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Hey kids

I'm looking for ideas and opinions on a bunch of little details for my game, things like rulebook formats or how minis are packaged. I set up a little survey page with a few questions and I'd love to get your input It's a quick survey, just 8 multiple choice questions and a box to add comments too if you want. So if you need to kill 30 seconds or so, free to check it out

http://www.surveymonkey.com/s/VJF8LMN

Done, pretty painless

Done, but what good sir is an Apocaypse setting?

Done... though I'm not really sure how to answer that last one... too much of a blank slate.

@Catyrpelius I think he means like a Post-apocalyptic world like the Fallout video games or Road Warrior.

Done.

I'm assuming the Apocalypse setting is some type of end of the world - type scenario (Zombies, Nuclear or otherwise)?

aka_mythos wrote:Done... though I'm not really sure how to answer that last one... too much of a blank slate.

@Catyrpelius I think he means like a Post-apocalyptic world like the Fallout video games or Road Warrior.

Yeah I know, I was trying to poke fun but I guess it failed.

Well there's so many kinds of apocalypses out there, so I guess it is a little vague. But then, same for Fantasy & Sci Fi too

My idea for an apocalypse game is more of a modern day biblical theme, but more hollywood than "real" .. gangs lead by an angel or demon, specialist type characters would be people "possessed" by good or evil, and henchmen would be normal human followers.

I was afraid Zombies and road warrior stuff has been done too much already.

But anyway, next game would be a long ways off.. I only have a whole 2 figures done for my first game so far Though the Apocalypse game is what I'm leaning toward most. I already have ideas set aside for every option I listed, just curious to see what folks want so I know what might be good to start digging into next.

Wheres my 100 bucks? LOL


Good game, where are the civil War/ soldier guys, and the Tombstone/ Hell on Wheels gangs?


Got a really good game going with this one. easy to play and painless to get up and going.

Personaly, my favoured apocalpse would have loads of squigly monsters and stuff like that.

Voted.

I do, however, want to repeat that if you're going to make a digital smartphone army builder, make it available on every popular format else you risk alienating people.

Not only iPhone, but especially Android and PC as well.

I get terribly turned off when companies yap on about how they're excited about how much time they spent on their iOS release of some program, and the Android version is two months down the line. In two months, I'm going to forget you even existed (Wizards of the Coast, I'm looking at you).

I totally agree with the format.. I would hope to not do an actual app, but instead it wouldn't be iOS or Android, but web based.. So you would need an internet connection to use it, but this way I don't have to worry about an iOS or Android app, it would be a site designed to fit on whatever screen size you're using. So the site would look different on a phone than it would on PC or iPad. Just different looking page templates that all use the same data.

It's something I intend to do eventually, but I don't think I'll be able to afford a programmer to make it happen for a while :/

added mine to the pile

Necros wrote:My idea for an apocalypse game is more of a modern day biblical theme, but more hollywood than "real" .. gangs lead by an angel or demon, specialist type characters would be people "possessed" by good or evil, and henchmen would be normal human followers.

Wasn't there already a game like this? Sounds kinda like Dark Ages.

Catyrpelius wrote:Done, but what good sir is an Apocaypse setting?

You and your opponent take control of ICBM's midflight...

Filled out. You're welcome.

Regarding Apocalyptic, think Mordheim. An asteroid crashed into the city of Mordheim leaving it in ruins, but leaving behind valuable pieces of the asteroid called Wyrdstone. Warbands of human mercenaries, undead, elves, dwarves, Possessed, lizardmen, etc. descend on the ruins in hopes of finding Wyrdstone.

http://www.games-workshop.com/gws/catalog/landingArmy.jsp?catId=cat480008a&rootCatGameStyle=specialist-games

Done and done, hope my feedback helps.

biccat wrote:Wasn't there already a game like this? Sounds kinda like Dark Ages.

hmm, I thought Dark Age was more of a sci fi-ish Apocalypse? My idea is along the lines of a modern day biblical thing, like a "what if the poo hit the fan tomorrow" kind of a setting. Angels would be tough, armored looking folks you don't want to mess with (kinda like in the movie Legion, if you were able to sit through it till the end) and demons would be more fantasy-ish, like the balrog from lord of the rings. I think that game Ex Ilis might have had the same kind of background, but wasn't modern day.

And yeah, I'm a big fan of Mordheim. Necromunda too. Both were part of the inspiration for my game, only I took the campaign stuff out of the basic rules to make things more streamlined. Campaign rules are still there, but more like an add-on if you and your friends want to do that. I wanted the core rules to be simple enough to just throw your models down and start playing with anyone, quick & easy.

I had the poll running for about a week now, so far it's looking like sci fi is winning and apocalypse close behind I wish a had a bajillion dollars so I could afford the licensing to make a Mass Effect game...

biccat wrote:

Catyrpelius wrote:Done, but what good sir is an Apocaypse setting?

You and your opponent take control of ICBM's midflight...

No, no, no. the armies fight ON the ICBMs, in mid-flight.

Is there any long division involved in the survey? I suck at that stuff..

No math, I hate it too

92 surveys taken, here's some of the results I got so far (won't let me share easily so I have to just type it all :( )

1. Most like to make up their own gang members, very few like pre-made, a lot said both.
2. Pretty even with a slight nod to a roster sheet over cards, and a bunch said both
3. Pretty even for amt of figs, but most want box sets
4. Most want a printed book, a few want a PDF but a bunch said both
5. Pretty even for roster app vs pen & paper, but old fashioned way is winning
6. Pretty even for rulebook formats but most want a regular sized softcover, followed by hardcover
7. Most want a full color book but still a good chunk said cheapy B&W is good too
8. For the next game, Sci-Fi & Apocalpyse are tied, with monsters and horror close behind, Fantasy and Historical are both pretty meh

I'm gonna keep it going for a week or so and then post all the percentages and stuff

Did a survey for you ^_^

All done With many of the questions, I thought having both options would be a good thing

Yeah I should have had a "both" option, I wanted to go back and add that but it won't let me now that I've had some responses :(


Automatically Appended Next Post:
Bah! no fair .. there's 103 responses so far, but it will only show me the first 100, I have to pay $204 for a year if I wanna see the rest :(

I call shenanigans...

Necros wrote:I totally agree with the format.. I would hope to not do an actual app, but instead it wouldn't be iOS or Android, but web based.. So you would need an internet connection to use it, but this way I don't have to worry about an iOS or Android app, it would be a site designed to fit on whatever screen size you're using. So the site would look different on a phone than it would on PC or iPad. Just different looking page templates that all use the same data.

It's something I intend to do eventually, but I don't think I'll be able to afford a programmer to make it happen for a while :/

See if you can't make it so it can be saved to display off line as well. I can't tell you how many times I'm in a basement or have weak signal that this would fustrate me...

Necros wrote:1. Most like to make up their own gang members, very few like pre-made, a lot said both.
2. Pretty even with a slight nod to a roster sheet over cards, and a bunch said both
3. Pretty even for amt of figs, but most want box sets
4. Most want a printed book, a few want a PDF but a bunch said both
5. Pretty even for roster app vs pen & paper, but old fashioned way is winning
6. Pretty even for rulebook formats but most want a regular sized softcover, followed by hardcover
7. Most want a full color book but still a good chunk said cheapy B&W is good too
8. For the next game, Sci-Fi & Apocalpyse are tied, with monsters and horror close behind, Fantasy and Historical are both pretty meh

Just the opinion of someone whose gone through this...

1) Premades are great for introduction games, both the ones your demo team folks are giving and the ones that strangers are playing. If the game woks well with folks making their own characters, then there is no harm in having both. In Brushfire we do our heroes in this manner, premades come in the starter boxes designed to be an easy entry, but the rules let you customize your heroes.
2) No reason can't have it both ways. WarmaHordes, which made the card system famous works both ways. Roster sheets are great for tournys.
3) It really depends on your system, if your game is more scenario driven (ala a ton of historicals) then Boxes are probably better, as things are already 'set'. If its more points based (ala pretty much every skirmish game) then singles are good for when your players want more of a specific figure. Singles are also good for roleplayers/conversions. Boxes are more profitable then blisters, but if you should go with what your customers/retailers want.
4) PDF costs you nothing to produce, and it costs nothing to list it on WargameVault, so no reason to not do it. I do suggest giving time for your printed book to 'breath', a month or two, before releasing the PDF edition.
5) Apps are great, if you have someone that can make them, and the existence of one isn't going to make P&P go away.
6-7) Hardcovers add to your costs, as does Color, as does Size. In the end a book is a book, going B&W digest size (6x9) makes your costs lower and can thus make your price lower.
8) Go with whatever calls you most "Take Chances, Make Mistakes, Get Messy!"

Thanks for the info

For gangs, my plan was to include quickstart rules and a sample roster in the starter box sets, so the gameplay rules are in the sample, and the weapon & skill info for the gang is on the roster (so neither has to be too big & expensive). So you can start playing with the box set, and get the full rules later and use the models to make your own gang, or keep the starter roster and add to it with new models..

I was planning to do both formats for rosters.. have a blank roster sheet now and I'm going to be putting together a blank card template, so you can print it out, cut it out and fold it in half to get the front side & back side. Planning to do a couple of sample characters on the website for people that aren't feeling creative, probably 1 or 2 that go with each model. The sample roster sheets will just come in the starter sets though.

Games are scenario driven, but more along the lines of 40K, for layout of the board and starting zones. Box sets I was thinking would be built around a theme. First 2 will be Outlaws and Lawmen, and others would be Mexican gangs, or Indians, etc. Then I was thinking for Professionals (like special characters) would come 1 per blister, and normal henchmen would be 2 per blister since you need more of them. Starters would all be 5-man gangs, but the average gang size is more like 10.

The PDF right now is the same as the print on demand book, I have the book really just for people that prefer a book over a PDF, don't make much off of it since it's through lulu.com. Going forward I was thinking I'd do the full color printed rulebook, and a more stripped down B&W PDF that loads good on all devices. The book would have more fluff, modeling & painting info, etc.. PDF would be just the rules. But, still have a lot to think about as far as format, I think hardcover will just be way too much, but something I could look into later when I'm actually making money

I'd love to do an App, and probably will some day, my idea is pretty much exactly what PP has shown off with their new app, only it can also spit out your roster or cards into a PDF or printer. Also, it'll be web based, not a "real" app, and it will just load a different display template based on your device or computer. I can handle the web design part, but doubt I'll be able to afford the programing for that before the mayan apocalypse kills us all.

Next game was more for fun I have a lot of different ideas and I feel for this to really turn a profit I'm going to need to have several new releases for a few different settings each month.. that's a few years off, but where I'd like to be headed. Just focusing on 1 game right now Don't think it's wise to start planning a brand new game when I only have 2 whole models done first the first one so far...

Necros wrote:Thanks for the info

Next game was more for fun I have a lot of different ideas and I feel for this to really turn a profit I'm going to need to have several new releases for a few different settings each month.. that's a few years off, but where I'd like to be headed. Just focusing on 1 game right now Don't think it's wise to start planning a brand new game when I only have 2 whole models done first the first one so far...

Having fun is the most important part, if you make a sale or two thats also great

Brushfire is our second game, and we had the initial plan for it back when we started the first one... and have had plans for several other games in the interim. A couple have gotten far along, only to fall through due to various issues.. but we keep thinking up ideas for new stuff. Keep at it and good stuff will come.

Your going to be at Adepticon, right?

If you're having problems with polls in that site, why not just do one here?

Eric

There were a lot of different questions, so it was more of a survey than a poll I might sign up so I get better results than just the first 100, $17 a month isn't bad, but they want you to pay for a whole year :/

No adepticon this year. I'd love to go, but it's just not in the teeny budget I have. Pretty much gotta save it all for sculpting & artwork right now. Cons for me are all going to have to be mostly local to the Philly area, where I can drive there, do some demos and drive home in the same day. I plan to go next year though, along with GenCon too hopefully.

Necros wrote:No adepticon this year. I'd love to go, but it's just not in the teeny budget I have. Pretty much gotta save it all for sculpting & artwork right now. Cons for me are all going to have to be mostly local to the Philly area, where I can drive there, do some demos and drive home in the same day. I plan to go next year though, along with GenCon too hopefully.

Thats how we started as well, Adepticon is great if you can make it out there (its quite the drive for us as well). Carpooling helps too