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.