Tuesday Screenshot – Planetside 2
RooksBailey, 14 October 2014
10/14/14
Month: October 2014
10/11/14
A Visit With LNL Publishing – The Overview
Jim Zabek, 11 October 2014
J-Z spent a few days hanging out with the LNL crew in Colorado. There’s plenty more to come, but here’s a little wet your whistle.
Several months ago I chatted with Mark Walker, founder of Lock ‘n Load Publishing (since renamed to LNL Publishing – lnlpublishing.com) about the resent sale of Lock ‘n Load. In the interview Mark made it clear that he would still be the creative juggernaut behind his game series such as World at War, Nations at War, and of course the series which started it all, Lock ‘n Load.
Click images to enlarge. Really enlarge…
10/10/14
GrogHeads Advanced Research on Projects Advisory #55
GARPA hits the speed limit!
Toulon, 1793 (Legion Wargames)
Preorder price $50, MSRP $70
An area-based game of Napoleon’s siege of the city, this game spans the latter half of 1793, and includes rules for multi-player, international cooperation, spies, and logistics. The usual ‘siege’ necessities are present, to, of course – forts, attrition, and defensive positions all matter – but there’s a bit of room for the defenders to counterattack and maneuver if the attacker leaves the wrong opening, so it’s not a pure ‘tower defense’ scenario, especially since the whole game opens up with the French maneuvering into position for the siege in the first place. The map is designed to evoke the period maps of the Napoleonic age and, well, you can see for yourself, eh? It’s on preorder for $50 right now, so grab it before the price goes up as it goes to press.
10/9/14
A Distant Worlds AAR – Part 5
By Brandon “Kushan” Johnson, October 9, 2014
Click images to enlarge
Dawn of a new year. I’m now 5 years in. Private sector seems to be doing OK, although it doesn’t have a lot of cash on hand at the moment, despiteits healthy revenue stream. Not really surprising my state income is in the red, then. It’s a good thing I cancelled those colony ships since I don’t need right unproductive colonies dragging me farther into the red.
10/8/14
How To Make It In The Game Business – Your First Convention
This article originally appeared in Scrye Magazine, which is now defunct. So we thought we’d share it with you and give you some insights on Making it in the Game Business. Look for some more articles as we pester publishers and designers to share their accumulated wisdom with us.
Planning
Conventions can be a great way to get your game in front of your audience. The high concentration of gamers and the foot traffic in the exhibit hall make for a target-rich environment for a new company. If you’re looking to spread the word about yourself, setting up shop at a convention is a great way to do it.
The first question you really need to ask is “Why are we going to the convention?” Are you focusing on selling product? Building some buzz around your company? Trying to meet people and show off your game for another company to pick you up? If you don’t go into the show with a solid definition of success, you won’t have much of a measuring stick to gauge your overall investment in time and effort.
One of your next decisions needs to be “which convention?” Staying close to home, or with a friend, can cut down the overall cost. If a local convention is not an option, then try to shoot for a convention whose major events are closest to your core products. GenCon is a heavy RPG show; Origins is a role-playing and board-gaming mix, with some card events for good measure. There are many smaller, local cons as well, and they are often willing to offer booth space to a company at a low rate.
Get your deposits in as soon as possible. The difference in cost can be dramatic. As an example, at Origins 2006, a booth cost $555 if paid by January 10, but went up to $671 if paid at the end of March. For a new company, the $120 difference might make or break your first show.
Finally, you need to decide on your booth crew. Drafting a friend is a cheap way to man your booth. But you need to make sure that folks working your booth are as well-versed in your product as you are. Remember, the customer doesn’t know that your buddy is just here for the free convention; the customer sees a representative of your company behind the table.
