Re: Components/Pricing

In article <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>,
 [EMAIL PROTECTED] (Bob Hayes) wrote:

> I have finished design work on a 2-6 player card game dealing with
> trade, war and building in the ancient age.  It's suitable for bright
> kids (like all good games) and is also enjoyable by adults; there's an
> educational component but it isn't irritating (my kids still haven't
> figured out that they're learning things).  Extensive playtesting
> shows that the design is sound, and the game is fun and balanced.  I
> hired an artist to replace my crappy clipart images and Arial-font
> text on the cards with some really gorgeous full-color stuff, and they
> look great.  The game consists of 180 different cards and the rules;
> no markers or counters or other components.  I intend to market and
> sell it myself.

I have heard tell that those who print cards give discount for 
multiples of <some number, possibly, IIRC - 16>. You should check with 
various printers as to what that number is. 

There are a few printers who specialize in playing cards, and it is my 
understanding that very low prices and good quality can be achieved by 
dealing with printers in China. One in particular I am aware of (Wuxi 
Xinfeng Printing Co. Ltd -- URL: http://www.cn-xinfeng.com/ -- Phone: 
86/510-875-1131) offers plastic-coated playing cards made of 260gsm or 
280gsm laminated AAA cardboard. The cards measure 87x57mm 
(3.4252"x2.24409" -- roughly 3.43"x2.25"). They have a minimum order 
of 2,000 decks and delivery is 30 days after receipt of payment. 

> I have three choices on delivering the physical components of the
> game.
> 
> 1) 4-color commercial printing, with aqueous coating and corner
> rounding and all that good stuff, put into a nice box with a label and
> everything.  My cost per unit:  $10 minimum, with a big capital outlay
> up front that would make slow sales a personal disaster.

Let's compare to Bohnanza - 161 cards and a box with plastic tray for 
around $10 retail. My understanding of the business indicates that 
there production costs on this would therefore be around $3.00 per 
unit, and that you would need to charge, if selling direct, around 
$20.00. I don't think this will create a great percieved value.

> 2) Color laser printing on heavy stock, possibly with coating or
> laminating and corner rounding but more likely just raw output onto
> (high quality) cardstock.  Delivered in a poly bag a la Cheapass
> Games.  My cost per unit:  $6 or so, with minimal upfront costs; I
> could afford slow sales.

This seems like you could deliver the product for around $12.00 then, 
and that seems a more reasonable price for the end purchaser, though 
higher than similarly packaged products (though, most CheapAss games 
har far less than 180 cards).

> 3) a PDF file that buyers would download and print out and cut
> themselves.  My cost per unit:  Darn near $0.  Risk:  intellectual
> piracy, since of necessity I would be delivering a reproducible
> product.

Honestly, most people are not pirates. Most are glad to pay a 
reasonable sum for things they like. Still, I would not do this.

I would not go this route for several reasons: most people do not have 
decent enough printing that they can print on cardstock duplex and 
have it look decent, and duplex printing on non-duplex capable 
machines is a pain. I know, I made my own deck for Werewolf, and 
printing it is a bitch here at the house, so I would take it to work, 
but the machines there choke on the cardstock I like to use. 
Arrrggghh. 

Also, you would have many people wanting you to help them figure out 
how to print and have to deal with people who get upset that you can't 
do so.

> If I went with (1), I would have to charge around $20 per game to
> cover my risk.  That just feels high to me for what is essentially a
> card game.  With (2), I could charge between $10-15 (depending on what
> extra features went into the production process).  With (3) I was
> thinking of charging $5 or so.

Is it at all possible to get the deck down to around 120 cards, then 
release the other 60 as an expansion pack? Even better, a 60 card 
deck, with 2 60-card expansion packs?

-- 
James Quick     [][][]     [EMAIL PROTECTED]
Profanity is the first resort of the inarticulate motherfucker.
     -- Elizabeth D. Brooks, among others.