The Board Game Design Lab
[BGDL Community Spotlight] The 3 Stages of Prototyping with Gino Brancazio
May 11, 2022
Board game designer Gino Brancazio talks about the three stages of prototyping. They discuss different prototyping styles, finding a balance between excitement and avoiding waste, importance of timing and skill level in game design, and the significance of prototyping and playtesting in board game design.
42:08
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Quick takeaways
- The first stage of prototyping focuses on the player journey and testing game mechanics and rules with simple components, while the second stage involves creating the right tone and feel of the game through artwork and components that enhance player understanding and immersion.
- The third stage of prototyping prepares the game for self-publishing or crowdfunding by creating a visually appealing prototype with minimal component replacements, showcasing the game's aesthetics and making it presentation-ready for pitching to publishers, reviewers, and backers.
Deep dives
The Importance of Player Journey in Prototyping
In the first stage of prototyping, the focus should be on the player journey. This involves designing the game in a way that takes players on an engaging and immersive experience. The prototype should be designed to test if the game mechanics and rules are providing the desired player experience. At this stage, the components of the prototype can be simple and inexpensive, such as scraps of paper or stick-figure drawings. The goal is to iterate quickly and make changes based on playtesting feedback.
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