Demo Teams?

[hunter]

This was brought up in another thread, but I want to spin it off.

Demo teams are a great idea, but it requires a really dedicated group to pull it off. What would motivate you specifically in terms of things we QLI could offer you to get out there and demo our products.

How far would you be willing to go? We'd need folks overseeing various regions and helping to coordinate events and such.

What kinds of things can we provide to help you be successful?

Hunter

 

[vutpakdi]

The idea of demo teams brings up an idea that I was going to pitch to you and Martin: 1 sheet (2 sides)-5 minute introductions to T20. This idea came to me after playing a few of Flynn's games at 2 cons where most of the players had experience with D20 or CT, but not T20.

The idea would be a short PDF, 1 sheet (or 2 pages) introduction to T20 mechanics that would be enough information to allow players at a con or a demo session to play (and thereby minimizing the explanations that the referees would have to give).

The D20 version would concentrate on some Traveller concepts and how T20 is different from T20.

The CT version would assume experience with CT, but not D20 (and explain concepts such as AC, DCs, and saves).

Anyway, just a thought that suddenly applies.

Ron

 

[brudin]

Originally posted by hunter:

Demo teams are a great idea, but it requires a really dedicated group to pull it off. What would motivate you specifically in terms of things we QLI could offer you to get out there and demo our products.

material like character sheet, scenarios, and BIG screen to say here is T20 demo. and imperial uniform (just a vest and a cap) because most of the demo i see are remarquable by people when the master are disguised.(speaking for france )

Originally posted by hunter:

How far would you be willing to go? We'd need folks overseeing various regions and helping to coordinate events and such.

i have the contact to make it in france and even give you access to some editor in france.

Originally posted by hunter:

What kinds of things can we provide to help you be successful?

depend of your logistic and the money you want depense in that.

 

[BetterThanLife]

Count me in.

I'd do it for mileage and new copies of books as mine get worn out and perhaps being a Count or Duke but the last part is negotiable.

Depending on how far I am going, perhaps a hotel room occasionally. I can probably give you a weekend a month possibly 2.

I am in North Central Indiana, which means within Easy Reach of Chicago, not so easy but not bad Reach of Kalamazoo, MI, Grand Rapids, MI and fairly easy driving to Lansing, MI, Detroit, MI, Indianapolis, IN, Toledo, OH. (Or to put it another way, Notre Dame, Purdue, Northwestern, Michigan State, University of Michigan...

)

Do we target Game Stores or Book Stores or College campuses?

I think the Demo teams would need 3 or 4 good one off adventures that can be linked and each would take an hour or so to play. Complete with Pregenerated Characters, some snappy Cardboard heros and a nice set of deckplans to scale. Perhaps some computer graphics for a Notebook computer. That way we could cycle people through it but the ones with a real interest can keep playing.

And I think, at least initially we should all be using the same material. Not going off on our own with our own Adventures and each of our own interpretations of the OTU.

One other thing, and this may seem silly, but I think the term OTU may be daunting to newcommers to Traveller. Leave it out of the Demos. Say there is lots of material available. Say there are plenty of adventures, maps and equipment guides but OTU, leave that for after they own the product.

The other thing we would need is the Store, if we are at a store, to be stocked so the customers can buy it. If it isn't a store environment then we would need inventory. It doesn't do any good in the Instant Gratification world to not be able to supply it now!

Oh and everything used must be for sale, that kind of goes without saying, but that would include a CD of the Computer Graphics, the Cardboard heros, the Deckplans.

 

[BetterThanLife]

I also think it goes without saying that it should be set in the Gateway Domain. So we can sell that book too. But one should never leave things without saying.

Now if only the books were bound like the First Edition Shadowrun Hardback Rulebook.

 

[mip]

I would be more than willing to demo here in Sweden. Basically, I would need 2-4 connected adventures (each about 4 hours long), pdf:s of the adventures and something like "t20-lite", a 4 page summary of the rules.

It would be easy for me to contact other gamemasters here in Sweden and get them to play the adventures on our cons.

Setting the adventures in Gateway would be nice, since only us old hands remember Spinward Marches anyway.

It is a god idéa, so I hope you guys make something like it. : )

Cheers,
Mip

 

[Flynn]

Hunter,

I've already considered myself an Unofficial Demo Team for QLI, as I try to run T20 at every Con I attend. So far, that's been two GenCons, one OwlCon, one Overload-A-Con, as well as a few formal and informal Local Game Days. I also currently have plans to run T20 at the upcoming Millenium Con and OwlCon.

In my opinion, what would help people out like me as far as actually doing the job is simple:

1) A simple one or two page intro going over the basic differences between D20 and T20. I would even be willing to write it and submit it for your approval, if you'd like.

2) Perhaps some freebie handouts or swag to give away at these events.

3) Some acknowledgment of these efforts, perhaps on a calendar of events or something, so that there's more awareness of T20 games being held in an area.

Now, I wouldn't turn away free materials as a form of recognition for my Demo work, and I'm more than willing to submit my convention scenarios to aid others in pursuit of spreading the word about T20, but ultimately, I'm doing this because I really enjoy the game, and I want to share it with others who might be interested.

Here's my two Credits, anyway,
Flynn

 

[The Hinterworlds Rambler]

Re-huminations:

Perhaps some form of simple, standardized Press/Marketing Kit, and start by sending it to capital or major city-based gaming stores or on the Convention circuit, of course. Like:

2 People, 2 T-shirts, (Hats might be pushing it, but I still want one, what?) The book, Maybe a TA or three, and some simply transportable though eye catching sign or poster?

Maybe a map of some sort, with the nice cardboard heroes type dudes from the book, One side of the Map could be for a simple shootout on a ship ala Snapshot, the other for a (limited, quick) ship to ship fight?

How would character creation be shortened to hold the intrest of a passer by? Would it even need to be shortened/streamlined? How fast could it be presented? Would a "Script" of sorts need to be written to present the material?

Compleat Strategist in NYC is a good place, but Neutral Ground NYC has a setup to actually play games (tables and the like) as well as retail. that, and NG gets a lot of interstate customer traffic

What about foreign markets? Didn't Trav do well in Japan back in the day? Or would translation be too expensive? How bout Germany?

A promotional CD-ROM business Card with Traveller Lite on it? I have an old freind, a schoolmate that has a company that makes these, and he is in Atlanta. Could be Expensive, or could not, depending on my finagle roll...

 

[Malenfant]

IIRC, the Japanese Traveller has some very fine anime-looking versions of the ships...

 

[Madarin Dude]

I could help demo it? I really don't know how popular it would be over here. If marketed right it could take off. After all games like Diablo and Starcraft are quite popular here. It woudl be an enourmous undertaking to get it started here. (yes that is really where I live, hence the name)

 

[hunter]

Originally posted by Madarin Dude:
I could help demo it? I really don't know how popular it would be over here. If marketed right it could take off. After all games like Diablo and Starcraft are quite popular here. It woudl be an enourmous undertaking to get it started here. (yes that is really where I live, hence the name)

Right now this is at a discussion stage as far as anything 'official', but nothing stopping you from running demos now!

On the discussion part, one of the things I could make available are nice, printed copies of T20 Lite to hand out.

Hunter

 

[Madarin Dude]

　　　Sounds good. I can give you an address later. (I have tried to print out the D-20 lite and found it cost more in ink than it would cost for a copy of classic traveller)　Ｉwould actually perfer classic because of my compleate lack of D20's and no source for them over here. Before I came over here I lost many of my possessions in the move including soem excellent guitars.

 

[BetterThanLife]

Hunter,
Could we by chance have a single sheet with a picture that we can post invitations to play Traveller on? Something that has polish but we can print on our own. Preferbly editable so we can put on date/time and contact information.

Just a thought as to how to attract more players. And I hope you saw my comment about posters for Game stores. A nice poster with a Order your Traveller Supplies here slogan on it. No cost for the store, low cost for you, raises general Traveller awareness and if it looks cool it will be put up. Besides if enough people start ordering Traveller products perhaps these same stores will start stocking them.

 

[siefertma2]

Originally posted by hunter:
How far would you be willing to go? We'd need folks overseeing various regions and helping to coordinate events and such.

Well, there are more than a few excellent game convenetions going on in the Wisconsin, Northern Illinois area (Milwaukee GameFest, RockCon, Little Wars, etc). Also, there are more than a few game stores that would be great venues for demo games.

What kinds of things can we provide to help you be successful?

Two or three short, 4-hour-long, adventure with a variety of pregenerated characters.

Summery sheets with some of the basic rules.

CD Rom's with a copy of T20 Lite and other fun related bits. Either that or hard copies.

Coupons for players who participate offering a discount for any QLI online order.

 

[siefertma2]

Oh! Resuable, laminated announcement flyers where you can write the time and place for a game with a transparency marker, then wipe clean when you're done.

 

[BetterThanLife]

Hey now that is a good idea.

Originally posted by Mark A. Siefert:
Oh! Resuable, laminated announcement flyers where you can write the time and place for a game with a transparency marker, then wipe clean when you're done.