Wow Steve, thank you for that great response.
I've gone the mass production route... and I would again. At the moment, I have this cool printer and I am trying to find a niche for it... So I am casting a bunch of nets out there. I like making games on a creative level... I don't necessarily like making the games... sanding, staining, cutting, poly'ing, distressing... but honestly when people see them in person my ego gets such a lift that it makes me want to do them.
It is sooo much damn work. I spent 6 hours yesterday making 10 money trays... Today I am working on the boards which l am glad I printed them a few days ago... but it will still take all day to get them ready. Then on to the boxes (not the shine boxes, the standard ones) which might take almost two days to finish... I haven't sold a shine box one yet but I might wholesale a few locally and see what happens.
So you are right about finding the happy medium... I don't need to make a fortune on these to make a living... and quit my day job !!! lol... Eventually I will get it to the point where I have gotten an acceptable price/profit point. I really just want to get to the point where I am making different games and building a catalog of them. Then I can just make them as they are ordered. So I really have no inventory. People who buy these types of games generally expect it to take 3 to 5 weeks to get them. That said, if one game seems to take off, then I certainly wouldn't be opposed to mass producing a chipboard version from China or wherever.
I am currently trying to make a game for a camp that my wife loves. She was a camp counselor there and the place holds a lot of meaning to her (and me)... But I really like the idea that I can make a game for anything... this one won't follow monopoly but will have elements of different games and new elements as well. So I just like being able to take an idea and not depend on anyone to make it happen... From design to product.
I am going to add some variables... like options on a car... where they can "build" their game. If they want it to be made out of reclaimed wood that would be an option... or if they would like upgraded hardware... pawns and plastic game pieces vas wooden and custom game pieces. So the base game if I could get it to about $35 I might have something. We'll see.
Again, thank you very much for your thoughtful response.
