Big Apple Bid on eBay Sends sends CAN'T STOP SHOPPING into New York

Co-inventors Boyi Yuan and David Lewis, pitching their board game, Can't Stop Shopping ("in progress," they say) recently started offering copies of their working prototypes for auciton on eBay, one auction at a time.

"It's like advance promotion, practically giving it away," says David.  "But we're getting it out there.  Heck some new products are handed out for free.  We have avoided that route -- so far."

First buyer came from Baltimore.  Other bids hail from the eastern section of the country.  "No surprise to me," said David.  "I've come to view east coasters as more amenable to board games.  S.F. Bay Area gamers came be outright snotty to the idea of rolling dice."

Now, Cant Stop Shopping may face its biggest test so far, when and if it is played by an eBayer who purchased the most recently copy put up for bid.    

David and Boyi are aiming to further fine-tune the game.  "We have no idea how far it may go," says David.  "You've got to subject a new game to different players."

A significant advance to how the game is played came after Alex Yaeger, of Mayfair games, who
responded favorably to the e-mail pitch he allows  inventors without agents to make.   He, too, expressed a concern over "the level of randomness" he sensed in the game, merely based upon a simple pitch.

"He was encouraging," says David.  "He shared his qualms, though did not offer any speidific ideas for revsions."

Yuan and Lewis dug in and came up with a game-changing componenet, whic they call ACT-ON Coupons.  This gives the player an option at each turn.  He can either roll the dice or play a coupon.

"More action to the brain," says Boyi.

The ACT-ONs  preiscribe many actions that give players numerous options at each turn for not just advancing their gorals but visiting others with harsh set backs.

They also encourage players to hamm it u-p. 

The two inventors realize that, ultimately, mobile versions of even board games are whether the future lies.

But first, they want to make the game as engaging as they can.

"We may re-approach Mr. Yaeger," said David.  "He encouraged us, and indicated an openness."

New Board Game on eBay -- CAN'T STOP SHOPPING -- Sells in 43 Minutes After 3-day Auction Begins

A new one for Boyi and me.

We've been offering copies of our prototype board game  on eBay.  So far,  all of the copies we have sold were at the starting auction price, the auction taking its full 3-day course..

But this time, ZAP!  A buyer snapped up the game in only 43 minutes after it was listed last evening by purchasing at the higher Buy Now price.

Kudos to us!

We now have copies placed in New York city, Las Vegas, Baltimore, Indiana, North Carolina, and -- with this latest sale -- Nebraska!

Might your state be next?

New Board Game Takes New York on eBay: Bronx Bidder Brings Can't Stop Shopping to Town

A Big Apple break for the inventors?

 No, they are not real New Yorkers, but family members during a visit to the town.

Rather exciting,  even if it's not the big breakthrough that my co-inventor Boyi Yuan and I are hoping for. someday.  Maybe.  Before board games go the way of the Model T.

To dream is to live.  Beyond the Board, there is the Tablet, and this game -- the mathematics of purchasing alone, may lend itself to a mobile version.  But first ...

Recently, we started offering copies of our working prototype on eBay for auction, one copy at a time.   I didn't take eBay's advice and begin listing at ninety nine cents.  How humbling.  But the price posted was, yes, closer to ninety nine cents than to ten dollars.

At least we are not desperately handing out free copies, a route that can work.  Think roller blades; that's how they rolled out.

In an auction that wrapped last Sunday evening at 10 PM EST (notice how I favor east coasters, there's a reason), I  upped the starting bid by a buck.  Feared it might bring up a big Zero.  We had one taker. But what a taker --

Drum rolls!  Trumpets!  Buyer's address is the BRONX.  That's New York.  Gotham.  The Big Town.  Taxi Driver.  If I Can Make It There, you get the picture.  Just knowing some real New Yorkers may be visiting our invention tingles my timid pulse.

Of course, who knows why it was really purchased.  A collector?  Fancier of novel ideas just to have around?  Secret operative for a game company, ho ho -- no?

Up Against "Brain Game" Mania

First copy back around October  went to a buyer in Baltimore.  All buyers since (well, there have been a few, okay) live east of the Big River.  Not so surprising. I've long held an impression that board games are still enjoyed (or tolerated) on the right coast. Here in the Bay Area, a new bread of "brain game" nerd goes ballistic over the mere thought of rolling dice.  "Random" marks the spell of death and desertion in this circle.  Which makes me wonder, if I might: Might they live in fear of the cruel heartless random ways of Fate itself?

I read that scientific studies of Poker assert that there is even a degree of luck and randomness in that little game. 

But ours is not totally random, no longer.  Not after nice guy Alex Yeager at Mayfair Games (Settlers of Catan), in taking from me an e-mail pitch offered some encouragement, but expressed being uneasy over his sense of the game's level of  --- yes --- randomness.  Which lead to Boyi and I digging in randomly and moving the game to a higher level -- with the introduction of our world famous (soon to be, in my mind, that is) ACT-ON Coupons, held secretly by each player.  They can foster amusing interaction, encouraging players to ham it up. 

Now with each turn, you the player either roll dice or play one of your ACT-ON Coupons as strategically as you can.  You could enlarge your shopping cart that much closer to victory -- or, conversely, reap damage on a rival's, reducing it to  Dollar Store status.

One thing is certain, now, players face many more challenges in the options offered for making moves in various ways.  Decisions!  Decisions!  Decisions!

Monopoly to chess?

Which makes me wonder if we now have something that starts out feeling a little like Monopoly, but can end up feeling closer to Chess.   In which case, maybe we have half-a-brain game?  

As Boyi said, pointing to his own, "more action there, my friend."

Yes, agreed, randomly or not.

1.16.14

Monday Wake Ups! ...Fleas to Elephants... Ringmaster for God to Zippos for Brits ... New Board Game for the Bored ... It's All On the Inside!

Hundred years ago, Flea circuses roamed the land, maybe skipped old mattresses -- better luck in sawdust and spangles, and one of the star miniatures, Flossy, who flossed about for Barron's Flea Circus, at Olympia, fled the show for where?   A mystery fit for Agatha C.  Posters flung into action promised "liberal award" for the safe return of the errant one, said to be of the "piebald" tribe. Did she run away or, as some opined, take refuge in a "thick head of hair." Maybe she found a man-flea and the two eloped ... That fleafull poster (yes a word I fleefully gleefully hatched for this rousing opener -- are you still with me?), lost in the archives of North Ireland's Public Record Office, recently discovered.  Now on display in Proni's headquarters in Belfast's Titanic Quarter -- just in case you were planning a little weekend in Ireland and needed a cultural diversion away from the pubs..

Baraboo rising!  New museum monarch Scott O'Donnell talking up the return of the living big top, fanfaring about canvas being  "the pre-eminent way to experience the circus..." Ah, Sir Harry of Kingston will take heart in hearing such words. He, like many, prefers to watch a circus under a tent.  Into the Irvin Feld Exhibition Hall  will go something interactive called "Caught in the Act: Legends, Myths and Mysteries of the Circus."  Legends -- also the word heading up the new Feld-Ringling opus about to hit the sawdust -- or asphalt -- down there in the re-birthed land of Ringling.  To be called simply Legends.   And, already, it seems to be bringing out a softer warmer persona from the Feld of Felds.  Sir Kenneth chirping to the local press over his undying love of elephants.  Does it so well, hard to reconcile with evidence to the contrary of Ringling pachyderms getting mistreated, cursed at and slapped by bull hooks..  

 

Can you feel his joyful connection?  Wonder if it's real ...

"The first time the elephants come out, there is an audible gasp and cheer," exudes KF.   "It's a sight.  It's a feeling and it ultimately gives you an emotional connection.  There's nothing like it."

Thus Cometh the Holiest Ringmaster on Earth?  That mighteth be Ringling toutmaster Jonathan Lee Iversion, of the Christian flock.  While his boss, Mr. Feld, goes all gushy over the elephants, Mr. Iverson is more and more going all gushy coming out to reporters (or Feld press agents) about Christ guiding his everyday footsteps.  He's a ring barker who "prays unceasingly during the day and has won the respect of the circus' large and diverse faith population by his tolerance for the faith of others." Well, okay. That's nice.  A lot of people are religious, I think I already knew.  Maybe the Big Show is aiming for Born Agains.   How about a rabbi ringmaster to balance out this bible ballyhoo?

About Feld's critics, among them Bob Barker, who allege he's got the elephant compound in high gear and generating lots of publicity merely as a front for insuring "a reliable supply of animals for his circus."  Grants Mr. Feld to a reporter daring to ask, the breeding of pachyderms was "part of the motivation,' adding "but the center has turned out to be so much more," including research his company is undertaking "out in the world." In fact, says he, all of this scientific stuff could prove to be a more enduring legacy than Feld Entertainment itself.  Well, for sure, it might trump the Monster Truck follies division.

Zippos zips zippily on across the Pond.  From  London town, Douglas McPherson checks in, informing me that "Martin Burton says they're playing up to 8 shows a day in Hyde Park, and getting 9,000 people under canvas each Saturday."  That's hot.  But eight shows? Must be an extreme John Robinson (truncated show) or one of those new-age flea circuses. Flossy, come back -- you could rock the tent!

We can't stop trying!   My friend and co-inventor Boyi Yuan (left) and I are now, confidently poised with Version 3 of our board game invention, trying out our  Can't Stop Shopping on the eBay road, auction form.  Just sold another copy last evening, auction having ended at 7 PM pst.  It's fun and promising. This is digital democracy (did I by chance just invent that term? probably not) in action.

....Nothing ventured, nothing gained, right?  Maybe that's what Flossy thought when she snuck out from under Mr. Barron's thumb.  Heck, maybe she's put herself up for a performing contract to the highest bidder on eBay. 

Mayfair Games Charmed But Not Quite Sold on CAN'T STOP SHOPPING ... Valuable Feedback Stirs Creators to Major Revamp of How Game is Played

 

 Niece Lisa, right, and her son Noah, shopping near Times Square in New York.

They are one of the biggest board game makers in the world (holding world-wide English language edition rights to Settler's of Catan, a modern day phenom) , AND, unlike most board game makers, they WILL accept e-mail querries from inventors; if they are interested, you are asked to send along the rules and a prototype game board. Now, when you can atleast nab the attention of a pro at this game (do you like that pun?), you may receive invaluable advice, advice you would be stupid not to seriously consider.

Came a friendly reply from Mayfair's Minister of Product Acquisition, Alex Yeager (left).  Alex was generous enough to express liking how the game seems "engaging" and "amusing."  He also shared with us a sense of discomfort in  the game's "level of randomness."

Getting feedback like that, I was stirred into action, after looking up a thousand definitions of "randomness," and asking myself, how can we make the game more definite?  So I came up with a new set of shopping coupons for everybody to have equally at the outset, thought it was great, called Boyi up, asking him to come over and test my brilliance, holding off on telling him what I had done in order to get the coldest possible test game play from him.  I needed Boyi's honesty.  When once I told him of having just test played another game I was working on with some people whose feedback wasn't very good, Boyi said, "That's the best kind of feedback." 

Naturally, I could imagine Boyi reacting to my bright new idea with giddy glee. Yes, that's it, he'd exclaim!

He did not.  The new approach moved along sluggishly.  Boyi struggled to stay engaged.  We discussed what did not move him, and then, he uttered three words that did not much rouse me just then, but a day later did:  "shuffle the cards" -- the "cards" being what turned into ACT-ON Coupons.  Now, such a suggestion may strike you as obvious or simplistic, but if you knew what did not exist then and what followed, you would understand.  Thus came Version 3.

 
Boyi came by to try it last week. He was so enthused, we ended up playing Version 3 four times, without my ever suggesting we even play game 2.

Three game-changing words: "Shuffle the cards."

Game Two: Boyi claims victory at Must Buy!
.

Is this the answer?  Is the game less random?   It brings more mystery to Can't Stop Shopping.  Now, a turn is defined as either a roll of the dice or the play of an Act-On coupon.  Now, players have more tools (coupons) to work with at the outset, but they don't know what tools the other players have. And the results came be quite amusing and unexpectedly dramatic. Suspense fills every shopping cart!    

We know that the real action is on computer screens, not around family tables. We know they are coming out with mobile board games. We know our marketing options may be shrnking by the day.

My sister, Kathy, between her daughter and grandson. The game has been played now on three continents, in the U.S. China and South Africa!

 

Heck, we  might go on-line ourselves and put a few copies of the prototype up for bid on E-Bay.  Just to maybe cause a little buzz to rise.  Nothing, ventured, nothing gained?  And we might try Alex Yeager again.  Will he still sense too much randomness?  Or ... will he turn out to be our own George Parker, the man who, in 1935, after resisting one Charles Brace Darrow many times, finally agreed to put out what became the worlds' most famous board gamer. ever.  You know the name.

That game, by the way, was decades in development.  Darrow's version of Monopoly had been adapted (taken) from its direct and all-too-familiar predecessor, The Landlords, a game invented by one Elizabeth Magie Phillips

Ah ... Mr. Parker -- I mean Mr. Yeager, are you still there, knock knock!

 Amtrak passenger Jacob gives Can't Stop Shopping a test play.

Noah and his pilot dad, Brian, "Captain United," at home in Luray, VA

Boyi and I playing the very first game, on a Chinese train from Beijing to Guangzhou

Board Game Twitter: Trying to Make "Can't Stop Shopping" the Next Monopoly ...

While Sinatra sings “Blue Moon” off my old turntable, I’m typing new title ideas for fortune cards in a board game you have not yet heard of, a game called Can’t Stop Shopping. My friend Boyi Yuan (above) and I, who invented what is sure to rival Monopoly (you need self-motivation to embark on these projects), played it a few times last night. A “Sale Ends” card means any discount cards held by players must be returned. Boyi excitedly declared, that should include ALL fortune cards, including free taxi rides to anywhere on the board.

Really? Creativity, sometimes in a burst shaking a fragile status quo, can lead to the changes you need. So I listen to Boyi, as he listens to me. Did you Monopoly lovers know how long the game (my one true love) was played in many forms before Parker Bros in 1935 finally, after grave doubts, took it on and made history? It came from an earlier invention called The Landlords, created by a woman in Philly. Even a recent sensation out of Germany, Settlers of Catan, took a few years to take flight. Yes. Go look it up. (Please take note, any Mark Monopoly Zuckerbergs out there: our design and rules are fully copyrighted, Sorry.)

Monopoly in the beginning: The Landlords, patented in 1904 by Lizzie J. Magie, a quaker who belonged to a tax reform movement advocating against landlord advantages.

So here I am, in our The Landlords stage, thinking of how to clearly link the discount AND free taxi ride cards under an umbrella title, which I will propose to Boyi when next we network. See what he thinks. Discount Days Coupon? Sale-Athon Coupon? (How clever I thought, until I found that “Saleathon” is already a word. ) Sale Away Coupon? (That sounds original!?!) I settled for now on simply "Sale Day." I'll run the other ideas by Boyi and see how he reacts.

We’ve put up a Flea Market (for losers needing to raise cash fast) amidst the various stores from which players make purchases in a mad ruthless scramble (dice rolling luck and shrewd strategic planning) to be the first to reach one of two shopping goals.

Sinatra just sang “It all depends on you”. He means us, the inventors?

We play the game with as many testers as we can con – Experts tell you to sit there and watch the reactions of others. That’s the only way your game can viably develop. Body language does not lie. Wordlessly, people reveal a whole lot. And you gotta take it.

First and second games played over Chinese rails last April, on the T15 from Beijing to Guangzhou

Third and fourth games played in room 1110 at the Taishan Gaoyi Hotel in Taishan

Carping comments from the unimpressed? “That’s the best feedback!” Boyi once remarked after I’d played another of my game attempts in San Francisco to some uppity game board addicts (OK, that game -- Hired! Fired!, in limbo, was way too complicated). Can’t Stop Shopping is causing more player excitement as we make changes. A month or two ago, one glum guy, himself a game inventor who claims to make a living at poker, sat there not revealing a shred of emotion. Humbled, only thing I could get from him at the end was, ‘I think the players need more choices.” A few words can open big creative doors.

After a day or so of acute wandering-in-the-darkness depression, I pulled out an older idea that Boyi had floated in passing, tweaked it a tad, we talked about the tweaking angle and it lead to a major revamping of how to win our game in a way that allows all players to easily track the progress of their rivals. Which is like suddenly watching a horse race in the sunshine (good) that you were trying to watch through a dense fog (bad).

I’ll show these new title ideas and other stuff we talked about needing clarity when I see Boyi end of the week. We go back and forth, easily ...

Sinatra is now in his blue heaven, not one of his best efforts. But I wait for “September in the Rain.” This is not an album I give my full attention to. Tonight, to compensate for giving him short shrift this morning, I might sit down and savor every monent of his classic LP, “Only the Lonely.”

As for next, semi-background: maybe the CD that I first heard at the tea house, Gran Riserva? I'm tying to read the cover; it's in a foreign language! Some names: Dzihan - Kamien -- “Deep Kitsch” is the track I heard that made me buy it. Most of the tracks amply fine.

I couldn’t stop shopping after I heard that one beguiling track — even without a free on-line taxi ride.

Our semi-latest prototype version reflects critical design changes, some prompted by test-player feedback