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  • Tips for Running a Great Board Game Demo — Pine Island Games

    Tips for Running a Great Board Game Demo — Pine Island Games



    Go With the Flow

    No two demos are going to be the same, so it’s important to make sure everyone knows your games inside and out, and to stay flexible in a teach.

    Some gamers like to skip around and ask a bunch of questions, some gamers are hands on with components, some are content to let you monologue.

    And all those approaches are ok.

    Converting a Sale

    The ultimate goal of demoing at a convention is to show off your games and get them into the hands of people who will love and play them.

    This means that you need a call to action to convert those would be fans into consumers. At Gen Con we ran a special price on Nut Hunt (since we didn’t have to pay for shipping). This was a strong incentive to buy the game now, rather than wait and mull it over, and maybe let it slip their mind on their flight home.

    Sigil was a harder sale since we don’t have physical copies to sell (we wrapped up the Kickstarter in June and were taking late pledges at the con).

    What I found worked for Sigil was to be frank about where in the process we were, and to appeal to consumers who the game really clicked with.

    This is roughly the closing script I settled on by the end of the weekend.

    “Sigil is our second game. It’s not even out yet. For context, we Kickstarted Nut Hunt last June and delivered it over two months ahead of schedule in January. We Kickstarted Sigil this June, and like Nut Hunt are targeting a March delivery. We can’t promise it will be early because obviously some things are out of our hands, but from our perspective we are on schedule.

    “So, what we’re asking people to do today is to go on our website and join the mailing list, and you’ll get notified when we open it up to late pledges next month.

    “And, what’s been pretty incredible is that a lot of people know they want the game today. They either demo it or sit down and play it. And, this is one of those games where if this is in your genre – if you like GO, Hive, Onitama – if this is your kind of game, then once you play this you’ll love it.

    “If you know already that you want the game, then what we can do today is ring you up and charge you for the base game, and we’ll get your email and when we open up the pledge manager next month you’ll already be in there with all of the Kickstarter backers and have access to the add-ons and all the Kickstarter components.

    I think the script I settled on did a couple of things really well.

    1. It gave context around where we are in the process and set expectations.

    2. It didn’t pressure people to buy now – but gave them a few ways to engage with us.

    3. It normalized late pledging in person at the convention.

    People like being part of a crowd, and by highlighting that a lot of people were taking the late pledge in person option, I normalized for our con goers that it was a good route to go.

    Stay Hydrated

    Cons are long, you’ll be talking a lot and your voice will start to go. So, stay hydrated. Take breaks when you need them. Treat yourself well and you’ll keep up that energy to have a successful con full of memorable demos with amazing people.

    What are your favorite demo experiences?





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  • Farms Race taken off of Kickstarter due to IP dispute with Stonemier Games — Pine Island Games



    You can read Jamie Stegmaier’s take in the comments section here.

    The First Amendment & Terms of Service

    Medium Brow contends that their use is clearly parody and so protected under the first amendment. While generally speaking parody products are protected there are a few wrinkles (from my non-lawyer perspective to Medium Brow’s argument.

    Here is some good reading where I am pulling the following opinions from Lott Fischer – a law firm specializing in intellectual property law.

    the creator of the derivative work, the parody, must take only so much of the original work as necessary to bring to mind the original host work…

    Medium Brow used actual icons from Wingspan (which are copyright protected), rather than using original and reminiscent iconography without directly copying Stonemaier’s card symbols.

    Humor at the expense of the trademark owner, that assaults the wholesome image of a product has, in most cases, been unsuccessful in court.

    I’m not sure how strong an argument this is, but Wingspan has a wholesome family (non-dystopian) image. Medium Brow’s representation clearly deviates from that image.

    One of the most significant changes to federal dilution law was the TDRA’s creation of an express exemption for parodies. Before the TDRA, parodies were protected by the FTDA’s “non-commercial use” defense, a catchall exclusion which courts interpreted to include a broad range of uses of another’s mark, “from negative commentary on a personal website, to use of trademarks in political campaigns, to parody and artistic expression.”

    Parody defenses are stronger when they are not for commercial use. Clearly a for profit Kickstarter doesn’t have this same protection.

    While interesting from a first amendment perspective, none of this actually matters. Stonemaier isn’t suing Medium Brow for trademark infringement, they simply reported Medium Brow to Kickstarter for a violation of their terms of use.  

    You won’t submit stuff you don’t hold the copyright for (unless you have permission). Your Content will not contain third-party copyrighted material, or material that is subject to other third-party proprietary rights, unless you have permission from the rightful owner of the material, or you are otherwise legally entitled to post the material (and to grant Kickstarter all the license rights outlined here).

    Even if the parody pack of cards would hold up in a first amendment lawsuit, Medium Brow clearly doesn’t own the copyright to at the very least Stonemaier’s card iconography – and therefore runs afoul of Kickstarter’s user rules.

    Thoughts from an Indie Publisher

    We’re too small for anyone to want to steal our IP for parody purposes, but this is my blog, so I have thoughts.

    1. Owners of intellectual property 100% need to protect their IP. This isn’t a matter of Stonemaier stepping on a smaller creator, but failing to protect your IP can weaken your claim on it – or you can even lose your IP protections entirely. For a property like Wingspan this would be an absolute disaster.

    2. This is probably a net positive for Medium Brow and Farms Race. While getting a successful (on track to be six-figure) Kickstarter pulled 3-days into the campaign sucks, my gut is that this will settle out to be a net positive for Medium Brow and Farms Race. They still have all their initial marketing contact lists (I assume), possibly their Kickstarter backer list, and they’ve gotten a fair bit of publicity out of the conflict.

     

    What are your thoughts – should Medium Brow have made their parody packs in the first place, and should they be allowed to publish them as part of their campaign?





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  • The Four Stages of Board Game Prototyping — Pine Island Games

    The Four Stages of Board Game Prototyping — Pine Island Games



    Initially, you’ll mostly use free or stock art in this stage, and although different implementations both prettier physical prototypes along with digital prototypes (I prefer Tabletop Simulator) will allow you to playtest more broadly with other gamers and designers.

    This stage of prototype can cover a long period and involves most of the playtesting polishing your game system and mechanisms. This is when you’ll balance your game, make sure the complexity is right, trim the fat, and learn how to onboard players to a smooth experience.

    Stage 3: Custom Components

    The third stage of prototyping involves sourcing custom components for your game. For many designers this is  the final stage before a crowdfunding event and includes assembling review copies. That said, we skipped this stage of prototyping on our most recent project (Sigil), and I expect us to skip this stage altogether going forward.

    Since we know we are making manufacture prototypes for reviewers (see Stage 4), it’s more economical for us to source our custom components directly from our manufacturer.

    There are a lot of great options for sourcing custom components including print on demand solutions if your goal is to have a modest print run and are willing to accept the high per unit cost.

    Some that I’ve used in the past and have had a good experience with are:

    Keep in mind that there are some limitations to sourcing custom components – for instance, I found it extremely difficult to source custom wooden meeples in the US.

    Stage 4: Manufacturer Prototype

    More indie designers should be taking advantage of this option for prototyping. Once your print files are done, you can send them to your manufacturer (see How to Find a Manufacturer) and commission them to print some copies offline (they won’t shut down a full inline printing press).

    You can have copies of your game made to your actual specifications – with all of your custom components, and all of the finishes you can expect in your final production run.





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  • How to Find the Golden Whale and Enter Treasure Island in Fisch [🏆TREASURE]

    How to Find the Golden Whale and Enter Treasure Island in Fisch [🏆TREASURE]


    In the latest update of Fisch, the developers introduced a new landmark in the Second Sea called Treasure Island. This island is different from other points of interest because it doesn’t show up on your screen with markers. Instead, it’s a secret location that you can only reach by using the Golden Whale. If you’re interested in finding out how to get there and what to expect, this Treasure Island location guide will walk you through everything you need to know.

    Crazy Man NPC Location in Fisch

    The Crazy Man NPC from the new Treasure update in the Fisch Roblox Experience
    Not so crazy after all!

    First, you’ll need to find a character in Fisch known as the Crazy Man NPC. He’s located on the Isle of Beginning in the Second Sea. To reach him, get on your boat and sail directly to the GPS coordinates (X:-371, Y:80, Z:-347). When you arrive, look for an older man with a bald head standing near the shoreline. This is the Crazy Man. Talk to him, and he’ll tell you about a mysterious place called Treasure Island. He’ll also mention that you can get there with the help of the Golden Whale, which shows up near the island.

    Golden Whale Spawn Location in Fisch

    The Golden Whale that transports the player from the NPC to Treasure Island in the Fisch Roblox experience
    Isn’t he cute?

    Normally, the Golden Whale won’t be visible because it only shows up during Tornado Weather. So, you’ll need to wait until the weather changes. Once you notice the tornado weather has started, go back to the island. You should see the Golden Whale near the edge of the island. After that, talk to the Crazy Man NPC again. This time, he’ll tell you to get on the Golden Whale with him.

    The inside of the Golden Whale, where you can catch rare fish and talk to the Merchant.
    The decore is a little dated, if you ask me.

    Right after you board the Golden Whale, you’ll be taken inside its interior. You’ll stay there for about five minutes while the whale travels to Treasure Island. During this time, you have a couple of things you can do. You can try catching rare fish from the pool found inside the whale, or you can visit the Merchant inside and buy some bait to help with your fishing.

    Treasure Island teleport location in the new Treasure update inside the Fisch Roblox Experience
    Now this is a real TREASURE island.

    When the five-minute timer inside the whale ends, you’ll arrive at Treasure Island in Fisch. On this island, you can catch special types of fish that aren’t found anywhere else. You also have the option to buy the Treasure Rod, which can help with fishing. If you have any items you’re curious about, you can take them to the Treasure Appraiser to learn more about their value or purpose.

    How to leave Treasure Island in Fisch

    The Exit to the Treasure Island, located inside the same Golden Whale from the entrance.
    I missed the Whale.

    You can always exit Treasure Island in Fisch using the same Golden Whale that helped you reach the island in the first place. The Golden Whale will be present on the northern edge of the Treasure Island map near the Crazy Man NPC, as shown in the above image.

    And that is all for our Fisch Treasure Island location guide. Check out our Fisch Codes for some freebies that can help you afford the cool new Rods.

    The Escapist is supported by our audience. When you purchase through links on our site, we may earn a small affiliate commission. Learn more about our Affiliate Policy



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  • Playtesting & Playtesters – everything you need to know — Pine Island Games

    Playtesting & Playtesters – everything you need to know — Pine Island Games



    Bringing a game to market is an expensive and time consuming proposition (follow along as we take Froggy Bazaar from an idea to publication & beyond). It’s easy to over-estimate the value of your game idea, and underestimate the value of the rest of the process of bringing a game to market.

    In short, even if your game rocks it isn’t worth it for anyone else to steal it.

    Stealing a game would also come with a lot of risk. The indie design community is small and close-knit. And indie game consumers likely wouldn’t be forgiving towards a publisher who stole another designer’s game.

    You do occasionally see successful games re-implemented like Cards Against Humanity broadly re-implemented Apples to Apples with NSFW content. But, I don’t know of any instances where an indie design was ripped off especially before publication.

    So, get to playtesting!

     

    Where to Find Playtesters

    I like to think of playtesting in a couple of categories each with a different audience, and with different goals. Where you go to find playtesters in each stage will vary. And, as you playtest more you’ll be sourcing playtesters more broadly outside of your immediate circle.

    Early Stage

    The earliest stages of playtesting you’ll be figuring out whether your game is fun and functional. This will mostly be playing by yourself and roping family and friends into games while you iterate on rules.

    Where to find early stage playtesters:

    Mid Stage

    As your game progresses you’ll be focused on developing the game, balancing it, and finding your audience. In some playtests you’ll be focused on getting feedback on specific mechanisms or interactions, in others you’ll want broad feedback, and in others you’ll be focused on what gamers your game gels with.





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  • Galactic Cruise – A Slow & Steady Kickstarter Race to the Stars — Pine Island Games

    Galactic Cruise – A Slow & Steady Kickstarter Race to the Stars — Pine Island Games



    Edward “TK” King and co-designer Dennis Northcott started their publication journey for Galactic Cruise around the same time I started our journey with Nut Hunt. I remember fondly the early days of us on the Board Game Design Lab Facebook page talking design tips, sharing prototype pictures, and learning the ins and outs of bringing a game to market.

    We took different routes with our games – where I spent about 18 months developing Nut Hunt and bringing it to market, TK, Dennis & team (Koltin Thompson who I haven’t interacted with as much) have had a much more measured approach and expects to launch Galactic Cruise on Kickstarter in the first quarter of 2024.

    I’m extremely proud of what Ed and team have accomplished. A solid 6 months ahead of launching the Kickstarter they already have over 3,000 followers on the page, the game was a hit at Gen Con, and they’ve built a great game with a great community.





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  • Crackling Playing Card Varnish — Pine Island Games

    Crackling Playing Card Varnish — Pine Island Games



    Despite seeing years of play, the deck (seven of clubs not withstanding) has held up remarkably well. The cards are crisp, snappy, and despite some face wear perfectly serviceable (seven of clubs not withstanding). The cards really are the kind of made for life component we all love in our games.

    Varnish Crackling

    My new deck of red arrows is a different story. After only two plays we cracked open the deck and found substantial crackling on the face of cards.

    To understand what is going on with this, we first need to talk a little about how playing cards are made. First a long roll of card or plastic stock (in this case PVC or a similar plastic) is taken. It’s rolled through a printer, and then is finished with either a varnish or a laminate.





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