Your Turn!: The Guide to Great Tabletop Game Design

Cover Page
Title Page
Copyright Page
Acknowledgments
About the Author
Contents
Hi There!
	A Game Designer Plays All the Games!
Chapter 1 Let’s Make a Board Game!
	The Game Board
	A Brief Note About Components
	Getting Started
	How to Make a Game Board
	Let’s Make Improve the Game!
		Change a Number
		Change a Component
		Change a Rule
		Change the Theme: An Introduction to Theme and Genre
Chapter 2 Writing Rule Books Is Hard
	The Problem with Rule Books
		Problem #1: There Can Be Only One (Reader)
		Problem #2: Front-End Information Overload
		Problem #3: Rule Book Length
		Problem #4: Edge Cases
	Tricks to Writing Rule Books
		Trick #1: Rules Are Stories
		Trick #2: Use The Six Zones of Play
		Trick #3: I Am Talking to “You”
		Trick #4: Use Command Statements
		Trick #5: Include Pictures
		Trick #6: Add Callouts
	What Every Good Rule Book Needs
		Creating an Introduction
		List of Components
		Game Setup
		The Goal of the Game
		General Sequence of Play
		Detailed Sequence of Play
		End of Game
		Everyone Deserves Credit
	But Wait, There’s More
	Say What? Translating the Rules
Chapter 3 The Chapter About Play Testing
	The Great Worry
	Let’s Start Starting
		Is This a Thing?
		Going Solo
		Do It by Design
		Gamers Game Games
		Friends and Family
		Blind Play Testing
		Publisher Play Testing
Chapter 4 Let’s Make a Dice Game!
	Dice Basics
	Dice Mechanisms
		Rolling
		Rerolling
		Dice Determine Movement
		Dice Determine Combat Results
		Dice Placement
		Banking Dice
		Dice for Targeting
		Dice Builder
		Concealing Dice
		Dice Determine Actions
		Dice Determine Resources
		Dice of Different Colors
		Combination Matching
		Real-Time Rolling
		Roll and Write
		Dice Stacking
		Dice Crafting
		Dice as Counters
		Dice as Units
		Bluffing with Dice
		Pop-O-Matic
		Choosing the Right Dice Tools
	It’s Probably Due to Probability
	I Still Don’t Believe in Luck, But. . .
	Let’s Design a Dice Game
		Step 1: Create the Rules
		Step 2: Play Test the Game
		Step 3: Change the Rules
		Step 4: Change a Number
		Step 5: Change the Objective
		Step 6: Add a Mechanism
		Step 7: Change the Theme
	Creating Your Own Custom Dice
	Dice Games to Play
Chapter 5 Let’s Make a Card Game!
	Let’s Create a Card!
		One Way to Make Cards
		Another Way to Make Cards
		Yet Another Way to Make a Card
		Here’s One More Way to Make a Card
		Even More Ways to Make a Card
		Print and Play
	Size Matters
		Clear Cards
		Pentagonal and Hexagonal Cards
		Circular Cards
	A Very Short History of Card Games
	An Order of Sides
	Card Mechanisms
	Components
	A Note About Probability and Cards
	Let’s Design a Card Game
		Step 1: Setting Up the Game
		Step 2: Create the Rules
		Step 3: Play Test the Game
		Step 4: Change the Rules
		Step 5: Change a Number
		Step 6: Change the Objective
		Step 7: Add a Mechanism
		Step 8: Change the Theme
	Let’s Share a Card Game!
	10 Card Games to Play
Chapter 6 Let’s Make a Party Game
	There Are Only Four Types of Party Games
	Traits of a Party Game
		Trait 1: Keep It Simple
		Trait 2: Few Components
		Trait 3: No Theme Required
		Trait 4: Accommodating the Players
		Trait 5: Playable Anywhere
		Trait 6: Interruptions Allowed
		Trait 7: Scoring at a Party
		Trait 8: Ageless
	The Five Ps of Party Games
		Permission
		Predictability
		Pace
		Presentation
		Props
		The Sixth P Is for Player
	Party Game Mechanisms
		Knowledge
		Word Play
		Guessing
		Memory
		Acting
		Drawing/Creating
		Betting
		Bluffing
		Repetition
		Movement
		Observation
		Judging
	Let’s Make a Party Game
		Step 1: Create the Rules
		Step 2: Playtest the Game
		Step 3: Change the Rules
		Step 4: Change a Number
		Step 5: Change the Objective
		Step 6: Add a Mechanism
		Step 7: Change the Theme
	Ten Party Games to Play
Chapter 7 Let’s Make a Board Game
	Board Games of Antiquity
		Mancala
		The Royal Game of Ur
		Mehen
		Senet
		Nine Man’s Morris
		Chess
		Backgammon
		Hnefatafl
		Snakes and Ladders
		Ancient Games Are Still Around
	Types and Elements of Game Boards
		Game Board Grids
		Game Board Tracks
		Game Board Spaces
		Victory Tracks
		Maps
		Terrain
	Abstraction and Symbolism
	How to Make a Game Board
	Understanding Abstract Games
	Traits of an Abstract Game
		The Concept of Elegance
		Abstract Game Mechanisms
		Word Game Mechanisms
	Let’s Design an Abstract Game
		Step 1: Create the Rules
		Step 2: Playtest the Game
		Step 3: Change the Rules
		Step 4: Change a Number
		Step 5: Change the Objective
		Step 6: Add a Mechanism
		Step 7: Change the Theme
	The Mensa Select Award
	10 Abstract Board Games You Need to Play
Chapter 8 Let’s Make a Euro-Style Strategy Game
	A Short History of the “German Game”
	The German Game Becomes the Euro-Game
	Euro-Game Traits
		Lack of “Luck”2
		Lack of Conflict
		Loss
		Emphasis on Construction/Growth
		Exotic Settings
		Lack of Theming
		Goals
		Balancing Mechanisms
		Catch-up Mechanisms
		Shorter Playing Time
		Wood Components Rather Than Plastic
	Crunchiness and Weightiness
	Euro-Game Mechanisms
		Action Points
		Action/Role Selection
		Arrangement
		Auction/Bidding
		Building
		Bag-Builder
		Buying/Market
		Choosing
		Cooperation
		Engine-Builder
		Income
		Negotiation
		Placement
		Follow Action
		Seeking Information
		Set Collection
		Trading/Deal-Making
		Rondels
		Victory Track
	Gaming Is for Everyone
		Color Blind Accessibility
		Language Dependency
		Character Diversity and Portrayal
	Let’s Design a Euro-Game
		Components of Riverside
		Step 1: Create the Rules
		Step 2: Playtest the Game
		Step 3: Change the Rules
		Step 4: Change a Number
		Step 5: Change the Objective
		Step 6: Add a Mechanism
		Step 7: Change the Theme
	Some Euro-Games to Play
Chapter 9 Let’s Make a Thematic Strategy Game
	A History of Thematic Games
		The Adventure Is Yours
		Meanwhile Over in England
	The Secret Origin of Ameritrash
	Traits of Thematic Games
		Intellectual Property
		Any Theme Can Be a Game
		Stories in Games
		Players Have Wishes
		Adding Drama and Conflict
		Strategy vs. Tactics
		Unraveling Complexity
		Bring on the Bling
		Making Miniatures
		Collectability
		The Gimmick
	Thematic Mechanisms
		Variable Player Powers and Characters
		Leveling
		Upgrades
		Crafting
		Action Points
		Action Selection
		Movement
		Take-That
		Fighting and Combat
		Player Death and Elimination
		Area Control
		Timer
		Doom Track
		Race
		Deduction
		Voting
	Let’s Design a Thematic Game
		Step 1: Creating the Game Board/Tiles
		Step 2: Creating the Characters
		Step 3: Creating the Denizens and Hit Tokens
		Step 4: Creating the Dice
		Step 5: Create the Rules
		Step 6: Playtest the Game
		Step 7: Change the Rules
		Step 8: Change a Number
		Step 9: Change the Objective
		Step 10: Add a Mechanism
		Step 11: Change the Theme
	Some Thematic Games to Play
Chapter 10 Let’s Sell a Board Game
	Why Sell Your Board Game?
	First Things First
		The Importance of Sell-Sheets
		The Pitch Presentation
		The Pitch Video
		The Digital Solution
	Playtesting Events
	Selecting a Publisher
	Meeting with Publishers
	Contracts and Money
		Licensing Your Game
		Credit Where Credit Is Due
		The Advance
		Royalty Rate
		Other Rights and Issues
		Complimentary Copies
		Rights Reversion
		Media and Products
	Always Be Selling
	Self-Funding
	Crowdfunding
		Marketing
		Previews
		The Campaign
		Add-ons and Stretch Goals
		Production
		Pricing
		Shipping, Storing, and Distribution
Chapter 11 Let’s Do It All Over Again!
	Starting with a Mechanism (or Two)
	Starting with the Theme
	Starting with a Story
	Starting with the Title
	Start with Components
	Starting with the Player Count
	Starting with a “Moment”
	Starting with an Experience
	Starting with the Publisher’s Need
	Carrying a Sketchbook
		Inspiration for Amateurs
		Preventing Game Designer Burnout
	One Last Bit of Advice
Appendix A Let’s Make a Game Prototyping Kit!
Appendix BSell-Sheet Examples
	Who’s Hue?
	Dynamite Ridge Railroad
	Castle Climbers
	A Town Called Showdown
Index
EULA