Podcasts by Board Game Design Lab

How to Publish Games with a Grassroots Approach|Joe Bragg from 2023-11-29T23:15:42

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 ...

How to Boost Creativity and Avoid Tropes|Jason Perez from 2023-11-21T23:49:54

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.<...

Listen to this BEFORE you start an indie publishing company|John de Campos from 2023-11-14T23:02:34

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 from 2023-11-09T20:30:12

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...

Do this BEFORE designing a game|Leo Taylor from 2023-11-03T05:49:12

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 ...

How to Make Money from Your Game Design Hobby with Joe Slack from 2023-10-25T21:55:04

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 g...

Designing Games FOR and WITH Young Kids with Elan Lee from 2023-10-21T07:12:14

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 daughte...

4 Amazing (and Useful) Examples of Board Game Design Theory with Geoff Engelstein from 2023-10-13T20:38:39

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...

Why You Should Create Print-n-Play Games with Jason Greeno from 2023-10-03T17:55:29

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 game...

The Games Every Designer MUST Play with Pam Walls from 2023-09-28T20:27:20

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...

Teaching Board Game Design with Matt Bivens from 2022-04-13T05:32:39

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.

Th...

Designing Greeting Card Games with Jess Metheringham from 2022-04-13T05:17:42

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.

Th...

How to Design a Race Game with Kathleen Mercury from 2022-04-06T06:20:31

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, gene...

How to Design Asymmetrical Games with Stephen Schwartz and Floyd Lu from 2022-03-30T05:30:22

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 playt...

How to Design Route Building Games with Ted Alspach from 2022-03-23T07:40:54

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, ...

[BGDL Community Spotlight] Print-on-Demand Publishing with Arthur Franz from 2022-03-16T05:57:02

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, pric...

[BGDL Community Spotlight] Designing an Abstract Dexterity Game with Frank Sarro from 2022-03-16T05:50:18

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 from 2022-03-09T05:42:31

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 idea...

How to Multiply Your Time with Carla Kopp from 2022-03-02T05:53:12

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&...

How to Design 2 Player Games with Alf Seegert from 2022-02-23T06:30:39

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 exp...

Community Building with Carol Mertz and Elan Lee from 2022-02-16T13:56:19

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 ma...

Building a Million Dollar Board Game Company with Kevin Carroll and Steve Mark from 2022-02-09T11:03:44

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 stor...

[BGDL Community Spotlight] Designing Monster Taming Games with Tyler Langtimm from 2022-02-02T11:58:46

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...

[BGDL Community Spotlight] How to Promote Your Game in Facebook Groups with Thomas Covert from 2022-02-02T11:04:21

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 fo...

Designing Set Collection Games with Steve Finn from 2022-01-26T15:25:02

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 ...

[BGDL Community Spotlight] Creating a Business Plan with Jasper Burch from 2022-01-19T11:20:53

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 from 2022-01-19T10:18:03

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...

Manufacturing Frequently Asked Questions with Hersh Glueck from 2022-01-12T11:10:54

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 manu...

The Making of Imperium with David Turczi and Nigel Buckle from 2022-01-05T11:14

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 pub...

Designing Storytelling Games with Jerry Hawthorne from 2021-12-29T11:58:50

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 co...

Entangled Decision Making in Games with Fabio Lopiano from 2021-12-22T11:02:10

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 t...

How to Design a Cooperative Game with Mike Kelley from 2021-12-15T11:29:54

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 i...

Designing a Trading Card Game in the Modern Era with Assad Quraishi from 2021-12-08T11:29:21

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,...

Thematically Informed Game Design with Jonny Pac from 2021-12-01T11:46:46

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,...

Using Blue Ocean Strategy in Game Design with Marvin Hegen from 2021-11-24T11:27:20

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 pit...

How to Expand on a Core Idea with Trevor Benjamin and David Thompson from 2021-11-17T11:33:09

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 cre...

How to Put a New Twist on a Familiar Genre with Ariel Rubin and Juliana Moreno from 2021-11-10T11:08:15

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 pub...

Designing Games with Higher Player Counts with Darren Terpstra from 2021-11-03T11:06:06

Darren Terpstra, designer of Ignite, discusses what to be aware of when designing games that go up to six or more playersWe talk about the pros and cons of higher player count games, balance, fi...

Top 10 Photoshop Tips for Game Designers with Nicolas Fournier from 2021-10-27T11:36:12

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 from 2021-10-27T10:34:59

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...

How to Design a Pick-up and Deliver Game with Marcel Köhler from 2021-10-20T11:18:36

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 ...

The Pros and Cons of Doing Everything Yourself with Malachi Ray Rempen from 2021-10-13T11:31:09

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 everyt...

How to Reach the Next Generation with Lucas Sosnick from 2021-10-06T11:08:33

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 desi...

Collecting and Analyzing Playtest Data with Robert Longtin from 2021-09-29T11:44:21

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 mo...

Bipolarity, Depression, and Using Game Design to Cope with Morten Monrad Pedersen from 2021-09-22T11:38:57

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 bi...

A Look Behind the Scenes at Exploding Kittens with Carol Mertz from 2021-09-15T18:09:48

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 d...

A Word of Encouragement from Gabe Barrett from 2021-09-08T11:40:18

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 ...

Designing Games Based on a Standard Deck of Cards with Luke Badger, Paul Abrahams, and Andy Richdale from 2021-09-01T11:05:20

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 (curr...

How to Design Trick Taking Games with Fertessa Allyse from 2021-08-25T11:16:40

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. A...

Skill Barriers in Games with Jeff Fraser from 2021-08-18T11:08:51

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...

How and Why You Should Create Print-n-Play Games with Rachel Bruner from 2021-08-11T15:23:19

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 ...

How to Turn a Video Game into a Board Game with Perry Burkum from 2021-08-04T11:28:40

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 the...

(Community Spotlight) Using InDesign and Data Merge with Jeff Turner from 2021-07-28T11:32:55

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 ...

Developing Games and Working with Developers with Anthony Howgego from 2021-07-21T11:50:39

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 ...

How to Make a Super Thematic Game and Do Research with Dave Beck from 2021-07-14T15:23:40

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...

Experiential Graphic Design with Kate Otte from 2021-07-07T11:34:56

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, u...

(Community Spotlight) Evaluating Your Game with SWOT Analysis with Nick Murray from 2021-06-30T11:41:48

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, compa...

(Community Spotlight) Layered Victory Conditions with Dan Hundycz from 2021-06-30T10:54:40

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. A...

How to Design and Publish Games with Justin Gary from 2021-06-23T11:50:42

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 d...

Why to Self Publish…or Not with Andrew Lowen from 2021-06-16T11:39:53

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 wi...

Designing Puzzle Games with Janice Turner from 2021-06-09T11:10:24

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 sur...

Designing Games that Fit in an Envelope with Ben Downton from 2021-06-02T11:47:25

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 ex...

Deck Building and MORE with Josh Horsley from 2021-05-26T11:31:05

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 in...

BGDL+ is live! from 2021-05-25T17:46:34

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

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Designing Conversation Games with Ami Baio from 2021-05-19T10:42:46

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 environmen...

[Community Spotlight] Turning Big Games into Microgames with Joe Klipfel from 2021-05-12T11:15:46

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...

[Community Spotlight] Customer Engagement, Support, and Satisfaction with Marco Pecota from 2021-05-12T10:16:49

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 fa...

Why I Deleted Social Media from My Phone from 2021-05-07T19:39:53

About a month ago, I spent several hours doing a self-assessment of my life. I wasn’t sleeping well, which was a huge problem since I already wasn’t sleeping much. Usually, I can overcome a lack...

How to Design Euro Games with Martin Wallace from 2021-05-05T10:50:14

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 ...

Getting a Job in the Board Game Industry with Joe Slack from 2021-04-28T11:27:01

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 ...

How to Design Social Experiences with Nick Metzler from 2021-04-21T11:55:45

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.​

Optimizing Game Design Time with Trevor Laforce from 2021-04-14T11:26:48

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 desi...

The Board Game Identity Pyramid with Dennis Furia from 2021-04-14T09:56:43

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...

Why You Should Crowdfund Your Game (or Not) with Laura Hoffman from 2021-04-07T11:04:29

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...

Taxes for Designers and Publishers with Wade Hayes from 2021-03-31T11:02:48

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...

Designing Roll and Write Games with Joe Hout from 2021-03-24T10:44:07

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....

BGDL Community Spotlight–Interchangeable Win Conditions with Alex Lu from 2021-03-17T11:45:48

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 from 2021-03-17T11:40:26

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 from 2021-03-10T11:55:53

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,...

Board Game Logistics and Fulfillment with Sara Perry from 2021-03-03T11:02:07

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 fulf...

Designing Solo Games and the Making of Hunted: Wode Ridge with Gabe Barrett from 2021-02-24T16:13:15

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,...

Overcoming Failure with James Fazio from 2021-02-17T11:55:54

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, an...

Designing Mass Market Games with Azhelle Wade from 2021-02-10T11:39:59

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 base...

How to Design Digital Board Games with Justin Chu from 2021-02-03T11:47:55

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 thi...

How to Market Yourself, Your Game, and Your Company with Debbie Moynihan from 2021-01-27T11:53:27

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 ca...

How to Process Feedback with John D’Angelo from 2021-01-20T11:19:17

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 anyon...

Crafting a Humorous Experience with Grant Lyon from 2021-01-13T11:22:19

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...

How to Make the Game Design Community a Brighter Place with Your Friend Ben Moy from 2021-01-06T11:27:46

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 tal...

How to Design Games for the Mass Market with Leslie Scott and Freddie Scott Vollrath from 2020-12-30T11:49:20

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 gam...

How to Write a Great Rulebook with Mike Lee from 2020-12-23T16:35:01

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 ...

How to Stand Out in Retail with AJ Brandon from 2020-12-16T11:51:33

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 s...

Using Math to Design Better Games with Emerson Matsuuchi from 2020-12-09T11:51:55

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 from 2020-12-02T08:08:20

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.

Puzzles in Games with Shannon McDowell from 2020-11-25T11:08

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...

What Makes a Great Solo Game with Jeremy Howard from 2020-11-18T16:52:52

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...

How to Live a Creative Life with Charlie McCarron from 2020-11-11T14:50:34

Charlie McCarron, designer of Four Humours, discusses what it looks like for a board game designer to live a creative lifeWe talk about scheduling, self-care, betting on yourself, inspiration, a...

How to Promote a Game with Allen Wolf from 2020-11-04T22:01:10

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 cre...

How to Design Games Online with Bevan Clatworthy from 2020-10-28T11:25:02

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 ...

How to Design and Publish an Expansion with Patrick Lysaght from 2020-10-21T11:52:58

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 ...

Designing Word Games with Lori Love and Lea Velocci from 2020-10-14T11:40:04

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 b...

How to Run a Publishing Company with Scott Gaeta from 2020-10-07T11:39:35

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 deve...

How to Design a Polyomino Game with Frank West from 2020-09-30T11:53:44

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 marke...

How to Demo Games at Conventions with Sam Stockton from 2020-09-23T14:17:59

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 co...

Designing with Tabletop Simulator with Dustin Hendrickson from 2020-09-16T11:16:33

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 basi...

How to Simplify a Game with Stephanie Kwok from 2020-09-09T11:08:29

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 perspecti...

Self Care and Dealing with Designer Burnout with Kirk Dennison from 2020-09-02T11:31:35

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 li...

Dice Drafting Games with Al Leduc from 2020-08-26T11:59:49

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 from 2020-08-19T12:44

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 a...

Why Game Design Matters with Gabe Barrett from 2020-08-12T12:07

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 desi...

Designing Party Games with Alex Hague from 2020-08-05T12:01

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 ...

Miniatures with John de Campos from 2020-07-29T12:04

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 t...

Designing More than Just a Game with Malachi Ray Rempen from 2020-07-22T12:21

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 Mala...

Designing Majorities Based Games with Jon Vallerand from 2020-07-15T12:30

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 m...

Designing Games in a Series with Justin Gary from 2020-07-08T12:22

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,...

Designing and Publishing Small Box Games with Rachael Blaske from 2020-07-01T12:36

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, mar...

The Design Process of Corey Konieczka from 2020-06-24T16:51:21

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...

Designing Worker Placement Games with Shem Phillips and Sam Macdonald from 2020-06-17T11:05

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 interact...

Designing Games for a Specific Audience with Phalgun Polepalli from 2020-06-10T12:40

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 buildin...

How to Get Involved in the Game Design Community with Danielle Reynolds from 2020-06-03T12:01

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...

The Making of INIS with Christian Martinez from 2020-05-27T12:55

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.&#...

Designing Games that Last with Brad Talton from 2020-05-20T12:00

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 ...

What Board Game Designers Can Learn from Tabletop RPGs with Hankerin Ferinale from 2020-05-13T12:27

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 k...

Creating Positive Player Interaction with T.C. Petty III from 2020-05-06T12:21

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 ...

How to Design a Collectible Card Game with Assad Quraishi from 2020-04-29T18:55:18

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+ ye...

How to Turn Your Hobby into a Business with Chris van der Linden from 2020-04-22T16:35:41

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 t...

Accounting, Taxes, and Game Design with Justin Marty from 2020-04-15T16:02:58

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 ...

How to Design Miniature War Games with Marco Pecota from 2020-04-08T12:10

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...

Designing Games that Tell Stories with Ignacy Trzewiczek from 2020-04-01T12:55

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 ...

The Secret Sauce of Game Design with Peter C. Hayward from 2020-03-25T15:33:29

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 ...

How to Fund a Game on Kickstarter with Gabe Barrett from 2020-03-18T12:27

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 f...

What Board Game Designers Can Learn from Video Games with Charlie Cleveland from 2020-03-11T12:36

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 fr...

Designing a Game System with Bez Shahriari from 2020-03-04T12:20

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...

Designing a Betting Game with Victoria Caña and Alex Uboldi from 2020-02-26T12:32

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,...

Designing Big Games with Tim Eisner from 2020-02-19T12:55

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 ...

Designing a Farming Game with Juma Al-JouJou from 2020-02-12T12:27

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 from 2020-02-05T12:48

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 ...

Designing a Nature-Themed Game with Erica Bouyouris from 2020-01-29T12:05

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 from 2020-01-22T12:26

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 mo...

The Making of Dungeon Ball with Gabe Barrett from 2020-01-15T12:23

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 int...

Designing Adventure Games with Mike Gnade from 2020-01-08T15:38:51

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 worl...

Designing an Awesome Print-n-Play with Martin Gonzalvez from 2020-01-01T12:41

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 al...

How to Market a Board Game (Part 2) with Andrew Lowen from 2019-12-25T12:24

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 wit...

How to Market a Board Game (Part 1) with Andrew Lowen from 2019-12-18T14:56:19

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,...

Combat Systems with Jayson Smith and Jason Zmuda from 2019-12-11T12:12

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”...

Post: Gallery Example from 2019-12-10T18:39:54

A wonderful serenity has taken possession of my entire soul, like these sweet mornings of spring which I enjoy with my whole heart. I am alone, and feel the charm of existence in this spot, whic...

Podcasting Gear Review from 2019-12-10T18:38:44

A wonderful serenity has taken possession of my entire soul, like these sweet mornings of spring which I enjoy with my whole heart. I am alone, and feel the charm of existence in this spot, whic...

5 Tips For Starting A New Podcast from 2019-12-10T18:37:53

A wonderful serenity has taken possession of my entire soul, like these sweet mornings of spring which I enjoy with my whole heart. I am alone, and feel the charm of existence in this spot, whic...

Learn How We Started Podcasting from 2019-12-10T18:33:30

A wonderful serenity has taken possession of my entire soul, like these sweet mornings of spring which I enjoy with my whole heart. I am alone, and feel the charm of existence in this spot, whic...

[ANNOUNCEMENT] The Board Game Design Calendar from 2019-12-06T12:36

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Mixing the Fine Arts with Game Design with Chris Totten from 2019-12-04T18:19:54

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 ...

Designing a Racing Game with Omar Tarancon from 2019-11-27T12:08

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 from 2019-11-20T12:42

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 ...

Fulfillment, Shipping, and Logistics with Toby Truman from 2019-11-13T12:04:21

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, a...

Time Management and Getting Things Done with Jason Brooks from 2019-11-06T12:04:27

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 creat...

Designing Games with Your Kids with David and Jordanna Santiago from 2019-10-30T12:28:38

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 imp...

The Making of Hunted with Gabe Barrett, Drew Corkill, and Jorge Velez from 2019-10-23T13:18:56

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...

Building a Collaboration Based Publishing Company with Shawn Stankewich from 2019-10-16T12:11:31

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 in...

Designing Games for Non-Gamers with Adam McCrimmon from 2019-10-09T12:12:51

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 ...

Celebrating 150 Episodes! with Gabe Barrett from 2019-10-02T16:44:44

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. I...

[BONUS] Andrew Birkett on Working a Booth at a Convention from 2019-09-27T13:15:48

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Running an Indie Game Publishing Company with Andrew Birkett from 2019-09-25T12:03:30

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...

[BONUS] Glenn Ford on Designing Small Skirmish Games from 2019-09-20T13:40:07

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CE Marking and Board Games with Glenn Ford from 2019-09-18T12:26:41

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 a...

[BONUS] JB Howell on How to Work on Multiple Designs at the Same Time from 2019-09-13T13:50:57

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The Three Types of Creativity with JB Howell from 2019-09-11T12:30:30

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 hous...

[BONUS] Jamey Stegmaier on How to Win the Spiel des Jahres from 2019-09-06T13:51:20

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Designing a Civilization Game with Jamey Stegmaier from 2019-09-04T12:44:06

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.

The...

[BONUS] Odin Phong on Creating an Anthology of Games from 2019-08-30T13:26:52

The post [BONUS] Odin Phong on Creating an Anthology of Games appeared first on Listen

Designing a Roll and Write with Odin Phong from 2019-08-28T12:15:28

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...

[BONUS] Ann Losito on Tips for Streaming from 2019-08-23T13:03:55

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Media and Game Design with Ann Losito from 2019-08-21T12:05:58

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 th...

[BONUS] Dave Schultze on the Intersection of Industrial Design and Game Design from 2019-08-16T12:45:32

The post [BONUS] Dave Schultze on the Intersection of Indust...

Designing 3D games with Dave Schultze from 2019-08-14T12:09:19

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 designi...

[BONUS] Lizzy Funkouser on Designing with Kids in the House from 2019-08-09T12:01:39

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Paying Attention to Detail with Lizzy Funkhouser from 2019-08-07T12:12:44

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 enhan...

[BONUS] John Brieger on Re-Theming a Game from 2019-07-26T14:25:48

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Freelancing in the Gaming Industry with John Brieger from 2019-07-24T11:46:28

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 workin...

[BONUS] Joe Pilkus on Overcoming Failure from 2019-07-19T14:52:36

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Lessons Learned from Developing Games with Joe Pilkus from 2019-07-17T12:21:59

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 oth...

[BONUS] Derek Funkhouser on Going from Freelancer to Working for a Publisher from 2019-07-12T12:02:26

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Creating Magic Moments with Derek Funkhouser from 2019-07-10T12:56:08

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 ...

[BONUS] Wes Woodbury on Tips and Tricks for Tabletop Simulator from 2019-07-05T13:32:43

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Designing Fantasy Themed Games with Wes Woodbury from 2019-07-03T12:25:16

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 fant...

[BONUS] Ryan Langewisch on Tile-Placement Games from 2019-06-28T13:46:53

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Rapid Iteration with Ryan Langewisch from 2019-06-26T12:26:23

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 pro...

[BONUS] Luke Laurie on Designing Expansions from 2019-06-21T17:25:12

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Designing Worker Placement Games with Luke Laurie from 2019-06-19T12:07:03

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 ...

[BONUS] Ian Zang on RondelGames from 2019-06-14T16:13:24

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4 Types of Gamer Experiences with Ian Zang from 2019-06-12T12:08:52

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 share...

[BONUS] Nikki Valens on Designing Games with App Integration from 2019-06-07T12:21:28

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Designing a Narrative Driven Game with Nikki Valens from 2019-06-05T12:02:19

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 creat...

[BONUS] Bob and Ryan Craig on Drawing Inspiration from Retro Games from 2019-05-31T13:04:19

The post [BONUS] Bob and Ryan Craig on Drawing Inspiration from Retro Ga...

Designing a Tile-Laying Game with Bob and Ryan Craig from 2019-05-29T12:59:17

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...

[BONUS] Geert Sillevis on Translating a Game from 2019-05-24T13:51:42

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Outdoor Mystery Games with Geert Sillevis from 2019-05-22T12:08:34

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 touri...

[BONUS] Elizabeth Hargrave on How to Get More Women into Game Design from 2019-05-17T13:41:57

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Designing an Engine Building Game with Elizabeth Hargrave from 2019-05-15T12:38:31

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...

[BONUS] Evan Derrick on the Dos and Don’ts for Artists from 2019-05-10T12:31:06

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Going Pro in the Gaming Industry with Evan Derrick from 2019-05-08T12:09:37

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-tim...

[BONUS] Daryl Andrews on the Best Conventions to Go to as a Designer from 2019-05-03T13:37:35

The post [BONUS] Daryl Andrews on the Best Conventions to Go to as a D...

Designing Games Based on a Licensed IP with Daryl Andrews from 2019-05-01T12:15:29

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 a...

[BONUS] Darren Terpstra on Building an Audience through Going to Conventions from 2019-04-26T13:36:34

The post [BONUS] Darren Terpstra on Building an Audience throu...

Multiple Mechanisms in a Game with Darren Terpstra from 2019-04-24T12:11:03

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 Darre...

[BONUS] Tom Butler on Organizing Game Design Time from 2019-04-19T13:39:08

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Designing Historical Games withTom Butler from 2019-04-17T12:43

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 ...

[BONUS] Adam Chunn and Woody Hutsell on Creating Miniatures from 2019-04-12T14:12

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Designing Economic Games with Adam Chunn and Woody Hutsell from 2019-04-10T12:18:04

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 t...

[ANNOUNCEMENT] 2019 Board Game Design Challenge from 2019-04-09T18:17:14

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[BONUS] Jesse Zamora on Hidden Information Games from 2019-04-05T13:30:41

The post [BONUS] Jesse Zamora on Hidden Information Games appeared first on Listen

[BGDL+] Quality vs Quantity, Lessons from Steve Martin, and the Weight Room from 2019-04-04T13:25:09

The post [BGDL+] Quality vs Quantity, Lessons from Steve Martin, a...

Modifying Published Games with Jesse Zamora from 2019-04-03T12:59:55

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 from 2019-03-29T13:56:49

The post [BONUS] John Coveyou on Building a Brand appeared first on Listen

Fun AND Educational Games with John Coveyou from 2019-03-27T12:59:41

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 we...

[BONUS] Peter C. Hayward on Designing 2nd Editions from 2019-03-22T13:19:49

The post [BONUS] Peter C. Hayward on Designing 2nd Editions appeared first on Listen

How to Be a Great Playtester with Peter C. Hayward from 2019-03-20T12:10:53

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 anyon...

[BONUS] Noel Gussen on Workflow and Organization from 2019-03-15T14:34:22

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Multiple End Game Triggers with Noel Gussen from 2019-03-13T14:37:31

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 ...

[BONUS] Jay Cormier on Managing Multiple Designs at the Same Time from 2019-03-08T13:52:19

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Playtesting Pro Tips with Jay Cormier from 2019-03-06T12:30:23

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 ...

[BONUS] Joe Slack on Going Pro in the Gaming Industry from 2019-03-01T14:23:08

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Teaching Game Design with Joe Slack from 2019-02-27T12:45:50

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 o...

[BONUS] Patrick Rauland on Designing Asymmetrical Games from 2019-02-22T14:50

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[ANNOUNCEMENT] Learn How to Design Great Games People Love from 2019-02-21T13:21:43

The post [ANNOUNCEMENT] Learn How to Design Great Games People Love appeared...

Product Management and Game Design with Patrick Rauland from 2019-02-20T12:50:29

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 o...

[BONUS] Jason Tagmire on Kickstarting Small Games from 2019-02-15T14:38:53

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Small Games that Pack a Big Punch with Jason Tagmire from 2019-02-13T12:37:59

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&#...

[BGDL+] Interviewing Reiner Knizia for the 2nd Edition of the Board Game Design Advice Book from 2019-02-12T12:43:06

The 2nd edition will hit Kickstarter on February 19th, so be sure to check it out!

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[BONUS] Eric Rayl on How to Film a Great Video from 2019-02-08T14:27:04

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The Game Designers Documentary with Eric Rayl from 2019-02-06T12:45:08

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...

[BONUS] Bill Lasek on the 5 Starting Points for Design from 2019-02-01T14:30:58

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

Programmable Action Games with Bill Lasek from 2019-01-30T12:30:44

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 d...

[BONUS] James Van Niekerk on Approaching Publishers from 2019-01-25T13:50:40

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Board Game Graphic Design with James Van Niekerk from 2019-01-23T12:40:08

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 t...

[BONUS] Tim Fowers on Connecting with Gamers from 2019-01-18T13:17:59

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Designing Deduction Games with Tim Fowers from 2019-01-16T12:56:43

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, Sab...

[BONUS] Steven Aramini on Re-Theming a Game from 2019-01-11T14:01:16

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Designing Area Control Games with Steven Aramini from 2019-01-09T12:30:33

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 ga...

[BONUS] Fabian Zimmermann on Roll&Write Games from 2019-01-04T13:53:32

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Designing a Negotiation Game with Fabian Zimmermann from 2019-01-02T13:45:38

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...

[BONUS] Darwin Kastle on Starting a Board Game Company from 2018-12-28T22:37:30

The post [BONUS] Darwin Kastle on Starting a Board Game Company appeared first on Listen

Designing a Deck Building Game with Darwin Kastle from 2018-12-26T12:30:03

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 mo...

[BONUS] Rita Orlov on Adding Mystery to a Game from 2018-12-21T14:03:47

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Designing Puzzle Games with Rita Orlov from 2018-12-19T12:33:45

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.

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[BONUS] Dan&Connie Kazmaier on In-Game Economy Systems from 2018-12-14T14:26:55

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

Creating an Online Playtesting Group with Daniel&Connie Kazmaier from 2018-12-12T13:05

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 t...

[BONUS] The Importance of Narrative in Games with Stephen&Michael Stagliano from 2018-12-07T13:34:53

The post [BONUS] The Importance of Narrative in Games with Step...

Designing a Tabletop RPG with Stephen&Michael Stagliano from 2018-12-05T12:59:25

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 ...

[BGDL+] My Kickstarter Post Mortem from 2018-12-04T15:04:23

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 p...

[BONUS] Aron West on Building a Fanbase from 2018-11-30T13:24:48

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Designing Dexterity Games with Aron West from 2018-11-28T13:06:24

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 ...

[BONUS] Jackson Pope on the Ups and Downs of Publishing from 2018-11-23T13:10:46

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

Designing Hand Crafted Games with Jackson Pope from 2018-11-21T13:05:52

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...

[BGDL+] When Gatekeepers Say No, Creating Must-Have Components, and Using Video in Design from 2018-11-16T14:57:20

The post [BGDL+] When Gatekeepers Say No, Creating M...

[BONUS] David Abelson on Bringing Family into Game Design from 2018-11-16T13:02:15

The post [BONUS] David Abelson on Bringing Family into Game Design appeared f...

Designing Abstract Games with David Abelson from 2018-11-14T12:24:27

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 ...

[BONUS] Dustin Staats on Contributing to the Board Gaming Community from 2018-11-09T13:23:28

The post [BONUS] Dustin Staats on Contributing to the Board Gaming Comm...

Gaming in the Classroom with Dustin Staats from 2018-11-07T12:52:34

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 ...

[BONUS] Jamey&Gabe on Designing The Final Flicktier from 2018-11-02T13:46:29

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Celebrating 100 Episodes! from 2018-10-31T12:59:42

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...

[BONUS] Calum Taylor on Designing in Isolation from 2018-10-26T14:28:58

The post [BONUS] Calum Taylor on Designing in Isolation appeared first on Listen

Randomness and Player Agency with Calum Taylor from 2018-10-24T12:29:54

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...

[BONUS] Nick Kopp on Bar Codes and SKUs from 2018-10-19T13:13:33

The post [BONUS] Nick Kopp on Bar Codes and SKUs appeared first on Listen

Designing Light Games with Carla Kopp from 2018-10-17T12:46:17

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 d...

[BONUS] Julio Nazario on Getting Inspired from 2018-10-12T13:30:28

The post [BONUS] Julio Nazario on Getting Inspired appeared first on Listen

Innovative Uses of Game Components with Julio Nazario from 2018-10-10T13:03:58

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 r...

[BONUS] Isaac Vega on Working on Games in a Series from 2018-10-05T13:57:56

The post [BONUS] Isaac Vega on Working on Games in a Series appeared first on Listen

Balancing a Game with Isaac Vega from 2018-10-03T17:53:56

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 su...

[BONUS] Alex Maklai on Pirate Themed Games from 2018-09-28T13:18:46

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Augmented Reality and Board Games with Alex Maklai from 2018-09-26T12:24:59

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 m...

[BONUS] Curt Covert’s Best Advice after 15 Years in the Industry from 2018-09-21T13:44:18

The post [BONUS] Curt Covert’s Best Advice after 15 Years in the Indu...

[ANNOUNCEMENT] Ignite Conference 2018 from 2018-09-21T12:54:28

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

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Take That Games with Curt Covert from 2018-09-19T12:21:05

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 an...

[BONUS] Assad Quraishi on Designing CCGs from 2018-09-14T13:31:05

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Playtesting with Assad Quraishi from 2018-09-12T12:25:38

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 ...

[BONUS] Sami Laakso on How to Price a Game from 2018-09-07T14:00:31

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Designing Expansions with Sami Laakso from 2018-09-05T12:30:30

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...

[BONUS] Dan Peterson on How to Present at a Publisher Speed Dating Event from 2018-08-31T13:37:25

The post [BONUS] Dan Peterson on How to Present at a Publisher Spe...

Removing Math from Games with Dan Peterson from 2018-08-29T12:25:19

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 eff...

[BONUS] Marilia Poggiali on Bringing a Place to Life from 2018-08-24T13:51:07

The post [BONUS] Marilia Poggiali on Bringing a Place to Life appeared first on Listen

The Cathartic Power of Game Design with Marilia Poggiali from 2018-08-22T12:33:45

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...

[BONUS] Callin Flores on Designing Super Hero Games from 2018-08-17T14:56:01

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How to Design a Shuffle Builder with Callin Flores from 2018-08-15T15:51:22

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,...

[BONUS] Corry Damey on Designing Micro Games from 2018-08-10T13:48:40

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How to Win a Design Competition with Corry Damey from 2018-08-08T12:07:48

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

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[BONUS] Bez Shahriari on Standing out at Conventions from 2018-08-03T14:26:56

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Designing Family Games with Bez Shahriari from 2018-08-01T16:28:57

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 ta...

[BONUS] Dr. Corey Butler on Game Rating Systems from 2018-07-27T13:39:27

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Player Psychology with Dr. Corey Butler from 2018-07-25T11:44:48

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...

[BONUS] Greg Loring-Albright on the Power Games Have to Make a Difference from 2018-07-20T14:54:34

The post [BONUS] Greg Loring-Albright on the Power Games Have to ...

Pervasive Games with Greg Loring-Albright from 2018-07-18T14:52:26

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 bi...

[BONUS] Kirk Dennison on Pledge Managers from 2018-07-13T13:34:17

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3D Printing and Game Design with Kirk Dennison from 2018-07-11T16:29:37

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 ...

Eric Lang’s Best Advice from 2018-07-06T11:56:16

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 d...

Hacking Creativity to Become the Best in the World with Gabe Barrett from 2018-07-04T11:24:17

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 th...

[BONUS] Adrienne Ezell on Making Prototypes on the Cheap from 2018-06-29T13:53:06

The post [BONUS] Adrienne Ezell on Making Prototypes on the Cheap appeared fir...

How to Work with Artists with Adrienne Ezell from 2018-06-27T11:00:05

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 g...

[BONUS] Ted Alspach on Tile Placement Games from 2018-06-22T14:21:15

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City Building Games with Ted Alspach from 2018-06-20T16:13:55

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...

[BONUS] Nolan Nasser on Developing Games for a Licensed IP from 2018-06-15T19:53:50

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Art Direction in Games with Nolan Nasser from 2018-06-13T19:43:14

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 w...

[BONUS] Cody Stevens on Volunteering at a Convention for a Publisher from 2018-06-08T12:27:09

The post [BONUS] Cody Stevens on Volunteering at a Convention for a Pu...

Designing Dexterity Games with Cody Stevens from 2018-06-06T12:44:27

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 from 2018-06-01T12:54:09

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Catch-Up Mechanisms with Joseph Z. Chen from 2018-05-30T12:25

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...

For the Love of Board Games–A Book by Erin Dean from 2018-05-23T12:37:40

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, her...

[BONUS] Daniel Fremgen on Receiving Feedback from a Design Contest from 2018-05-18T12:29:38

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

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The Indie Game Alliance with Matt Holden from 2018-05-16T12:23:23

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 gro...

[BONUS] Brad Talton on How to Build a Game Company from 2018-05-11T13:05:25

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Dueling Games with Brad Talton from 2018-05-09T12:05:13

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 G...

[BONUS] Richard Garfield on Collectible Card Games from 2018-05-04T13:20:33

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Coming Attractions for the BGDL from 2018-05-04T11:57:34

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...

Luck vs Skill with Richard Garfield from 2018-05-02T12:37:16

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 Rushmor...

[BONUS] Jon Mietling on Portable Games from 2018-04-27T12:56:34

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Multi-Use Cards with Jon Mietling from 2018-04-25T12:24:51

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 gam...

[BONUS] 2018 Game Design Challenge from 2018-04-20T12:20:03

For the written rules and submission form, go HERE.

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Pitches&Sell Sheets with Jeremy Commandeur from 2018-04-18T12:22:25

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 t...

[BONUS] Justin Jacobson on Managing Hype and Expectations from 2018-04-13T13:28:27

The post [BONUS] Justin Jacobson on Managing Hype and Expectations appeared f...

Bringing Old Designs Back to Life with Justin Jacobson from 2018-04-11T12:00:16

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...

[BONUS] Peter Hayward on Attending a Prototype Convention from 2018-04-06T12:59:17

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The Two Types of Cooperative Games with Peter Hayward from 2018-04-04T12:41:21

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 is...

[BONUS] Brandon Rollins on Playtesting from 2018-03-30T13:48:59

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How to Make Your Game More Accessible with Brandon Rollins from 2018-03-28T12:07:04

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...

[BONUS] Jerry Hawthorne on How to Demo a Game at a Convention from 2018-03-23T13:31:52

The post [BONUS] Jerry Hawthorne on How to Demo a Game at a Convention ap...

Story Driven Games with Jerry Hawthorne from 2018-03-21T12:26:47

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 specia...

[BONUS] Adam Rehberg on Balancing Life, Work, and Game Design from 2018-03-16T13:34:29

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Boxes and Packaging that Sell with Adam Rehberg from 2018-03-14T12:48:49

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 Targe...

[BONUS] Vincent Vergonjeanne on Licensing an IP for a Game from 2018-03-09T13:00:05

The post [BONUS] Vincent Vergonjeanne on Licensing an IP for a Game appeared...

Designing Games with Digital Elements with Vincent Vergonjeanne from 2018-03-07T12:45:24

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 d...

[BONUS] Jason Mowery&Chase Williams on Designing Heist Games from 2018-03-02T12:49:21

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Working with a Co-Designer with Jason Mowery and Chase Williams from 2018-02-28T12:25:28

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 ...

[BONUS] Petter Olsen on How to Create a Great Looking Prototype from 2018-02-23T12:40:32

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The King of the Hill Mechanism with Petter Olsen from 2018-02-21T12:37:49

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...

[BONUS] Greg Loring-Albright on How to Recover from Failure from 2018-02-16T13:48:25

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Designing Micro Games with Greg Loring-Albright from 2018-02-14T12:21:13

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. Listen

[BONUS] Jon Gilmour on Post-Apocalyptic Games from 2018-02-09T13:25:49

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2018 Design Challenge from 2018-02-08T16:11:24

Because we hit this stretch goal during the crowdfunding campaign, the BGDL will be sponsoring a board game design competition that will run from late April to mid July. The goal of the contest ...

Themes that Sell with Jon Gilmour from 2018-02-07T13:05:44

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...

[BONUS] An In Depth Interview of Gabe Barrett by the Cardboard Herald from 2018-02-02T14:11:50

The post [BONUS] An In Depth Interview of Gabe Barrett by the Cardboa...

Creativity and the Future of the BGDL with Gabe Barrett from 2018-01-31T12:45:56

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 proce...

[BONUS] Alan Emrich on Games He Wants to Play and Wants to Publish from 2018-01-26T13:51:35

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How a Publisher Develops Games with Alan Emrich from 2018-01-24T12:32:48

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 f...

[BONUS] Artyom Nichipurov on How to Find Playtesters from 2018-01-19T13:57:38

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Digital Prototyping on Tabletopia with Artyom Nichipurov from 2018-01-17T13:07:52

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 syste...

[BONUS] Don Eskridge on Creating Expansions for a Game from 2018-01-12T21:43:40

The post [BONUS] Don Eskridge on Creating Expansions for a Game appeared first o...

Designing Social Deduction Games with Don Eskridge from 2018-01-10T12:42:55

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 ...

[BONUS] Dustin Schwartz on How to Go Pro in the Board Game Industry from 2018-01-05T14:44:57

The post [BONUS] Dustin Schwartz on How to Go Pro in the Board Game Ind...

How to Create an Awesome Rulebook with Dustin Schwartz from 2018-01-03T12:53:28

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. Du...

[BONUS] Jamey Stegmaier on the Pros and Cons of Leaving Kickstarter from 2017-12-29T18:29:57

The post [BONUS] Jamey Stegmaier on the Pros and Cons of Leaving Kickst...

Designing Legacy Games with Jamey Stegmaier from 2017-12-27T20:39:53

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 existenc...

[BONUS] Matt Leacock on Developing Alternative Versions of Your Game from 2017-12-22T13:07:16

The post [BONUS] Matt Leacock on Developing Alternative Versions of Your Gam...

Crafting the Player Experience with Matt Leacock from 2017-12-20T12:30:17

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 fi...

[BONUS] Seth Grier on Where He Thinks the Industry Is Headed from 2017-12-15T14:46:32

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Shipping, Fulfillment, and Fulfillment Services with Seth Grier from 2017-12-13T12:07:18

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...

[BONUS] Juliana Patel&Ariel Rubin on How to Run an Effective Co-Design Team from 2017-12-08T14:03:59

The post [BONUS] Juliana Patel & Ariel Rubin on How to Run...

Designing Escape Room Games with Juliana Patel and Ariel Rubin from 2017-12-06T12:30:54

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 desig...

[BONUS] Andrew Harmon on How to Reach out to People about Your Kickstarter from 2017-12-01T14:57:36

The post [BONUS] Andrew Harmon on How to Reach out to People abo...

Creating Religious Themed Games with Andrew Harmon from 2017-11-29T12:18:28

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 religio...

[BONUS] Sami Laakso on Creating Family Friendly Art from 2017-11-24T14:47:25

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Designing Scenario Based Games with Sami Laakso from 2017-11-22T12:07:18

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 el...

[BONUS] Kirk Dennison on How to Dominate a Playtest Convention from 2017-11-17T14:58:06

The post [BONUS] Kirk Dennison on How to Dominate a Playtest Convention ...

How to Iterate like a BOSS with Kirk Dennison from 2017-11-15T12:05:16

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 obses...

[BONUS] Scott Rogers on Tips and Tricks for Art Direction from 2017-11-10T14:01:47

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Intertwining Theme and Mechanics with Scott Rogers from 2017-11-08T12:29:52

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 Un...

[BONUS] Andrew Birkett on How to Know When to Put a Game on the Shelf from 2017-11-03T13:42:04

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How a First Time Publisher Gets Funded on Kickstarter with Andrew Birkett from 2017-11-01T11:14:07

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, overco...

[BONUS] Timo Multamaki on Advice for Non-Native English Speakers who Want to Run a Kickstarter from 2017-10-27T13:04:12

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Project Management and Working with Virtual Teams with Timo Multamaki from 2017-10-25T12:28:52

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 f...

[BONUS] Jamey Stegmaier on Tips and Tricks to Make a Great Rulebook from 2017-10-20T13:22:54

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The Making of Scythe with Jamey Stegmaier from 2017-10-18T12:13:42

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.

[BONUS] Evan Derrick on Mechanics He Loves to Use from 2017-10-13T14:04:55

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THEME! And How to Bring It Out with Evan Derrick from 2017-10-11T12:14:45

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...

[BONUS] Danny Lott on How to Help Designers Playtest Their Games from 2017-10-06T14:22:51

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Designing Horror Themed Games with Danny Lott from 2017-10-04T14:14:03

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...

[BONUS] Carla Kopp on How to Run an Effective Playtest from 2017-09-29T13:21:35

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How to Hustle and Get Things Done with Carla Kopp from 2017-09-27T12:11:11

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&...

[BONUS] Jason Perez on Using Games for Therapy from 2017-09-23T02:42:05

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Learning Styles and Writing Rulebooks with Jason Perez from 2017-09-20T12:48:57

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 wor...

[BONUS] Randy Hoyt on what to Expect when Working with a Publisher from 2017-09-15T15:40:59

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Going from Game to Sellable Product with Randy Hoyt from 2017-09-13T19:21:30

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 numb...

[BONUS] Fabio Del Rio on How to Stand out from the Crowd from 2017-09-08T21:42:09

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Sports Themed Games with Fabio Del Rio from 2017-09-06T12:09:34

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 publis...

[BONUS] Daniel Aronson on How to Go from 0 to 600+ Facebook Likes in 60 Days from 2017-09-01T18:16:39

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Graphic Design and Its Effect on the Player Experience with Daniel Aronson from 2017-08-30T19:56:20

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, br...

[BONUS] Lance the Undead Viking on Where He Thinks the Board Game Industry is Headed from 2017-08-25T12:37:03

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Let’s Talk Game Reviews with Lance Myxter the Undead Viking from 2017-08-23T12:30:14

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...

[BONUS] Marshall Britt on Whether the Size of a Eurogame Matters from 2017-08-19T01:59:28

The post [BONUS] Marshall Britt on Whether the Size of a Eurogame Matters<...

Lessons Learned as a Small Publisher with Marshall Britt from 2017-08-16T12:35:12

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 from 2017-08-11T13:38:27

The post [BONUS] Hermann Luttmann on Designing a Zombie Game that Stands out...

How to Design a Solo Game with Hermann Luttmann from 2017-08-09T12:50:01

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 ...

[BONUS] Denny Weston on Designing Games that Can Be Played on the Road from 2017-08-04T14:01:50

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Designing Outdoor Games with Denny Weston from 2017-08-02T16:08:57

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 Kickstarte...

[BONUS] James Hudson on His Favorite Non-Family Style Games from 2017-07-28T13:45:58

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How to Design a Great Family Game with James Hudson from 2017-07-26T11:16:07

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 ...

[BONUS] Daryl Andrews on Bringing a Licensed IP to Life from 2017-07-21T12:02:49

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How to Work on Multiple Games at the Same Time with Daryl Andrews from 2017-07-19T12:48:08

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...

[BONUS] Alex Hall&Gin Yu on Creating High Quality Videos from 2017-07-14T14:28:32

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Lessons Learned from Following Game Designers Around with Alex Hall and Gin Yu from 2017-07-12T12:10:02

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 ...

[BONUS] Seth Jaffee on the Value of Playing a Game Multiple Times from 2017-06-30T16:14:06

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Taking a Design from Good to Great with Seth Jaffee from 2017-06-28T17:24:03

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 in...

[BONUS] Richard Launius on Themes He’d Like to See from 2017-06-23T15:29:25

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Designing a Good AI System with Richard Launius from 2017-06-21T21:25:26

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.

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[BONUS] Tony Miller on Finding Time for Game Design from 2017-06-16T15:53:56

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Getting the Most out of a Design Convention with Tony Miller from 2017-06-14T18:48:50

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. Listen

[BONUS] Gil Hova on Why Drafting Is Such a Great Mechanic from 2017-06-09T15:57:08

The post [BONUS] Gil Hova on Why Drafting Is Such a Great Mechanic appeared first o...

Keeping a Design from Getting out of Hand with Gil Hova from 2017-06-07T12:32:47

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 ...

[BONUS] Daniel Zayas on Kickstarter Features He Wants to See from 2017-06-02T19:39:09

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Advice from a Kickstarter Expert with Daniel Zayas from 2017-05-31T14:38:47

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.<...

[BONUS] Gabe Barrett on Using the Right Tools for the Job from 2017-05-26T16:19:27

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Why Game Design Is Important with Gabe Barrett from 2017-05-24T14:46:21

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 a...

[BONUS] Mike Mihealsick on Why Euro Games Are Awesome from 2017-05-20T04:42:25

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Lessons Learned from Blind Playtesting with Mike Mihealsick from 2017-05-17T13:07:11

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 ...

[BONUS] Chris Kirkman on Considerations When Designing a Small Game from 2017-05-13T04:41:03

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Cthulhu Themed Games with Chris Kirkman from 2017-05-10T14:06:26

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, an...

[BONUS] Morten Pederson on Writing Rulebooks for Non-Native English Speakers from 2017-05-06T04:39:35

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Creating a Great Solo Variant with Morten Pedersen from 2017-05-03T13:21:27

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 ...

[BONUS] Patrick Leder on How to Know When a Game Is Done from 2017-04-29T04:38:14

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Designing an Asymmetrical Game with Patrick Leder from 2017-04-26T13:48:03

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 con...

[BONUS] Chris Rowlands on What RPG Elements He’d Like to See More of in Board Games from 2017-04-22T04:37:06

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Content as Marketing with Chris Rowlands from 2017-04-19T14:01:38

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 ...

[BONUS] Rob Daviau on What Themes Need a Legacy Version from 2017-04-15T04:35:44

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How to Playtest like a Pro with Rob Daviau from 2017-04-12T14:52:12

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 ...

[BONUS] Brent Kinney on Underutilized Printing Opportunities in Games from 2017-04-08T04:33:39

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The Ins&Outs of Printing with a Vice President from Panda Game Manufacturing, Brent Kinney from 2017-04-05T14:03:59

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 ...

[BONUS] Tom Vasel on Where He Hopes the Gaming Industry Goes Next from 2017-03-31T22:06:24

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Lessons Learned from Playing 5000+ Games with Tom Vasel from 2017-03-29T13:20:41

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, tren...

[BONUS] Sen-Foong Lim on Where to Find Components for Your Prototypes from 2017-03-24T22:04:55

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How to Organize a Design Space with Sen-Foong Lim from 2017-03-22T21:32:35

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 sh...

[BONUS] Edo Baraf on How to Create and Manage Kickstarter Stretch Goals from 2017-03-17T22:03:42

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Custom Components in Your Game with Edo Baraf from 2017-03-15T13:22:38

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 d...

[BONUS] Dan Peterson on Themes that Need to Be Explored from 2017-03-10T22:01:54

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Why a Publisher Might Reject Your Game and How to Handle It with Dan Peterson from 2017-03-08T12:07:14

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 y...

[BONUS] JT Smith on How to Come Up with Expansion Ideas from 2017-03-03T22:00:41

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How to Design a Great Cooperative Game with JT Smith from 2017-03-01T16:41:30

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 ...

[BONUS] Jamey Stegmaier on How to Approach a Small Publisher with Your Game from 2017-02-24T21:59:02

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A Day in the Life of a Pro Designer with Jamey Stegmaier from 2017-02-22T19:21:15

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 b...

[BONUS] Emerson Matsuuchi on His Process of Creating Special Abilities from 2017-02-17T21:57:46

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How to Make a Great Hidden Movement Game with Emerson Matsuuchi from 2017-02-15T17:43:03

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 th...

[BONUS] Ryan Laukat on Creating Art for a Kickstarter Project from 2017-02-10T21:56:20

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The Intersection of Art and Game Design with Ryan Laukat from 2017-02-08T18:11:55

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 th...

[BONUS] Jerry Hawthorne on How He Draws Inspiration from Everyday Life from 2017-02-03T21:54:43

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The Importance of Story in Games with Jerry Hawthorne from 2017-02-01T21:07:23

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 peop...

[BONUS] Stephen Buonocore on Things to Consider when Adding Components to a Game from 2017-01-27T21:51:58

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How to Get Your Game Published with Stephen Buonocore from 2017-01-25T12:07:09

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...

[BONUS] Richard Launius on His Favorite Game Mechanics from 2017-01-13T21:48:24

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Advice, Cthulu, and How to Create an Epic Gaming Experience with Richard Launius from 2017-01-11T20:53:17

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 tha...

[BONUS] Jay Vales on How to Make a Good“Take That”Game from 2017-01-06T21:46:28

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Why Good Reviews Aren’t Always the Magic Bullet with Jay Vales from 2017-01-04T22:59:48

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 designe...

[BONUS] Colby Dauch on Barriers to Entry in Gaming from 2016-12-30T21:44:21

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Going Pro in the Gaming Industry with Colby Dauch from 2016-12-28T22:40:12

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...

[BONUS] Mike Strickland on Coming up with Alien Races from 2016-12-23T21:40:22

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How to Turn Kickstarter Failure into $100K+ Success with Mike Strickland from 2016-12-21T16:06:09

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 ...

[BONUS] Rahdo on Themes He’d Like to See More Of from 2016-12-19T21:38:56

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[BONUS] Luke Laurie on Things All New Designers Need to Know from 2016-12-18T20:58:29

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[Bonus] Jamey Stegmaier on his favorite game mechanisms from 2016-12-17T01:08:36

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How to Create the Perfect 2 Player Experience with Rahdo from 2016-12-14T01:57:55

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 ...

How to Work with a Co-Designer with Luke Laurie from 2016-12-14T01:44:59

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 provi...

What I Wish I Would Have Known before I Got into Game Design with Jamey Stegmaier from 2016-12-13T22:46:38

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 ...

Welcome to the Board Game Design Lab from 2016-12-13T21:14:07

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.

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