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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Justin Gary, designer of Ascension, talks about his personal process for designing and publishing games.

Justin has designed and released a ton of hit games over the years and worked in lots of different segments of the gaming industry, so he has a ton of great tips and advice.

The post How to Design and Publish Games with Justin Gary appeared first on Board Game Design Lab.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Ben Downton, designer of Micro Dojo, talks about designing micro-micro games – games so small they can fit in a regular-sized envelope.

We talk about component constraints, focus, player expectations, and more!

And be sure to check out Ben’s game, Micro Dojo, on Kickstarter HERE.

The post Designing Games that Fit in an Envelope with Ben Downton appeared first on Board Game Design Lab.

Josh Horsley, designer of Castlescape, talks about designing deck-building games that have more going on than just building a deck.

We talk about adding boards and other components, and we get into the benefits and obstacles of creating these kinds of games.

And be sure to check out Josh’s game, Castlescape, on Kickstarter HERE.

The post Deck Building and MORE with Josh Horsley appeared first on Board Game Design Lab.

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

The post BGDL+ is live! appeared first on Board Game Design Lab.

Ami Baio, designer of You Think You Know Me and several other conversation-based games, talks about what all goes into designing and publishing them.

We talk about how to create gaming environments that encourage people to talk, listen, and enjoy chatting with each other.

The post Designing Conversation Games with Ami Baio appeared first on Board Game Design Lab.

Joe Klipfel, designer of Griphold Tower, discusses what it’s like to take a large, published game and turn it into a microgame. Joe has done this with Set a Watch and Gloomhaven and offers lots of insight on how to break a game down to its essence.

The post [Community Spotlight] Turning Big Games into Microgames with Joe Klipfel appeared first on Board Game Design Lab.

Marco Pecota, designer of Legions of Steel, discusses the ways he’s engaging with the fans of his game. We talk about building a community, releasing bonus content, reaching out to your fans for feedback, and more.

The post [Community Spotlight] Customer Engagement, Support, and Satisfaction with Marco Pecota appeared first on Board Game Design Lab.

Martin Wallace, designer of Brass: Birmingham and about 100 other great games, talks about Euro games and his process for designing them.

Martin is one of the greatest designers of all time, and he offers tons of excellent advice based on his 30+ years in the industry.

The post How to Design Euro Games with Martin Wallace appeared first on Board Game Design Lab.

Joe Slack, designer Relics of Rajavihara, talks about the many different jobs in the board gaming industry and how people have found their way to those jobs.

Joe recently released a book devoted to this topic, so we talk a lot about what he found through his interviews and research.

And you can find Joe’s latest book about jobs in the gaming industry HERE.​

The post Getting a Job in the Board Game Industry with Joe Slack appeared first on Board Game Design Lab.

Nick Metzler, game designer at Spin Master, talks about designing games that create excellent social experiences.

We also dive into chasing dreams, overcoming obstacles, and gamification.​

The post How to Design Social Experiences with Nick Metzler appeared first on Board Game Design Lab.

BGDL community member Trevor Laforce discusses how to optimize your life to get more designing done in less time.

We talk about habits, time management, and self-management in the context of designing games while also having a job, family, and busy schedule.

And you can find Trevor’s daily planner and more time optimization content on his website here.

The post Optimizing Game Design Time with Trevor Laforce appeared first on Board Game Design Lab.

Dennis Furia talks about the board game identity pyramid.

The pyramid is an excellent tool and framework to help you break down a game into its main selling points and help you figure out the why, what, and how behind your game.

You can find more about the pyramid HERE.

The post The Board Game Identity Pyramid with Dennis Furia appeared first on Board Game Design Lab.

Laura Hoffman, COO of Game on Tabletop, discusses the ins and outs, pros and cons of crowdfunding your game.

Game on Tabletop is a crowdfunding platform specifically for board game campaigns, and Laura has a ton of experience working with creators and project managers.​

The post Why You Should Crowdfund Your Game (or Not) with Laura Hoffman appeared first on Board Game Design Lab.