Peter Struijf
Netherlands
Zoetermeer
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Hi There
- this is the second part of a series of (possibly 4-6) reflections on Essen 08. However, it need not last this long: you have the power to stop this series. Just stop pressing the Little Green Thumb buttons and I will get the message. If you press 25 or more LGT buttons each time, I keep reflecting until I have nothing useful left to reflect on... -
Part 1.1: Objective Setting Phase
I woke up on Thursday morning with a feeling of complete dread, a gut wrenching agony of impending doom or glory: today My Game was going to meet Its Audience for the first time.....aargh !
Suddenly I understood how those poor GI's in their landing craft approaching Omaha Beach must have felt on 6 June 1944. This is It. This is the day. No more escaping, no more joking around. Within a few long minutes from now, I could be lying face down in the sand watching the Highlights Show of my Life on the Way Out. This heavy flamethrower on my back could come in handy at the bunker line, but it could also help incinerate me instantly before I reach them....where is my helmet ! where is my helmet ! Oh thank God it is on my head !
Oops sorry - switch off Wargamer Mode/activate BGG Mode:
So off I went in my rented van (still full of cardboard boxes, after I unloaded about 30 of these at the stand the day before)...driving towards the fair in heavy early morning traffic, I tried to do an Objective Setting Phase. This was very difficult, because I had no clue what Essen was (never been there before), how to score Victory Points or why there are so many *&%@ numbers on the Cards. It is like someone explaining a mildly complex boardgame to you for the first time....but this was my general idea:
Objective 1: Show people at Essen the Krakow game and listen to what they say about it. Keep breathing while listening.
Objective 2: Jack and Reiver Games might sell (...shiver...) some of my games ! About sales I had no idea what to expect, really: I knew there was an interest out there created by my BGG threads and Krakow website, since I had received about 25 reservations by email before the fair. Would these people actually show up ? Were they pranksters ? Would they like the game ? Would it be worth their 35 Euros, with so many big games to choose from? Hmm, lots of "?" left....
Objective 3: Meet 3 Game Reviewers (Dale & Valerie from BoardgameNews, Frank from Gamebox) at 1430 today. They want to play the game but have only one hour of time....tricky one. Never met a Game Reviewer before. Do they eat small independent game designers in one big bite like a crocodile or toy with them like a cat does to a mouse....??
Objective 4: Try to meet some shop owners/potential distributors if possible, show them the game and see what happens. Delete this objective if Objective 1.2 failed earlier.
Objective 5: Enjoy this weird huge crazy thing in Essen as much as possible. Learn what I can about attending a game fair in my new state as Game Publisher. Survive.
Relax, take it easy. Last drag of cigarette, turn around and walk towards booth.
Phase Over.
OK, so there I am, hitting my own D-Day beach at 0900 on Thursday. I open a few boxes, stack out the games to make a background, drink some coffee. Open one box and spread it out on the Geode Games Province of the Reiver Kingdom (stand 4-415). Make it look like a shop window, so passers by will be attracted to look at it. Prepare to smile and answer some questions.
Wow, Jack and his guys are preparing their tables to play their two games (It's Alive and final prototype of Carpe Astra). I don't have the manpower to do this, I am all alone. Anyway, the people can buy my game and play it at their hotels right ? Isn't that what they wrote about on BGG ?
0945: three middle-aged, friendly looking men approach my stand, wearing green "press" badges. They seem quite determined and prepared to take me on.
One of them says: "Are you Peter ?"
Ramp Down. Splash into the cold salty water.
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Patrick Runyan
Japan
Matsudo
Chiba
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Sorry to be totally lazy, but could you include links to your past and future posts in this "series"?
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Steve Duff
Canada
Ottawa
Ontario
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jpwrunyan wrote: Sorry to be totally lazy, but could you include links to your past and future posts in this "series"?
The Impression Spiel 08 made on a first-time game designer and publisher - part 1: Facts and Fable
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Sebastian
Germany
Merzig
Saarland
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More!
Quickly add more!
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dale yu
United States
Cincinnati
Ohio
If you're not part of the soultion...
You're part of the precipitate!
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peterstruijf wrote: Hi There
Objective 3: Meet 3 Game Reviewers (Dale & Valerie from BoardgameNews, Frank from Gamebox) at 1430 today. They want to play the game but have only one hour of time....tricky one. Never met a Game Reviewer before. Do they eat small independent game designers in one big bite like a crocodile or toy with them like a cat does to a mouse....??
Well, after meeting us - what is your verdict? 
Dale
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Anthony DuLac
United States
Minnesota
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This is a great read and enjoyably written, Peter. Keep them coming! I love reading this... I hope it has a happy ending!
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Peter Struijf
Netherlands
Zoetermeer
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yudp wrote: peterstruijf wrote: Hi There
Objective 3: Meet 3 Game Reviewers (Dale & Valerie from BoardgameNews, Frank from Gamebox) at 1430 today. They want to play the game but have only one hour of time....tricky one. Never met a Game Reviewer before. Do they eat small independent game designers in one big bite like a crocodile or toy with them like a cat does to a mouse....??
Well, after meeting us - what is your verdict? :devil: Dale
Hi Dale,
you are not allowed to ask what happens in the next episode !
You are certain to get an answer to your question, of course.....
Peter
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Christian Krach
Germany
Potsdam
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Great story. Besides, do you have an "ASL-past" you like to confess to the audience?
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Tim Goose
United Kingdom
Hitchin
Hertfordshire
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Quote: 0945: three middle-aged, friendly looking men approach my stand, wearing green "press" badges. They seem quite determined and prepared to take me on.
Middle-aged???! (Oh yes, I see what you mean!)
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Peter Struijf
Netherlands
Zoetermeer
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Periplaneta wrote: Great story. Besides, do you have an "ASL-past" you like to confess to the audience?:cool:
Hi Christian,
it is much worse than you could even expect. I have an "ASL-present".
I tried not to bring that into my new relationship, of course.
Peter
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Hi Peter,
I didn't find stand 4-415 on my runs through hall 4. I was looking out for this game because of the illustrations and theme (having been to Cracow last year). But I'm sure there'll be other opportunities to get your game. Will you be at Crisis (Antwerp 1 November) or the Spellenspektakel (Zwolle 14-16 November)?
Otherwise I could get it from Eternal War. They've been promoting you!
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Melchior van Rijn
Netherlands
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Hi Peter, nicely put! And being ´the artist´ I can assure you that the emotions you so vividly describe were not unfamiliair to me during my stay in Essen...
Keep it up, I look forward to the rest of the Kraków Chronicles...
Melchior
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Posted Tue Oct 28, 2008 4:40 am
