book Feb 12, 2019

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.

[BONUS] Eric Rayl on How to Film a Great Video Feb 08, 2019

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

The Game Designers Documentary with Eric Rayl Feb 06, 2019

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.

[BONUS] Bill Lasek on the 5 Starting Points for Design Feb 01, 2019

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

Programmable Action Games with Bill Lasek Jan 30, 2019

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.

[BONUS] James Van Niekerk on Approaching Publishers Jan 25, 2019

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

Board Game Graphic Design with James Van Niekerk Jan 23, 2019

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.

[BONUS] Tim Fowers on Connecting with Gamers Jan 18, 2019

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

Designing Deduction Games with Tim Fowers Jan 16, 2019

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.

[BONUS] Steven Aramini on Re-Theming a Game Jan 11, 2019

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

Designing Area Control Games with Steven Aramini Jan 09, 2019

Steven Aramini, designer of Animal Kingdoms, discusses how to design an area control game.

Animal Kingdoms won the 2018 Cardboard Edison award and is a really clever, card-driven area control game.

The post Designing Area Control Games with Steven Aramini appeared first on Board Game Design Lab.

[BONUS] Fabian Zimmermann on Roll & Write Games Jan 04, 2019

The post [BONUS] Fabian Zimmermann on Roll & Write Games appeared first on Board Game Design Lab.

Designing a Negotiation Game with Fabian Zimmermann Jan 02, 2019

Fabian Zimmermann, designer of Goodcritters, discusses how to design a negotiation game.

Goodcritters is the most recent game in the Dice Tower Essentials line, and negotiation is the core of the game.

The post Designing a Negotiation Game with Fabian Zimmermann appeared first on Board Game Design Lab.

[BONUS] Darwin Kastle on Starting a Board Game Company Dec 28, 2018

The post [BONUS] Darwin Kastle on Starting a Board Game Company appeared first on Board Game Design Lab.

Designing a Deck Building Game with Darwin Kastle Dec 26, 2018

Darwin Kastle, from White Wizard Games, discusses how to design a deck builder.

Darwin is a hall of fame Magic: the Gathering player and has a TON of experience designing card games. His most popular games are Star Realms and Hero Realms.

The post Designing a Deck Building Game with Darwin Kastle appeared first on Board Game Design Lab.

[BONUS] Rita Orlov on Adding Mystery to a Game Dec 21, 2018

The post [BONUS] Rita Orlov on Adding Mystery to a Game appeared first on Board Game Design Lab.

Designing Puzzle Games with Rita Orlov Dec 19, 2018

Rita Orlov discusses how to design a good puzzle game.

Through her company, Post Curious, Rita designs deeply immersive games for people who enjoy a good challenge.

The post Designing Puzzle Games with Rita Orlov appeared first on Board Game Design Lab.

[BONUS] Dan & Connie Kazmaier on In-Game Economy Systems Dec 14, 2018

The post [BONUS] Dan & Connie Kazmaier on In-Game Economy Systems appeared first on Board Game Design Lab.

Creating an Online Playtesting Group with Daniel & Connie Kazmaier Dec 12, 2018

Daniel and Connie Kazmaier discuss how they put together a rather large online playtesting group for their game, Chai.

They have nearly 800 playtesters in their group and go into how they’ve nurtured and developed it.

The post Creating an Online Playtesting Group with Daniel & Connie Kazmaier appeared first on Board Game Design Lab.

[BONUS] The Importance of Narrative in Games with Stephen & Michael Stagliano Dec 07, 2018

The post [BONUS] The Importance of Narrative in Games with Stephen & Michael Stagliano appeared first on Board Game Design Lab.

Designing a Tabletop RPG with Stephen & Michael Stagliano Dec 05, 2018

Stephen and Michael Stagliano discuss designing an RPG system. They’ve been working on their own tabletop RPG game, and they run a podcast, both called Tavern of Heroes.
They’ve been playing and designing role playing games for years, and we have a lively discussion on the ins and outs of putting one together. These guys have an incredibly high charisma modifier, haha.

The post Designing a Tabletop RPG with Stephen & Michael Stagliano appeared first on Board Game Design Lab.

[BGDL+] My Kickstarter Post Mortem Dec 04, 2018

Jamey Stegmaier and I discuss what went wrong with my Kickstarter campaign and what I’m doing differently for the relaunch.

Check out the relaunch of The Final Flicktier HERE.

The post [BGDL+] My Kickstarter Post Mortem appeared first on Board Game Design Lab.

[BONUS] Aron West on Building a Fanbase Nov 30, 2018

The post [BONUS] Aron West on Building a Fanbase appeared first on Board Game Design Lab.

Designing Dexterity Games with Aron West Nov 28, 2018

Aron West, designer of Catacombs, discusses the art and challenges in designing dexterity games with depth. He’s been designing and publishing these types of games for years and has a ton of insight on the topic.

And be sure to check out the latest version of Catacombs HERE.

The post Designing Dexterity Games with Aron West appeared first on Board Game Design Lab.

[BONUS] Jackson Pope on the Ups and Downs of Publishing Nov 23, 2018

The post [BONUS] Jackson Pope on the Ups and Downs of Publishing appeared first on Board Game Design Lab.

Designing Hand Crafted Games with Jackson Pope Nov 21, 2018

Jackson Pope, founder of Eurydice Games, talks about designing and putting together hand made games.
Jackson has been hand crafting and selling his games for years and has a ton of insight on the topic.
You can find the episode HERE.

The post Designing Hand Crafted Games with Jackson Pope appeared first on Board Game Design Lab.

[BGDL+] When Gatekeepers Say No, Creating Must-Have Components, and Using Video in Design Nov 16, 2018

The post [BGDL+] When Gatekeepers Say No, Creating Must-Have Components, and Using Video in Design appeared first on Board Game Design Lab.

[BONUS] David Abelson on Bringing Family into Game Design Nov 16, 2018

The post [BONUS] David Abelson on Bringing Family into Game Design appeared first on Board Game Design Lab.

Designing Abstract Games with David Abelson Nov 14, 2018

David Abelson, founder of Fisher Heaton Games, talks about designing abstract games.
David’s abstract game, Intelle, is a brain burning 2 player experience with a theme that actually makes sense.

And be sure to check out the solo expansion for Intelle on Kickstarter HERE.

The post Designing Abstract Games with David Abelson appeared first on Board Game Design Lab.

[BONUS] Dustin Staats on Contributing to the Board Gaming Community Nov 09, 2018

The post [BONUS] Dustin Staats on Contributing to the Board Gaming Community appeared first on Board Game Design Lab.

Gaming in the Classroom with Dustin Staats Nov 07, 2018

Dustin Staats, founder of Board Gaming with English, talks about using and designing games in the classroom.
Dustin has taught all over the worlds and regularly uses games to reinforce different concepts his students are learning.

The post Gaming in the Classroom with Dustin Staats appeared first on Board Game Design Lab.

[BONUS] Jamey & Gabe on Designing The Final Flicktier Nov 02, 2018

The post [BONUS] Jamey & Gabe on Designing The Final Flicktier appeared first on Board Game Design Lab.

Celebrating 100 Episodes! Oct 31, 2018

Jamey Stegmaier is guest hosting, and we’re celebrating 100 episodes of the show!

We’re talking past, present, and future with lots of interesting things thrown in.

The post Celebrating 100 Episodes! appeared first on Board Game Design Lab.

[BONUS] Calum Taylor on Designing in Isolation Oct 26, 2018

The post [BONUS] Calum Taylor on Designing in Isolation appeared first on Board Game Design Lab.

Randomness and Player Agency with Calum Taylor Oct 24, 2018

Calum Taylor, designer of Motora, talks about balancing luck with player agency.
It’s good to have luck to keep a game unpredictable, but if it goes too far, players will feel like the game is playing them. You need to make sure players feel in control while also allowing for cool “plot twist” moments.

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

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[BONUS] Nick Kopp on Bar Codes and SKUs Oct 19, 2018

The post [BONUS] Nick Kopp on Bar Codes and SKUs appeared first on Board Game Design Lab.

Designing Light Games with Carla Kopp Oct 17, 2018

Carla Kopp, founder of Weird Giraffe Games, talks about designing light (or filler) games.

Carla’s company focuses on this type of games, and she’s designed several herself, so she definitely understands the topic well.

The post Designing Light Games with Carla Kopp appeared first on Board Game Design Lab.

[BONUS] Julio Nazario on Getting Inspired Oct 12, 2018

The post [BONUS] Julio Nazario on Getting Inspired appeared first on Board Game Design Lab.

Innovative Uses of Game Components with Julio Nazario Oct 10, 2018

Julio Nazario, winner of the HABA Games design challenge, talks about game components and interesting ways to use them.
Julio has been designing some really innovative games using components in really cool ways.

The post Innovative Uses of Game Components with Julio Nazario appeared first on Board Game Design Lab.

[BONUS] Isaac Vega on Working on Games in a Series Oct 05, 2018

The post [BONUS] Isaac Vega on Working on Games in a Series appeared first on Board Game Design Lab.

Balancing a Game with Isaac Vega Oct 03, 2018

Isaac Vega, designer of Dead of Winter, Ashes, and many others, talks about how to balance a game.
Isaac has designed some of the best games in the world and has really figured out how to make sure a game feels balanced to its players.

The post Balancing a Game with Isaac Vega appeared first on Board Game Design Lab.

[BONUS] Alex Maklai on Pirate Themed Games Sep 28, 2018

The post [BONUS] Alex Maklai on Pirate Themed Games appeared first on Board Game Design Lab.

Augmented Reality and Board Games with Alex Maklai Sep 26, 2018

Alex Macklai, designer of Sea of Nadia, talks about augmented reality and board games.
Alex has been working on an AR-centric game for 2 years and has some interesting insight on the topic.

For more info: www.maclaysgames.com

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[BONUS] Curt Covert’s Best Advice after 15 Years in the Industry Sep 21, 2018

The post [BONUS] Curt Covert’s Best Advice after 15 Years in the Industry appeared first on Board Game Design Lab.

[ANNOUNCEMENT] Ignite Conference 2018 Sep 21, 2018

For all the details about Ignite, check out boardgamedesignlab.com/ignite/.

The post [ANNOUNCEMENT] Ignite Conference 2018 appeared first on Board Game Design Lab.

Take That Games with Curt Covert Sep 19, 2018

Curt Covert, designer of Tower of Madness and owner of Smirk & Dagger Games, talks about take-that games.
Curt has been designing back-stabby games for years and is a wealth of information and insight on the topic. And he’s a ton of fun to talk to!

The post Take That Games with Curt Covert appeared first on Board Game Design Lab.

[BONUS] Assad Quraishi on Designing CCGs Sep 14, 2018

The post [BONUS] Assad Quraishi on Designing CCGs appeared first on Board Game Design Lab.

Playtesting with Assad Quraishi Sep 12, 2018

Assad Quraishi, designer of Genesis: Battle of Champions, talks about playtesting.
Assad is a professional user interface designer and has a ton of insight on testing.

Resources mentioned in the show:

Here is some info about James Bach: His website: http://www.satisfice.com/ Some videos: https://www.youtube.com/results?search_query=james+bach Amazing Book: https://www.oreilly.com/library/view/lessons-learned-in/9780471081128/ And for James Whittaker Blog from James: https://testing.googleblog.com/2009/06/james-whittaker-joins-google.html Some Videso: https://www.youtube.com/results?search_query=james+whittaker Good book: https://www.amazon.ca/Google-Tests-Software-James-Whittaker/dp/0321803027

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[BONUS] Sami Laakso on How to Price a Game Sep 07, 2018

The post [BONUS] Sami Laakso on How to Price a Game appeared first on Board Game Design Lab.

Designing Expansions with Sami Laakso Sep 05, 2018

Sami Laakso, designer of Dale of Merchants, talks about designing expansions.
Sami recently put together a pretty substantial expansion for his own game and has a good bit of insight on the topic.

And be sure to check out Sami’s game and expansion on Kickstarter HERE.

The post Designing Expansions with Sami Laakso appeared first on Board Game Design Lab.

[BONUS] Dan Peterson on How to Present at a Publisher Speed Dating Event Aug 31, 2018

The post [BONUS] Dan Peterson on How to Present at a Publisher Speed Dating Event appeared first on Board Game Design Lab.

Removing Math from Games with Dan Peterson Aug 29, 2018

Dan Peterson, head developer at Mayday Games, talks about how to streamline a game by removing math.

We discuss why this is important in today’s market and various ways on how to do it effectively.

The post Removing Math from Games with Dan Peterson appeared first on Board Game Design Lab.

[BONUS] Marilia Poggiali on Bringing a Place to Life Aug 24, 2018

The post [BONUS] Marilia Poggiali on Bringing a Place to Life appeared first on Board Game Design Lab.

The Cathartic Power of Game Design with Marilia Poggiali Aug 22, 2018

Marilia Poggiali, designer of San Francisco vs Fog, talks about the personal tragedies she’s experienced and how game design and starting a publishing company have helped her overcome pain and find catharsis.

And be sure to check out San Francisco vs Fog on Kickstarter HERE.

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[BONUS] Callin Flores on Designing Super Hero Games Aug 17, 2018

The post [BONUS] Callin Flores on Designing Super Hero Games appeared first on Board Game Design Lab.

How to Design a Shuffle Builder with Callin Flores Aug 15, 2018

Callin Flores, designer of Guardians, discusses how the finer details of creating a shuffle builder. (Games like Smash Up.)
Callin’s game takes the shuffle building mechanism to new places, and he has a lot of insight on these types of games.

The post How to Design a Shuffle Builder with Callin Flores appeared first on Board Game Design Lab.

[BONUS] Corry Damey on Designing Micro Games Aug 10, 2018

The post [BONUS] Corry Damey on Designing Micro Games appeared first on Board Game Design Lab.

How to Win a Design Competition with Corry Damey Aug 08, 2018

Corry Damey, designer of Seasons of Rice and winner of the BGDL Design Challenge, discusses how he’s managed to win 3 design competitions.

The post How to Win a Design Competition with Corry Damey appeared first on Board Game Design Lab.

[BONUS] Bez Shahriari on Standing out at Conventions Aug 03, 2018

The post [BONUS] Bez Shahriari on Standing out at Conventions appeared first on Board Game Design Lab.

Designing Family Games with Bez Shahriari Aug 01, 2018

Bez Shahriari, designer of Yogi, discusses the ins and outs of creating a game made specifically for families.

We go into why family games are so good for helping kids as they grow up, and we talk about a lot of things to consider when making these types of games.

The post Designing Family Games with Bez Shahriari appeared first on Board Game Design Lab.

[BONUS] Dr. Corey Butler on Game Rating Systems Jul 27, 2018

The post [BONUS] Dr. Corey Butler on Game Rating Systems appeared first on Board Game Design Lab.

Player Psychology with Dr. Corey Butler Jul 25, 2018

Dr. Corey Butler, social psychologist and avid gamer, has been conducting research on gamers for a while and has some really interesting information on player psychology based on both his formal training and his research.

And check out all the really cool articles and research findings on Corey’s blog HERE.

The post Player Psychology with Dr. Corey Butler appeared first on Board Game Design Lab.

[BONUS] Greg Loring-Albright on the Power Games Have to Make a Difference Jul 20, 2018

The post [BONUS] Greg Loring-Albright on the Power Games Have to Make a Difference appeared first on Board Game Design Lab.

Pervasive Games with Greg Loring-Albright Jul 18, 2018

Greg Loring-Albright is back on the show, and we’re talking about games that don’t exist on a board or even at a table.

Greg has been designing games that pervade into spaces much bigger than your dining room table, and he has some really interesting insight on how and why these games work.

The post Pervasive Games with Greg Loring-Albright appeared first on Board Game Design Lab.

[BONUS] Kirk Dennison on Pledge Managers Jul 13, 2018

The post [BONUS] Kirk Dennison on Pledge Managers appeared first on Board Game Design Lab.

3D Printing and Game Design with Kirk Dennison Jul 11, 2018

Kirk Dennison of Piecekeeper Games is back on the show, and we’re talking about the various uses of 3D printing in game design.

Kirk got into the world of 3D printing a while back and has found a lot of ways to put it to good use in his designs and for his company.

And check out Kirk’s latest game, Rurik: Dawn of Kiev, which is on Kickstarter now. It’s got some really cool minis.

Notes from the show:

– Free 3D models: https://www.thingiverse.com/ – The affordable ($200) 3D printer I use, Monoprice Select Mini 3D v2: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B01FL49VZE/ref=twister_B07515FG7P?_encoding=UTF8&psc=1 – If you buy the Select Mini, you should really upgrade to a glass bed. Details here: https://www.mpselectmini.com/glass_bed – If you buy the Select Mini, FB support group here: https://www.facebook.com/groups/710952782398723/ – The really premium ($3.5k or $5k) 3D printer often recommended: https://formlabs.com/store/us/form-2/buy-printer/

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Eric Lang’s Best Advice Jul 06, 2018

Coming to you from Dice Tower Con 2018, Eric Lang had a free 20 minutes and agreed to answer some questions, so we found a not so quiet side room to chat.

Eric gives his best advice on several design topics, and he provides incredible insight that all designers need to pay attention to.

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Hacking Creativity to Become the Best in the World with Gabe Barrett Jul 04, 2018

BGDL founder, Gabe Barrett, talks about many of the really cool and helpful creativity/productivity hacks he’s been learning about recently.
He discusses some rather interesting findings that have come from researching some of the best in the world in different fields. There are also a lot of things that you’ll hopefully find encouraging.

The end of this episode has an exciting announcement in which Gabe talks about the new BGDL Patreon page. Please check out the page and consider supporting it HERE.

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[BONUS] Adrienne Ezell on Making Prototypes on the Cheap Jun 29, 2018

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How to Work with Artists with Adrienne Ezell Jun 27, 2018

Adrienne Ezell, professional board game artist and art director, discusses how to work effectively with artists.
Adrienne has been a pro artist for 15 years and now works full time in the board game industry. We talk communication, contracts, timelines, costs, and everything in between.

Link to the 3d box maker we discussed: https://www.boxshot.com/

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[BONUS] Ted Alspach on Tile Placement Games Jun 22, 2018

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City Building Games with Ted Alspach Jun 20, 2018

Ted Alspach, designer Suburbia of and founder of Bezier Games, discusses city building games.
Suburbia is ranked 94th on Board Game Geek and is easily on the Mount Rushmore of city building games, so Ted really knows what he’s talking about when it comes to designing one of these types of games.

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[BONUS] Nolan Nasser on Developing Games for a Licensed IP Jun 15, 2018

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Art Direction in Games with Nolan Nasser Jun 13, 2018

Nolan Nasser, illustrator and founder of Deep Water Games, discusses art direction in board games.
Nolan has a ton of experience in directing art for well known games and shares a great deal of what he’s learned over the years.

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[BONUS] Cody Stevens on Volunteering at a Convention for a Publisher Jun 08, 2018

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Designing Dexterity Games with Cody Stevens Jun 06, 2018

Cody Stevens, the designer of Dino Dunk, discusses dexterity games.
We talk about lots of different dexterity style games, how they work, and what makes them good.

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[BONUS] Joseph Z Chen on How to Build an Email List Jun 01, 2018

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Catch-Up Mechanisms with Joseph Z. Chen May 30, 2018

Joseph Z Chen discusses catch-up mechanisms.
Joseph is a designer and indie publisher who did a fairly in-depth analysis on ways different games keep players involved until the end. We talk about several popular games and their catch-up mechanisms as well as Joseph’s personal experiences.

And don’t forget to check out Joseph’s game, Fantastic Factories, on Kickstarter HERE.

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For the Love of Board Games – A Book by Erin Dean May 23, 2018

Erin Dean, author of For the Love of Board Games, discusses her book and what she learned from the designers she interviewed.

You can check out Erin’s documentary, The Board Game Boom, here.

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[BONUS] Daniel Fremgen on Receiving Feedback from a Design Contest May 18, 2018

Here’s Daniel’s article about receiving feedback from a design contest.

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The Indie Game Alliance with Matt Holden May 16, 2018

Matt Holden discusses the Indie Game Alliance.
Matt started the IGA four years ago to help small publishers and designers get their games demoed at conventions and game stores, and it’s grown into a robust organization that offers quite a few services.

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[BONUS] Brad Talton on How to Build a Game Company May 11, 2018

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Dueling Games with Brad Talton May 09, 2018

Brad Talton, designer of BattleCon and Pixel Tactics, discusses dueling games.
Brad has been creating dueling combat games for years and has found incredible success with his company, Level 99 Games.

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[BONUS] Richard Garfield on Collectible Card Games May 04, 2018

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Coming Attractions for the BGDL May 04, 2018

I’ve got some exciting announcements for the BGDL:
1) I’m starting a new thing that will hopefully lead to an even greater sense of community. Today, with the incredible help of Chris Perea, a BGDL Discord server has launched which will offer you another way to interact with others in the community and will lead to…
2) BGDL Game Nights. I want to provide opportunities for people (especially those in more isolated locations) to be able to get together and play games. Both published games and prototypes. So, the BGDL is going to start hosting regular game nights through Discord and Tabletop Simulator. The first game night will be May 12th.
3) Giveaway. We’re giving away 2 copies of Tabletop Simulator. All you have to do is fill out this short form and you’ll be entered to win. The form will give us a better idea about what the community wants as far as game nights are concerned.
4) Game design tutorial videos. Chris Perea is putting together regular content to teach you how to do various design related tasks, starting with getting your game setup on Tabletop Simulator. Please subscribe to the BGDL Youtube channel to see all the current and future how-to guides.

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Luck vs Skill with Richard Garfield May 02, 2018

Richard Garfield, designer of Magic: The Gathering and a ton of other great games, discusses how to use luck and skill effectively in game design.
Richard belongs on the game design Mount Rushmore and has awesome insight and advice.

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[BONUS] Jon Mietling on Portable Games Apr 27, 2018

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Multi-Use Cards with Jon Mietling Apr 25, 2018

Jon Mietling, designer of Palm Island, discusses how to effectively design a game with multi-use cards.
Jon ran an incredibly successful Kickstarter for Palm Island which is rather innovative game that focusses solely on multi-use cards as its core mechanism.

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[BONUS] 2018 Game Design Challenge Apr 20, 2018

For the written rules and submission form, go HERE.

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Pitches & Sell Sheets with Jeremy Commandeur Apr 18, 2018

Jeremy Commandeur, organizer of the largest Protospiel in the U.S., discusses pitches and sell sheets.
Jeremy has had several designs published and has found a great deal of success in pitching to publishers and getting games signed. Sell Sheet Examples on Pinterest collected by John Brieger: https://www.pinterest.com/johnbrieger/boardgame-sell-sheets/ Sell Sheet Examples on Flickr collected by Jeremy Commandeur: https://www.pinterest.com/johnbrieger/boardgame-sell-sheets/ How To Make a Sell Sheet– article on League of Gamemakers: http://www.leagueofgamemakers.com/how-to-build-a-sell-sheet-for-your-game/

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[BONUS] Justin Jacobson on Managing Hype and Expectations Apr 13, 2018

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Bringing Old Designs Back to Life with Justin Jacobson Apr 11, 2018

Justin Jacobson, founder of Restoration Games, discusses the process of bringing a game back to life.
Justin’s entire business model is built on taking old games off the shelf and breathing new life into them, and he offers great insight on how to do it. If you’ve got some old games of your own that you shelved for whatever reason, you just might get some ideas on how to bring those back.

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[BONUS] Peter Hayward on Attending a Prototype Convention Apr 06, 2018

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The Two Types of Cooperative Games with Peter Hayward Apr 04, 2018

Peter Hayward, founder of Jellybean Games, discusses the two types of cooperative games and what makes them work.
Peter plays hundreds of prototypes a year, and he’s noticed some serious issues with the majority of the co-op prototypes he sees.

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[BONUS] Brandon Rollins on Playtesting Mar 30, 2018

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How to Make Your Game More Accessible with Brandon Rollins Mar 28, 2018

Brandon Rollins, designer of Highways & Byways, discusses accessibility in games and ways to make your designs more inclusive.
Brandon is an avid blogger and consistently writes great content to help game designers.

Meeple Like Us accessibility reviews

Color palettes for color blindness

10 Quick Accessibility Wins for Game Developers

And make sure to check out Brandon’s latest Kickstarter campaign HERE.

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[BONUS] Jerry Hawthorne on How to Demo a Game at a Convention Mar 23, 2018

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Story Driven Games with Jerry Hawthorne Mar 21, 2018

Jerry Hawthorne, designer of Stuffed Fables, discusses story driven games and how to use narrative to create incredible gaming experiences.
Jerry is a long-time veteran of the industry and specializes in games that evoke stories.

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[BONUS] Adam Rehberg on Balancing Life, Work, and Game Design Mar 16, 2018

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Boxes and Packaging that Sell with Adam Rehberg Mar 14, 2018

Adam Rehberg, owner of Adam’s Apple Games, discusses the finer details on what makes a box functional, fashionable, and provocative.

For his day job, Adam is a packaging engineer for Target, so he definitely knows what he’s talking about.

If you have box questions for Adam, you can find him on Twitter HERE.

And be sure to check out his 3d sword building game, Swordcrafters, which is on Kickstarter now.

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[BONUS] Vincent Vergonjeanne on Licensing an IP for a Game Mar 09, 2018

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Designing Games with Digital Elements with Vincent Vergonjeanne Mar 07, 2018

Vincent Vergonjeanne, founder of Lucky Duck Games, discusses games that use digital components in their design.
Vincent runs his own video game company and has been quite successful in both the digital space and the board game industry, so he really knows a lot about this topic.

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[BONUS] Jason Mowery & Chase Williams on Designing Heist Games Mar 02, 2018

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Working with a Co-Designer with Jason Mowery and Chase Williams Feb 28, 2018

Jason Mowery and Chase Williams, designers of The Big Score, discuss the process of co-designing a game.
We talk scheduling, conflict management, and more. Also, you can check out their new game on Kickstarter HERE. (It’s basically Ocean’s 11, the board game.)

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[BONUS] Petter Olsen on How to Create a Great Looking Prototype Feb 23, 2018

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The King of the Hill Mechanism with Petter Olsen Feb 21, 2018

Petter Olsen, designer of Kill the King, discusses the king of the hill mechanism. (We also might go into propane and propane accessories…)
Petter’s new game hinges on this particular mechanism, so he knows a lot about what makes it work well. You can check out his new game on Kickstarter HERE.

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[BONUS] Greg Loring-Albright on How to Recover from Failure Feb 16, 2018

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Designing Micro Games with Greg Loring-Albright Feb 14, 2018

Greg Loring-Albright, designer of Leviathan, discusses the ins, outs, and what-have-yous of micro games. He brings up some great points about designing small games that carry a big experience.

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[BONUS] Jon Gilmour on Post-Apocalyptic Games Feb 09, 2018

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Themes that Sell with Jon Gilmour Feb 07, 2018

Jon Gilmour, designer of Dead of Winter, discusses how to design the experiences and themes that people can’t wait to get their hands on. Jon just seems to have an innate ability to design games that go hand in hand with what people are excited about, and he gives me a tour behind the curtain on how he does it.

Jon also goes into a great deal of general design advice. We talk about working on lots of games at the same time, co-designers, going full time in the industry, and more. We cover a lot in this one.

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[BONUS] An In Depth Interview of Gabe Barrett by the Cardboard Herald Feb 02, 2018

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Creativity and the Future of the BGDL with Gabe Barrett Jan 31, 2018

Today, it’s just me on the podcast, and I’m discussing creativity, time management, and the future of the BGDL.
I’ve learned a lot of really great stuff about the creative process, and I want to share with you some of the things that have been helping me with my game designs.
And then I want to tell you about the fun and exciting things ahead for the BGDL podcast and community.

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[BONUS] Alan Emrich on Games He Wants to Play and Wants to Publish Jan 26, 2018

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How a Publisher Develops Games with Alan Emrich Jan 24, 2018

Alan Emrich, founder of Victory Point Games, discusses how a publisher approaches the development process when taking a game from prototype to store shelf.

Alan has been in the gaming industry for four decades and brings a great deal of experience and insight into this conversation. Both designers and publishers will benefit from what he has to say here.

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[BONUS] Artyom Nichipurov on How to Find Playtesters Jan 19, 2018

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Digital Prototyping on Tabletopia with Artyom Nichipurov Jan 17, 2018

Artyom Nichipurov (Arty for short), designer of Guards of Atlantis: Tabletop MOBA, discusses Tabletopia and gives lots of tips and tricks on how to get your prototype up and running on the system.

Tabletopia can be an extremely useful resource for playtesting, demoing, and pitching your game.

If you need some help with the software, Arty has offered to give you a hand. You can reach him at nichipurov (at) gmail (dot) com.

Also, Arty’s game, Warpgate, just launched on Kickstarter. If you like Euro games and/or space games, check it out HERE.

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[BONUS] Don Eskridge on Creating Expansions for a Game Jan 12, 2018

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Designing Social Deduction Games with Don Eskridge Jan 10, 2018

Don Eskridge, designer of The Resistance, discusses all the ins and outs of creating a social deduction game.
The Resistance is one of the most popular games ever made that lets you lie directly to your friends’ faces, and Don has designed several more of these types of games, so he definitely knows what he’s talking about.

And click HERE to check out Don’s latest social deduction game which is on Kickstarter right now.

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[BONUS] Dustin Schwartz on How to Go Pro in the Board Game Industry Jan 05, 2018

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How to Create an Awesome Rulebook with Dustin Schwartz Jan 03, 2018

Dustin Schwartz, professional rulebook writer, discusses what makes a great rulebook and lots of tips and tricks on how to put together a ruleset that’s easy to teach and easy to learn.

Dustin wrote 40 rulebooks in 2017 and is looking to write 100 in 2018, so he’s got a TON of experience on what makes a rulebook great.

For a program that makes adding icons to word docs super easy, check out: www.fontawesome.com

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[BONUS] Jamey Stegmaier on the Pros and Cons of Leaving Kickstarter Dec 29, 2017

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Designing Legacy Games with Jamey Stegmaier Dec 27, 2017

Jamey Stegmaier is back on the show, and we’re talking Legacy Games. Jamey’s game, Charterstone, just came out, and it’s quite possibly the most ambitious Euro game in existence as it takes all the legacy style elements and applies them to a worker placement experience.
Jamey is one of the best designers on the planet, and after Charterstone, he’s got a TON of insight on how to design, develop, and publish a legacy game.

Charterstone Design Diaries

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[BONUS] Matt Leacock on Developing Alternative Versions of Your Game Dec 22, 2017

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Crafting the Player Experience with Matt Leacock Dec 20, 2017

Matt Leacock, designer of a little game called Pandemic, discusses how to craft the player experience.

Matt is one of the most well-known designers in the world, and he’s learned how to finely tune a game to give players the desired experience. Previously, he worked for companies like Apple and Yahoo developing UX for various products, and he’s been able to bring those ideas into the board game space.

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[BONUS] Seth Grier on Where He Thinks the Industry Is Headed Dec 15, 2017

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Shipping, Fulfillment, and Fulfillment Services with Seth Grier Dec 13, 2017

Seth Grier, vice president of Quartermaster Logistics, discusses the ins and outs of shipping, fulfillment, and fulfillment services.
Whether you’re looking to ship games out of your garage or hire a service to do it for you, this episode is for you as Seth goes into the nuts and bolts of things to be aware of when shipping board games.

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[BONUS] Juliana Patel & Ariel Rubin on How to Run an Effective Co-Design Team Dec 08, 2017

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Designing Escape Room Games with Juliana Patel and Ariel Rubin Dec 06, 2017

Juliana Patel and Ariel Rubin, designers of Escape Room in a Box, discuss the ins and outs of creating an escape room game.
Juliana and Ariel are busy moms who find time to get together and design games, and they have a ton of insight on what makes a great escape experience. Escape Room in a Box was the first escape room board game to show up when it hit Kickstarter last year, and it’s now been picked up by Mattel.
You can preorder Mattel’s version of Escape Room in a Box here. And Juliana and Ariel will even design a custom experience for your next get together here.

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[BONUS] Andrew Harmon on How to Reach out to People about Your Kickstarter Dec 01, 2017

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Creating Religious Themed Games with Andrew Harmon Nov 29, 2017

Andrew Harmon, designer of Portals and Prophets, discusses religious themed games.
Andrew designed a time travel game with a Biblical theme, and we talk the ins and outs of how to bring a religious themed game to life. We also talk about how not to offend too many people along the way.

Also, Andrew’s game is out on Kickstarter right now. Check it out here.

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[BONUS] Sami Laakso on Creating Family Friendly Art Nov 24, 2017

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Designing Scenario Based Games with Sami Laakso Nov 22, 2017

Sami Laakso, owner of Snowdale Design, discusses how to design a scenario based game.
Sami is both a publisher and a designer, and he’s been working on a campaign driven game with legacy elements for over 2 years. We discuss what he’s learned throughout the design process, and he gives lots of tips and tricks.

And you can find Sami’s scenario game on Kickstarter right now. Check it out here.

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[BONUS] Kirk Dennison on How to Dominate a Playtest Convention Nov 17, 2017

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How to Iterate like a BOSS with Kirk Dennison Nov 15, 2017

Today, Kirk Dennison, owner of Piecekeeper Games, discusses how to efficiently create new versions of a game and iterate like a boss

Kirk is both a publisher and a designer, and he’s obsessed with efficiency. He gets into some serious nuts and bolts about saving time and moving from one version to the next.

And be sure to check out Kirk’s latest game “Gearworks” on Kickstarter.

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[BONUS] Scott Rogers on Tips and Tricks for Art Direction Nov 10, 2017

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Intertwining Theme and Mechanics with Scott Rogers Nov 08, 2017

Scott Rogers, designer of Rayguns and Rocketships, discusses how to intertwine theme and mechanics.
Scott has been designing both video and board games for years and teaches game design at the University of Southern California. Scott also does the “History of a Board Game” segments on the Dice Tower and Ludology podcasts.

And the Jack Vasal Memorial Fund auction mentioned in the show can be found HERE.

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[BONUS] Andrew Birkett on How to Know When to Put a Game on the Shelf Nov 03, 2017

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How a First Time Publisher Gets Funded on Kickstarter with Andrew Birkett Nov 01, 2017

Andrew Birkett, founder of Atheris Games, discusses how he started a publishing company and got his first game 200% funded on Kickstarter.

We talk about tips for pre-campaign preparation, overcoming the mid-campaign slump, finishing strong, and more.

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[BONUS] Timo Multamaki on Advice for Non-Native English Speakers who Want to Run a Kickstarter Oct 27, 2017

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Project Management and Working with Virtual Teams with Timo Multamaki Oct 25, 2017

Timo Multamaki, founder of Dragon Dawn Productions, discusses the many things he’s learned about project management and getting games across the finish line.
Timo has a team of 40+ people from all over the world working on various games, so he’s had to become the glue that holds people together and keeps them on the same page until the games are done.

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[BONUS] Jamey Stegmaier on Tips and Tricks to Make a Great Rulebook Oct 20, 2017

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The Making of Scythe with Jamey Stegmaier Oct 18, 2017

Jamey Stegmaier is back, and we’re talking about the making of Scythe. We discuss the ins and outs of all the design choices that brought one of the best games in the world to life.

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[BONUS] Evan Derrick on Mechanics He Loves to Use Oct 13, 2017

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THEME! And How to Bring It Out with Evan Derrick Oct 11, 2017

Evan Derrick, designer and part owner of Van Ryder Games, discusses theme and how to really bring it to the forefront in a game.
Evan designed “Detective: City of Angels” which is one of the most thematic games I’ve ever seen, so I pick his brain on what makes a theme really come together.

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[BONUS] Danny Lott on How to Help Designers Playtest Their Games Oct 06, 2017

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Designing Horror Themed Games with Danny Lott Oct 04, 2017

Danny Lott, designer of Coma Ward, discusses how to design a horror themed game and really evoke a creepy experience.
This episode has a ton of great advice, but I’m not gonna lie, it gets a little weird in the middle. (You’ll hear what I mean…) We finish strong though, haha.

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[BONUS] Carla Kopp on How to Run an Effective Playtest Sep 29, 2017

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How to Hustle and Get Things Done with Carla Kopp Sep 27, 2017

Carla Kopp, founder of Weird Giraffe Games, discusses how she stays on the hustle and gets so much done in design, publishing, playtesting, and Kickstarter.
We talk about the tips and tricks she’s learned to hack her time and consistently make things happen.

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[BONUS] Jason Perez on Using Games for Therapy Sep 23, 2017

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Learning Styles and Writing Rulebooks with Jason Perez Sep 20, 2017

Jason Perez, psychotherapist and host of the Every Night Is Game Night podcast, discusses the different ways people learn and how that should affect rulebook writing.
We go into how the brain works, what makes rules so hard to learn, and more.

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[BONUS] Randy Hoyt on what to Expect when Working with a Publisher Sep 15, 2017

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Going from Game to Sellable Product with Randy Hoyt Sep 13, 2017

Randy Hoyt, owner of Foxtrot Games, discusses how to turn a game into a product.
We go into marketability, sellability, usability and more.
Randy has been designing and publishing games for a number of years and has a ton of insight on making games that sell.

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[BONUS] Fabio Del Rio on How to Stand out from the Crowd Sep 08, 2017

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Sports Themed Games with Fabio Del Rio Sep 06, 2017

Fabio Del Rio, owner of CSE Games, discusses the ins and outs of sports themed games. We go into mechanics, marketability, licensing, challenges, success stories, and more.

Fabio has been publishing sports games for over a decade and brings a lot of wisdom and insight to the episode.

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[BONUS] Daniel Aronson on How to Go from 0 to 600+ Facebook Likes in 60 Days Sep 01, 2017

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Graphic Design and Its Effect on the Player Experience with Daniel Aronson Aug 30, 2017

Daniel Aronson, professional graphic designer and game designer, discusses the importance of being intentional with all the graphic design in your game. We talk fonts, color choices, layouts, branding, and more in this information full episode.

Daniel is the designer of “El Dorado,” which just launched on Kickstarter. Check it out here.

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[BONUS] Lance the Undead Viking on Where He Thinks the Board Game Industry is Headed Aug 25, 2017

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Let’s Talk Game Reviews with Lance Myxter the Undead Viking Aug 23, 2017

Lance Myxter, the Undead Viking, talks about game reviews from a lot of different angles. Lance has done over 1000 reviews and offers a lot of insight on the different ins and outs of the review world.

He does a ton of videos for Kickstarter games and gives some great advice for anyone wanting to travel down that road as well.

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[BONUS] Marshall Britt on Whether the Size of a Eurogame Matters Aug 19, 2017

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Lessons Learned as a Small Publisher with Marshall Britt Aug 16, 2017

Marshall Britt, owner of Yanaguana Games, talks about all the mistakes he’s made and lessons he’s learned as a small game publisher.

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[BONUS] Hermann Luttmann on Designing a Zombie Game that Stands out from the Crowd Aug 11, 2017

The post [BONUS] Hermann Luttmann on Designing a Zombie Game that Stands out from the Crowd appeared first on Board Game Design Lab.

How to Design a Solo Game with Hermann Luttmann Aug 09, 2017

Hermann Luttmann, designer of Dawn of the Zeds, talks about how to design a solo game.
Hermann has created numerous games meant for only one player and offers a ton of interesting insight on how to craft the solitaire experience.

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[BONUS] Denny Weston on Designing Games that Can Be Played on the Road Aug 04, 2017

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Designing Outdoor Games with Denny Weston Aug 02, 2017

Denny Weston, designer of Kingdoms Lawn Game, discusses the ins, outs, and challenges of creating a game meant to be played in the great outdoors.

And check out the Kingdoms Lawn Game Kickstarter here.

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[BONUS] James Hudson on His Favorite Non-Family Style Games Jul 28, 2017

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How to Design a Great Family Game with James Hudson Jul 26, 2017

James Hudson, owner of Druid City Games, talks about how to create a game that families love to play.
James works full time in the gaming industry, and his company focuses specifically on family games. We talk about what makes a game appealing to families and how to get noticed on Kickstarter.

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[BONUS] Daryl Andrews on Bringing a Licensed IP to Life Jul 21, 2017

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How to Work on Multiple Games at the Same Time with Daryl Andrews Jul 19, 2017

Daryl Andrews, designer of Sagrada, discusses how to work on a bunch of designs at the same time.
Daryl has designed around 100 games that are either in stores, in production, or have been signed and are waiting to move forward, so he has a TON of knowledge on the subject.

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[BONUS] Alex Hall & Gin Yu on Creating High Quality Videos Jul 14, 2017

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Lessons Learned from Following Game Designers Around with Alex Hall and Gin Yu Jul 12, 2017

Gin Yu and Alex Hall, filmmakers with Gin and Tonic Films, discuss their new web series Getting on Board.
Gin and Alex have been interviewing and following game designers around for a while and filming their different processes.
I had a ton of fun with this episode, and I think you’ll get a kick out of it as well.

Find them on Facebook here. And Twitter here.

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[BONUS] Seth Jaffee on the Value of Playing a Game Multiple Times Jun 30, 2017

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Taking a Design from Good to Great with Seth Jaffee Jun 28, 2017

Seth Jaffee, designer of Eminent Domain, discusses how to tackle that last 10% of game design that takes a game from merely good to that next level of great.

And be sure to check out the BGDL inspired t-shirt project over at IndieGoGo. Shirts are only available for a very limited time.

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[BONUS] Richard Launius on Themes He’d Like to See Jun 23, 2017

The post [BONUS] Richard Launius on Themes He’d Like to See appeared first on Board Game Design Lab.

Designing a Good AI System with Richard Launius Jun 21, 2017

Richard Launius, designer of Arkham Horror, shares great, veteran advice on how to design an AI system for both co-op and non co-op games.

The post Designing a Good AI System with Richard Launius appeared first on Board Game Design Lab.

[BONUS] Tony Miller on Finding Time for Game Design Jun 16, 2017

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Getting the Most out of a Design Convention with Tony Miller Jun 14, 2017

Tony Miller, attendee of double digit design conventions, discusses why it’s so important to attend design cons and what you need to take with you to get the most out of your experience.

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[BONUS] Gil Hova on Why Drafting Is Such a Great Mechanic Jun 09, 2017

The post [BONUS] Gil Hova on Why Drafting Is Such a Great Mechanic appeared first on Board Game Design Lab.

Keeping a Design from Getting out of Hand with Gil Hova Jun 07, 2017

Gil Hova, designer of The Networks, discusses how to manage a game’s scope and not allow it to get out of hand. We also go into a good bit of detail on abstraction and how vital it is for keeping a game’s scope where it needs to be.

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[BONUS] Daniel Zayas on Kickstarter Features He Wants to See Jun 02, 2017

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Advice from a Kickstarter Expert with Daniel Zayas May 31, 2017

Daniel Zayas, a member of the Kickstarter Expert program, discusses what the program is and how it works. He also gives some really great advice on how to run a successful Kickstarter campaign.

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[BONUS] Gabe Barrett on Using the Right Tools for the Job May 26, 2017

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Why Game Design Is Important with Gabe Barrett May 24, 2017

Gabe Barrett, founder of the BGDL, discusses why this hobby of ours matters and why game design is much more than just a fun, little activity. He also shares some stories that relate to design and talks about where the BGDL is headed in the future.

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[BONUS] Mike Mihealsick on Why Euro Games Are Awesome May 20, 2017

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Lessons Learned from Blind Playtesting with Mike Mihealsick May 17, 2017

Mike Mihealsick, from Coalition Games, discusses all the lessons and insights he’s learned after facilitating hundreds of blind playtests. Blind playtesting is the purifying fire in which we truly get to find out what our games are made of, and Mike offers a ton of advice on how to navigate the process well.

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[BONUS] Chris Kirkman on Considerations When Designing a Small Game May 13, 2017

The post [BONUS] Chris Kirkman on Considerations When Designing a Small Game appeared first on Board Game Design Lab.

Cthulhu Themed Games with Chris Kirkman May 10, 2017

Chris Kirkman, designer of Fate of the Elder Gods, discusses Cthulhu themed games and what makes them so popular. There’s just something about Cthulhu that continues to intrigue people, and even with all the Cthulhu games that have come out, there’s still a great deal left to be explored.

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[BONUS] Morten Pederson on Writing Rulebooks for Non-Native English Speakers May 06, 2017

The post [BONUS] Morten Pederson on Writing Rulebooks for Non-Native English Speakers appeared first on Board Game Design Lab.

Creating a Great Solo Variant with Morten Pedersen May 03, 2017

Morten Pedersen, designer behind the solo modes for games such as Scythe and Viticulture, discusses how to scale a game down to one player and create a great solo experience.

Morten has his own design company that focuses on creating single player systems for games and has even won awards for it. For more, check out Morten’s blog here.

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[BONUS] Patrick Leder on How to Know When a Game Is Done Apr 29, 2017

The post [BONUS] Patrick Leder on How to Know When a Game Is Done appeared first on Board Game Design Lab.

Designing an Asymmetrical Game with Patrick Leder Apr 26, 2017

Patrick Leder, designer of Vast, discusses what all goes into designing an asymmetrical game. In Vast, each player takes on an incredibly different role with different actions, different win conditions, and different ways to play. And creating a game of this scope is no small task.

The post Designing an Asymmetrical Game with Patrick Leder appeared first on Board Game Design Lab.

[BONUS] Chris Rowlands on What RPG Elements He’d Like to See More of in Board Games Apr 22, 2017

The post [BONUS] Chris Rowlands on What RPG Elements He’d Like to See More of in Board Games appeared first on Board Game Design Lab.

Content as Marketing with Chris Rowlands Apr 19, 2017

Chris Rowlands, designer of Last Garden and host of NPC-Cast, discusses creating awesome content that helps people as much as possible and also builds up goodwill toward you and your games.

The board game community is incredible, and there are tons of opportunities to help fellow designers and add value to what they’re trying to create. And in doing so, you build relationships that will likely lead to people wanting to help you when the opportunity arises.

The post Content as Marketing with Chris Rowlands appeared first on Board Game Design Lab.

[BONUS] Rob Daviau on What Themes Need a Legacy Version Apr 15, 2017

The post [BONUS] Rob Daviau on What Themes Need a Legacy Version appeared first on Board Game Design Lab.

How to Playtest like a Pro with Rob Daviau Apr 12, 2017

Rob Daviau, designer of Pandemic Legacy, and I discuss how to run playtests like an absolute pro.

Rob started designing games for Hasbro before moving into the designer game space, and he has a TON of insight on how to playtest your way to an amazing game.

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

[BONUS] Brent Kinney on Underutilized Printing Opportunities in Games Apr 08, 2017

The post [BONUS] Brent Kinney on Underutilized Printing Opportunities in Games appeared first on Board Game Design Lab.

The Ins & Outs of Printing with a Vice President from Panda Game Manufacturing, Brent Kinney Apr 05, 2017

Brent Kinney, vice president at Panda Game Manufacturing, discusses the details and nuances of getting your game printed. We talk typical setbacks, what the different phases in the process look like, ways to make the process easier, and much more. Panda GM is one of the major manufacturers of board games in the world, and Brent brings a ton of experience and insight to the discussion.

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[BONUS] Tom Vasel on Where He Hopes the Gaming Industry Goes Next Mar 31, 2017

The post [BONUS] Tom Vasel on Where He Hopes the Gaming Industry Goes Next appeared first on Board Game Design Lab.

Lessons Learned from Playing 5000+ Games with Tom Vasel Mar 29, 2017

Tom Vasel, founder of the Dice Tower, discusses some of the many things he’s learned after playing an astronomical number of games. We talk themes, mechanics, Kickstarter, publishing, trends, and tons of other stuff.

Tom has played and reviewed thousands upon thousands of games which has led to some interesting insight on what makes a great game.

The post Lessons Learned from Playing 5000+ Games with Tom Vasel appeared first on Board Game Design Lab.

[BONUS] Sen-Foong Lim on Where to Find Components for Your Prototypes Mar 24, 2017

The post [BONUS] Sen-Foong Lim on Where to Find Components for Your Prototypes appeared first on Board Game Design Lab.

How to Organize a Design Space with Sen-Foong Lim Mar 22, 2017

Sen-Foong Lim, designer of Belfort and Junk Art, discusses the many things a good game design space needs and ways to organize it all.

Here are links to some of the resources mentioned in the show:

The post How to Organize a Design Space with Sen-Foong Lim appeared first on Board Game Design Lab.

[BONUS] Edo Baraf on How to Create and Manage Kickstarter Stretch Goals Mar 17, 2017

The post [BONUS] Edo Baraf on How to Create and Manage Kickstarter Stretch Goals appeared first on Board Game Design Lab.

Custom Components in Your Game with Edo Baraf Mar 15, 2017

Edo Baraf, designer of Herbaceous, discusses the many different types of custom components you can add to your games and the challenges and considerations that go with each one. We talk custom dice, boards, boxes, inserts, meeples, sleeves, and more. (Not miniatures. That will be its own episode.)

Edo has experience with lots of custom components and offers a ton of insight on the things to be aware of when adding them to your game.

The post Custom Components in Your Game with Edo Baraf appeared first on Board Game Design Lab.

[BONUS] Dan Peterson on Themes that Need to Be Explored Mar 10, 2017

The post [BONUS] Dan Peterson on Themes that Need to Be Explored appeared first on Board Game Design Lab.

Why a Publisher Might Reject Your Game and How to Handle It with Dan Peterson Mar 08, 2017

Dan Peterson, chief developer and head of new acquisitions at Mayday Games, discusses why a publisher might reject your game and how to handle it.

Dan looks at close to 200 unpublished games a year and has years of experience in finding new games to publish. This episode is packed with great wisdom for anyone wanting to travel down the traditional publishing path.

The post Why a Publisher Might Reject Your Game and How to Handle It with Dan Peterson appeared first on Board Game Design Lab.

[BONUS] JT Smith on How to Come Up with Expansion Ideas Mar 03, 2017

The post [BONUS] JT Smith on How to Come Up with Expansion Ideas appeared first on Board Game Design Lab.

How to Design a Great Cooperative Game with JT Smith Mar 01, 2017

JT Smith, designer of The Captain Is Dead, talks about how to design a great cooperative game.

We talk creating tension, alpha players, and the math behind a good AI system. Personally, I think The Captain Is Dead is one of the best co-op games on the market today, and it was great to get JT’s insight on its creation.

The post How to Design a Great Cooperative Game with JT Smith appeared first on Board Game Design Lab.

[BONUS] Jamey Stegmaier on How to Approach a Small Publisher with Your Game Feb 24, 2017

The post [BONUS] Jamey Stegmaier on How to Approach a Small Publisher with Your Game appeared first on Board Game Design Lab.

A Day in the Life of a Pro Designer with Jamey Stegmaier Feb 22, 2017

Jamey Stegmaier, designer of Scythe, is back on the show, and we’re talking about what the schedule of a pro game designer looks like. It’s easy to have a romanticized idea of what being a full time designer is, but it doesn’t quite line up with reality.

We talk about the daily fires that have to be put out, how to be intentional with your time, ways to become more efficient, and much more.

The post A Day in the Life of a Pro Designer with Jamey Stegmaier appeared first on Board Game Design Lab.

[BONUS] Emerson Matsuuchi on His Process of Creating Special Abilities Feb 17, 2017

The post [BONUS] Emerson Matsuuchi on His Process of Creating Special Abilities appeared first on Board Game Design Lab.

How to Make a Great Hidden Movement Game with Emerson Matsuuchi Feb 15, 2017

Emerson Matsuuchi, designer of Specter Ops, goes into all the ins and outs of putting together a hidden movement game.

There are very few hidden movement games out there right now which means there’s still a ton to be explored. Emerson discusses the challenges he faced and his insights on the topic.

The post How to Make a Great Hidden Movement Game with Emerson Matsuuchi appeared first on Board Game Design Lab.

[BONUS] Ryan Laukat on Creating Art for a Kickstarter Project Feb 10, 2017

The post [BONUS] Ryan Laukat on Creating Art for a Kickstarter Project appeared first on Board Game Design Lab.

The Intersection of Art and Game Design with Ryan Laukat Feb 08, 2017

Ryan Laukat, founder of Red Raven Games, discusses how to create a beautiful game that is also functional. Ryan does his own art for all of his games, so he has an incredible understanding of the tug of war a designer and artist can have when trying to make a game look great but also work well for the players.

We also talk about some best practices when hiring and working with an artist.

The post The Intersection of Art and Game Design with Ryan Laukat appeared first on Board Game Design Lab.

[BONUS] Jerry Hawthorne on How He Draws Inspiration from Everyday Life Feb 03, 2017

The post [BONUS] Jerry Hawthorne on How He Draws Inspiration from Everyday Life appeared first on Board Game Design Lab.

The Importance of Story in Games with Jerry Hawthorne Feb 01, 2017

Jerry Hawthorne, designer of Mice and Mystics, discusses the importance of story in games.

Jerry specializes in narrative driven games and has numerous games to his credit. He goes into why people enjoy story in games so much and how you can inject more story into your games. Finally, he gives great advice on what to do first when creating a story driven game.

My favorite idea from the interview: “Create a story. Not a series of incidents.”

The post The Importance of Story in Games with Jerry Hawthorne appeared first on Board Game Design Lab.

[BONUS] Stephen Buonocore on Things to Consider when Adding Components to a Game Jan 27, 2017

The post [BONUS] Stephen Buonocore on Things to Consider when Adding Components to a Game appeared first on Board Game Design Lab.

How to Get Your Game Published with Stephen Buonocore Jan 25, 2017

Stephen Buonocore, president of Stronghold Games, goes into all of the ins and outs of researching publishers, contacting publishers, and pitching your game. We talk in depth on how to do things the right way to give your game the best chance of being signed. Then, Stephen closes the conversation with a couple funny stories about some epic game pitch fails.

The post How to Get Your Game Published with Stephen Buonocore appeared first on Board Game Design Lab.

[BONUS] Richard Launius on His Favorite Game Mechanics Jan 13, 2017

The post [BONUS] Richard Launius on His Favorite Game Mechanics appeared first on Board Game Design Lab.

Advice, Cthulu, and How to Create an Epic Gaming Experience with Richard Launius Jan 11, 2017

Richard Launius, designer of Arkham Horror, gives incredible game design advice, talks Cthulu and what makes a great Cthulu game, and goes into how to make games that create epic experiences that stand the test of time.

This episode is packed full of wisdom from a game design legend.

The post Advice, Cthulu, and How to Create an Epic Gaming Experience with Richard Launius appeared first on Board Game Design Lab.

[BONUS] Jay Vales on How to Make a Good “Take That” Game Jan 06, 2017

The post [BONUS] Jay Vales on How to Make a Good “Take That” Game appeared first on Board Game Design Lab.

Why Good Reviews Aren’t Always the Magic Bullet with Jay Vales Jan 04, 2017

Jay Vales discusses how his game, Conquest at Kismet, came to be and how it got great reviews but underperformed when it came to sales. We go into the contributing factors and what other designers can learn from the experience.

We also talk about some interesting design concepts, dealing with real-life death, and how even Zee Garcia can’t guarantee you sales.

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[BONUS] Colby Dauch on Barriers to Entry in Gaming Dec 30, 2016

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Going Pro in the Gaming Industry with Colby Dauch Dec 28, 2016

Colby Dauch, founder of Plaid Hat Games and designer of Summoner Wars, goes in depth on the challenges he faced when he started his own publishing company. We talk about business, life, and work/life balance, and we even get into not letting people discourage you from chasing your dreams.

The article Colby talks about in the show on barriers to entry in tabletop games can be found HERE.

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[BONUS] Mike Strickland on Coming up with Alien Races Dec 23, 2016

The post [BONUS] Mike Strickland on Coming up with Alien Races appeared first on Board Game Design Lab.

How to Turn Kickstarter Failure into $100K+ Success with Mike Strickland Dec 21, 2016

Mike Strickland, designer of Tau Ceti, and I talk about his Kickstarter failure and what he did to relaunch the campaign to wild success. After an unsuccessful first attempt, Mike regrouped and brought in over $100k the second time around. We discuss what led to the dramatic difference.

Please note that Mike was in a spaceship while recording the episode, so you’ll notice the slight hum of the warp drive in the background. Or maybe it’s just the sound of his computer’s overzealous fan. But since we’re talking about a space game, let’s just pretend he’s on a spaceship.

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[BONUS] Rahdo on Themes He’d Like to See More Of Dec 19, 2016

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[BONUS] Luke Laurie on Things All New Designers Need to Know Dec 18, 2016

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[Bonus] Jamey Stegmaier on his favorite game mechanisms Dec 17, 2016

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How to Create the Perfect 2 Player Experience with Rahdo Dec 14, 2016

Rahdo and I discuss 2 player games and how to craft an awesome 2 player experience. We go into specific mechanics that work really well in 2 player games, and we talk through how a designer can make a game scale down to 2 players effectively. After playing nearly 1000 games with just 2 players, Rahdo is an expert on the topic.

Check out Rahdo’s game runthroughs at https://www.youtube.com/user/rahdo.

The post How to Create the Perfect 2 Player Experience with Rahdo appeared first on Board Game Design Lab.

How to Work with a Co-Designer with Luke Laurie Dec 14, 2016

Luke Laurie, designer of The Manhattan Project: Energy Empire, and I discuss all the ins and outs of working with a co-designer. Luke has worked with a co-designer on multiple projects and provides great insight on what’s good and what’s challenging about the process.

Check out more from Luke at The League of Gamemakers.

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What I Wish I Would Have Known before I Got into Game Design with Jamey Stegmaier Dec 13, 2016

Jamey Stegmaier,Kickstarter guru and designer of Scythe, and I discuss all the things he wishes someone would have told him before he got into game design, kickstarter, publishing, and more. He gives a ton of valuable advice.

For lists of games designers should play, click HERE.

For more from Jamey, check out the Stonemaier Games website.

The post What I Wish I Would Have Known before I Got into Game Design with Jamey Stegmaier appeared first on Board Game Design Lab.