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JUNE 26, 2009
BRAND NEW PRODUCTS!
We at BLANK BOARD GAME are excited to present to you not onebut
_TWO_ brand new products! Introducing our two new exciting eBooks
that are perfect for those who love board games! Click on the
following images to find out more about each product.
HOW TO DESIGN A WINNING BOARD GAME
JUNE 18, 2009
HOW TO INVENT A GOOD BOARD GAME
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Whether you are designing a fun game for your friends or family, or
you are interested in moving forward and pitching a game design to a
major company, you will find that designing a board game can be an
excellent challenge and test of your abilities. When you want to make
sure that you can design the best board game that you can and when you
wan to make sure that you are creating a game that will entertain
everyone, take some time to look at these four important points.
Know Who You Are Designing For
Of course a game that is designed for young people in their twenties
is going to be different from a game that you design for six and seven
year olds, but it goes deeper than that. The classic board games tend
to appeal to everyone across the board, whether you are looking at
games like Monopoly or Clue, but how specific do you want your game
targeted? There are great games that are specifically designed for
horror fans or for people who love improvisational comedy. Knowing who
is going to enjoy your games and having a good idea of what they like
is important.
What Speed is Your Game Played At?
When you are designing your board game, remember that while there
are some games that are ideal when you want to while away an evening,
other games are meant to be played relatively fast. Board games tend
to take longer than, say, card games, so take a moment to think about
how long a round will last and how long a game will last. How long
should it take people to reach the goal and win? What kind of
complications can set them back and do you want them to be able to
finish the game up inside of twenty minutes?
Get Play Testers
It doesn't matter who you have the game geared towards; if you don't
have play testers, you are going to run into something very
unfortunate the first time the game is trotted out. When you want to
invest a good board game, it is important to create the prototype and
then to spend as much time as you have breaking it! Take some time and
really consider what your options are going to be and see who can help
you with it. The more people that you have around to catch errors and
weird game play, the better.
Get Good Art
When you are in a place where you are thinking about creating a good
board game, remember that it should be good to look at. Even if you
are just creating something for private use, getting an artist to help
you out with things like layout and good coloring is important. You
don't want a board game that will leave you with a headache when you
have looked at it too long. The visual element of a board game is very
important.
Take some time and put some thought into designing your board game;
it really is that simple.
JUNE 17, 2009
THE HISTORY OF BOARD GAMES
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We at BLANK BOARD GAME know how fun board games are. Everyone has
a memory of playing their favorite board game as a child. But where
did they come from? Which countries contributed which games? We at
_BLANK BOARD GAME_ did extensive research into this, and here is a
brief overlook into what we found.
Board games have been a part of almost every civilization on every
part of the planet. Board games have been found in ancient tombs and
depicted on the walls of the pyramids. From ancient Persia to Egypt
and China, board games became an important part of their cultures that
they have passed down to subsequent cultures. The themes of a
country's board games can be seen as a reflection on their customs and
a social commentary on their civilization.
_Senet_ was a game from ancient Egypt that can still be found today.
It was found in burial chambers of early dynastic leaders and was
depicted in a painting of Nefertari. _The Royal Game of Ur_ and
_backgammon_ were found in Iran in tombs from 2600 BC. Versions of
that game have been found in Babylonia as well in cuneiform from 177
BC. Go is another ancient game from China that dates back to about
2300 BC that is still played today. It also enjoys the fact that the
rules have changed little since 700 AD when it was introduced to
Japan. _Mancala_ is also an ancient game that was played all over the
ancient world that is still enjoyed today. Boards that resemble
today's _mancala_ boards have been found at Neolithic digs from
Africa. _Mah Jongg_ is another Chinese game that began its popularity
thousands of years ago. It moved outside of China in the 1920s, and
has been growing in popularity ever since.
As the years went on, games like India's _Parcheesi_ joined the
other early games and they began to be shared from one country to
another. Sometimes new rules were added or boards were redesigned
slightly. In Medieval Europe, Italian artists designed elaborate game
boards featuring paths of game squares that led to an ending.
_Checkers _and_ Chess_ became very popular throughout Europe. Board
games were invented that let players settle the New World or fight
Napoleon. As the printing industry grew, board games became more
common.
Milton Bradley made the_ Game of Life_ in 1860, and it is still a
popular children's game today. In 1904, a woman from Virginia invented
a game she called _The Landlord's Game_. It was eventually changed to
_Monopoly_ in the 1930s, which has become one of the most popular
games ever. Games like _Scrabble_, _Risk_, _Chutes and Ladders_,
_Mousetrap _and _Aggravation _came on the scene and made a place for
themselves. 1948 saw the birth of _Clue_, which went on to spawn a
book series and a film as the years went by. In the 1980s, trivia
games became all the rage and_ Trivial Pursuit _was born.
Today, many of the most popular games have been recreated as
computer games, though board games still remain popular. It is hard to
give them up entirely. While the computerized versions are similar,
there is something satisfying about sitting around a table with your
family or friends and moving pieces around a board. Considering the
long history board games have had in human society, it is no wonder
that we feel this way. It's kind of nice to think we can have a good
time playing a game just like a family in ancient Egypt or China did
centuries ago.
JUNE 10, 2009
TYPES OF BOARD GAMES
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We at BLANK BOARD GAME know how much everyone loves a good board
game. Sometimes it's hard to determine which once you want to
play. Often, knowing the kind of board game you like can help you
determine which one is up your alley.
Here are the most popular categories of board games and listings of
the most popular ones within those categories. (Some of the ones
listed may technically not be considered "board" games, but they are
still suggestions for those categories)
"Race Games" - these are board games where the strategy is all about
reaching the end of the board or path in the game before your
opponents do. Examples of these kinds of board games are
_Backgammon_, _Parcheesi_, _Snakes and Ladders _(or _Chutes and
Ladders_), and _Candyland_.
"Roll and Move Games" - these are board games where a player bases
his movements on the number rolled on the dice. There may be one
path or multiple paths, but often you will continue to go in circles
or not reach a "finish point". If there is a "finish point" the goal
isn't centered around being the first one to reach it. Examples of
these kinds of games are _Monopoly_, _Clue_, _The Game of Life_,
_Trivial Pursuit_, _13 Dead End Drive_, and _Forbidden Bridge_.
"Abstract Strategy Games" - these are board games where intellect,
reasoning, and abstract thinking are involved. Examples of these
kinds of games are_ Checkers_, _Chess_, _Connect Four_, and
_Tic-Tac-Toe_.
"Word Games" - these are board games that are centered around words
and vocabulary. They are sometimes mental puzzles to solve.
Examples of these kinds of games are _Scrabble_, _Boggle_,
_Scattergories_, _Mad Libs_, and _Mad Gab_.
"War Games" - these are board games centered around the theme of
war, battle, and annihilation. Examples of these kinds of games are
_Risk_, _Battleship_,_ Tactics_, and _Advance Squad Leader_.
We at BLANK BOARD GAME hope these suggestions help you find the
perfect game for you!
JUNE 4, 2009
BOARD GAMES VS. CARD GAMES
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Here at BLANK BOARD GAME we know that everyone loves playing a game,
whether it be a board game or a card game. But if you're interested
in inventing your own game, which kind of game is more fun to
create? Should you be starting with a _blank board game_ or a _blank
card game_? Well, as entertaining as cards are, board games bring a
lot more to the table. For those of you wanting to invent your own
game, board games are the way to go. Here are a few reasons on why
this is.
#1 VISUAL-board games are a lot more visually enticing. With
cards, every one turned over looks identical. There's not as many
ways to be creative and original when designing the visual look of the
game.
#2 MORE INTERACTIVE - This is where the group bonding part comes
in. Whether it be family or friends, inventing a board game has a
lot more components to it than inventing a card game. You must
design the blank board, rules, pawns, cards, dice, etc... There is
more than enough "jobs" to go around. Depending on the size of the
group, either assign everyone an individual task or pair off in groups
of 2-3 people. This makes the process of inventing the game equally
as fun and involving as playing the game itself.
#3 MORE PLAYERS - Just as a inventing a board game allows for more
people to be involved, _playing_ the game equally allows for more
people to play. In general, card games are often limited to certain
amount of limitations as to the number of people playing (example:
"must have 2-6 players" or "must have an even number of players").
The reason for this is obvious: any good card game is built around
having cards in your hands, and there are only so many cards to play
with (52 to be exact). When you invent your board game, there is no
limit to how many players you can have! It all depends on the rules
you invent. You can have as many pawns moving on the board as you
wish.
#4 MORE CREATIVITY - Designing a board game takes a lot more
creativity and originality than designing a card game for one main
reason: _the theme_. Every great board game is built around a
"theme" or a "story". Once you decide on the story you want to tell,
be really creative in making that story come to life. This is where
the design of the blank board and pawns come into play.
So in conclusion, BLANK BOARD GAME knows that card games are
extremely entertaining. But if you're looking to invent and build a
game as a fun-filled group activity, designing a board game is your
best bet.
MAY 27, 2009
BLANK BOARD GAMES
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I know what you’re asking yourselves. What is the purpose of
BLANK BOARD GAME? That’s a good question. And here is the answer.
With summer already here, and the economy being what it is, it’s
hard to find a balance between fun-filled family activities that are
also not crazy expensive! So maybe you can’t afford to go on a
family vacation this year to the beach. And maybe you can’t afford
to take the kids to that huge amusement park down the road. But
there are many great cheap activities that you can do at home that
will bring the family together in an entertaining way.
And that’s where _BLANK BOARD GAME_ comes in. Who doesn’t
enjoy the feeling of owning a lot of property in Monopoly? And who
doesn’t feel great about themselves when they answer a question
right in Trivial Pursuit? Board games are classic ways to have a fun
afternoon with your group of family and friends.
And can you imagine how to make game playing even more exciting? I
can…by inventing your own game! By starting with a blank board and
creative ideas, the possibilities are endless! YOU come up with the
theme. YOU come up with the rules. YOU come up with the fun little
niches that make your game and your board unique to the world.
And don’t do all of this inventing alone! This is where you can
bring the family and friends together for a great bonding activity.
Invent and design a unique game as a group. A great way to do this
is to divide the responsibilities so everyone feels like they
contributed. Have someone design the blank board. Have someone
else write the game rules. Have another person come up with cards
that people get when they land on certain spaces. Have someone come
up with the title. Have someone else create the pawns that are
moved. Once again, the possibilities are endless.
Coming soon to Blank Board Games: I will be bringing you articles
and information on not only how to successfully create and design your
own board game, but also fun information about the history of games
and other entertaining bits of knowledge. Get ready to start
building and playing!
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