by BabyAngelSalutations Reader.
My first step towards getting ‘things’ back-on-the-rails again after ‘closing the covid dairies’ was setting up an appointment with Unicool-Games. Team-Dragon will be at Spiel-Essen 2025, and for me, it will be like ‘getting-back-on-the-horse’ I fell off five years ago. The plan is to drop off the Prototype-Packs below and discuss future production plans with emphasis on launching Arcade-Chess first.
Contemplating if I should go alone or take someone with, I asked my Big-Brother to tag along to the Essen-Game-Fair. Even though I carry the workload of StarArena for 99% by myself, Arcade-Chess would never have gotten out the gates without his help. If this venture ever turns out fruitful, I figure it be cool that we shared this milestone-moment of the handover.
So, there you go! Check out the contents below… for the Spiel-Essen 2025 show.
| GAME-GEAR | PRE-PRODUCTION PROTOTYPES |
|---|---|
 | BOX_6: ARCADE-ADVENTURES + ARCADEAN-RANKS_SCROLL ] Originally created as a Color-Proof, this Scroll-Map serves as a reminder that we at StarArena® are comfortable with thinking Outside-The-Box! |
 | BOX_5: MEGA-TOY + MODEM_3.0 ] The reason the creator of StarArena® got into making games in the first place; Making His Own Toy-Line Of Goodies_And_Baddies! *Includes: Bonus-Gift. |
 | BOX_4: WAR-BATONS + 64 GAME-COINS ] A Mnemonic Tool for Mini~Moves and Storage Device for Coins. |
 | BOX_3: ARCADE-CHESS ] This product we want to Launch-First on Gamefound, for it introduces Arcadean ‘Battle-Classes’ (Minis) to the Gaming Public and How-To-Play them. It forms the Base for all later StarArena_Game-Expansions and Story-Lines. |
 | BOX_2: STAGING-AREAS + 8X MODEM_2.0 ] Previously unpublished and under wraps, this Game-Expansion introduces Game-Cards by linking them to Minis and enables Special-Moves during a Grand-Battle-Royal! |
 | BOX_1: STAR-ARENA_TOURNAMENT ] Created first many years ago, but to be published last, for in this Cosmic-Tournament everything comes together with a Galactic-Bang! (Still Many~Many Cards To Draw!) |
CHOOSING THE ‘OPTIMAL’ GAME-COIN SIZE?
Another reason for stacking-the-boxes is to give an impression of planned-publications and to show that: Coin, is a Grand Theme! I have trouble accepting design changes for vague production reasons or comments like; This is the industry-standard, everybody does it. Anything less than; The Factory Will Explode When We Do It Your Way? Is simply not enough reason to change the Design and consequently create more work towards Graphics, forcing Game-Card redesigns!
From where I stand, it seems to be an issue of volume? We are not playing Poker, so the minimal millimeter rule is irrelevant to me, especially when it intrudes on esthetics! Just like in typography, I prefer my objects to be BOLD and not REGULAR or THIN by design or use. I urge you to test-play Arcade-Chess with both versions of Game-Coins and tell me which have a better game-play value. Since I wish the Ultimate-Design to remain unchanged and have Consistent-Compatibility among all avenues of the Production-Line; Now and Forevermore!
Without any ambiguity: Please do not change or alter any measurements or models for your convenience without my explicit consent.
To Be Continued after we return from the Spiel-Essen 2025 convention.
23 October SPIEL-ESSEN 2025
The day started at 05:00 and we were on the road through stormy-weather before 06:00 heading towards the trade show. When we were finally inside after countless queues, we started wading through the masses and were spot-on for our noon-appointment. Took some pictures with the available Dragons, and went on our way, looking for the exit for a few hours.
In short; It was a 16 hour work-day for a 10 minute Drop-Off!
…but at least I got to introduce my Brother to a new Dancing-Partner?
Further giggles set aside, the Game-Gear is now with the Dragons and I guess they opened it in the hotel-room? Or maybe they can perfectly contain their curiosity and keep the boxes closed until they get back home in china? Either way, we both knew that conventions are about making contacts and work-conversations are best done from The-Factory and War-Room.
For now we can speak of: Mission-Accomplished! From this Milestone-Moment we can go either of two ways; Stay in Print_And_Play (Hobby) or move forward into Mass–Production (Pro).
Whichever road is taken, I still have many Game-Cards to draw, starting at my one-year anniversary of surgery next week.
Unfortunately, my Web-Shops are not a source of income and I will reluctantly take on Carpentry to finance future Pre-Production-Copies. Further delaying production of Comics & Cards…
Nonetheless, I have to wait till UniCoolGames contacts me before deciding if I will continue Spending-Crazy-Coin or Cut-My-Losses there-and-then.
Stay-Tooned!
