Though I don't want to take TOO much of Kristin et al's time with "interesting questions," I would like to follow-up on Tim's question about Treehouse Best Game award and the pimping of same....
First, if I am following correctly, you expect to run out of Treehouse for a while, right? So...
1a) How much monochrome Icehouse stock remains, as a factor of remaining TH stock (i.e. don't need hard numbers but a ratio)?
1b) Should we point folks to your web site for monochrome Icehouse stashes once Treehouse runs out at their FLGS?
1c) Could you perhaps make a SKU for "monochrome five-packs" that would, basically, equate to a set of 5 of each colorset of TH? Such a product, if available, would mitigate the shortage of actual TH while also reducing obsolete IH stock. All the better if it also enjoys the bulk rate offered on the site of $40 (half of the $80 price for 10 TH stashes).
Second, suppose one simply does not have an interest in Fluxx? As in, doesn't even watch the Fluxx list or own a deck (other than Stoner, for religious reasons), even though a Demo Rabbit?
2a) Do you draw and quarter that person, or just shoot him or her in the face?
2b) (Serious note): If one is only willing to demo pyramids (and the occasional AYAW? game), how can one best promote Looney Labs in this interim period (which, for me, will be my entire convention season this year!)?
Third, it seems to me that, if all the above ends up "no, no, no, no, pimp Fluxx anyway," then the Best Game award might not ever be fully leveraged.
3) How long do you think the "hot time" is on something like an Origin Award, versus a Mensa or other (more commonly recognized) award?
(1999 Mensa MindGames Winner: Fluxx; 2005 Mensa MindGames Winner: Zendo)
http://mindgames.us.mensa.org/participant/past_winners.phpIt seems to me that, if we pimp Fluxx over pyramids, then we're reaching further "back" for past successes (1999--8 years ago) than really taking advantage of current hotness (2005 Mensa, 2007 Origins). I'm not a marketing genius (but I did stay at a Holiday Inn once, years ago) yet it seems kind of backwards, even though Zombie Fluxx *is* the next big game. It's bad enough that TH/IH is the LAST product category on the main product page and has the fewest current offerings (i.e. we're still waiting on the next boxed set which will be the 2008 Mensa MindGames winner...).
:^(
No, this is not mere Fluxx Envy from a die-hard pyramid head. I am honestly concerned that a minor blip in supply is going to "waste" significant current momentum. Never mind that, overall, pyramids are a vastly superior invention, product, and contribution to gaming history, in general.
;^P
:^)
David