Drop Site in Switzerland

As part of the Premio Archimede game design contest, the prototypes of top 10 games were sent to the Musee Suisse du Jeu (Swiss Museum of Games in Vevey, Switzerland) as a temporary exhibit. Since Drop Site was in the top 10, it also made the trip.

A big thank you to Jonathan Franklin who visited the museum and took a picture of Drop Site in the exhibit. The photo appears below:



I think the set-up of the game in the exhibit display leaves a little bit to be desired (note the upside-down cards at the bottom) , but I am just glad its there!

-Dennis

Publishing Progress

There is no quick path to publication! I hammered out the the rules and initial prototype in about 1 month, but that was only the beginning. Below I have listed a time-line from that time until now.

June 20: I mail my card game "Drop Site" to Italy for the Premio Archimede contest.

July 2: I receive word that my game has arrived and been entered into the competition.

August 20: I receive word that my game has made it from the field of 141 to the field of 60.

Oct. 2: My card game, "Drop Site" wins the Carta Mundi special prize at the Premio Archimede and 7th place overall.

Oct. 4: I hear from the spokesman about the award, and interested companies.

Oct. 5-17: I work on 5 more prototypes. 4 to send to Italy and 1 for myself.

Oct. 18: I send the prototypes in the mail.

Oct. 29: I hear from Premio Archimede spokesperson that my prototypes have not yet arrived.

Nov. 2: I hear that my prototypes have arrived.

Nov. 11: ScriBabs begins work on the 1000 copies that are part of the reward for winning.

Nov. 12-Dec 18: I communicate back and forth with ScriBabs to make sure all the artwork for the game is in order.

Dec 20: I continue to wait. It has been six months since I first mailed the game to Italy for the contest. Even though it has been a long process, it has been a rewarding one too. I have gotten to see firsthand some of the issues that can develop with game publishing, as well as to speak with several people in the industry to solve those problems. In addition, I continue to feel blessed that I even get to be a part of this process and to see my game become a reality.

Be on the look out in the next year for a sneak peak of the new artwork and a chance to get your hands on a copy! I will be giving a away some free copies as part the release promotion!

Prototypes En-Route!

Prototypes en-route!

Last weekend my wife and I spent nearly 12 hours cutting, gluing and making boxes for the 4 prototypes to be sent to Italy.

All told, there were 260 cards (thats 520 cards if you count the fronts and the backs) and four boxes. I'm not a very good box maker, but I survived and made a huge mess on our office floor.

Had some trouble sending the prototypes to Italy. Apparently, "playing cards" are prohibited by Italian customs. I'm not sure whether Drop Site would be considered "playing cards" since it is home made, and doesn't contain all the typical elements of playing cards, such as suits and face cards and aces. I can only hope it will make it through.

More about the game:

Still, I believe Drop Site is an ace in terms of game play and design. As I mentioned before, Drop Site fell into place one lazy Saturday morning and was truly and answer to prayer.

I designed the graphics myself using Adobe Illustrator CS4 in our Library at MSU. (By the way 520 cards in card stock prints for about $50 bucks). Each card has a picture of a box of "AID" parachuting down towards the drop site. The higher numbers are closer to the sun, and the lower numbers are closer to the earth.

As you play the game, you help to "lower" the parachutes toward the ground in hopes of matching various packets of aid to bids you make in a pile in front of you called your "debt."

You score points based on how risky your bids were, then re-shuffle and send several more parachutes toward the ground.

Mechanics Drop Site employs are: Matching, bluffing, play and draw, graduated scoring, and a vague sense of zero-sum.

What happens next?

Leo Colovini, of studiogiochi in Venice, and well-established game designer has been in contact with me regarding Drop Site. I will get to keep 1000 copies of Drop Site, which will be developed by ScriBabs and printed by CartaMundi. The prototypes will go to three European game companies for further testing.

As Mr. Colovini explained, essentially when I participated in the Premio Archimede, I agreed to make studiogiochi the "agent" for Drop Site, that is, they help to connect the game with interested publishers.

The remaining 1000 copies I am free to do with as I please, provided another company does not decide to publish Drop Site and restrict my distribution of the games in specific ways.

Conclusion:

As usual, I continue to learn more and more about the Euro-gaming industry almost every day. Looking back even to June when I first entered the competition, I feel that I know so much more now.

Even if no company decides to publish Drop Site, I am very pleased to have learned so much in the process, and now feel that getting a published board or card game is an attainable goal--if not now, then perhaps in the not so distant future.