Hello. I am new to this website, however, My cousin have just received a patent on a board game that he created. I have taken on the responsibility of finding out who and at what cost would it be for him to move forward to the next step. Anyone out there who has information regarding this email please contact me as soon as possible.
Next Step??
Thu, 03/16/2006 - 02:42
Thu, 03/16/2006 - 05:02
#1
Next Step??
I think he has wasted his money getting the patent. It's better to get informed before doing things, not after.
What are you talking about when you refer to "next step"? Are you thinking about self-producing, getting the game published, or just having some more playtest (you know, it's never enough!).
Maybe I just don't understand, sorry.
Thu, 03/16/2006 - 11:06
#3
Next Step??
I think you guys are putting the cart a few miles before the horse, here. Games are build far more organically than people unfamiliar with the process might imagine. Since it seems as if both of you are newcomers to game design, I'd suggest not spending any more money, for starters.
Game designs are not generally patentable, in that there is little a patent buys you. There is, to be frank, almost no way to protect an innovation in a game, unless it deals with some specific mechanism or constructed elements unique to your game. Like a Pop-o-Matic. And even then, people who like what your innovation does for a game will just copy it in a slightly modified form anyway.
What makes a successful marketed game is an intangible mix of gameplay and presentation. This is found only through the process of exhaustive playtesting. As was mentioned by Paolo, a game can literally never be playtested enough. But I guarantee that after a few real plays, you'll find, at best, "areas of complication". Usually, these areas are outright problems.
So I'd suggest spending a bit of time on making playable components. Nothing fancy. Just play the game ten times straight, with the rules as written. After ten games, adjust the rules in one way, and one way only (barring game-breaking problems, of course). then repeat.
Only after you get through about ten to twenty plays without trouble shouls you spiff up your playtest set, and write the rules in an easy-to-read format. Then give this new version to someone who has never played it before. Explain the rules, and let this new group play, taking notes on their experiences.
After this goes well a few times, give the rules to a group, and have them learn the game using just your written rules. Basically hand them a box and say "Go to it!". That's what you'll be doing when you put a game on shelves, so you better get used to the idea. If it can't work as-is, without hand-holding, you need to go back a step.
A marketable game needs to be consistantly, correctly playable right from the box. Never hesitate to give it just one more go.
Thu, 03/16/2006 - 11:09
#4
Next Step??
I just think you're doing things in the wrong order.
1. Think a game
2. Prototype it (that is: make it playable)
3. Playtest it
4. Playtest it
5. Playtest it
6. Try to get it published
Well, actually I don't find in this scheduling a place for "patenting the game": nobody is going to steal your ideas, and paying the author is a minor part in the budget of a publishers, usually around 5% of a retailer price.
I also think that looking for a graphic artist shouldn't be the next step. Again: get a prototype quickly, and try to understand if your idea is really funny (and marketable).
IMHO, of course.
Thu, 03/16/2006 - 11:47
#6
Next Step??
Hedge-o-Matic wrote:
Ditto. So, more than $40-$50 is too much.
... I'd suggest not spending any more money, for starters.
Thu, 03/16/2006 - 11:58
#7
Next Step??
Nando wrote:
Hedge-o-Matic wrote:Ditto. So, more than $40-$50 is too much.... I'd suggest not spending any more money, for starters.
Most of the initial prototypes I use for play testing cost me less then $5. My most expensive one about $20
Don’t worry about it being pretty and getting art for it. If you are going to license it to a publisher they will hire their own artist. Just make it so it is playable.
Thu, 03/16/2006 - 12:04
#8
Next Step??
powboy,
First off, welcome to the site!
As for your question, you and your cousin need to decide what your next step will be. Though I see you having two options and they will result in two different (though similar) sets of questions/goals/thoughts to think about
Ask yourself (and your cousin) these questions:
Question 1: Do you want to self publish or find a company to publish for you?
Quesiotn 2: Would we be able to sell what we have to a consumer or publisher?
Question 3: Is the game ready for someone else to play?
Once you have these questions answered, you will need to consider some deeper questions. Below is my short list for self publishing or seeking out a publisher. Talk about these questions with your cousin and you both will start to think about your next steps.
Publisher List (no specific order):
1) Find publishers that might be interested in your game idea. Not easy, because they are getting so many submissions, you just never know who would be interested.
2) Get the game into a state to show the publisher. This includes a high level description of the game. This is the first step with most publisher, you need to sell them with a solid game description. You wont be sending them a prototype right at the beginning (well not for most of the publishers)
3) Enhance the graphics, rules of the game to an *acceptable* level. You need to decide what level you want to go to, obviouly the better you prototype the game the more it might impress a publisher (once you get to the point of sending them a game) And chances are a publisher will change graphics and content of your game so there is a fine line here of going to *far*. But if you enjoy it, you can never go too *far* with a prototype.
4) Playtest the game so that it *works* or is *finished*. Both *works* and *finished* are subjective to each person. So you will need to playtest until you feel the game is going to impress the publishers.
5) Playtest the game, no this is not the same as #4, you really need to prove to yourself the game is ready for primetime. So send a prototype and rules to multiple people you dont know for blind playtesting. If they cant figure it out, your not ready to send it to a publisher. If they dont think it is fun, you might not have a good game, thus it is not ready for a publisher.
Self Publishing (no specific order):
1) This is a long road, one I have travelled. It is not fun, but sometimes the pride of doing it all can movtiate you to build better games. But this road is not for those unwillingly to sacrifice. Are you willing to sacrifice time (personal and family), and money for this game?
2) Decide how much money you have to invest in the game. Take that number and triple it!
3) Find someone that understands marketing, advertising, sales, artwork, lawyers, business, distribution.... (ton of other stuff here, to much to go into right now).
4) Playtest your game until you feel it is *ready*. Again this is a subjective step, but everyone finds endless *issues* with any game. It is ready when you are willing to risk all the money you have on it for publishing costs. If you are not ready to risk the money you thought about in step 2, your game is not ready. Sadly you might waste the money from step 1 thinking your game is ready, but others might not think it was ready or fun. Or you might not be marketing and adverstising it right... etc. And you should also think about all the steps involved in selling to a publisher, since you are the publisher at this point!
Well I hope this info gets you thinking about one of two options. I agree with others that you might be rushing into some areas. But it never hurts to think about your goals. Sometimes the path you travel will alter what you have to do. Since much of the steps are very subjective.
Thanks for your response. Currently, he has a hand drawn sketch of the board game. What we are exploring is the possibility of having a third party produce the game and publish it through various marketing tools.
He thought in his mind that a patent was the right thing to due to protect his idea/invention. However, I am interested in knowing why you thought that was a waste of time.
We don't really have a concrete board design other than the basics drawings to how the game is played. I am looking for someone who has the artistic ability to help design this board game so that it would be attractive to players. In addition to having a patent, we are seeking direction as to where do we go from here.