Gameplan: The game inventor's handbook

by Steve Peek

Monopoly, Trivial Pursuit, Pictionary, Cranium, Scene It, Magic the Gathering are all games that made millions for their inventors. While today these popular games are marketed by well known toy companies, none of them originated in an established company. Instead, they came from inventors who knew very little about the game business. First published in 1985, The Game Inventors Handbook has sold over 100,000 copies. Written by a credentialed, thirty year industry veteran, the expanded third edition takes readers step-by-step through every aspect of game publishing and marketing

135 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 1987

About the author

edit biographydelete
Biography
First cousins, Steve and Pat Conroy's families often shared their grandmother's big house in Atlanta. Both wanted to be writers. Pat became a literary lion by the time he was thirty. Steve began writing semi-seriously in the 1980's. Now, for better or for worse, he writes full time.
Steve traveled extensively and explored histories and myths of peoples and places all over the world. He loves all things ancient, mysterious and digs deep into lore and enigmas for his subjects.
Difficult to classify his books, they are always reviewed as unique and fresh storylines with believable characters. Often, he can't help sprinkling a touch of humor in an otherwise serious scene.

His books on Amazon include:

W-G-O-D: In your Dreams, All night, Every Night
The Island Builders
Your Money or Your Mustard
Longclaws
Alien Agenda
Coyote Dreaming
Otherworld
The Game Inventors Handbook
Million Dollar Monster (Short Story)
The Sword of the Stone (Short Story)
Global Warning (Short Story)
New Roads (Short Story)
The Sword of the Flame (Short Story)
One Day Sale (Short Story)

He loves animals, especially birds and loves to sit and watch them at the feeders when his dogs allow it.
He appreciates the magic of life and the interconnection of all things.

He would like to hear from you via steve peek author on facebook or jstephenpeek@gmail.com

Reviews

[Eric Walkingshaw · Rating 3 out of 5]

A good intro to the game industry for those that are unfamiliar with it. Focuses a bit too much on the marketability and business of games for my tastes. I was hoping for something a bit more design oriented.

If you're familiar with modern games and/or regularly visit sites like boardgamegeek.com, you'll probably want to skip or skim some chapters. If you're not, this book will give you a good place to start.

Where this book is most useful is in detailing the process of publishing a game: what to expect from publishers, what not to do, different classes of publishers, etc.