Saturday, May 29, 2010

What you want, what I want

Before you start a journey, you need to figure out where you want to go. Since Rusty Scalpel Games is both a business endeavor and a personal creative outlet, that means I need to figure out what you want and what I want.

So my first step is to do some market research--talk with fellow gamers, read message boards, visit game retailers, etc. What games or related products do gamers want, but not have? or What products are already out that address a need, but do a poor job of it?

As for me, I think I'd like to do a role-playing game or a related product. If I did a game, I know that I'd like it to have a simple, intuitive system, yet offer deep role-playing elements with a real sense of immersion. I would also shoot for a contemporary setting and steer away from elves, wizards, and other fantasy stuff. But I don't want to run with my ideas until I've heard from the gaming community first.

Any games that you'd like to play, but can't, either because they're nonexistent or crappy?

9 comments:

  1. I've yet to see a well done war game that didn't involve magic or sci-fi tech.
    just straight up soldiers and the drama/horror/tradgedy of war and battlelines.

    That'd be cool.

    straight up war games are far rarer than spy/conspiracy games, and if you want to do something there isn't much of out there, then that would be my vote.
    although a spy/conspiracy game focusing mostly on an insanely complicated bureaucracy could be fun. the company complexity is always the best part of a spycorp anyway.

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  2. Wow. That's a long journey to get to surgeon only to turn your back on it! You're either mad or someone willing to take big risks.

    Starting from scratch is likely to be a long haul, so I hope you have a lot of cash saved up to live on before your first profits come in (if ever).

    As a quick start, I'd recommend writing supplements for a pre-existing system, rather than develop your own. Granted, that will require an outlay for rights and decrease your profit, but you'll most likely get a product out sooner and learn a lot of lessons in the process.

    My fantasy is to win the lottery, give up my job and then write a series of RPG books based on the Sharpe license (probably ruinously expensive if Corwell would grant it at all). In my fantasy, I've won the lottery so have the leisure to develop my own system, but if I had to do it quickly, I'd use either BRP or the new Mongoose Runequest II.

    Supported by good quality art, research, editing and proof-reading and I think this would be a great product. Yes, there is "In harm's way" and "Duty and Honour/Beat to Quarters" already out there, but they're indy systems. A more old-school system is my thing.

    If you added to the line some commissioned scholarly works or a bundle deal with a publisher of non-fiction Napoleonic books, you could market this to schools/colleges/universities and/or to those concerned that RPGs are a waste of time. I don't think anyone has seriously marketed RPGs as an educational resource directly to an education market (although your company name might not be viewed too well in that market).

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  3. First of all... Good luck.

    Brain dump thoughts

    First, Steam Punk. There is Castle Falkenstein, Victoriana, Savage Worlds and Space 1889 etc. However, I am not sure there is anything new that is focusing on this very 'in' genre.

    Non Cyberpunk or post Apocalypse near future is poorly serviced.

    North American Indian based fantasy (pre white man) might be cool if you are thinking of a non traditional fantasy.

    Superhero noire. the Shadow etc... most supers is styled on four colour.

    Umm.... first thoughts

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  4. Make games that you love. Make games because you are compelled to, because if they put you in jail, you'd write your game down on napkins and play it with crazy inmates.

    Because the game design process: Write -> Playtest -> Revise -> Playtest -> Revise -> Edit -> Revise will grind any love you have for a project right out of you and if that kernel of love isn't in there, you'll put out a half-assed project before its done (SINFUL!) or leave it unfinished (which is fine!).

    Don't make games because you want to. Make games because you are compelled to, because you must.

    Good luck.

    Don't mortgage your house to pay for the first printing. Go easy, go light, risk only what you can afford to lose and don't, please don't risk the house (unless you have 7 houses).

    I am more than willing to answer any questions if you have 'em and I don't know it all but I bet I can find someone will know the answer if/when you have them.

    Good luck. Godspeed.

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  5. Thank you all for your input and for the words of encouragement. I appreciate both the game suggestions and the general business advice. As my first four posters, you can have a free copy of my first product (whether you want it or not).

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  6. I'll add to Judd's advice -- there are ways that technology has enabled risk-free or nearly-risk-free publication, including marketing and sales. Look at Lulu, for example, and keep your eye on RPG Now.

    We've made $10,000 in revenue on our game since August last year. No one's quitting their real jobs, but we drink way better scotch when we meet every week. And we never risked a nickel we hadn't already made in sales.

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  7. I sure hope the title of this blog isn't accurate. I really do.

    But hey, if you're serious about designing games, before you take the next step you NEED to listen to these two episodes of Theory From The Closet:
    http://theoryfromthecloset.com/2007/07/25/show013-finances-for-game-designers-with-luke-crane/

    http://theoryfromthecloset.com/2008/04/22/show036-marketing-and-customer-service-for-game-designers/

    Truthfully, this topic is too big for a single blog post. I would take Judd up on his offer. There are people you should speak with, game conventions to attend, and a wide variety of games to be played before you sign checks for artwork or a print run!

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  8. I should have said profit and not revenue.

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  9. Hi,

    I thought about this a bit more. Possibly more important than genre may be style. Whether you intend to go high or low crunch/detail. The market seems to be moving towards standardised systems (D20, FATE etc) or lower crunch.

    One of my favourite areas at present that is certainly poorly serviced is the shared storytelling style of game. Something that goes further than FATE but perhaps not as far as Donjon.

    The other poorly serviced game is the novelty pick me up game. I think the best of this bunch I have played is OG! but there is also Kobolds Ate My Baby which is fun.

    If I think of anything else I will add it.

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