Part of The Game Design School

Contents 1 Introduction 2 Parts of the Project 3 Online Reading Material 3.1 Wikimedia Articles 3.2 Online Texts and Rulesets 3.3 Web Commentaries and Articles 4 Offline Reading Material 4.1 Non-Fiction 4.2 Fiction 4.3 Commentaries and Articles

[edit] Introduction

Welcome to the Department of Board Game Design! Here we seek to create a collaborative learning environment for those interested in Game Design as a potential career path (or just a hobby)!

[edit] Parts of the Project

This project is divided into numerous areas of interest.

• Game Creation Guidelines - An open document that will comprise a set of guidelines for the development of your own board game.
• Pillars of Game Development - Those ideas considered important - if not essential - to designing a great game.
• Game Mechanics - This part of the project is an attempt to organize and categorize the many types of game mechanics into an easily searchable reference. Hierarchical and subject-driven searches should be supported.
• Board Game Design Templates - An effort to standardize basic Game Critique, Playtest Report, and Ruleset formats.
• Game Critiques - A space for the critique and analysis of existing games, and a place for comments that will improve the community's understanding of game mechanics and design as a whole.
• Games in Development - Where students post games or rules and seek critiques, advice, and playtesting.
• Games Archive - Once past their playtesting, games can be left here for the enjoyment of the community at large.

[edit] Online Reading Material

[edit] Wikimedia Articles

• Game
• Histories of Games
• Board Game

[edit] Online Texts and Rulesets

• http://www.tradgames.org.uk/ Traditional Games
• http://www.gamecabinet.com/index.html The Game Cabinet
• http://www.gamesmuseum.uwaterloo.ca/ University of Waterloo Games Museum
• http://jducoeur.org/game-hist/ Medieval and Renaissance Board Games
• http://www.chessvariants.com/index.html The Chess Variant Page
• http://www.thebiggamehunter.com/ The Big Game Hunter

[edit] Web Commentaries and Articles

• Board Game Studies Journal - the academic side of Board Games.
• The Journal of Boardgame Design - an intelligent look at game development from a long-time game afficionado.
• Mike Doyle's Art Play - a look at artistic design in games and their pieces.
• Board Game Design Forum - a community of game designers.
• How do I publish my game? - Tom Jolly, of Jolly Games, answers the eternal question.
• The Games Journal - no longer being published regularly, but still a treasure trove of knowledge.
• The Centre for Ludic Synergy - A philosophical look at the game as a human activity.

[edit] Offline Reading Material

[edit] Non-Fiction

• Berne, Eric, M.D.. Games People Play. Ballantine, 1996. ISBN 0-34-541003-3

The above book relates to Transactional Analysis - a counselling term - rather than board games...

• Carse, James P.. Finite and Infinite Games: A Vision of Life as Play and Possibility. Ballantine, 1987. ISBN 0-34-534184-8
• Huizinga, Johan. Homo Ludens: A Study of the Play Element in Culture. Beacon Press, 1971 (orig. pub. 1955). ISBN 0-80-704681-7
• Laver, Michael. Playing Politics. Oxford University Press, 1997. ISBN 0-19-285321-X
• Tinsman, Brian. The Game Inventor's Guidebook. Krause Publications, 2003. ISBN 0-87349-552-7
• Levy, Richard C. and Ronald O. Weingartner. The Toy and Game Inventor's Handbook. Alpha. ISBN 1-59257-062-3
• Orbanes, Philip E. The Game Makers: The Story of Parker Brothers, From Tiddledy Winks to Trivial Pursuit. HBS Press, 2004. ISBN 1-59139-269-1
• Beasley, John D. The Mathematics of Games. Oxford University Press, 1989.
• Ellington, Henry; Addinall, Eric; and Percival, Fred. A Handbook of Game Design. Nichols Publishing Co., 1982. ISBN 0-89397-134-0
• Schuessler, Nick, and Jackson, Steve. Game Design, Volume One: Theory and Practice. Steve Jackson Games, 1981.
• Zocchi, Lou. How to $ell Your Game Design. Gamescience. Catalog # GS 10404

[edit] Fiction

• Banks, Iain M. The Player of Games. Harper Collins, 1997. ISBN 0-06-105356-2
• Bayley, Barrington J. The Grand Wheel. Wilside Press, 2005. ISBN 1-59-224120-4
• Dick, Philip K. The Game-Players of Titan. Ace, 1963. ISBN 0-44-106251-2
• Hesse, Hermann. The Glass Bead Game (aka Magister Ludi). Vintage Classics. ISBN 0-09-928362-X

[edit] Commentaries and Articles

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