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"Paid to Play:
The Business of Game Design"

Do you have game ideas collecting dust in the back of a closet - or the back of your head? Dust them off, pick up this book, and discover the simple steps to turning your concept to cash in today's game market. Long-time industry veteran gives a concise and complete insider's view of this fascinating world and shares the process of licensing or publishing your board game, card game, or party game for profit.

Find out how the industry works and what companies are looking for in a game. Examine what makes a good game good while understanding the basics of prototyping and play testing. Gain the knowledge on how to best approach companies to maximize your chances of success. Learn how to protect your idea and how to strike a deal when the call comes. It is all covered step-by-step in this easy-to-follow guide to game design.

Contents:

Defining our Framework
What is a Game?
Who Plays?
Why Play?
The Metagame Principle

Defining the Game Inventor
Inventor or Designer?
Traits of a Game Designer
Skills of a Game Designer
Tools of a Game Designer
Licensing vs. Self-Publishing
Do You Have the Right Stuff?

The Game Industry
Taking Aim at Target Markets
The Customer's Perspective
The Game Designer's Piece of the Puzzle?

Where to Start?
The 10 Steps to Getting Your Game Published
The 3 Core Concepts
The Customer's Perspective
Thinking Outside the Box, Literally
Game Mechanics
Striking a Balance
The Role of Randomizers

Prototyping
The Basic Rule of Prototyping
What Do Game Companies Expect?
Making Cards, Boards, Boxes and Bits
Faking It

Play Testing & Revisions
The 3 Types of Play Tests
The Perfect Play Test
What Makes a Good Game Good?
Rules Were Made to Be Broken
Game-Storming
Overhauling Game Mechanics
When Is It Enough?
Writing Rules Right

Self-Publishing
The 3 P's
Placement
Packaging
Pricing
Time Is of the Essence
Skills for the Self-Publisher

Licensing
Two Definitions
What Companies Are Looking For
Standing Out
Trade Show Etiquette

Submissions
The ABC's of Protecting Yourself
The Spec Sheet
Finding Companies
The Do's and Don'ts of the Query
The Top 5 Phrases to NEVER Use
Pitching In-Person
Hurry Up and Wait

Success
Deal Points
When Can I Retire?
What's Next?

softbound, 89pp, $14.95

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