Board Game Development is the entire process of creating, developing and producing a board game. It includes game design, product development, funding, marketing and promotion.^[1]

Steps For Design

There are many ways to go about developing and designing a board game. There may not be one correct method, but there can be some suggested steps. These steps center more around the design aspect of the process, according to Instructables.com.^[2]

The Concept

The first step involves forming a basic thought on what the game could evolve around. When the idea strikes, don't shrug it off! This can start with a theme (ex. sci-fi, fantasy, war, sports, etc.) or a set of game mechanics (e.g. card drafting, deck building, dice combat, set collection, roll and write, etc.). Whichever comes first, the other can always follow (and can sometimes alter the other). This might involve considerations of components from other games.

The Goal

This step points to determining what the win conditions are for the players. Now there is a beginning and an end (plus, there should be a theme and main mechanics).

How Do You Get From Here to There?

This step is about how to get to your goal. This is the "meat" of the game and can be a long step. This is a period of idea jotting or sketching. Any idea that sparks interest should be written down and considered. Nothing is too minor or major to be considered. This could include character types or names, actions, components, theme, rules, win conditions, complexity and many more. After a long gestation period, there should be a solid understanding of what a player is trying to accomplish and the general path they will take through the journey.

This is a good time to start organizing these thoughts, memos and considerations into an outline. A great resource for a game design outline can be found here, on pages 2 through 4. This will help streamline these thoughts into a coherent flow from opening story and background through gameplay to the conclusion and win conditions.

Flesh It Out

Allow time (this can be long step) to come up with additional mechanics and gameplay. This includes a methodical analysis of the flow, probabilities, balance and mechanics. Track game time, how many times something happens, excitement level to be playing the game, and whatever else is necessary. Record any ideas that come to mind.

Make a Prototype

This is where you make a playable version of your game. It will have all of the mechanics and pieces of your game, but it doesn't have to have perfectly shaped anything or be polished at all - this is just so that you can play test the game.^[2] This is a very fluid step where many things can change, even theme. Mechanics, characters, stats or anything can be added as well.

Play Testing

Play testing is means whereby the design can be tested through playing the game. This can be done by a game designer on their own before involving others. Then, the game should be brought in front of others. The components should be simple at this stage. Playing with someone else brings in a new perspective and establishes a lot: initially the game will need to be tweaked and may be broken, but by returning to it will be possible to fix such issues as probability, numbers and other similar things.^[2]

Make It Look Pretty and Write Rules

Once you have the rest nailed down, make a finished, beautiful version of the game and write the rulebook. If everything else was done thoroughly and with purpose, this step should be simple.^[2] Now you can enjoy (or try marketing it)!

Another Set Of Steps

Board game development could be broken down into these six steps, according to a different source:^[3]

Content analysis

This is a form of brainstorming aimed at creating a list of suitable topics which fit with the theme of the game.

Incubation

This involves subsequent reflection on the list of topics and the addition of new topics.

Chunking

This involves assigning the topics to one of the following gaming elements:

• Pieces
• Patterns
• Paths
• Probabilities
• Prizes
• Principles

Aligning

This involves aligning the content structure with the game structure.

Drafting

This is hands-on experimenting with the physical elements of the game and the development of an explanatory set of rules.

Incubating

This is a second period of reflection allowing the sub-conscious help come up with more ideas.

References