作者：cogentesque

行业会议是很棒的地方。

这里充满创意和奇思妙想。集结了一群拥有共同追求的人在此与他人分享自己的爱好。最重要的是，参加行业会议时，你得从中获得乐趣。

要记住，作为桌游设计师，行业会议的地位相重要。这里有许多地方值得考虑，只要记住其中几个原则就会让你受益匪浅。要记住参加这些会议的人可能成为你的朋友、客户、竞争者、合作设计师、发行商、美术设计师、收益来源和行业合约。

注意：如果你要去参加的会议100%与游戏设计相关（例如全球性的游戏开发活动，或者有www.playtest.co.uk这种专业游戏测试团队参与的会议），那么你就去吧。但如果这是一个连续好几场的会议，那么就你要谨慎选择其中必去的场所。

game convention(from catan.com)

你到此的目的？

*结识发行商或经销商？

*向到场的妊商推销自己的游戏？

*遇见新人并与之交友？

*碰到新的合约，结识商业伙伴？

*让你的大名为他人知晓？

*测试你的游戏？

*觉得这是很流行的做法？

*熏陶下这种氛围？

*见见你那些会议上结识的朋友并小酌一杯？

*试玩新游戏？

*寻找竞争对手？

*找到新的热门趋势？

7大原则

要记住这就是从会议中获得最多收获以及乐趣的做法。这里有个重点：执行这些操作需要费一些脑力和耐心。

1.找个安静的地方

行业会议通常是很喧闹的地方，所以你得自己找个地方静一静。当一个普通人遇到一大堆未知数时，他就需要启动B方案。此时你要不就选择融入这种嘈杂的环境，要不就找个安静的所在。你可以在此回忆一下最近的谈话，做一些笔记或者进行更密切的交流。这需要比较安静的地方，比如酒店房间，一些无人使用的椅子，广告牌之后的沙发或者会场之外的地方。“John你好，你已经看到你的游戏，它看起来很不错，我们要不要找个地方聊一聊？”记住在多数此类公共场合中，往往有更多“交易”是在私下场合中完成的。

2.直奔主题

自己想想“我当前做法有何意义？”如果这是为了测试新游戏，并购买最佳产品，那就去行动吧。问问展示样本的人“这款游戏主要内容是什么，为什么我应该试玩？”如果你是一个媒体人士，那么这不但会提高你的工作效率，也会让对方更容易找到切入点，“告诉我为什么人们应该在2分钟内买下你的游戏？”针对发行商则可这样问：“你会考虑一下吗？”

3.使用笔记本

简要而有效地做笔记：要用到每一行（不要跳过任何一行），记下他们的姓名，兴趣以及特长。例如“Matt Green：设计师，制作过‘大游戏X’，喜欢健怡可乐，想制作一款埃及游戏。”或者“Big Jim：‘Gamey Games inc’的发行商负责人，为人和善，曾经是一名厨师，正在寻找快速通关的游戏。”这就是人们所谓的“行业知识”的浓缩版本。当你回去时（见第1点），就可以打开笔记本提取其中关键信息，发送相关邮件，这样你就能与原先的陌生人建立一层联系。例如，“你好，Jim，不知道你是不是还记得我们在X大会上有过一次愉快的聊天。我已经用了你之前当大厨时的菜谱，真的很不错呢。你们Gamey Games Inc是不是还在寻找快速通关的游戏？我这里可能很快就会推出一些作品。”

4.规划好时间

这是一项非常重要的建议。行业活动很有趣，也很容易把一些事情忘得一干二净。但如果你已经向一位著名的设计师承诺你将在下午4点同他见面，那你就必须在4点见他。否则就很可能错过一个机会，并在你的人际关系上留下一个污点。这是我个人面临的最大挑战，所以我要尽最大努力改正这一点。这一原则也适用于安排与发行商的会面。在此之前要先向他们发送邮件询问“我们能否在周六3点时见面？”或者提前一天问他们“我能否在明天下午2点时同你谈10分钟？”，总之要多给他们些时间和选项。

5.灵活发挥社交手腕

要保持行动。我喜欢行业会议，但这里充斥了太多东西，你在数小时内就可以看到成百上千个事物。作为游戏设计师，这当然很棒，你可以看到许多东西。发行商、新游戏、创意、人群、组件。你看到的人越多，你同他们的交流就越多，你的名字就会被越多人知晓。人们所谓的在“行业中很有名气”说的就是这个意思。如果大家压根就不知道你，他们怎么会尊重你？有一个问题就在于你可能需要像一只聪明的蝴蝶一样在各个地方周旋。例如，有家公司刚发布了“scrabble 2”这款游戏，并邀请玩家试玩。与此同时，还有位你之前遇到的新发行公司的人正坐在那里喝啤酒，那么你该如何利用接下来的15分钟，自己掂量掂量吧。

6.在接受前要善于给予

要根据会议的规模决定你的行动。规模越大，人们所拥有的时间就越少。记住，所有的与会人员和展示人员都有特定的日程安排，所以你也不过是人群中普遍的一员。如果你首先表现出对他人的信任，他们也更可能信赖你（游戏邦注：积极的态度亦是如此）。如果你邀请某人试玩你的游戏，他们可能会。如果你首先为他们买杯饮料，他们就更可能接受。如果你为他们买了杯饮料，还有他们的20款游戏，我敢保证他们肯定会看看你的游戏。要知道虽然这看似不道德，从某种角度来看甚至是有点“贿赂”的意味，但只要你保持友好态度，这就是很管用的一招。例如“如果我4个小时后回来，给你们团队买个比萨，你们愿意坐下来同我聊聊吗？”在这里，比萨的作用很关键。

7.让自己与众不同

在行业会议上有两个独特的衡量单位。第一个就是你和你的随从人员，第二就是其他所有人。最简单（最强烈推荐）的方法就是通过特立独行打破这种不为人知的状态，让大家记住你们。你记不记得上次会议同你交谈过的那位身穿黑色上衣，喜欢玩战斗游戏的人？不记得？好，那你记得戴着荧光绿帽子还插着羽毛的那个人不？如果你觉得让自己去戴一顶绿肥色带斑马条纹的帽子真的很难为情，那就取个绰号，给大家发些名片也行。

总结

先找个安静的地方，然后再直奔主题。带上笔记本和手表。经常走动，要先为人提供好处，并带上一顶怪异的帽子。（本文为游戏邦/gamerboom.com编译，拒绝任何不保留版权的转载，如需转载请联系：游戏邦）

Make the most of a convention as a designer – 7 Principals

January 31, 2013 by cogentesque

Conventions are wonderful places.

Full of intrigue, wonder, and whimsy! Like-minded people convene to enjoy their hobby with others. First and foremost: at a convention, you need to have fun. Everyone is there for the same reason and non-mass boardgames can be quite a cottage industry, as you know, there is no worse feeling than having your work hat on while everyone else left theirs at home.

Remember though, as a boardgame designer, conventions can places of particular importance. There can be many points to consider here, and sticking to a few principals can be very helpful.

Know that people at the convention here are your friends, customers, competitors, co-designers, publishers, artists, revenue, and industry contacts.

A convention is (at least in one view) the absolute apex of being a boardgame designer. Weirdly, this is also where you should do the least amount of boardgame designing – so what gives?
A quick aside: If the convention you are going to is 100% dedicated to games design like the global games jam, or a convention with special playtesting teams such as www.playtest.co.uk in attendance, where you have a special place to playtest and design, then do that. But if it is a straight-shootin’ convention then there are special avenues you can take.

What are you here for?

- get to know publishers or distributors?

- pitch your game to that great publisher that will be there?

- meet new people and make friends?

- meet new contacts and make business acquaintances?

- put your name out and get known?

- shill your game at the playtest tables?

- feel popular?

- absorb the atmosphere?

- meet those convention friends of yours and have a drink with them?

- play and experience new or unreleased games?

- scope out the competition?

- find new and hot trends?

The 7 principals

Now remember this is an exercise in getting the most out of convention, as well as having fun. An important point here: doing these things will take mental agility and emotional patience, you will be flitting and flying between things, and it will take its toll. All of which mean that it is a very exhaustive exercise. So, this is where we get our first rule of thumb:

1. Have a quiet haven somewhere

- Conventions are busy places so you will need somewhere to retreat to. When a general faces overwhelming odds, he needs a Plan B. There will come a point where you will either dissolve into madness or need go somewhere quiet. You might use it to reflect on your most recent conversation, write down some notes or have a more intimate chat. Somewhere peaceful is needed, like your hotel room, a group of unused chairs, behind an advertising board, the cafeteria, the bar, or outside. “Hey there John, well sure, I have seen your game and it sounds quite good, have you got somewhere quiet we can go?” Remember that in most public situations like this, more “deals” are made behind closed doors than in front of the cameras.

2. Get straight to the point

- Think to yourself “What’s the point of my current exercise?”. If it is to test out new games and buy the best one – then do it! Ask the demo guy “What’s this game about, why should

I test it?” If you are coming as press then it will not only speed up your process, but give the person an easy restriction to work in. “Tell me why people should buy your game, in 2 minutes”. To the publisher: “Would you ever consider taking submissions?”

3. Use a notebook

- Write in it sparingly, and effectively: Use every line (don’t skip any), always make a note of their name, any points of interest, and any leads. eg “Matt Green: designer, did “Big Game X”, Loves Diet Coke. Wants to make an Egyptian game.” or “Big Jim. Gatekeeper publisher for “Gamey Games inc”. Really nice guy. Used to be a chef. Looking for quick gateway games.

” This is a distilled form of what people call “industry knowledge”. When you get home (or back to your haven, see point 1), open the notebook and extract the vital information, send follow-up emails and behold, you have already bridged the stranger-gap. “Hey Jim, if you remember, we met at Convention X and had a great chat. I have been using those recipe suggestions you gave me from your Chef days – they are great! Is Gamey Games Inc you still looking for quick gateway games? I might have something coming up soon.”

4. Rule your own time

- Very important advice here. Conventions are very fun and it is very easy to get swept up into something. But if you have promised a famous Designer that you will see him at 4.00pm, then you must damned well see him at 4.00pm. The choices are: “See him on time” or “Miss your opportunity and get a black mark on your relationship”. This is my personal biggest challenge
(too much of a butterfly) so I try my hardest to rectify this point. The same applies here when trying to arrange meetings with publishers. Email them before “can we meet on the Saturday at 3?” or ask them the day before “can I spend 10 minutes with you tomorrow at 2?”, giving them lots of time and options. If you don’t want to, you don’t need to get suckered in to long games or demos.

5. Be a clever butterfly

- Keep moving. I love this about conventions (too much actually) but there is just SO much stuff going on that you can see hundreds of things within a few hours. As a games designer this is

great. There is lots of everything. Publishers, new games, ideas, people, components; why not do it all! The more people see you, the more you talk with people, and the more your name gets
out. People talk about being “known in the industry” That is this. If people don’t even know you – how can they respect you? One problem is that you can do it too much – zipping from one place to the other like a whirlwind-frenzy. This is why you have to be a clever butterfly. Eg  Games’n’things (they don’t take submissions) have just released “scrabble 2″ and are inviting players. At the same time over by the bar is that new publisher guy you met before, having a sit down and enjoying a beer. So, clever butterfly, where should you spend the next 15 minutes?

6. Give before receiving

- The size of a convention plays a part in how to behave. The bigger it is, the less time people will have. Remember that ALL attendees and exhibitors have their own specific agenda and, for now, you are nothing more than one of the crowd. People are scientifically more likely to trust you if you show trust in them first. Same applies with a positive attitude. If you ask someone to look at your game, they will maybe do it. If you buy them a drink first, they will probably do it. If you buy them a drink and 20 of their games, I can almost guarantee they will look at your game. Understand that this can be seen as immoral, or even as “bribery” in a certain light, but as long as you’re keeping everything friendly and fair it is a very useful tool. eg: “If I come back in 4 hours and bring you and your demo team pizza, will you THEN sit down with me?”. Pizza is the always the key.

7. Stand out & be memorable

- There are two distinct units of measurement in conventions. The first unit of measurement is You & your entourage. Second is Everybody else. The easiest (thus, most recommended) way to break through this barrier of anonymity is by standing out. Being memorable. Exercise: Do you remember that guy in a black shirt that was into wargames you spoke with at that last convention? No? Ok, do you remember that guy with the luminescent green hat with the feather in? If you have trouble purchasing a fancy a green and zebra-stripe pimp hat, then you can make do with a nickname and some business cards.

To sum:

Start with a peaceful haven but get to the point. Bring your notebook, and a watch. Keep moving, give first, and wear a silly hat.（source：exampleofplay）