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Inventing a board game
Board: Games People Play
Jan 1, 2018 12:05pm
Thread (disabled) Board
Has anyone actually invented one and tried to get it produced?

Can I ask, how?

Who would you recommend to help design the board and cards?

Who or what to avoid?

Did it work it out for you?

Anything would be really helpful.

Thanks!

csk
Re: Inventing a board game
Board: Games People Play
Reply to: #955043 by Captain Slick Kitty
Jan 1, 2018 12:57pm
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CSK- please send me a message if you aren't able to find some help here. I can grill a friend of mine for some answers :)
Re: Inventing a board game
Board: Games People Play
Reply to: #955043 by Captain Slick Kitty
Jan 1, 2018 3:17pm
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Has anyone actually invented one and tried to get it produced?

I haven't actually invented one, though I do have an idea I need to develop. The owners of Tasty Minstrel Games (TMG) and Mayday Games play in our game group, Northern Utah Gamers Guild so I've played a few prototypes. If you were in northern Utah I'd invite you to come. (Anyone in the area is welcome to come as well.)

There is actually a game designers group in Salt Lake City. I haven't been to that, but if you're near a large city there is probably such a group near you. Use Board Game Geek to find your local board game group and they will probably know where to get in contact with such a group.

Let me give you the advice from the sessions from SaltCon 2017 on getting your board game sold from the (I kept notes): Play test the game. First get it playable personally. Then play with a group so that you can work out the kinks with other people. Before it is ready to be published it must be played at least 5 times without your help, though you can silently observe. Don't be afraid to put it aside for a while. Most board game designers have several ideas in the works at the same time. Keep notes.

This came up in multiple sessions from multiple designers: If someone tells you that something is wrong, they're almost always right. When they tell you how to fix it, they're almost always wrong.

When you get it ready to publish, don't worry about art work because the publisher will most likely redo the art work anyway. You can publish through Kickstarter, but the three board game companies presenting said that after that they are unlikely to pick it up. It is an issue of having the demand already served, but it can happen.

And when you sell your board game to them you get a percentage of the sales. The figures they gave for averages were: Mayday Games: 5% of wholesale which is about 40% of MSRP = 2% of MSRP. TMG averages 6% of their cost which is about 2.4% of MSRP. It doesn't seem like much but you don't have to worry about manufacturing, marketing, distributing and dealing with replacement parts.

And different game companies have different genres or audiences. Mayday and TMG had some games that they had reviewed that weren't right for their company that they referred the other company.

Good luck.
Re: Inventing a board game
Board: Games People Play
Reply to: #955056 by Oberon_Kenobi
Jan 1, 2018 4:50pm
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Wow, thanks for the information.

So you recommend selling the game and not producing it myself?

I have been sitting on this game way too long so I have considered hiring professional testers to get some neutral/professional feed back.

csk
Re: Inventing a board game
Board: Games People Play
Reply to: #955059 by Captain Slick Kitty
Jan 1, 2018 5:27pm
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Wow, thanks for the information.

Like I said, this was from sessions on this topic at a board game convention.

So you recommend selling the game and not producing it myself?

That's what they recommended, but they are in the business of selling games so from their perspective it will be better to go through them. I'm not even close with my own idea so I haven't really evaluated the end of the route at this point. You would have to evaluate your own situation.

A lot of people have successfully gone through Kickstarter. I've even bought one (that should be arriving soon), a deluxe edition of a previously produced game by a professional game company. Another I've bought through KS is a neat idea for a game. Two others that were on Kickstarter are from one of the local game companies I mentioned so I'll pick them up at the local game night (because he has extras) so that I don't have to pay shipping.

Weigh your options.

I have been sitting on this game way too long so I have considered hiring professional testers to get some neutral/professional feed back.

This may be an educational game; something I'm not familiar with except playing Krypto. However, someone over at Board Game Geek will know more about that than I.

Your location is "Planet Earth" so I don't know what major cities are near you. You should be able to find a local game club. Check Board Game Geek for players near you (called guilds). Even a small group will be very helpful in play testing. At least a group in larger city will have a large group.

All of Utah has a population of 3.1 million people, most from Ogden (where I'm near) to Provo (less than 100 miles south of me). Board Game Geek lists 18 in Utah. Find one in your state, or found one in your state. Game stores will often sponsor game nights or at least know how to contact local groups.

I can't emphasize enough how important it is to play test. I don't even know how to contact professional play testers. And Board Game Geek has forums too. The people over there would be even more helpful than I have been. Nevertheless, I'm still willing to discuss anything else you would like to discuss here.

Regardless, please let us know how it comes out.
Re: Inventing a board game
Board: Games People Play
Reply to: #955043 by Captain Slick Kitty
Mar 12, 2019 10:46pm
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My husband has designed a board game that hits Kickstarter in two weeks. The game is Gartenbau and listed on www.boardgamegeek.com & Facebook www.facebook.com/gartenbaugame/?epa=SEARCH_BOX
You can shoot him a pm on either site. His name is Alex - tell him North Star on Atlas Quest sent you ;)
Re: Inventing a board game
Board: Games People Play
Reply to: #972639 by Petunia
Mar 13, 2019 5:08am
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Yep, I’d try Kickstarter.

https://www.kickstarter.com/discover/categories/games/tabletop%20games

Maybe contact one of those guys for advice.
Re: Inventing a board game
Board: Games People Play
Reply to: #972639 by Petunia
Mar 13, 2019 6:18am
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Please let us know when it launches.
Re: Inventing a board game
Board: Games People Play
Reply to: #972644 by Oberon_Kenobi
Mar 13, 2019 7:53am
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March 26!

Back story: A year ago, my husband was working on a game idea (worker placement/delivery) & plateaued. Frustrated, he decided to take a break from that game & work on a different game idea. He teamed up with local gamer & designer David from Fisher Heaton Games (Intelle) and Gartenbau began to take shape. It's an abstract strategy, tile laying tableau builder. Our son - age 10 - plays it, though I believe Gartenbau will be marketed ages 12 & up.

It's not an engine-builder like Century Spice Road or Splendor but that 'weight of game play' Check it out on FB &/or Kickerstater on 3.26.19 and thank you for your interest!
Re: Inventing a board game
Board: Games People Play
Reply to: #972647 by Petunia
Mar 13, 2019 1:40pm
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Back story: A year ago, my husband was working on a game idea (worker placement/delivery) & plateaued. Frustrated, he decided to take a break from that game & work on a different game idea. He teamed up with local gamer & designer David from Fisher Heaton Games (Intelle) and Gartenbau began to take shape.

Hoooooly small world, Batman. David and I were pretty close friends years ago, when we both lived in NJ. In fact, earlier in this thread, I replied to CSK telling her that if she couldn't find any good advice on AQ that I would ask a friend for her. The friend I was referring to was David. :O !!!

Will you please tell him "Kitty from Qball" says hi? I could message him, but that would take the fun out of it ;) Congrats and good luck with the game!
Re: Inventing a board game
Board: Games People Play
Reply to: #955043 by Captain Slick Kitty
Mar 13, 2019 2:44pm
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A good friend of mine did this. I will private message you her information. She could probably answer your questions. Tell her "Rosemary" recommended her (not "Rosmarinus"-) she doesn't know about letterboxing!
Re: Inventing a board game
Board: Games People Play
Reply to: #972657 by kudichan
Mar 13, 2019 7:40pm
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I could message him, but that would take the fun out of it ;) Congrats and good luck with the game!

LOVE THIS! Pm'ing you shortly.
Re: Inventing a board game
Board: Games People Play
Reply to: #972647 by Petunia
Mar 15, 2019 9:42am
Thread (disabled) Board
There is a new podcast for board game design. It is called Cardboard Addiction.