It might be particularly useful for you to keep your note-taking tools handy when you’re at game night. Playing games might spark the perfect idea for your own game. When using store-bought games for inspiration, ask yourself, “What would I do to improve this game?” This question can often lead you to interesting innovations. [1] X Research source
You might find inspiration for the theme of your game in your favorite novel, comic book, or TV series. Mythology and legends are often used when developing themes. Common elements include vampires, witches, wizards, dragons, angels, demons, gnomes, and more. [2] X Research source
Some people come up with a mechanic and then create a theme around it, while others come up with a great theme and then tailor the mechanics to match that theme. Experiment to find what works best for you. Common mechanics you might be interested in using include turns, dice rolling, movement, card drawing, tile laying, auctioning, and more.
Keep your theme in mind when you’re deciding the age range. A zombie hunting game won’t be suitable for children, but it might be perfect for adult fans of zombie TV shows. [4] X Research source
The number of players your game will support. Will the game be fun with just two players? How about with the max number? Will there be enough cards/tokens? The average length of your game. Additionally, the first playthrough generally takes longest. Players will need time to learn the rules. The size of your game. Large game boards and decks will usually add complexity and lengthen the game time, but this will also make your game less portable.
Race games have players hurry to the end of the board. In these games, the first player to reach the final square wins. Point-gain games require players to accumulate awards, like victory points or special cards. At the end of the game, the player with the most awards wins. Cooperative games involve players working together toward a common goal, like repairing a gnomish submarine or stopping a virus outbreak. Deck-building games rely on cards to move gameplay along. Players earn, steal, or trade cards to strengthen their hand to accomplish the game’s goals. [6] X Research source
The starting player. Many games choose the first player by having players roll dice or draw cards. The highest roll or card goes first. [7] X Research source The player phase. What can players do during their turn? To balance turn time, most games only allow one or two player actions per turn. Player interaction. How will players influence each other? For example, players on the same square might “duel” by rolling for the highest number. The non-player phase. If there are enemies or board effects (like fires or floods), you’ll need to establish when these operate during gameplay. Outcome resolution. Outcomes might be decided with a simple roll of the dice. Special events might require specific cards or rolls (like doubles). [8] X Research source
A prototype is a vital part of the game creation process, as it gets ideas out of your head and into the real world where you can evaluate them with other players. Hold off on adding artistic details until you begin assembling the final product. Simple, pencil-drawn game boards and cards will allow you to erase and make adjustments as necessary. [9] X Research source
A path. Simple games may have a single path that leads to a finish line, more complex path games may have splits or loops in the path. A playing field. Games that have a playing field do not have a set path. Instead, players move as they see fit through areas that are usually divided into squares or hexes. Landing positions. These can be depicted with shapes or images. Landing positions can have special effects, like allowing you to advance a square or draw a card. [10] X Research source
Game pieces can change considerably over the course of your game’s development. Keep prototype game pieces simple so you don’t invest a lot of time designing something that ends up getting changed. [11] X Research source
Decks have about 15 to 20 card types (like trap cards and tool cards). These types are limited to about 10 cards to a deck to create a balanced mix. Cards can have out-of-game requirements, like one that challenges a player to talk like a pirate for five minutes for a prize. Failed challenges may have a penalty. [12] X Research source
Solo test your game several times. Adjust the number of “players” as you do to determine whether or not your game actually supports the minimum and maximum number of players. Find flaws in your game by trying to break it while solo testing. See if it’s possible for players to always win with a specific strategy, or if there are loopholes in the rules that create an unfair advantage. [13] X Research source
During playtesting, avoid adding any additional explanations. You won’t always be able to clarify the rules. Take notes while the game is being played. Be alert for times people don’t seem to be having fun or the rules get confusing. You’ll likely need to improve these areas. Pay attention to players’ ending position. If one player is consistently ahead of the other players, there’s probably an unfair advantage. [15] X Research source
Local hobby and game shops often have community games nights. These events are the perfect place to try out your game and get the opinions of veteran board gamers. A player’s age will likely impact how they approach your game. Try out the game with your younger siblings and grandparents to test its age appropriateness.
Board games are traditionally mounted on chipboard or binder board. These provide a durable backing that has a professional feel. You can use an old game board as the base if you’d rather not purchase anything. Glue paper over it or paint it to hide the old game’s layout. Durable cardstock is useful both for covering game boards and making game cards. Blank playing cards can be bought at most hobby shops. Simple tokens and counters can be made by cutting or punching circles out of cardstock. [17] X Research source
Your imagination is the limit when decorating your board. Ready-made printouts, patterned paper, paint, markers, magazine cutouts, and more can be used to jazz up your board. A vibrant, colorful design will be more eye-catching to players. Color is also a great way of setting a mood. A vampire-themed game, for example, would probably be dark and spooky. Game boards are handled frequently and may become worn over time. Protect your hard work by laminating your board when possible. [18] X Research source
If you want more polished looking game pieces, take your designs to a professional printer and have them printed on thick, high-quality stock. Fit your paper game pieces into plastic game card stands to give them a base. Plastic game card stands can be bought at most hobby stores and general retailers. Try using homemade chess pieces, figurines sculpted from polymer clay, or origami animals for game pieces. [20] X Research source
There are many different kinds of dice you can choose from. Dice with more sides will decrease the odds of repeated numbers. Spinners often use colors to determine player moves. For example, if you spin the arrow and it lands on yellow, your piece would advance to the next yellow square. Spinners are great for prize rounds. If a player draws a prize card or lands on a special square, they could use a spinner to determine their reward. [21] X Research source
For example, a card that skips a player might be accompanied by the image of a jump rope and the text, “Lou, Lou, skip to my Lou…” Create your game’s cards using blank playing cards bought at a hobby shop to give your game a high-quality appearance. Homemade game cards can be made from cardstock. Use a normal playing card as a template when cutting so your cards are the same shape. [22] X Research source
