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From Print and Play to Ipad

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larienna
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Since Print and Play board games are not selling so well because it requires assembly, I was wondering if it would not be more profitable to release the game on IPad, or other tablet device.

Normally, board games that gets released as software are generally popular games considered to be solid. So I think it could be a bad idea that the first release is on an electronic device.

The main problem is the development time. It took me around 6-8 months to produce my game as PNP (excluding design time). It might take me another 6 months to program it as a video game. In the end, the production can take over a year.

But on the other hand, more people might be willing to buy the game if it's available on a table rather than PnP.

I think the best solution would be to have a game published by a real publisher and use the artwork and graphic design of the publisher ( with permission) to create the video game if the board game is popular enough. In that case, it saves me the production of the graphics and artwork. I could even make the video game while the publisher is producing the board game so that they get released almost at the same time.

The problem with video games is that it might require additional stuff which could be hard to get or implement:

- Artificial Intelligence: This could be painful to develop, it depends on the game.
- Multi-player: This is almost essential especially if there is no AI.
- Music: That could be considered optional, maybe people does not expect to get music when playing board games with a tablet. But since the original board game does not have music, it could be borrow it like the graphics.

What do You think?

Dralius
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Did you see my post last

Did you see my post last week?

http://www.bgdf.com/node/6787

We are mixing the best of both worlds table top + computer.

larienna
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Yes, but I am still skeptical

Yes, but I am still skeptical about the idea of projecting a board from above on the table. It does not look easy to install and not very transportable.

Dralius
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They have already been able

They have already been able to make a roll up board that is water resistant if not water proof so the system will be quite portable. I don't see any issue with reguards to projector setup. It simply will be on an arm the overhangs the board not unlike a desk lamp but much smaller.

Although not every game will be improved by the systems augmentation many games could be.

With third party development as part of the business plan any publisher big or small can produce thier own app and the RFID tags needed and thier game is compatable with the tweedle board.

Traz
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from Ipad to boardgame....

Larienna-

You've really hit a nerve with me here. I have a design I've been holding onto since 2003 [it's the ONLY thing I've ever done that I bothered to get an actual copyright on]. I refer to it as my 'retirement game'... hubris dies hard. ;-)

The reason I've been holding it back is, once it gets out there, I truly expect [read: fantasize] it to go viral. The problem with how to release it has been the biggest hurdle of all! If I self-publish, I don't have the marketing skills [nor the money] to get the exposure the game would NEED to go where I think it has the potential to.

BUT... something happened a few years ago that was the answer to my dilemma.

APPS.

My problem now? Finding somebody who has mad AI skills. I've jumped from the frying pan into the fire.

You listed the speed bumps - it only took one to stop my train.

I still think this is a VERY viable road to go, though. I believe it is INFINITELY easier to get more exposure in the APP universe than the boardgame circuit. Once ensconced in the APP universe, I think it will be EASIER to convert to a solid boardgame than vice-versa.

The trick? Like everything else in our world - making it happen.

larienna
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Quote:I believe it is

Quote:
I believe it is INFINITELY easier to get more exposure in the APP universe than the board game circuit.

In the same thread on board game geek, exposure was one of the benefits of making a game as an app. And one of the biggest problem was artificial intelligence design.

As for the electronic board, I will have to see and play it for myself. Still, in the original thread, you asked for mass market games, and I don't design that kind of games, this is why I passed on the idea. But if the product is released and I would have the skill to release it on your electronic board, I would be glad to do it.

Traz
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yo - where to go?

larienna-

Cold you give us a link to go check out some of your pnp work? Maybe somebody here could give you a hand at talking your stuff up or doing an interview for their blog to get you some exposure. You're a member of the family - if nothing else, if you're on BGG, a bunch of us could throw you some thumbs for stuff that intrigues us.

Couldn't hurt. ;-)

Family gots ta stick together - even if it only is leftover jelly!

lewpuls
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Buried

As I understand it, apps are now getting buried unless coming from a well-known development company, that is, few people will even know your app exists. I don't do iPad/Smartphone myself, so I can only go by what I read.

MarkKreitler
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Fierce competition

Traz wrote:
BUT... something happened a few years ago that was the answer to my dilemma.

APPS.

Hate to say it, Traz, but lewpuls is right -- currently, there are about 100 games released into the Apple store per day. I've written a few apps for the Finance section, which is much less competitive, and I'm now watching the guy for whom I wrote them spending his marketing budget trying to get them noticed.

In the "few years" since Apps burst onto the scene, they have grown into a medium that is as competitive -- if not more competitive -- than traditional board games. This isn't to say that you shouldn't pursue your idea, but be aware that you'll need just as much marketing savvy to succeed in that arena as you would in the traditional board game space. And if you're not a video game developer yourself, you'll need to fork over a nice chunk of change to get your game going in the first place.

As someone who straddles both the video and board game worlds, I consider the barrier to entry -- both in terms of finances and skills -- lower on the board game side of things. However, the potential payoff is higher on the app side. That said, the chance of success, multiplied by the average financial gain, is probably tilted slightly in favor of board games (based purely on anecdotal evidence, so YMMV).

I wish you luck either way you decide to go.

Mark

larienna
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Quote:Hate to say it, Traz,

Quote:
Hate to say it, Traz, but lewpuls is right -- currently, there are about 100 games released into the Apple store per day.

So it's a similar problem to sold PnP Games, there is a lot of junk and the searching tools are not always efficient, so it's hard to get what you want. Also reminds me of Xbox indie games where there are simply too many games to try.

For example, there is probably a few strategy video game out there that I could play and enjoy, but the fact that I don't know they exists prevent me from playing them, So I stick with what I know.

Ah! too much information is like not enough. And the remedy is generally to have a good searching tool and indexing process (the is the librarian in me that speaks), but this is generally those who develop these technologies don't care. For example, in facebook, there is apparently no way to list all the games available on the site. You need to meet somebody randomly who will have a game on his page to discover the game. It's pure chaos.

Anyways, it was only trying to investigate the possibility of making an electronic release. I will probably not do it anytime soon and I would prefer an electronic Board Game platform like suggested above.

I am currently in the submission process for my game, so I am sending letters, and waiting. Somebody asked for a link on what I do, Everything I do can be found here, as always:

http://bgd.lariennalibrary.com

Traz
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happens every time

MarkKreitler wrote:
Hate to say it, Traz, but lewpuls is right -- currently, there are about 100 games released into the Apple store per day.

Story of my life - I finally figure I've got my problem fixed only to discover the even LARGER hurdle the FIX has become.

What a world, what a world....

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