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QUESTION Game creation tips?

QUESTION Game creation tips?

Pidge

DPF Nut
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Hi all,
I'm serious about this DPF anniversary game and am inspired to create my own game. I have never done this before, so I'd love to know your tips.

I'm thinking of a Thanksgiving game with these prizes.

I'm thinking of 10 spots and entry being a TBD price + shipping and one word describing what thankful for this year. I guess it then goes through a randomizer? How does this work? What should I know before launching this game?

I know this great community will come through with excellent advice. TIA!
 
Hi there! I've run a few games here, so hopefully I can be of some help. It looks like you got a good head start already with your prize pool!

First, determine what you want all of the prizes and prices to be since you cannot increase the price or change/remove the prizes or increase the number of game slots once the game opens for entries. (Changes that are allowed are to reduce the price per entry or you add some additional prizes like consolation or grand prizes to encourage participation.)

You can either have the exact number of prize lots as entry slots, or have slightly more prizes than slots so that the last person to pick still has some choice. You just can't have fewer prizes than slots, since everyone who enters must be able to select a prize. So with your prize pool you would be good with your tentative 10 slots but you can increase up to 12 if you want.

I find it helpful for the game thread to have the following posts in generally this order:
- an intro post (intro your game, detail the price per entry and any additional shipping charges, time frames for payment and prize picking, if there are any limits to entry like if entrants must post something they are thankful for to enter, there is a maximum number of slots one person can claim within a certain time frame, if there is a package discount for ordering multiple slots, etc.)
- a post showing photos of all of the prizes (MUST be photos of your exact pins and not stock photos like from P&P) and their pin database entry info (pinpics, pin and pop, etc.), including any consolation or grand prizes you may decide to add
- a post with the game slots which you'll fill out as people claim spots
- a post with the prizes claimed
- one or two "just in case" posts.

After you make your posts but BEFORE the game opens, you'll need to wait for a moderator to add in a post or two so they can post the randomizer results, since game winners must be randomly drawn by a mod or admin.

Once the mod reserves the spaces then the game can be open!

Once slots fill up, you can message the entrants with the total they owe (however many slots they ordered plus shipping) and your payment account info. As payments are sent, it's good to update the entrants post to keep track.

After you receive all payments, then you'll let the mod know to run the randomizer, and people can start picking prizes once the list is posted. People are usually pretty good about tagging the next person under them but you'll want to step in and tag if it's been a day or so between prize picking. This will help the prize picks move along smoothly. I find it helpful to update the prize list post with what has been claimed (changing the font color to red and/or adding CLAIMED text next to the pin info) so that later pickers can keep track of their available options.

Once all prizes have been picked then you'll just package them up and send them to the winners.
 
Timeerkat covered it all. The only side point I would make is that payments will be via PayPal Goods and Services which has a fee to the recipient associated with it. You'll want to factor that fee in when you set your price.

Also, decide if you want to allow International participants or not. And if you do, you will probably want the shipping fee for them to be at cost since it can be exorbitant. There could also be higher paypal cost to you for International currency.
 
My suggestion, for everyone who wants to run a game, please read the game rules posted here:

Thread 'Game Rules Effective 1/1/2021'

I was only able to find the 2018 version so I made a few modifications and hope they were the ones I made before!

Greetings all, and welcome to DPF's Games Room! We have implemented the following general forum rules (don't fret - they're very easy to abide by) in order to help games run smoothly and efficiently.

These game rules are effective January 1, 2021 for all games where money, or other consideration, is collected. These rules do not apply to free games.

1. All prizes must be authentic Disney items, with the exception of fantasy pins. If there are fantasy...

Also regarding international DPF members. Please note this rule for games where $$ is charged:
9. All games must be open to all members.

So with #9, be prepared and please make sure you are comfortable with the $$ you charge for shipping.

Please also take note of this rule:
16. Edits cannot be made by the game runner after the game has started in the first post. Therefore, if you think you are going to need to decrease the cost of a spot, make sure to save a post (or two) between the list of pin numbers/prizes and the randomizer spots.

Avoiding editing the first post after the game starts can be challenging. I suggest to have a back up plan when you need to add new information.
 
Thanks everyone! I really appreciate everyone taking the time to help me out. DPF comes through again!

There are certainly a lot of variables to manage, but I think I’m in love with the game idea after playing one. I’m going to try an anniversary game before the thanksgiving one.

I’m embarrassed to ask my last question: who are the moderators that I should reach out to when I’m ready to launch a game?
 
So, if I wanted to run a free game to get a feel for how this all works, I don't have to have a prize for all participants, right? That could be a fun way to practice this. I could offer one pin to the #1 spot in the randomizer and open to x number of participants, right?
 
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