Queen Games seeking new Cube Tower game

Like most German publishers, Queen Games relies on submissions from outside designers. That's why they've share with some of these designers (including Peer and myself) that they are looking for a game using the tower.

And, yes, they want a finished, extensively playtested game, not just an idea. This is the real deal.

Remember, they also want a "big-box" game, something of the complexity matching their other games of this size, like Wallenstein or, more recently, Batvia. That kind of complexity will probably take a few iterations and lots of playtesting.

There are some nice initial ideas here, though, that someone could build a game around. I like the time travel and commodoties ideas best, but there has to be something good built around that structure. For example, if you use the tower to produce resources (by buying cubes to throw in and see what comes out), you still need a whole lotta game that has some new way of using those resources, building things, scoring points, etc. There are a lot of similar games out there already, so coming up with something original is probably more difficult than coming up with how to use the tower. It's a good start, though.

Another good idea is to see if the cube tower fits into a design you've already been working on. It could be that "missing link" you've been waiting for.

By the way, the cubes normally used with the tower are the smallest available: 8mm x 8mm. I've never tried using the larger 10mm cubes (Caylus sized).

I am unaware of a time line, but the fact that someone emailed Queen due to this thread and got an immediate response AND a cube tower to play with tells me this is a high priority for them. If you can put together something that works well, it sounds like they will playtest it right away.

It probably does vary, although the thing I hear from every publisher I've spoken to is that they want finished games, not ideas. That said, they are human and they may receive a game submission that works fine, is fun, etc., but they see something more in it and/or see how they could tweak it to make it fit into their line of games better.

I usually offer only games that I think would fit in their line (meaning themes, target age groups, box sizes, etc.): For example, I originally submitted my prototype "American Pie" (which is scheduled for release by Winning Moves under another name) to Zoch, thinking they could put it in their Pickomino-sized box and include the silly chickens in the artwork for which they are so famous (as in a bunch of chickens having tea and cake, or something like that). They didn't go for it, but I'm sure they liked the fact that I knew their brand and tried to cater to it. They would not have even looked at it, however, if it was not already a finished design.

From my experience, development just brings a new set of eyes to an already finished (and polished) design--the eyes of the people who are going to invest their money in it and know how to sell it. So they approach your game from a whole different perspective, and development is influenced by those factors. And sometimes they can find ways of polishing the design to make it better in ways you just could think of. See my blog at http://berlingamedesign.blogspot.com/ to see how different people contributed to my first published game along the way (and in this case, the publisher did not change much except the name and a few mechanics/cards that make the game play better).

The main recommendation I can give is to only submit something that you would be happy to try to market yourself (and invest money in), as it is. Publishers are pressed for time and receive too many good submissions from experienced designers to want a "fixer upper" design that may or may not work. Especially when submitting a game with some complexity, as Queen no doubt desires (they want a "big box" game), --that requires extensive testing and fine-tuning, even if the basic idea is fresh and works.
And if you don't have a relationship with the publisher, your design needs to stand out in its quality and maturity in order to get noticed.

Yes, I thought that's what you said, and I agree with that, too:)
Just wanted to make sure everyone else understands what is normally expected.