Skip to Content
 

The Board Game Design Lab Is Live!

10 replies [Last post]
Wed, 12/14/2016 - 15:16
Gabe
Gabe's picture
Offline
Joined: 09/11/2014

The site and podcast are up and running.

Check out www.boardgamedesignlab.com.

To really kick things off, I've released 4 podcast episodes.

Episode 0: Welcome to the Board Game Design Lab
http://www.boardgamedesignlab.com/welcome-to-the-board-game-design-lab/

Episode 1: Jamey Stegmaier on What He Wishes He Would Have Known before He Got into Game Design
http://www.boardgamedesignlab.com/what-you-wish-you-would-have-known/

Episode 2: Luke Laurie on How to Work with a Co-Designer
http://www.boardgamedesignlab.com/how-to-work-with-a-co-designer-with-lu...

Episode 3: Rahdo on Crafting the Perfect 2 Player Experience
http://www.boardgamedesignlab.com/how-to-create-the-perfect-2-player-exp...

I hope you get a ton of value out of those shows, and please know that there's a lot more on the way.

Top
Wed, 12/14/2016 - 20:22
#1
Gabe
Gabe's picture
Offline
Joined: 09/11/2014
And you can subscribe to the

And you can subscribe to the podcast on iTunes here:

https://itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/board-game-design-lab/id1186199709

Top
Wed, 12/14/2016 - 21:40
#2
questccg
questccg's picture
Offline
Joined: 04/16/2011
Comments on Episode #1

@Gabe: Well I listened to Episode #1 with Jamey Stegmeir... Was good. The only thing is that I would have wanted Jamey to better explain the relationship he has with his "Ambassadors".

Like for example, I know of a Meet Up Organizer in Montreal who says, he too is a Stonemeir "Ambassador". What does this mean? What role does such an individual play in terms of his business?? Things like that.

If most of the "sales pitch" is getting as many people on-board or "playing" or even "wanting to play" a game, I can understand how such a community can have value. But from the business side of things - How do you get people to invest their time into something that is a "profit-driven" process.

Like I understand if you are wired into 100 different Meet Up groups of gamers who like to play games and you say: "Hey - BTW this is my next game!" That kind of infrastructure could be very valuable... But it's not going to happen for every designer...

So I think getting people excited about your game is important - we all cannot be as fortunate as Jamey in having this large network of connections he can rely on to push his games... And to get excited about the "next release".

That's something as a designer most other designers need to be aware of: Just because Jamey did it, it doesn't mean you'll be able to follow in his footsteps...

Congrats with your NEW venture.

Top
Thu, 12/15/2016 - 01:29
#3
questccg
questccg's picture
Offline
Joined: 04/16/2011
Comments on Episode #2

@Gabe: Loved Episode #2... Especially the Ending:

"Most of my work fails... I'll get excited by a design, I'll piece it together and it isn't quite as good as I thought it was. This really works - but it's not FUN. Or this is FUN - but it really doesn't work!"

I feel like that about most of my game design IDEAS. Exactly the same. The idea seems really great - and then I create a prototype and it sucks... Knowing that this design is not going to go anywhere.

"Keep Designing and Keep Fighting!"

I usually don't like Podcasts - but I think @Gabe you've found a real NICHE!

Top
Thu, 12/15/2016 - 01:41
#4
Gabe
Gabe's picture
Offline
Joined: 09/11/2014
questccg wrote:@Gabe: Well I

questccg wrote:
@Gabe: Well I listened to Episode #1 with Jamey Stegmeir... Was good. The only thing is that I would have wanted Jamey to better explain the relationship he has with his "Ambassadors".

Like for example, I know of a Meet Up Organizer in Montreal who says, he too is a Stonemeir "Ambassador". What does this mean? What role does such an individual play in terms of his business?? Things like that.

If most of the "sales pitch" is getting as many people on-board or "playing" or even "wanting to play" a game, I can understand how such a community can have value. But from the business side of things - How do you get people to invest their time into something that is a "profit-driven" process.

Like I understand if you are wired into 100 different Meet Up groups of gamers who like to play games and you say: "Hey - BTW this is my next game!" That kind of infrastructure could be very valuable... But it's not going to happen for every designer...

So I think getting people excited about your game is important - we all cannot be as fortunate as Jamey in having this large network of connections he can rely on to push his games... And to get excited about the "next release".

That's something as a designer most other designers need to be aware of: Just because Jamey did it, it doesn't mean you'll be able to follow in his footsteps...

Congrats with your NEW venture.

Here are some in-depth blogs on the Stonemaier Ambassador program:

http://stonemaiergames.com/about/ambassador-program/

http://stonemaiergames.com/live-blogging-lesson-2-the-value-of-ambassadors/

Top
Thu, 12/15/2016 - 01:45
#5
Gabe
Gabe's picture
Offline
Joined: 09/11/2014
questccg wrote:@Gabe: Loved

questccg wrote:
@Gabe: Loved Episode #2... Especially the Ending:

"Most of my work fails... I'll get excited by a design, I'll piece it together and it isn't quite as good as I thought it was. This really works - but it's not FUN. Or this is FUN - but it really doesn't work!"

I feel like that about most of my game design IDEAS. Exactly the same. The idea seems really great - and then I create a prototype and it sucks... Knowing that this design is not going to go anywhere.

"Keep Designing and Keep Fighting!"

I usually don't like Podcasts - but I think @Gabe you've found a real NICHE!

Thank you!

I'm really excited about where this thing is going.

Top
Thu, 12/15/2016 - 14:34
#6
radioactivemouse
radioactivemouse's picture
Offline
Joined: 07/08/2013
Sounds great!

Keep up the good work!

Top
Sun, 12/18/2016 - 02:49
#7
evansmind244
evansmind244's picture
Offline
Joined: 04/09/2015
Thank You

Listened to Episode 1. Awesome!! One Humble comment I had would be that your advice could be overshadowing to your guests. That possibly frustrate some of your guests in my humble humble opinion. I'm not sure on how well you know Jamey Stegmaier but in many instances I found myself listening to you and your advice over your guest. ha ha aha That may come from your friendship etc... Just wanted to give some criticism as that's how we all get better. Where did you play Football? I'm grateful for your work.

Very Respectfully
Evan Shelline

Top
Sun, 12/18/2016 - 03:02
#8
Gabe
Gabe's picture
Offline
Joined: 09/11/2014
evansmind244 wrote:Listened

evansmind244 wrote:
Listened to Episode 1. Awesome!! One Humble comment I had would be that your advice could be overshadowing to your guests. That possibly frustrate some of your guests in my humble humble opinion. I'm not sure on how well you know Jamey Stegmaier but in many instances I found myself listening to you and your advice over your guest. ha ha aha That may come from your friendship etc... Just wanted to give some criticism as that's how we all get better. Where did you play Football? I'm grateful for your work.

Very Respectfully
Evan Shelline

Thanks for the feedback! You bring up a great point.

My goal with the show is to be conversational as opposed to "question, answer, repeat." However, that means I have to be careful to not talk too much.

There are certain topics that I have a lot of thoughts on, but I have to be aware of not overshadowing anyone.

Each episode I've recorded so far has been different as each guest has been very different. In the show with Rahdo, he talked 90% of the time.

If you listen to the other episodes, please tell me if you have the same feeling from episode 1.

Please hold me accountable to be the interviewer and not take the spotlight from the guest.

And I played football at Auburn University.

Thanks for listening.

Top
Sun, 12/18/2016 - 22:18
#9
questccg
questccg's picture
Offline
Joined: 04/16/2011
Making it different

Gabe wrote:
...Each episode I've recorded so far has been different as each guest has been very different. In the show with Rahdo, he talked 90% of the time...

I feel that your commentary is very important. I actually like the "back-and-forth" style of your other two (2) podcasts (The ones with Luke and Jamey)... It's not as if your guest is talking apples and you go on some tangent about oranges, etc...

So for me, I LIKE the dialog you bring to the table. After all it's GABE's podcast - not the guest... I find it relevant for @Gabe to express his ideas too since he too is a designer with his own challenges and struggles in putting together a great (ok - maybe good) design together!

Otherwise what would be the point?! You could listen to other interviews with Jamey or Luke online and NOT have them about ONE (1) SPECIFIC aspect of game design, but more about themselves (which has been done - before as @Gabe has pointed out).

And I think this "dialogue" between guest and host is what makes the podcast unique... Two people "hashing" it out - giving ways to new ideas or thoughts they might not have had before had the Podcast been an "interview" podcast...

Great job @Gabe! And personally the 3rd podcast (with Richard Ham) was to me the least interesting, not because of the topic, but because you were continually differing to the guest ("What else do you think?!", etc.) Would have liked more Gabe Barrett commentary in it...

But that's just me... LOL Keep up the good work! Keep making the Podcasts DIFFERENT from what we habitually get elsewhere!

Top
Mon, 12/19/2016 - 02:44
#10
Gabe
Gabe's picture
Offline
Joined: 09/11/2014
@questccg I really appreciate

@questccg

I really appreciate the kind words, and you provide an excellent point as well.

I guess I need to just find a good balance in the conversations. Still playtesting, haha.

Top
Syndicate content


forum | by Dr. Radut