Part of The Game Design School See also Topic:Board game studies

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)!

Courses

University of Westminster SPIR608 Political Simulation and Gaming

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.

Online Reading Material

Wikimedia Articles

Online Texts and Rulesets

http://www.tradgames.org.uk/ Traditional Games
http://www.gamecabinet.com/ 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/ The Chess Variant Page
http://www.thebiggamehunter.com/ The Big Game Hunter

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.

Offline Reading Material

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

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

Commentaries and Articles