Am I being stupid to be even trying this?!!

[Rubbleonthedouble1]

A random one but didn’t know where else to post.
Without being too outing I have a niche area of expertise for my job. I have come up with an idea for a card game using this area of expertise.
I have no idea where to start?! How do I get it made up into a prototype and then into the actual product?

I’ve spoken to my husband about it but he thinks I’m being unrealistic As whilst he thinks the idea is good he thinks I don’t know enough about getting things made etc.

Would quite like to prove him wrong ha ha!

Has anyone done something like this? Who did you contact to get there actual cards made cheaply?

Have never tried but I do know small runs of board games are really expensive to make. Can you make a prototype yourself? I would think if it's a great idea you'd want it trade marked before someone pinched your idea. Maybe look up how the inventor of banagrams did it (appreciate that's tiles not cards).

Also if it's a Top Trumps variation I think I'm right in saying Top Trumps own the format so would need to be careful there.

I would cost it and put up a Kickstarter for it.

The games market is quite full at the moment though.

There you go - they launched it at the London Toy Fair by the look of it bananagrams.com/about-us/history

Games rarely get anywhere on Dragons’ Den....

Thank you.
It is just cards but not a top trumps style game.
How do people get them made? How do you find out who to contact etc? X

YANBU!

For prototypes you can use blank cards with wipe off marker pen and slipped into card sleeves.

IDK where you live but there are a few game design meet-ups in London where people bring their design and play test them with each other, give feedback etc. I'm sure there are similar groups in other cities.

When you're ready you can bring your game to e.g. the UK games expo and pitch to games publishing companies.

There are quite a few podcasts about game design which will give you more ideas. It won't be easy (the market is quite saturated ATM I think) but it's possible.

Good luck!

Or you can try kick starter of course but that's a bit more pressure in you to do everything (artwork, manufacturing etc) yourself.

Are you looking to hire an artist?

No idea how easy it will be but I really think you should at least try. Lots of successful things would never have happened if the inventor had listened to the first negative remark they heard.

I've supported a few kickstarters for games.

They are generally printed in China or other countries in that part of the world. They then get shipped directly from there to the buyers so you don't need to stagger down to the post office with hundred of small packets to send off.

Most successful games get developed in an online simulator first, and play-tested to check that the game theory works and that it is actually fun and interesting to play. You can buy a simulator software for c£15 - store.steampowered.com/app/286160/Tabletop_Simulator/

If the game play works then you can work with an artist to get the card designs attractive, and start putting together your kickstarter pitch. You'll need to get quotes from the printers for how many orders you will need for a viable print run, and make sure you set your kickstarter targets such that you can at least break even, or the project will fold if you don't get enough orders.

It could be worth getting on instagram and following the Cyanide & Happiness creators, they're in America and she very easy to talk to, Dave McElfatrick or Rob Denbleyker tend to talk back sometimes. They had a card game made recently and I'm sure they'd share some wisdom.