board games vs. video games

david1

What so you believe will be the future of board games as they compete with video games? Is there a market for unique board games ( no PARKERBROTHERSMILTONBRADLEY  conglomerates). My wife and I were wanting to do an educational/unique board game e-store. Is this a good idea? I am scared to death that my wife will kill me when we lose everything in a business that will have no customers. My mother-in-law will reiterate that I am a complete idiot. Are there any kind of statistics on the prognosis for this industry?

BigTop

This may not help, but among one of Robert Kiyosaki`s (of "Rich Dad, Poor Dad" fame) first ventures was a board game ("Cashflow") teaching folks how to get out of the "rat race".   I think he still charges upwards of $195 for the game, and he has been selling it for years.Find the right niche, and you`ve got yourself a gold mine.What so you believe will be the future of board games as they compete with video games? Is there a market for unique board games ( no PARKERBROTHERSMILTONBRADLEY  conglomerates). My wife and I were wanting to do an educational/unique board game e-store. Is this a good idea? I am scared to death that my wife will kill me when we lose everything in a business that will have no customers. My mother-in-law will reiterate that I am a complete idiot. Are there any kind of statistics on the prognosis for this industry?

kefoster

This may not help, but among one of Robert Kiyosaki`s (of "Rich Dad, Poor Dad" fame) first ventures was a board game ("Cashflow") teaching folks how to get out of the "rat race".   I think he still charges upwards of $195 for the game, and he has been selling it for years.Kiyosaki has also written an electronic version of cashflow as well.  I am in my 30`s and I grew up on board games like Life, Trivial Pursuit, and STRATEGO! I also grew up on pong, Atari 2600, Defender, Nintendo 64... You get the idea.  As my daughter grows up we will be steering her towards board games because the entire family can enjoy them.  We will also let her play video games as well but when it is time for the family it will be breaking out the board games.Good luck,Kevin

keycon

I love Board Games and think they having staying power because kids love them and BIG kids, too.
Maybe we should have made a SuN Board Game a project of "Can We Create A Business Together" - build your business as you go around the Board. Maybe the next project.
To answer your question, David1, and I have not researched this, but maybe an online store of nothing but Board Games - from as far back as you can go to present. Need a Board Game, come to your site. Maybe this already exits. I don`t know. Worth a looksie! I like the idea.
R@

yourNAMEinDotCom

David1,I have the solution for you and I believe you`ve been thinking it all along!Lose the mother-in-law! AleemP.S.Seriously though, you don`t want that kind of negative energy trying to pull you down.

david1

My mother-in-law is actually a nice person, just not an entrepreneur. I wouldn`t trade her in. She is of the mindset that you work for a company for 40 years being a yesman for the bossman. That is not me. That being said, I just avoid discussing this subject with her. Not everyone is geared to look at potential business opportunities like we are. It is sad, but true. I am a free-roaming chicken, and I could never go back to the "farm" like most other poultry. Once I am the most successful bird on the block, she might agree with me then! Also, would it be best to have a webstore only, or do I need a brick and mortar as well.

ryanbeck

I could see the site being tough to market effectively.  It seems
like it would be hard to direct web traffic there.  How do you
plan to market the site?  Who do you think you market is and where
are they on the web that you`ll have access to them?

I grew up on board games and I still love to play them.  But I wouldn`t use a site like this.    

sooon

about board game, i have something to share.for research:-google creative board game. then u will find there are still a few company doing quite well and their product is very very creative.-subscribe to podcast "have game, will travel". this guy review board game and card game and RPG(that old time dice version not the video game version).-google board game related conference. like Dragon Con, is mainly for fantasy writer but i think there are some ways you can chip in.-in my country there are this cafe posses 100+ board games that will loan to customers. i heard this is a franchise from a nearby country, so can you imagine how big they are.and here is the study:-board game focus on people than technology. good idea and game play is the key but not better graphic and 3d model.-real human interaction is the key. So, create a board that allow imagination even with basic rules to fulfill. I always bend the rule by borrow money for investment while playing Monopoly with my friend, we all think is more fun.-easy to cross platform. is easier to port to video game than video game to board game. my friend had their most boring board game session while playing World Of Warcraft Board Game(which WoW is the most successful video game ever exist on earth). -Tetris as the benchmark. simple gameplay and after many years still the top download game for mobile phone user around the world. reason, easy to play.conclusion:market is still there, is how you run it is the key.hope this help:)
sooon2006-12-19 10:45:16

david1

Thanks for all the feedback! I am still scared that I won`t have a market, though. I assume this is a typical feeling whenever one decides to start a business. A friend of mine suggested that I sell my artwork through a different gallery. I have had pictures in the current gallery for 7 years. Not to brag, but I can draw practically any mammal, including portraits. I prefer wildlife, though. So why is my artwork is not selling. I am going to try to show my pieces at different venues. Nothing would make me happier than to make a living from a God-given talent. I believe the size of my town has alot to do with it. I am trying the coast of Florida, as opposed to the cowtown where I live. How would you suggest me reach as many people as possible with my pictures? It depresses me that I can do things with graphite and charcoal that makes me unique, but I feel as though I can`t get people to notice. Please help me with suggestions. I would be willing to do the board game website as an added stream of income. Maybe this will allow me to sell my bread route and do something I love. I cannot handle the stress of being a breadman any longer. It is extremely difficult to keep my stores happy and order enough bread so they won`t run out, but not have to much product that goes stale. This ordering is done a week in advance as added stress. How am I to know what people want to buy 7 days from now! It is driving me crazy. The bread route has run it`s course and I am losing my sanity. Please, if you have any input, write me. david12006-12-21 22:23:29

Wirehead321

David,you really don`t have to be scared, board games are thriving. I used to be in toys and games business for ten years then I went into technology. I recently got back end. RPG [Role Playing Games] are still the best. If you want data try www.icv2.com they have a data base and a retailers guide to the top games. As for being online most gamers are. But places like Gamers Pardise are still going. To set you mind at ease about what I am saying I was a video/Arcade game designer at Willliams/Bally and Data East so I know a little bit about games.If you really want to do this first develop a games story a simple outline of what the game is the main characters and how the player will interact with the game. Then build from there. Take your idea and shop it to places in the gaming world and visit you local comic or sci-fi convention get players input. These are just suggestions. If have any questions email me.

nothinglikeit

OP. I would say that the first step is to not be stressed out. I understand that you have obligations to meet and people in your ear. But if you`re under duress you`re not going to be able to function at your best.That said a few questions: Do you have a website for your gallery?Have you decided what the niche will be for your games? Once you get the niche down, you can figure out your position in the market. I would start by making sure you`ve got some basic game design theory under your belt. You don`t need a ton of experience to create your first game. I`m doing my first few games now thanks to books like the game design workshopIf you do a search on game design on google on amazon you`ll find lots of information. Lots of it relates to electronic game design, (PC or Video games) But most of it can be translated to a board game environment.  You can also pick the brains of existing game developers or former developers like wirehead. We normally love to give advice and trade notes to other game makers (video, computer or physical.) If you find your niche, you`ll find your market and your problems are solved. Find out who likes animal paintings and sell sell sell. (have you tried talking to vets or taxidermy shops in need of illustration?) You won`t be able to do this stuff by sitting around and wishing for it to happen. But you have a few things that could do extremely well. Good luck. if you have any other questions feel free to message me.

sooon

hi david,here are my share again. basically some knowledge i learned while trying to read about entrepreurship and design in general.Prototype. Ideo members are expert in this. first do a sketch of your game, just to test out if your idea work. draw on a board create a few dice and tolken and start playing with a few people. if others like it, don`t stop there. keep improving. if others think is not good enough, then change it. or iterate, like Google like to called  it. then, once the game is quite done, make a "User Experience Prototype", which basically, a very basic movie on how the player enjoy your game. this is useful for you to either do a study on the game, or to show it to your potential investor or client how other can have fun with it.

jasonburton

It is easy to cope with physical activities an dit will give you more strength to cope with it and enhance your natural thiking in solving anything out of the box. In virtual, it is far different as you only works with your mind alone in virtual world without the essence of any reality. Though, both games can be entertaining an dsometimes both engage to physics, just like a puzzle games at http://www.iphysicsgames.com/puzzle

lolo278

I love Board Games and think they having staying power because kids love them and BIG kids, too.
Maybe we should have made a SuN Board Game a project of "Can We Create A Business Together" - build your business as you go around the Board. Maybe the next project.
To answer your question, David1, and I have not researched this, but maybe an online store of nothing but Board Games - from as far back as you can go to present. Need a Board Game, come to your site. Maybe this already exits. I don`t know. Worth a looksie! I like the idea.