Amazingly enough there are books on this subject!:-) (Well historic board
games anyway-not Heortling ones). I well remember reading and enjoying a
book on making board games that I got out of the public library. Of course
that was over 25 years ago and I can't remember for the life of me what it
was called. An author named R. C. Bell (Robert Charles) seems to be or have
been some sort of expert on the subject. Winnipeg Public has two of his
books, Board and Table Games from Many Civilizations, and Games to Play.
Both books are so old that a library's about the only place you'd find them
however. There's also the Oxford Book of Board Games which is only 2 years
old so may be easier to find. Check out your public library for these or
related titles.
This has been a paid for public announcement for libraries, use 'em or lose
'em!
Oliver