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The White Box Essays
The White Box is a learning, planning, and prototyping tool for tabletop game designers.
The White Box Essays is a book of 25 essays on game design and production. It covers subjects like where to find a great concept, how to use randomness, what to ask playtesters, whether you should self-publish, how to crowdfund wisely, and what to do at game conventions.
The White Box Essays is a book of 25 essays on game design and production. It covers subjects like where to find a great concept, how to use randomness, what to ask playtesters, whether you should self-publish, how to crowdfund wisely, and what to do at game conventions.
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Published January 1, 2017
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Displaying 1 - 15 of 15 reviews
January 8, 2025
It has a lot of practical advice and will surely be very helpful in every step of the design process. A bit dry but it sort of has to be at times
May 15, 2018
This book is sold as part of a larger package, containing the bits and bobs you, yes you, can use to design your very own board game. I passed it in the game store and I was intrigued enough to buy the book separately (I have boxes of random bits already: Pyramid Arcade and the Piecepack and Stonehenge).
This is not a manual to design your first board game. There are some general guidelines, but nothing so specific as walking you through a design step by step, or even the merits and interactions of various board game mechanics and systems, and the elusive je ne sais quoi of Fun.
It's most practical as a guide to the board game publishing economy. Numerous essays go over the boxes you should check to playtest your game, use your time well at conventions, approach publishers with the appropriate amount of information, run a Kickstarter, and so on. They also clarify the division of labor between the designer, the artist, the manufacturer, the distributor, and the publisher.
With this book and your board game prototype in hand, you could shepherd it to reality. Even though it's not what I was hoping for, which was how to create your first drafts, it's good enough on its own terms. It was very educational.
This is not a manual to design your first board game. There are some general guidelines, but nothing so specific as walking you through a design step by step, or even the merits and interactions of various board game mechanics and systems, and the elusive je ne sais quoi of Fun.
It's most practical as a guide to the board game publishing economy. Numerous essays go over the boxes you should check to playtest your game, use your time well at conventions, approach publishers with the appropriate amount of information, run a Kickstarter, and so on. They also clarify the division of labor between the designer, the artist, the manufacturer, the distributor, and the publisher.
With this book and your board game prototype in hand, you could shepherd it to reality. Even though it's not what I was hoping for, which was how to create your first drafts, it's good enough on its own terms. It was very educational.
April 22, 2019
This book was far better than I expected. At times it was pretty dry, but I think that was the point. Simpy put, the book is loaded with pointed, and substantive information about how a game goes from concept to finished (read: "purchasable") product. I only read the ebook, so I didn't have the parts the original printed version came with, but it was still extremely informative. I would have liked to seen a bit more about play-testing and editing, but the book was still very good.
Its really aimed at gamers who are interested enough in the hobby. To really want learn about negotiating contracts and print runs for games, you've got to want to read this stuff, but if this is you then buy this book. Whether you want to make a game, or just want the information about how games make their way onto store shelves, this is a great book.
Its really aimed at gamers who are interested enough in the hobby. To really want learn about negotiating contracts and print runs for games, you've got to want to read this stuff, but if this is you then buy this book. Whether you want to make a game, or just want the information about how games make their way onto store shelves, this is a great book.
February 21, 2019
As I have become more serious about designing board games, I picked up The White Box since I needed some replacement cubes for one of my prototypes.
There was a lot of great information that I had not thought of yet found in the pages of this book. My biggest takeaways were Jeremy Holcomb's information on rule explanation, sell sheets, and box design. These sections especially made me think about how to express my ideas in an easy to read format as concisely as possible.
In addition to that, having a subtitle for your game can be a great way to give people an idea of what they will experience in the game. Other great items to have on the side of your box beyond age, play time, and number of players include level of complexity, strategy, and luck.
I would say about half of this book consisted of material applicable to my current stage of board game development. The author also dove deep into the world of actually selling and marketing your game at conventions, to publishing companies, or distributors. This gave me a nice overview of what to expect if my games do take off (not holding my breath), but I am designing board games for my vanity and will probably just stick to The Game Crafter.
There was a lot of great information that I had not thought of yet found in the pages of this book. My biggest takeaways were Jeremy Holcomb's information on rule explanation, sell sheets, and box design. These sections especially made me think about how to express my ideas in an easy to read format as concisely as possible.
In addition to that, having a subtitle for your game can be a great way to give people an idea of what they will experience in the game. Other great items to have on the side of your box beyond age, play time, and number of players include level of complexity, strategy, and luck.
I would say about half of this book consisted of material applicable to my current stage of board game development. The author also dove deep into the world of actually selling and marketing your game at conventions, to publishing companies, or distributors. This gave me a nice overview of what to expect if my games do take off (not holding my breath), but I am designing board games for my vanity and will probably just stick to The Game Crafter.
August 23, 2021
I saw "The White Box - A game design workshop in a box" at my local game store. I felt intrigued so went ahead and purchased it. I was excited to get my hands dirty and learn by doing, at the end of the day, that's what everyone expects from a "workshop", right? Wrong.
The box contains a bunch of game components that will be useful once you actually start designing a game but the book is just a collection of essays. So at the end of the day, this is not a workshop but a lecture with some bonus game components, long story short you are on your own.
The book itself dances around topics but never gets down and dirty with them. Some chapters become very repetitive when the author says the same thing four or five times using different words. Probably the book could be reduced by 50% if you remove all the fluff and repetition.
If you want to learn about making games by making games you'll be better off buying "Challenges for Game Designers" by Brenda Romero and Ian Schreiber.
The box contains a bunch of game components that will be useful once you actually start designing a game but the book is just a collection of essays. So at the end of the day, this is not a workshop but a lecture with some bonus game components, long story short you are on your own.
The book itself dances around topics but never gets down and dirty with them. Some chapters become very repetitive when the author says the same thing four or five times using different words. Probably the book could be reduced by 50% if you remove all the fluff and repetition.
If you want to learn about making games by making games you'll be better off buying "Challenges for Game Designers" by Brenda Romero and Ian Schreiber.
July 8, 2018
Overall, I thought this was a really great, and very practical set of essays on game design, and in particular the business side of how to make games. I did wish there was a little more depth on play-testing in terms of how to do it well, things like what to look for, what questions to ask, how to go about finding 'blind' play-testers, etc. Additionally, I wish there was a little more detail on how to pitch games to publishers. I did appreciate the detailed guidance on self-publishing and using kickstarter. But, as I said, I thought this was a pretty thorough treatment of the topic, and compared to some others I have read, it was more practical and grounded (i.e. less theoretical or anecdotal) than many other books on the topic I've checked out.
November 26, 2017
This book will prove very useful to beginning designers, and even people with a game or two under their belt can still find some useful advice and strategies here. I found some of the remarks a little too vague, and the contributor essays definitely feel like they skim over their respective topics - but as a general source of information, the book is solid.
January 15, 2020
As far as technical help and guide-style books go, this one really takes the cake. I've been into board games for most of my adult life, and I think each person in the hobby secretly imagines themselves creating something to be remembered by or just making something for their friends. This book has many topics to help with either path, and is a very real and honest experience. The book comes with meeples, cutouts, dice, and many other things to get started with too. If you're into the hobby, read it for sure.
March 23, 2021
A very useful book if you want to manufacture anything, especially boardgames. A little bit dry, but I came out of it knowing more about the design process than I went into it with, so I view it as worth a read. The guest essays at the back weren't worth much, though.
May 11, 2023
Very practical for people who are hoping to design games, but with enough theory to interest something like me. I especially appreciated the last three essays by guest authors on disability, plot, and economic theory in game design.
March 24, 2018
The White Box Essays offers a lot of practical advice in game design and I learned more than I expected about game publishing.
May 27, 2019
Heavy on how to publish and light on the techniques and how-to of actual game design
March 29, 2023
I wish this had more to say about actual game design rather than publishing, Kick-starting, and contracts. Not that that stuff's not important, but you need to get to that point first.
January 16, 2024
A good read if you interested at all in game design and production. There might not be much appeal outside of that niche.
March 20, 2020
SCREEN POTENTIAL
6/10
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THOUGHTS
This book is a useful guide for designers early in their game development. While I read most of it cover-to-cover, it may be best to use it as a reference manual to return to as needed. As such, a series of YouTube videos (or Vimeo? is that still a thing?) could be a great companion - so much of gaming is visual, after all.
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ADAPTED ALREADY?
No
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IDEAL ADAPTATION
Concise, topical video essays to match the chapters of the book.
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IT WOULD BE LIKE TRADING IN 16 SHEEP IF...
An actual prototype game were made as part of the video essays.
6/10
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THOUGHTS
This book is a useful guide for designers early in their game development. While I read most of it cover-to-cover, it may be best to use it as a reference manual to return to as needed. As such, a series of YouTube videos (or Vimeo? is that still a thing?) could be a great companion - so much of gaming is visual, after all.
------
ADAPTED ALREADY?
No
------
IDEAL ADAPTATION
Concise, topical video essays to match the chapters of the book.
------
IT WOULD BE LIKE TRADING IN 16 SHEEP IF...
An actual prototype game were made as part of the video essays.
Displaying 1 - 15 of 15 reviews