Hey all,
As I inch closer to jumping into the maelstrom called Kickstarter, I've created a Facebook page dedicated to my first self-published game:
https://www.facebook.com/scrambogame/
We all have several game designs under our belts, and choosing the right one to go DIY with is a challenge unto itself. I chose Scrambo for these reasons:
1. It's super-simple to learn. Many could even figure out the game or a close version of it just by looking at the dice, and the ease makes it open to kids as well as adults.
2. The strategy comes by using the players' knowledge in certain categories, but the speed of the game can trip up the thought process and make even the simplest answers feel challenging. There's been a lot of "DUH!" moments as people try and think of answers which others think should be obvious, and players who aren't directly involved that round get to shout their answers after the round has ended.
3. It scales well. Testing has been done with as few as 2 players and as many as 8, and it was just as fun and engaging. Even if you're not actively playing the categories in a round, players can't help but play in their heads, keeping everyone engaged. You can also play in teams of 2 or 3 when in larger groups.
4. It's very portable, being only 11 dice. This means it can be played anywhere; at school, on an airplane, at the bar...yes, it makes for a great drinking game, too!
5. Simply put, it strikes me as a game with the widest possible target audience, and I felt that while it may not be my most "gamerly" game, and not the one I may have poured the most personal time and love-for-theme into, it's truly a lot of fun and could be my best chance at success and open the door to opportunities for those bigger, more involved games.
I'll be posting all sorts of progress photos and updates on the FB page, so I hope some of you will "Like" it and join me on the journey of my first self-published game!
I've been laying out the Kickstarter page, and plan on keeping it super-simple:
$15: early-bird game
$20: standard game
$30: Kickstarter-exclusive "chrome edition" game with special metallic-effect box and dice.
I'll be posting it here for opinions once it's more or less complete, but as this game isn't one that really falls into the traditional board game Kickstarter system of component-improving or expanding stretch goals (I'm working with Panda to deliver the best quality game we can make from the get-go), I'm hoping that a campaign as simple and straight-forward as what I have planned will be appreciated just as much.
I understand the issue of not offering stretch goals in motivating backers to push the pledge level higher and higher, but I also don't want to over-complicate my first campaign (for the backers or myself in fulfillment), or detract from the simplicity that is the game with a bunch of extra "stuff."