Battlestar Galactica Board Game Box

Normally I stick with role-playing games on this blog, but I have to come out of the closet; I play board games too. With that in mind Haaldaar picked up a copy of the “Battlestar Galactica Board Game” from Fantasy Flight Games and rounded up 6 players for a full game last Saturday. I hesitate to call this a review. A session report is more accurate, but liberally scattered throughout are my thoughts about the game.

Fantasy Flight is noted for their high production values and BSG is no exception. Every component is well made and durable. The link above has a complete parts lists, but basically the box contains multiple card decks, some miniatures for combat and the game board. Right out of the gate, this thing looked complicated. Haaldaar had the foresight to have several of us read the manual before game day. While not psychotically complicated, the game requires study. Here is a shot of the game board a couple of turns in to the game.

Battlestar Galactica Board Game During Play

The point of the game is simple, but the execution is quite complicated. Each player chooses a character from the BSG universe and performs actions with them in various location aboard Galactica. These actions further the sole goal of the game (for most players): to save humanity by escaping the Cylons and reach Kobol. Escape before you run out of food, fuel, morale or population. There is a small problem with this goal. Some of the players are Cylons working towards failure…and they can be anyone!

At the game’s beginning, cards are passed out to determine you human/cylon status. This information is kept secret and the game turns proceed. The game primarily hinges on random events that the human players have to overcome. A common obstacle is a Cylon basestar and raiders attacking the fleet. The human players work together to defeat the basestar and/or jump to safety. Each character has different skill sets that make them better at certain activities. I was Galen, the engineer, so I spent a lot of time fixing vipers that were damaged by the basestar. The players with Adama and Tom Zarek spent the game playing politics and Starbuck was very good at shooting down raiders. That is not to say that I was stuck in that role. The game allows players to take positions, like president or admiral, by “bidding” in a secret auction. This secret auction forms the heart of the game. Since auctions allow only specific card colors to count for a specific auction and other colors subtract from the total (there is a target number), then players can sabotage activities without revealing their Cylon/human status by putting the wrong cards into an auction. Assuming you succeed in overcoming the obstacles you “spin up the FTL drive” and jump to a new location, hopefully closer to Kobol. This is an incredibly abbreviated summary. There is a lot going on each game turn.

Negative results from battles and other random events reduce your fuel, food, morale and population. Sometimes even being success consumes resources, ie burning fuel during a jump. When any one of these indicators hits zero, the human race dies. For the record, the human race died in our game. Bummer.

Now for the really bad news. As a board game, BSG is really sub-standard. At 3 hours or more for a game, it took too long to get through each turn, even after we were comfortable with the rules. There are also tremendous game balance issues. The humans get clobbered practically every round with some new nightmare and the cylons never have a setback. At one point we ran out of raider miniatures because we kept drawing the “launch more raiders” card. The pilot characters spent more time in sick bay after getting shot down than doing anything useful. Sick bay is similar to “going to jail” in monopoly. You character cannot die, but it is tedious to get back in the game and you do not get as many cards to bid on various activities. Frustrating.

The final item is the “secret cylon” aspect of the game. We had miserable luck and the Adama and the President were both cylons! By the time we got the admiral out of office, he proclaimed his “cylon pride” and went to the other side. His damage was mostly over, but the president continued to do…nothing. The player in question really hated the fact that his best move as a cylon was to sit on his hands and not help. Honestly, I think his inactivity did more damage than the cylon admiral. The player wasted cards or simply did not use his abilities and generally seemed bored.

I was particularly frustrated by the overwhelming hopelessness of the game. The humans faired poorly right out of the gate and never caught up. At no point during the game did I feel it was “winnable” by the humans. Considering the time invested (about 4 hours), I felt as though I wasted my time.

We finished the game and went home, somewhat disappointed. It was on the way home that I had an epiphany. Battlestar Galactica is a miserable board game, but it is a great role-playing game. In fact, I would go so far as to call it an “episode simulator.” Board games are about winning and BSG is so weighted against humanity that it destroys any kind of game balance. Check out “Puerto Rico” for an example of a fun, balanced board game.

That said, if you reject notions of winners and losers and play the characters on the board as the show characters, then you will have fun. Haaldaar enjoyed himself immensely as Tom Zarek whenever he made a move for the presidency. The fellow playing Starbuck rightly spent his time in sick bay, after repeated suicidal attacks against a superior force. I just was too busy trying to win the game to notice.

When we play it again, I think everyone will have  much more fun with the BSG role-playing game than with BSG the board game. I look forward to frakking a few toasters at the next session.

Trask, The Last Tyromancer

I saw them on their last tour and was truly impressed. The drums are powerful and the drummers are incredibly athletic. I had nosebleed seats and  could still feel the drum vibrations in my spine! I have much better seats this time and fear I might shake apart from all of the vibration. ;-)

While I am not suggesting you use this on a continual basis in your game, a large battle scene might be well served with some ferocious Taiko beats. Think of the ominous drums in Moria during the first  “Lord of the Rings” movie.

If you are interested in sampling Taiko, you can listen to some  on the Kodo preview page. The page is in Japanese, but it is easy to figure out.

Trask, The Last Tyromancer

The Poster Child for a Rules Redo

Storytelling is at the heart of every role-playing game.  Think of the game master as a director and the players as actors in a very dynamic piece of theatre. Though, they are not in total control. Chance plays a part in this play as well.   Gamers use a rules system (usually dice based) to determine success or failure and add an element of risk to the game experience.  When the story is original an exciting and the rules serve to advance the story, all is well.

Sadly, that is often not the case. Games with amazing stories often endure grossly inappropriate rules that bury exciting worlds in terrible mechanics. These are my top picks for games with great plot and world design, but systems that need serious updates. Of course, few of us have the time or energy to completely redo a game’s rules, so this is just wishful thinking on my part. Hey, it is Christmas, the time of miracles. You never know…

1. Nightbane or Nightspawn

This 1995 offering by CJ Carella is one of my favorite game worlds. An urban fantasy version  of the “X-Files” combined with superhero PCs and a secret invasion from another dimension. Lots of sneakiness and intrigue wrapped in a growing horror. A great game to play with those that do not own the book. Makes the revelations about the world all the more startling.

Did I mention it uses the Palladium game system?

I actually quite enjoy some of the other Palladium game worlds (Rifts,) but their rules system is unclear, unbalanced and nearly unplayable.  Palladium rehashed this system so many times that you would think it would improve with each release. Not so! Cut and paste is the order of the day. I long ago gave up on their product lines, though I heard there was some sort of new rules release in the past couple years. Someday I might rouse myself to take a look at it, but a new version of Nightbane is what I really want.

2. Traveller (Original)

A rousing space adventure from days gone by. I have fond memories of carefully generating a character in anticipation of a new game. I gave him statistics and started him on the path of personal development, went to school, attended the space academy and then died.

Yes, died. Traveller had rules for killing you during character generation. Admittedly this was back in the days of truly random character creation, but it was unusual even then.  Combat system was not bad, but the character generation was ugly. There are many versions of Traveller since, but I have a soft spot for the original “little black book” game. Hence its appearance on my list.

3.  White Wolf

White Wolf, strictly speaking, is not a game but a company. They created the elaborate and interesting “World of Darkness” comprised of “Wraith,” “Mage” and the venerable “Vampire” role-playing games, among many others.  Great story and deep character development. A favorite of LARPers everywhere. I played a few times and could not stand the incredibly simplistic character generation and combat mechanics. I know this is a story based game, but it still felt a little…talky. I like a bit more crunch in my role-playing games.

4. TORG

West End Games attempt at a cross-genre game (similar to Rifts.) Multiple universes collide and struggle for dominance. It was possible for a cybernetic ninja to battle a pulp-villian in a Jurassic era jungle. Great fun, until you started running a combat. Some PCs were tough and some were fast. The fast ones dodged attacks very well and the tough ones absorbed damage. Problem was that the damage from a single hit was sufficient to put down a “dodge” character that traded hit points for speed. Occasionally referred to as the “glass-jawed ninja.” Tough to hit, but it only took one hit to kill them.  This system also suffered from “complexity creep.” Every supplement added new rules and very quickly it got out of hand. One bright spot was  a deck of cards to add randomness to combat. It was a blast! Someday I hope this game makes a comeback in some form, but I am pessimistic.

5.  Witch Hunter

Paradigm Concepts created an exceptionally deep world for this game of dark horror. Set in the early years of the American colonies, Puritans, religious fanatics and native americans  do battle with the forces of the devil himself. One of the best written game books I read in a long time. I especially enjoyed the historical research. It makes the list by using a system that reminds me of “White Wolf’s” d10 system. Not identical, but close enough.  This is one of the only games I might suggest going with a pure LARP or the Amber Diceless rules set.

Anyone else have some ideas? I am sure there are other great games buried under bad rules.

Trask, The Last Tyromancer

Thumbs Down on Your DM

In hushed tones and secret emails, the group decides it needs a change. There is no good way to do this, but here are my thoughts on some of the least painful ways to get rid of your DM problem.

Telling the DM in question that you have some concerns and offer some suggestions as to how he/she might improve is the politically correct tactic. Personally, I think that this is pointless. If the DM has no clue after weeks of player groaning and rules arguments, then the DM is just not DM material. Part of the DM’s task is being aware of the total game, not just the tabletop, but his players as well. This approach might work with a newbie DM, but anyone with more than a year of DMing under their belts should know better.

Instead, seek a subtle alternative to the direct confrontation. All of these methods assume you want the current (bad) DM to stay as a player. One of my favorite methods is to volunteer to run a new game or take over the existing campaign. This allows the current DM a “break” and moves them back onto the player’s side of the table. A bad DM is not necessarily a bad player! I met some people at conventions that make me quake in fear at the thought of them DMing again, but demonstrated real skill as players.

Should this approach fail, force the issue with a “majority rules” change of campaign…with someone else running the new game.  It helps to go from a common game to something obscure that the bad DM does not know or own. It helps to make the change with the DM in mind. “Sweeten” the new game with something that targets the problem DM’s tastes. Offering up a sci-fi game to the sci-fi loving DM will encourage a change from DM to player.

Finally, after the bad DM retires back to being a player, make certain that the next game you play is run well. Pick the best DM of the group let him run the game. A running commentary about what the new DM is doing might help as a sort of “on the job” training for the bad DM. Do not expect miracles the next time he runs a game, but it cannot hurt.

All RPG games depend on the DM and the players cooperating to produce a fun experience.  Do not stand idly by and let bad DMing ruin your game. Take action, regardless of how cruel it may seem. It is simply wrong for one person to ruin the game for the other players. Suffering in silence with a bad DM is just a recipe to break up your game group.

A final note about “rookie” DMs. Do not fire them, regardless of how bad they run! Many DMs (myself included) made their major DM mistakes when we were 13 years old, so our “learning curve” is carefully hidden from our current players. There is no school for DMing a game. It is a trial by fire and doing it as an adult for the first time takes no small amount of courage, so give respect (and slack) where it is due. Use these hints only for experienced gamers that are not DM material, not to shoot down the “new guy.”

Trask, The Last Tyromancer

Why bother, you ask?

Simple. Searching Google for information about role-playing games and their publishers is often frustrating. General keyword queries pull up fan sites, blogs, Wikipedia, Amazon, PDF sellers like rpgnow.com or some other irrelevant information.  Worse still, you search for a game company and the site has not been updated in 4 years or is completely dead.

Additionally, many publishers I looked at languished so far down the results that only the most dedicated searcher would ever find them. These publishers had no keyword optimization, poor quality incoming links  or other issues that drove them down the Google search results when competing against the entire Google index for ranking. They are, in search terms, small fish in an infinite pond.

To solve the problem, I moved the fish to a very small, finite glass tank.

Now, each and every search result through RPGSeek returns a link to an RPG publisher site. Clean, targeted searching without the irrelevant data for the questing gamer.  I hope you find it useful.

I know there are questions, so here is quick FAQ

0. Wizards of the Coast/wizards.com is not in the index!

A: This was intentional. The WOTC site contains so much high-ranked keyword content that it distorted the RPGSeek results and overwhelmed the smaller companies. Be patient. Did I mention the DNDSeek project I am working on…

1. Who is in the index of sites?

A: I am working on a list to post at a later date, but I would call it “comprehensive.”  For now, if you are curious if a site is in the index, just do a search for the exact website name, ie. www.crafty-games.com and see if it returns a homepage. If it does, then that site is in the index.

2. My beloved RPG publisher is not in the index! How do I get them in?

A: Go to the Livingdice.com contact form and let me know the site address. If it is a  RPG publisher then it will probably go in in a couple of working days. Non-publishers are reviewed on a case-by-case basis, but at this point I am leaning towards publishers of RPG games only.

3. How much does it cost to  submit a site.

A: Inclusion in the index is free.  Though I do sell advertising space on the site, so if you are in a spending mood…

4. Do you index the entire site or just the front page.

A: We utilize all content on the site from the base “www.domain.com” address that the Google content spider can see.

5. Will inclusion in RPGSeek’s index help my search ranking?

A: No. We are not linking to the sites, only searching them.

6. The search page is ugly.

A: I know. I am not the greatest web developer and will be improving it over the next few weeks.

Please use the contact form if you have any further questions.

Trask, The Last Tyromancer

COLLINS EPIC WARGAMES

game published, as well as some great advice and resources from someone that successfully published their own board game creation.

Normally I do not re-post material from elsewhere on the web, but I thought this article had so much useful “crunch” in it for aspiring board game publishers that I asked Byron for permission to reprint it. Read on for his thoughts and warnings about publishing your own game.

You can also read my interview with Byron about his company  at this link:

Interview with Byron Collins of “Collins Epic Wargames”

Trask, The Last Tyromancer

This post is intended to document some things that I have learned along the way as we near the release of our first game, Frontline General: Italian Campaign Introduction, and approach Gen Con, our first major convention to promote the game and its introductory version. By reading this, you’ll see some of the steps that I had to take in order to be taken seriously and in order to get a product out into the market. Hopefully there is some information in this post that you can use as a prospective designer or self-publisher. It is a mixture of advice, good practices, and lessons-learned that should prove useful if you are serious about developing and selling a finished game product in this competitive industry. Rather than taking our game to a publisher, we are the publisher, and we will also be selling online and conducting some face-to-face sales at trade shows- so that is the angle of this post. Publishing and all that is required is something I am constantly learning more about- so I do not pretend to be an expert in the field (or any field for that matter). Attempting to self-publish has allowed me to learn more about what is required of the game industry. The post is written from the point of view of a designer and publisher in the United States. I do not receive any kick-backs for recommending particular sites or products.

The post is broken into several sections beginning with Finances & Expenses, Setting up a Business, and then progressing to Game Design, Play testing, Web Site Development, Advertising & Promotion, Copyright & IP Protection, Self-Publishing, Support Structure, and finally, Release & Sale. At the bottom of the post is a list of links to resources and even supply sources that may prove useful.

Finances & Expenses
You WILL spend money. Be prepared for that. The amount you spend is dependant on the design and how far you take the design. If you are trying to sell to a publisher, you will spend less than if you are trying to produce a run of games for sale yourself. Structure your business / development finances separate from your personal finances. Use a BUSINESS checking account, not your personal checking account. This is good practice to ensure that you can track all that you have put into your designs financially. When it comes time to file taxes, keeping your business finances separate from your personal finances will benefit you greatly and help you stay organized (and help you claim deductions for expenses). Keep all receipts, purchase orders, and invoices. Track and manage your inventory. And as with most things, the more that you can do yourself, the cheaper things will be- but keep in mind, you are not just spending money- you are also spending time, which is more valuable. For instance, if you know nothing about web design, it may be more cost effective to pay someone to develop and manage a web site for you. This may be more expensive in cash spent, but cheaper in time spent. Carefully consider the things you must do throughout the design and decide with each whether it’s best for you to do it- or to pay someone else to do so. Learn and use appropriate software to track your finances and very carefully consider against taking on much debt in any early stage. I highly recommend learning and using Quickbooks Pro or even Quicken Deluxe, etc. A link to the Intuit web site is provided in the resources section.

Setting up a Business
I recommend that if you sell your game or designs or produce them or pitch them to another company in any way, you have a business structure to sell through including a business name. If you are in the United States, check your state and local government’s web sites for helpful information on setting up a business. From the simplest of business structures to the most complex, learn about each and decide what is best for you. Sole Proprietorships are the simplest, but offer less flexibility if you need to raise money for your business. SPs also offer limited protection of your assets compared to other structures. Limited Liability Corporations are more complex and require SCC filings (and annual fees with the state) but they offer better separation between Personal and Business finances and matters, and better protection due to the limited liability nature of the company. A company such as this exists as its own entity. Incorporated businesses have higher costs, are much more complex, and require annual meetings, SCC filings, and more.

Business License. You will need a business license. This is typically granted through your locality. If you operate out of your home, be prepared to go through a home inspection process, and be prepared for locality restrictions and conditions placed on your ability to conduct business due to having a residential address. Localities typically are very scared of constant delivery trucks and shipments (traffic) from your home which others could complain about. A home-based business, esp. for the prospective game designer, is the cheapest option versus renting office space and is typically best for designers working by themselves or with a small team. Most localities require you to renew your business license annually (with a fee).

Fictitious Name. If you want to operate under a different name, such as in our case “Collins Epic Wargames”, you’ll most likely have to file (and pay) for the right to conduct business using a fictitious name through your local court. All that is required is typically a form and a small fee. You may then use your company name on all correspondence, products, web sites, accounts with others, etc.

Federal EIN. Get a federal EIN (Employer Identification Number) in the name of your company even if you will not be immediately employing anyone. This is used on many application forms including business checking services, merchant account services (accepting credit cards), etc. A link for more information on EINs is provided in the resources section.

Sales Tax. Make sure that if you plan to sell your game as a retail item to other residents in your state that you register with your state to collect sales tax. Rates vary and some require application fees- some don’t. Sales tax is always passed on to the consumer and listed separate on all receipts. You will then have to file monthly with the state to document your sales (and pay the sales tax on them). If you sell and ship items out of state, those who buy them are not subject to the sales tax of your state. Keep in mind that if you go to an out-of-state trade show (such as Gen Con), you must register to collect sales tax in the state of the show and report any earnings after the show.

Game Design
You most likely have several game design ideas or even partially or fully completed designs and so I cannot tell you how to design a game- that is up to you- but I can pass on some resources I used along the way regarding the next steps. Whatever your personal level of experience and/or skill with design, I’ve found that innovation goes a long way. Time spent on the rules and mechanics and components is time WELL SPENT. I’ve also found that if something doesn’t work, fix it now- don’t wait for 10 other people to tell you it doesn’t work. Test EVERYTHING. Test it well. And if you get stuck, look to the advice of others, don’t just give up. Bounce rules or component graphics off of people you trust. Meet graphic designers, and ask them for help in critiquing your design for readability and aesthetics. It’s been my experience that many will do this for free. The Geek offers a great mixture of people and resources and many of us will help you out. There are also other sites specifically dedicated to game design. So don’t be afraid to approach a more well-known designer or other users and ask advice on something. In fact, the more connections you make now, the better off you are in the long run for questions that will inherently arise. I routinely ask (but not to the point of annoyance) a well-known game company’s owner different industry-related questions. This has been extremely helpful for me to know someone who is already in the industry and can offer industry-specific advice.

Software. An investment in graphic design software (if you are planning to design professional-looking components yourself) is money well spent. I spent a lot of money on the standard version of Adobe Creative Suite CS2 which includes Illustrator CS2, InDesign CS2, and Photoshop CS2. These programs may seem daunting to learn at first- but there are training books and resources out there, good help files, and other users in the Adobe community who can help you out. If you want your design to really stand out- use professional software. And if your design goes to press in any form, you will be glad you did. Most printers work with this and similar software and are generally pleased to hear it when you say you’re working in Adobe Illustrator, etc. They know the software well and can also help you tailor your component designs to be ready for printing when the time comes. This software also allows conversion of component sheets, rules, etc., to PDF which is extremely helpful if you plan to sell or offer your game for download via the web. I use Illustrator extensively for Component design and layout, InDesign for Rules and a game newsletter that I produce, and Photoshop occasionally for other graphics. Check out adobe’s website for more information on their software (link in resources section).

Help and talent of others. Look to the talent of others. If your final game will include a map and associated map artwork- consider hiring an artist to accomplish the creation of that map based on your sketches or ideas. (However, use your sketches or ideas to ensure the game works before you hire an artist). You will either pay an artist up front for this work or you’ll pay them royalties on sales- but typically, one-time fees are preferred by artists—in case there are no sales. I’m not speaking for all artists certainly- some prefer royalties. There are plenty of accomplished artists on The Geek. The map artwork for my game(s) is done by Mark Mahaffey, whom I found on BGG. His work is incredible and I don’t mind plugging his abilities in this thread. A link to his page is listed in the resources.

As you refine your design and create a nice looking prototype, don’t be afraid to change your design after you think you are done. This is just something that must be done in most cases, and usually is required after some extensive play testing. My particular game Frontline General went through FOUR complete re-designs over a number of years before I was happy with it enough to have non-in-house play tests and promotions.

The main point of advice I can provide is be CONFIDENT and DEDICATED in your design work. If you have a passion for this (and most designers do), it will be apparent in your finished products.

Play testing
There are many ways to play test your game. Start in house. Consider expanding to a local game shop on ‘open gaming nights’. They welcome the traffic to their store (generally) and you’ll also usually find some enthusiastic players interested in trying something new. Later, as things are more refined, consider ‘calling for play testers’, screening them based on a list of questions you ask them, and offer them incentives to test your game. Send it to them for free. For my company, play testers get a free game, a lifetime discount on any future purchases with us, a special “Play tester” title in our game forums, and recognition/credit in the rules, all for playing the game, returning a survey, and looking for bugs/broken aspects. Personally, once they see the rules, it is my policy that they are not ‘proofreading’- in other words, I’ve already had other people who are not play testing proofread my rules for grammar and spelling errors. I feel that once you get this far, your rules should not have any glaring typos and you should already have caught any major grammar mistakes. Not having to proofread & play test will also allow play testers to focus more on the task at hand- testing the game and its rules- rather than looking for minor things that you can easily find with a thorough proofing. After the play test process is complete, or even prior, you may want to consider hiring a professional editor to ‘trim’ the areas that need trimming (if you can stomach it and afford it).

Web Site Development
Web sites level the playing field. What I mean by this is that YOUR website can be as elaborate as ‘the big guys’ if you choose. You can spend a lot or a little money on web site development. You can do it yourself or hire someone to do it for you. Rather than starting with the design or design software, start with finding a host. Consider a variety of companies for business web site hosting and go with the one that suits your needs the best. Go with a host that offers free trials, free website statistics, and/or free domain name registration or search engine listings, etc. As you increase features, cost per month also increases.

Web Hosting. I’d caution you to figure out what your needs are up front- and also- go with a business hosting solution- not free personal hosting. In fact, most personal hosting sites will not allow business websites to be placed on their servers. Often, free personal and free business hosting services are plagued with limitations (such as lack of PHP support) and advertisements that you really don’t want appearing on your front page. Another word on hosting—ALWAYS read the fine print. Ensure that you know all costs up front and that you are ready to launch a site. In my company’s particular case, I used the website that I developed for about 2 years without a shopping cart or other features that I didn’t need and successfully used the site (and still do) to promote Frontline General and host game-preview newsletters during product refinement.

Traffic Statistics. Statistics are very important. As traffic flows to your site (by your promotion means) you’ll want to see what pages are being viewed and what pages are not, as well as how referrals are working for you (what sites are sending the most traffic your way?). Statistics also give you a good indication of how many people are really interested in your designs. Pay attention to the numbers and use them to your advantage.

Web Design Software. Often, business web hosts will provide you with straightforward, mostly-visual, web design software (such as NetObjects Fusion, for example) for free or very little cost.

Advertising & Promotion
The biggest challenge aside from creation of the game is getting word out to potential players about your game. One of the best avenues to do this is through your game or company’s website, through ON-TOPIC forums on general gaming sites (BGG, for example), through gaming news websites using press releases (see resources), and if you are willing to purchase ad space- through banner ads on gaming-related sites or ads in magazines, e-zines, etc. Advertising is very important if you intend to sell your game yourself. Form a budget for advertising up front and use free-routes initially and then just prior to release, purchase ad space that you can afford, and even consider attending conventions such as Gen Con, Historicon, Origins, Little Wars, etc. Announce your attendance at these conventions and be prepared to be engaging. Consider offering an ad-exchange on your own site. Word of mouth and in-person promotions such as at a local game shop or trade show are great for making contacts and for getting feedback on your promotion efforts and your product. The contacts you make may be future customers, future play testers, or future retailers of your game. Find out who plays at your local shops and what they play. Offer to demonstrate your game to them if they are interested or arrive ready to set up and play on open gaming nights. Be prepared to answer questions and be prepared if people do not like your game. Smile and acknowledge their gaming preferences and then politely move on.

Business Cards. Very important at trade shows and useful at local game stores. You may print your own or you may want to have them professionally printed. There are a variety of websites that specifically provide this service and produce incredible results- typically better than you can produce at home and on higher quality paper. I’ve listed a few in the resources section. Use a two-sided business card design. The front is fairly typical with contact information, web address, etc., but uses the back to advertise. When recipients flip the card over, they should see some quick concise text and/or graphics that promote your services or products. For more information on two-sided business card design, visit the GreatFX website listed in the resources section.

Newsletter. Consider releasing a monthly, bi-monthly, or quarterly newsletter or e-zine with previews of your games. With Frontline General, I spend a LOT of time writing historical articles based on WWII research, tying those articles to my game, and then offering the newsletter for free. I also provide content such as interviews with veterans, game combat examples, rules previews, component previews, and more. This was (and is) VERY time consuming. But worth it. I provide newsletter subscribers the new editions first, via e-mail, before wide release on the web. After about a week or so, I send out a press release to various game news sites with a link to the PDF. This has proven highly successful. After twelve editions of the newsletter, Frontline General News, has driven approximately 40,000 visitors to my website and helped get the word out about the upcoming game. Writing the newsletter and receiving so much positive feedback is also a huge motivational factor and has not just driven interest in my game up, but has also driven me to complete the design.

Copyright & IP Protection
Though it’s not very easy to protect a game design, most people out there designing games are not in the business of stealing designs- esp. the big names. Your / their reputation is on the line. If you are self-publishing (via web or otherwise), consider registering the copyright on your rules and game components. You have copyright on your intellectual property upon the moment of creation, but registering that copyright allows you greater protection in a court of law in cases of infringement. Typically registration requires 1 copy of the game to be sent to the Library of Congress if published, along with an application fee. This has inherent advantages and does not cost an unreasonable amount- just the fee. For more information, read about copyrighting games in the US on the official government copyright office website.

Self-Publishing
For this section, I am assuming the game is a game with printed components. If you are considering self-publishing your game via the web or otherwise, I highly recommend the method I am using for this, but this is certainly not the only way- just one way. First offer a free version of the game (an introduction) to see how well the game is received. Offer it for download from your site via PDF for Print & Play. See how it goes. If you need to make any changes after this wide release, make them before producing a large print run. Just prior to the release, consider registering the full game for registered copyright protection. Tailor the game for home printing and offer a printing / trimming guide for players. Specify which papers and techniques you recommend and support any printing issues that arise. Ask for feedback from players who are playing the intro version. Take the feedback into account prior to a large print run.

Small Print Run. If you want to produce a small run, you will most likely have a hard time finding printers who work in small quantities (without astronomical charges). Printing is expensive. But in the modern world of desktop publishing and cheap home office printers with excellent quality, you may consider doing a home-based print run of, say, 100 games or so. This can be just right for trade shows where you want to demo the game and offer some for sale as well. My advice- choose a home office printer wisely. Look at total ownership cost, cost of ink, cost of maintenance, cost of paper, and buy in bulk whenever possible. This goes not just for paper, but for dice, storage bags, etc. Everything that you include in your game- buy bulk and save money whenever possible. And make sure that if it’s a supplied item like dice- that you shop around and consider several suppliers. The web is the best resource in the world for this- you can find virtually anything you need by doing a little research. I’ve provided a couple links for dice and bags.

Preorder System? If things go well, offer the ‘full version’ for sale as a preorder at a slightly discounted rate over full retail price (this will encourage preorders). Take enough preorders to cover the cost of a print run (some companies typically set this mark at 500 preorders). Once the preorders are at the mark you set, you should have enough money to execute the print run. Sub out the printing to an experienced printer who will meet your needs and requirements (determine all of this up front). You’ve now sold 500 games and made enough money to afford printing of about 1000 or more depending on your preorder price and production costs, without going into substantial (if any) business debt. Now promote and sell the remaining 500 games. If you do a preorder system, be sure that you follow applicable laws for sales and product delivery. Generally, it’s best to only take payment on an order once the order ships. This can keep you or your company from getting in trouble otherwise. In other words, don’t take anyone’s money until you are sure you can deliver a product to them in six weeks or less. After the initial run, if another run is warranted, and demand is high, go for it.

Packaging considerations. Think about everything you’re going to include in the game and find sources for it all. You’ll most likely need: Components, a board (mounted?), dice, a box, box art, storage such as plastic bags or inserts, and whatever else your design calls for. Find a box manufacturer who can meet your needs. Since this is a game and considered a toy, be sure that you meet all government safety requirements- esp. if it is intended for children. Label as such if you have small parts, and list a suggested age on the box.

GGIC. The Greater Games Industry Catalog is the standard list of game products available on the market today. This catalog is sent to distributors and retailers who are looking to stock their shelves. This catalog is full of advertisements for new and existing games, and contains a wealth of listings and retail prices for just about everything available that’s gaming related. The GGIC also maintains a standard list of manufacturers. To get a manufacturer’s code, make sure you have a product that you’re actually making, and request a code be assigned by them for your company. This, in addition to some non-descriptive digits after the code, can become your game’s ‘part number’. You can list your game(s) in the GGIC for free I believe, though for better exposure for a new game, you may wish to purchase a full or half-page ad to get noticed.

Bar coding. Ever wonder how to obtain a bar code for your products? Standard international GS1 bar codes are most often required by distributors if you will be selling through distribution (and not just direct selling on your site). The link to the organization that controls all GS1 barcodes is provided in the resources section below. This carries an expensive initial cost and a renewal cost each year. Just to set up and be assigned a company code costs over $700- and that’s just for 1-100 bar codes. Creating the bar code after registration is accomplished using the software tools they provide. Digital versions which can be placed on your individual products are then most-easily created by third party companies who specialize in this work and cost around $10 each. Make SURE that you need bar-coding before you go this route. If you are selling your games by yourself, or just via the web, you may not need a bar code for your products. If you are self publishing and selling through distribution, you will most likely need bar-coding capability. However, if you sell your game to a publisher, they will most likely apply their own barcode to your product.

Box Art. Your packaging will make or break sales. A game presented in a zip lock bag with no box or box art is not going to sell as well as a game in a nice box that can be reused for storage. Work with the box manufacturer for templates for the lid and bottom of the box wraps. Typically, these templates are provided compatible with the software you use, such as Illustrator. Simply create your box art within the template (or pay an artist to do so), send to the manufacturer, and they will use specialized machinery to glue/fuse the wraps to the lid or box bottom. Very cool stuff. You receive the finished boxes which you may then package your game components in. Consider shrink-wrapping after all packaging is complete for a finished look.

Supplies. Check the resources section for some links to suppliers of bags, dice, boxes, etc. I do not list printers- there are too many out there who provide printing services. Do a search and you’ll be amazed. For selecting a printer, do consider what they normally print- some printers out there specialize in printing games and game cards or boards.

Support Structure
Once your game is available in any form and people are playing it- make sure that you have an adequate support structure in place for the inevitable rules questions and general inquiries. A web forum for your game is a great place to start. Free forum software is available from a variety of software designers and companies, and then there’s the professional software, with many more features. I personally went with professional software by vBulletin and have been very pleased in all respects with their product. Others exist though- so shop around. Installing the forum can be challenging but once it’s up and running, it’s fairly easy to manage. Forums can be a great way to support the community playing your game(s). Otherwise, e-mail support and posting of FAQ’s are quite useful as well. Bottom line- if you release a game but don’t support it- what does that say about your dedication to your designs? Create the support structure up front because trust me, you will have plenty more to occupy your time near release. If you do not want to create your own forums, you may want to consider asking a game site (such as Consimworld) to host a forum for your particular game.

Release & Sale
You may be selling through a web store, through distribution, through a retail store, or face-to-face sales at trade shows. Whatever the method, talk up the release. Advertise that your game is about to hit the market. Stand behind it and back it up on all levels and answer any questions that you are asked- especially from potential customers and players. When it’s finally available, take a deep breath, send out the press release, and be prepared to support the game.

Credit Card Processing. If you do not process credit cards, think of how much business you will be losing. This is perhaps the most convenient way for your customers to pay you- so I highly recommend considering the capability to process cards. Look into credit card processing and all associated expenses of a merchant services account prior to wide release of your product. Services abound and they typically carry monthly charges, transaction charges, and fees to purchase a terminal (though some provide a terminal for free). Consider a wireless terminal that may be taken to trade shows. The up front cost may be worth the convenience. Once you choose to process cards, make sure that you do it securely. Web Stores (shopping carts, etc.) can provide this service built in. Check with different service providers up front and read the fine print to get a true sense of the total cost. If you don’t want to open a merchant services account, you may want to consider other routes such as PayPal or even E-bay auctions for sales. A lot of this will depend on the volume of sales you expect to generate.

Shipping. Commercial carriers like UPS and FedEx offer convenience for shipping. In fact, if you use the business software that I mentioned, printing out labels and tracking shipping is integrated right in the software through your choice of either carrier. Consider your location, the supplies you’ll need to package and ship your products, and the cost associated with shipping. Typically, shipping costs are passed on to the customer and vary greatly with their location. Web Store shopping carts will generally calculate all of this for you before you receive payment from a customer.

If you’ve made it to release and you are assembling the game’s contents or even manufacturing it yourself, then this is an exciting time. Celebrate and enjoy it. Take pictures and document the process. Pass on what you’ve learned to others. You’ve brought a game into a competitive market.

Good luck!

Resources and links

Financial software – Quickbooks Pro
http://www.quickbooks.com

Business Structures – IRS Website
http://www.irs.gov/businesses/small/article/0,,id=98359,00.h…

Federal EIN – IRS Website
http://www.irs.gov/businesses/small/article/0,,id=98350,00.h…

Board Game Design – Board Game Design Forum
http://bgdf.com/tiki-custom_home.php

Professional Graphics and document creation – Adobe Creative Suite
http://www.adobe.com/products/creativesuite/

Map Design & Artwork – Mark Mahaffey
http://www.west2productions.com/Mapology/_NEW/index.htm
http://www.boardgamegeek.com/user/West2

Business Web Hosting
http://www.earthlink.net/hosting/index.faces
http://smallbusiness.yahoo.com/webhosting/
*Do a search for ‘Business Web Hosting’ in any search engine for more

Web Traffic Statistics
http://www.google.com/urchin/index.html

Website Design Software
Netobjects Fusion http://www.netobjects.com
Dreamweaver by Adobe http://www.adobe.com/products/dreamweaver/?promoid=BONSG

Business Cards
http://www.greatfxbusinesscards.com/
http://www.vistaprint.com/

Copyright and IP protection
US Copyright Office http://www.copyright.gov/
Fact sheet on Games http://www.copyright.gov/fls/fl108.html

Bar Coding
http://www.gs1.org/

Game Manufacturer’s Association- Great Resources
http://www.gama.org/resources-and-aid

Supplies – Boxes, shipping supplies, bags, packaging
http://www.uline.com/
http://www.prestarpackaging.com

Supplies – Dice
http://koplowgames.com/
http://chessex.com/

Credit Card Processing
http://www.quickbooksmerchantservice.com/

Game News Sites
www.consimworld.com
www.wargamer.com
www.tabletopgamingnews.com
www.purplepawn.com
www.gamingreport.com

Trade Shows and Conventions
http://www.originsgamefair.com/
http://www.gencon.com
http://www.historicon.org/

My Games
http://www.frontlinegeneral.com
Frontline General: Italian Campaign Introduction
Frontline General

COLLINS EPIC WARGAMES

game published, as well as some great advice and resources from someone that successfully published their own board game creation.

Normally I do not re-post material from elsewhere on the web, but I thought this article had so much useful “crunch” in it for aspiring board game publishers that I asked Byron for permission to reprint it. Read on for his thoughts and warnings about publishing your own game.

You can also read my interview with Byron about his company  at this link:

Interview with Byron Collins of “Collins Epic Wargames”

Trask, The Last Tyromancer

This post is intended to document some things that I have learned along the way as we near the release of our first game, Frontline General: Italian Campaign Introduction, and approach Gen Con, our first major convention to promote the game and its introductory version. By reading this, you’ll see some of the steps that I had to take in order to be taken seriously and in order to get a product out into the market. Hopefully there is some information in this post that you can use as a prospective designer or self-publisher. It is a mixture of advice, good practices, and lessons-learned that should prove useful if you are serious about developing and selling a finished game product in this competitive industry. Rather than taking our game to a publisher, we are the publisher, and we will also be selling online and conducting some face-to-face sales at trade shows- so that is the angle of this post. Publishing and all that is required is something I am constantly learning more about- so I do not pretend to be an expert in the field (or any field for that matter). Attempting to self-publish has allowed me to learn more about what is required of the game industry. The post is written from the point of view of a designer and publisher in the United States. I do not receive any kick-backs for recommending particular sites or products.

The post is broken into several sections beginning with Finances & Expenses, Setting up a Business, and then progressing to Game Design, Play testing, Web Site Development, Advertising & Promotion, Copyright & IP Protection, Self-Publishing, Support Structure, and finally, Release & Sale. At the bottom of the post is a list of links to resources and even supply sources that may prove useful.

Finances & Expenses
You WILL spend money. Be prepared for that. The amount you spend is dependant on the design and how far you take the design. If you are trying to sell to a publisher, you will spend less than if you are trying to produce a run of games for sale yourself. Structure your business / development finances separate from your personal finances. Use a BUSINESS checking account, not your personal checking account. This is good practice to ensure that you can track all that you have put into your designs financially. When it comes time to file taxes, keeping your business finances separate from your personal finances will benefit you greatly and help you stay organized (and help you claim deductions for expenses). Keep all receipts, purchase orders, and invoices. Track and manage your inventory. And as with most things, the more that you can do yourself, the cheaper things will be- but keep in mind, you are not just spending money- you are also spending time, which is more valuable. For instance, if you know nothing about web design, it may be more cost effective to pay someone to develop and manage a web site for you. This may be more expensive in cash spent, but cheaper in time spent. Carefully consider the things you must do throughout the design and decide with each whether it’s best for you to do it- or to pay someone else to do so. Learn and use appropriate software to track your finances and very carefully consider against taking on much debt in any early stage. I highly recommend learning and using Quickbooks Pro or even Quicken Deluxe, etc. A link to the Intuit web site is provided in the resources section.

Setting up a Business
I recommend that if you sell your game or designs or produce them or pitch them to another company in any way, you have a business structure to sell through including a business name. If you are in the United States, check your state and local government’s web sites for helpful information on setting up a business. From the simplest of business structures to the most complex, learn about each and decide what is best for you. Sole Proprietorships are the simplest, but offer less flexibility if you need to raise money for your business. SPs also offer limited protection of your assets compared to other structures. Limited Liability Corporations are more complex and require SCC filings (and annual fees with the state) but they offer better separation between Personal and Business finances and matters, and better protection due to the limited liability nature of the company. A company such as this exists as its own entity. Incorporated businesses have higher costs, are much more complex, and require annual meetings, SCC filings, and more.

Business License. You will need a business license. This is typically granted through your locality. If you operate out of your home, be prepared to go through a home inspection process, and be prepared for locality restrictions and conditions placed on your ability to conduct business due to having a residential address. Localities typically are very scared of constant delivery trucks and shipments (traffic) from your home which others could complain about. A home-based business, esp. for the prospective game designer, is the cheapest option versus renting office space and is typically best for designers working by themselves or with a small team. Most localities require you to renew your business license annually (with a fee).

Fictitious Name. If you want to operate under a different name, such as in our case “Collins Epic Wargames”, you’ll most likely have to file (and pay) for the right to conduct business using a fictitious name through your local court. All that is required is typically a form and a small fee. You may then use your company name on all correspondence, products, web sites, accounts with others, etc.

Federal EIN. Get a federal EIN (Employer Identification Number) in the name of your company even if you will not be immediately employing anyone. This is used on many application forms including business checking services, merchant account services (accepting credit cards), etc. A link for more information on EINs is provided in the resources section.

Sales Tax. Make sure that if you plan to sell your game as a retail item to other residents in your state that you register with your state to collect sales tax. Rates vary and some require application fees- some don’t. Sales tax is always passed on to the consumer and listed separate on all receipts. You will then have to file monthly with the state to document your sales (and pay the sales tax on them). If you sell and ship items out of state, those who buy them are not subject to the sales tax of your state. Keep in mind that if you go to an out-of-state trade show (such as Gen Con), you must register to collect sales tax in the state of the show and report any earnings after the show.

Game Design
You most likely have several game design ideas or even partially or fully completed designs and so I cannot tell you how to design a game- that is up to you- but I can pass on some resources I used along the way regarding the next steps. Whatever your personal level of experience and/or skill with design, I’ve found that innovation goes a long way. Time spent on the rules and mechanics and components is time WELL SPENT. I’ve also found that if something doesn’t work, fix it now- don’t wait for 10 other people to tell you it doesn’t work. Test EVERYTHING. Test it well. And if you get stuck, look to the advice of others, don’t just give up. Bounce rules or component graphics off of people you trust. Meet graphic designers, and ask them for help in critiquing your design for readability and aesthetics. It’s been my experience that many will do this for free. The Geek offers a great mixture of people and resources and many of us will help you out. There are also other sites specifically dedicated to game design. So don’t be afraid to approach a more well-known designer or other users and ask advice on something. In fact, the more connections you make now, the better off you are in the long run for questions that will inherently arise. I routinely ask (but not to the point of annoyance) a well-known game company’s owner different industry-related questions. This has been extremely helpful for me to know someone who is already in the industry and can offer industry-specific advice.

Software. An investment in graphic design software (if you are planning to design professional-looking components yourself) is money well spent. I spent a lot of money on the standard version of Adobe Creative Suite CS2 which includes Illustrator CS2, InDesign CS2, and Photoshop CS2. These programs may seem daunting to learn at first- but there are training books and resources out there, good help files, and other users in the Adobe community who can help you out. If you want your design to really stand out- use professional software. And if your design goes to press in any form, you will be glad you did. Most printers work with this and similar software and are generally pleased to hear it when you say you’re working in Adobe Illustrator, etc. They know the software well and can also help you tailor your component designs to be ready for printing when the time comes. This software also allows conversion of component sheets, rules, etc., to PDF which is extremely helpful if you plan to sell or offer your game for download via the web. I use Illustrator extensively for Component design and layout, InDesign for Rules and a game newsletter that I produce, and Photoshop occasionally for other graphics. Check out adobe’s website for more information on their software (link in resources section).

Help and talent of others. Look to the talent of others. If your final game will include a map and associated map artwork- consider hiring an artist to accomplish the creation of that map based on your sketches or ideas. (However, use your sketches or ideas to ensure the game works before you hire an artist). You will either pay an artist up front for this work or you’ll pay them royalties on sales- but typically, one-time fees are preferred by artists—in case there are no sales. I’m not speaking for all artists certainly- some prefer royalties. There are plenty of accomplished artists on The Geek. The map artwork for my game(s) is done by Mark Mahaffey, whom I found on BGG. His work is incredible and I don’t mind plugging his abilities in this thread. A link to his page is listed in the resources.

As you refine your design and create a nice looking prototype, don’t be afraid to change your design after you think you are done. This is just something that must be done in most cases, and usually is required after some extensive play testing. My particular game Frontline General went through FOUR complete re-designs over a number of years before I was happy with it enough to have non-in-house play tests and promotions.

The main point of advice I can provide is be CONFIDENT and DEDICATED in your design work. If you have a passion for this (and most designers do), it will be apparent in your finished products.

Play testing
There are many ways to play test your game. Start in house. Consider expanding to a local game shop on ‘open gaming nights’. They welcome the traffic to their store (generally) and you’ll also usually find some enthusiastic players interested in trying something new. Later, as things are more refined, consider ‘calling for play testers’, screening them based on a list of questions you ask them, and offer them incentives to test your game. Send it to them for free. For my company, play testers get a free game, a lifetime discount on any future purchases with us, a special “Play tester” title in our game forums, and recognition/credit in the rules, all for playing the game, returning a survey, and looking for bugs/broken aspects. Personally, once they see the rules, it is my policy that they are not ‘proofreading’- in other words, I’ve already had other people who are not play testing proofread my rules for grammar and spelling errors. I feel that once you get this far, your rules should not have any glaring typos and you should already have caught any major grammar mistakes. Not having to proofread & play test will also allow play testers to focus more on the task at hand- testing the game and its rules- rather than looking for minor things that you can easily find with a thorough proofing. After the play test process is complete, or even prior, you may want to consider hiring a professional editor to ‘trim’ the areas that need trimming (if you can stomach it and afford it).

Web Site Development
Web sites level the playing field. What I mean by this is that YOUR website can be as elaborate as ‘the big guys’ if you choose. You can spend a lot or a little money on web site development. You can do it yourself or hire someone to do it for you. Rather than starting with the design or design software, start with finding a host. Consider a variety of companies for business web site hosting and go with the one that suits your needs the best. Go with a host that offers free trials, free website statistics, and/or free domain name registration or search engine listings, etc. As you increase features, cost per month also increases.

Web Hosting. I’d caution you to figure out what your needs are up front- and also- go with a business hosting solution- not free personal hosting. In fact, most personal hosting sites will not allow business websites to be placed on their servers. Often, free personal and free business hosting services are plagued with limitations (such as lack of PHP support) and advertisements that you really don’t want appearing on your front page. Another word on hosting—ALWAYS read the fine print. Ensure that you know all costs up front and that you are ready to launch a site. In my company’s particular case, I used the website that I developed for about 2 years without a shopping cart or other features that I didn’t need and successfully used the site (and still do) to promote Frontline General and host game-preview newsletters during product refinement.

Traffic Statistics. Statistics are very important. As traffic flows to your site (by your promotion means) you’ll want to see what pages are being viewed and what pages are not, as well as how referrals are working for you (what sites are sending the most traffic your way?). Statistics also give you a good indication of how many people are really interested in your designs. Pay attention to the numbers and use them to your advantage.

Web Design Software. Often, business web hosts will provide you with straightforward, mostly-visual, web design software (such as NetObjects Fusion, for example) for free or very little cost.

Advertising & Promotion
The biggest challenge aside from creation of the game is getting word out to potential players about your game. One of the best avenues to do this is through your game or company’s website, through ON-TOPIC forums on general gaming sites (BGG, for example), through gaming news websites using press releases (see resources), and if you are willing to purchase ad space- through banner ads on gaming-related sites or ads in magazines, e-zines, etc. Advertising is very important if you intend to sell your game yourself. Form a budget for advertising up front and use free-routes initially and then just prior to release, purchase ad space that you can afford, and even consider attending conventions such as Gen Con, Historicon, Origins, Little Wars, etc. Announce your attendance at these conventions and be prepared to be engaging. Consider offering an ad-exchange on your own site. Word of mouth and in-person promotions such as at a local game shop or trade show are great for making contacts and for getting feedback on your promotion efforts and your product. The contacts you make may be future customers, future play testers, or future retailers of your game. Find out who plays at your local shops and what they play. Offer to demonstrate your game to them if they are interested or arrive ready to set up and play on open gaming nights. Be prepared to answer questions and be prepared if people do not like your game. Smile and acknowledge their gaming preferences and then politely move on.

Business Cards. Very important at trade shows and useful at local game stores. You may print your own or you may want to have them professionally printed. There are a variety of websites that specifically provide this service and produce incredible results- typically better than you can produce at home and on higher quality paper. I’ve listed a few in the resources section. Use a two-sided business card design. The front is fairly typical with contact information, web address, etc., but uses the back to advertise. When recipients flip the card over, they should see some quick concise text and/or graphics that promote your services or products. For more information on two-sided business card design, visit the GreatFX website listed in the resources section.

Newsletter. Consider releasing a monthly, bi-monthly, or quarterly newsletter or e-zine with previews of your games. With Frontline General, I spend a LOT of time writing historical articles based on WWII research, tying those articles to my game, and then offering the newsletter for free. I also provide content such as interviews with veterans, game combat examples, rules previews, component previews, and more. This was (and is) VERY time consuming. But worth it. I provide newsletter subscribers the new editions first, via e-mail, before wide release on the web. After about a week or so, I send out a press release to various game news sites with a link to the PDF. This has proven highly successful. After twelve editions of the newsletter, Frontline General News, has driven approximately 40,000 visitors to my website and helped get the word out about the upcoming game. Writing the newsletter and receiving so much positive feedback is also a huge motivational factor and has not just driven interest in my game up, but has also driven me to complete the design.

Copyright & IP Protection
Though it’s not very easy to protect a game design, most people out there designing games are not in the business of stealing designs- esp. the big names. Your / their reputation is on the line. If you are self-publishing (via web or otherwise), consider registering the copyright on your rules and game components. You have copyright on your intellectual property upon the moment of creation, but registering that copyright allows you greater protection in a court of law in cases of infringement. Typically registration requires 1 copy of the game to be sent to the Library of Congress if published, along with an application fee. This has inherent advantages and does not cost an unreasonable amount- just the fee. For more information, read about copyrighting games in the US on the official government copyright office website.

Self-Publishing
For this section, I am assuming the game is a game with printed components. If you are considering self-publishing your game via the web or otherwise, I highly recommend the method I am using for this, but this is certainly not the only way- just one way. First offer a free version of the game (an introduction) to see how well the game is received. Offer it for download from your site via PDF for Print & Play. See how it goes. If you need to make any changes after this wide release, make them before producing a large print run. Just prior to the release, consider registering the full game for registered copyright protection. Tailor the game for home printing and offer a printing / trimming guide for players. Specify which papers and techniques you recommend and support any printing issues that arise. Ask for feedback from players who are playing the intro version. Take the feedback into account prior to a large print run.

Small Print Run. If you want to produce a small run, you will most likely have a hard time finding printers who work in small quantities (without astronomical charges). Printing is expensive. But in the modern world of desktop publishing and cheap home office printers with excellent quality, you may consider doing a home-based print run of, say, 100 games or so. This can be just right for trade shows where you want to demo the game and offer some for sale as well. My advice- choose a home office printer wisely. Look at total ownership cost, cost of ink, cost of maintenance, cost of paper, and buy in bulk whenever possible. This goes not just for paper, but for dice, storage bags, etc. Everything that you include in your game- buy bulk and save money whenever possible. And make sure that if it’s a supplied item like dice- that you shop around and consider several suppliers. The web is the best resource in the world for this- you can find virtually anything you need by doing a little research. I’ve provided a couple links for dice and bags.

Preorder System? If things go well, offer the ‘full version’ for sale as a preorder at a slightly discounted rate over full retail price (this will encourage preorders). Take enough preorders to cover the cost of a print run (some companies typically set this mark at 500 preorders). Once the preorders are at the mark you set, you should have enough money to execute the print run. Sub out the printing to an experienced printer who will meet your needs and requirements (determine all of this up front). You’ve now sold 500 games and made enough money to afford printing of about 1000 or more depending on your preorder price and production costs, without going into substantial (if any) business debt. Now promote and sell the remaining 500 games. If you do a preorder system, be sure that you follow applicable laws for sales and product delivery. Generally, it’s best to only take payment on an order once the order ships. This can keep you or your company from getting in trouble otherwise. In other words, don’t take anyone’s money until you are sure you can deliver a product to them in six weeks or less. After the initial run, if another run is warranted, and demand is high, go for it.

Packaging considerations. Think about everything you’re going to include in the game and find sources for it all. You’ll most likely need: Components, a board (mounted?), dice, a box, box art, storage such as plastic bags or inserts, and whatever else your design calls for. Find a box manufacturer who can meet your needs. Since this is a game and considered a toy, be sure that you meet all government safety requirements- esp. if it is intended for children. Label as such if you have small parts, and list a suggested age on the box.

GGIC. The Greater Games Industry Catalog is the standard list of game products available on the market today. This catalog is sent to distributors and retailers who are looking to stock their shelves. This catalog is full of advertisements for new and existing games, and contains a wealth of listings and retail prices for just about everything available that’s gaming related. The GGIC also maintains a standard list of manufacturers. To get a manufacturer’s code, make sure you have a product that you’re actually making, and request a code be assigned by them for your company. This, in addition to some non-descriptive digits after the code, can become your game’s ‘part number’. You can list your game(s) in the GGIC for free I believe, though for better exposure for a new game, you may wish to purchase a full or half-page ad to get noticed.

Bar coding. Ever wonder how to obtain a bar code for your products? Standard international GS1 bar codes are most often required by distributors if you will be selling through distribution (and not just direct selling on your site). The link to the organization that controls all GS1 barcodes is provided in the resources section below. This carries an expensive initial cost and a renewal cost each year. Just to set up and be assigned a company code costs over $700- and that’s just for 1-100 bar codes. Creating the bar code after registration is accomplished using the software tools they provide. Digital versions which can be placed on your individual products are then most-easily created by third party companies who specialize in this work and cost around $10 each. Make SURE that you need bar-coding before you go this route. If you are selling your games by yourself, or just via the web, you may not need a bar code for your products. If you are self publishing and selling through distribution, you will most likely need bar-coding capability. However, if you sell your game to a publisher, they will most likely apply their own barcode to your product.

Box Art. Your packaging will make or break sales. A game presented in a zip lock bag with no box or box art is not going to sell as well as a game in a nice box that can be reused for storage. Work with the box manufacturer for templates for the lid and bottom of the box wraps. Typically, these templates are provided compatible with the software you use, such as Illustrator. Simply create your box art within the template (or pay an artist to do so), send to the manufacturer, and they will use specialized machinery to glue/fuse the wraps to the lid or box bottom. Very cool stuff. You receive the finished boxes which you may then package your game components in. Consider shrink-wrapping after all packaging is complete for a finished look.

Supplies. Check the resources section for some links to suppliers of bags, dice, boxes, etc. I do not list printers- there are too many out there who provide printing services. Do a search and you’ll be amazed. For selecting a printer, do consider what they normally print- some printers out there specialize in printing games and game cards or boards.

Support Structure
Once your game is available in any form and people are playing it- make sure that you have an adequate support structure in place for the inevitable rules questions and general inquiries. A web forum for your game is a great place to start. Free forum software is available from a variety of software designers and companies, and then there’s the professional software, with many more features. I personally went with professional software by vBulletin and have been very pleased in all respects with their product. Others exist though- so shop around. Installing the forum can be challenging but once it’s up and running, it’s fairly easy to manage. Forums can be a great way to support the community playing your game(s). Otherwise, e-mail support and posting of FAQ’s are quite useful as well. Bottom line- if you release a game but don’t support it- what does that say about your dedication to your designs? Create the support structure up front because trust me, you will have plenty more to occupy your time near release. If you do not want to create your own forums, you may want to consider asking a game site (such as Consimworld) to host a forum for your particular game.

Release & Sale
You may be selling through a web store, through distribution, through a retail store, or face-to-face sales at trade shows. Whatever the method, talk up the release. Advertise that your game is about to hit the market. Stand behind it and back it up on all levels and answer any questions that you are asked- especially from potential customers and players. When it’s finally available, take a deep breath, send out the press release, and be prepared to support the game.

Credit Card Processing. If you do not process credit cards, think of how much business you will be losing. This is perhaps the most convenient way for your customers to pay you- so I highly recommend considering the capability to process cards. Look into credit card processing and all associated expenses of a merchant services account prior to wide release of your product. Services abound and they typically carry monthly charges, transaction charges, and fees to purchase a terminal (though some provide a terminal for free). Consider a wireless terminal that may be taken to trade shows. The up front cost may be worth the convenience. Once you choose to process cards, make sure that you do it securely. Web Stores (shopping carts, etc.) can provide this service built in. Check with different service providers up front and read the fine print to get a true sense of the total cost. If you don’t want to open a merchant services account, you may want to consider other routes such as PayPal or even E-bay auctions for sales. A lot of this will depend on the volume of sales you expect to generate.

Shipping. Commercial carriers like UPS and FedEx offer convenience for shipping. In fact, if you use the business software that I mentioned, printing out labels and tracking shipping is integrated right in the software through your choice of either carrier. Consider your location, the supplies you’ll need to package and ship your products, and the cost associated with shipping. Typically, shipping costs are passed on to the customer and vary greatly with their location. Web Store shopping carts will generally calculate all of this for you before you receive payment from a customer.

If you’ve made it to release and you are assembling the game’s contents or even manufacturing it yourself, then this is an exciting time. Celebrate and enjoy it. Take pictures and document the process. Pass on what you’ve learned to others. You’ve brought a game into a competitive market.

Good luck!

Resources and links

Financial software – Quickbooks Pro
http://www.quickbooks.com

Business Structures – IRS Website
http://www.irs.gov/businesses/small/article/0,,id=98359,00.h…

Federal EIN – IRS Website
http://www.irs.gov/businesses/small/article/0,,id=98350,00.h…

Board Game Design – Board Game Design Forum
http://bgdf.com/tiki-custom_home.php

Professional Graphics and document creation – Adobe Creative Suite
http://www.adobe.com/products/creativesuite/

Map Design & Artwork – Mark Mahaffey
http://www.west2productions.com/Mapology/_NEW/index.htm
http://www.boardgamegeek.com/user/West2

Business Web Hosting
http://www.earthlink.net/hosting/index.faces
http://smallbusiness.yahoo.com/webhosting/
*Do a search for ‘Business Web Hosting’ in any search engine for more

Web Traffic Statistics
http://www.google.com/urchin/index.html

Website Design Software
Netobjects Fusion http://www.netobjects.com
Dreamweaver by Adobe http://www.adobe.com/products/dreamweaver/?promoid=BONSG

Business Cards
http://www.greatfxbusinesscards.com/
http://www.vistaprint.com/

Copyright and IP protection
US Copyright Office http://www.copyright.gov/
Fact sheet on Games http://www.copyright.gov/fls/fl108.html

Bar Coding
http://www.gs1.org/

Game Manufacturer’s Association- Great Resources
http://www.gama.org/resources-and-aid

Supplies – Boxes, shipping supplies, bags, packaging
http://www.uline.com/
http://www.prestarpackaging.com

Supplies – Dice
http://koplowgames.com/
http://chessex.com/

Credit Card Processing
http://www.quickbooksmerchantservice.com/

Game News Sites
www.consimworld.com
www.wargamer.com
www.tabletopgamingnews.com
www.purplepawn.com
www.gamingreport.com

Trade Shows and Conventions
http://www.originsgamefair.com/
http://www.gencon.com
http://www.historicon.org/

My Games
http://www.frontlinegeneral.com
Frontline General: Italian Campaign Introduction
Frontline General

The Odd Gamer Out

take charge and tread with no fear. Regardless of which type you are, let these helpful hints guide you in making the decision to come back for a second session.

As to why there are only 9, honestly I could not think of anything clever for #10. Besides, everybody does 10. I want to be original.

With no further ado, here is my top 9 list of hints you chose the wrong game group.

9. “Our fighter is a pacifist.”

8. The other players fear girls because they have “cooties.”

7. Cosplay!

6. DM states, “I have all the rules memorized. We do not use books.”

5. “Miniatures are not necessary for 4th Edition.”

4. You play in a dark basement on an old autopsy table and there is a drain in the floor to catch…fluids.

3. The campaign is cross-genre, Cthulhu and Yaoi.

2. Huzzah! We killed the dragon. Time for a group snuggle!

1. The rulebook was written by Jack Chick.

Feel free to add your own thoughts in the comments.

Trask, The Last Tyromancer

Trask, The Last Tyromancer

A Broken Gamer that Failed His Save VS. Boring Combat

The battle continues…the players groan.

Combat is an integral part of many role-playing games.  It adds an element of risk, tactics and randomness to an otherwise sedate hobby. There is, however, the possibility of too much of a good thing. More precisely, combat encounters that go from challenging to tedious in a few short rounds. Often it is not the fault of the DM when the encounter goes stale. A combination of bad luck, bad encounter design or unforeseen game mechanics can make a good combat go bad.

Here are my thoughts on how to identify when an encounter goes flat and possible solutions besides just “calling it.”

I refuse to set a “10 round” limit on an encounter. That is too arbitrary and many systems just take longer than others. Instead, I suggest that certain characteristic clearly mark when the encounter needs a “nudge to completion” from the DM.

Combat encounters are all about winning. Therefore, every round their must be a winner. One of the main reasons players lose interest is when they do 10 points of damage per round and the bad guy regenerates 10 on his turn.  Endlessly pounding on a bad guy with no results is disheartening and most importantly, dull.  Even if the bad guys wins for a few rounds, at least that will focus the player attention better than a dull status quo round.

Change is good in a combat encounter! Keep some variety flowing and keep the players motivated and interested.  I played several encounters where the monster, clearly doomed and incapable of significant threat to the PCs, insisted on fighting to the death. Normally this is fine by me, but game mechanics (insubstantial/regenerating creatures) greatly limited our damage. Many rounds later, with little threat of them damaging any PC, the entities died. For DMs, when there is no threat to death to the PCs, move on to something else.  Even if you want the PCs to expend resources during the adventure, do not make the players spend three hours of real time for the sole purpose of draining their healing potion supply.

Power/resources expenditures are also a great way to gauge how much longer the combat encounter should last. When the PCs are down to throwing rocks and harsh language at the enemy, a good DM will end the encounter. Not to pick on 4th Edition Dungeons and Dragons, but the extremely limited encounter/daily powers make for  incredibly dull combats after about 10 rounds. I played in a couple of games where most of the combat was every player using the same “at-will” power, over and over again. They simply had nothing else left.  Other systems have more options in terms of attacks, but you get the idea.

This last item is a personal pet peeve. It is so simple, yet I have countless examples of module writers and DMs repeating this mistake over and over again.

They make the monsters too hard to hit.  PCs that optimized their characters for combat have a blast. The remaining players sit on their hands for 3 hours during the combat waiting to roll a natural “20.” This being the only way to hit the monster. Do not make your players go watch TV, keep them in the game. You are the DM, fudge the numbers and make the game fun!

Bottom line is that the DM needs to take control and really manage more than the NPC hit points. They need to manage the entire table so that everyone has fun. As long as you do that, everything else will go just fine.

Trask, The Last Tyromancer