I'll read your rules if you read my rules!

Healthy paranoia vs. excessive paranoia

well, we are all here so obviously we have at least accepted that fact that maybe not every single person alive is trying to steal our game..

Almost all advice you see from publishers and well known designers say the same "don't be paranoid, nobody will steal your idea, its just not worth it"

this is probably very true when actually dealing with publishers, but how paranoid should you be when discussing your game-in-the-making on site like this, or BGG, or any other online community that is open to the public?

No matter how much you tell yourself not to worry to much about it. I'm sure I'm not alone in feeling like "this game is just the sh*t and will blow people away, but how can i discuss it without giving it all away?"

how much do you feel is safe to discuss? In my case I feel like all parts of my current game is very tightly connected and discussing any single aspect of the game would require revealing more and more.. and breaking out a specific mechanic into so abstract form might not really benefit anyone.. And the reason to discuss it is normally that you want to get some input on the context at hand..

I've gotten to a point where my group is regularly playing my game (even though we cant meet as often as i would prefer we still play it once every time we meet), and I've spent many hours pouring over the rule book expanding it with examples and pictures where needed, tightening up rules, fixing grammatical ambiguity etc.. I've spent a lot of time designing all the components, as I'm one of those that just refuse to play with ugly components hehe..

and now Its slowly getting to a point were I would really wish to discuss my game with someone that is not a friend or relative.. There are some part of the game that I'm not 100% happy with though friends don't complain about it, it still bugs me a bit, and some alternative way of handling the issue in question should be possible..

It would be nice to possible find maybe someone else that got a game down, written the rules and start feeling happy about the rules, and would consider exchange rules and have them be read by each other as a way to proof a little a way to check if someone that doesn't know the game at all could understand it!

just to give you an idea of what type of games I favor: TI3 Starcraft Puerto Rico Arkham Horror Descent Race for the Galaxy (lots of different war games and minature games, and a whole slew of CCGs)

I'm pretty much into more heavy games, strategy games, so obviously thats what I've designed myself, and what I would enjoy to read the rules for.. though I'm open to other stuff as well..

so send me a message if you are willing to read and criticize my rules in return of me reading and criticizing your rules. and we can open up a dialog, and see how to handle it.

as one of the most important things in any game is clear rules! (at least thats my opinion)

cheers Martin