Workman Publishing - Make Your Own Board Game
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| Texas Art Price: | $16.95 |
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Product Information
- Teaches game design fundamentals and construction
- Covers components, rules, and mechanics
- Features contemporary gaming community illustrations
- Includes design prompts and examples
- 144 pages of comprehensive instruction
- 8x10 paperback format for workspace use
- Suitable for analog gaming enthusiasts
Master game design fundamentals and build playable boards from scratch
Board game design requires understanding mechanics, not just creative ideas. Jesse Terrance Daniels breaks down the actual building blocks, components, rule structures, gameplay flow, that make games work rather than fall apart after ten minutes. You learn how systems create player decisions, how constraints generate interesting choices, and how to test whether your brilliant concept actually plays well.
The book moves from fundamentals to construction through practical examples and design prompts that push you to think through problems real designers face. Daniels addresses physical construction alongside conceptual design, covering the tangible elements that transform abstract systems into playable objects. His approach respects the contemporary gaming community's sophistication while remaining accessible to makers new to game design.
At 144 pages, this paperback provides enough depth to create games that genuinely function, titles that hold players' attention through coherent mechanics rather than novelty alone. You finish equipped to prototype and playtest original designs that express specific creative visions while delivering the satisfying decision-making that defines successful tabletop games. Whether designing party games, strategy titles, or experimental mechanics, you'll understand the structural principles that separate playable games from interesting ideas that don't quite work.
