Board Game Business Podcast

  Today we go through a quick overview of each iteration of our design process from a tool perspective. We discuss which of these tools work well and which ones we've used in the past. We also cover some of the software we use to stay connected to our designer partners. See the list below of everything we mention!   Resources Multideck (Mac) - $25 http://multideck.blogspot.com Paperize (Web) - Closed Betahttp://paperize.io How to use Concatenatehttp://www.gcflearnfree.org/excelformulas/using-concatenate-to-combine-names/1/ Automator (Mac) - Freehttp://www.macosxautomation.com/automator/ Pixelmator (Mac, iOS) - $30http://www.pixelmator.com/mac/ Noun Project (Web) - $1 icons or $10 monthhttp://www.macosxautomation.com/automator/ Affinity Designer - $50https://affinity.serif.com/en-us/ Pages (Mac, iOS) - $20 Numbers (Mac, iOS) - $20 Keynote (Mac, iOS) - $20 Comic Life (Mac, iOS, Windows)- $30http://plasq.com/apps/comiclife/macwin/ The Game Crafter (Web) - $1 - $100 https://www.thegamecrafter.com

We discuss licensed games and the specific challenges associated with making a game from them. If you are granted the rights to make a card game based in the Star Wars universe, how do you make a game around it? Or should you make the game first and try to acquire the license later? Here are some questions we answer: Should I design a game for a license? How much does it cost to get an intellectual property? Do you pay up-front or are there royalties or both? What does the schedule/deadlines look like? What impact does this have on your cash flow? How do you learn enough about the chosen universe? What kind of help can you expect from the licensor? Can you add to the universe? Are there any conventions that you should go to related to licensing?  

How do you find the right artist for the style of game you're making? Commence discussion! Topics: Finding artists to fit your target market. Identifying market segments. Examples of illustrations or graphic design not fitting the game. Selecting images for the Star Trek Trading Card Game. What should I look for when requesting quotes? What kind of budget should I expect?  

  Some predictions for what will happen in the board game industry in 2017. Legacy Games Quality Kickstarter Exodus Otherwise, Kickstarter Growth Continues Will Quality Go Up or Down? Company Mergers Component Diversification “Meeples with a Twist” Chipboard Constructs Display Games Unexpected Components Storytelling Games Deluxe Editions Game Exchange System Local Game Stores Evolve Increase in Import Games

Here are Jeremy and Brian's top 10 ways to build your network within the board game industry:   Jeremy J10 – Participate in contests. J9 – Be easy to find on social media. J8 – Place encouragement above criticism. J7 – Do your homework to avoid wasting publishers’ time. J6 – Observe Publisher Speed Date. J5 – Go to Protospiel and Unpub events. J4 – Attend cons where industry experts have time to talk. J3 – Don’t view community as a vending machine. J2 – Offer service or resource to the community. J1 – Play other designer games.   Brian B10 – Volunteer at con booths. B9 – Run local events. B8 – Playtest other people’s games. B7 – Comment on blogs and YouTube videos. B6 – Create content. B5 – Be active on social media. B4 – Go to bigger cons to meet elites. B3 – Go to smaller cons for local community. B2 – Find your local game nights. B1 – Help others in the industry.

This episode, we ground everyone with a discussion of reasons why 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. Video Version: https://youtu.be/th7azVwzEcA

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 Video Version: https://youtu.be/wy2_rHFReJY

This is the first episode we did after Brian moved to the Los Angeles area. We talk about tips for exhibiting at a major con. Here are some topics: - When to pull the trigger?    o Playtest Hall    o Volunteer at another Booth - Booth shape and layout - Selling at a Con without a Booth - Copies Sold - Number of Volunteers Required - Banners and Signage - Gen Con Pickup

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 Resources: The Game Crafter - thegamecrafter.com Game Crafter Podcast - thegamecrafter.libsyn.com Game Lawyer Blog - gamelawyerblog.com Legal Moves Podcast - legalmovespodcast.com Overworld Games - overworldgames.com Protospiel San Jose - boardgamebuilders.com      

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   References Cardboard Edison Game Design Contract Terms - cardboardedison.tumblr.com/tagged/contract-terms Panda Game Manufacturing - pandagm.com AdMagic - admagic.com Delano - delanoservice.com  

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? Video Version: https://youtu.be/ssIhzMMnQ4Y

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 - P&Ps at Cons Video Version: https://youtu.be/0x0Jz9YVoug

Join us for a discussion on the tools you need to host your own game design convention, such as: - Start small    o Monthly meet-ups    o Prototype night - Location    o Mom & Pop Restaurant    o 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   Video Version: https://youtu.be/-ax6bUpVlv0  

Video Version: https://youtu.be/TrAmYLu8TTQ - Make sure design is finished - The major steps include:     o Art     o Manufacturing and Proofing     o Kickstarter Prep     o Review Copies     o Informing Retailers     o 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?  

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 Video Version: https://youtu.be/NudmOYeT4-k

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 Video Version: https://youtu.be/bpQyJndfdyk

Grant Rodiek from Hyperbole Games hosts a panel at Protospiel San Jose on board game design, development, and publishing. The panel members are: Jeremy Commandeur - Designer, Organizer of Protospiel San Jose Brian Henk - Designer, Publisher at Overworld Games Teale Fristoe - Designer, Publisher at Nothing Sacred Games Peter Vaughan - Designer, Publisher, and Development Director for Breaking Games Aldo Ghiozzi - Game Consolidator with Impressions Grant Rodiek - Designer, Publisher with Hyperbole Games Thanks to Jordan Nichols from Your Game Night (http://www.yourgamenight.com/) for recording the audio!    

We continue with our top 10 mistakes new designers make with a list from the designer perspective, led by Jeremy Commandeur.  

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!

We discuss these chipboard-related topics: - Why use chipboard? o Feel o Durability - Why wouldn’t you want to? o Cost o Wear o Weight - 3D chipboard constructions - Cost analysis - Sizes and custom shapes - Standard sheets/thickness/layers - Finishes and coating - Unpub/Protospiel San Jose   Video Version: https://youtu.be/LyfAAS2aYZA