Welcome back, Developers and Designers! Today, we move into the upper half of the Top 10 list as I delve into the idea of collaboration. While I’ve mentioned this notion in other blog entries and will certainly do so during the balance of the year, today, the entre focus of these 1,000 words are dedicated to collaboration.
From Then…
As many of you know, I started The Professor’s Lab more than five years ago, performing pro bono editing and proofreading service for dozens of would-be designers over at the Board Game Design Forum (http://www.bgdf.com/). During those first two years, I had a great opportunity to forge relationships; review a great amount of rule-book content; and most importantly, collaborate with a number of smart, clever, designers. This last point, again, serves as the basis for this blog entry.
Among the designers I assisted, I’ve kept in touch with a handful of them, but almost without exception, they were all cordial and professional. From a collaboration standpoint, I remember fondly three aspects of collaboration that I’ll share with you: collaboration in the design space, writing precise rules, and the business side.
Collaboration in the design space is one of the more exciting aspects of running The Professor’s Lab. Having worked on more than 100 titles, many of which are in the wargame arena, I truly appreciate the back-and-forth conversations with designers. It is important to remember though, that as a developer, the designer’s title is theirs, they’ve devoted a significant amount of time and energy, and they’re often very sensitive to recommended changes. This is where one’s ability to collaborate effectively can realize changes both small and large. Interpersonal skills and the ability to communicate effectively serve as two of the most important tools in the developer’s toolkit.
Writing rules are rarely done in isolation and when a designer deigns to so, the results tend to be incoherent, ponderous, and at times, convoluted. This is where The Professor’s Lab truly shines in my humble opinion. Collaboration in rules-writing involves many parties, including most obviously, the designer and developer (if that’s the team writing the rules), but often relies heavily upon a host of playtesters who will provide valuable feedback when rules work, and more so, when they don’t work. I’ve learned from experience that the iterative process in rules writing serves the designer well as it hones-in on those areas most in need of editing.
For me, the last point on collaboration deals with the business side of the industry. Having worked with many designers who were destined to launch their game on Kickstarter, I’ve had numerous opportunities to work with them on the creation of valuable Stretch Goals, focused video content, and strong communication strategies. With regard to Stretch Goals, I had taken a page out of several successful Kickstarter project owners by limiting the number of Stretch Goals, but ensuring that they added value to the game. No hats, stickers, and mugs, but instead linen finish on cards, silkscreen on the meeples, and recommended thicker cardstock and boards. As far as video content was concerned, I always recommended that the designer make an appearance and keep the entire video under three minutes. Instead, use the blank canvass of the Kickstarter page to add pictures from the game and its components. Finally, with regard to communication strategies, I focused on two reinforcing ideas. First, take time from your day job for at least the first 72 hours and the last 72 hours to monitor comments. Second, answer everyone! In this way, you encourage dialogue with Backers. Admittedly, having worked with more than a dozen publishers, I have little to no interest in many of the other aspects of the industry…production, distribution, fulfillment, etc., so on those I’ll remain silent (something I’m not particularly known for 
).
…To Now
Today, I still collaborate broadly with a number of designers and publishers. Since 2016, I’ve served as Lead Playtester, Lead Developer, Editor/Proofreader, and Advisor on Academy Games’ 878 Vikings; RedImp Games’ Atlantis: Island of Gods; Pangea, and Cthulhu: Rise of the Cults; and Stonemaier Games’ Charterstone, My Little Scythe; and Scythe expansions, Invaders from Afar and Rise of Fenris.
Last year and into the first half of 2020, I’ve worked on three titles for Decision Games (Operation Jupiter, Putin Moves East, and Ukraine Civil War) as part of the Lead Playtester Group; Flyos Games’ Vampire the Masquerade: Chapters, as Editor/Proofreader; and Stonemaier Games’ Pendulumand Tapestry, along with a host of fledgling designers. Among the most time-intensive projects to which I’ve been a part is as Lead Developer for Ernest Copley’s magisterial title, The War: Pacific 1941-1945, published by Compass Games and spans the entirety of the Pacific Theater campaigns of WWII. This project lasted more than four years and required the editing and proofreading of more than 75,000 words.
I’m quite fortunate to provide service through The Professor’s Lab in an on-line environment which makes communication and by extension collaboration so much easier than it has ever been before. Every week, I establish time for each of my clients to discuss ideas, what deadlines are approaching, and the Way Ahead. Between and among Zoom, Facebook Messenger, and Skype, I’m able to chat with designers here in the U.S., along with my international partners in Canada and Poland. Given the state of the global pandemic, coupled with the amazing interest by designers around the world, the Professor’s Lab provides a host of options from Design Analysis to Editing and Proofreading to Playtesting. Even today, despite that fact that I can’t regularly met-up with many of my playtesters, Tabletopia and Tabletop Simulator provide me the flexibility of getting games to the table for my clients.
As I close out this month’s blog, I do want to ask…what do you do to foster collaboration? What have you tried that’s worked exceptionally well? Also, to aid others, what ideas have failed and what have you done to turn things around?