Protospiel Rochester 2025

Welcome to Rochester's 2nd Annual Protospiel Convention!

Protospiel Rochester 2025!

What's a Protospiel?

A Protospiel is a convention where tabletop game designers present and demo games which are in some stage of development.

The idea is that players get to test out a game's mechanics and rules, provide feedback to the developer, and help the developer to complete a game that people will want to play.

Who attends?

There are two groups of people who generally attend Protospiel events:

• Game designers who have worked on their game(s) and are looking for new people to provide feedback.
• Game players who want to see what games are coming up, are interested in seeing how games are developed, or may have some ideas of their own but aren't sure where to start.

We are trying to be a little different by providing networking opportunities. See the next section for details.

What are you trying to accomplish?

Games Over Coffee (your host for this event) has two primary goals:

• Offer a supportive and co-operative environment that improves the quality of games in the design phases, and
• Provide a network of "local" people who are interested in working with game designers. This can include:
  • Play Testers for regular play testing sessions,
  • Artists who want to be involved in creating the art for a game,
  • Copy Editors to put the polish on the written parts,
  • Marketing Gurus and Social Media Magicians to spread the word to the largest audience.

After all, we all like when awesome games hit the market! It's even better when we helped the designer reach that objective.

Side note: Anyone who has a badge is welcome to play games as well as doing any networking that their badge allows! Just in case there was any doubt.

How Is a Protospiel Structured?

Each Protospiel has its own style, but they all are intended to provide game designers with an environment to help improve their games.

There are two parts that we think are important: the Game Registry and the Physical Layout. Information below discusses each in turn.

Game Registry

The Game Prototype page is your source for what games are going to be at the protospiel.

• Game Designers: Register your game(s) at the above link. If you are bringing more than one game, please list them individually.

• Play Testers: Use the same link to see what games will be available. Make sure to indicate your interest in playing the game so designers can plan sessions accordingly.

Physical Layout

Most of the space will have a combination of rectangular and round tables available for game play. There will also be some tables setup for artists and professional service providers.

• Designers are welcome to setup at any open table, but we ask that you not monopolize tables. We would like to see everyone's game, and you probably don't want to be talking all weekend long. We use "table-top pool-noodles" to indicate tables that are looking for more players.

• A few tables are setup for the "Artists' Alley" where local (or not so local) artists can have samples of their work. There will be nothing for sale, but it's a great opportunity for designers and artists to connect for future collaboration.

• Similar to the Artists' Alley, we plan to have a few tables for other professionals. The exact layout of this offering is still being decided and may vary right up through the convention.

Schedules

Convention Schedule

This is the general convention schedule for all things Protospiel Rochester. Registration starts an hour before official "Game On!" time so that we can ease into the game. That doesn't mean that you can't setup a little early, but you probably want to wait and ease into the day a little.

Artist and Pro Table Schedule

This is the schedule we'll be following. There's a 1-hour period between blocks, but if you are in the same space both blocks, you can stay during the transition period.

Note: Due to the limits on the table space, we'll have a limited number of Artist and Pro Badges available.

Badges

Protospiel Rochester will have three types of badges that can be bought for a single day or the entire weekend:

Notes Regarding Badge Purchases

• Tabletop.Events fees will be added to all purchases at checkout.
• By purchasing a badge, you are agreeing to the Policies of this convention.

Additional Badge Information

• Day Badges are good for the day printed on the badge. Upgrades from a Day Badge to a Weekend Badge can be accommodated at the event.

• Weekend Badges are good for the entire weekend, from the start of the "Game On!" time until the "Doors Close".

• Upgrading Your Badge is covered in a latter section.

• Designer Badges have no reserves on table space. We will have up to 16 tables setup. This should allow for 12 to 20 games to be going on at any given time (depending on the number of players). A good rule of thumb is, "for every hour you run a game, you play someone else's game for an hour."

• Player Badges allow you to come and go as you please based on the badge type. You are the awesome person we need feedback from and we hope you'll provide plenty! Be aware, if you play a game on Friday, it could be completely different by Sunday. Game designers can often update games in an hour or two. That's why your feedback is so important.

• Artist / Pro Badges come with one (1) or two (2) 4-hour blocks to use a table in the "Artist's Alley" or "Pro Department". That's in addition to you being able to join in the game play!

About those tables!

We will have tables setup and assigned in a section of the game hall.

• If you buy a Day Badge, you get one (1) 4-hour block for a table for that day.
• If you buy a Weekend Badge, you get a total of two (2) 4-hour blocks for a table distributed across any days.

Artists and Professionals We recommend some sort of contact information, e.g. business card, QR code, etc.

• Artists: Samples of your work. A full working size and scaled to "playing card" size prints. If you do box deisgn and layout, make sure you let the game designers know.
• Professionals: Some sort of summary of services. You know your business and what will get you more clients.

Anything else I should know?

Games Are in Development

Games can range from "just the shell of a concept" all the way through "final testing to see if anything was missed". Some designers will be asking about particular aspects of their game while others may just want to get general feedback. If you're not sure what they want, just ask.

Games at all stages of development are welcome.

• If you have something that's vaguely playable, we want you to bring it!
• Is it nearly done and just needs more eyes on it, we want to see it!
• If you just thought of it while here, grab some parts-and-pieces and scribble down some rules, we'll see where it goes!
• But...If it's published and available for sale, please leave it at home.

Badge Upgrades and Purchasing:

Badges can be upgraded (or even purchased anew) throughout the event. This means that if you purchased a 1-Day badge for Friday and decide you want to come for the rest of the weekend...and that your friend would be interested, you can:

• Upgrade your badge from a Friday badge to a Weekend badge.
• Get a Day or Weekend badge for your friend.

Note: Upgrades will only cost the difference between the two badges when processed by our staff. If you purchase another badge through this site, we don't have a way to adjust your payments.

Game Designer Recommendations:

Bring contact information of some sort. If you have a business card, QR Code, or social media links that someone can snap a picture of and start following you, that's ideal.

You should have their own form that is tailored to what feedback you want to know about the most.

Game Player Recommendations:

There should be nothing you need to bring. You don't need to brush up on rules, read up on how to play, or watch any unboxing videos. All you'll need to "worry" about is sitting down and playing games.

Professional Service Providers:

While we tend to differentiate Artists from other Professional Service Providers, that's because without the art, games aren't generally appealing to people.

That being said, Artists are Professionals as well.

Doing work for "exposure" doesn't feed someone or put a roof over their head. Everyone doing professional services (including artists) deserve to be properly compensated.

Budgeting and Expenses:

Unlike most gaming conventions, there is very little cost associated with attending a Protospiel other than the badge and whatever you do for food and lodging. There will be nothing for sale that you can purchase and take home (other than an upgraded badge).

To reiterate: Protospiel Rochester will not have vendors tables selling products. This should make it easy to stay within budget.

In contrast: There are tables for people who are attending for professional networking and explaining their services. However, there will be no products being sold.

Sponsors

One of the requests was for a "snacks and drinks" throughout the day. To facilitate this, we are asking for sponsorship from businesses.

Benefits to being a sponsor:

• All sponsors names and contact information are placed on the snack and drink tables.
• Printouts will be available to all attendees with the list of sponsors and any information you want to provide (space restrictions apply).
• The information will also be available on this site and on our webpage related to the event.
• Badges for a sponsor's representatives are valid for "player" access to the entire event.
• At certain sponsorship levels, you company unlocks access to 4-hour block at the Sponsors Table to promote your company and network with attendees. These tables follow the same schedule as the Artist / Pro tables listed above. Contact us for details.

Vendors

Note: Protospiels, unlike most conventions, are not intended as "selling events". The intent is for game designers to get feedback on their games and network with others in the industry. With that in mind, we don't offer traditional vendor tables where products can be bought or sold.

If you are a creative artist, it may be that you'll fit into the "Artists Alley" for future work, but selling products at the event is prohibited.

Your Host

Protospiel Rochester is organized and hosted by Games Over Coffee, an independent game design company located in Rochester, New York.

Join us on our Discord server.