Monday, August 23, 2010
Toy Broker List
When I finally submitted my second game, Treasure Hold 'Em t in 2010 to Marra Design and Associates (the same toy broker I hired for Global Quest), I was very pleased and impressed with how much market research they did for me in terms of determining the true potential for my game. Most importantly, I respect people that do not sugar-coat their professional opinions and present a good argument supporting their thoughts. Ultimately, after taking different perspectives into account, I still have to make my own decision and take responsibility for my own actions. I am a firm believer in taking what you like, throwing out the rest, see what happens, adjust, then try again.
For example, perhaps you read my interview with Ed Akerman - the Legendary Man Who Launched UNO. I asked him what he would advise other new inventors, based on his experience? He suggested getting a toy agent/broker and contacting major toy companies directly in order to see if might give you 15 minutes to pitch your game. I liked the idea, so that is exactly what I did. One of the companies I contacted was Hasbro. They have indie inventors trying to contact them all the time; which is why that have a list of respected toy brokers for you to use to pitch your idea for you. The following is a list of seasoned professionals in the toy and game industry. The standard fee for them to evaluate you invention is usually around $125-$150 per game. Trust me when I say that this is NOT a big money maker for toy agents. From what I understand, this is simply a fee used to weed out every Jack and Jane Doe who simply wants to send out the 1,000's of half-baked ideas stored in a notebook with no real ambition to bring their inventions into the marketplace. for the past two years, this has been a great learning experience that has come from lots of trial and errors. Everything that I learn, I am happy to share it with you. I hope this has been helpful. Beast of luck with your ambitions and please share your experiences (positive or negative) with us!
The following list of Toy Brokers/Agents are featured on the Hasbro website. Disclaimer: I do not necessarily endorse or promote any of these particular agents. I encourage you to do your research on each of these individuals listed and make your own best judgments. I have personally used Marra Design Associates, Inc and was very pleased with the thorough and honest feedback they gave me for Global Quest. I also had the privilege to meet Mary Cousins from Discover Games at last year's New York International Toy Fair. In 2009, Ms. Cousins received an entrepreneur award at this highly respected trade show. The extensive experience and backgrounds of these brokers can help you avoid a lot of unnecessary mistakes that I have made in the past. Then again, reading my blog could help you avoid a lot of mistakes as well, lol. Enjoy!
Mike and Lynn Marra (USA)
MARRA DESIGN ASSOCIATES, INC.
7007 Dakota Avenue
Chanhassen, MN 55317
952-937-8141
Fax: 952-934-1180
Email: MDA1Mike@aol.com
www.marradesign.com
George Delaney (USA)
DELANEY PRODUCT DEVELOPMENT
6956 Hawthorne Lane
Hanover Park, IL 60133
630-289-1583
Fax: 630-837-2952
Email: delaney369@att.net
Jonathan Becker (USA)
ANJAR COMPANY
New Product Submission Department
42 Russet Road
Stamford, CT 06903
203-321-1023
Fax: 203-321-1079
Email: jsb@anjar.com
www.anjar.com
Andrew Berton/Adam Wolff (USA/UK)
EXCEL DEVELOPMENT GROUP
1123 Mount Curve Avenue
Minneapolis, MN 55403-1128
612-374-3233
Fax: 612-377-0865
Email : info@exceld.com
www.exceld.com
Mary Couzin (USA)
DISCOVER GAMES
6842 N. Kilpatrick Ave.
Lincolnwood, IL 60712
Tel: 847-677-8277
Email: discovergames@hotmail.com
Peter Carr (USA)
CACTUS MARKETING SERVICES
1553 South Military Highway, Suite 101
Chesapeake, VA 23320
888-215-7040
Fax: 757-366-9913
E-mail: cactuspete@cavtel.net
www.cactusmarketing.com
Howard Fleischer (USA/EUROPE)
ROYALTY PROS
20 West 22nd Street, Suite 1503
New York, NY 10010
212-366-6876
Fax: 212-366-6862
Email: info@royaltypros.com
www.royaltypros.com
Paul Lapidus (USA)
NEWFUNTIERS
1936 Balzac Court
Redding, CA 96003
800-846-0701 Toll free US & Canada
Voice: 530-223-3330
Fax: 530-223-3033
E-mail: Paul_Lapidus@newfuntiers.com
www.newfuntiers.com
Ronald Hofstaetter (EUROPE)
WHITE CASTLE GAMES
MuseumsQuartier, Museumsplatz 1/6
A-1070 Vienna Austria
(43) 1 522 04 78
Fax: (43) 1 522 04 78
Email: r.hofstaetter@whitecastle.at
www.whitecastle.at
Mike Moody (UK)
SEVEN TOWNS LTD.
7 Lambton Place
London W11 2SH United Kingdom
(44) 20 7727 5666
Fax: (44) 20 7221 0363
Email: mikem@seventowns.com
www.7towns.com
BRITISH TOY & HOBBY ASSOCIATION (UK)
80 Camberwell Road
London SE5 0EG United Kingdom
(44) 20 7701 7271
Fax: (44) 20 7708 2437
Email: admin@btha.co.uk
www.btha.co.uk
Richard Brown (UK)
CACTUS MARKETING SERVICES
109A Hamilton Road
Felixstowe, Suffolk IP11 7BL United Kingdom
(44) 800-389-8408
Fax: 01394-275275
E-mail: games@cactus marketing.com
www.catusmarketing.com
Dugald Keith (Australia)
Imaginiff Design
17 Viva Street
Glen Iris
Victoria 3146, Australia
61 3 9509 9551
Fax: 61 3 9509 9551
Email: skeith@bigpond.net.au
Malcolm Hall (Australia)
Malcolm Hall & Associates
P.O. Box 171
Asburton, VIC 3147 Australia
613-9886-9122
Fax: 613-9886-9133
Email: mha@ozonline.com.au
Alex Holzer (Australia)
Blue Opal Australia Pty Ltd.
135 Bamfield Road
Heidelberg West
Victoria 3081, Australia
61 3 9450 9800
Fax: 61 3 9450 9850
www.blueopal.com.au
Tuesday, August 10, 2010
An Inspiring Story
I just returned home from my very first clinical trial and I am relieved to say that I am perfectly healthy with no side-effects to report. LOL. That is a sentence I never imagined I would ever be writing, much less sharing with the world.
I've only been home for about an hour and I am already at the library researching more information about the toy and game industry, as well as researching more literary agents to contact for my nonfiction book. I found an inspiring story about a fellow toy inventor who had followed his dream to the point that he was down to $5.62 in his bank account. After a lot of endurance, faith, and help from family and friends, he was able to share this incredible success story. Check out this article to read the whole story:
The Toy Story: An Inventor’s Dream Come True
~Luis
www.GlobalQuestGame.com
I've only been home for about an hour and I am already at the library researching more information about the toy and game industry, as well as researching more literary agents to contact for my nonfiction book. I found an inspiring story about a fellow toy inventor who had followed his dream to the point that he was down to $5.62 in his bank account. After a lot of endurance, faith, and help from family and friends, he was able to share this incredible success story. Check out this article to read the whole story:
The Toy Story: An Inventor’s Dream Come True
~Luis
www.GlobalQuestGame.com
Friday, August 6, 2010
Clinical Trials
You know how I casually joked/commented how I understood how some people might consider trying alternative means to generate income while actively searching for a job in this crazy economy (such as medical experimentation)? Well, I actually took a risk and decided to participate in one of those clinical trials you sometimes read about in newspapers or job search publications. This particular study needed healthy people to test the potential side effects an experimental drug. I will not reveal too much detail because I honestly do not know if it is permitted.
I know you may (or may not) think I am absolutely crazy for even considering this as an option. However, being the studious person that I am, I did a lot of research on the pharmaceutical company, the drug itself, and the organization before deciding to participate in the study. Fortunately, I could not find a single negative review about the company. I also learned that over 90 people participated in the trial before me. Out of those 90+ people, only two had any reported side-effects. One person had a slightly elevated heart rate, while the other had some small spot(s) that appeared on the eye itself without affecting their vision at all. In the documents I signed, the company said they would pay to treat me for any potential side-effects that may result from the clinical trial. This seemed like pretty good odds so far. Plus, the study was only for two weeks and would wash out of my system once I stopped taking the pill.
I know that I was taking a major risk by not having employment secured before moving to out here to Los Angeles. However, it was a risk I was willing to take for the sake of pursuing my goals and dreams, verses remaining unemployed in a location that dried up for the film industry.
What is great about this program is that it has given me a lot of time to catch up on my studying and reading on various topics, reflect on my goals for the year, meet some interesting people from Los Angeles, rest (for a change), and converse with some beautiful Japanese and Filipino nurses I would have never been able to meet otherwise. ;) Too bad they're all married.
Even though we are not allowed to leave the hospital or eat any outside food (I miss my local Chinese restaurants), we do have a recreational room that has movies, internet access, video games, and board games. In fact, I am thrilled to say that I played Risk for the first time ever. All this time, I thought it would be an incredibly boring game and even picked on a former president because it was rumored that it was his favorite game in college. However, I retract my uninformed preconception and wholeheartedly recommend this classic board game.
In the mean time, the moment I receive a check for participating in the clinical trial, (after paying my bills) I plan to send my second board game invention to the same toy broker for review and to see if he might be able to license it to a major toy company for me. Hopefully, when I return home, I will have heard from one of the literary agents for my nonfiction book as well. Wish me luck and keep your fingers crossed for me. Have a wonderful weekend!
Mahalo! (Thank you!)
~Luis
www.GlobalQuestGame.com
I know you may (or may not) think I am absolutely crazy for even considering this as an option. However, being the studious person that I am, I did a lot of research on the pharmaceutical company, the drug itself, and the organization before deciding to participate in the study. Fortunately, I could not find a single negative review about the company. I also learned that over 90 people participated in the trial before me. Out of those 90+ people, only two had any reported side-effects. One person had a slightly elevated heart rate, while the other had some small spot(s) that appeared on the eye itself without affecting their vision at all. In the documents I signed, the company said they would pay to treat me for any potential side-effects that may result from the clinical trial. This seemed like pretty good odds so far. Plus, the study was only for two weeks and would wash out of my system once I stopped taking the pill.
I know that I was taking a major risk by not having employment secured before moving to out here to Los Angeles. However, it was a risk I was willing to take for the sake of pursuing my goals and dreams, verses remaining unemployed in a location that dried up for the film industry.
What is great about this program is that it has given me a lot of time to catch up on my studying and reading on various topics, reflect on my goals for the year, meet some interesting people from Los Angeles, rest (for a change), and converse with some beautiful Japanese and Filipino nurses I would have never been able to meet otherwise. ;) Too bad they're all married.
Even though we are not allowed to leave the hospital or eat any outside food (I miss my local Chinese restaurants), we do have a recreational room that has movies, internet access, video games, and board games. In fact, I am thrilled to say that I played Risk for the first time ever. All this time, I thought it would be an incredibly boring game and even picked on a former president because it was rumored that it was his favorite game in college. However, I retract my uninformed preconception and wholeheartedly recommend this classic board game.
In the mean time, the moment I receive a check for participating in the clinical trial, (after paying my bills) I plan to send my second board game invention to the same toy broker for review and to see if he might be able to license it to a major toy company for me. Hopefully, when I return home, I will have heard from one of the literary agents for my nonfiction book as well. Wish me luck and keep your fingers crossed for me. Have a wonderful weekend!
Mahalo! (Thank you!)
~Luis
www.GlobalQuestGame.com
Saturday, July 24, 2010
So Many Great Ideas!
Today, I was flipping through a notebook that I write a variety of ideas and tips I receive from books, magazines, website articles, seminars, meetings at my local Small Business Administration and interactions with friends. I was surprised to find so many ideas I wrote down and completely forgot. This is a perfect reason why someone like myself needs to write down ideas AS SOON AS INSPIRATION HITS! (Hence the reason I always have a pen or three in my pocket.)
Some of the methods I use to figure out which ideas are worth pursuing include:
1. Write down your idea in a journal or notebook! I personally like to make sure I include the date I wrote the idea and where the inspiration came from. It gives me a personal insight on what fuels my creativity and how important the idea is to me, based on how long I have been procrastinating to take action.
2. Compare the idea to your goals in life. I like to review each idea I have and compare them with the goals that are most important to me in my personal life. There is only so much time, money, and resources that you can dedicate to so many goals, desires, and obligations. Everything needs its own time and commitment to be accomplished, i.e. exercising, family, education, work, investing, hobbies, etc. Therefore, I recommend waiting at least a few days after you have written down your goal and then going back to determine if it still makes sense and coincides with your personal aspirations in life.
3. Get feedback! Sometimes, if I spend enough time focusing on a creative project (i.e. designing a new board game or writing a book), I might lose perspective on what may or may not be well received by the public. It is absolutely critical (if you are trying to sell a product) to have a group of people that can give you honest and brutal feedback about your ideas and projects. This is something I ALWAYS emphasize to those I trust and value for their opinions. If you recall from my previous blogs, I have also received feedback from professional toy brokers/agents, board game groups on Meetup.com, and from touring my games in local libraries. (See below for the list of questions I asked people to rate from 1 to 10.) Don't forget to say "thank you" in your own way to those that took the time to evaluate your work.
4. Re-evaluate, if necessary. Once I receive honest and brutal feedback, I will take it all into consideration, then keep what I want and throw away the rest.
5. Repeat steps 1 through 4 until you are thrilled with your results!
This has been a major help to myself over the past couple of years and I hope this is helpful for you and your goals.
Mahalo (thank you) for reading my blog. Hope you have a wonderful weekend!
Warm Regards,
~Luis
www.GlobalQuestGame.com
Some of the methods I use to figure out which ideas are worth pursuing include:
1. Write down your idea in a journal or notebook! I personally like to make sure I include the date I wrote the idea and where the inspiration came from. It gives me a personal insight on what fuels my creativity and how important the idea is to me, based on how long I have been procrastinating to take action.
2. Compare the idea to your goals in life. I like to review each idea I have and compare them with the goals that are most important to me in my personal life. There is only so much time, money, and resources that you can dedicate to so many goals, desires, and obligations. Everything needs its own time and commitment to be accomplished, i.e. exercising, family, education, work, investing, hobbies, etc. Therefore, I recommend waiting at least a few days after you have written down your goal and then going back to determine if it still makes sense and coincides with your personal aspirations in life.
3. Get feedback! Sometimes, if I spend enough time focusing on a creative project (i.e. designing a new board game or writing a book), I might lose perspective on what may or may not be well received by the public. It is absolutely critical (if you are trying to sell a product) to have a group of people that can give you honest and brutal feedback about your ideas and projects. This is something I ALWAYS emphasize to those I trust and value for their opinions. If you recall from my previous blogs, I have also received feedback from professional toy brokers/agents, board game groups on Meetup.com, and from touring my games in local libraries. (See below for the list of questions I asked people to rate from 1 to 10.) Don't forget to say "thank you" in your own way to those that took the time to evaluate your work.
4. Re-evaluate, if necessary. Once I receive honest and brutal feedback, I will take it all into consideration, then keep what I want and throw away the rest.
5. Repeat steps 1 through 4 until you are thrilled with your results!
This has been a major help to myself over the past couple of years and I hope this is helpful for you and your goals.
Mahalo (thank you) for reading my blog. Hope you have a wonderful weekend!
Warm Regards,
~Luis
www.GlobalQuestGame.com
Saturday, July 10, 2010
Welcome to L.A.!
Aloha, My Dear Readers, (Whomever and wherever you may be!)
To my American friends, I hope you had a wonderful 4th of July weekend! I heard that fireworks shows were cancelled back home in Florida due to the rain. If it makes you feel better, fireworks are against the law where I live because the climate is so dry, the mountain in our back yard might catch on fire. You laugh, but that is exactly what happened about eight months ago! My roommates described it as something straight out of Lord of the Rings. (Movie geeks. You gotta love them!)
It has been about three weeks since I moved to Los Angeles (already?!?!) and I have been hitting the pavement virtually nonstop since I have arrived, searching for employment. On one hand, I feel that I was born to be here because there is so much emphasis in the arts and just about anything else you like to do here. On the other hand, I have never seen so many out-of-work or under-employed artists in my life! LOL!
I contacted an old neighbor of mine from Boca Raton, Florida who is producing his own film in L.A. right now. I told him that I just applied to be a crew member for about 22 featured films shooting within the next few months. He says, "Great! Now you only have about 400 more to go!" Wow, what am I getting myself into?
Since I have arrived here, my only gigs have included being a paid audience member for the T.V. shows "Minute to Win It" and "Don't Forget That Lyric." Tia Carrere was a celebrity guest star, playing for charity on "Don't Forget the Lyric." I thought it was hilarious that a Grammy winner and former rocker on "Wayne's World" got every song wrong! They actually had to stop taping to help her with the first couple of songs. I admit, I probably would have failed horribly on that show as well. If I was in her place, the directors of the show would probably receive text messages from the audience in all CAPS reading, "KICK HIM OFF THE STAGE!!!"
I also got to be a part of the (un-paid) audience for the Jay Leno show, where Queen Latifa was a guest star. In my opinion, she is such a classy, fun, and wonderful woman and role-model (unlike the incredible vane reality show star from "Jersey Shore" who also appeared that night and will remain nameless).
I absolutely love it here in Los Angeles. However, being without a source of income is becoming nerve-wrecking. I'm am beginning to rapidly understand all the stories I've read about people volunteering themselves for medical experimentation, plasma blood donations, and other means of supplemental income. The military is starting to look very tempting right about now. Welcome to L.A.!
On a productive note, I bought a great book for writers, called, "Write the Perfect Proposal: 10 That Sold and Why" by Jeff Herman and Deborah Levine Herman. After reading some very useful tips, I changed my book title (3 times) and finally completed a pretty darn good first draft book proposal. I feel confident to start sending query letters to literary agents for my first nonfiction book. Today, I think I may also have found the perfect agent for me. Wish me luck!
Mahalo! (Thanks!)
Luis
www.GlobalQuestGame.com
To my American friends, I hope you had a wonderful 4th of July weekend! I heard that fireworks shows were cancelled back home in Florida due to the rain. If it makes you feel better, fireworks are against the law where I live because the climate is so dry, the mountain in our back yard might catch on fire. You laugh, but that is exactly what happened about eight months ago! My roommates described it as something straight out of Lord of the Rings. (Movie geeks. You gotta love them!)
It has been about three weeks since I moved to Los Angeles (already?!?!) and I have been hitting the pavement virtually nonstop since I have arrived, searching for employment. On one hand, I feel that I was born to be here because there is so much emphasis in the arts and just about anything else you like to do here. On the other hand, I have never seen so many out-of-work or under-employed artists in my life! LOL!
I contacted an old neighbor of mine from Boca Raton, Florida who is producing his own film in L.A. right now. I told him that I just applied to be a crew member for about 22 featured films shooting within the next few months. He says, "Great! Now you only have about 400 more to go!" Wow, what am I getting myself into?
Since I have arrived here, my only gigs have included being a paid audience member for the T.V. shows "Minute to Win It" and "Don't Forget That Lyric." Tia Carrere was a celebrity guest star, playing for charity on "Don't Forget the Lyric." I thought it was hilarious that a Grammy winner and former rocker on "Wayne's World" got every song wrong! They actually had to stop taping to help her with the first couple of songs. I admit, I probably would have failed horribly on that show as well. If I was in her place, the directors of the show would probably receive text messages from the audience in all CAPS reading, "KICK HIM OFF THE STAGE!!!"
I also got to be a part of the (un-paid) audience for the Jay Leno show, where Queen Latifa was a guest star. In my opinion, she is such a classy, fun, and wonderful woman and role-model (unlike the incredible vane reality show star from "Jersey Shore" who also appeared that night and will remain nameless).
I absolutely love it here in Los Angeles. However, being without a source of income is becoming nerve-wrecking. I'm am beginning to rapidly understand all the stories I've read about people volunteering themselves for medical experimentation, plasma blood donations, and other means of supplemental income. The military is starting to look very tempting right about now. Welcome to L.A.!
On a productive note, I bought a great book for writers, called, "Write the Perfect Proposal: 10 That Sold and Why" by Jeff Herman and Deborah Levine Herman. After reading some very useful tips, I changed my book title (3 times) and finally completed a pretty darn good first draft book proposal. I feel confident to start sending query letters to literary agents for my first nonfiction book. Today, I think I may also have found the perfect agent for me. Wish me luck!
Mahalo! (Thanks!)
Luis
www.GlobalQuestGame.com
Saturday, June 12, 2010
Toy Agent Results
My Dear Readers,
I must apologize that I have not been keeping you up to date with the latest results of Global Quest and Treasure Hold 'Em. I have been eager to share this with you sooner. However, I am moving from Greenacres, Florida to Los Angeles, California in 3 days and have been preparing like a madman to get ready for my transition. (Not to mention that I have been also trying to find a literary agent for my first book I wrote about amazing technologies that can help us reduce our dependence on foreign oil).
First, let me begin by saying, the $125 I spent on having this toy agent review Global Quest was very well spent! I was impressed with amount of research that went into finding similar games on the market and seeing how they performed in terms of sales and marketing. Most of them, I have never even heard of - which can not be a good thing.
To sum up the review, the Toy Broker explained that while my unique concepts for Global Quest "would add flair and interest to the category, it would be viewed (by major toy companies that are looking for new games) as too subtle a contribution in a category featuring many styling effects and executions that bring more life to the contest."
He basically said, unless my game is tied to a popular movie (i.e. "Transformers" and "Iron Man") or television show (i.e. "Where in the World is Carmen Sandiego?" and "Dora the Explorer"), or has so much instant appeal that kids would literally force their parents to take out their plastic money (i.e. "Playstation 3" or "Tickle Me Elmo"), then they will most likely see my new game as too much of a risk.
Since I also write screenplays and I am moving to Los Angeles to learn to become a better writer, perhaps I should write a creative film or television show based on the game and enter it into screenwriting contests, lol! Maybe then, I will earn enough to make a small run of both games and place them in specialty stores around the country.
Another possibility would be to take an example from the makers of Cranium and try to market my games in a market that no one else has ever thought of. If I recall correctly, the makers of Cranium were friends with the head of Starbucks and sold their game through the coffee shop. They were able to sell over one million copies without spending any money on advertising! How incredible is that?!
Despite the feedback I received from the toy agent, I still believe in my games because of the great feedback I have received from teachers, parents, college students, and teenagers from my library tours. I believe it is just a matter of raising the money to get started and finding my own unique niche and marketing strategy.
Until then, keep pushing to find a way and STAY POSITIVE!!! Best of luck in your endeavors! Mahalo!
Luis
www.GlobalQuestGame.com
I must apologize that I have not been keeping you up to date with the latest results of Global Quest and Treasure Hold 'Em. I have been eager to share this with you sooner. However, I am moving from Greenacres, Florida to Los Angeles, California in 3 days and have been preparing like a madman to get ready for my transition. (Not to mention that I have been also trying to find a literary agent for my first book I wrote about amazing technologies that can help us reduce our dependence on foreign oil).
First, let me begin by saying, the $125 I spent on having this toy agent review Global Quest was very well spent! I was impressed with amount of research that went into finding similar games on the market and seeing how they performed in terms of sales and marketing. Most of them, I have never even heard of - which can not be a good thing.
To sum up the review, the Toy Broker explained that while my unique concepts for Global Quest "would add flair and interest to the category, it would be viewed (by major toy companies that are looking for new games) as too subtle a contribution in a category featuring many styling effects and executions that bring more life to the contest."
He basically said, unless my game is tied to a popular movie (i.e. "Transformers" and "Iron Man") or television show (i.e. "Where in the World is Carmen Sandiego?" and "Dora the Explorer"), or has so much instant appeal that kids would literally force their parents to take out their plastic money (i.e. "Playstation 3" or "Tickle Me Elmo"), then they will most likely see my new game as too much of a risk.
Since I also write screenplays and I am moving to Los Angeles to learn to become a better writer, perhaps I should write a creative film or television show based on the game and enter it into screenwriting contests, lol! Maybe then, I will earn enough to make a small run of both games and place them in specialty stores around the country.
Another possibility would be to take an example from the makers of Cranium and try to market my games in a market that no one else has ever thought of. If I recall correctly, the makers of Cranium were friends with the head of Starbucks and sold their game through the coffee shop. They were able to sell over one million copies without spending any money on advertising! How incredible is that?!
Despite the feedback I received from the toy agent, I still believe in my games because of the great feedback I have received from teachers, parents, college students, and teenagers from my library tours. I believe it is just a matter of raising the money to get started and finding my own unique niche and marketing strategy.
Until then, keep pushing to find a way and STAY POSITIVE!!! Best of luck in your endeavors! Mahalo!
Luis
www.GlobalQuestGame.com
Reader's Question
Today, one of my readers asked me if I knew what will happen to the oil that is collected from all the oil booms that have been created. I just wanted to share with you my response.
"That is a very good question. I think the people at Matter of Trust would be the best ones to answer that one. I would imagine that it could still be used for some of the hundreds of products that we currently rely on petroleum for -- i.e. In the book I just finished writing a few months ago, I included a (small) list: (LOL, you're gonna love this!)"
"Ammonia, anesthetics, anti-freeze, antihistamines, antiseptics, artificial limbs, artificial turf, asphalt, aspirin, awnings, balloons, ballpoint pens, bandages, beach umbrellas, boats, bubble gum, cameras, candles, car battery cases, car sound insulation, carpeting, cassettes, caulking, clothesline, cold cream, combs, conditioner, cortisone, crayons, credit cards, curtains, deodorant, detergents, dice, dishwashing liquids, disposable diapers, dolls, dresses, drinking cups, dyes, electric blankets, electricians’ tape, eyeglasses, false teeth, fan belts, faucet washers, fertilizers, fishing boots, fishing lures, fishing rods, floor wax, folding doors, food preservatives, garden hoses, glue, golf bags, golf balls, guitar strings, hair coloring, hair curlers, hand lotion, hearing aids, heart valves, house paint, ice buckets, ice chests, ice cube trays, ink, insect repellent, insecticides, isopropyl alcohol, kerosene, laundry detergent, life jackets, linoleum, lipstick, loudspeakers, LP records, lubricating oils, luggage, milk jugs, model cars, mops, motorcycle helmets, movie film, nail polish, oil filters, paint, paint brushes, paint rollers, pajamas, panty hose, parachutes, paraffin wax, pavement, perfume, permanent press clothes, petroleum jelly, pillows, plastic wood, plastics, plywood adhesives, purses, putty, refrigerator linings, roller-skate wheels, roofing, roofing shingles, rubber cement, rubbing alcohol, safety glass, salad bowls, shampoo, shaving cream, shoe polish, shoes, shopping bags, shower curtains, shower doors, skis, slacks, soap dishes, soft contact lenses, sports car bodies, sun glasses, sweaters, synthetic rubber, tar, telephones, tennis rackets, tents, tires, toilet seats, tool racks, toothbrushes, toothpaste, toys, transparent tape, trash bags, TV cabinets, umbrellas, upholstery, vaporizers, VCR tapes, vitamin capsules, wading pools, water pipes, wire insulation, and yarn. (Whew! Try saying that all in one breath!)
"That is a very good question. I think the people at Matter of Trust would be the best ones to answer that one. I would imagine that it could still be used for some of the hundreds of products that we currently rely on petroleum for -- i.e. In the book I just finished writing a few months ago, I included a (small) list: (LOL, you're gonna love this!)"
"Ammonia, anesthetics, anti-freeze, antihistamines, antiseptics, artificial limbs, artificial turf, asphalt, aspirin, awnings, balloons, ballpoint pens, bandages, beach umbrellas, boats, bubble gum, cameras, candles, car battery cases, car sound insulation, carpeting, cassettes, caulking, clothesline, cold cream, combs, conditioner, cortisone, crayons, credit cards, curtains, deodorant, detergents, dice, dishwashing liquids, disposable diapers, dolls, dresses, drinking cups, dyes, electric blankets, electricians’ tape, eyeglasses, false teeth, fan belts, faucet washers, fertilizers, fishing boots, fishing lures, fishing rods, floor wax, folding doors, food preservatives, garden hoses, glue, golf bags, golf balls, guitar strings, hair coloring, hair curlers, hand lotion, hearing aids, heart valves, house paint, ice buckets, ice chests, ice cube trays, ink, insect repellent, insecticides, isopropyl alcohol, kerosene, laundry detergent, life jackets, linoleum, lipstick, loudspeakers, LP records, lubricating oils, luggage, milk jugs, model cars, mops, motorcycle helmets, movie film, nail polish, oil filters, paint, paint brushes, paint rollers, pajamas, panty hose, parachutes, paraffin wax, pavement, perfume, permanent press clothes, petroleum jelly, pillows, plastic wood, plastics, plywood adhesives, purses, putty, refrigerator linings, roller-skate wheels, roofing, roofing shingles, rubber cement, rubbing alcohol, safety glass, salad bowls, shampoo, shaving cream, shoe polish, shoes, shopping bags, shower curtains, shower doors, skis, slacks, soap dishes, soft contact lenses, sports car bodies, sun glasses, sweaters, synthetic rubber, tar, telephones, tennis rackets, tents, tires, toilet seats, tool racks, toothbrushes, toothpaste, toys, transparent tape, trash bags, TV cabinets, umbrellas, upholstery, vaporizers, VCR tapes, vitamin capsules, wading pools, water pipes, wire insulation, and yarn. (Whew! Try saying that all in one breath!)
Friday, June 11, 2010
No More Donations! Volunteers Needed! Thank you!
Just wanted to pass along an update from Matter of Trust - the nonprofit organization making oil booms out of hair and fur. They thank everyone for their generous donations and now have enough hair and fur to make 25 MILES OF BOOM! Over 10 miles has already been made by hundreds of volunteers!
At this time, they CANNOT take any more hair donations. However, they really use volunteers. If you can, please check out www.MatterofTrust.org
Luis
www.globalQuestGame.com
At this time, they CANNOT take any more hair donations. However, they really use volunteers. If you can, please check out www.MatterofTrust.org
Luis
www.globalQuestGame.com
Thursday, June 10, 2010
15 Lbs of Hair!!!
A few days ago, I drove around my city visiting barber shops and salons to see if they would donate hair (that would otherwise go into the trash) to help out with the oil spill clean-up. A non-profit company called, "Matter of Trust" has a few locations in Florida where they stuff the hair in women's stockings to create "booms". The booms are then dragged along the ocean's surface and effectively collects the oil that is spilling throughout the gulf.
Today, I just mailed 15 lbs of hair for the oil spill cleanup to: Hair Boom Program, Ikaros Aviation, Inc., 8301 Overseas Hwy, Marathon, FL 33050.
They said they are having a beach clean-up this weekend to search for traces of oil near the Florida Keys. If you have the means and a few hours of time, I encourage you to go around your local area to collect freshly cut, clean, and dry hair to donate as well. If you do, make sure to save your receipt because you may be able to write the postage off for taxes, since they are a non-profit company.
P.S. Let me know how it goes!
Mahalo! (Thanks!)
~Luis
Today, I just mailed 15 lbs of hair for the oil spill cleanup to: Hair Boom Program, Ikaros Aviation, Inc., 8301 Overseas Hwy, Marathon, FL 33050.
They said they are having a beach clean-up this weekend to search for traces of oil near the Florida Keys. If you have the means and a few hours of time, I encourage you to go around your local area to collect freshly cut, clean, and dry hair to donate as well. If you do, make sure to save your receipt because you may be able to write the postage off for taxes, since they are a non-profit company.
P.S. Let me know how it goes!
Mahalo! (Thanks!)
~Luis
Monday, April 19, 2010
Rude Awakening
So, I am currently reading "The Toy and Game Inventor's Handbook" which is very well written by two toy industry legends: Richard C. Levy and Ronald O. Weingarther. There is a section that I am reading that was a rude awakening for me and I felt was an important piece of information to share with you.
(Paraphrased) The authors comment on how the toy and game industry has changed so much for inventors that, in the future, inventors may no longer exist. This is because major toy companies have been primarily making their sales through attaching toys and games to popular TV shows and Hollywood films. This is known as entertainment licensing. New games are no longer made from scratch from the bottom up because they are too much of a risk. Instead, the major toy companies simply buy out smaller companies who have established sales on their own (i.e. "Cranium").
This seems to be true because all you ever see in retail chains such as Target, Walmart, and Toy-R-Us are re-hashed versions of "Monopoly," "Risk," "Clue," "UNO," "Trivia Pursuit," and "Scene It?" based on every major Hollywood film, Sci-Fi TV show, or popular cartoon. I understand that these companies have an obligation to please investors. However, the quality of most of the games in mainstream retail stores are the equivalent of he styrofoam "health" chips you find in grocery stores with zero calories and no flavor. The industry has become a watered-down, empty version of itself, just like most reality TV shows and a significant portion of films pumped out by major Hollywood studios.
I wish those of you that are into board games could experience some of the incredible inventions from independent companies and inventors you can only find in small hobby stores, boutique stores, and online communities such as www.BoardGameGeek.com. It's like comparing the bland fruit you often find in U.S. grocery stores and then experiencing the explosion of rich and luscious flavor you would find in organic fruits from Brazil. There is just no comparison.
I implore you to expand your mind and entertainment experiences beyond what the mainstream has to offer. As I find more fascinating games that I really enjoy, I will continue to try to post them here on this site. In the meantime, there's an entire new and more fulfilling world waiting for you to experience. Go find it!
~Luis
www.GlobalQuestGame.com
(Paraphrased) The authors comment on how the toy and game industry has changed so much for inventors that, in the future, inventors may no longer exist. This is because major toy companies have been primarily making their sales through attaching toys and games to popular TV shows and Hollywood films. This is known as entertainment licensing. New games are no longer made from scratch from the bottom up because they are too much of a risk. Instead, the major toy companies simply buy out smaller companies who have established sales on their own (i.e. "Cranium").
This seems to be true because all you ever see in retail chains such as Target, Walmart, and Toy-R-Us are re-hashed versions of "Monopoly," "Risk," "Clue," "UNO," "Trivia Pursuit," and "Scene It?" based on every major Hollywood film, Sci-Fi TV show, or popular cartoon. I understand that these companies have an obligation to please investors. However, the quality of most of the games in mainstream retail stores are the equivalent of he styrofoam "health" chips you find in grocery stores with zero calories and no flavor. The industry has become a watered-down, empty version of itself, just like most reality TV shows and a significant portion of films pumped out by major Hollywood studios.
I wish those of you that are into board games could experience some of the incredible inventions from independent companies and inventors you can only find in small hobby stores, boutique stores, and online communities such as www.BoardGameGeek.com. It's like comparing the bland fruit you often find in U.S. grocery stores and then experiencing the explosion of rich and luscious flavor you would find in organic fruits from Brazil. There is just no comparison.
I implore you to expand your mind and entertainment experiences beyond what the mainstream has to offer. As I find more fascinating games that I really enjoy, I will continue to try to post them here on this site. In the meantime, there's an entire new and more fulfilling world waiting for you to experience. Go find it!
~Luis
www.GlobalQuestGame.com
Tuesday, April 13, 2010
Finding the Best Toy & Game Broker/Agent
Back in January (wow, has three months passed by already since then?), you may recall that I had the unique fortune to interview Ed Akerman, the man who launched the best-selling and legendary card game, "UNO." Well, I decided to finally take his advice to heart by researching and contacting a number of top toy and game brokers online. Personally, I prefer to have a broker in the United States for the convenience of having someone closer to home and considering the time and costs of shipping my prototype. Plus, I do not know how to investigate the legitimacy of businesses in other countries, whereas here in the U.S., you at least have the option to look them up on the Better Business Bureau website.
You may decide to establish your own approach to evaluating the best broker for your own needs, but I took the extra time to read everything each broker presented on their website: i.e...
- How long have they been in business and/or what kind of experience in the industry do they have?
- What kind of products/clients have they represented?
- What services do they provide?
- How much do they charge?
- What percentage of your royalties do they receive?
- Do they have a standard non-disclosure agreement? (In order to protect you from anyone that might try to take your concept without permission.)
- Does the overall website look professional?
Afterward, I jotted down questions that may not have been answered: i.e...
- Where do you represent your client's games? (Only in the United States, Europe, or around the world?)
- Do you require an exclusive contract? (This means you are not able to have any other brokers shopping around the same invention at the same time.)
- If so, how long is the contract? (Some require as little as six months to one year, while others may require 1-2 years. It may depend on how many toy companies a broker may solicit or other factors. Generally, it is common to wait at least a year or more to see if any company is interested in licensing your game or toy. Otherwise, you may need to go back to the drawing board and make some revisions, start all over again, or try to self-produce it on your own.)
- Do you present games at Toy Fairs or do you go directly to the toy and game companies? (Some brokers may make the claim that Toy Fairs are for amateurs because the major toy companies are usually only interested in doing business with buyers, not acquiring new products. Your experience may be different.)
- What percentage of games/toys submitted to you for consideration do you represent? (A good broker will only represent a small percentage because they are only looking for those toys/games with a high potential for success.)
You might also want to ask about licensing a different version of your game: i.e. on cell phones, D.V.D., internet, and video games. However, bear in mind that, unless you are a talented computer programmer and animator, or a major toy company wants to do it for you, hiring someone (or a team of people) to make an electronic version of your game can cost several thousand dollars (sometimes over $100,000). Not to mention, there is no guarantee that a game company will want to license your game. However, if you are still motivated to give electronic gaming a shot after considering these factors, then by all means, go for it! You may have some talent that will blow everyone's mind away. When you become successful, hopefully you will remember that I was one of the few that encouraged you all the way! ;)
Bearing all of this in mind, I found a broker that I was comfortable with, who was professional, experienced, patient and willing to explain the aspects of the industry that I did not understand. (Trust me, not everyone was so pleasant.) This particular broker has 26 years of experience, has an impressive client list, and currently has an "A+" rating on the Better Business Bureau website.
You might be asking, how much money can an inventor make? Well, this may not always be the case, but it would appear that if a toy company is interested in licensing your toy or game, you may receive around 5%-8% of the WHOLESALE price, not the mark-up prices you see in stores. On top of that, if you used a talented broker to negotiate your contract with that toy company, your broker may receive around 20%-40% of your royalties. Some brokers ask for more, depending on where you go.
So, lets do a little math. If your game costs $5.00 to make per piece and you receive 5%-8% for every game sold, then you might receive $0.25 - $0.40 per game. If you used a broker and they receive 40% of your royalties, then you might only receive $0.15 - $0.24 per game sold. This means, if your game sells 100,000 copies, then you might only receive $15,000 - $24,000. (Not terribly impressive, I know.) However, if in the unique event your game is a huge hit and sells 1,000,000 copies, then add another zero and that comes out to $150,000 - $240,000 in royalties. It may not seem very much considering that you invented the product and may have put your heart, soul, money, and time into this project. However, if you do not have an understanding of business, marketing, distribution, or the financial capital to launch your product yourself, then this may be an ideal option.
I hope this information was helpful. Mahalo for reading my blog.
Best of luck,
~Luis
www.GlobalQuestGame.com
You may decide to establish your own approach to evaluating the best broker for your own needs, but I took the extra time to read everything each broker presented on their website: i.e...
- How long have they been in business and/or what kind of experience in the industry do they have?
- What kind of products/clients have they represented?
- What services do they provide?
- How much do they charge?
- What percentage of your royalties do they receive?
- Do they have a standard non-disclosure agreement? (In order to protect you from anyone that might try to take your concept without permission.)
- Does the overall website look professional?
Afterward, I jotted down questions that may not have been answered: i.e...
- Where do you represent your client's games? (Only in the United States, Europe, or around the world?)
- Do you require an exclusive contract? (This means you are not able to have any other brokers shopping around the same invention at the same time.)
- If so, how long is the contract? (Some require as little as six months to one year, while others may require 1-2 years. It may depend on how many toy companies a broker may solicit or other factors. Generally, it is common to wait at least a year or more to see if any company is interested in licensing your game or toy. Otherwise, you may need to go back to the drawing board and make some revisions, start all over again, or try to self-produce it on your own.)
- Do you present games at Toy Fairs or do you go directly to the toy and game companies? (Some brokers may make the claim that Toy Fairs are for amateurs because the major toy companies are usually only interested in doing business with buyers, not acquiring new products. Your experience may be different.)
- What percentage of games/toys submitted to you for consideration do you represent? (A good broker will only represent a small percentage because they are only looking for those toys/games with a high potential for success.)
You might also want to ask about licensing a different version of your game: i.e. on cell phones, D.V.D., internet, and video games. However, bear in mind that, unless you are a talented computer programmer and animator, or a major toy company wants to do it for you, hiring someone (or a team of people) to make an electronic version of your game can cost several thousand dollars (sometimes over $100,000). Not to mention, there is no guarantee that a game company will want to license your game. However, if you are still motivated to give electronic gaming a shot after considering these factors, then by all means, go for it! You may have some talent that will blow everyone's mind away. When you become successful, hopefully you will remember that I was one of the few that encouraged you all the way! ;)
Bearing all of this in mind, I found a broker that I was comfortable with, who was professional, experienced, patient and willing to explain the aspects of the industry that I did not understand. (Trust me, not everyone was so pleasant.) This particular broker has 26 years of experience, has an impressive client list, and currently has an "A+" rating on the Better Business Bureau website.
You might be asking, how much money can an inventor make? Well, this may not always be the case, but it would appear that if a toy company is interested in licensing your toy or game, you may receive around 5%-8% of the WHOLESALE price, not the mark-up prices you see in stores. On top of that, if you used a talented broker to negotiate your contract with that toy company, your broker may receive around 20%-40% of your royalties. Some brokers ask for more, depending on where you go.
So, lets do a little math. If your game costs $5.00 to make per piece and you receive 5%-8% for every game sold, then you might receive $0.25 - $0.40 per game. If you used a broker and they receive 40% of your royalties, then you might only receive $0.15 - $0.24 per game sold. This means, if your game sells 100,000 copies, then you might only receive $15,000 - $24,000. (Not terribly impressive, I know.) However, if in the unique event your game is a huge hit and sells 1,000,000 copies, then add another zero and that comes out to $150,000 - $240,000 in royalties. It may not seem very much considering that you invented the product and may have put your heart, soul, money, and time into this project. However, if you do not have an understanding of business, marketing, distribution, or the financial capital to launch your product yourself, then this may be an ideal option.
I hope this information was helpful. Mahalo for reading my blog.
Best of luck,
~Luis
www.GlobalQuestGame.com
Friday, April 9, 2010
Just wanted to give you a follow up with the Global Quest Scholarship Fund. As you know, I was able to help last year's winner have 100% of her tuition paid for through grants and scholarships. However, as many of you dedicated college students already know, book and school supplies are incredibly expensive, especially for a fine arts major. I remember when some of my own required literature would cost over $100 for only one book! Therefore, I have continued my dedication to assist last year's winner by helping her apply for at least 22 new scholarships within the last month, including the video featured below.
The video below was for the Nuclear Age Peace Foundation: 2010 Swackhamer Video Contest posted on YouTube.com. The topic of the video had to answer questions related to a quote by Albert Einstein during the early stages of the Nuclear Age: "The unleashed power of the atom has changes everything save our modes of thinking and we thus drift toward unparalleled catastrophe."
I would like to thank the generous photographers from Flickr.com that gave me permission to use their photos in order to enhance the content of this entry. Hope you enjoy the video and mahalo (thank you) for watching!
Warm Regards,
~Lu
www.GlobalQuestGame.com
The video below was for the Nuclear Age Peace Foundation: 2010 Swackhamer Video Contest posted on YouTube.com. The topic of the video had to answer questions related to a quote by Albert Einstein during the early stages of the Nuclear Age: "The unleashed power of the atom has changes everything save our modes of thinking and we thus drift toward unparalleled catastrophe."
I would like to thank the generous photographers from Flickr.com that gave me permission to use their photos in order to enhance the content of this entry. Hope you enjoy the video and mahalo (thank you) for watching!
Warm Regards,
~Lu
www.GlobalQuestGame.com
Tuesday, March 9, 2010
Never Give Up!
Yesterday, I received an email about never giving up that struck a chord with me. The person who wrote the email told me a story about a volleyball coach whose team was losing 0-2 and decided to quit coaching the rest of the game. For anyone who plays volleyball, trailing by two points is not a big deal, however this coach took the easy way out and quit on her players.
Then, the person telling the story included a quote from Winston Churchill: "Never give in, never give in, never, never, never, never--in nothing great or small, large or petty---never give in except to convictions of honor and good sense. Never yield to force: never yield to the apparently overwhelming might of the enemy."
I found this quote inspirational because sometimes, I intimately know how that feeling of wanting to quit creeps up on you when you're exhausted, frustrated, and on the verge of pulling every last hair follicle from your skull. But I implore you to keep searching, reaching, and adjusting until you find some way to realize your goal in a way that you are thoroughly satisfied and/or fulfilled. Mahalo! Hope you are inspired today.
Then, the person telling the story included a quote from Winston Churchill: "Never give in, never give in, never, never, never, never--in nothing great or small, large or petty---never give in except to convictions of honor and good sense. Never yield to force: never yield to the apparently overwhelming might of the enemy."
I found this quote inspirational because sometimes, I intimately know how that feeling of wanting to quit creeps up on you when you're exhausted, frustrated, and on the verge of pulling every last hair follicle from your skull. But I implore you to keep searching, reaching, and adjusting until you find some way to realize your goal in a way that you are thoroughly satisfied and/or fulfilled. Mahalo! Hope you are inspired today.
Saturday, February 27, 2010
Board Game Awards
As I am looking for ways to introduce my board game inventions to the industry, I am reminded about those "award" stickers you may often see featured on the packaging of your favorite game. This often gives the game a sense of prestige, clout, and public approval. There are a variety of awards you can apply for, such as Games 100, International Gamers Awards, Mensa Mind Games, Spiel des Jahres, Board Game Geek: Golden Geek, and Major FUN awards.
One of the sites I came across today that allows you submit your request for their seal of approval online is The National Parenting Center: Seal of Approval. Every company has different guidelines, but if you have invented a game of your own, it may be worth your time to boost your appeal by trying out for one of these. If you do win, please let me know so I can congratulate you on this site! Best of luck!
Luis
www.GlobalQuestGame.com
One of the sites I came across today that allows you submit your request for their seal of approval online is The National Parenting Center: Seal of Approval. Every company has different guidelines, but if you have invented a game of your own, it may be worth your time to boost your appeal by trying out for one of these. If you do win, please let me know so I can congratulate you on this site! Best of luck!
Luis
www.GlobalQuestGame.com
Taxes
Just completed my taxes the other day and I am so glad I hired a CPA that specializes in small businesses.
Even though I have not launched my board game inventions just yet, I have spent a lot of time and money on press releases, my computer, the New York Toy Fair last year, meals with potential investors, etc. Fortunately I kept all of my receipts organized in a folder with a summary page listing everything. This made it as easy as possible for my CPA to go through all of my records. He saved me a LOT of potential heartache.
One thing I did learn is that it is important to keep a written journal wherever you go (i.e. in your car) so that you can accurately log the dates, mileage, receipts, and purpose of your business-related expenses. From what I understand, this makes it easier to justify your deductions at the end of the year - in the event you are ever audited. (Make sure to consult a certified CPA for professional tax advice.)
Even though I have not launched my board game inventions just yet, I have spent a lot of time and money on press releases, my computer, the New York Toy Fair last year, meals with potential investors, etc. Fortunately I kept all of my receipts organized in a folder with a summary page listing everything. This made it as easy as possible for my CPA to go through all of my records. He saved me a LOT of potential heartache.
One thing I did learn is that it is important to keep a written journal wherever you go (i.e. in your car) so that you can accurately log the dates, mileage, receipts, and purpose of your business-related expenses. From what I understand, this makes it easier to justify your deductions at the end of the year - in the event you are ever audited. (Make sure to consult a certified CPA for professional tax advice.)
Hard Core Gamers Review
Last weekend, I finally was able to get some of the people
from my board game Meet-up group to test play both of my board games. To tell you the truth, I always get incredibly nervous when I show my creative work to anyone, whether it is my board games, writing, or film/video projects. It is just one of those quirks that I have, no matter how good or bad I might think my work is.
Having this group test play my games meant a lot to me because they are what I would call "hard-core gamers." This means that the average games you often see in retail chains such as Target and Walmart may not be exciting or challenging enough for this incredibly diverse group. The reason why I brought my games to them is because I believe getting unbiased and honest feedback from those that are very selective (and not close friends or family)is absolutely crucial if I ever expect my games to be successful.
Every single time I go to one of their Saturday evening events, I end up playing at least one or two games that I have never played and often never heard of before. The owner had to sell two tables piled with board games because he's moving and has two closets full of incredible and unusual games from all over the world. There are always plenty of home-cooked dinner prepared, junk food, and drinks for everyone (which is always a great thing) and they are such a fun spirited group of people. Since my (local) family and friends rarely play board games, this is a great outlet for me - as you might imagine.
The group of people that played my board games were between 18 and mid-20's of different backgrounds and professional walks of life (Sample size = 3). Here is their average response for the following questions:
Global Quest™ and Treasure Hold ‘Em™ Review
For each question, circle your honest opinion about the game you played.
(1 = Horrible, 10 = Fantastic)
1. Overall look of the game?
Global Quest:8
Treasure Hold ‘Em: 9.7
2. Function - How well did the game play?
Global Quest: 8.3
Treasure Hold ‘Em: 8.6
3. How easy was the game to understand?
Global Quest: 8.3
Treasure Hold ‘Em: 10
4. How unique is the game?
Global Quest: 9
Treasure Hold ‘Em: 6.3
5. Is this game a good match for your age group?
Global Quest: 9
Treasure Hold ‘Em: 9
6. How interesting is the game to make you want to play again?
Global Quest: 8
Treasure Hold ‘Em: 8.3
7. How exciting is the game? (Did it make you laugh; did you have a great time playing?)
Global Quest: 8.3
Treasure Hold ‘Em: 8.6
8. Would you buy this game if you saw it in a store or online?
Global Quest: 7
Treasure Hold ‘Em:6.3
9. How would you compare this game to other board games in stores?
Global Quest: 7.3
Treasure Hold ‘Em:6.3
10. If you saw this game on the shelf, would it catch your attention and make you stop and take a closer look?
Global Quest: 8
Treasure Hold ‘Em: 7
NOTE: If you only knew how difficult it was for me to decide to post this blog. In some areas, this is an interesting comparison and contrast to the feedback I received from teenagers during my library tours, my test play with college students, and with five different families. In other ways, I admit I was a little crushed that some of the scores were not a little higher. However, I wanted to give you an unfiltered look at how "hard-core gamers" reviewed my games and thought you might appreciate the honesty. I feel that this may be helpful for those of you that may have inventions of your own that you want to have the public evaluate.
Hope this was helpful. Enjoy and "mahalo" (thank you) for reading my blog! :)
Luis
www.GlobalQuestGame.com
from my board game Meet-up group to test play both of my board games. To tell you the truth, I always get incredibly nervous when I show my creative work to anyone, whether it is my board games, writing, or film/video projects. It is just one of those quirks that I have, no matter how good or bad I might think my work is.
Having this group test play my games meant a lot to me because they are what I would call "hard-core gamers." This means that the average games you often see in retail chains such as Target and Walmart may not be exciting or challenging enough for this incredibly diverse group. The reason why I brought my games to them is because I believe getting unbiased and honest feedback from those that are very selective (and not close friends or family)is absolutely crucial if I ever expect my games to be successful.
Every single time I go to one of their Saturday evening events, I end up playing at least one or two games that I have never played and often never heard of before. The owner had to sell two tables piled with board games because he's moving and has two closets full of incredible and unusual games from all over the world. There are always plenty of home-cooked dinner prepared, junk food, and drinks for everyone (which is always a great thing) and they are such a fun spirited group of people. Since my (local) family and friends rarely play board games, this is a great outlet for me - as you might imagine.
The group of people that played my board games were between 18 and mid-20's of different backgrounds and professional walks of life (Sample size = 3). Here is their average response for the following questions:
Global Quest™ and Treasure Hold ‘Em™ Review
For each question, circle your honest opinion about the game you played.
(1 = Horrible, 10 = Fantastic)
1. Overall look of the game?
Global Quest:8
Treasure Hold ‘Em: 9.7
2. Function - How well did the game play?
Global Quest: 8.3
Treasure Hold ‘Em: 8.6
3. How easy was the game to understand?
Global Quest: 8.3
Treasure Hold ‘Em: 10
4. How unique is the game?
Global Quest: 9
Treasure Hold ‘Em: 6.3
5. Is this game a good match for your age group?
Global Quest: 9
Treasure Hold ‘Em: 9
6. How interesting is the game to make you want to play again?
Global Quest: 8
Treasure Hold ‘Em: 8.3
7. How exciting is the game? (Did it make you laugh; did you have a great time playing?)
Global Quest: 8.3
Treasure Hold ‘Em: 8.6
8. Would you buy this game if you saw it in a store or online?
Global Quest: 7
Treasure Hold ‘Em:6.3
9. How would you compare this game to other board games in stores?
Global Quest: 7.3
Treasure Hold ‘Em:6.3
10. If you saw this game on the shelf, would it catch your attention and make you stop and take a closer look?
Global Quest: 8
Treasure Hold ‘Em: 7
NOTE: If you only knew how difficult it was for me to decide to post this blog. In some areas, this is an interesting comparison and contrast to the feedback I received from teenagers during my library tours, my test play with college students, and with five different families. In other ways, I admit I was a little crushed that some of the scores were not a little higher. However, I wanted to give you an unfiltered look at how "hard-core gamers" reviewed my games and thought you might appreciate the honesty. I feel that this may be helpful for those of you that may have inventions of your own that you want to have the public evaluate.
Hope this was helpful. Enjoy and "mahalo" (thank you) for reading my blog! :)
Luis
www.GlobalQuestGame.com
Toy & Game Brokers
Today, I sought out major board game companies to submit my board games for licensing consideration. On the Hasbro FAQ page, I found that they do not accept direct submissions and recommended going through a company that has a different submission policy than they do, perhaps contact the game industry's trade association, The Toy Industry Association, or a toy and game broker.
They explain that a toy broker introduces and helps sell the concepts/prototypes or other inventions to the broker's personal contacts at various toy and game manufacturers. Here is the web page in case anyone is interested in learning more information for your own toy or game concept. They have a link of brokers that have agreed to have their names published. Make sure to click that this information is "very" helpful, so that they will keep this content up on their site. If they ever take it off, please contact me and I will post the broker's names and contact info on my blog. Mahalo (thanks) and enjoy!
Luis
www.GlobalQuestGame.com
They explain that a toy broker introduces and helps sell the concepts/prototypes or other inventions to the broker's personal contacts at various toy and game manufacturers. Here is the web page in case anyone is interested in learning more information for your own toy or game concept. They have a link of brokers that have agreed to have their names published. Make sure to click that this information is "very" helpful, so that they will keep this content up on their site. If they ever take it off, please contact me and I will post the broker's names and contact info on my blog. Mahalo (thanks) and enjoy!
Luis
www.GlobalQuestGame.com
Friday, February 19, 2010
Enhancing My Blog Through Apture
So, today I was looking how to add live RSS feeds to my blog on GlobalQuestGame.com in order provide you various news feeds related to the board game and toy industry. Although I am still searching how to do this, I found an amazing new site that I am going to experiment with today called Apture.com. (I don't mean to be so easily distracted, ha!)
The best way I can explain Apture.com (as interpret it) is that it takes any type of content you want (i.e. YouTube videos, Twitter feeds, Wikipedia Articles, News Articles, etc.) and beautifully places it compactly on your web page. When you click on the different media icons, it keeps you on the same page instead of redirecting your readers somewhere else...which is awesome! If any of this sounds confusing or incomplete, I apologize. I'm going to demonstrate what that looks like by experiment with it for the first time using information about the legendary USA Olympic Snowboarder, Shaun White. I believe it required opening an account with Blogger, instead of downloading it directly to my website. Hope you like it.
Mahalo! (Thanks!)
The best way I can explain Apture.com (as interpret it) is that it takes any type of content you want (i.e. YouTube videos, Twitter feeds, Wikipedia Articles, News Articles, etc.) and beautifully places it compactly on your web page. When you click on the different media icons, it keeps you on the same page instead of redirecting your readers somewhere else...which is awesome! If any of this sounds confusing or incomplete, I apologize. I'm going to demonstrate what that looks like by experiment with it for the first time using information about the legendary USA Olympic Snowboarder, Shaun White. I believe it required opening an account with Blogger, instead of downloading it directly to my website. Hope you like it.
Mahalo! (Thanks!)
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