Looney Labs Icehouse Mailing list Archive

RE: [Icehouse] Icehouse Loco Colors

  • FromDavid Artman <david@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>
  • DateTue, 04 Sep 2007 13:01:48 -0700
> From: Andy Looney <andy@xxxxxxxxxxxxxx>
> 
> We've had a lot of internal discussions about all these color scheme issues 
> and right now our feeling is that none of them really "work." So I 
> apologize for getting your hopes up about new colors, but right now we're 
> just going to focus on keeping the existing versions in stock. Sorry.

Let me be the first too say, "BOO!"

What doesn't "work" about EcoHouse?
* It fits your existing product line--in fact "Eco" could become the
umbrella for your two major products or even ALL products:
EcoChronoauts, with significant events in environmental history;
EcoAquarius, with even more emphasis on real-world elements (photos
instead of symbols?); Are You An Ecoterrorist? (heh).
* It aligns with the hippy ideals of the company.
* Most if not all of the proposed Eco colors provide useful compliments
(light/dark, warm/cool) of existing colors: an aspect which could
stimulate game rule elements (or educator lessons) that are currently
impossible.
* It could provide a new vector for branding, as you could place "Eco"
products into stores--like museum stores or Discovery Toys or
whatever--that might otherwise have a tepid response to the 'generic'
colors of Rainbow or the 'bizarre' colors of Xeno.

Now, if it's really about the money (or the time, which is money) then
fine: the stuff doesn't grow on trees, and I can't bitch too much unless
I'm ready to lay down ducats myself, right?

But if the sole and only sticking point is some nebulous concept of
"working" then please put it to us to help. What isn't "working" that
you feel is intractable? What was the product goal that is, now,
undermined because of further discussion?

Ultimately, ten (eleven) colors should suffice for the majority of games
and game-players. But I would not disregard the collectors and the
"art-players": folks who buy them precisely becasue they have all these
colors and such--I am thinking of the woman at MACE last year who bought
ONE each of Rainbow and Xeno AND VOLCANO CAPS (useless without five
matching sets) because she "wants all the colors and knows [her] kids
will find a use for them." Such folks will buy at least one
(art-players) and likely five (collectors) stashes of Eco.

And how many folks who didn't buy Xeno becasue it's "ugly" to them might
buy an Eco set? We'll never know without Eco sets on the shelves next to
Rainbow and Xeno. What if Eco sets would draw additional color buyers
that were never going to collect Xeno (i.e. what percentage of !Xeno
would also be !Eco? I doubt it's 100%).

I don't mean to sound strident (the "default tone of evil" presumed in
e-mail) or to harry you to change your mind. Rather, I'd like to better
understand the underpinnings of the decision, so that when the next
product idea comes along, I'll have some understanding of what it takes
to make the cut at Looney Labs.

(As it turns out, I suspect I'll get another data point on that issue
shortly--I have another product idea to mail to the Rabbits list.)

Thank you for your time and attention;
David


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