I am making a shooter game my plan is to make the game with the game with a high component quality. But I wonder if it´s more important with a lower price.
Best regards
Emil Rudvi
Quality or lower price?
Tue, 02/18/2014 - 20:29
Tue, 02/18/2014 - 21:01
#1
That depends...
A lot of games that are popular with the serious gamer crowd are popular because the component quality is high, meaning that the game can be played over and over. That's great news for you too, because high component quality means that more people play it at their friend's behest, and they, in turn, might buy it on their own. The example for this category is Sentinels of the Multiverse, or 7 Wonders. Are you big and complicated like they are? Are you hoping for many playthroughs to spread word-of-mouth?
Many games take the lower-quality route to get more sales. If you have relatively few components, (like two decks of cards-ish or less), and I feel that if I wanted to buy it again to replace a used copy, I could easily afford it (ie, less than $15-$20), then I might just buy it to give it a try and replace it if I like it and it gets played. The example game in this category is Love Letter. Are you small and simple like Love Letter? would lowering production costs bring you into that price range?
Tue, 02/18/2014 - 22:12
#2
You shouldn't worry...
When you are designing a game, you shouldn't worry about the selling price (MSRP). Your first objective is to make an appealing game (interesting game play). You should also playtest the game many times refining both the game and it's mechanics.
Next you should worry about producing an easily understandable rulebook for your game. One you can give to people who have never played your game.
Once you have accomplished those steps, you should them be looking a publisher who will take care about the final artwork of the game. Obviously they will want to see samples and that's where nicer prototype artwork can work in your favour.
Before speaking with a publisher, inform yourself how much it is going to cost you to have the game made. That will help in determining how much a publisher should pay considering they make several games and have established relationships with game manufacturers in China.
So you should be *informed* prior to dealing with a Publisher. If they tell you $10.00 to make your game, it's probably a good estimate that a publisher should cost them maybe HALF (like $5.00) to produce, etc.
Tue, 02/18/2014 - 23:00
#3
Game length and replayability
Game length and replayability impacts my buying decision compared to price. For example, I'd have a hard time shelling out fifty bucks for a fifteen minute game.
Wed, 02/19/2014 - 00:22
#4
My sentiments exactly
Game length and replayability impacts my buying decision compared to price. For example, I'd have a hard time shelling out fifty bucks for a fifteen minute game.
Funny you should say this. In my WIP, I had a bit of a struggle with solitary game play. Since the game is sold in one (1) player game sets, I wanted players to be able to play a solitary game with themselves (and some AI).
I have been pondering about expansions and would like to include *new* game scenario which could also include a new solitary scenario.
Obviously where the game has its most replay value is if a player plays the game with two, three or four opponents.
So out of the box the game is solitary (and my MSRP is $24.99). However if a friend brings his own set, players can DUAL... This adds quite a bit of challenge (as opposed to the solitary option). Where it is even more challenging is when there are four (4) players, because things like Diplomacy kick in as well as team play and treachery! :P
Someone has told me that I'm foolish to divide up the game. My reasons are two-fold:
1. I wanted to drive down the price to own the game. A $24.99 MRSP from a retail store is not too bad. Plus you can play the game solitary (1 Player vs AI).
2. I wanted stores to promote the sale of my game. A $24.99 MSRP for four (4) players is $99.96. That's pretty good for retail stores. It gives them an incentive to promote the game to players of things like Yu-Gi-Oh! or Pokemon because those games are duals.
We'll see if I succeed or not. I'll blog about the news regarding the Publishing of the game! :)
I think expansions which will use some of the First Edition cards plus other ones, should add even more re-playability!
Ivé been playtesting the game since this summer.
Main game(2-4 players, rules for beginners for a lighter gameplay experience, basic rules introduces the core game play mechanics, advanced rules and optional rules give the players even more re-playability) and one expansion (Team play, 4-8 players)a also have a second expansion in progress giving the game an AI enemy with a co-op gameplay. The game is made so that it is possible to make tournment rules making it possible to buy individual cards so that each player may take the game to a different level of customization.
The game is made to get game mechanics for simultaineous movement to get a low downtime involving participating players. Re-playability is the next thing, the players´may create their own map at this Point I haven´t played the same map twice and I have played the games over 30 times. With different persons. I plan to visit a convension this weekend and have playtesters that will be handed the rule book and give it a go. Each player has a unique movement card an their own starting skill.
I want to have linen cotton cards, on card paper, black grey paper, with UV details on the board tiles, flocked inside, the box it self are made to contain at least 3 expansions. Transparent tiles with foiled details. 8 characters either hand painted or not. Hope to have a Swedish printer called Offason they have the Component quality am aiming for. This is my first production, I have made games for over 20 years and I own over 70 games. I love games with re-playability and Active players such as Race for the Galaxy, Tide of Iron, Claustrophobia, 7 Wonders, Arkham Horror (though a Little high randomness), Pathfinder the adventure card game, Pandemic, Settlers of Catan and soon.
The main idea was to make a fun and interesting shooter game like the computer game doom, it ended up to be a Little more stratigic. I also want to give players the opertonity to join the process and have 80 persons on a Swedish gamers on development group on facebook. I hope to fix a US page aswell. My writting skills are not the best but I got persons that are better than me on that part. So I hope you excuse my poor language =)
Thank you again!
Best regards
Emil Rudvi