The Board Game Design Lab

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

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

Designer Mike Strickland shares his journey from Kickstarter failure to $100k success. He discusses the challenges faced, feedback in game design, and optimizing Kickstarter campaigns. Learn valuable lessons on community building, investment, and resilience.

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

Discover the importance of embracing failure and exploring various game ideas as a new game designer. Learn about networking online and at events to connect with industry professionals. Explore the value of playing diverse board games and analyzing player interactions to enhance game design skills.

Exploring unique game mechanisms in popular board games like Dead of Winter, Time Stories, and Eldritch Horror. Highlighting immersive storytelling, interactive features, spatial elements, and strategic gameplay. Also delving into innovative boat mechanisms in games and discussing cult favorite 'Pillars of the Earth'.

Rahdo, an expert on creating the perfect 2 player experience in board games, discusses specific mechanics that work well in 2 player games, how to make a game scale down to 2 players effectively, and the benefits and drawbacks of playing two-player board games. The podcast also explores the flaws of progress meters in two-player games, the evolution of two-player games in the industry, designing catch-up mechanics, balancing cards and unpredictability, and the role and value of dummy players in games.

Luke Laurie, designer of The Manhattan Project: Energy Empire, shares great insight on working with a co-designer in board game design. They discuss the benefits and challenges of co-designing, finding the right co-designer, and the importance of clear expectations. Embracing failure and making early decisions are also emphasized for successful collaborations.

Jamey Stegmaier, Kickstarter guru and designer of Scythe, discusses what he wished he knew before getting into game design and Kickstarter. Topics include the importance of playtesting, building a community, learning from successful games, developing your own voice, strategies for Kickstarter, and the financial challenges of crowdfunding.

The Board Game Design Lab is a website and podcast that focuses on helping designers make fun and engaging board games. Click PLAY to find out more. The post Welcome to the Board Game Design Lab appeared first on Board Game Design Lab.