Cardboard Edison

Some board game publishers that are—and some that aren’t—accepting submissions:

http://www.bgdf.com/node/621

Hyperbole Games (@HyperboleGames) is compiling a list of prototypes and unpublished games that will be at Gen Con. Email by June 24, 2013, to be included:

http://hyperbolegames.com/2013/06/16/the-gencon-2013-prototype-preview-how-to/

Grant Rodiek (@HerrohGrant) joins the Happy Mitten podcast (@HappyMitten) to discuss making players feel clever, stewing on ideas, getting published and more:

http://www.happymittengames.com/4/

The Dice Tower has launched a new podcast for board game designers, called Board Game University:

http://boardgameuniversity.libsyn.com/

The first three episodes feature Stephen Buonocore of Stronghold Games, designer Jay Little and Zev Shlasinger of Z-Man Games.

Here’s the RSS feed: http://boardgameuniversity.libsyn.com/rss

Tips for pitching to publishers at a convention:

http://boardgamegeek.com/blogpost/20220/10-tips-for-demoing-and-selling-your-games-at-game

A short sample script and pointers for pitching a game to a publisher:

http://boardgamegeek.com/article/12480060#12480060

The Designer, Indie & Small Publisher’s Guide to Gen Con Indy

http://boardgamegeek.com/thread/984519/the-designer-indie-small-publishers-guide-to-gen

This month’s roundup of board game design tips features down-to-earth advice for meeting with publishers, some insights into the human brain, a reminder about playtesting (hint: playtest!) and more…

#theory:

• Ten (or so) things every game designer needs to know about people
• How theme and mechanics are more tightly connected than commonly assumed
• “The simpler your design, the fewer decisions you give players, and the more weight each of those decisions needs to carry. It’s challenging.” - Grant Rodiek (@HerrohGrant)

#playtesting:

• “By now you know that you need to playtest, playtest, playtest, but it is worth mentioning again because it is that important.” - Danny Devine (@3ddevine)

#industry:

• Best practices for all levels of the board game industry

#licensing:

• Down-to-earth advice for setting up meetings with publishers

#publishing:

• The On Board Games podcast goes in-depth on planning, running and fulfilling a Kickstarter project
• “Don’t make it all about the money”: making the most of a Kickstarter campaign

#process:

• Two pieces of advice from Matt Worden: (1) Talk with Folks, and (2) Finish Something
• “My most given piece of advice is to start small and get something playable. Make the simplest form of your game playable and try it.” - Chevee Dodd (@cheveedodd)
• “SLOW DOWN. When you have that first idea you think ‘Gosh I am brilliant! This is going to be easy. I will be a millionaire sensation!’ Don’t feel like you have to get a game out the door in a month.” - A.J. Porfirio (@VanRyderGames)
• “Keep going, keep going, keep going! Never stop. If you believe in it, you have to put the work into it. The difference between an idea in your head and product in stores is perseverance.” - Isaac Vega (@IsaacVegaDesign)

Down-to-earth advice for setting up meetings with publishers, from Chevee Dodd (@cheveedodd):

“Forget about the pitch. Seriously. Just stop. Your number one goal should be to just get to know them, not shove a game in their face.”

http://www.cheveedodd.com/thoughts-networking-earns-pitches.html