Last month I wrote about what would qualify you to be a judge for The Board Game Workshop Design Contest. It basically came down to anyone is qualified to judge if they want to and can give kind feedback. One of my original goals with the contest was a very simple judging process. So if you can watch a 2 minute video and fill out a short form, you can judge.
This week I wanted to talk about who should enter the contest. Not to spoil the surprise, but the answer is anyone who wants to. I’m trying to remove as many barriers to entry as possible. This becomes a tough balance though. I can minimize requirements and streamline the process a lot. But at a certain point making things easier for the entrants is harder on the judges.
What I have settled on is the 2-minute video and short description. To some these are tight restrictions, but they allow the judges to quickly give feedback to a number of entries. It worked out very well last year and even entrants that didn’t move on to round two felt that the feedback was worth it.
Which brings me to the main reason you should enter. You will get thoughtful and helpful feedback in round one. Even if your video is just you talking about your idea, you’ll get feedback on it. Moving on to round two is not easy. Only the top 20 will move on. And moving on will rely mostly on you getting across what is innovative, elegant, and exciting about your game. Showing more of your game is useful. But you will get feedback and the experience of entering a contest. Last year, two of the finalist games were first time designs. And at worst you have gained experience.
The video is a barrier to entry. Not everyone has access to equipment, software, and skills to produce a high quality video. But you don’t need a high quality video to enter. You just need to stay under the 2-minute time limit. Your video could be a single shot on a phone or a slide show with voice over. Or an all out production with editing and effects. What is being judged is the content. So production value isn’t as important as clearly getting across the important points. I wrote about this more on the round one details page. If you need help with your video, contact me at chris@theboardgameworkshop.com and I’ll see what I can do.
The $5 entry fee is a barrier to entry. If the fee is stopping you from entering, contact me at chris@theboardgameworkshop.com and I will waive the fee.
If you want to enter the contest, you should. If there is anything stopping you from entering, let me know and I’ll do my best to get you past it.
Please spread the word to anyone you think might like feedback on their game idea. I think this contest is a very easy entry point and I want to make it easier.