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Games Play UK

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Timpenrose
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Joined: 11/26/2011

I am wondering if anyone has any experience with the Board Game company "Games Play UK" ?

I met with them yesterday after some correspondence and they looked at two games I have produced. one they don't want to run with, but the other they appeared extremely interested in. They have signed a NDA, but are looking to work on their standard basis which is as follows :

They produce 2 prototypes professionally
I fund half the cost of the prototypes (around £4,000 for me to put in)
They hawk the board game around toy fairs etc.

Now to be totally fair to them, they have many more contacts and in through the doors than I have and I am thinking that if I self publish, then I have to self sell! If they DO get a big order then I am up and away with the percentages they have offerered.......BUT...

Is this really any different from vanity publishing of books?

And I remain sceptical that they will sell so many of the game !

Please tell me I am a cynic, or that this is not a good way forward. Does anyone have any experience of working with these chaps of indeed of a similar arrangement with another company in practice?

Any help would be much appreciated.

Thank You

Tim

Maaartin
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Joined: 05/15/2011
UTFG

Timpenrose wrote:
Please tell me I am a cynic

You're a cynic. But being so seems to be right. The only two references I know can be found easily by googling for Games Play UK site:bgdf.com

There seem to be no positive reactions.

Timpenrose
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Joined: 11/26/2011
Thanks

Yes, thought so......thank you. Self publishing here we come.......

canaldrifter
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Joined: 11/12/2011
I'v offered then an

I'v offered then an alternative deal, whereby they finance the game initially, and take a higher percentage of royalties due.

I suspect I'll get a standard letter back saying, that is not company policy and pity you can't see the investment.

Will keep you informed.

Tone

Timpenrose
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Joined: 11/26/2011
Games play

Brilliant, thanks for that. Would be most interested to see what they have to say. Reckon you are probably right though!

Appreciate that.

Tim

Brykovian
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Joined: 07/21/2008
If you are looking at

If you are looking at mass-market games, then using an agent to get your games considered by large publishers really is a good path. However, you need to make sure the agent actually has the ability to get in front of the big boys to show them what they are currently hawking.

Can the agency provide a list of prior successes they've had getting the games they promoted published and on shelves?

But this is the part that seems odd:

Timpenrose wrote:
They produce 2 prototypes professionally
I fund half the cost of the prototypes (around £4,000 for me to put in)

8k GBP seems extremely high for 2 prototypes ... unless they need custom-routed wooden bits (like Jenga) or custom-die plastic miniatures to make the prototypes work.

Still, for 8k, I'd expect there to be more than just 2 prototype-quality copies.

-Matt

canaldrifter
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Joined: 11/12/2011
Of course there is no

Of course there is no guarantee that they are putting in £3.900 themselves to match our contribution. We only have their word for that.

And why is it that every game they consider requires £3,900 from each games inventor? Different games would require different prototype production costs.

Still haven't heard back from them yet, and if they are reading this forum, then they might be wise to consider their online reputation, and might like to contribute?

Tone

The Game Crafter
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Joined: 06/09/2009
Alternative

Speaking from personal experience, asking you to fund any part of the investment up front is a pretty shady practice. You should definitely look at other publishers.

If you end up not being able to work out a deal with them or anybody else, then there are still other options.

1) You could try to get funding from Kickstarter (kickstarter.com).

2) You could use our services to print only one you need (thegamecrafter.com).

3) You could go the print and play route.

canaldrifter
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Joined: 11/12/2011
Thanks for that advice. I'll

Thanks for that advice. I'll bear it in mind, but wait until I get a response from GPUK.... if I do.....

My personal problem is that I am a disabled pensioner, and thus not in a position to do any promotional work whatsoever myself. Nor am I in a position to be able to fund a commercial standard prototype.

However, after much testing with all age groups, I believe this competitive game is so unique, in that it doesn't require cards, dice or pieces-to-move as such and can be played on a chess board, that it would be a good proposition for anyone who has the resources to promote it.

Tone

Dralius
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Joined: 07/26/2008
canaldrifter wrote: Nor am I

canaldrifter wrote:
Nor am I in a position to be able to fund a commercial standard prototype.

If your trying to pitch it to publisher the prototype dosn't have to be anything special. Often i spend less than $10 making them. I'm a published designer and know many other published designers. The prototypes we use to get our games published are nothing special to look at, just functional so the publisher can test it.

Timpenrose
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Joined: 11/26/2011
Way forward

I have decided to print a small number of my games myself and sell them locally. This will allow me to test the Market and tweak things to my Hearts content.

Still think that the gamesplay UK deal doesn't stack up.

Look out for the board game "Hearses In a Hurry".

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