The surge in Board games in recent years is enormous. It gives adults who used to indulge in traditional board games in their childhood a feeling of nostalgia. Nobody can deny indulging in Board games in their initial years, be it Ludo, Carrom, Chess, or any other game. We have played one of these games quite often with our siblings or our cousins in our grandparents’ home.
Since we all grew up, and now we find less time to mingle with our cousins because of our busy schedules, we have to rely on online board games to get in touch with them and recreate childhood memories. People are going gaga over online board games which is why the development of such apps has become the next big thing in the gaming industry.
It is not possible to play Chess, or Carrom, anytime anywhere. However, with the advent of online board games, you can experience the same nostalgia right at your fingertips. It is clear now that if you design your own board game, you can have one of the best ROIs.
Whether you are looking to develop a simple board game or a complex board game, different types of board games require a board game design kit that keeps up with personalized demands and preferences. Designing a board game is not an overnight task and hence requires a lot of research, brainstorming sessions, and planning. The main objective of board game designers must be to bring forth creative and innovative game concepts to life.
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Different types of board games are available out there in the market but only a few of them are ruling the industry. Do you know why? Is it because of their out-of-the-box game board design and concept? Board game design is a mixture of all the elements that decide the visual representation of the best board game apps. Game board designs include characters, backgrounds, animation, objects, and other visual elements that attract and retain the interest of gamers.
Designing a board game can be done easily if you take care of key elements. These elements include Game Mechanics and Rules Development, Visual Design: Art, Illustration, and Graphics, Component Design and Production, and Prototyping and Playtesting. Here is a detailed description of each of the elements that impact the overall game board designs.
The theme of the game defines how it is understood or analyzed by the player. The aesthetics of the game, art, illustration, and graphics, play a major role in defining the depth of the game and whether it will resonate with the players or not.
Board game mechanics is the set of rules and interactions, basically the inner operations of the board games. Since there are a lot of board game genres available like ludo, bingo, carrom, chess, monopoly, scrabble, etc., the mechanics of it depends on the type of game you want to design or develop.
This is the most significant pillar which defines the core concepts of the game board designs, including the technology, and physicality of the board games. It basically includes all the tech stack, tools, visual elements, and props which are integrated together to align all the elements and concepts of an all-inclusive game board design.
The last key element of Board game design, prototyping and playtesting involves quality checks of the game, and beta testing among a few players before rolling it out in the market.
From ideation and initial concept to deployment, digital board game design goes through a number of steps before it becomes live on different platforms. Let’s discuss that in detail.
The discussion on the project of designing a game board in detail is the initial step. We aim to analyze their pain points and specifications to design customized board games. Based on our discussion with the client, we aim to research the same to find out the potential opportunities, and difficulties to avoid them during our entire process. We also do competitor and SWOT analysis to design a board game that is quite appealing, unique, and interactive. Apart from this, we also understand the behavior pattern of the target audience regarding the viral board game and online gameplay.
Since there are different types of board games available out there that users can play anytime and anywhere they want, it becomes important for our board game developers to be very specific about the layout of the game, and create a prototype accordingly. It should be unique, interactive, and engaging for players across the globe. We ensure to design board games with a set of rules and guidelines within the layout to let people understand the gameplay.
Testing and refinement include going through all the processes and finding out bugs and loopholes in the programming codes. Through these tests, the game’s vulnerabilities get picked out and erased.
Once you are done with establishing a layout, creating the game prototype, iterative testing, and refinement, you can get on to manufacturing preparation or deployment in simple terms. A good game design must be implemented well to avoid any kind of loopholes, or errors. It must fulfill all the operational and technical aspects like board game app design software, concept, gameplay, and so on.
Here is the list of different board game genres that you must consider while designing a board game that captures your target audience.
Story-based games basically include a solid story with defined characters and roles. In simple words, players of such games are driven by a specific storyline that they need to follow or acquire to proceed further with the gameplay. As a board game app designer, you must understand the seriousness of the storyline of your game to make it unique and interactive for the players.
If you are not fascinated by the concept of role-playing games, you can try your luck with educational games that promote gamified content imparting knowledge to people in an interesting way. While designing a board game, you can keep an educational aspect as the main theme to target students, learners, and even teachers.
P2E games are among the most viral board games these days as people are excited to take part in such games to earn huge rewards, points, and cash out of the gameplay. Best board game apps in 2023 like Ludo King, Carrom Clash, Bingo Blitz, and Snakes & Ladders are played by people in massive numbers to make a fortune. You can also design your own board games like these to get impressive support and results.
Fantasy-theme-based games are liked by people of all ages and genders. If you want to develop a simple board game, you must understand the type of target audience they want to target and accordingly design a board game according to their preferences. For instance, if your target audience is kids, then you must include a cartoon-based backdrop to entice the audience.
Professional games target leading veterans, including corporates, entrepreneurs, etc. With the Integration of top-notch features, graphics, and visual elements, we ensure to create professional games that are immersive and engaging in nature.
The cost of developing a game depends on several factors. It fluctuates from country to country, agency to agency, and the complexity of the game. Listed below are the factors that affect the design cost.
The game’s intricate gameplay, mechanics, and size define its complexity. The more complex the game, the more programming codes are required, eventually affecting the cost. Complexity includes the size of the app and different modes of play
Game components are the assets of the game that users interact with. For example, carrom coins, ludo coins, chess pieces, types of boards, all these things among others come under game components. Now, the more aesthetically pleasing components will be the more gamer retention will be seen.
If you wish to design the app around something interesting and unique, like adding themes of popular culture. This will require an additional budget and the cost will go up.
So the overall cost of developing a simple Board game can be around 10,000 dollars. However, depending upon your customization it can shoot up to 40,000 dollars.
As an award-winning board game development company, BR Softech has a great team of professional game board designers who work round the clock to deliver creative, innovative, and unmatched designs that are hard to find. If you want to develop a board game app that entices a lot of people across the globe, contact our experts to get tailored or personalized game board designs that not only match your business requirements but also deliver your user’s exceptional gameplay experience. Choose us to get:
Board game designers play a major role in designing a board game. It is undeniable that this task is not everyone’s cup of tea and hence requires expertise or knowledge of the same field. BR Softech is the best game development company that can cater to the needs and requirements of your project in the most professional way.
Ans. Storyline, Mechanics, Aesthetics, Technology, and Goals are the 5 elements of game design.
Ans. A good game app design is simple, logical, and consistent. It must have an appealing factor that makes it creative and enticing enough to sustain the interest of the users.
Ans. In order to hire a game board designer, make sure to check the reputation, portfolio, client testimonials, and experience of the company.
Ans. The development costs of a board game vary widely depending on the complexity of the game. Basic services may start at a few thousand dollars, while comprehensive packages can cost significantly more up to 40,000 dollars.
Augmented reality and artificial reality are the latest trends in 2024. Users also enjoy diverse themes and characters, and an emphasis on replayability and modular expansions. Staying updated with trends can help your game appeal to a wider audience.
