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Title
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1972_Sackson_288_September 24.jpg
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Creator
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Sid Sackson
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Date
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1972
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Type
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image
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Format
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.jpg
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Source
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Box 1, Object 10, Sid Sackson collection
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Language
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English
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Coverage
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1972
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Rights
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The Strong, Rochester, New York.
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transcription
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English
9/23 9/10
9/21 9/9
9/20 7/30
9/16
9/13
24 SUNDAY - SEPTEMBER 1972
SEVENTEENTH SUNDAY AFTER TRINITY - 268TH DAY - 98 DAYS TO COME
Phil Orbanes called. He spoke to Carl Eisenberg. Of the games
we submitted they liked only SOLITAIRE DICE (I'll have to
check on the legal ramifications), SPACE STATIONS (but with a dif-
ferent name), and GREAT WALL OF CHINA. Most of the others
they said were too complicated - except that they said that
WILDCAT was too childish. (??) They want games that can be
explained to buyers in a minute.
Phil has an idea that Carl likes which he calls PLOT
(told him of Cadaco's game PLOT). There is an array of 5x5
circles. Between each pair is a number, ranging from 2 to
10. Players in turn place markers in the circles. When
they enclose the two ends of a number they score the points.
To get different starting conditions a spinner is used, speci-
fying a corner, and edge, or an interior. (Fairly complete.)
Another idea that Carl liked was a variation of GO-MOKU.
Phil puts it on a 15x15 board. Win by forming 1 line of 5,
4 lines of 4, or 8 lines of 3. (The relative numbers may have
to be changed.)In a 3-hand variation he talked about an
optional win by surrounding but I didn't get the details.
He has a word GAME idea which Carl likes, but it still has
to be worked out. There are 5 - 5x5 fields. There is one common
alphabet written down and each player has a personal stock
of letters. Players form words, using one layout, then the next.
Use as many letters as possible from the common alphabet
and use them from personal alphabet when desired.
Carl told Phil that they want a 2nd series of 6 games to be
sold thru discount stores. They can be knock-offs of the original
6 as long as the name is different. They are figuring on
sales of 500,000 each for these, against 100,000 each for the first
series in stationery stores, etc.
The 6 games I did for Hallowell have been released by him.
(I brought up Fred Feucht and Phil said as long as his artwork
isn't used, he has no claim.) Of the 6, 5 should be quite ap-
propriate for Hoi Polloi:- XANDO, CONNECTIONS (which Phil
thought might be better purely abstract instead of cities in the
U.S.), AIR SUPREMACY BATTLE, HEXOWORD, and WILDCAT (if they'll give
it a try). FENCES is too complicated for them.
Among other ideas, since Carl doesn't care if the games are
original or not, are HEX and my idea for a series of variations
of BOXES using different shaped boxes - having about four
or possibly six on each sheet.
Phil will have a meeting with Carl on Wednesday to discuss
the contract. Carl has always treated Phil fairly in connection
with AQUARIUS 2000. Phil mentioned (and I think it came from
Carl) that if we didn't supply the games for Hoi Polloi, Giani
Scott could steal a dozen in a day for them.
For Post cereal box Phil had the following ideas:-
GOLD DIGGERS- small cards with all the possible arrangements
of 4 colors arranged one at a time are placed face down in a
6x4 array. Players each choose a color and then turn up a card
(cont. on 9/23)
