Launchpad Gamez

𝐓𝐈𝐏 𝐎𝐅 𝐓𝐇𝐄 𝐃𝐀𝐘:
Things to Keep In Mind While Writing The Gameplay

This is usually the hardest section to prepare, but it is also the most important as this ultimately tells the players how to play the game. Use illustrations whenever you can, especially for complex rules. It is critical to include all of the key behaviors that player may take on their turn.

Be sure to call out any limiting factors on a player’s turn. An example of this might be that on a turn, a player can take two of four actions: roll the dice, draw a card, move a piece, or buy a weapon.

Depending on the style of game, a player’s turn may happen independently or simultaneously. Regardless of this, it is often good to break the turn down into the steps that a player goes through such as Roll, Move, or Draw a Card.

Oftentimes, you may include a simplified version of this on a standalone card that players can keep near them. This is especially useful for new players, as they do not have to keep going back to the rulebook for the basics.

𝐓𝐈𝐏 𝐎𝐅 𝐓𝐇𝐄 𝐃𝐀𝐘:
Your Story Sets the Mood

So you’re ready to start designing your board game. Great! Game development is an exciting and fun adventure.

One of the first things you should consider is the story behind the game. “But wait,” you say. “I thought I was designing a game, not a book?” Think of a game as plot of a story in which the players get to control the flow of the story and determine the actions of each of the actors within the story.

You certainly don't need to write out a 10,000-word short story to begin the game development process, although you might find it fun and enlightening to know where you want the game to go by doing so.

Coming up with a simple paragraph about the game does many things for you, the designer. For one, it sets the mood of the game. Is your game going to be a playful, silly romp through a playground full of happy children and couples enjoying picnic lunches, or are you sending your players into a deep, evil-filled dungeon in which an evil wizard plots to destroy the world?

Fleshing this out in a narrative can illustrate the tone of the game overall.