Write down your ideas. Keeping a log in a sketch book or on a computer can really help get good ideas flowing. Use this log to write out every idea you have about your game as you begin designing it. This will help you quickly separate good ideas from weak ideas. There are two basic approaches to starting your design: Themes and Mechanics. These two concepts are the foundation of all board games.[1] Themes are the “feel” of the game, and can also be referred to as the “genre”. Games like Sorry! have a simple theme of beating your opponent around the board, while complex wargames have the theme of large conflicts and player strategy. Mechanics are the fundamental ways the players interact with the game. In Monopoly, the mechanics are centered around dice-rolling, buying and selling property, and making money. In Axis & Allies, the mechanics deal mainly in moving pieces across a large, interconnected board, while using dice to resolve conflicts between players. There is no right or wrong way to start designing your game. Some people come up with a mechanic, and then create a theme around it, while others come up with a great theme and then tailor the mechanics to match that theme.