On Mon, 23 Jul 2007 15:30:12 -0500, "James Hazelton" wrote:
> I've been thinking about an Icehouse explanation card as well. By trying to
> explain verbally what I'm playing, I have to get across the name of the
> actual game ("Black ICE"), what they'd need to know to search google
> ("Icehouse"), and what they'd need to know to buy or order from a local game
> store ("Treehouse"). Nobody is quickwitted enough to remember all of that
> when the expected answer is a single word, like "Monopoly," or "Hearts."
Yes, that's exactly the problem---very well said.
And while a single Icehouse-introduction card would definitely help a
lot; what might be even better would be a bunch of game-specific
cards. The back could be common and teach shared names like
"Icehouse", "Treehouse", and "looneylabs.com" while the front gave an
introduction to the specific game being played.
That does mean designing N cards instead of 1, but it also avoids the
problem of having to decide which games make the cut and get mentioned
on the card.
Now if only I had any artistic sense, then I could get started on
doing some mockups...
-Carl
PS. And as proof that people aren't quickwitted to remember all those
names, someone just followed up with me today asking, "Where can I get
this funny pyramids game you have?". So either no name stuck there,
(or maybe he was someone that watched without asking any specific
question).
And fortunately, in this context, (email and chat, rather than a noisy
restaurant/bar), it's easy to give a definitive answer:
http://www.looneylabs.com/whybuy/treehouse.html
Though things I note on that page now:
* There's not yet any mention of the Origins award
* The "next, add a copy of Martian Coasters" wording makes it sound
like that's a required expansion, (before just buying two more
treehouse sets). That seems to undermine the 3House pitch a bit I
think.
* The "This represents Big Changes!" section is clearly written for
sake of a retailer switching from monochrome stashes to
treehouse. I assume that that's no longer necessary? (The brochure
isn't available for sale anymore I noticed.) And this paragraph is
mostly just noise for anyone getting their first introduction to
the game.
* It seems it would be useful to list Treehouse itself as a product
at the top of the list titled "Other Icehouse Accessories you can
purchase," (perhaps changing the title slightly).
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