501:). The note was guaranteed by SPI's assets. SPI used the cash to pay their venture capitalists, and were broke but happy. However, less than two weeks later, TSR called in the note. SPI, with no cash available and no options to get the cash, were forced to give over their inventory stock to TSR in early 1982, and were effectively out of business. TSR originally claimed they acquired SPI, but as that would mean they also would be responsible for their debts, quickly changed that statement. Thus, SPI's assets—but not its debts and liabilities—were acquired by TSR in 1983. TSR refused to honor SPI subscriptions and used the "assets, not liabilities" agreement to ignore SPI's debts. This policy alienated many of TSR's potential customers.
306:. In 1973, they introduced a flat plastic box that was molded to be a counter storage tray with a clear cover. The actual cover of the game was a printed sheet that backed the clear plastic. This allowed SPI to produce the boxes in bulk, as they were identical for each game, the printed sheet provided the cover and could be printed with all the other components of the game. This system became the hallmark of SPI games, and was later emulated by
286:
In 1974, SPI started to ship some of their wargames games to J.D. Bardsley in the UK, who acted as a sales representative using the name SP/UK. Bardsley sold the games either via mail order or face to face at games conventions. Sales increased rapidly, and by March 1976, SP/UK had sold 25,000 units.
487:
SPI had shopped for venture capital providers to take advantage of the perceived expansion of the gaming market in the late 1970s. When the expansion did not deliver the expected higher profits, only higher sales, the money needed to be returned. First efforts led to discussions with Avalon Hill to
301:
Like many new wargame companies in the early '70s, early SPI games left a lot to be desired physically. A typical early game came in an envelope with only a one-color map and one large folded sheet for the rules. However, SPI quickly set about improving the physical quality of the components with
488:
merge with or acquire SPI, but that did not materialize, partially due to the increasing losses in cash for SPI thanks to the increases in costs from inflation and the decreases in revenue. AH did purchase five of SPI's titles, which helped with operational costs. However, more money was needed.
359:
down to the level of individual fighter pilot ratings and supply trucks. At the other end of the spectrum, SPI created a new series of smaller games called 'folio' games, often created in groups of four and sold both individually and together as a "Quadrigame". Each of the four component games
555:
TSR soon learned that one reason for SPI's demise was the collapse of the wargame market in the early 1980s. As a result, rather than becoming a major player in the wargame market, TSR published fewer and fewer wargames. Eventually TSR discontinued all the SPI magazines except for
262:, an "easy to play" pocket-sized game with a foldout map and 78 pieces punched from card stock. This advertising campaign led to a much larger subscriber base and SPI came to be seen as a serious competitor to Avalon Hill, the company that had founded the board wargaming hobby.
320:
Although starting with small to medium size wargames, SPI found an insatiable market, with subscribers clamoring for an ever-wider range of wargames, including historical simulations that were daunting in their scope and complexity, such as
360:
included two rules booklets, one with rules common to all four games, and the other with rules exclusive to the individual game; the component games would each cover a different battle from the same war, era, or genre.
162:, in the 1970s and early 1980s. It produced an enormous number of games and introduced innovative practices, changing the course of the wargaming hobby in its bid to take control of the hobby away from then-dominant
509:
In an effort to make money from the SPI intellectual properties that they now owned, TSR released several titles that were ready for publication but had been stranded by a lack of money for printing, such as
170:
called in a loan secured by SPI's assets. TSR began selling SPI's inventory in 1982, but later acquired the company's trademarks and copyrights in 1983 and continued a form of the operation until 1987.
548:. But TSR halted all current SPI game development, and most SPI game designers resigned and moved to rival company Avalon Hill, lured by the formation of a subsidiary specifically for them called
227:
for Avalon Hill, Dunnigan struck out on his own after concluding there must be a "more effective way to publish games." He quickly gathered a staff of like-minded designers, including Al Nofi and
237:, which had been in financial trouble, from its founder Christopher Wagner. Dunnigan founded Simulations Publications in 1969 with Redmond Simenson as co-founder to keep
386:
1095:
1075:
287:
To handle the increased sales, SPI formed a formal
British subsidiary, Simpubs Ltd. in June 1976. Simpubs immediately created the bi-monthly periodical
1085:
317:
as to which games they would be interested in seeing (and buying). This market research gave SPI a greater likelihood of developing successful games.
1105:
1090:
608:
252:
In SPI's first two or three years, it embarked upon an expensive advertising campaign, including — but not limited to — full page advertisements in
363:
The scale of the games ranged from the strategic to the operational and down to the tactical level. Three of the more popular games were tactical:
1110:
1080:
538:
432:, included a new science fiction or fantasy game in each issue. At this time, the company also attempted to tap into the growing popularity of
1070:
526:
484:
in 1980. The game proved to be an infamous failure, and
Simonsen later remarked that the 80,000 copies printed were 79,999 too many.
1100:
725:
195:
in Korea. Upon his return to civilian life in 1964, Dunnigan began to contribute articles to Avalon Hill's house publication
384:
SPI started out publishing games on historical subjects, but soon started producing games that were more hypothetical (e.g.
215:. Thomas Shaw, at the time in charge of Avalon Hill, asked Dunnigan to design and submit his own wargame. The result was
788:
310:, whose early games utilized a smaller storage tray, with the cover of the rules booklet doubling as the cover sheet.
245:
publisher rather than a magazine publisher; not only did it start to publish a variety of wargames, but each issue of
1011:
983:
953:
928:
900:
875:
850:
772:
701:
686:
600:
283:
that talked about current and future SPI games, including a fair amount of information on SPI's game design process.
392:
616:
530:. TSR also reboxed and republished several popular SPI titles from the mid-1970s under the TSR logo, including
456:
347:
491:
SPI negotiated a promissory note loan (at the time mentioned as $ 225,000 but here listed as $ 400,000 from
273:', under SPI it became more of a military history magazine that included a wargame. So in 1972, SPI started
624:
444:
289:
663:
549:
341:
1115:
632:
544:
474:
412:
658:
406:
335:
329:
583:
211:, Dunnigan criticized what he saw as a lack of historical accuracy in Avalon Hill's 1965 release,
480:
154:
468:
In an attempt to expand its customer base, SPI entered into a much-publicized arrangement with
356:
197:
497:
450:
418:
233:
203:
158:
116:
460:
respectively; the term "Adventure Gaming" also replaced "Wargaming" in company advertising.
729:
365:
217:
249:
included a complete wargame, comprising a map, rule book and a sheet of die-cut counters.
8:
832:
512:
469:
303:
254:
228:
104:
763:
Lowood, Henry (2016). "War
Engines". In Harrigan, Pat; Kirschenbaum, Matthew G. (eds.).
574:, a California company founded in 1988, now has the rights to most of the SPI backlist.
307:
768:
733:
697:
682:
653:
433:
275:
424:
401:
323:
122:
1055:
1043:
677:
571:
532:
377:
1015:
987:
957:
932:
904:
879:
854:
1064:
678:
Wargame Design: The
History, Production, and Use of Conflict Simulation Games
258:
magazine. New subscribers received free copies of its most successful game,
565:
517:
184:
100:
836:
640:
438:
355:
was an ultra-detailed and virtually unplayable game, covering the entire
351:, each with several maps, thousands of counters and multiple rule books.
280:
223:
188:
163:
127:
614:
Charles S. Roberts Award: Best
Fantasy or Science Fiction Game of 1979:
90:
44 East 23rd Street, New York City; later moved to 257 Park Avenue South
805:
147:
1049:
492:
371:
221:, published by Avalon Hill in 1967. Two years later, after designing
192:
167:
150:
131:
80:
806:"SPI Games Printed in the UK: SPI UK - SPI Games printed in England"
592:
Charles S. Roberts Award, All Time Best
Fantasy Board Game of 1977:
241:
in publication. However, SPI quickly proved that it was primarily a
630:
Charles S. Roberts Award, Best Pre-20th
Century Boardgame of 1980:
397:
270:
1039:
1014:. Academy of Adventure Gaming Arts & Design. Archived from
986:. Academy of Adventure Gaming Arts & Design. Archived from
956:. Academy of Adventure Gaming Arts & Design. Archived from
931:. Academy of Adventure Gaming Arts & Design. Archived from
903:. Academy of Adventure Gaming Arts & Design. Archived from
878:. Academy of Adventure Gaming Arts & Design. Archived from
853:. Academy of Adventure Gaming Arts & Design. Archived from
789:"Simulations Publications Inc: The TSR Incursion – Black Gate"
302:
better printing and boxes under the guidance of Art
Director
586:, Best Professional Magazine of 1974, 1975, 1976, and 1977:
606:
Charles S. Roberts Award, Best 20th
Century Game of 1979:
598:
Charles S. Roberts Award, Best 20th
Century Game of 1978:
313:
SPI used a unique feedback system, polling the readers of
463:
638:H. G. Wells Award: Best Roleplaying Rules of 1980:
622:H. G. Wells Award, Best Roleplaying Rules of 1979:
72:
Loan foreclosure by TSR resulting in assets seizure
694:War in the East: The Russo-German Conflict 1941–45
107:(art director), Howie Barasch (marketing manager)
1062:
539:Blue & Gray: Four American Civil War Battles
296:
831:
381:, all of which were later reprinted by TSR.
1096:Publishing companies disestablished in 1982
765:Zones of Control: Perspectives on Wargaming
527:A Gleam of Bayonets: The Battle of Antietam
422:game), eventually starting a new magazine,
1076:1982 disestablishments in New York (state)
1006:
1004:
978:
976:
974:
827:
825:
800:
798:
478:role-playing game based on the soap opera
1086:American companies disestablished in 1982
923:
921:
720:
718:
179:
166:. SPI ran out of cash in early 1982 when
1106:Defunct companies based in New York City
1091:Publishing companies established in 1969
153:and related magazines, particularly its
1001:
971:
822:
795:
522:Great Battles of the American Civil War
293:with J.D. Bardsley as managing editor.
1111:Role-playing game publishing companies
1081:American companies established in 1969
1063:
1046:(lists games, magazine contents, etc.)
918:
762:
715:
758:
756:
754:
752:
750:
1071:1969 establishments in New York City
396:), and a little later, also tackled
464:Demise and asset acquisition by TSR
201:and independent wargaming magazine
13:
747:
560:. In 1987, TSR sold the rights to
14:
1127:
1033:
207:. In one of his contributions to
1101:Board game publishing companies
946:
669:
617:The Creature That Ate Sheboygan
146:) was an American publisher of
1012:"Origins Award Winners (1980)"
984:"Origins Award Winners (1979)"
954:"Origins Award Winners (1978)"
929:"Origins Award Winners (1977)"
901:"Origins Award Winners (1976)"
893:
876:"Origins Award Winners (1975)"
868:
851:"Origins Award Winners (1974)"
843:
781:
520:'s latest contribution to the
191:wargames while serving in the
140:Simulations Publications, Inc.
20:Simulations Publications, Inc.
1:
708:
297:Commercial success and growth
504:
269:had started as a wargaming '
16:American boardgame publisher
7:
647:
56:; 42 years ago
38:; 55 years ago
10:
1132:
633:Empires of the Middle Ages
601:To the Green Fields Beyond
174:
767:. MIT Press. p. 90.
659:Operational Studies Group
577:
407:Starforce: Alpha Centauri
353:Campaign for North Africa
348:Campaign for North Africa
111:
94:
86:
76:
68:
50:
32:
24:
584:Charles S. Roberts Award
545:Napoleon's Last Battles
187:had been introduced to
588:Strategy & Tactics
558:Strategy & Tactics
498:Dungeons & Dragons
451:Dungeons & Dragons
357:North African campaign
247:Strategy & Tactics
239:Strategy & Tactics
234:Strategy & Tactics
204:Strategy & Tactics
180:Origin and early years
159:Strategy & Tactics
117:Strategy & Tactics
730:Wizards of the Coast
726:"The History of TSR"
342:Terrible Swift Sword
260:Napoleon At Waterloo
231:. Dunnigan acquired
1051:A Farewell to Hexes
513:Battle Over Britain
495:(the publishers of
470:Lorimar Productions
304:Redmond A. Simonsen
255:Scientific American
229:Redmond A. Simonsen
213:Battle of the Bulge
105:Redmond A. Simonsen
21:
837:"Why Did SPI Die?"
791:. 4 December 2017.
434:role-playing games
404:subjects, such as
330:War in the Pacific
308:Simulations Canada
19:
1116:Wargame companies
833:Simonsen, Redmond
654:List of SPI games
419:Lord of the Rings
393:Invasion: America
137:
136:
101:James F. Dunnigan
1123:
1027:
1026:
1024:
1023:
1008:
999:
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968:
966:
965:
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819:
817:
816:
802:
793:
792:
785:
779:
778:
760:
745:
744:
742:
741:
732:. Archived from
722:
64:
62:
57:
46:
44:
39:
22:
18:
1131:
1130:
1126:
1125:
1124:
1122:
1121:
1120:
1061:
1060:
1036:
1031:
1030:
1021:
1019:
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1002:
993:
991:
982:
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938:
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823:
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787:
786:
782:
775:
761:
748:
739:
737:
724:
723:
716:
711:
672:
650:
594:War of the Ring
580:
507:
472:to produce the
466:
448:, responses to
413:War of the Ring
402:science fiction
324:War in the East
299:
182:
177:
97:
60:
58:
55:
42:
40:
37:
17:
12:
11:
5:
1129:
1119:
1118:
1113:
1108:
1103:
1098:
1093:
1088:
1083:
1078:
1073:
1059:
1058:
1056:Greg Costikyan
1047:
1044:Greg Costikyan
1040:SPI Compendium
1035:
1034:External links
1032:
1029:
1028:
1000:
970:
945:
917:
892:
867:
842:
821:
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773:
746:
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649:
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628:
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579:
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572:Decision Games
506:
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465:
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181:
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52:
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34:
30:
29:
26:
15:
9:
6:
4:
3:
2:
1128:
1117:
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1069:
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1057:
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1048:
1045:
1041:
1038:
1037:
1018:on 2007-08-30
1017:
1013:
1007:
1005:
990:on 2007-08-30
989:
985:
979:
977:
975:
960:on 2007-08-30
959:
955:
949:
935:on 2007-08-30
934:
930:
924:
922:
907:on 2007-08-30
906:
902:
896:
882:on 2007-08-30
881:
877:
871:
857:on 2007-08-30
856:
852:
846:
838:
834:
828:
826:
811:
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801:
799:
790:
784:
776:
774:9780262033992
770:
766:
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753:
751:
736:on 2008-09-24
735:
731:
727:
721:
719:
714:
703:
702:0-917852-00-1
699:
695:
691:
688:
687:0-917852-01-X
684:
680:
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674:
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665:
664:Victory Games
662:
660:
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652:
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550:Victory Games
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387:World War III
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79:
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67:
53:
49:
35:
31:
27:
23:
1050:
1020:. Retrieved
1016:the original
992:. Retrieved
988:the original
962:. Retrieved
958:the original
948:
937:. Retrieved
933:the original
909:. Retrieved
905:the original
895:
884:. Retrieved
880:the original
870:
859:. Retrieved
855:the original
845:
813:. Retrieved
810:spigames.net
809:
783:
764:
738:. Retrieved
734:the original
693:
676:
670:Bibliography
639:
631:
623:
615:
607:
599:
593:
587:
570:
561:
557:
554:
543:
537:
531:
525:
521:
518:Richard Berg
511:
508:
496:
490:
486:
479:
473:
467:
455:
449:
443:
437:
429:
428:which, like
423:
417:
411:
405:
391:
385:
383:
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370:
364:
362:
352:
346:
340:
336:The Next War
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222:
216:
212:
208:
202:
196:
185:Jim Dunnigan
183:
157:
143:
139:
138:
121:
115:
87:Headquarters
641:DragonQuest
439:DragonQuest
281:house organ
209:The General
198:The General
189:Avalon Hill
164:Avalon Hill
128:board games
103:(founder),
1065:Categories
1022:2007-09-14
994:2007-09-14
964:2007-09-14
939:2007-09-14
911:2007-09-14
886:2007-09-14
861:2007-09-14
815:2021-11-27
740:2005-08-20
709:References
609:City-Fight
126:magazine,
120:magazine,
96:Key people
505:Aftermath
457:Traveller
372:FireFight
193:U.S. Army
77:Successor
648:See also
625:Commando
524:series,
445:Universe
155:flagship
151:wargames
132:wargames
112:Products
25:Industry
562:S&T
533:Air War
436:, with
430:S&T
398:fantasy
378:Air War
366:Sniper!
315:S&T
290:Phoenix
271:fanzine
267:S&T
218:Jutland
175:History
59: (
51:Defunct
41: (
33:Founded
771:
700:
692:1977:
685:
675:1977:
578:Awards
542:, and
481:Dallas
475:Dallas
265:While
28:Gaming
279:as a
276:Moves
148:board
769:ISBN
698:ISBN
683:ISBN
516:and
454:and
442:and
425:Ares
410:and
400:and
375:and
345:and
243:game
224:1914
123:Ares
69:Fate
61:1982
54:1982
43:1969
36:1969
1054:by
1042:by
564:to
493:TSR
416:(a
168:TSR
144:SPI
81:TSR
1067::
1003:^
973:^
920:^
835:.
824:^
808:.
797:^
749:^
728:.
717:^
568:.
566:3W
552:.
536:,
390:,
369:,
339:,
333:,
327:,
130:,
1025:.
997:.
967:.
942:.
914:.
889:.
864:.
839:.
818:.
777:.
743:.
704:)
696:(
689:)
681:(
142:(
63:)
45:)
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