Category: Publishing

General publishing topics.

Reasons to NOT Enter the Board Game Industry

This time we try to ground everyone with a discussion of some reasons you might not want to enter the board game industry:

  • You will lose money.
  • You will lose time, effort, and opportunities.
  • Other people will be critical of your work, not publish, or not buy it.
  • The work is not all fun.
  • Your game is not special.
  • Kickstarter campaigns and fulfillment are stressful.
  • You’ll be away from home and have to spend money on travel.

Podcast/Audio Version: http://traffic.libsyn.com/theforbiddenlimb/BGBP048.mp3

How to Reach Your Core Audience at a Convention

Today we discuss how to reach your core audience at a convention. We specifically hit on these points:

  • Luring on the First Day
    • Promo Packs/Where to Sell Them
    • Coupon Books
  • To Do Lists
  • Banners/Advertisements
  • Other Ideas
  • Email Lists
  • Playtesting Upcoming Kickstarter Games
  • When to Send Con Updates
  • Kickstarter Campaigns during Cons

 

Audio/Podcast Version: http://traffic.libsyn.com/theforbiddenlimb/BGBP047.mp3

 

How to Exhibit at a Major Con

This time we discuss about these topics around exhibiting at a major board game conventions:

  • When to pull the trigger?
    • Playtest Hall
    • Volunteer at another Booth
  • Booth shape and layout
  • Selling at a Con without a Booth
  • Copies Sold
  • Number of Volunteers Required
  • Banners and Signage
  • GenCon Pickup

Audio/Podcast Version: http://traffic.libsyn.com/theforbiddenlimb/BGBP046.mp3

 

 

 

Running Your Board Game Kickstarter at Gen Con 2016

Tips for running your Kickstarter campaign in this condensed version of a Gen Con 2016 panel!

Panelists: JT Smith, Zachary Strebeck, Jeremy Commandeur, and Brian Henk

We discuss:

– #1 Mistakes
– Kickstarter as a Business
– Stretch Goals
– Crowd Building
– Page Layout
– Reward Levels
– Naming Something vs. Image in Game
– Rules on Page
– Setting Goals

Audio/Podcast: http://traffic.libsyn.com/theforbiddenlimb/BGBP045.mp3

Resources

Game Design and Publishing Panel at Gen Con 2016

At Gen Con 2016, we were on a panel to talk about lots of publishing topics. These were the folks on the panel:

  • JT Smith of The Game Crafter
  • Zachary Strebeck, the Game Lawyer
  • Jeremy Commandeur, Game Designer
  • Brian Henk of Overworld Games
  • things like:

Here are some topics we discussed:

  • Forming your business
  • Game manufacturing options (US, Europe, China, etc.)
  • Different ways to sell your game
  • Traditional and alternative distribution models
  • Game awards and contests
  • What should you do yourself? What should you pay others to do?
  • Game publishing contract royalties

Audio/Podcast: http://traffic.libsyn.com/theforbiddenlimb/BGBP044.mp3

References

Mailbag Episode #1

This is our first mailbag episode where we dig into these questions:

  • When do you give up on a game?
  • How do you recover from mistakes and setbacks?
  • How do you distinguish yourself from other games?

Audio Version: http://traffic.libsyn.com/theforbiddenlimb/BGBP043.mp3

How to Use Print-and-Plays

How should you use print-and-plays as a designer, publisher, or indie creator? We discuss some options!

  • Advantages
  •  Early Feedback
  • Kickstarter
  • Limited or Full Version?
  • What do players use them for?
  • Shopping Ahead
  • Evaluating Gameplay
  • Evaluating Art
  • Why a P&P isn’t giving the game away.
  • Translations
  • Other components
  • PnPs at Cons

Audio/Podcast Version: http://traffic.libsyn.com/theforbiddenlimb/BGBP042.mp3

Production Schedules

In this episode, we discuss the life of a game, particularly with a crowd-funded game. We go through the schedule from start to finish and a high-level of everything in between! Specifically, we hit on these points:

  • Make sure design is finished
  • The major steps include:
    •     Art
    •     Manufacturing and Proofing
    •     Kickstarter Prep
    •     Review Copies
    •     Informing Retailers
    •     Shipping and Fulfillment
  • Art takes longer than expected
  • Break down EVERY task and element
  • The order of the tasks matters
  • Run aspects by outside eyes
  • Where can we find an in-depth description of the process?
  • What task management tools are available?
  • What is the overall timeline?

Audio/Podcast Version: http://traffic.libsyn.com/theforbiddenlimb/BGBP040.mp3

How to Get Into Distribution

Do you have a game that you want to get into the magical land of “distribution”? We talk about how to make that happen! Some topics we discuss are:

  • What is distribution?
  • What is the structure of the market?
  • Why go through distribution?
  • What profits can one expect?
  • Why do retailers like distribution?
  • How does one get picked up by a distributor?
  • Big consolidators and distributors
  • Minimum print sizes

Audio: http://traffic.libsyn.com/theforbiddenlimb/BGBP038.mp3

 

San Jose Protospiel Panel on Game Design, Development, and Publishing

The San Jose Protospiel had over 75 designers and 450 players in its second year, making it the largest protospiel to date. Grant Rodiek from Hyperbole Games hosted a panel there on board game design, development, and publishing. The panel members are:

  • Jeremy Commandeur – Designer, Organizer of Protospiel San Jose
  • Teale Fristoe – Designer, Publisher at Nothing Sacred Games
  • Peter Vaughan – Designer, Publisher, and Development Director for Breaking Games
  • Aldo Ghiozzi – Game Consolidator with Impressions
  • Brian Henk – Designer, Publisher at Overworld Games
  • Grant Rodiek – Designer, Publisher with Hyperbole Games

Thanks to Jordan Nichols from Your Game Night (http://www.yourgamenight.com/) for recording the audio in the very loud convention hall.

Audio: http://traffic.libsyn.com/theforbiddenlimb/first.mp3