Addressing the Elephant in the room (No, not you Sir! Please, sit down.)

[Kirk]

One thing that didn't exist back in the late 70s was the whole Eurogame market. There were MB games and Monopoly and Risk and wargames but not the explosive family gaming experience that was/is Eurogaming.

People are primed to get their kids off social media and spend some interactive time with them, TFT could address that market, as well.

[Jackal]

Success = published adventures.

If TFT comes out without a bunch of scenarios like those available for Pathfinder or DCC RPG, or a reboot of Death Test, etc., then I doubt it will stand a chance.

There are just too many excellent adventures available from publishers like Goodman Games and Purple Sorcerer, or from download sites like DriveThruRPG.com for any kids to bother picking up yet another RPG rule set.

And let's not forget the example of OSRs like Dark City games: why would anyone who likes their scenarios bother with a full-fledged TFT?

A game is more than rules. No one expected Monopoly players to design their own board...

[Jim Kane]

Originally Posted by Andrew Hackard

It's more like two months now, and heading in the direction of six weeks.

If as Andrew says, JVL's estimate of three months is dated by a few years, and he estimates the window-of-opportunity to get a foothold in the market is currently at two months and headed towards six weeks, obviously then the constriction is happening at an increasing rate-of-compression over time, and eventually, a point will be reached, where: "it is easier for a Camel to pass through the eye-of-the-needle...".

However, to also quote Alexander Graham Bell: "When one door closes, another opens; but we often look so long and so regretfully upon the closed door that we do not see the one which has opened for us."
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[Andrew Hackard]

Originally Posted by Jim Kane

If as Andrew says, JVL's estimate of three months is dated by a few years, and he estimates the window-of-opportunity to get a foothold in the market is currently at two months and headed towards six weeks, obviously then the constriction is happening at an increasing rate-of-compression over time, and eventually, a point will be reached, where: "it is easier for a Camel to pass through the eye-of-the-needle...".

I think it's more accurate to say that a lot of the work of selling the game is now having to happen before the game itself is on the market. We can no longer count on a game getting traction after it's on store shelves, because most stores are having to cycle their new releases shelves every week to keep up with the stream of new content.

Last year, at Gen Con, there were over 500 new games debuted. At Essen, it was well over 1,000. In that crowded a field, many exceptional games get choked out through no fault of their own.

[Jackal]

@ Andrew Hackard: Does SJ Games have an "evangelist" program like Goodman Games does?

A group of amateur GMs who host games at cons and their FLGS, hand out swag, talk up the games, etc?

My FLGS carries a bunch of SJ games (Munchkins, Illuminanti, etc) and has an active gamer scene, but they mostly play MTG or Fate variants or the latest monster board game from Fantasy Flight or an indie publisher.

[Andrew Hackard]

Originally Posted by Jackal

@ Andrew Hackard: Does SJ Games have an "evangelist" program like Goodman Games does?

mib.sjgames.com

[Jackal]

MiB. Of course.

Now that I know, you're not gonna have to brain-wipe me, are you?

[ecz]

looks like the right thread to ask:

you SJ Games staff surely already have an idea about the potential interest for the new TFT.

So, do you check -among other things - also the number of visitors/posters of this forum?
if yes ( and I 'm sure it's a yes), are these numbers encouraging compared to the numbers of the visitors/posters of the forums dedicated to other SJ Games releases?

[JLV]

Originally Posted by Jim Kane

And in the between time, TSG would arrive in your mailbox like some sort of sweet-smelling Houri Fan-dancer, sent to your home to hypnotically sway before you,.. to excite and titillate you,... with rumors of: "the new counter-sheets for Death Test from Pat Hidy are finally back from the printers and they look fantastic."

And other times, like a vanishing puff of smoke, pull-away teasingly and on-cue with: "Work is progressing, but slowly."

LOL!
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That's a pretty slick summation of exactly the way it was back then! ;-)

[Steve Jackson]

Definitely going to be interested in quality programmed adventure (solo scenario, whatever you calll it) submissions. This will be true regardless of the format of the first re-release.

Of course, this means we have to revive our submissions procedures, since we have not been an active market for freelance work for several years now - too much in the pipeline already.