FITC - Introducing the Game Boy Zero: Handheld Edition
- 4. 4
HI! My Name Is Eugene.
“As a maker, I continue to create kits. Finished
products? That’s your job!”
On that internet thing… …32teeth!
- 5. 5
All touch point experience
CX Developer
Yep, that too
API
Transportation of everything
Middle
Urm, yeah, whatever
Toolkits
Obligatory What I Do Slide
- 7. 7
A Few Milestones Of 10+ Years Journey
Prototype To Market
Distribution
Sparky Jr.
2008
o Atmega328
o PTH
o Made To Order
o ~250 Units
- 8. 8
SparkWii
2012
o ATmega8
o SMD
o Wii Extension
o ~250Units
SparkyJr. v3
2010
o ATmega32U4
o SMD
o ChromeApp
o USB/ Serial
o ~500Units
SparkyJr. v2
2009
o ATmega328
o SMD
o Processing App
o Serial Enabled
o ~250Units
SparkyPlug SparkyCade PSUBench
- 9. 9
Gameboy Zero
2016
o Pi ZeroRelease
o ButtonPCB
o GameboyDMG
o Sudomod
Moledcule
2015
o ATmega32U4
o WS2812/3
o BaseController
o ButtonLED
o Joystick Plate
o ChromeApp
3rd Party
2014
o SparkyJrClones
o Online Retailers
Sparky SpecialK Cloud Compiler GBZPiHAT
- 10. 10
2017
Gaboze Pocaio
(GameBoy ZeroPocket All InOn)
2018
o GameboyMGB
o All InOne
o Drop In
o StraightTo Market
KickStarter
2017
o Low CostEntry
o Focus DYI
o 100+Backers
o 275%Funded
USB Hub Bub PWM Audio
- 15. 15
Attack Of
The Clones
It Happened Sparky Jr.
It’s not if, it’s when
Stay ahead
Manufacturing
Distribution
It’s BIG dollars you will drop on your first
production run
Manufacturing
Packaging & Shipping killed me…
Distribution
THREATS
- 17. 17
you’re
asking
people to
part with
their $$$
Success was planned!
Low cost barrier
Schedule for updates was created
Plan the Campaign
Be truthful
Integrity
Managing Expectations
People ask questions.
Answer them.
Staying Connected
- 18. 18
October 8th 2017
• KickStarted Campaign Launched
Launch
October 10th 2017
• 50% Funded in less than 48 hours
Fifty Percent
KickStarter Timeline
- 19. 19
October 10th 2017
• Legal Issue
• Name Changed
• Silks Changed
• Preventative Measures
Legal Eagles
October 12th 2017
• 100% Funded
• 6 days in!
GOOOOAAAALLLL!!!!!
November 9th 2017
• Built to Last Reward Flagged
• Built to Last Reward Removed
Broken Rules
- 20. 20
November 14th 2017
• 200% Funded
• New Reward Announced
2x Gold
November 14th 2017
• 200% Exceeded
• Free USB Sound Card for ALL Backers
Did you say FREE stuff
- 23. 23
November 2017
• Holiday Express
RFP To Manufacturer
December 2017
• Dual PCB
• Sandwich
Redesign New PCB
December 2017
• Ship Holiday Express
• Order Place for remaining rewards
The Big Booya
- 24. 24
January / February 2018
• Ship Bronze Reward
• Ship Silver Reward
• Order Stuff for Gold Rewards
Big Ship
March 2018
• Ship Gold Reward
• Ship Platinum Reward
BIG Big Ship
- 25. 25
April 2018
• Ship 2x Gold Reward
• Take a well deserved rest…
…not really
Today, Tomorrow, To-Do
- 28. 28
Business Model Canvas
From Key Activities and Resources to Customer
Segments and Revenue Streams
Start with a Business Model Canvas.
Focus in on the Value Proposition Map and Customer
Profile, this will become your north star
- 31. 31
GO
Read Whitepapers
Select your components
Design your schematics
Schematics
Measure, Measure, Measure
Move your component
Optimize Placement
Board Layout
DAMMIT!
Go back to Schematics
Iterate
Output Gerber Job
Select a PCB Manufacturer
Place the short run order
Prototype
Order needed components
Solder up by hand
Plug it in
Build & Test
- 32. 32
DO YOUR RESEARCH
Talk to people
Local is VERY expensive
Quotes
Exit clause
Right of refusal
Verification
Signed Agreement
Short runs are expensive per unit
Prices drop 250-500 unit range
Prepare for thousands!
NO OR NEVER!
The BIG $$$
4-6 Week lead time is LONG
DO NOT
• Redesign
• Iterate
• Think about things
Stay the course
WAIT
- 33. 33
Market Connect
During the LONG WAIT.
• Keep the conversation going!
• Answer Questions
• Build a Brand
• Stand by Convictions
• Feed the machine!
- 34. When managing a community,
You will get out half what you put in.
• Maintain positive attitude
• Stave off criticism
• Keep the audience informed
• Encourage them
• Spread out as a contributor as well
Community
- 35. 35
With mounting timeline pressures, delivery timelines,
for the official PCB color, the votes where cast by the
KickStarter Backer
Black won by a mile
White was second
Blue was third
Henry for once said
“any color so long as it is black"
One, Two…
Beta Holiday Express Official
- 37. 37
Designing and Layout out of the components
Hardware
GPIO for Joystick and Buttons
PWM Audio
ISO Distribution
Software
Active member of multiple communities
Target Audience
Community
Speak to and answer
Satisfy Inquiries
Socialization
Known
- 39. 39
It’s not if ’Shit Happens’, it was ‘Shit Happened’
Let me tell you the truth! Just NOT yet!
Shit Happens. Be Relentless
OMG My Life Is Official Over Moment
How do I pack relatively fragile kits?
Small Business Subscription with Canada Post
Eating some cost
Packaging & Shipping
Not a bad thing, they just don’t.
Keep positive
It’s draining, I love it
People Don’t Read
Speak to and answer
Satisfy Inquiries
Socialization
Unknown Unknown
But I Discovered Quickly
- 43. De-soldering is FUN right?
• Manual (Braid, Flux and Pump)
• Hakko FR-300
• 250+ Boards de-soldered in 1 day
(That’s 1500+ pins)
• 250+ re-solder…. …2 days
D-Day(De-solder Day)
- 45. 45
Advise
Never Stop Learning
You will fail at some point, this is an opportunity
• Be honest with Yourself and Your Audience
• Nothing will ever be perfect… …Chase it! Hard!
Integrity and Humility
It takes heat and pressure to make both coal and diamonds.
Your will encounter and experience both.
Diamonds are made:
- 47. 47
Born and Raised in Canada, Distributed World Wide
Metrics
• 100% Funded in 5 days
• 275% Funded at end
• 115 backers
•
KickStarter
• Invited / Joined Tindie Maker Market
• 10K + Shop Views
• 50+ Orders Shipped
• $7.5K+ Sales
Global Platform
6IX
- 50. Hardware
• Sparky Jr.
• ATmega328
• ATmega32U4
• SparkPlug (Serial Anything)
• SparkWii
• Remora
• Moledcule
• Master
• Satelite
• Plate
• PSU Breakout
• Game Boy Zero
• Handheld
• Pocket
Software
• Sparky Configurator
• Moledcule Ecosystem
• iOS Gamepad Overlay
Commons Contribution
• PS3 32U4
• Wii/U Controller Extension
• TFT LCD Library
• Pi Zero Library
• Button Library
• GBZ Working Group
Open Source Everything
Credits
Editor's Notes
- intro is next
- i, am a maker
i create things
skills is next
- backstory next
- sparky first
- focus on success and iteration
- moledcule was a replatform
ease of use
solving a defined problem space
- side launch