Dr. Elizabeth Lerner of Wright State University is an expert at planning. I dont mean that she is good at putting together a to do list, I mean she is literally an expert in the field of planning and decision making.
Dr. Lerner recently completed her PhD dissertation at Wright State University's Human Factors in Psychology department. During the course of research for her dissertation, Dr. Lerner along with her advisor, Valerie Shalin, PhD, and software developer, James Garrett, MS, created a computer model of Out of the Box's 10 Days in Africa game in order to help them study collaborative planning proformances and processes. "[10 Days in Africa] is a highly credible example of a real-world planning task that is still accessible to novices. [It] is educational, engaging, and lends itself perfectly to research on planning and decision making with constrained resources," says Dr. Lerner. The team was excited by the results of their studies and hope to publish several shorter papers in peer reviewed publications. "[10 Days in Africa] helped us to understand the process of planning involving multiple individuals, which has real-world applications in designing representation for complex environments ranging from mission control to manufacturing," says Dr. Lerner
To learn more about 10 Days in Africa, visit www.otb-games.com/africa
To learn more about Wright State University's Human Factors in Psychology Department, visit http://www.psych.wright.edu/hfhome.htm
Thursday, November 12, 2009
Thursday, November 5, 2009
Top Tips for a Great Game Night
In our October Ahead of the Game, we asked readers to send in their top tips for hosting a successful game night. Thanks to everyone for all of the great tips! Below is a sampling of our favorites--
Beware of the snacks that are natural enemies of board games. Cheetos are a good example of a natural enemy of board games. Here’s a good rule of thumb: if you are tempted to lick your fingers after eating this snack then it has no place at game night.- Scott, PA
Balloon on mailbox or sign on front door, so guests know where the games are being played!- Rosemarie, IN
Turn nobody away. As long as the attendees want to play games of any kind, the group should adjust or be adjusted to meet the desires of the patrons. If the trend doesn’t seem to develop as the organizers envision, perhaps it will spawn a spin-off group.- David, MI
Consider using a lazy Susan turntable to place the game board on top of so that everyone has the same view during his or her turn.- Chris, CA
Tournament Prize for large groups! It doesn't matter what the prize is, everyone loves to win something! This works especially well with large game groups!- James, SC
Mix invitees based on skill/experience - invite some regular game players, and also folks new to party/board games.- Patrick, OH
Don't play a game that embarrasses anybody. Anything that puts undue pressure on any of the participants is not fun. Trivia games are fun, but games where one person ends up looking stupid is not fun. If somebody isn't going to like/be good at a trivia game, don't play them.- Liena, TN
Invite your friends that you don't see often- Devon, KS
Provide with the invitation a description of the game and its basic rules.- Robert, TX
Set a theme for the evening (ie. Word Games, Games that take 3 hours to play, Games that we haven't played in over a year, Pirate games)- Anna, OH
Consider getting silly colored hats or other colored costume pieces (boas, bandanas…) so to players can match their game color.- Erin, CA
Keep it simple – then you can focus on the fun of the games rather than entertaining.- Marypat, OH
Make sure pens work and sharpen pencils ahead of time- Ray, NJ
Encourage participants to bring their favorite game to share.- Sherrie, CO
Always announce the plans for the next game night during the middle of game night, after everyone has arrived, and before people have left.- Will, WA
Music is great to welcome everyone together. If the games are quiet, background music can help keep the energy flowing. If the games are noisy or get rowdy, music may just get in the way, so turn it down or off. - Carrie, MI
Invite your guests to "participate" in the planning of the event. Send them a list of games you have in mind and poll them to see which games they are interesed in.- Gary, TN
If the people in the group don't all know each other, play a get- to-know-you game first to get them acquainted. Keep it short.- Sue, SC
If you have house rules inform people. I know this sounds like common sense, but it is easy to forget. Do you a policy regarding shoes? Does the dog get people food?- Bruce, MI
Take pictures when you can. We treasure our moments together and enjoy talking about past experiences/game nights.- Amy, TN
If children are attending, make sure that you have age appropriate games for them and a separate table- Cecile
Suggest making this event into a once a month or every other month event rotating the hosting house- Lori, IL
If a "problem" arises, have a "Do Over" instead of insisting on one answer over another.- John
Play - but no heavy competition. We set guests so that no partner (wife, etc) plays together.- Ellen
Make sure the bathroom is not embarrassing!- Elliot, IN
Beware of the snacks that are natural enemies of board games. Cheetos are a good example of a natural enemy of board games. Here’s a good rule of thumb: if you are tempted to lick your fingers after eating this snack then it has no place at game night.- Scott, PA
Balloon on mailbox or sign on front door, so guests know where the games are being played!- Rosemarie, IN
Turn nobody away. As long as the attendees want to play games of any kind, the group should adjust or be adjusted to meet the desires of the patrons. If the trend doesn’t seem to develop as the organizers envision, perhaps it will spawn a spin-off group.- David, MI
Consider using a lazy Susan turntable to place the game board on top of so that everyone has the same view during his or her turn.- Chris, CA
Tournament Prize for large groups! It doesn't matter what the prize is, everyone loves to win something! This works especially well with large game groups!- James, SC
Mix invitees based on skill/experience - invite some regular game players, and also folks new to party/board games.- Patrick, OH
Don't play a game that embarrasses anybody. Anything that puts undue pressure on any of the participants is not fun. Trivia games are fun, but games where one person ends up looking stupid is not fun. If somebody isn't going to like/be good at a trivia game, don't play them.- Liena, TN
Invite your friends that you don't see often- Devon, KS
Provide with the invitation a description of the game and its basic rules.- Robert, TX
Set a theme for the evening (ie. Word Games, Games that take 3 hours to play, Games that we haven't played in over a year, Pirate games)- Anna, OH
Consider getting silly colored hats or other colored costume pieces (boas, bandanas…) so to players can match their game color.- Erin, CA
Keep it simple – then you can focus on the fun of the games rather than entertaining.- Marypat, OH
Make sure pens work and sharpen pencils ahead of time- Ray, NJ
Encourage participants to bring their favorite game to share.- Sherrie, CO
Always announce the plans for the next game night during the middle of game night, after everyone has arrived, and before people have left.- Will, WA
Music is great to welcome everyone together. If the games are quiet, background music can help keep the energy flowing. If the games are noisy or get rowdy, music may just get in the way, so turn it down or off. - Carrie, MI
Invite your guests to "participate" in the planning of the event. Send them a list of games you have in mind and poll them to see which games they are interesed in.- Gary, TN
If the people in the group don't all know each other, play a get- to-know-you game first to get them acquainted. Keep it short.- Sue, SC
If you have house rules inform people. I know this sounds like common sense, but it is easy to forget. Do you a policy regarding shoes? Does the dog get people food?- Bruce, MI
Take pictures when you can. We treasure our moments together and enjoy talking about past experiences/game nights.- Amy, TN
If children are attending, make sure that you have age appropriate games for them and a separate table- Cecile
Suggest making this event into a once a month or every other month event rotating the hosting house- Lori, IL
If a "problem" arises, have a "Do Over" instead of insisting on one answer over another.- John
Play - but no heavy competition. We set guests so that no partner (wife, etc) plays together.- Ellen
Make sure the bathroom is not embarrassing!- Elliot, IN
Tuesday, September 29, 2009
Designing Games with the Publisher in Mind
Designing Games with the Publisher in Mind
By Max Osterhaus, Director of Product Development
Unless you are planning to self publish your games, at some point you are going to have to work with a publishing company and it’s in your best interest to make that interaction as smooth as possible. Coming from the publisher’s perspective, I am going to give you some hints about how keep the publisher happy and why you should care! I am going to avoid talking about actual game design methods and focus on some of the meta-concepts that will assist you in making the transition from hobby to profession.
Let’s start from the beginning. There are an infinite number of ways that you might go about designing your game, but if it is your goal to have your games published, it is important to keep your audience in mind. In this case your audience is twofold. First there are the players of your game and second there is your publisher. Whether you design a game with a particular publisher in mind or are trying to decide to which company you should submit, it is critical that you do your research before submitting. There are many game companies and each has different needs and procedures. To gauge what a publisher wants, it’s usually good to look at their current product line and what sorts of new things they are coming out with. If you have a three-hour economic simulation game, it’s unlikely that a company that specializes in family card games would be interested.
Now let’s say you have a great, well-tested game that seems to be perfect for a certain company--what’s next? First, make sure that the company accepts submissions and find out exactly what procedure they prefer you follow. Put some time into making your correspondences professional, and most important of all, find a way of describing your game quickly and clearly. It is critical to be able to get the idea of the fun or interest of your game across quickly and clearly. Then, if the publisher is interested, you should have well-written, simple rules available upon request. Prototypes do not need to be beautiful, but they do have work pretty much flawlessly. Graphics and other sorts of content might help to make sure the testers have fun, although they are not technically necessary. Keep everything tidy, in bags, boxes, or rubber bands as necessary.
If all of this sounds like a lot of kowtowing, that’s not the point. We, gatekeepers (the people who work with private designers) are not looking to be praised or flattered; we are looking for great games and we put a lot of time into this search. To that end, your presentation needs to be to-the-point and professional while still transferring what is so excellent about your game. If your game not accepted, do not waste your time trying to convince the gatekeeper, but do learn something about that company’s preferences.
These are the sorts of things that separate those who design for a hobby with the professionals and by mastering this process, you’ll save time, save money, and increase your odds of getting your games published!
For more information, I recommend Keith Meyers’s book “Paid to Play,” available on his website http://www.gamedesigncentral.com/.
By Max Osterhaus, Director of Product Development
Unless you are planning to self publish your games, at some point you are going to have to work with a publishing company and it’s in your best interest to make that interaction as smooth as possible. Coming from the publisher’s perspective, I am going to give you some hints about how keep the publisher happy and why you should care! I am going to avoid talking about actual game design methods and focus on some of the meta-concepts that will assist you in making the transition from hobby to profession.
Let’s start from the beginning. There are an infinite number of ways that you might go about designing your game, but if it is your goal to have your games published, it is important to keep your audience in mind. In this case your audience is twofold. First there are the players of your game and second there is your publisher. Whether you design a game with a particular publisher in mind or are trying to decide to which company you should submit, it is critical that you do your research before submitting. There are many game companies and each has different needs and procedures. To gauge what a publisher wants, it’s usually good to look at their current product line and what sorts of new things they are coming out with. If you have a three-hour economic simulation game, it’s unlikely that a company that specializes in family card games would be interested.
Now let’s say you have a great, well-tested game that seems to be perfect for a certain company--what’s next? First, make sure that the company accepts submissions and find out exactly what procedure they prefer you follow. Put some time into making your correspondences professional, and most important of all, find a way of describing your game quickly and clearly. It is critical to be able to get the idea of the fun or interest of your game across quickly and clearly. Then, if the publisher is interested, you should have well-written, simple rules available upon request. Prototypes do not need to be beautiful, but they do have work pretty much flawlessly. Graphics and other sorts of content might help to make sure the testers have fun, although they are not technically necessary. Keep everything tidy, in bags, boxes, or rubber bands as necessary.
If all of this sounds like a lot of kowtowing, that’s not the point. We, gatekeepers (the people who work with private designers) are not looking to be praised or flattered; we are looking for great games and we put a lot of time into this search. To that end, your presentation needs to be to-the-point and professional while still transferring what is so excellent about your game. If your game not accepted, do not waste your time trying to convince the gatekeeper, but do learn something about that company’s preferences.
These are the sorts of things that separate those who design for a hobby with the professionals and by mastering this process, you’ll save time, save money, and increase your odds of getting your games published!
For more information, I recommend Keith Meyers’s book “Paid to Play,” available on his website http://www.gamedesigncentral.com/.
Thursday, September 24, 2009
Interview with Jack Degnan
Jack Degnan, inventor of Word on the Street, sits down with OTB to give us the scoop on his life outside the games, and why he cant get enough of game inventing.
How long have you been inventing games?
I've been inventing games for five years, still a newbie.
How many published games have you invented?
How many published games have you invented?
I have three games published, all within the past two years.
What do you do when you are not inventing games?
What do you do when you are not inventing games?
My day job is working in clinical research at UCSD Medical Center in San Diego. I have other hobbies too. I enjoy hiking. I also play the guitar and write music.
How did you invent Word on the Street?
How did you invent Word on the Street?
Word on the Street is a game that I thought of when I first started thinking of designing games. I tried it as a card game. Players would turn over a category card and try spelling words that fit the category using the letters in their hand. When I tested it, I saw some potential, but it was missing something. About a year later, I dusted it off and tried making it a board game: players would race their letters to the end of the board by spelling words that fit the category. But it wasn't interactive enough. Then I got the idea of a tug-of-war of letters across a board. When I researched the name "Tug-of-Words", I saw there was already a game with that name so that's when I came up with the street theme.
Do you have any role models whom you look up to?
Do you have any role models whom you look up to?
Mhhh. In the board game world, I'd have to say my role model is Keith Meyers - a successful game designer who taught me how to design games. I don't think I'd be doing this if I hadn't taken his class. Outside of the boardgame world, I'd have to say Harvey Milk - a man who worked tirelessly to encourage people to be honest and true to themselves regardless of the consequences.
What is the best piece of advice you ever got about inventing games?
What is the best piece of advice you ever got about inventing games?
To playtest A LOT.
Why do you think that games are important?
Why do you think that games are important?
Living in the digital age is wonderful for many reasons - but I think it has its drawbacks - and one is that it's causing humans to become more isolated. Board games are interactive. People have fun, laugh, learn, and get to know each other. Those are things we humans are supposed to do.
What do you like most about being a game inventor?
What do you like most about being a game inventor?
I love watching people have fun with something I created. There is nothing like that feeling.
Who do you typically play games with?
Who do you typically play games with?
My friends and my family. I belong to a couple of board game groups too and those are great. I used to play Scrabble with my Mother a lot; but I think Word on the Street is becoming her new favorite game. I have so many favorite games. There's just not enough time to play them all.
How many games are in your personal collection?
How many games are in your personal collection?
I just went to count. 38.
Friday, July 31, 2009
Whoo Hoo! Some great award announcements just came in! Backseat Drawing won Education.com's A+ award. Backseat Drawing Junior got Platinum from the Oppenheim awards, and Backseat Drawing, Ninja versus Ninja and Backseat Drawing Junior won Creative Child Preferred Choice awards! Finally, Chain Game won the Creative Child Seal of Excellence!
Monday, July 20, 2009
Peggy Brown Interview
Check out the below interview with Peggy Brown, inventor of Backseat Drawing-
How long have you been inventing games?
21 years
How many published games have you invented or worked on?
I honestly have no idea, but it's in the hundreds.
What do you do when you are not inventing games?
I'm an author, designer, and artist. I have many creative endeavors in progress at any given time. I'm not inventing games all the time, but I am generally creative, even when I'm cooking! I like to invent new cookie recipes. Snapperdoodles, anyone?
How did you invent Backseat Drawing?
My friend and I were waiting for our dinner in an Indian restaurant. As we would often do, we started doodling all over the paper placemats, and Backseat Drawing was born before the mulligatawny soup was served.
Do you have any role models that you look up to?
My mom. She is extremely creative, and she has always showed me how to apply creative thinking and inject a dose of funinto any situation. As far as famous role models go, Jim Henson taught me how to make infinite worlds out of a little story, a couple ping pong balls, and some fuzz.
What is the best piece of advice you ever got about inventing toys and games?
This piece of advice came from a teacher and was about creating stories, not games, but I find it helpful in games as well: Ask yourself two things... what's the point, and who cares? In other words,get right to the heart of the matter, and always always always remember your audience.
What is your biggest motivation for inventing toys and games?
I like to take advantage of the opportunities I have to show others how to use their imaginations to enjoy themselves and spend fun times with their friends and families.
What do you like most about the toy industry?
It's full of people with playful souls... and that's a very rare commodity.
What kinds of trends to you see coming in games?
I hope this is really a trend and not just a wish of mine, but I see people taking more time to play with each other and forget their worries for a few hours. Play time is crucial for the development of kids, but it's important for adults too. When people are willing and able to concentrate a little harder on games, then games will get more interesting and more complex, and the wonderful things inventors create will not have to be boiled down so they're fast and simple.
How many games are in your personal collection?
I honestly have no idea, but it's in the hundreds. Plus, I've saved one copy of every game I've developed, and my basement is really getting crowded!
Learn more about Peggy Brown at www.peggybrown.net and learn more about Backseat Drawing at www.otb-games.com/backseatdrawing
How long have you been inventing games?
21 years
How many published games have you invented or worked on?
I honestly have no idea, but it's in the hundreds.
What do you do when you are not inventing games?
I'm an author, designer, and artist. I have many creative endeavors in progress at any given time. I'm not inventing games all the time, but I am generally creative, even when I'm cooking! I like to invent new cookie recipes. Snapperdoodles, anyone?
How did you invent Backseat Drawing?
My friend and I were waiting for our dinner in an Indian restaurant. As we would often do, we started doodling all over the paper placemats, and Backseat Drawing was born before the mulligatawny soup was served.
Do you have any role models that you look up to?
My mom. She is extremely creative, and she has always showed me how to apply creative thinking and inject a dose of funinto any situation. As far as famous role models go, Jim Henson taught me how to make infinite worlds out of a little story, a couple ping pong balls, and some fuzz.
What is the best piece of advice you ever got about inventing toys and games?
This piece of advice came from a teacher and was about creating stories, not games, but I find it helpful in games as well: Ask yourself two things... what's the point, and who cares? In other words,get right to the heart of the matter, and always always always remember your audience.
What is your biggest motivation for inventing toys and games?
I like to take advantage of the opportunities I have to show others how to use their imaginations to enjoy themselves and spend fun times with their friends and families.
What do you like most about the toy industry?
It's full of people with playful souls... and that's a very rare commodity.
What kinds of trends to you see coming in games?
I hope this is really a trend and not just a wish of mine, but I see people taking more time to play with each other and forget their worries for a few hours. Play time is crucial for the development of kids, but it's important for adults too. When people are willing and able to concentrate a little harder on games, then games will get more interesting and more complex, and the wonderful things inventors create will not have to be boiled down so they're fast and simple.
How many games are in your personal collection?
I honestly have no idea, but it's in the hundreds. Plus, I've saved one copy of every game I've developed, and my basement is really getting crowded!
Learn more about Peggy Brown at www.peggybrown.net and learn more about Backseat Drawing at www.otb-games.com/backseatdrawing
Wednesday, July 8, 2009
New AOTG
New AOTG with 7 Ate 9 contest and discount! http://www.otb-games.com/listmanager/index.html
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
