A'n'SR's 2016 in Review

Each year, A'n'SR -entertainments looks back at the goals we set and grades how we did. So... how was 2016? Let's see. 

Goal 1: Work on a New RPG Twist

Result: Successful! ​We really wanted to make a co-operative story game something like a Choose-your-own-adventure book. That didn't happen. What did happen was we got a whole new RPG game system that we can use to make just about any game we want. It is called Details and Dots, and there will be more about this in 2017. We even launched our first game using the new rules before the end of the year: ConEx: Controlled Experiments RPG.

Goal 2: Get Our Games on More Sites

Result: Deferred. The bulk of our games are card games or PDF books. We wanted to get them on a few more websites to try and spread the word. What we ended up doing was concentrating on development and experimentation more than not. As we move forward in building a new line of RPGs in 2017, they will be released on multiple sites at the same time to increase possible sales. So, for the most prt, this has been deferred to 2017.

Goal 3: Try a Bit of Marketing

Result: Deferred. We were going to try to do more marketing in 2016. We did not. In fact, we pretty much shelved this until we had something new to promote. What we did do, though, was plan for product lines that would increase products to be picked up. Product support is a crucial plan, and that much is ready.

Goal 4: Redo DiColumns (Optional)

Result: Not Successful. We really wanted to make DiColumns over again. It is on the list every year. We did a little bit of work toward this, but then the RPG testing and other things took over. Maybe next year. No... really.

Extra - Drop Racers! 

As with all years, our goals were not the only thing we worked on. In fact, this year, we had a really cool project that took some time. Our son, Henry (age 6.5 at the time) decided he wanted to make a game: Drop Racers. We helped him get it contest ready, and he then entered it into the Mayday Games Design Contest at Geekway to the West. He got all the way to the finals. We are very proud of him, and he even agreed to let us release it as a game from A'n'SR. He enjoyed the process, and we cannot wait to see what else he can do. And, yes, all proceeds from the game go into his piggy bank.

Extra - Other Prototypes

Thanks to getting Drop Racers ready, we were spurred to make some other board, dice, and card games. Add in a dare to make a small war game that won't make people flip the table, and some other things, and you have a bunch of prototypes we are working on. In all honesty, we'll probably save some of these ideas in near-ready status for a contest. But we want these games out there, and are looking forward to getting them done in either 2017 or 2018. And that is the real goal: get them done. Too many games are left undone on many designer's shelves. We want to get these to a completed state and release them.

...In Summary

So, how was 2016 for A'n'SR? It went really well. This was the year for experimentation. From those experiments we have some new games, a new RPG line, and more. And that is the mark of successful time in the lab. Be on the lookout for the 2017 plans coming soon.