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
Saturday, June 12, 2010
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
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