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Cost of sending prototypes ... the tyranny of distance

7 replies [Last post]
Tue, 09/14/2004 - 00:06
GeminiWeb
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Joined: 07/31/2008

Hmmm ... I might need to re-evaluate just how far 'hobbyist designer' goes.

I just mailed off my prototype for 'High Council of Evensford' express post (Canberra, Australia to Rhode Island, USA) to the publisher to evaluate. It cost me about $70 (AUS), where the actual game itself cost about $30 (AUS) to produce. Maybe express post (~4 days) isn't necessary and normal airmail (2-3 weeks on average) would suffice, but even then it would have been in the $30-$40 range (AUS) and I wanted to get it there well before they disappeared to go to Essen.

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Tue, 09/14/2004 - 02:21
#1
GeminiWeb
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Joined: 07/31/2008
Cost of sending prototypes ... the tyranny of distance

More background and some more information ...

The package was in the range of 1.5kg to 1.75 kg. This included 6 A4 boards, rules, 2 reference cards, ~120 tokens, ~230 business cards, game box, lots of bubble wrap and the parcel box.

That gives me ... (using the Website calculator and in $AUS)
- $67.50 EMS Merchandise
- $39.50 Air Mail
- $32.50 Economy Air
- $25.50 Sea mail

However, there seems to be a small discrepancy between the mail clerk and the Website for airmail ...

EMS
- 4 days according to mail clerk
AIR
- 3 to 10 days according to Website
- 2 weeks on average according to mail clerk
Economy
- 2 to 4 weeks according to Website
- 3 weeks on average according to mail clerk
(SEA 2 to 3 months according to Website)

So I think I was mislead a bit with AIR (2 weeks on average is a fair bit different from maximum of 10 days) ... which would have saved me nearly $30. EMS is receipted delivery (which is nice), with insurance (so so) and avoids the US postal service by using a courier .

If I do it again, I'd probably just go air, unless there was a specific reason.

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Tue, 09/14/2004 - 07:25
#2
Scurra
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Joined: 09/11/2008
Cost of sending prototypes ... the tyranny of distance

Yeah, I can see how being in Oz would have something of an adverse effect on things like that :-)
I know that the packaging and postal costs for my Hippodice entries last year was quite a bit more than the production cost of the prototypes (and that's just the final prototypes, not all the intermediate versions... ;-)
I guess sometimes you just have to accept this as a side-effect of having to deal with something that can't be transmitted electronically.

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Tue, 09/14/2004 - 12:52
#3
Anonymous
Cost of sending prototypes ... the tyranny of distance

Unfortunately this can be an expensive hobby, especially if you want to submit to a publisher. With so many games being submitted for publishing, I can image that a publisher wouldn't be very excited about getting a game in electronic format that they would then have to output and assemble to test out. The publisher would probably just skip it for one that was submitted.

Sort of like submitting a nice color prototype over a black & white one. It just needs to jump out!

It's too bad that there isn't some cost-efficient local (in whatever country contains the publisher) assembly service that could output and assemble your prototype and then submit it without the overseas charges. Of course, you'd have to have a lot of confidence in their abilities!

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Wed, 09/15/2004 - 10:41
#4
Anonymous
Cost of sending prototypes ... the tyranny of distance

What about us? I'm extra busy with my day job right now, but under other circumstances, I would be happy to take an electronic format and assemble a prototype here in the US to forward to a publisher. I would do it at cost (parts & domestic postage). Is anyone else willing to provide this service?

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Wed, 09/15/2004 - 11:33
#5
phpbbadmin
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Joined: 04/23/2013
Wow!

Chaplain wrote:
What about us? I'm extra busy with my day job right now, but under other circumstances, I would be happy to take an electronic format and assemble a prototype here in the US to forward to a publisher. I would do it at cost (parts & domestic postage). Is anyone else willing to provide this service?

Wow, Chaplain.. What a grand idea... What a good gesture too. Quite a good compromise.

-Darke

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Wed, 09/15/2004 - 11:42
#6
prophx
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Joined: 08/13/2008
Cost of sending prototypes ... the tyranny of distance

That was a great idea Chaplain!

I'd be happy to help someone from overseas get their prototype into the hands of a publisher. I frequently print and assemble Print & Play games and really enjoy doing it. I actually just sent one of my card games to a publisher for reviewing so I am aware of the detail of quality that is needed to catch the attention of publishers. For a square board, I normally design it to be 18"x18" so printing on 8 1/2x11 cardstock produces six 6"x9" sections which when taped on the backside folds up very nicely. Cards are printed onto heavy cardstock and then I round the edges with a corner punch.

Hopefully tomorrow I will upload of pictures of Galaxy Grid onto my website so you can see the type of prototype quality I can produce from cardstock. I use a color laser printer for printing.

If the prototype board needs to have a hard backing, I have access to a plotter which provides pretty good results.

Rob

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Wed, 09/15/2004 - 17:53
#7
GeminiWeb
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Joined: 07/31/2008
Cost of sending prototypes ... the tyranny of distance

Chaplain and Prophx,

Thank you very much for your very kind offers - I'll keep you both in time for next time.

I'll extend the same offer in Oz, but I'm not sure the offer is worth that much ... (maybe copies to relatives and/or friends?), although my skills using a normal bubble-jet printer, a pair of scissors and contact clear ...

- Bill

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