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8/5 WEDNESDAY 6 AUGUST Transfiguration 1969 218th day - 147 days to come


Met with Jim, Phil and Red Simonsen in Madison Square Park. Discussed the idea of forming a company which, basically, would be selling talent. I showed them the TOYS & NOVELTIES Directory with the section on "game and toy consultants" (a new feature, I believe). They feel that we can still try. It costs about $100 to incorporate in New Jersey and Jim can get a brochure made up and then we can send it out and see what happens. We'll meet at Jim's next Thursday for more discussion. Jim found a lot more material from Jared Johnson, including reviews of some of the 3M games. Only a mention on ACQUIRE. I said that Johnson seemed to be covering the same ground that I was. Jim answered that I would be the editor in charge of "Games" and it would be up to me whether to use Johnson's material or not. The name Jim & Red decided on for my column is "Games" and Red prepared an interesting logo.

In evening read the rules of ORIGINS OF WORLD WAR 2.

Rcd. a letter from Chris Wagner in answer to my postcards. He will still be selling the GameScience games mailorder to make up some of his losses with S & T.

Arthur called the editor of STROBE Magazine again. He said that he had spoken to Debbie Smith and she said that POWER was a commercial game (try looking at Macy's). Arthur may try once more to talk to Debbie herself. Arthur read me parts of the article on POWER from the Sept. PACE magazine. Pelham Burn already had two letters of inquiry on it, including the employment director of an air- frame company. I was mentioned in the introduction as an expert on games, and a quote of mine on POWER was given (actually not appropriate to the new version).

At meeting with Phil Orbanes found out about Allstate and royalties. They decided that since Phil was working there un- der salary he shouldn't get royalties for games he made up. Gaberial Frank, the marketing director, under whom Phil works, said that there would be no incentive then. The final com- promise was that Phil would get $10,000 a year and would be given game assignments. If he came up with something satis- factory he would get 2 1/2% royalty. He'll only work from 9 to 5, instead of the 16 hour days he has been working. Jim will be released completely from his contract. If Phil comes up with any games on his own he can show them to Allstate for 5% royalty (I think) but if they don't want them, they will be frozen. If he doesn't want to risk this, he will let Jim market them under his name. Jim showed me a letter he wrote to Tom Shaw about LUFTWAFFE (cont. on 8/5)