Every bad board game designer does this.

[@davejeltema3]

What mistakes do you have a hard time learning from?

[@lordllama2548]

One i still struggle with is starting a project and never completing it

[@imanaxolotl4717]

@@lordllama2548 Adhd gooo brrrrrrrrr

[@tsuobachi]

@@lordllama2548 I used to have that problem. The key for me was to have smaller projects. If you take a game idea you have and just take the core mechanic from it and make that a simple game, you'll be able to finish a prototype and get to testing quickly. Then the next game you could make it have two mechanics and it won't be as much work to get it going because you already have half of it figured out to some extent from the previous game. Most pro game designers tell beginners to start small and hardly anyone ever does (including me), but it's really great advice if any of us would follow it.

[@luanazevedo4804]

Just because its a creative mechanic it dosen't mean it is a good mechanic :,)

[@tsuobachi]

@@luanazevedo4804 Yeah, that's true. But focusing on finishing things is more useful for some people than focusing on quality.

[@Mambaru]

I would like to add to the list - Don't design a rule around an edge case. Redesign your game to prevent the edge case from happening in the 1st place.

[@sawderf741]

It's ok to be a part of someones game collection. You don't need to make "the one game to rule them all".

[@Sindig0]

Don't you want to sell more copies, though? Don't you want a player to play your game on boardgame night and walk away thinking "I need my own copy of that" not "I've played it so have no need to play it again"?

[@NotLordAsshat]

​@@Sindig0sure that could be a decent goal, but it can also be just enough to be a fun game once or twice. Hell that's like the whole business model of ttrpg campaigns. You heavily limit yourself by requiring everything you make to be infinitely replayable and addictive lol

[@derdox6720]

@@Sindig0 i think the point is that if your only goal and focus is to be that game, you will likely never even make it into a game collection and you first need to have a good game to sell any copies before you can hope to sell "more" copies. if you never end up in anyones game collection in the first place, because you keep trying to make the perfect game, then all hypotheticals are irrelevant

[@ramonvanderben8120]

The biggest mistake I could think of is: Holding on to a game idea for far too long. Don't be afraid to archive or even trash a board game when it just isn't what you want it to be. Start over and redesign it or go for a totally different game. There is no shame in archiving or trashing your game... Holding on to a game idea that just doesn't work, is the biggest waste of valuable time...

[@joshuastill2619]

Also on the other side of it, is holding it in your head too long before actually play testing it.

[@Portponky]

I'm going to do all of these things and you can't stop me.

[@davejeltema3]

Listen here you little... :P

[@AaronRose-q7d]

What published, well received game did you make that gives you the experience to speak to such things? I'll wait

[@CameronOwen101]

Not sure i love this advice for people when starting out. I used to teach video game design and development at university and woukd see this behaviour in stidents a lot, but i found id get better results encouraging them to make a lot of experiments but critically deconstruct things as they go to discover why a particular mechanic is fun, what kind of experience is enables, where it works well, where it doesnt etc.

[@bibleboardgames]

Thanks for the video! I have made most of these mistakes. Marketing and Sales are the hardest. Blind Play-testing is valuable. If you only test with family and friends, your game will probably only go that far.

[@davejeltema3]

Thanks for the comment! Those are valuable lessons to learn.

[@disrespecc9678]

Well I’m just making one for my family. So it’s not [unfinished sentence]

[@PowerPandaMods]

The market research thing is so huge. Ask yourself, "What space does this fill in someone's game shelf?" If you can't answer that question, then neither can they.

[@eggplantjim]

I like your content Dave, it's to the point. To me biggest mistake is for someone that has lived in many houses and has been in many more, to feel after a certain point that they somehow quialify to build one. That's just lazy thinking. There is a lot involved in designing a game, which is a different notion from creating a game mechanic salad. A game eventually will have players (users). So why do people play? Start by studying that topic, before you even entertain any game idea in your head. You will need that for when you are examining which of the players basic needs is your game covering and how for each need. All the best to everybody trying to design their first or next game.

[@asura899]

Hi Dave, I have found your channel few days ago and have watched all videos instantly. My favorite video so far is the best tool for playtesting. Really looking forward to your next videos ;)

[@davejeltema3]

I'm glad you like them! I'm still experimenting, but you can bet I intend to offer more practical design tips and examples.

[@jacklanyon8550]

I find your background music really intrusive and makes it hard to listen. I'm wanting to listen to you, not random music.

[@davejeltema3]

That's fair, it's been on my mind. I might experiment with the format a bit soon. Thanks for the feedback

[@sixbirdsinatrenchcoat]

I completely agree. Music needs to be turned way down - or completely off! - and voice audio should be turned slightly up to match the volume of most other videos. I have stopped watching at least 4 of your videos because the audio overtaxes my ADHD nervous system.

[@laartwork]

Yeah .. why is there music? Great video though.

[@FelipeBudinich]

If you want to have music because it adds to the perceived production values; Do not use music with lyrics. Do not have music with punchy bass. Use your voice as a ducking source for the music. Hope that helps :)

[@somekindofdude1130]

​@@davejeltema3 yeah man you really really need to tone down the music your voice is getting muffled in the mix

[@LatiN00bs]

Guys I really want to put my game out for playtesting, but idk how copyright works. What should I do before sharing my game with people?

[@RobSeib]

this is awesome advice thanks Dave! your market research point is so huge, and Ive learned my lesson! Or at least I hope I have 😂

[@rossdelman641]

I'm happy I intuitively did not do any of this mistakes you mentioned here. Great video !

[@victorferreira2742]

in the process of designing board games I ended up in situations that the rules became really complicated as I had to adapt them to problems I found during the playtests and brainstorms. I realize that when a rule seems too complicated and don't resolve to the obvious solutions it would be sometimes its because without the complexity some other things just breaks. its not necessarily because the designer didn't see the complexity in this case (i'm not saying this is what always happens) the "mistake" of the designer was his or her unwillingness to change the entire rule or mechanism. maybe the correct thing to do in a certain point of the design process was to make a drastic change and recreate parts of the game entirely

[@ElegyForTheMasses]

Vital Lacerda games often have additional glossaries and references outside of the rulebook and player reference guides, but they aren’t over-complicated.

[@sooooooooDark]

thought it would be scope creep

[@sirguy6678]

Good video! Would love to see some “real game examples “ - even if you have to trash a few “classic games” - help to illustrate your points- thanks!

[@revimfadli4666]

This! Even big name designers or publishers could fall victim to these

[@arcanineryu]

im making my first card game now so let's see how many mistakes i make! it's going great so far tho. i call it Super Sandwich Stacker and it's a game for ages.... like maybe 8 and up? so mostly kids and parents and stuff. but it's about making a really big scooby doo style sandwich! ive been spending the week playtesting to try and figure out how to simplify and streamline. but unfortunately it looks like when i do a proper printed prototype, (right now im just using construction paper with sharpie for cards) i wont be able to fit the rules on a single card, and will instead have to have one of those little folded papers of game instructions or else the print will be too small to read, which is disappointing. but having watched yu gi oh the abridged series the phrase "children's card game" is burned into my memory, and now i will have an excuse to use it all the time for like a month as an official creator of a children's card game.

[@didelphidae5228]

Love him or hate him, I borrow a note from Todd Howard, I create makeshift components and play the game as early and as and often in it's design as possible to get a feel of the engine; what could work that hasn't been added, and what doesn't.

[@DreadgateTCG]

I knew it! The number one thing was clear for me.

[@Cradien]

Great vid man

[@davejeltema3]

Thanks

[@mv8615]

As for "Market Viability and Differentiation": it sounds as if you're saying, each game needs to be unique and innovative. While innovative games often get a lot of attention, some of my favorite games over the last years (Everdell, Arkham Horror LCG) were ones, that basically took the best out of other games and excelled at curating proven mechanics.

[@michaelmitchell2123]

Good video!

[@davejeltema3]

Thanks!

[@CalebWillden]

Guess about #1 pitfall: Not playtesting.

[@MrMrkman98]

These seem to be good rules of thumb. I think talking bout such thing in vague socratic questions can be helpful to cover as many bases as possible, but I think specific examples(with a graphic) would go a long way to "proving" why these rules of thumb are good to follow.

[@samperry3972]

Please shed some insight on printing cards!

[@josepablolunasanchez1283]

Starship Captains is won if you pick missions. Anything else you do will not deliver victory.

[@maninalift]

Biggest mistake guess: but play testing

[@tsuobachi]

Good advice, but the people who need to hear it would never watch a video like this. To be good at anything creative, you need to put your ego aside and focus on the audience and their experience. It's not about you and your awesome game, it's about trying to make an engine that generates as much fun for the players as possible.

[@seandobson2682]

What is your 'day job'? Good video.

[@davejeltema3]

I deliver Pizza woohoo... I can't wait for the day I get to say 'I quit' and work full time as a creator.

[@Big_Dai]

Number one mistake is thinking you've become a board game designer .. And worse, capable of giving obvious advice to anyone else..

[@davidjohnson4475]

Old extra credits video about depth vs complexity. Similar if not the same as the elegance that was mentioned. kzbin.info/www/bejne/oIevZaaqZceffbcsi=McxnsAc6NXdWyhIY

[@aquarius5719]

Starship captains winning strategy is to go for missions. Try any other method and you eill lose.

[@GnomeSayn]

mUsIc ahhhhh

[@mikolajwitkowski8093]

So we have click bait title and a person who has made a game yet being patronising to other designers. Great.