Board Game Publisher Looking For Game Designers

What kind of experience do you have publishing? Have you guys taken any games through the development process yet or what kind of marketing experience do you bring to the table? What can you do for us that other publishers can't?

I'm a new fairly new designer, but I've got a couple projects being published through larger publishers. My first instinct while looking at the page and this post would be a pass on the opportunity. While I agree that the funding is part of my reason for going through publishers... there is one more important reason.

Publishers know the market and they have a fully developed reputation that will improve my game's visibility and sales. They know how to hire the right people, avoid legal landmines, and get people's attention. I know that they can do a better job on that end than I could.

Reading the website, I have no doubt that you are passionate about this and seem like great people. I'm just not seeing much in terms of business or marketing experience. That's enough to worry me from taking the chance.

I'd recommend adding a section to your site regarding your publishing related-experience. If you ever ran a successful business, developed a following on a web-show, built a popular website, or at least worked with other publishers to ship games of your own.

I'm not telling you this to be a jerk or crush your dreams. I just want to tell you where my fears lie because I know that other designers may agree. You seem like great people and I do hope that everything works out for you.

That was a really duchey thing to say.

"If you need more clarification you just aren't able to see and understand like we are"

If you are the new kids on the block and are ready to work with other new kids to help everyone get started that's one thing. But it sounds to me like you are elitist underachievers who would like us to thank you for acknowledging our forum. because you are "offering" us the opportunity to apply to give you our games.

That attitude will get you nowhere in business.

With all due respect, I told them where the weak points their pitch lie. This will allow them to improve their pitch and win over other people like me.

This wasn't an attack, its an explanation of where they lost me so that it doesn't need to happen next time.

-> Rule #1 about making a pitch without a proven record
Highlight and focus in great detail how your background prepared you for the proposed current task and why there is zero risk.
No publisher nor designer wants to gamble their time and money and detailed experiences are the way to prove it.

-> Rule #2 If the competition is bigger than you... find a gimmick and be different
Victory Point is a small publisher with limited market runs, and fairly small chance to make any real profit. Why would anyone go to them?
Simple, because they are different. They allow the designer to keep the rights to his own game and they have an up-front contract. No negotiations, no risk of being screwed... just a simple fair contract that anyone can see.
This is appealing to me, and I'm sure other people like it too.

Keep in mind, both rules apply to ALL situations. I used both heavily in pitching my first game.

I didn't take any offense to their response and I certainly hope they didn't taken any to mine. I genuinely want them to succeed because I know what it's like to be the underdog.

I didn't succeed alone. People told me what I was doing wrong, mistakes I made, and how I could improve. It wasn't always nice or pleasant to hear, but it was always for my own good.

Besides, if what we said to one another is so terrible... shouldn't we be the ones to duke it out?