Non-video game design books?

Drez · December 2018

I'm looking to buy a last minute (physical, if possible) gift for someone for Christmas related to game design, specifically board game design.

I'm finding a lot of cool books on Amazon but a lot of them seem a little dated. While I don't think design concepts behind board games have aged much, I'm also looking for a book that covers marketability which likely has changed and changes rapidly I'm sure.

Any advice or recommendations?

Drez · December 2018

Some of the ones I'm looking at are:

https://www.amazon.com/Game-Inventors-Guidebook-Role-Playing-Everything/dp/1600374476/ref=sr_1_3?ie=UTF8&qid=1545407696&sr=8-3&keywords=how+to+make+a+board+game

(But it's from 2018)

https://www.amazon.com/Art-Game-Design-Lenses-Second/dp/1466598646/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&qid=1545407696&sr=8-2&keywords=how+to+make+a+board+game

(But it's from 2011 and the physical book wouldn't arrive until after Christmas. Though there is a Kindle edition.)

https://www.amazon.com/Art-Game-Design-Lenses-Second/dp/1466598646/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&qid=1545407696&sr=8-2&keywords=how+to+make+a+board+game

(But it's massively expensive and a third edition is coming out in August 2019.)

Morran · December 2018

There is "the white box". Prototyping material and some essays on boardgame design. Have not read it myself, but I did but it as a gift for a friend.

http://www.atlas-games.com/product_tables/AG2903.php

Drez · December 2018

Morran wrote: »

There is "the white box". Prototyping material and some essays on boardgame design. Have not read it myself, but I did but it as a gift for a friend.

http://www.atlas-games.com/product_tables/AG2903.php

Thanks, that looks really good! Unfortunately it won't arrive by Christmas, but this person's birthday is around the corner so I'm going to keep this in mind. I noticed there seems to be a subscription to this title on Steam - an extension for Tabletop Simulator? Do you know anything about that by any chance?

For some additional context: This person designed, created, and manufactured a prototype for a board game a LONG time ago. The individual put feelers out there with different publishers, but they were rejected. They are looking to revisit the project, brush it off, make some adjustments, modernize it to some degree, and hopefully market it. So this is less about brainstorming an idea and more about (a) refinement and (b) marketability in the current board game landscape.

Justice · December 2018

Given your deadline, how about this course---Ben Tristem's involved in it, and his Unity course is considered the best out there: https://www.udemy.com/boardgames/

MrBlarney · December 2018

@Drez, I think the second and third links in your second post point to the same place. And there's a typo in the first link's description: the text was published in 2008, not 2018.

I remember hearing things about Kobold's Guide to Board Game Design, with positives on the variety of perspectives thanks to the large number of contributors, but on the negative side, a lesser amount of depth that you might get from a single-authored text.

Characteristics of Games is about games in general, but covers principles for games of any type. However, the book doesn't cover anything about pitching or selling your game - The Art of Lenses or The White Box would be better if that's a key topic of focus.

Come to think about it, I remember Jamey Stegmaier, one of the cofounders of Stonemaier Games, published a book about his experiences back when the company was purely Kickstarter focused. I can't speak to the quality of the materials in A Crowdfunder's Strategy Guide, but perhaps it sparks a good lead. Something tells me that for keeping up on current business trends, it might be best to join some kind of game developers' community... though I don't know how to get started on that either.

Drez · December 2018

MrBlarney wrote: »

@Drez, I think the second and third links in your second post point to the same place. And there's a typo in the first link's description: the text was published in 2008, not 2018.

I remember hearing things about Kobold's Guide to Board Game Design, with positives on the variety of perspectives thanks to the large number of contributors, but on the negative side, a lesser amount of depth that you might get from a single-authored text.

Characteristics of Games is about games in general, but covers principles for games of any type. However, the book doesn't cover anything about pitching or selling your game - The Art of Lenses or The White Box would be better if that's a key topic of focus.

Come to think about it, I remember Jamey Stegmaier, one of the cofounders of Stonemaier Games, published a book about his experiences back when the company was purely Kickstarter focused. I can't speak to the quality of the materials in A Crowdfunder's Strategy Guide, but perhaps it sparks a good lead. Something tells me that for keeping up on current business trends, it might be best to join some kind of game developers' community... though I don't know how to get started on that either.

Thanks. Yes, many typos, eek.

I’ll take a look at those - thank you!!!!

Drez · December 2018

Justice wrote: »

Given your deadline, how about this course---Ben Tristem's involved in it, and his Unity course is considered the best out there: https://www.udemy.com/boardgames/

Thanks, will take a look.

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