Introducing the Game Boy Zero: Handheld Edition
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Eugene provides a summary of his 10+ year journey creating hardware kits and products. Some key points: - He began in 2008 creating small prototype runs of products like the Sparky Jr using microcontrollers. - Over the years he expanded to products like the Gameboy Zero and Moledcule with runs of hundreds of units. - In 2017 he ran a successful Kickstarter campaign for the Gameboy Zero Pocket that raised 275% of its funding goal. - The document outlines lessons learned around hardware design, community management, manufacturing, and distribution challenges he has faced bringing products to market at small scales.
Introducing the Game Boy Zero: Handheld Edition
- 2. StartX
- 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
- 6. Backstory A Short History Of Products
- 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 ~250 Units Sparky Jr. v3 2010 o ATmega32U4 o SMD o Chrome App o USB / Serial o ~500 Units Sparky Jr. v2 2009 o ATmega328 o SMD o Processing App o Serial Enabled o ~250 Units SparkyPlug SparkyCade PSU Bench
- 9. 9 Gameboy Zero 2016 o Pi Zero Release o Button PCB o Gameboy DMG o Sudomod Moledcule 2015 o ATmega 32U4 o WS2812/3 o Base Controller o Button LED o Joystick Plate o Chrome App 3rd Party 2014 o Sparky Jr Clones o Online Retailers Sparky SpecialK Cloud Compiler GBZ Pi HAT
- 10. 10 2017 Gaboze Pocaio (Game Boy Zero Pocket All In On) 2018 o Gameboy MGB o All In One o Drop In o Straight To Market KickStarter 2017 o Low Cost Entry o Focus DYI o 100+ Backers o 275% Funded USB Hub Bub PWM Audio
- 12. 12 What I Know Hardware Software Interface Design Layout Form Factor Hardware 20+ Years Low Level to User Interface Software CI/CD Delivery STRENGTHS
- 13. 13 What I Don’t Supply Chain Manufacturing Distribution K KU UU FoW WEKNESSES
- 14. 14 DIY Makers Hackers Tinkerers Enthusiasts Makers and Hackers Represent the Early Adopter Okay with broken things Target Audience Tinkerers and Enthusiasts Represent the ‘This is cool’ and ‘In my collection’ group Retail Audience OPPORTUNITIES
- 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
- 16. Campaign Sure, let’s kick the crowd funding can
- 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
- 21. 21 November 22th 2017 • 115 Backers • 275% Funded Campaign Ends
- 22. 22 Cool Excited It's Happening Real ROSATH* chart *ROSATH – Realness Of Shit About To Happen
- 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
- 26. Flow 0 – Distribution in 4 Easy Steps
- 27. Design Including The Product Ecosystem 01
- 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
- 29. 29 Competitive Landscape Unique Market Value Identify Gaps Time To Market Price Point
- 30. Development Hardware CI/CD Takes More Duration Than Effort 02
- 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
- 36. Deployment Get Your Product Into The Hands Of Users 03
- 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 !
- 38. 38 Outsourcing Communication Barriers Trust Manufacturing What was my end of the deal What did I need to do with certain accuracy Accountabilities Known Unknown ?
- 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
- 40. 40 Hardware Community Logistics 0 20 40 60 80 100 Design Development Manufacturing Deployment Support Hardware Community Logistics How much effort you will end up spending during the lifecycle of a product A Brief History of Time
- 41. Manufacturing The Pipeline Is Full Of Headaches 1D-10-T
- 42. Manufacturing Check, Check Again, Double Check, Triple Check 1D-10-T You tell me what’s wrong with this picture! OMGWTFBBQ!!!
- 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)
- 44. Results Lessons Learned, Metrics, and What’s Next 04
- 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:
- 46. 46 Lessons Cost centers Timeline Audience Feedback Measure Everything Stand by your convictions Don’t apologize, don’t explain Commit Seriously, costs can be more than $$$ Measure EVERYTHING
- 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
- 48. Up Next
- 49. I GOT NEXTGaboze Pocaio
- 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
- 51. Open Source Everything Credits You: • Makers • Creators • Hackers • Enthusiasts Your Push
- 52. 1UP If you learn anything today, it will be this