Essen remarks

[Cwali]

Recovered after the Essen-week and the long preparation period I want to thank
everyone for making "Spiel" phenomenal!
Here a few remarks:

The LANGUAGE
This year German was the main language in the Cwali-booth. Didn't know that
German had so many F's. Self I still have to write this in English.

The TEAM
Many thanks to Petra, Anke (the apes), Manuela, Svenja, Bjorn, Arne, Marco,
Alex, Niek and Henk in Essen. And to all test-players and all who were part of the
production proces, all names would make this text much too long.

The SCORE SHEETS
+/- 9 score sheets are in the game. Use these to copy or use the score sheet
at http://www.cwali.com/zoosim/scorebig.htm to print self.

The WORLDCHAMPION
Worldchampion StreetSoccer became Arne Hoffmann (but a protest about late
subscribtion is still at the jury).

The VISITORS
+/- 450 visitors played ZooSim in the Cwali-booth. That's a respectable 0,306% of
all visitors at Spiel-2002. Didn't hear complaints so I hope the crowded small
booth was okay. Was sometimes hard to reach the other side of the booth. For
next year a bridge is planned, or birds instead of apes.

The JURY
For the Spiele-scout-action by Fairplay 122 marks (Noten) were written about
ZooSim. Jäger & Sammler had just 3 marks more, congratulations to HimG.
See http://fairplay-online.de/noten/scout/201002n.html .
The highest average marks (with at least 10 marks) had Hive. Congratulations to
Gen Four Two. I could say that it only had 10 marks but then I start to sound like
Großverlag Cwali.
10 persons are jury of the Spiel-des-Jahres. Some visited the booth. I wondered
how the jury works but didn't get a good view on that. One jury member who
bought the games told that there is no way of subscribtion to be considered for
the SdJ: "The jury members search self between the games on the market."
Another wanted the games for free: "As long as not all jury members have the
game, your game doesn't exist for us."
A visit to the SdJ-booth and collecting all info there didn't bring clearity. So now I
still don't know if ZooSim/StreetSoccer can become SdJ. Will solve that later.
See for reactions on all new games, where everyone can be the jury:
http://www.hall9000.de/links/essen02_eindruecke.html .

The TRENDS?
What were the trends?? I thought that the variety was enormous.
By the Spiele-scout-action 115 games got marks, was 100 last year. (But more
marks were given in total this year.)
One trend seems to be using prototypes before the release. I never had the
impression that showing prototypes raised the sales later, but at least it improves
the games!

The FUTURE
The Spiel-fair was very inspiring, like every year. Before Essen many new
Cwali-games were in progress to release next year. Now I have a clearer view on
which games I want to make next. Will try to do 3 games during next year
(2 before Essen). But we will see what is possible, for new productions and new
printruns.
Next fairs to try ZooSim/StreetSoccer: SpellenSpektakel Eindhoven (NL) next
weekend, GamesWorld Mechelen (B) two weeks later.

Groeten,
Corné

[peer]

Cwali schrieb:
> The LANGUAGE
> This year German was the main language in the Cwali-booth.
> Didn't know that
> German had so many F's. Self I still have to write this in
> English.

Hmm, Did Friedemann told you that? :-D

bye,
peer

[Jost Schwider]

"Cwali" hat am 26.10.2002 geschrieben:

> Recovered after the Essen-week and the long preparation
> period I want to thank everyone for making "Spiel" phenomenal!

Thanks to you! :-))

> Didn't know that German had so many F's.

've found a funny but fruitless fact, my friend! :-D

BTW: In "German" there is no "F"! ;-) :LOL:

> Many thanks to Petra, Anke (the apes),

How many telephon numbers did they got? ;-)

> Another wanted the games for free: "As long as not all jury
> members have the game, your game doesn't exist for us."

:-O Is this really true? :-?

Viele Grüße
Jost aus Soest (sprich: "joost aus soost")

[Cwali]

> BTW: In "German" there is no "F"! ;-) :LOL:

??? There is a >F< ?

> > Another wanted the games for free: "As long as not all jury
> > members have the game, your game doesn't exist for us."
>
> :-O Is this really true? :-?

Yes.
He didn't know that you must ask me things when I'm playing StreetSoccer. :-)

Viele Grüße,
Corné

[Glomeor / Tobias]

Cwali schrieb:
>
> > BTW: In "German" there is no "F"! ;-) :LOL:
>
> ??? There is a >F< ?

Here we have a 'G' then we have an 'e' afterwards a 'r' followed by a 'm' just before the 'a' and at last the 'n'. No 'F' found. ;-)

Fobias

[Michael Andersch]

Cwali schrieb:
>
> Another wanted the games for free: "As long as not all jury
> members have the
> game, your game doesn't exist for us."

If that's really true, it would be a brashness.

Micha

[Roman Pelek]

Hi Corné,

>Another wanted the games for free: "As long as not all jury members have the
game, your game doesn't exist for us."<

Take it easy - there are funny things and sometimes just misunderstandings happening to all of us (remember the thread about Spielbox review-copies two years ago?) ;-) To speak from another side of the fence, I have some nice stories in store, too. In Essen I spoke to an author/small publisher about his games, and he asked me: "Why don't you review our game X?" I just answered: "Well, I don't know it yet, I don't have it yet, so how can I review it?" His simple, stunning reply: "Well, why don't you buy one right here?" :lol: (I didn't buy one since I wasn't sure if it was my type of game...) Another author explained to me - in detail - how and when and where I had to write my review about his game and what my official opinion should be like if I shouldn't fall from grace in his eyes :-) So I just declined buying his game, too...

Besides, no matter from which view you look at the gaming scene, be it player, author, publisher or reviewer, no matter - the grass is [i]always[/i] greener on the other side in my eyes... ;-) But in the end, we all got the same incentive: bringing games to the public and enjoying ourselves playing games with friends. I think that fact has been overlooked too many times in the recent past.

Ciao,
Roman (did buy his copy of ZooSim, but - due to lack of space in the car -
after the Essen fair :-) )

[Heinrich Glumpler]

Hi,

just my two cents:

To a certain degree I understand the small publisher ("buy my game, then you can review it") - and I do understand the reviewer too.
But this should not be a problem on a fair like the Spiel'02 - the author can explain his game and the reviewer will see if it is worth buying.

How about this deal:
buy it for half price AND promise to write a review about it
?
Seems fair, doesn't it?

Another good method - in my opinion - is offered by "reich der spiele" (http://www.reich-der-spiele.de/bemusterung.php)

Greetings
Heinrich

[Andrea Meyer]

Jost Schwider schrieb:
>
> "Cwali" hat am 26.10.2002 geschrieben:
>
> > Another wanted the games for free: "As long as not all jury
> > members have the game, your game doesn't exist for us."
>
> :-O Is this really true? :-?

I bet it is. The people in the jury have very different ideas on how to promote gaming and support small editors. For example one of the members buys about every title published by small editors to support them. Another member believes that if he "advertises" your game he is entitled to AT LEAST one copy for free.

Anyway, after all it is our decision whom we give copies for free to, isn't it?

Greetings

Andrea

[Marten Holst]

Hi,

another two cents' worth:
(btw, I always thought, the grass would be greener on Friedemann's site, SCNR) Similar to what Heinrich expressed, I see both sides' points, or so I think. But - while not even being sure whether the opinion expressed towards Cwali wasn't a kind of kidding - I feel quite sure that when a jury member comes along a game worth testing, he (or she) will do just that, and if they think that game would be worthy for SdJ-consideration (or just plain playing) the other members will most probably informed. Judging from how everybody in this forum defends his favourite games and "attacks" different opinions, I could not believe that jury members would keep found treasures a secret...

But the problem still is, that neither can all the small publishers afford to send out "free copies" to jury members and recensents, nor can the members afford to buy all games on the market (let alone the problem of finding time to give them all a fair trial period). So I am afraid that there is no way to get "rid of luck" for small publishers for their game being noticed. And I cannot blame anyone.

Bye
Marten

[Roman Pelek]

Hi Marten,

>But the problem still is, that neither can all the small publishers afford to send out "free copies" to jury members and recensents, nor can the members afford to buy all games on the market (let alone the problem of finding time to give them all a fair trial period). So I am afraid that there is no way to get "rid of luck" for small publishers for their game being noticed. And I cannot blame anyone.<

Actually, that's exactly what it is in my opinion. Small publishers are depending on enough people buying their games and, in addition, willing to express their (positive) opinion to make their games even more popular. But they can't encourage it by giving so many free copies in the hope that enough people will actually do it. And, on the other hand, people who don't know the games can't support it, which is simple fact :-(

Ciao,
Roman

[Roman Pelek]

Hi Heinrich,

Heinrich Glumpler schrieb:

> To a certain degree I understand the small publisher ("buy my
> game, then you can review it") - and I do understand the
> reviewer too.

;-) Who doesn't? It's just nice to see those clash, everybody with his own problems and his own justifications :-) I personally think that the only way you can take it is a humorous one.

> But this should not be a problem on a fair like the Spiel'02
> - the author can explain his game and the reviewer will see
> if it is worth buying.

To me, games fairs are always a bad place to play or understand games. It's too loud, everyone's in a hurry, and after rushing around for hours you sometimes simply cannot pay attention anymore - or don't want to anymore. Let's face it: we have about 150 games per Essen fair, who can even catch a glimpse of the rules of one third of them? That is no problem special with reviewers, it's an overall problem that affects all players. So, all too often, there's just luck or rumours deciding whether you look at a game more closely or not. And, all too often, you find that you really missed games in aftermath.

> How about this deal:
> buy it for half price AND promise to write a review about it
> ?
> Seems fair, doesn't it?

That's one good idea, but actually there's more to it than meets the eye. I think that's good way to deal with reviews on the web, where reviewers do plan and are executives of their own work. In print media you always have to consider that there are different needs of people often seperated by both time and space and with different opinions. To give an example: one can easily review a game instantly on his own website, but if she or he writes for a daily newspaper, maybe some others (not even having an idea of boardgames) decide that his game column should concentrate on another issue. Or be delayed. Or sacrificed for a more serious topic.

> Another good method - in my opinion - is offered by "reich
> der spiele" (http://www.reich-der-spiele.de/bemusterung.php)

There are many options, with many problems: pre-prints (which have the problem of judging material), damaged copies (where to get the packshots?), give-and-return (what about postage&packing?). But that, to me, is individual, and can't be solved in general. Many people who invent and publish games as well as those who review it do it for no or very little money, so everybody wants to minimize costs and work, which is understandable. But, from my point of view, we are still far from having a solution for that dilemma, it isn't that easy... Concerning the offer of "Reich der Spiele", their suggestion is a very nice one for small publishers, because they take a large part of the risk (damage/postage for return), and they are non-commercial. I guess that's a thing to appreciate.

Ciao,
Roman

[Heinrich Glumpler]

Hi,

you summed it up very nicely.
I just want to add, that my post only covered the special issue of review copies of small publishers - should have said so. And for those the best chance to get a review is the web. You're right about the fair generally - on the other side in most cases there is an expert sitting on either side of the table - the author and the potential reviewer, so this should be quite effective.
At our booth at least one reviewer who normally only would have accepted a free review copy bought the game for half price ... because he liked to own it himself after the test game :-)

Good post.
Heinrich

[Mike]

"Andrea Meyer" hat am 28.10.2002 geschrieben:

> Another member
> believes that if he "advertises" your game he is entitled
> to AT LEAST one copy for free.

And there is/was one member who gets/got a lot of copies and sells/sold them afterwards. Ask AMIGO.

no name given,
........