Shows
Skull Session with Dan HenkDan Henk Skull Session 23 with Brian MurphyGood friend and fellow tattoo artist Brian Murphy talks about his storied career.From an upbringing by a police officer dad, through artist success as a gallery oil painter, struggling through a crippling heroin addiction, and then getting clean and moving to Stroudsburg, PA. The shop he established there, Third Dimension Tattoo, is now consistently rated as one of the best in the area, and has been going strong for over a decade!If you want to support me and help give light to indie authors, go tohttps://www.buzzsprout.com/2058263/support
2022-11-251h 40Skull Session with Dan HenkDan Henk Skull Session 3 with Nathan RobinsonNathan Robinson's first acceptance was for THE CHICKEN IN BLACK. If you ever meet a girl named Maisie Mae came next, quickly followed by Hatch, Banana Boxes, Brian of the Night, and The Spare. Maisie Mae was included in Panic Press's Soup of Souls anthology. His Mexican Gangster thriller Top of the Heap was released as a podcast in April 2011 and is due for release by The Dark Fiction Spotlight in their best-of anthology.So far he’s had numerous short stories published by Rainstorm Press, Knight Watch Press, Pseudopod, The Horror Zine, The Sinister Horror Company, Static Mo...
2022-07-0853 min
Board Game Business PodcastTop 5 Predicted Impacts of COVID-19 on the Board Game Industry - Ep. 88Jeremy and Brian discuss how we think the board game industry will be impacted by COVID-19. This was recorded in early April of 2020. Resources: Good Cop Bad Cop Online - https://gcbc.arantius.com/ Tabletopia - https://tabletopia.com/ Tabletop Simulator - https://www.tabletopsimulator.com/ Board Game Arena - BoardGameArena.com Roll20 - https://roll20.net/ BoardSpace - boardspace.net
2020-05-1126 min
Funding the DreamEP 330 Brian Henk with Pull the Pin Games - Failure and Success with KickstarterWith more than 10 successful projects on Kickstarter, you can't always anticipate the sudden failure of a project. But what you can do, is learn and adapt. Brian Henk is the guest and co-founder of Pull the Plug games. You may also know him as the creator of the hit game, Good Cop/Bad Cop. He shares how a string of successes on Kickstarter suddenly became a short string of failures and how the experience taught him to pivot his expectations, adapt to his new understanding, and to launch again.It is always beneficial when guests...
2019-10-1418 minBoard Game Business PodcastTop 5 Time Savers for Game Designers - Ep. 87In this episode, we are going to cover a bunch of tips for you game designers to SAVE YOU TIME. Resources Mentioned Google Drive - https://docs.google.com Dropbox - https://www.dropbox.com Card Creatr - https://cardcreatr.sffc.xyz/ Component.Studio - https://component.studio/ Paperize - https://beta.editor.paperize.io/#/ Multideck - https://semicolon.com/multideck/multideck.html Pages - https://www.apple.com/pages/ The Game Crafter Art Store - https://www.thegamecrafter.com/design-assets
2019-09-2224 minBoard Game Business PodcastTop 5 Tips for Advertising Your Board Game - Ep. 86We give you our top 5 tips for advertising your board game and how to learn which sources are best for you and your game. This is a little more focused on ads for a Kickstarter campaign, but is applicable to any type of advertising for a board game. References: Bitly Link Shortener - https://bitly.com/ Google Link Shortener - https://goo.gl/ Google Analytics - https://analytics.google.com/ Facebook Ads - https://www.facebook.com/business/ads
2019-07-2024 minBoard Game Business PodcastMailbag on US Manufacturing, Recovering from Disaster, and Component Cost Considerations - Ep. 85Today we dig into the Patreon mailbag and answer these questions: How do you recover from being punched in the gut? What is a unique enough selling point for a game? What are some component cost considerations to take when manufacturing your game? Should I fulfill my Kickstarter campaign myself? Is it possible to manufacture games in the US? Thanks to Mark Edwards for editing this!
2019-06-2932 minBoard Game Business PodcastTop 5 Biggest Changes in the Board Game Industry in the Last 5 Years - Ep. 84How has the board game industry changed in the last 5 years? Brian co-founded Overworld Games about 6 years before this was recorded so it's also a view of how things have changed between when he started publishing games and now. Here is the top 5 list: 5) More games in big box retailers 4) It's easier to make games 3) Kickstarter explosion 2) Growth of games at conventions 1) Distribution is harder
2019-06-0832 minBoard Game Business PodcastTop 5 Ways to Deal with Scope Creep - Ep. 83Patron Andrew van Ingen suggested this episode on how to deal with scope creep. Here's the list we go through! 5. If some people don’t hate it, you are doing it wrong. 4. Don't let experiments linger. 3. Determine the scale, audience (learning time), price point and play time of your game. 2. Have an "always pruning" mindset. Always be thinking about the parts that aren't SUPER DUPER fun. 1. Understands that hobby gamers (and many designers) will ALWAYS ask for more.
2019-05-2523 minBoard Game Business PodcastTop 5 Ways to Build a Crowd for Your Game - Ep. 82When you're trying to build up a crowd for your game before Kickstarter or to build your resume for selling your game to a publisher, there are a lot of places to put your time and money, but some are better than others. 5. Create a Facebook page or group 4. Build/support your local gaming community 3. Use other's crowds by getting your game to reviewers and other influencers 2. Send infrequent newsletters 1. Create a landing page and funnel people to it through flyers, ads, social media, and everywhere
2019-04-2028 minBoard Game Business PodcastTop 5 Tips for Managing Your Day Job and Hobby Board Game Business - Ep. 81Jeremy and Brian give some tips for how you can better manage your day job and hobby board game business. Resources: Multideck - https://itunes.apple.com/us/app/multideck/id1193399487?mt=12 Compononent.Studio - https://component.studio/ Paperize - https://beta.editor.paperize.io/#/ Asana - https://app.asana.com/ Trello - https://trello.com/en Jira - https://www.atlassian.com/software/jira Noun Project - https://thenounproject.com/ Card Creatr - https://cardcreatr.sffc.xyz/ Edited by: Mark Edwards
2019-03-3029 minBoard Game Business PodcastTop 5 Things That Are Probably Wrong with Your Game Pitch - Ep. 80Jeremy and Brian cover the top 5 things that are most commonly wrong with a pitch a game designer gives to a publisher. If you're a designer, you'll probably find something in here that you can use to improve your next pitch.
2019-03-1722 minBoard Game Business PodcastSigns It Is Time to Give up on a Design - Ep. 79When you've been working on a design for a while and you're not sure if there's enough there to keep going with it, we have some signs that it might be time to give up on it. If you want a spoiler, the signs are: 5) No market opportunity 4) Design colleagues don't ask about the status or encourage you to keep working on it 3) Too long to play/too long to explain the rules 2) Not fun enough (playtesters don't ask to play again) 1) No hook or the hook is not good enough
2019-02-2619 minBoard Game Business PodcastReasons to Theme Your Prototype - Ep. 78We go over the top 5 reasons to theme your prototype and some discussion around them. If you want to have them spoiled, here are some of our notes on each one: 5) Theme makes it easier to learn your game. It drives cohesion, direction, and rules comprehension. 4) Some publishers really care about theme (like Brian) so you'll get more opportunities if your game has one. You'll get in the door. Theme sells better than math. Games are an experience, and theme tells your story. 3) A themed games is more interesting to players so you'll...
2019-02-1118 minBoard Game Business PodcastGetting Your Prototype Played at Smaller Conventions - Ep. 77Top 5 Tips for Getting Your Prototype Played at Small Conventions 5) Teach games and then ask if they want to try your own game afterwards. (know your audience and be respectful of time) 4) Setup in open gaming and grab drive bys and/or have good signage. 3) Setup an event with local designers there through meetup/facebook so you can all play each other games. (then anyone who is interested can go out to lunch/dinner afterwards) 2) Setup official events and offer prizes/bribes. (make sure you have a way for p...
2019-01-2119 minBoard Game Business PodcastGoing to Conventions Without Going to Conventions - Ep. 76Today Brian interviews Erik Dahlman of Albino Dragon about the convention services he offers where his team will demo your game at his booth at various conventions throughout the year. You can get the exposure that conventions offer without the million headaches of actually doing it. To get more information from Erik about working with him, email CONVENTIONS@ALBINODRAGON.COM.
2019-01-0519 minBoard Game Business PodcastFunding Goal, Stretch Goals, and Updates - Ep. 75In this one, we cover different methods for setting your Kickstarter funding goal, your stretch goals, how many updates to send during the campaign, and we talk about Richard's holy grail Star Trek cat game.
2018-12-1529 minBoard Game Business PodcastRules for Writing Rules - Ep. 74Learn all about Jeremy's "7 Rules for Writing Rules" and what Richard and Brian think about them. We actually disagree on this on more than most episodes! Jeremy's 7 Rules for Writing Rules Force yourself to write your rules right away and have them ready for your first playtest with real people. Start strong. Tell a story as you give the theme. Use software to maintain your rules and keep them always up-to-date. Add notes to add diagrams later. Put a component list at the end of the rules use a component diagram with labels. Use 2nd person...
2018-11-1748 min
Tuesday Knight Podcast | All About Board Games153 New Salem, Total Recall, Good Cop Bad Cop [featuring Brian Henk]What movie would you like made into a board game? More importantly, how to you gain the license for that movie? Brian Henk of Overworld Games talks to Alan about obtaining licenses, life after failing a Kickstarter, and Overworld's latest game currently on Kickstarter, New Salem: The Constable.
Sponsor: www.thegamecrafter.com
Music Attribution:
Sneaky Snitch by Kevin MacLeod
Chrome Muffler by Podington Bear
2018-10-1841 minBoard Game Business PodcastDesigning Around Analysis Paralysis - Ep. 73Today we discuss designing around analysis paralysis: Is it a bad thing? Limiting your decision space Add more options/decisions as you go Allowing players to "mess up" the next player's carefully laid plans Companion app Reference cards to make decisions easier Usability in graphic design or component selection Simultaneous play Hidden actions Keep players engaged Walls of text Put longer decisions at the end of a players so other players can take their turns while the other player is thinking
2018-10-0925 minBoard Game Business PodcastGaming with Edo on Overworld Games Experiments - Ep. 72Ed Baraf sits down with Brian Henk to discuss the history of experiments tried at Overworld Games, such as using IPs or releasing a game outside of Kickstarter -- and how games have done in terms of profitability and copies sold. Going through what went well and what didn't may give other creators some insight into what they should and should not do. Video Version: https://youtu.be/xMkEDTgVk5w
2018-09-2139 minBoard Game Business PodcastSaving Your Failing Kickstarter Campaign - Ep. 71Today we talk about how to figure out why your Kickstarter campaign is failing and how to fix it. Brian's magic recipe for a successful campaign: A page that converts visitors into backers Get backers to your page Converting: The video, explaining the hook, providing the content people really care about Getting Visitors: Social media ads, building your crowd before launch, connecting with influencers, creating awareness during the campaign
2018-08-0822 minBoard Game Business PodcastGen Con Designer Events and Metatopia with Double Exposure's Vincent Salzillo - Ep. 70Brian had the pleasure of interviewing Vincent Salzillo, President of Double Exposure, Inc. His company organizes Gen Con events such as First Exposure Playtest Hall and the new First Encounter Designer Showcase (publisher speed dating) events. They also organize conventions such as DEXCON, DREAMATION, and METATOPIA. Plus they run the Envoy programs. It's a lot! This is what we cover in 30 minutes: METATOPIA - A convention for game designers. First Exposure Playtest Hall - A Gen Con event for playtesting. First Encounter Designer Showcase - A Gen Con event where you pitch your game to publishers in a "...
2018-07-2433 minBoard Game Business PodcastGetting More Prototype Plays - Ep. 69Today we talk about ways to get people to play your ugly prototype! Some topics: Imaginary friends Design partners or other trusted designers Protospiel/Unpub Designer groups General playtesting groups Fostering an inviting community Print-and-plays Conventions at a free table Conventions as an event Other convention options Digital simulations Paid playtesting Resources Game Krackers - https://www.facebook.com/GameKrackers/ Shadowsong Industries - https://www.facebook.com/ShadowsongIndustries/ First Exposure Playtest Hall - https://www.dexposure.com/firstexposure.html Protospiel - http://www.protospiel.org/ Unpub - http://unpub.net/
2018-07-1835 minBoard Game Business PodcastAre Pledge Managers Worth It? - Ep. 68Today our episode is more focused on behind-the-scenes of being a Kickstarter creator. We dig into how CrowdOx works and use it as a vehicle to discuss some topics on how a pledge manager can and should be used on a campaign. Topics: Paypal processors and freezes (maybe) How is CrowdOx different than competitors Charging shipping through PM Selling old catalog of games Tip jars Customer data and security breeches Reference: crowdox.com - Learn more about CrowdOx.
2018-06-0453 minBoard Game Business PodcastThe Roll [sic] of Randomness - Ep. 67Today we talk about how randomness affects our enjoyment of games. It's slanted towards game design, but also has some publisher/indie creator perspectives as well. Low-randomness games High-randomness games Is randomness in games good or bad? How does it affect your target audience? Harnessing the power of randomness
2018-05-0414 minBoard Game Business PodcastThe Golden Age of Tabletop Gaming at Wondercon 2018 - Ep. 66This is the Golden Age of Tabletop Gaming Panel from Wondercon 2018 organized by High Voltage. It covers industry trends, game design basics, and how to find events and gamers in your area. The panelists are: Will Pasquin (Gaming Guru, High Voltage) Becca Scott (Host, Geek & Sundry’s Game The Game) Ross Thompson (Games Marketing & Events Manager, IDW Games) John D Clair (Game Designer, Mystic Vale, Edge of Darkness) Brian Henk (President, Overworld Games) Peter Vaughan (Director of Development at Breaking Games)
2018-04-1059 minBoard Game Business Podcast10 Questions to Ask Yourself When Designing a Game - Ep. 65If you'd rather not listen to the questions and you just want to ask yourself some thought-provoking questions about your game, here is the list! Which feeling(s) am I trying to deliver? Why would someone play or buy this game instead of others? What's the hook? Which core element will keep people engaged in my game? Which decisions am I giving players that will keep people playing? Which types of players am I targeting for my game? And what is the weight and play time will it have? How many high-level strategies can you win with? What...
2018-03-0819 minBoard Game Business PodcastTrapped in a Room with Juliana Patel and Ariel Rubin - Ep. 64Richard interviews Juliana Patel and Ariel Rubin who created the extremely successful Escape Room in a Box: The Werewolf Experiment that is now being published by Mattel. He learns all their secrets about in their 2,000+ backer debut campaign! Some specific topics: Partnering with Mattel Escape room game opportunities Replaying escape room games Playtesting an escape room game Creating the puzzles Lessons learned from the Kickstarter campaign Finding your audience References: Escape Room in a Box: The Werewolf Experiment Kickstarter Campaign - https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/361817408/escape-room-in-a-box-the-werewolf-experiment
2018-01-1426 minBoard Game Business PodcastHow to Navigate Multiple Offers - Ep. 63This episode provides some guidelines for the situation where multiple publishers want to sign your game and how you handle it, both from the designer and publisher perspective. Specifically, we cover: submitting your game to multiple publishers at the same time handshake deals bringing copies to a convention bigger publishers vs. smaller publishers asking for exclusivity doing your publisher homework changes to contracts should I have a lawyer look over my contract?
2017-12-2918 minBoard Game Business PodcastTotal Recall Post Mortem - Ep. 62We talk generally about publishing licensed games and specifically about the unsuccessful Total Recall Kickstarter campaign. Why didn't it fund? What did you do differently? Likeness rights 101 Timing releases in a line of games Hidden costs of doing a licensed game Liability insurance The costs of agreeing to release dates Should you create a licensed game? Publishing outside of Kickstarter References Kickstarter Campaign - https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/overworldgames/total-recall-the-official-tabletop-game
2017-12-0820 minBoard Game Business PodcastLA Comic Con Golden Age of Tabletop Gaming PanelThis is a panel organized by High Voltage about how awesome games are and how to grow and build an inclusive gaming community. This took place on 10/28/2017 at Stan Lee's Los Angeles Comic Con, hosted by Will Pasquin with these panelists: John Clair - Mystic Vale, Downfall David Zuckman - Obscure Reference Games Ross Thompson - IDW and Kingdom Con Chris O'Neil - Brotherwise Games Brian Henk - Overworld Games Will Pasquin - High Voltage Video Version: https://youtu.be/hI_26f73APw
2017-11-0452 minBoard Game Business PodcastEthics Mailbag - Ep. 61We have another mailbag episode! These topics were suggested by listeners: Are environmental concerns a factor for publishers, manufacturers, and designers? How can I make my game more accessible and inclusive? What kind of support should publishers donate to charity? Resources: The Overworld Games policy on charities.
2017-09-2619 minBoard Game Business PodcastAm I a Jerk if I Don't Back My Friend's Kickstarter Campaign? - Ep. 60If you're listening to this podcast, there's a good chance you know someone personally who has launched a Kickstarter campaign. Did you feel obligated to back it? We try to break down this social etiquette around the subject in this episode.
2017-08-0116 minBoard Game Business PodcastHow Not to Get Burned on Amazon - Ep. 59Today we discuss how to use Amazon to sell your board game. - Fulfillment by Amazon - Amazon Marketplace - Vendor Express - Amazon Launchpad - Getting Burned Stories - Amazon Marketing Services - Improving your search rankings - Sales on Amazon - Pricing on Amazon - A+ Content - VINE Reviews - Ads on Amazon
2017-07-2019 minBoard Game Business PodcastHow Should You Be Using Social Media? - Ep. 58Today we talk about social media and how we should use this in the board game industry. Specifically, here are some of the questions and topics: How should a game designer use social media? Which social media platforms should a game designer be using? How should a game publisher use social media? Which platforms should they use? Using social media as a phone book or for ease of contacting. What's the wrong way to use social media? Are there other less traditional social media platforms we should be using? Are there any tools that help you more easily...
2017-06-2621 minBoard Game Business PodcastTop 5 Tips for Designing a Reference Card - Ep. 57We attempt to define what a reference card is, which isn't as easy as you may think, and then we pull them apart and figure out which games need them and how to design them clearly. Then we end with a Top 5 list of tips to make your reference card better. Here are some questions and topics we discuss: Which games do we wish had them that do not? Which games have them but don't need them? Do we need one for each player? The psychological effect of having a reference card. Can a game be too simple...
2017-06-0318 minBoard Game Business PodcastTarget Markets - Ep. 56Today we talk about designing and publishing games for a particular market. Here are some of the topics/questions we cover: What's a target market? Which markets are commonly considered in the board game industry? Identifying the market that's right for your game. Should I use elements to my game to fit a particular group of consumers? Do publishers have a specific market in mind when they are scouting games? How do things like ease of play and length of play factor into a market segment? Should I design a game for a specific market? Should designers put th...
2017-05-2519 minBoard Game Business PodcastTop 7 Ways to Improve Your Playtest Feedback Quality - Ep. 55Here are our top 7 ways to improve your playtest feedback quality. If you want a spoiler, here's the list! Ask negative leading questions. Trash/talk down your own game Stay focused and interested in every word play testers say. Don’t defend anything. Don’t break their flow. Focus on problems and steer away from solutions. Ask about feelings. Explain what type of feedback you're looking for. Record Audio Get anonymous feedback at least once and late in the process. Resources: Unpub Feedback Form - http://unpub.net/feedback/
2017-04-1720 minFunding the DreamEP 264 Live from Protospiel San Jose with Brian HenkBrian Henk from Overworld Games talks blind playtesting and how critical it is. We are at Protospiel San Jose and he is watching families sit down and play his game, Barker's Row, without him being able to explain anything or say anything.
Talk about a tough job.
We talk about making it in the board game industry and the success of his past Kickstarter games.
2017-04-1408 minBoard Game Business PodcastHow (Not) to Make a How to Play Video - Ep. 54How-to-play videos are used more and more by designers to show potential publishers or playtesters their game and by publishers after a game has been released to teach customers how to play them. In honor of April Fool's Day, we give tips on how NOT to make a how-to-play video. I know, we're not supposed to tell you, but we really don't want people actually taking our advice. Here's the gist of the tips we cover, but backwards: Prepare so you can keep it concise. Keep it short. You don't need to say every corner case, but make s...
2017-04-0111 minBoard Game Business PodcastDesigner Tools Galore - Ep. 53 Today we go through a quick overview of each iteration of our design process from a tool perspective. We discuss which of these tools work well and which ones we've used in the past. We also cover some of the software we use to stay connected to our designer partners. See the list below of everything we mention! Resources Multideck (Mac) - $25 http://multideck.blogspot.com Paperize (Web) - Closed Betahttp://paperize.io How to use Concatenatehttp://www.gcflearnfree.org/excelformulas/using-concatenate-to-combine-names/1/ Automator (Mac) - Freehttp://www.macosxautomation.com/automator/ Pixelmator (Mac, iOS...
2017-03-2117 minBoard Game Business PodcastWhy Are So Many Licensed Games So Bad? - Ep. 52We discuss licensed games and the specific challenges associated with making a game from them. If you are granted the rights to make a card game based in the Star Wars universe, how do you make a game around it? Or should you make the game first and try to acquire the license later? Here are some questions we answer: Should I design a game for a license? How much does it cost to get an intellectual property? Do you pay up-front or are there royalties or both? What does the schedule/deadlines look like? What impact does th...
2017-03-0421 minBoard Game Business PodcastMatching Art to Your Game - Ep. 51How do you find the right artist for the style of game you're making? Commence discussion! Topics: Finding artists to fit your target market. Identifying market segments. Examples of illustrations or graphic design not fitting the game. Selecting images for the Star Trek Trading Card Game. What should I look for when requesting quotes? What kind of budget should I expect?
2017-02-1721 minBoard Game Business Podcast2017 Predictions - Ep. 50 Some predictions for what will happen in the board game industry in 2017. Legacy Games Quality Kickstarter Exodus Otherwise, Kickstarter Growth Continues Will Quality Go Up or Down? Company Mergers Component Diversification “Meeples with a Twist” Chipboard Constructs Display Games Unexpected Components Storytelling Games Deluxe Editions Game Exchange System Local Game Stores Evolve Increase in Import Games
2017-01-2422 minBoard Game Business PodcastTop 10 Ways to Build Your Board Game Industry Network - Ep. 49Here are Jeremy and Brian's top 10 ways to build your network within the board game industry: Jeremy J10 – Participate in contests. J9 – Be easy to find on social media. J8 – Place encouragement above criticism. J7 – Do your homework to avoid wasting publishers’ time. J6 – Observe Publisher Speed Date. J5 – Go to Protospiel and Unpub events. J4 – Attend cons where industry experts have time to talk. J3 – Don’t view community as a vending machine. J2 – Offer service or resource to the comm...
2017-01-1220 minBoard Game Business PodcastReasons to NOT Enter the Board Game Industry - Ep. 48This episode, we ground everyone with a discussion of reasons why you might not want to enter the board game industry. You will lose money. You will lose time, effort, and opportunities. Other people will be critical of your work, not publish, or not buy it. The work is not all fun. Your game is not special. Kickstarter campaigns and fulfillment are stressful. You’ll be away from home and have to spend money on travel. Video Version: https://youtu.be/th7azVwzEcA
2016-11-3020 minBoard Game Business PodcastReaching Your Core Audience at a Convention - Ep. 47Today we discuss how to reach your core audience at a convention. We specifically hit on these points: Luring on the First Day Promo Packs/Where to Sell Them Coupon Books To Do Lists Banners/Advertisements Other Ideas Email Lists Playtesting Upcoming Kickstarter Games When to Send Con Updates Kickstarter Campaigns during Cons Video Version: https://youtu.be/wy2_rHFReJY
2016-11-1021 min
Legal MovesLeaders of Euphoria and Overworld Games - with Brian Henk and Clayton SkanckeIn this episode, I discuss the latest game from Overworld Games, "Legends of Euphoria" with its creators, Brian Henk and Clayton Skancke. We discuss licensing a game IP, working with Stonemaier Games, and some game development legal issues. Don't miss it!
2016-10-2750 minBoard Game Business PodcastHow to Exhibit at a Major Con - Ep. 46This is the first episode we did after Brian moved to the Los Angeles area. We talk about tips for exhibiting at a major con. Here are some topics: - When to pull the trigger? o Playtest Hall o Volunteer at another Booth - Booth shape and layout - Selling at a Con without a Booth - Copies Sold - Number of Volunteers Required - Banners and Signage - Gen Con Pickup
2016-10-2520 minBoard Game Business PodcastRunning Your Board Game Kickstarter Panel at Gen Con 2016 - Ep. 45Tips for running your Kickstarter campaign in this condensed version of a Gen Con 2016 panel! Panelists: JT Smith, Zachary Strebeck, Jeremy Commandeur, and Brian Henk We discuss: - #1 Mistakes - Kickstarter as a Business - Stretch Goals - Crowd Building - Page Layout - Reward Levels - Naming Something vs. Image in Game - Rules on Page - Setting Goals Resources: The Game Crafter - thegamecrafter.com Game Crafter Podcast - thegamecrafter.libsyn.com Game Lawyer Blog - gamelawyerblog.com Legal Moves...
2016-10-0719 minBoard Game Business PodcastGame Design and Publishing Panel at Gen Con 2016 - Ep. 44At Gen Con 2016, we were on a panel to talk about lots of publishing topics. These were the folks on the panel: JT Smith of The Game Crafter Zachary Strebeck, the Game Lawyer Jeremy Commandeur, Game Designer Brian Henk of Overworld Games things like: Here are some topics we discussed: Forming your business Game manufacturing options (US, Europe, China, etc.) Different ways to sell your game Traditional and alternative distribution models Game awards and contests What should you do yourself? What should you pay others to do? Game publishing contract royalties References Cardbo...
2016-09-2423 minBoard Game Business PodcastMailbag #1 - Ep. 43This is our first mailbag episode where we dig into these questions: - When do you give up on a game? - How do you recover from mistakes and setbacks? - How do you distinguish yourself from other games? Video Version: https://youtu.be/ssIhzMMnQ4Y
2016-09-0721 minBoard Game Business PodcastHow to Use Print-and-Plays - Ep. 42How should you use print-and-plays as a designer, publisher, or indie creator? We discuss some options! - Advantages - Early Feedback - Kickstarter - Limited or Full Version? - What do players use them for? - Shopping Ahead - Evaluating Gameplay - Evaluating Art - Why a P&P isn’t giving the game away. - Translations - Other components - P&Ps at Cons Video Version: https://youtu.be/0x0Jz...
2016-07-3019 minBoard Game Business PodcastHosting a Convention - Ep. 41Join us for a discussion on the tools you need to host your own game design convention, such as: - Start small o Monthly meet-ups o Prototype night - Location o Mom & Pop Restaurant o Game Store - Getting Published Designers - Travel and Experience - Supporting and Nurturing Designers - Getting Playtesters - Publishers at Conventions - First-time Designers at Conventions - Untested Games at Conventions Video Version: https://yo...
2016-07-0519 minBoard Game Business PodcastProduction Schedules - Ep. 40Video Version: https://youtu.be/TrAmYLu8TTQ - Make sure design is finished - The major steps include: o Art o Manufacturing and Proofing o Kickstarter Prep o Review Copies o Informing Retailers o Shipping and Fulfillment - Art takes longer than expected - Break down EVERY task and element - The order of the tasks matters - Run aspects by outside eyes - Where can we find an in-depth description of the process...
2016-06-1622 minBoard Game Business PodcastBalancing Your Game - Ep. 39We sprinkle in these game balancing topics, among others, into our discussion: Easy to Balance Games Hard to Balance Games How many playtests? How to Make Adjustments Cutting to Balance Balancing and Adding Types of Players Length of Game Keeping Scores Close Video Version: https://youtu.be/NudmOYeT4-k
2016-05-2521 minBoard Game Business PodcastHow to Get Into Distribution - Ep. 38Do you have a game that you want to get into the magical land of "distribution"? We talk about how to make that happen! Some topics we discuss are: What is distribution? What is the structure of the market? Why go through distribution? What profits can one expect? Why do retailers like distribution? How does one get picked up by a distributor? Big consolidators and distributors Minimum print sizes Video Version: https://youtu.be/bpQyJndfdyk
2016-05-2117 minBoard Game Business PodcastProtospiel San Jose Design, Development, and Publishing PanelGrant Rodiek from Hyperbole Games hosts a panel at Protospiel
San Jose on board game design, development, and publishing. The
panel members are:
Jeremy Commandeur - Designer, Organizer of
Protospiel San Jose
Brian Henk - Designer, Publisher at Overworld
Games
Teale Fristoe - Designer, Publisher at Nothing
Sacred Games
Peter Vaughan - Designer, Publisher, and
Development Director for Breaking Games
Aldo Ghiozzi - Game Consolidator with
Impressions
Grant Rodiek - Designer, Publisher with
Hyperbole Games
Thanks to Jordan Nichols from Your Game Night
(http://www.yourgamenight.com/)
for recording the audio!
2016-05-011h 16Board Game Business PodcastTop 10 Mistakes New Designers Make (Designer Perspective) - Ep. 37We continue with our top 10 mistakes new designers make with a list from the designer perspective, led by Jeremy Commandeur.
2016-04-0720 minBoard Game Business PodcastTop 10 Mistakes New Designers Make (Publisher Perspective) - Ep. 36Brian makes a list of the top 10 mistakes new designers make from the perspective of a publisher and we all debate about it. This covers things like the design decisions that will make a game harder to sell. Jeremy will share his list from a designer perspective in the next episode!
2016-03-2816 minBoard Game Business PodcastUsing Chipboard - Ep. 35We discuss these chipboard-related topics:
- Why use chipboard?
o Feel
o Durability
- Why wouldn’t you want to?
o Cost
o Wear
o Weight
- 3D chipboard constructions
- Cost analysis
- Sizes and custom shapes
- Standard sheets/thickness/layers
- Finishes and coating
- Unpub/Protospiel San Jose
Video Version: https://youtu.be/LyfAAS2aYZA
2016-03-0417 minBoard Game Business PodcastInside the Box - Ep. 34Inside the Box
In this episode, we talk about these box insert topics:
- Cardboard Inserts
- Size of Box
- Number of Wells
- Gametrayz and Other Plastic Inserts
- Broken Token Wood Inserts and Boxes
- Cost Analysis of Manufacturing vs. After-Market
- Bags of Bags
- Game Storage Recommendations in Rules?
- 13 oz. Golden Rule
Video version: https://youtu.be/V3K_bdnFZ1Q
2016-03-0417 minBoard Game Business PodcastThe Perfect Box Back - Ep. 33We talk about designing the back of the box. This includes:
- Legal Requirements
- Age Limitations
- European CE Mark
- Country & Address
- Barcodes
- Playtime & Number of Players (Learn Time?)
- Restock Code
- Components
- Game or Scenario Description
- Simplified How to Play
- MSRP
- QR Codes
- Other Games
- Learn to Play
- Names
- Designer
- Artist
...
2016-01-2919 minBoard Game Business PodcastBranding: Naming Your Game - Ep. 32We talk about naming your game and other more general branding questions, such as:- Why we changed our podcast name- What makes a good title for a game?- Is a unique name important?- Should the name work in other countries?- Matching video game names- Branding your game for your market- Name that will appeal to retailers
YouTube/Video: https://youtu.be/wdPBDJm8jEo
2016-01-0717 minBoard Game Business PodcastManufacturing Quality - Ep. 31Today we talk about manufacturing quality. Here are some of the topics:
Print-on-Demand Quality
CMYK & RGB Issues
Defects and Limitations
When are defects worth the risk?
Which manufacturer should publishers choose?
How to gauge quality
Quality for repetitive use
Does the manufacturer influence a purchase?
Video Version: https://youtu.be/CjYPdXjdqTs
2015-12-2719 minBoard Game Business PodcastReasons for Backing a Crowdfunding Campaign - Ep. 30
Why should a prospective crowd-funding backer contribute to a campaign? Why not wait for the game to come out? We talk about our experience and lessons learned as we cover these topics:
- Get a lower price
- Make a better game/exclusives
- Be a part of the process
- Get the game early
- Inside information
- Back before you make your own campaign
Video: https://youtu.be/a0AA5dc1aXA
2015-12-1220 minBoard Game Business PodcastWhat Makes a Good Theme? - Ep. 29What themes should designers and publishers target for their games? Here are some topics we discuss:
- How important is being family-friendly? - Considerations for getting into a big box retailer - Over/Under-used themes
Video Version: https://youtu.be/ogHM9pbQYAQ
2015-12-0221 minBoard Game Business PodcastCrowd-funding Marketing with Chris ReynoldsLearn Chris Reynolds' secrets to lay out out your crowd-funding page to give potential backers what they want to see and read. He also gives some tips on general marketing of a board game so come have a listen!
2015-11-2639 minBoard Game Business PodcastSend from China - Ep. 28This is all about the fulfillment company called Send from China. We describe this service from a first-hand perspective covering these topics:
- What is Send from China?
- Why might I use it?
- What are some potential pitfalls?
- Timelines
- User Interface
- Costs
- Payment Options
- Shipping Calculator
- Currency Conversion
- Packaging Options
- EU/AU/CA Friendly
- Customer Service
Video Version: https://youtu.be/NuYYEf7X5wY
Resources:
http://www.sendfromchina.com/ - The SFC website.
2015-11-1324 minBoard Game Business PodcastBonus Interview: Eduardo BarafBrian interviews Eduardo Baraf about his company Pencil First Games and all the analog and digital games he has designed and published. He recently released Gem Packed Cards with both a card game version and a mobile version of it at roughly the same time. We talk about that and so much more in this interview.
2015-11-0842 minBoard Game Business PodcastPitching to a Publisher at a Convention - Ep. 27What's the best way to get noticed by a publisher at a convention? What annoys them? What excites them? We talk about our experience and lessons learned as we cover these topics: - Making Appointments - Sell Sheets - Elevator Pitch - Finding a Publisher that Fits Your Game - Publisher Speed Dating - Ludography - Demos - Follow-ups After a Pitch
Video version on The Dice Tower: https://youtu.be/Ec-dJmj3Gyc
2015-10-3020 minBoard Game Business PodcastWriting Rules - Ep. 26Richard New, Jeremy Commandeur, and Brian Henk talk about writing rules for a board game. Here are some of the topics we cover in this episode:
Different styles of reading and writing rules
Rules layouts
Managing versions of rules
Rules editors
Sanity test
Reference cards vs. rules
Rules for an expansion
Blind playtests
Resources:
The Game Crafter Sanity Tests [https://www.thegamecrafter.com/help/sanity-tests]
2015-10-1721 minBoard Game Business PodcastTop 5 Keys to Convention Preparation and Smaller Conventions - Ep. 25The top 5 keys to convention preparation from the designer and publisher perspective.
Also, how do you prepare for a smaller convention? Which conventions should you attend?
Video/YouTube Version: https://youtu.be/5cgYrNqIQWs
2015-10-0117 minBoard Game Business PodcastConventions and Selling Your Design Part 2 - Ep. 24We continue our discussion on getting ready for a convention, running a booth, and getting in front of a publisher at a con. What should you put in your convention prep kit?
Video/YouTube Version: https://youtu.be/OVVYI8E4li0
2015-09-2922 minBoard Game Business PodcastConventions and Selling Your Design - Ep. 23Today the topic is getting ready for a convention from the perspective of someone playing games, publishing games, and designing games. How do you get your design in front of publishers? How do you get buzz going for a booth? What are the booth-goer "use cases"? How do you make the most of your convention? We tackles these questions and more.
Video/YouTube Version: https://youtu.be/fD5lhcPeluM
2015-09-1017 minBoard Game Business PodcastProtospiel San Jose Recap - Part 2 - Ep. 22Jeremy gives some more tips on running your own Protospiel event and we get more from him about how to create the right environment for game design support and feedback.
Resources
Protospiel website: http://www.protospiel.org/
Unpub website: http://unpub.net/
2015-08-2717 minLegal MovesEpisode 05 – Partner up or go solo? (part 3) with Jeremy Commandeur and Brian HenkIn this episode, we have the third part of my interview with game designers Brian Henk and Jeremy Commandeur. We discuss (finally) whether you should be partnering up or staying solo in your game development - both from a business and a legal perspective.
2015-07-2226 minBoard Game Business PodcastBoard Game Legal Issues with Zachary Strebeck - Ep. 20In this episode, we interview Zachary Strebeck about legal issues in the tabletop game industry. He talks about his launch of his site for do-it-yourself contracts and he also started his own podcast called Legal Moves.
Video/YouTube Version: https://youtu.be/8KLd3DaqsrE
2015-07-1924 minLegal MovesEpisode 03 – Partner up or go solo? (part 2) with Jeremy Commandeur and Brian HenkIn this episode of Legal Moves, I continue my conversation with game designers Brian Henk and Jeremy Commandeur of the Forbidden Limb podcast and Overworld Games. We discuss the pitfalls of working from home as a solo game developer, some ways to avoid those issues, and what it means when something is in the Public Domain. We also touch on some issues related to using someone else's trademarks in your game, where I absolutely am not giving legal advice to Brian! Stay tuned for Part 3 of our conversation next week.
2015-07-1540 minLegal MovesEpisode 02 – Partner up or go solo? (part 1) with Jeremy Commandeur and Brian HenkIn Episode 2 of the Legal Moves podcast, I'm joined by Jeremy Commandeur and Brian Henk to discuss marketing your Kickstarter and the Star Citizen delay. This is part 1 of our conversation that will continue over the next two weeks.
2015-07-0847 minBoard Game Business PodcastWorking with a Manufacturer - Ep.19We cover lessons learned in talking to tabletop game manufacturers so you can better prepare for the next time you need to work with one.
Video/YouTube Version: https://youtu.be/h5wEsDtUPPw
2015-07-0823 minBoard Game Business PodcastWondercon Panel on Indie PublishingJeremy Commandeur hosts this WonderCon 2015 panel on Indie Tabletop Publishing. These are the panelists:
Jeremy Commandeur
Chris Castagnetto
Brian Henk
Payton Lee
2015-06-161h 01Board Game Business PodcastWorking with an Artist - Ep.18We talk about improving the relationship between a publisher and an artist. What are some tips to make it mutually beneficial?
Working with Artists | Hyperbole Gameshttp://hyperbolegames.com/2013/04/14/working-with-artists/
Kelley McMorris illustration: Self-Published Authors: 10 Tips on How to Email an Illustratorhttp://kmcmorris.blogspot.com/2015/04/self-published-authors-10-tips-on-how.html
2015-06-0723 minBoard Game Business PodcastFinding an Artist - Ep.17The Forbidden Limb guys talk about different places to go to find an artist for your tabletop game.
Video Version: https://youtu.be/-aC04mNovAo
Topics:
Where can I go to find an artist?
What's the difference between an artist and a graphic designer?
How much does an artist cost?
References:
http://www.comicsalliance.comhttp://www.fiverr.comhttp://www.deviantart.comhttp://www.99designs.comhttps://www.behance.net
2015-06-0220 minBoard Game Business PodcastKickstarter Panel at San Jose Protospiel 2015Richard Bliss hosts the Kickstarter Panel at the San Jose Protospiel. All Kickstarter topics are discussed from the following panelists:
Jeremy Commandeur
Brian Henk
Teale Fristoe
Aldo Ghiozzi
Richard Bliss
2015-05-071h 23Board Game Business PodcastDesigner and Publisher Panel at San Jose Protospiel - "No Kickstarter"This panel was from the 2015 San Jose Protospiel and covered design and publishing of tabletop games. It was hosted by Grant Rodiek and also had Teale Fristoe, Chris Castagnetto, Jeremy Commandeur, and Brian Henk.
2015-05-061h 24Board Game Business PodcastFinding Art For Your Prototype - Ep.16The Forbidden Limb debuts on The Dice Tower Network with tips on finding art for your prototype.
2015-04-2218 minBoard Game Business PodcastBehind the Scenes of Bombers and Traitors - Ep.14See a behind the scenes perspective of a Kickstarter campaign from Brian. The Bombers and Traitors expansion of Good Cop Bad Cop campaign ended just a couple of weeks ago and we go through all the data. Jeremy adds his backing preferences and Richard asks some clarifying questions.
YouTube/Video Version: http://youtu.be/zINmgD0Clf8
2015-03-1034 minBoard Game Business PodcastPost-Release Buzz - Ep.12Brian discusses his experience with marketing after a game release, Jeremy tells tales of fellow designers at conventions, and Richard reminisces about the buyer experience.
2015-02-1128 minBoard Game Business PodcastGetting Buzz for Your Kickstarter - Ep.11Brian lays out the methods of getting some free press by working with other designers and publishers. Jeremy drops some economics for those willing to drop some dough. Really, they each do both. Richard listens and gets a visitor from way off in 2015!
2015-02-0228 minBoard Game Business PodcastGetting Buzz for Your Prototype - Ep.10Richard asks Jeremy and Brian to enlighten him on who to get interested in a prototype, where and when to find those people, how to get them interested, and why. Really, all the questions but "what." You do have a prototype, right?
2015-01-2722 minBoard Game Business PodcastMoving from POD to Manufacturing, Part 3 - Ep.9Jeremy explains the structure of a Kickstarter campaign, leaving options for POD and manufacturing open. Brian gives his three criteria for choosing a manufacturer. Richard puzzles over the benefits of different manufacturer locations.
Video/YouTube Version: http://youtu.be/a4WMj_Ky7dk
2015-01-1319 minBoard Game Business PodcastMoving from POD to Manufacturing, Part 2 - Ep.8Brian gives several examples of errors that can occur with either POD or manufacturing and Richard discovers the guys' tips for minimizing mistakes. Jeremy talks about getting games played by publishers.
Video/YouTube Version: http://youtu.be/UNhqE9CgWgs
2015-01-0617 minBoard Game Business PodcastMoving from POD to Manufacturing, Part 1 - Ep.7It's a Jeremy-heavy episode as we start a discussion on which Print-on-Demand (POD) services are available. Brian jumps in with first choices for larger manufacturers. Richard is fascinated.
2014-12-3019 minBoard Game Business PodcastPackaging Your Game - Ep.6Jeremy geeks out on his love of all things box, while Richard explores the dynamics of sleeved vs. unsleeved tabletop game box design and Brian explains his trials and tribulations designing boxes for display and functionality.
Topics:
Box Quality
Box Design
Box Sizes
Custom Game Trays
Video/YouTube: http://youtu.be/kcgWl9zmInE
2014-12-2330 minBoard Game Business PodcastWhen Is Your Game Ready? Part 3 - Ep.5Brian and Jeremy discuss the current trends in what publishers are looking for, Richard reminisces about the goals and hardships of playtesting a TCG, and the guys determine if a game can ever truly be finished anyway.
Topics:
Component Complexity
Playtesting a Trading Card Game
Late Game Modifications
Second Editions
Dealing with Erratum
Video/Vidcast: http://youtu.be/czkWZypCKsk
2014-12-1619 minBoard Game Business PodcastWhen Is Your Game Ready? Part 2 - Ep.4Jeremy and Brian explain to Richard where he can find a feedback form, the difference between Euro- and Ameritrash games, how to evaluate data (or get someone else to do it), what conventions are held for developing games, and how to make and present a sell sheet.
Topics:
Using sell sheets
Participating in Unpub/Protospiel events
Written feedback for playtesting
Playtesting different types of games
Automated playtesting
Video/YouTube Version: http://youtu.be/98l7apeB_KY
2014-12-0927 minBoard Game Business PodcastWhen is Your Game Ready? Part 1 - Ep.3Richard asks Jeremy and Brian to explain how to get players to playtest a game, how to host a playtest, how to blind playtest, remote blind playtest, and track feedback.
2014-12-0221 minBoard Game Business PodcastTo Early Bird or Not to Early Bird - Ep.2Brian and Jeremy talk to Richard about their differing views on earlybird offers on Kickstarter. It's how nerds fight.
Video version: http://youtu.be/wQ4pzzueOu4
2014-11-2512 min