On Sat Aug 29 00:06:41 UTC 2009 added (1) Game Design Workshop: Designing, Prototyping, and Playtesting Games second edition · (2) Theory of Fun for Game Design · (3) The Art of Game Design: A Book of Lenses · (4) Paid to Play: The Business of Game Design.

Game Rules

• Slope, Nicholas The Book of Mediaeval Wargames (1984) Includes nicely illustrated jousting green complete with grandstand and stand up figures for four different wargames in a medieval setting. Fifty-five pages detail history of the medieval knights while the remaining eight comprise rules for four games: Joust, Tourney, Mêlée and Battle.
• Wells, H.G.,
  • Floor Games The popular author of The Time Machine was also the virtual inventor of the wargame. Contents: (1) The Toys to Have; (2) The Game of the Wonderful Islands; (3) Of the Building of Cities; (4) Funiculars, Marble Towers, Castles and War Games, But Very Little of War Games. Read on-line
  • Little Wars (1977) The popular author of The Time Machine was also the virtual inventor of the wargame.

• Featherstone, Donald, Advanced War Games (1969)
• McGowen, Tom, War Gaming (First Books) (1985)
• Perla, Peter P., The Art of Wargaming: A Guide for Professionals and Hobbyists (1990)
• Pritchard, David (editor), The Games & Puzzles Book of Modern Board Games (1975).
  Each chapter by a game expert describes and analyzes a different game: Alan Calhamer on his game Diplomacy; Terry Donnelly on his game Decline and Fall of the Roman Empire; Darryl Francis on Scrabble; John Humphries on Confrontation, Escape from Colditz, Tri-Tactics; Josie Matthews on Speculate; David Parlett on Cluedo, Monopoly, Sigma File; David Wells on Mastermind, Ploy, Twixt.

• United States Naval Institute, Naval Institute Proceedings, volume 38
  Discusses use of board game simulations by the Kaiser's high command in the nineteenth century. Read on-line

• Dunnigan, James F. (prolific wargame designer),
  • The Complete Wargames Handbook: How to Play, Design, and Find Them (1992)
  • online version
  • The Complete Wargames Handbook: How to Play, Design, and Find Them (2001)
• Fullerton, Tracy, Christopher Swain, Steven Hoffman Game Design Workshop: Designing, Prototyping, and Playtesting Games (2004) An examination of the fundamental elements of game design that puts you to work prototyping, playtesting, and re-designing your own games with exercises that teach essential skills. The authors are primarily known for their work in computer games.

  A second edition on Kindle has now appeared.

• Jackson, Steve, Game Design: Theory & Practice Published by Steve Jackson Games, originally in the pages of The Space Gamer.
• Koster, Raph, Theory of Fun for Game Design (2004) Primarily computer game oriented, but with carryover to board games as well. Some of the useful questions treated include: why some games are fun and others are boring; why making a game too hard, or too easy, is a mistak ; why games muse balance deprivation and overload, order and chaos, silence and noise; the difference between designing content and creating an experience; why both adults and children like to play games; how playing a game and learning are connected; the ethics of entertainment.
• Meyers, Keith, Paid to Play: The Business of Game Design (2008)
  In ten chapters and eighty-nine pages, discusses game design and marketing, citing one of his own developed games in the process.
• Peek, Steve, The Game Inventor's Handbook
  Steve Peek has designed several games including Seven Days Battle (Battleline, 1973 American Civil War); Shenandoah (Battleline, 1975 American Civil War (with Craig Taylor); Submarine (Battleline, 1976 WW2); Alpha Omega (Battleline, 1977 Science Fiction); Fury in the West (Battleline, 1977 American Civil War); Submarine ([2nd], 1977); Alpha Omega ([2nd] Avalon Hill, 1979); Starfall (Yaquinto, 1979 Science Fiction); Time War (Yaquinto, 1979 Science Fiction); Mythology (Yaquinto, 1980 Fantasy); Shooting Stars (Yaquinto, 1980 Science Fiction); Battles & Leaders (Yaquinto, 1981 American Civil War); Fury in the West ([2nd] Avalon Hill, 1981). Chapter titles include: "History of Games", "Inventing Games", "Selling a Game to a Publisher", "Selling Your Idea", "Self-Publishing", "Marketing", "Getting Exposure", "Selling Game Markets".
• Schell, Jesse, The Art of Game Design: A Book of Lenses (2008) By a professor of game design at Carnegie Mellon University, is an in-depth discussion of the relationship between designer, player and game. A unique feature are the 100 special tips, called lenses, which are summarized on a set of cards for easy reference. Topics addessed are psychology, storytelling, engineering, business, and management. Particularly interesting essays discuss the aesthetics of the Rubik's cube and the learning curve of a jigsaw puzzle.
• Tinsman, Brian, The Game Inventor's Guidebook (2003) Authored by the head of acquisitions at Wizards of the Coast, makers of Magic: the Gathering. Apparently it contains interviews with industry luminaries such as Mike Gray (Hasbro Europe), Brian Hersch, and Mark Osterhaus interspersed with useful design tips for role-playing games, collectible card game, miniatures and board games. He has also co-authored The Complete Encyclopedia of Magic: The Gathering and Magic: The Gathering – Official Encyclopedia, Volume 6: The Complete Card Guide.

• Consumer Reports, The Complete Book of Wargames (1980)
• Matthews, Jack, Toys Go to War: World War II Military Toys, Games, Puzzles, & Books (1995)
• Palmer, Nicholas,
  • Best of Board Wargaming (1981)
  • The Comprehensive Guide to Board Wargaming (1979)