Advice in board games that sounds smart until you add context

The good debates are about how much luck a design should absorb, when simulation helps versus distracts, and whether elegance means fewer rules or clearer consequences. Those conversations are useful when they are grounded in what players feel around the table, not just the designer's intention. The advice that ages badly is the version that sounds clean only because it strips away the constraints people are actually working under.

Context that changes the answer:
- how much luck improves or undermines the design
- whether elegance means fewer rules or clearer consequences
- when a digital prototype helps more than another physical iteration

Background reading before you take a strong stance:
- boardgame.io: boardgame.io/
A smart reference when readers want to formalize turn structure and game state clearly.
- Tabletop Simulator custom deck guide: kb.tabletopsimulator.com/custom-content/custo...
Practical documentation for moving prototype cards and components into a usable test table.
- boardgame.io documentation: boardgame.io/documentation/
Worth saving once a designer wants to model phases, moves, and turn order explicitly.
- Watch It Played video archive: youtube.com/@WatchItPlayed/videos
A durable library for seeing how rules explanations land when clarity actually matters.