Building Blocks of Tabletop Game Design
Product details
- ISBN 9781032985114
- Dimensions: 178 x 254mm
- Publication Date: 15 Jul 2026
- Publisher: Taylor & Francis Ltd
- Publication City/Country: GB
- Product Form: Hardback
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Building Blocks of Tabletop Game Design: An Encyclopedia of Mechanisms, Third Edition compiles hundreds of game mechanisms, organized by category. The book can be read cover-to-cover and used as a reference to solve a specific design problem or for inspiration and research on new designs. This third edition collects even more mechanisms, expands on and updates existing entries, and includes color images. Building Blocks is a great starting point for new designers, a handy guidebook for the experienced, and an ideal classroom reference.
Each Game Mechanisms Entry Contains:
- The definition of the mechanism
- An explanatory diagram of the mechanism
- Discussion of how the mechanism is used in successful games
- Considerations for implementing the mechanism in new designs
Geoffrey Engelstein is a game designer and educator. His designs include Circle of Conflict, the Space Cadets series, The Expanse, and Super Skill Pinball. He has published several books on game design, including GameTek: The Math and Science of Gaming, Achievement Relocked and Game Production. He is on the faculty of the NYU Game Center as an adjunct professor for Board Game Design and has been invited to speak about game design at PAX, GenCon, Metatopia, and the Game Developers Conference, and is a co-founder of the Tabletop Game Designers Association. Isaac Shalev is the designer of board games including Tír na nÓg, Seikatsu, Ravenous River, Show & Tile, and more. He is also the host of We Got Played, a tabletop game design podcast, and a part owner of the boardgames studio Play To Z Games. Isaac runs Sage70, Inc., a data strategy and games-based learning consultancy that serves nonprofit organizations. Isaac lives in Cary, NC with his wife, three children, and a dog.
