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How Do You Get a Board Game Published?

Posted by Cliff on from the from-idea-to-boxes-and-pieces dept.

cyclomedia asks: "I've been dedicating a little of my time to devising a strategy board game, pitched somewhere between Checkers and Chess but probably not as deceptively complex as Go. Without giving too much away I can tell you that there's a nerd factor within the game itself, possibly leaning the possibility of marketing towards the Games Workshop end of the spectrum, but without the 80-sided dice and Orcs. The next step in my plan is to see if I can actually create a prototype made of coins, stickers and cardboard, and then to attempt to teach the rules to my wife (she's a Trek fan, hence the marriage). If I get past that stage, presumably I can't just show up at Hasbro with my jerry rigged setup and expect an enthusiastic response. So, what do I do?"

3 of 123 comments (clear)

  1. Come back when you have something by Lord+Bitman · · Score: 5, Insightful

    1) You haven't made a prototype
    2) You haven't taught it to anyone else, meaning
    3) You haven't even played the "game"
    4) You're already comparing it to chess

    How about seeing if it's any good before you start thinking about selling it?

    5) You don't want to give any details, because
    6) You're worried about people stealing your idea
    7) Which you haven't even shown to anyone else, which means
    8) You haven't even done any basic steps towards finding out if it's worth stealing

    How about embracing open development? Or at least a little less closed than "I need to do everything myself. If I ask the opinion of others, they might steal my idea! Which is definitely on par with chess! But not go, because I read that was awesome"

    Do I sound hostile? That's because I am giving you advice and you don't want to hear it. Why did you ask for it?

    --
    -- 'The' Lord and Master Bitman On High, Master Of All
    1. Re:Come back when you have something by mwlewis · · Score: 5, Funny

      He should also try to explain the game to somebody with less patience than a wife.
      You must not be married.
      --
      JOIN US FOR PONG!
  2. A better place... by timftbf · · Score: 5, Informative

    ...to ask the question would be the Board Game Designers' Forum - http://www.bgdf.com/

    You're almost certainly not going to be talking to Hasbro or GW - you're going to be talking (if you're lucky!) to people like Rio Grande, Uberplay, Kosmos, Mayfair, JKLM... If those names don't mean anything to you, get yourself over to http://www.boardgamegeek.com/ and start reading :)