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

Hosting a Convention

Join us for a discussion on the tools you need to host your own game design convention, such as:

Start small
- Monthly meet-ups
- Prototype night
Location
- Mom & Pop Restaurant
- Game Store
Getting Published Designers
Travel and Experience
Supporting and Nurturing Designers
Getting Playtesters
Publishers at Conventions
First-time Designers at Conventions
Untested Games at Conventions

Audio Version: http://traffic.libsyn.com/theforbiddenlimb/BGBP041.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

Balancing Your Game

We sprinkle in these game balancing topics, among others, into our discussion:

Easy to Balance Games
Hard to Balance Games
How many playtests?
How to Make Adjustments
Cutting to Balance
Balancing and Adding
Types of Players
Length of Game
Keeping Scores Close

Audio Version: http://traffic.libsyn.com/theforbiddenlimb/BGBP039.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

Top 10 Mistakes New Designers Make (Designer Perspective)

We continue with our top 10 mistakes new designers make with a list from the designer perspective, led by Jeremy Commandeur. Learn what you can avoid and tell us if we missed any big ones in the comments!

Audio/Podcast: http://traffic.libsyn.com/theforbiddenlimb/BGBP037.mp3

Top 10 Mistakes New Designers Make (Publisher Perspective)

Brian makes a list of the top 10 mistakes new designers make from the perspective of a publisher and we all debate about it. This covers things like the design decisions that will make a game harder to sell. Jeremy will share his list from a designer perspective in the next episode!

Audio/Podcast: http://traffic.libsyn.com/theforbiddenlimb/BGBP036.mp3