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New to board game design and this forum

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Swamifred
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Joined: 08/13/2012

Hello, all!

My name is Matt, and I'd like to introduce myself to you all. I've spent much of my time enjoying board games instead of doing what I should be doing. I have a degree in Chemical Engineering, which at first glance has nothing at all to do with board games. But I feel like when I'm designing my board game, I'm engineering it.

Unfortunately, my company had a round of downsizing earlier this year, and I found myself without work. Since then, I've been designing a board game, and I've been having different groups playtesting it. Now I'm working on the artwork and clarifying and tweaking the rules.

My reason for coming to this forum is for guidance from those who have more experience than me in this field. I'd really like to see this game MADE. What are the difficulties and benefits of trying to send my game to a publisher? Or should I do a self-published kickstarter-style thing?

Would there be any interest in people online here doing some playtesting or review of my game? I'm certainly willing to return the favor, at least for reviewing the game rules or copy-editing.

Thanks for reading! I'm glad there's a forum like this one.

HPS74
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Joined: 01/06/2009
Welcome Matt. I'm fairly new

Welcome Matt. I'm fairly new here (active wise) but I've been in your situation.

I tried to find a publisher and had no luck. My game is a dice game so it's a hard sell to publishing companies as they don't see it as a strategy, board game.....or so the feedback has been.

I forgot about it for a couple of years but I kept wanting to know if it would sell, so I self published 1000 sets. Got them made in China (after a failed attempt in USA and another China factory) and sent to Australia. I had no clue about marketing/selling the game (still don't!) but managed to get in the local paper & radio. Found a couple of shops to put them in and that's how it started.

We sold the lot last year and this season (it's a cricket game) we're licensed through a governing body for the sport so we've got a run of 10K coming. It's now even more daunting.....I lie awake at night worrrying how I will sell them, but I believe that's a good thing.........we've had a dip for a while in the off season but in a month or two it'll be full on again.

So.......if you can afford it...self publish a small run. It's hard, lonely work but oh so fulfilling! Good luck!

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