Game Design

If you're interested in the creative design process for new board games — including the concepts, terms, and common issues involved — this is a great place to start.

The following pages are available:

• Design Process — The general steps in designing a game.

• Game Types — Basic types of games ("beer and pretzels," "party game," "deduction," "economic," etc.)

• Game Mechanics — Descriptions and discussions on the different (known) mechanics used within games, such as "auctions," "action points," etc.

• Themes — The "story" of the game, what it's about, like Pirates or Building a City.

• Player Goals — Discussions of the various types of player end-goals

• Common Design Problems — Problems that can be found in games, the usual causes, and possible fixes

• Existing Games as Examples — Games that many people are already familiar with that serve as good (and sometimes bad) design examples

• Player Interaction — Discussion of the systems by which players can interact or interfere with each another's position during a game

• Sources of Tension--What are the motivators that drive interesting decisions?

• Theme-first design guidelines — So you have a great idea for a theme; how do you turn it into an actual game? This pages discusses some of the essentials.

• How does it end? — Various ways that a game can end, and the benefits and problems each can present

• Combat resolution — Various mechanics for player vs. player combat

• Player skills — What skills do players need to use to play certain games well? What skills do specific mechanics test?

• Principles of Good Design — Principles that good games and good designers will generally follow

Other places you can find help on the creative design process:

• Game Design Articles
• Game Design Books
• Links to other Game Design Related Websites

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Other Content: Prototyping, Playtesting, Publishing