Chapter 013 - 1996.01.29

  • On this day, I sent my first game submission -

    • to my first agent -

      • though he was not technically my agent yet.

  • But he did become my agent -

    • and he did achieve a small success -

      • though nothing that netted me any money -

        • I did learn a lot about the realities of the game industry.

  • My agent successfully placed a game for review with the company that controlled the Rubik's Cube line.

  • Dr. Rubik play tested my game -

    • and accepted it as a candidate for the Rubik's line.

  • This all happened in the summer of 1996.

  • My prototype game under consideration was called:

    • PUZZLINKG

  • It was a 2D non-traditional puzzle-piece game.

  • Below is the original prototype:

    • game piece board and frame

    • puzzle pieces

    • solitaire single-color challenge board-reduction pieces

  • The game could be played by 2, 3 or 4 players -

    • or had endless solitaire challenges.

  • Below are some of the solitaire challenges:

This can become that>>>

A single-color challenge

  • Here are three other single-color challenges:

  • Here are some multi-color pattern challenges:

  • Here's the final board of a 4-player competition:

  • The objective is to have the most unbroken links in your color.

    • where each puzzle piece counts as one link

    • and each board segment counts as a link.

  • In the above example here's the final results:

    • Blue = 6 links

    • Yellow = 8 links

    • Red = 10 links

    • Green = 11 links

  • Each player placed six (6) of twelve (12) available pieces.

  • But there are many different ways -

    • to play a multiplayer game.

  • This game would be great as a smartphone app.

  • It would actually be easier to play.

  • It's free for the taking now.

  • And I'll even help you to build it.

  • Odds-on Koosh could not figure out how to manufacture -

    • a physical version it,

      • for the target retail price -

        • of $19.99.

  • It's the type of game -

    • that would have a companion website -

      • for submitting new play discoveries.

  • The reward was to be -

    • the novel discovery named after you.

  • Two-sided insert boards would provide endless possibilities.

  • In virtual smartphone or VR forms -

    • everything becomes cheaper and more readily accessible.

  • Shortly after the bad news was delivered on Puzzlinkg -

    • my agent stopped representing independent game inventors.

  • Here's his current LinkedIn page: