Geting a homebrew game boxed / artwork

[+therealbountybob]

I'm just finishing development on my latest game for the Atari 8-bit "Space Fortress Omega" (on 5.25" disk) and was wondering if anyone can advise on how to turn this into a small run of boxed packages 50-100max? I'm looking for something in the UK. Has anyone here done this? Any thoughts? Costs?

 

e.g. box with printed artwork, disk label/sticker...

 

Also looking for someone to do the artwork!!

 

Thanks

[+Nathan Strum]

I'd suggest checking in with Marc. http://atariage.com/forums/blog/375-marc-oberhaeusers-blog/

[+therealbountybob]

Thanks Nathan, I've sent him a message

[+therealbountybob]

Marc's boxes are nice but I would then have to pay another set of international postage, probably making it too expensive overall - there must be someone in the UK who does nice printed boxes?!! I've contacted several printers and packaging companies but the best seems to be a box with a sticker, which is not what I want

[carlsson]

Are you looking to have the boxes folded and ready, or just as plain sheets for you to fold yourself? I don't know how the printing market is in the UK, but compared with Swedish options I have found that it is much cheaper for me to order postcards or folders from Onlineprinters in Germany, even with fast shipping included. They don't do boxes though, unless you have them print on thick paper and do the folding yourself. Previously I made a prototype floppy disk box that is about 14x14x4 cm, and thus would require two A4 to make up for top and bottom.

 

Then again if you only need up to 200 sheets printed and do all the hard work yourself, including cutting, folding and glueing, you might have local options.

 

I saw that Pond Software has released at least Bear Essentials on physical media, but I can't deduce from the pics how they do the packaging. A fair bit of manual labour might be involved though.

[carlsson]

Ah, Vanja already answered how they do their cases. They use A5 Calendar Cases which are large enough to hold a 5.25" disk and more. Then they print cover inlays, manuals, disk sleeves, disk labels and so on at various regular printing companies (Vistaprint, Easyprint, Dr. Sticker).

https://www.calendar-case.com/proddetail.php?prod=CC-A5-100

 

While this might not be the type of packaging you are looking for, it is an option to cardboard boxes.

[Jinroh]

Not really anything to contribute, but I've tried sourcing box printing for myself as well to no avail.

 

The calendar cases are really neat, for thin media like 5.25" or 3.5" floppies that is a neat solution.

 

I'm gonna have to keep that in mind for future developments.

Edited July 13, 2017 by Jinroh

[carlsson]

3.5" disks fit into regular CD jewel cases, in particular if you break away the center part that holds the CD in place.

 

I've got some Beeb homebrews from Retro Software (not sure if they still exist, their website is having issues) which come on both 5.25" and 3.5" disks in plastic cases that are roughly 14x15 cm. I don't know from where those were sourced, but there seems to be various options to cardboard boxes.

[Jinroh]

Oh good point about the CD Jewel cases. Built in space for your inserts too.

 

Very interesting about Retro Software's cases, hmm...yeah where do some of these people get their packaging from. >_< For someone with a budget that is non-existent to small, it is vexing.

 

Another thing I've contemplated is those universal game cases. In the case of my Carrot Kingdom homebrew IDK if they hold VCS carts well or not. They are as cheap as ~$0.99 a unit and plentiful.

Edited July 13, 2017 by Jinroh

[hizzy]

I'd suggest checking in with Marc. http://atariage.com/forums/blog/375-marc-oberhaeusers-blog/

 

I can co-sign this. Great service, and the postage isn't crazy. Highly recommended!!!