Acknowledgments |
|
xi | |
About the Author |
|
xiii | |
Introduction |
|
1 | (6) |
|
Section I What You Need to Do before You Even Think of Pitching Your Game |
|
|
|
|
7 | (4) |
|
2 Understanding What Makes Your Game Unique (and the Hook) |
|
|
11 | (6) |
|
3 Thinking about Your Game as a Product |
|
|
17 | (8) |
|
4 The Importance of Playtesting |
|
|
25 | (6) |
|
5 How to Write Your Rule Book Without Getting a Headache |
|
|
31 | (6) |
|
6 How and Why You Need to Blind Playtest Your Game |
|
|
37 | (4) |
|
7 Should You Pitch to Publishers or Self-Publish? |
|
|
41 | (6) |
|
Section II Everything You Need before You Fitch to Publishers |
|
|
|
8 First, What You Don't Need |
|
|
47 | (4) |
|
9 Become Pitch-Perfect (or at Least Pitch-Great) |
|
|
51 | (6) |
|
10 How to Create a Sell Sheet That Will Actually Sell Your Game |
|
|
57 | (6) |
|
11 How to Avoid Overdoing Your Overview Video |
|
|
63 | (4) |
|
12 Putting Together Everything Else You'll Need |
|
|
67 | (6) |
|
Section III How to Find the Right Publisher |
|
|
|
13 First, Figure Out Who Is Going to Want Your Game |
|
|
73 | (4) |
|
14 How to Get Meetings at Conventions (Cons) |
|
|
77 | (4) |
|
15 How to Wow Publishers at a Speed Dating Event |
|
|
81 | (4) |
|
16 Going to Cons Without Going Broke |
|
|
85 | (6) |
|
17 Reaching Out to Publishers |
|
|
91 | (4) |
|
18 Why You Need to Enter Game Design Contests |
|
|
95 | (6) |
|
19 Other Effective Approaches |
|
|
101 | (6) |
|
Section IV What Publishers Want |
|
|
|
20 Questions Publishers Ask (and the Answers They Are Looking for) |
|
|
107 | (8) |
|
21 Advice from Real Publishers |
|
|
115 | (10) |
|
22 Publisher-Specific Wants and Needs |
|
|
125 | (44) |
|
Section V Getting Your Foot in the Door with a Publisher So You Can Get Your First Game Signed |
|
|
|
23 How to Prove to a Publisher That You're Worthy |
|
|
169 | (4) |
|
24 When to Send a Prototype and When You Should Never Send One |
|
|
173 | (4) |
|
|
177 | (4) |
|
26 What Do You Do If a Publisher Says No? |
|
|
181 | (4) |
|
27 Peanuts and Promises--How Board Game Designers Get Paid |
|
|
185 | (6) |
|
Section VI Contracts--Understanding What's Important to You |
|
|
|
28 Knowing If This Is Really the Right Publisher for You |
|
|
191 | (4) |
|
29 What to Look for in Your Contract |
|
|
195 | (6) |
|
30 How to Avoid Getting Trapped in an Exploitative Contract |
|
|
201 | (6) |
|
31 Negotiating for the Best Deal |
|
|
207 | (4) |
|
32 Congratulations! You ve Got Your Game Signed. Now What? |
|
|
211 | (6) |
|
Section VII Stories from the Battlefield |
|
|
Appendix |
|
217 | (18) |
References and Suggested Resources |
|
235 | (2) |
Thank You! |
|
237 | |