Tag: protospiel

Gen Con Designer Events and Metatopia with Double Exposure’s Vincent Salzillo

Brian had the pleasure of interviewing Vincent Salzillo, President of Double Exposure, Inc. His company organizes Gen Con events such as First Exposure Playtest Hall and the new First Encounter Designer Showcase (publisher speed dating) events. They also organize conventions such as DEXCON, DREAMATION, and METATOPIA. Plus they run the Envoy programs. It’s a lot! This is what we cover in 30 minutes:

  • METATOPIA – A convention for game designers.
  • First Exposure Playtest Hall – A Gen Con event for playtesting your game.
  • First Encounter Designer Showcase – A Gen Con event where you pitch your game to publishers, in a format similar to “publisher speed dating”.

Resources

 

 

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

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

 

Pitching to a Publisher at a Convention

What’s the best way to get noticed by a publisher at a convention? What annoys them? What excites them? We talk about our experience and lessons learned as we cover these topics:
– Making Appointments
– Sell Sheets
– Elevator Pitch
– Finding a Publisher that Fits Your Game
– Publisher Speed Dating
– Ludography
– Demos
– Follow-ups After a Pitch

Audio/Podcast version: http://traffic.libsyn.com/theforbiddenlimb/FLP027.mp3

Protospiel San Jose – Part 2

Get some more insights from the organizer of the San Jose Protospiel, Jeremy Commandeur, on what went well and what he will improve at the next Protospiel he ran, such as:
– the game design contest
– pitching your game
– food for the Protospiel
– ideas for improvement
– how to start your own Protospiel
– networking opportunities

Resources:
– Main Protospiel Website
– Protospield San Jose

Audio/Podcast: http://traffic.libsyn.com/theforbiddenlimb/FLP021.mp3

Resources

Protospiel website: http://www.protospiel.org/

Unpub website: http://unpub.net/

 

Protospiel San Jose – Part 1

Jeremy Commandeur ran the San Jose Protospiel event and we discuss the behind-the-scenes of what when well and what could be improved. Here are some of the topics we cover in this episode:
– Game Design Contest
– Practicing pitching
– Budgetting for food
– Starting your own Protospiel
– Leveling up your game

Resources:

Tabletop Game Publishing and Design Panel – 2015 San Jose Protospiel

This panel was from the 2015 San Jose Protospiel and covered design and publishing of tabletop games. It was hosted by Grant Rodiek and also had Teale Fristoe, Chris Castagnetto, Jeremy Commandeur, and Brian Henk.

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