15) Figuring Out Buyer Behavior 2

Again, I went by a local board game store and interviewed some people. Again, not my favorite thing (if I start a company, I'm hiring someone else to interact with people).

Theme seemed to be the most important thing for people buying RPGs, with second being playstyle. There are several alternatives for tabletop RPGs, with themes like sci-fi, fantasy, Lovecraftian (cthulhu and such). There are also several different brands, each with its own playstyle and strictness on role playing, combat, etc.

A lot of these tabletop RPGs simply require that you buy at least the rule book, which costs around the same amount no matter which brand you choose. As such, cost is not terribly much of an issue. Now, if you have to buy a lot of expansion material in order to make the game interesting, then that's going to cause a problem.

Quality as well is a little less of an issue. Obviously the buyers like good art and well bound books, but since it's a game of imagination mostly, they don't require too much investment in physical aspects. The focus should be on the quality of gameplay.

How customers buy is mostly 50/50 between buying online or in a store. Again, since the games are based on rule books, all you NEED to invest in is the book, and probably some dice. You can invest in expansions and figurines, but they're not required. Still, they are good to keep in mind to keep my product new and entertaining. Something to note is that some people will go in store to look at the books, checking out rules and systems for the game, before deciding which one to buy. I'm not sure how to get my product into that search when it's going to be designed online.

The interesting thing about RPGs is how much they leave up to GM and player imagination. The rules are more of guidelines, and as such they are not necessarily vital to the enjoyment of the game. They're a big part, don't get me wrong. But according the people I've talked to, and by my own experience as well, the GM and players will most of the time make "homebrew" rules and requirements in order to gain their satisfaction. Again, if the set rules are too constricting or too far from a GM or player's personal style, they won't be satisfied. But if you make them loose enough without being too loose, then buyers will satisfy themselves.

I think the important thing to keep in mind is still "How do I get the word out?" How do I show people that this is an alternative when the game will be designed for online? I could maybe design an alpha version for in-person play, to be tested at events at game stores, then release the full version on line after instilling the desire in possible buyers. I don't know.

The reflection that players tend to be able to make the most out of their RPGs is a good thing to note. As long as I can show an efficient, entertaining method of play, they should be able to fill in the rest. 

14) Halfway Reflection

1. Talking to someone about to take this course, I'd say the most important thing is probably learning how to schedule your time. I've only just learned how to schedule my own time; I bought a planner at the beginning of the summer, and I'm doing my best to use it and stick to it. I can honestly say that I now realize half the reason I ever felt like I was getting nothing done and wasn't successful was because I had a lot of things to do and no set schedule to do them in. This made everything seem so insurmountable, and that left me in a rut. But the simple act of writing things down in a certain order to accomplish them gives you a plan that you can follow through on.
2. I felt like giving up a couple times, mostly when an assignment required me to interact with people. I've never been sociable, and I still am not the greatest, but I'm doing my best to learn how to at least act sociable. The book I read by Scott Adams has helped a little with that, and practice makes permanent, so I just have to continue trying.
3. Three tips I would offer are:
1. Buy a planner. Going back to Number 1, I fully suggest learning to plan things.
2. Ask for, and give, feedback. The assignments require us to comment on each other's work, but being told only "good work" and "perfect!" only help your ego, and even then, barely. Offer constructive feedback, ask for clarification, give ideas. And ask for it too. I appreciate the people that give me suggestions on how to improve my work, and those that give me the chance to think more deeply into the opportunities I come up with.
3. Listen to the band "Beetlegork," or at least find some playlist that you enjoy. Hey, it sounds silly, but I work faster and produce better work when I have heavy riffs blaring. I'm a fan of heavy and sludge metal, but do your own thing if you can't get into that kinda music. Heck, Billy Joel, The Police, or Supertramp, all great stuff. Go back to the 50's, 60's, and 70's and jam out to some Gladys Knight and The Pips and bang out some assignments. I'm certain there's studies out there that agree that music makes one work better.

If anyone has any good suggestions for music that gets them pumped to work, I'd love to hear them!

12) Figuring Out Buyer Behavior 1

1. The segment I chose was board game enthusiasts. I was looking for specifically Roleplay Game players.
2. I went to a local board game store, asking first whether I could conduct some interviews, and talked to some customers. (Took a while)
3. I asked a few questions, including "Do you play any RPGs, online or in-person?", "When was the last time you bought an RPG?", "What made you feel that you needed a new RPG?", "Do you have any friends/family that no longer live nearby that you used to play RPGs with?", and "Do you wish you could still play RPGs with them?".
4. For the information search, I asked questions like "How do you go about finding new RPGs?", as well as the questions specified in part 4 of this assignment.
5. Mostly, what made people realize they had the issue of "Needing a, or needing a new, RPG" was other friends convincing them. There was a lot of "My friend had Dungeons and Dragons and convinced me to get into it". I got a few that were looking for a new RPG because they and their friends wanted to get into a different theme of roleplay, say from fantasy (Dungeons and Dragons), to sci-fi (Starfinder). In these cases, the people had found these new RPGs by coming to the shop, or by researching online for "sci-fi tabletop RPG".
6. Based on this, I think a lot of what I'll have to encourage is word of mouth advertising. I could start by maybe putting the rulebook or start-up pack in shops (this would cover the physical aspect that a lot of people miss when playing RPGs online), and make sure they know that it's an online-based RPG, to be played over Skype, Zoom, Facetime, or the video-commerce site designed for the game. Or I could advertise on several online RPG forums?

I need help with advertising ideas, clearly. If anyone can help me with ideas on how to get my product in front of people, I'd greatly appreciate it.

13) Reading Reflection 1

1. I read "How to Fail at Almost Everything and Still Win Big" by Scott Adams
• What surprised me the most was the man's education. He's the cartoonist and writer for the "Dilbert" comics, but he's got an MBA and has some experience in programming and starting several businesses. Based on what I've read, and despite what he would have you believe, he seems to be an incredibly intelligent and well educated man, which I did not expect was necessary for being a cartoonist. It makes sense now though how his cartoons have had such success, mostly due to his intelligent maneuvering and "putting himself in a position where luck could find him.:
• I most admired his determination. Throughout the book, he refers to humans as "moist robots" that can be programmed and reprogrammed. He comes across several issues, but through dogged determination he toughs through them. That's not to say he beats his head against a wall, he knows when something is worth pursuing. And based on his stories with his focal dystonia and his training himself to eat and exercise better, I hope to instill the same doggedness in myself to reprogram my thinking and actions.
• I guess what I least admired about Scott Adams is his admittance that luck may have been the driving force behind a lot of his success. He does a good job of explaining how to put yourself in luck's path and how to continue putting in time and effort, but even if there's no monetary loss, "time is money" as the expression goes. How long do I sit pulling the lever on the slot machine of life, waiting for luck to pay out? I don't know, even after reading this book.
• Scott Adams most definitely encountered adversity and failure. With his almost getting kicked out of college, focal dystonia, spasmodic dysphonia, and failure of several startups, it's a wonder the man's still as well off as he is. But, like I said earlier, the man has instilled such a resolution in himself that he fought through them; studying hard despite a case of mononucleosis in college, seeking doctors' help and practicing with his medical issues, and continuing to invest in new business ideas, learning from his failures.
2. Scott Adams showed some serious resolve, as well as an incredible ability to learn from his and other's failures. He did not let them get him down, rather he picked out the valuable knowledge that comes with failure and applied it to his future ventures. That's another thing I really admired during my reading.
3. What was most confusing to me was, again, his talk of being where luck will find you. He says that as long as you don't have to invest money, just time and effort, you can sit and pull the slot machine of life forever, knowing there will be a payout. But like I mentioned earlier, there is a point where it becomes too long. How do I know when something is not worth pursuing? I guess I need to get better at calculating the odds of things and do more research, that may help in some way.
4. If I were to as two questions to Scott Adams, they would be:
1. Can you explain your method of being in luck's way a little better? See the confusion above for the why.
2. Do you have any tips on how to act social? I'm not the most social person, and that is neither a good nor bad thing overall, but if I want to succeed in the business world I'm going to at least have to learn to ACT social. I've got it down when it comes to friends and acquaintances, but meeting new people is a pain. He says in his book a lot about "faking it until you make it," but I'm also a terrible actor.
5. Scott's opinion of hard work, I believe, would be "Think about the odds. If they're in your favor, or if they can be made that way, then set to it. If not, then don't beat your head against a wall." I share this idea, and I exemplify it I believe. I could have continued to follow engineering or finance, but the odds of me coming out of those sane and happy were slim. So I chose management, and I can honestly say I have high hopes for a career in a field I'd be happy to pursue.

11) Idea Napkin No.1

    I'm Kyle Rutledge. I'm in my almost my 4th year at UF, my 4th semester at the college of business, and my 2nd semester as a management major. It's confusing even to me. I started out as an aerospace engineer before switching to biomedical engineering, then eventually to finance, and now management. In all of this confusion, I have learned the value of applying oneself fully to a goal. I have gained experience in several different roles, from rocket engine testing to the CFO of a startup. I have also learned how to be flexible in my planning, how to manage people and coworkers, and the benefits of pursuing not what you desire most, but what you can realistically obtain. That may sound pessimistic. I choose to think of it as realism: I could have continued as a biomedical engineer, but bashing my head in with differential equations and organic chemistry all the time showed me that what you desire most may not always be worth the effort.

    I, and many others I'm certain, have been disappointing by the lack of a satisfying online RPG. As such, I am designing an RPG created solely for online gameplay, with all the benefits that has to offer. "Constellation" (name subject to change) will offer smooth interactions between players and GMs, unlike the clunky movements of icons offered by Roll20 and other table top simulators. Being set in a sci-fi themed universe, players will be subject to comms loss and camera feed cutting out, all at the whim of the GM. Players will also be able to send secret messages to other players and to the GM. This will handle easily one of the biggest problems in any RPG: the problem of knowledge. It is very hard for a player to act like their character doesn't know something once the player knows it. It is also difficult for a player to hide their intentions when they have to yell them across the crowded table to the GM.

    Constellation will also offer smooth gameplay, relying on a dice system that is more streamlined than normal RPGs. Built around the 20 sided dice alone, there will be no shuffling around as players try to find the right dice to roll. The dice will also be simple to roll, as simply striking a key on the keyboard will roll it on screen, for all or just the GM to see.

    Who I am offering this game to is basically anyone that plays RPGs. It can be played from anywhere with wi-fi. And, given the more streamlined play style that is less intimidating than other RPGs, it may even convince some people to join the market of RPGs. More specifically, however, this game is being offered for those who have friends or family at long distance that they used to play RPGs with. Everyone that had a great group they played D&D with, but now all those people are gone.

    These people care because finding an RPG group is difficult. Everyone plays and GM's the game differently, and it is difficult to find the right group of people that your playstyle melds with. RPGs are also time consuming, so you have to be sure you're willing to spend time with the people you're playing with. So, if someone had a group they were comfortable and happy with, and then that group split up across long distances, I'm certain that group would appreciate the chance to continue playing together that my product would offer.

        Throughout my confusing career in college, and since long before it, I have been an avid board game and RPG enthusiast. I have become a master of RISK, a decent Twilight Imperium player (anyone that's played that complicated game knows decent is admirable), and a seasoned Dungeons and Dragons Game Master. All of these have lent themselves to an understanding of board games and RPGs. I know both what players and GMs want most out of a game, and, with my education in business management and entrepreneurship, I know how to get it to them.

    I believe what my business plan needs most is a programmer. I have little experience in the subject, and certainly not enough to design a whole site that would allow people to interact online with video chat and text chat. However, once I find someone that is capable of handling the technology side, I believe my experience with sci-fi and RPGs will allow me to handle the design of the game easily. I also feel that I would need assistance with marketing and advertising.

10) Elevator Pitch No.1

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6gsa0wBioC4

9) Testing the Hypothesis, Part 2

Who: Based on the interviews, the people that should be within the boundary of "have friends and family at long distances that they used to play RPG/Board games with" but aren't seem to be those that have either:

    a) "outgrown" RPG/Board games

    b) no longer really talk with those friends/family anymore (possibly due to a lack of whatever I'm                  offering as a product. Should've thought about this sooner, could've saved so many friendships.)

    c) have new groups they play these games with

    d) are satisfied with the solutions already out there (Table Top Simulator, Roll20, etc.)

What: The need I've identified differs from the need to play online games with friends/family in the way that RPGs or Social Deduction games differ from, say, a first person shooter game. People can play online with friends in games like Battlefield or Minecraft, but they do not appeal to the same wants as a RPG. Not to say that they're bad games, but they offer a different kind of entertainment. However, some people are satisfied with those different games as a means of mutual entertainment with old friends/family.

Why: The underlying cause of those within the boundary could be a desire to stay close with everyone they once knew (may be a bit too broad of an answer, but the point gets across). The people outside of the boundary might be alright with parting with an old friend/family member, or they may be ok with seeing them once a year whenever they're in the same town. This sounds harsh, but it's completely understandable, you can't keep up with everyone you've ever known.

    The reason that some people may be satisfied with the solutions already out there is either that they are good with technology, or they have the patience to learn the program. And more power to them. People within my boundary may just be looking for the ease of play that sitting around a table with a book of rules and a funny wizard hat offers.

Inside the Boundary	Outside the Boundary
Those that want to keep up with distant family/friends by playing RPG/Board games and aren't satisfied with the solutions out there	Those that have made a new group locally to play RPG/Board games with, or are satisfied with the online solutions out there
The need is the ability to play RPG games with each other online	The need is not the ability to play ANY online game with each other. Xbox and everything pretty much has that covered
People want to remain close with their old group of friends by playing RPGs	People just want to play RPGs in general, in which case, just make another WOW. Woohoo  Less work/cheaper/portable when online Pausable gameplay Basically all the benefits that being on a computer has to offer

To anyone reading/commenting: do you think I've backed myself into too niche of a market? Any ideas on how I can expand my idea a little?

8) Solving the Problem

 1)   The Opportunity I am continuing with is that of an RPG/board game built with long distances in mind. The prototypical customer would be a group of friends or family members that are divided by long distances; however, this is not the limit of customers of course.

    RPGs are "role play games" where players act as characters in a game of the game master's design: games such as Dungeons and Dragons and Pathfinder. The issue with some of these games is that it relies on communication of the GM's and players' ideas and imaginations, which is significantly more difficult over the phone or computer; either for a lack of something physical to interact with, or buggy, difficult to use software. As such, most of the software out there that is meant to bring these players together doesn't allow players and GMs to incorporate or show their creativity in their games.

2)    The product I am offering is an RPG that allows players to take advantage of the distance between them and the communication software they use. Using simply Skype or Zoom, or possibly partnering with them so that the company can use their software and servers while keeping the company's name on the software ("RPG, powered by Zoom" or something like that), and interacting with game pieces from a pack they all purchased online, players and GMs can enjoy a detailed RPG without the complexities and blandness of the computer screen.

    The communication system, like I said, would go through any conference software out there, like Zoom or Skype. This offers a few advantages actually, such as the ability of the GM to mute or blind players, and the ability of players to send secret messages. All of these are important in an RPG, and are actually more difficult to achieve in face-to-face RPGs.

    The physical aspect would be purchased by each player online, possibly only offered online in order to forgo the cost of using brick-and-mortar stores. Contained in these physical packs could be a simple map, player pieces, dice, cards, rule book, etc.

I'm interested in feedback, if anyone actually reads my post. Not just on how I did on the post, or how feasible or viable the business plan/product is, but also if there's anything you might like to see in an online RPG. If you have any ideas, let me know.