Prototyping Fun

Disclaimer: We offer a prototyping service for game designers.

Now, putting on the publisher hat, we ran a contest last year called "Small Box Games Contest". The criteria were very specific - must have two dice, must have a certain number of cards, play in a short time, must fit into a fairly small space. Dralius's design, SNAG, won the contest. All the entries were PDF, no physical prototypes. We made prototypes of the finalists ourselves. So, prototype quality had no influence on the outcome in this case. Were there other designs that were as good as the one we picked? Absolutely. Were there more interesting themes? Yes. Were there other clearly written, well explained entries with PDFs of sample cards, boards, artwork, etc. ? Yup.

If so, why did we pick Snag? Well, it was the best fit for the criteria we specified for the contest - and it did it with the a low component count that would allow us to offer it at a good price point. The graphics in the entry were not spectacular, but serviceable. I don't know if he had the design ready beforehand, or if he designed the game specfiically with our contest in mind, but compared to every other entry in the contest, Snag stood out as if it had been designed to meet the criteria we set out. Will it have the best potential sales of all the entries? Don't know, but we certainly hope so. Are we going to do another "focused" design contest again - absolutely.

What does all this have to do with prototype quality? Well, the games submitted that made it to the second round had a few distinguishing features. 1) They fit the criteria for the contest 2) They were well written and easy to see the gameplay on the first read-through 3) The rules appeared logical (not all good games have good rulebooks, but the best rulebook ever written will not save a bad game). Prototype quality is also a function of rulebook quality and how easily you can convey the gameplay when you're not there in person to explain it. So, if we didn't get it on the first or second read, it did not rise to the top. One person even sent us a picture of how their components actually would fit into our box size, since they happened to have the card tower, which is the same size. I was impressed by the passion this and other designers show for their designs.

There are a few ways to view prototypes - as eye candy to draw in the potential publisher to want to try it out - to show you are serious and professional about your design. Or simply as a set of components (of variable quality) that will help a publisher play your game and decide if they want to publish it.

In my experience as a game designer trying to submit to the big publishers, serviceable prototypes were good enough - they did not need to be perfect, but they do need to be good enough so they don't distract from their task of helping the publisher decide if they want to publish it. Fancy prototypes with art you commissioned just for the prototype are probably overkill - publishers may like the game but want to change the theme - that happens often. If you are serious and willing to invest the money to get artwork for a prototype, consider publishing it yourself, you will have full control over your design that way. One time I was asked if I would take a few features out of a game design so we could introduce them over a series of titles. I didn't like the idea, but I certainly understand why a publisher would want to do it that way.

So, if I had to be succinct (as I recommend you be when you write and submit your design to any publisher), I'd say - concentrate on the design, then make the prototype "good enough". A good theme doesn't hurt, but don't get too attached to it.

Also, consider what the publisher already makes. You won't sell a wargame to Out of the Box Publishing, Fantasy Flight publishes most of their stuff with a strong license tie-in (Lord of the Rings, Call of Cthulhu, etc). Your chances of getting published go up when you research the company and make your design a stronger fit for what they do.