Developing a board game and getting it to market can be fun, exciting, and work. Along the way there are setbacks to be dealt with. Issues arise that might not be a setback, but also have to be understood. Because of all the different things that can happen, it's good when you can learn from the adventures of others. They might not have gone through exactly what you're dealing with, but having a little more insight on the general picture helps you keep moving forward.At SaltCon (web page) 2018 I met the developers of Wizardz Bluff. At that convention, they were showing their game with the plan to launch it on Kickstarter soon thereafter. Their game was good. But it was lacking the zing that would send them into the market. (Here is a link to my initial review.)
I met Jayson and Ron Smith again, after the attempt on Kickstarter, at the end of summer event and again at SaltCon's 2019 Main event. Both times they were demonstrating a new version of Wizardz Bluff. They were making it better and getting it ready for market. They have a much better game now. But the journey of how they got to where they are is interesting and informative.
I had separate discussions with Jayson and Ron at the last SaltCon event to talk about the journey they've had. Here's what came out of it. How they got through the highs and the lows. And, how their experience may help others get a game to market.
We talked about three main questions after the Kickstarter campaign didn't succeed: what were some of the challenges they faced, what were some of the benefits/rewards they found, and what takeaway lessons did they learn?
Challenges
The biggest challenge mentioned was the loss of faith in what they had created. When you have close friends and family telling how great your idea is, expectations grow. When those hopes aren't met with the same enthusiasm when you present your idea to a greater populace, it rips at your confidence.
It doesn't just hit your self-confidence. Here was a team of developers—two people who had put a lot of work into their project. They were questioning how they worked together and how the business side was being handled. They even questioned if they had a legitimate game to begin with.
They took a break and came back to work on Wizardz Bluff. Both mentioned a break was needed to allow a clearing of thought so they could return. They may not have had a better understanding of what they were doing, but of what they wanted to accomplish. They returned to the core of the game they had started and worked forward, again. They also took it upon themselves to listen more, to each other and the players who had tried out the game. As they worked with new ideas, they were more open to making changes, giving up ideas they each personally held close, and listened.
Benefit/Rewards
By returning to their original theme of Wizardz Bluff they recaptured their original feeling and excitement. They deconstructed what they had done for the first version and analyzed how each component of the game they had added affected play for better or worse. This allowed them to determine what the best parts of the game were, keep them, and improve on the overall idea.
They worked on developing ideas that added to their defined core of their game. They learned what people found exciting about the game and kept that feeling in the forefront of their continued development process. This led to a second and then a third revision. A current revision that is getting a better response from the people who are playing Wizardz Bluff at conventions.
By building on the core elements they have streamlined their game to play faster and better.
Lessons
In terms of developing their game, the biggest lesson both of them mentioned was listening. Listening to each other, to those who were close and had played the game many times, and to those who weren't as invested in the development. Once they seriously took into account what was being said after demonstrating the game, they were able to make changes to create improvements instead of reinforcing what they already believed. Egos were still involved, but they were taking a step back and creating a game players want.
In running their crowdfunding campaign, they agreed they started before they were ready. Neither the game, nor them. The two went together, even if they didn't see it the first time around. By not having the game at the level it is now, the excitement was contained within a limited group. That group was mostly their initial core supporters. After restarting their efforts, they learned that having the game right was leading to more support and buzz in a larger community.Final Thoughts
The latest version of Wizardz Bluff is a better game. Before it was for a family with younger players, now it has broader appeal.
Crowdsourcing is a numbers game. A base of supporters is needed who is interested enough to back your project and to talk about it. Not everyone will do this. You need to plan on having greater numbers of contacts than you need to back your project by probably a factor of 10. To get the numbers you need to have a solid project or a good track record of previous successes.
A failed funding campaign is not the end. There is a reason you are developing your game. Don't give up on it. Dig in and build on what you've already put into it. Analyze what works and create something better. Share that concept and keep improving it as you get more and more people interested in the project. Keep those who have given you contact information up to date about what you're doing. Keep adding to that list of people as you prepare for to launch the project again.
Jayson and Ron (Gold Cauldron Games—Facebook page) have a game worth owning. They made it that way because they didn't roll over and call it quits. I look forward to seeing how it goes for them and their project.
If you have a comment, suggestion, or critique please leave a comment here or send an email to guildmastergaming@gmail.com.
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