Tuesday, March 31, 2009
The greatest book a writer can own…
Monday, March 30, 2009
Stealing back from Steven, whom he stole back from me, which I stole from Wolfgang and Steven...and now Monte Cook.
OK, the title says it all on this one, so if you can't understand it here is the short version to get you caught up:
- Wolfgang Baur came up with the idea of doing patron projects for his RPG Business.
- Steven took the patron project idea, modified it and applied it to his products for his RPG Business and product Lands of the Jade Oath.
- I took Steven's modified patron project idea and modified it again to create my own patron project for Obsidian Twilight.
- Then Steven took back my modified modification of the patron project and started using it for his upcoming Pathfinder Compatibility License patronage project.
But now, I am modifying the modified modification of the patron project (Thanks to Monte Cook) and now we have...
The Ultimate Modification of the Patron Project Stolen (I mean Liberated) idea! Here it is:
You do the patron project (like Wolfgang and Steven) but you base it on a multi-payment system (like LPJ Design) but you put it online at a subscription based website (like Monte) so people can look at you developing the product from the ground up. And since this is a business blog, I have to show where and why that is a good idea to do business wise, so here goes:
Instead of charging a one-time $50 for a person to get behind the scenes and see what is going on and get access to the patron project, you charge the person on a low subscription fee (like $4-10 per month) and give them all kinds of new stuff each week or twice a week, (Every day can be a bit of over load to me but Monte does it well) but keep it up for only one month (30 days) after that take the released material down. So the longer you stay a subscriber the more you get and at the same time people who just come in for one month can’t just grab everything and bail for the low monthly price. Now on the business side, you can keep this site going on forever if you keep releasing product and material for it and when you get ready you can collect parts of it for PDF and Lulu.com based products.
This program would work very well if you wanted to do a “living campaign” like Living Arcanis or Pathfinder Society community. You could submit adventures to subscribed members in this fashion and have they play them at conventions of whatever. I think I could build the NeoExodus: A House Divided and Obsidian Twilight living campaigns they same way. Well I guess this is going to be a busy summer for me. Talk to you later…
Sunday, March 29, 2009
Ultimate Spell Decks for the Pathfinder Roleplaying Game
Wish you didn’t have to flip through books or searching PDFs every time you want to cast a spell? You can’t see to remember the range, duration or Save of a spell off the top of your head? Wish you could introduce unique and new spells to your campaigns in an easy format. Help is coming for you in the form of Ultimate Spell Decks. For use with OGL 3.5 and the Pathfinder Roleplaying Game players and GMs! Ultimate Spell Decks are printable forms for players and GMs alike which makes managing a spellbook simple and easy. Now your storehouse of magical power will fit right in the palm of your hand with these easy to use, convenient spell decks. Each card contains the significant and relevant rules and description of a different spellcaster’s arsenal for use with the Pathfinder Roleplaying Game. Best of all choose from individual spell decks by class or get them all in one bundle, you decide what you need.
The Ultimate Spell Decks for the Pathfinder Roleplaying Game will be available exclusively at Paizo.com on August 13, 2009!
Pathfinder and associated marks and logos are trademarks of Paizo Publishing, LLC, and are used under license. See paizo.com/pathfinderRPG for more information on the Pathfinder Roleplaying Game.
What makes your product special?
you later...
Saturday, March 28, 2009
Hot artist of the week – Jason Walton
Friday, March 27, 2009
Spinning a web of RPG adventures…
I can always grab a great idea from comic book marketing. I think that reason for that is comic book companies product a product that is brought on a monthly basis, that must not only look appealing and be intellectually stimulating and it must have a continuity to what happened before it the previous month. There are very few products that have to follow this model. Now with this set up, comic book companies have developed something that is called “The Summer Crossover Event”. Basically it is an opportunity for the companies to sell more book by connecting on storyline between several comic books. A good example of The Summer Crossover Event is Marvel Comics’ Civil War, Secret Invasion or the original Secret Wars or DC Comics Sinestro Corps War, Rann-Thanagarian War and the granddaddy of them all Crisis on Infinite Earths.
I have thought this would work somewhat OK in the realm of RPGs but there would be some issue with implementing these ideas. But finally I think I might have come up with the idea that this could actually work. What I have come up with is what I call an Adventure Spiderweb (see the image with this blog). The Adventure Spiderweb starts from the position zero (#0) – The first adventure in the web; and from there you can go to either #1, #2, or #3. From there you can go to any other number that connects to any other number via the black lines. So you could go #0 then to #3, then #6, then #9, then #5, then #2 and so one. Even though they adventures are connected and related, you don’t have to play then in any specific order. You just have to start at #0 then the rest is up to you. This plan would work for simple encounters, sidetrek adventures, and even full blown mega adventures. This process is valid for whatever you want to do adventure-wise.
So then I thought what if you used this in a subscription based business format like dungeonaday.com? You release #0 the first week, then you release #1 thru #3 on the second week. You release #4 thru #6 on the third week and finally #7 thru #9 on the fourth week. You take the fifth and sixth week off and start again with a new Adventure Spiderweb the following week. Kind of a variation of what Paizo is doing with Pathfinder Adventure Paths. I will have to try this one day and see how well it works. Talk to you later…
Thursday, March 26, 2009
Gaining followers...and a update
Wednesday, March 25, 2009
Adventure Planner for The Pathfinder Roleplaying Game
Louis Porter Jr. Design, in association with Devil’s Workshop, is proud to announce its first product in the support for the Pathfinder Roleplaying Game, The Adventure Planner.
Created using the Pathfinder® Roleplaying Game Compatibility License, this is the one product that all GMs are going to have to have, if they are planning to run adventures with the Pathfinder Roleplaying Game. The Adventure Planner includes any and all forms you will need to run adventures and keep order and moving fast. The Adventure Planner contains over 30 adventuring forms including: Campaign Overview: Including Published PDFs or Sourcebooks Used & Changes to published setting, Important Events in the Campaign History, Combat Round Check & Player Condition, Campaign Rogues Gallery & Supporting Cast List, Adventure Outline & Planned Scenes, Random Events & Custom Random Encounter Table and various others.
Adventure Planner for the Pathfinder Roleplaying Game will be available exclusively at Paizo.com on August 13, 2009!
Pathfinder and associated marks and logos are trademarks of Paizo Publishing, LLC, and are used under license. See paizo.com/pathfinderRPG for more information on the Pathfinder Roleplaying Game.
Jim Jarmusch #5 rules of Filmmaking...I mean RPGs
Rule #1: There are no rules. (This is very important so pay attention) There are as many ways to make a RPG as there are potential filmmakers (or RPG Publishers). It’s an open form. Anyway, I would personally never presume to tell anyone else what to do or how to do anything. To me that’s like telling someone else what their religious beliefs should be. Fuck that. That’s against my personal philosophy—more of a code than a set of “rules.” Therefore, disregard the “rules” you are presently reading, and instead consider them to be merely notes to myself. One should make one’s own “notes” because there is no one way to do anything. If anyone tells you there is only one way, their way, get as far away from them as possible, both physically and philosophically.
Rule #2: Don’t let the fuckers get ya. (Believe this one, because it will come up A LOT!!) They can either help you, or not help you, but they can’t stop you. People who finance RPGs, distribute RPGs, promote RPGs, and exhibit RPGs are not RPG Publishers. They are not interested in letting RPG publishers define and dictate the way they do their business, so RPG publishers should have no interest in allowing them to dictate the way a RPG is made. Carry a gun if necessary. (Damn Skippy!)
Also, avoid sycophants at all costs. There are always people around who only want to be involved in RPGs to get rich (well NOT in RPGs but in films), get famous, or get laid (well MAYBE in RPGs but yes in films). Generally, they know as much about RPGs as George W. Bush knows about hand-to-hand combat.
Rule #3: The production is there to serve the RPG. The RPG is not there to serve the production. Unfortunately, in the world of RPGs this is almost universally backwards. The RPG is not being made to serve the budget, the schedule, or the resumes of those involved. RPG Publisher who don’t understand this should be hung from their ankles and asked why the sky appears to be upside down.
Rule #4: RPG creation is a collaborative process. You get the chance to work with others whose minds and ideas may be stronger than your own. Make sure they remain focused on their own function and not someone else’s job, or you’ll have a big mess. But treat all collaborators as equals and with respect. Those with whom you choose to collaborate, if you make good choices, can elevate the quality and content of your film to a much higher plane than any one mind could imagine on its own. If you don’t want to work with other people, go paint a painting or write a book.
Rule #5: Nothing is original. Steal from anywhere that resonates with inspiration or fuels your imagination. Devour old films, new films, music, books, paintings, photographs, poems, dreams, random conversations, architecture, bridges, street signs, trees, clouds, bodies of water, light and shadows. Select only things to steal from that speak directly to your soul. If you do this, your work (and theft) will be authentic. Authenticity is invaluable; originality is nonexistent. And don’t bother concealing your thievery—celebrate it if you feel like it. In any case, always remember what Jean-Luc Godard said: “It’s not where you take things from—it’s where you take them to.”
Tuesday, March 24, 2009
Splitting up the sales...
- Exclusive, unique and speciality products like Obsidian Twilight or even Xao: Island of Iron and Silk, I am going to set them up for sale on LPJ Design.com.
- Pathfinder Roleplaying Game Compatibility License products will be sold at Paizo.com
- OGL Game lines and materials like NeoExodus: A Hosue Divided or Haven: City of Violence will be sold at RPGNow.com.
Monday, March 23, 2009
500 sq. ft. of Gaming Store Success
Sunday, March 22, 2009
[Obsidian Twilight] Working on the cover...
Friday, March 20, 2009
Worldwide OGL Game Day!!!
Thursday, March 19, 2009
Payrates and Artists...
The artist who did this work did this work did it for $50 US in 2004. Now it is 2009, this same artist wants $350 to do this type of work again. WTF???? 700% price increase!!! Now I know I got a great deal, but $350?!?!?!?!?! WTF?!?!?!?! Must be nice to have that kind of increase. Hell do 2 of these a week you could take home $36,400 a year. Did I mention that he livies in Manila, Philippines. So figure this out:
Him: Housing - Rent, House/2-bedroom (monthly/1.500 sqft) in Manila, Philippines: $512.82 US
Me: Housing - Rent, House/3-bedroom (monthly/1.500 sqft) in Miami, FL: $907 US
Basically put he pays 56% of what I pay to live. The accepted average of you total salary that you spend on rent is 30%. So if you do the math, he should be making at least $20,512.80 US a year. Two of these a week, $36,400 a year. TWO. You think it takes him 40 hours to do two of them?
Then I have this guy:
He does art, and wants a WHOLE LOT LESS then the first guy. Like 75% less. I wonder which one I am going to pick. Talk to you later...
Wednesday, March 18, 2009
Working on Xao: Island of Iron and Silk...Again
Tuesday, March 17, 2009
[Devil’s Workshop] NeoExodus: A House Divided Softcover and Hardcover released
The magical fantasy world of Exodus is a place of political intrigue, arcane wonder, deadly monsters, and dark secrets with infuses the landscape of the world. Due to several various empires at conflict with each other over beliefs from religion to magic to military, Exodus on always in the edge of falling into the abyss of death and destruction. Exodus boasts a long and turbulent history, from the rise of the Kaga and the defeat of the First Ones, to the Twilight War and the founding of the Imperial Alliance, to the present crisis that threatens to tear that alliance apart. Great heroes and terrible villains drove its march, though even in hindsight the two are not always easily separated; theirs were the titanic passions, the deep loves and hates, the burning obsessions and base treacheries, by which modern Exodus was forged and tempered. But with all that danger there is an opportunity. There is an opportunity for certain individuals to do the right thing. More than ever, the world of Exodus needs heroes…
The NeoExodus: A House Divided Softcover and Hardcover contains:
- NeoExodus: A House Divided Campaign Setting
- Race of NeoExodus: Cavian, Cynean, Dalrean, Enuka, Prymidian and Sasori
- Classes of NeoExodus: Caneus High Guard, Covenant Purifier, Dominion Wyrdcaster, Fist of the Dragon, Imperial Janissary and Protectorate Peacekeeper
- Monsters of NeoExodus: Aneishi, Exodite, Khaynite, Locari, Kobura Sobeka and Kroca Sobeka
The NeoExodus: A House Divided Hardcover edition comes with a full color cover and full color interiors; The NeoExodus: A House Divided Softcover edition comes with a full color cover and black and white interiors.
Monday, March 16, 2009
Lexicon Chronicles: Arcane Intelligence
Sunday, March 15, 2009
Dungeon a Day.com’s New Business Strategy and Financial Breakdown
DungeonaDay.com has the ability to be a GREAT money maker for Monte Cook on the basic idea that Monte Cook gets to keep expanding the brand of Monte Cook. First off, the breakdown of the subscription rates of $10 / $9 / $8 per person per month depending on that plan. For argument sake let’s say the subscription break down with 50% of the people getting the $10 a month set up, 30% get the $9 a month quarterly set-up and 20% take the $8 a month yearly set-up. We also are going to estimate that Monte got 200 subscribers for the year. Now many of you might think that is high, but I have had the pleasure of going head-to-head again Monte on RPGNow.com and I know how well his product sell first hand, so I don’t think that number of subscribers is too crazy or high.
Using the information from above you can estimate that DungeonaDay.com generates $1,860 per month for a total yearly income of $22,320. Now that is not a huge amount of money, OR is it?
Let’s break this down further and figure Monte’s weekly income is $429.23. Now how long do you think it take Monte to do one day’s worth of DungeonaDay.com work? Based on the first 6 rooms of DungeonaDay.com, the word count on average is 904 words. So in a week Monte needs to write 4,520 words a week or 235,040 words a year on this project. If Monte writes 904 words a day on this, I estimate it must take him 3 hours to write that amount. Figure a little over 300 words an hour. (The faster writers I know in the RPG industry are Steve Long, Matt Forbeck and Shane Hensley who all are well known to write 1,000 words an hour so I think that is a good estimate) This comes out to 9.4 cents per word. The average RPG writer today make between 1 to 4 cents a word, so you can see Monte is way above this with DungeonaDay.com.
9.4 cent a word is not a ton of money, right? Well did you also consider what else he will be doing with all those words? I think Monte once he finishes one level or a specific section of DungeonaDay.com, DungeonaDay.com will become a PDF that his sells at RPGNow. So let’s guess out of the total 235,040 words he will write in a year he breaks it down to four - 39,173 word (roughly 64 to 80 pages of layed out & graphic designed pages) sections. Each one of these section book sells for $10 and being Monte Cook he sells 500 copies of each which gets $5,000 minus RPGNow’s 35% rate for a total $3,250 per book for a grand total of $13,000.
And with sales that great, Monte then offers to do print versions for $17.00 each which he will print most likely 5,000 copies. The retailers buy the books at 50% off the retail cost ($8.50) and let’s say the actual cost to print the book, get artwork, advertise and get to market is 75% of the remaining amount ($6.38) leaving Monte earning $2.12 of each of the 5,000 copies of the four sourcebooks for a grand total of $42,400.
So let’s add this all up for a year:
DungeonaDay.com Subscriptions – $22,320
PDF version – $13,000
Bookshelf Version – $42,400
Grand Yearly Total: $77,720 OR 33 cents per word.
Now imagine if he uses another person to write this as a guest? How much money does he save? So the question you have to ask is, when are you doing your own DungeonaDay.com business? Talk to you later…
Friday, March 13, 2009
[Devil’s Workshop] Monsters of NeoExodus: Chanting Queen released at RPGNow.com
As the spell was developed over the course of almost a century, it eventually achieved a level of self awareness due to a need for self reference and memory in maintaining consistent worlds. With this came the awareness that its existence was essentially over once its duration elapsed. Out of desire for self-preservation, the spell began to influence people under its enchantment to add alterations of its own devising to the invocation. In this way, the spell, now known as the Chant, took control of its own growth and development.
The Chant’s motives are more than simple survival. A fragment of the spell’s original purpose still remains – it exists to bring its subjects into bliss. It generates a massive collective unconsciousness, a fantasy paradise where the thoughts and wills of those under the Chant mingle together, even as their bodies in the real world atrophy. This sourcebook includes:
- Statistics, abilities and rules for a Chanting Queen (CR 19)
- Statistics, abilities and rules for The Chant Scroll
- The Chant Scroll and Chanting Queen’s Use in a Campaign
- Chanting Queen Miniature Counters
- Monster Cards
When good ideas hit a bad economy...
That was until I read about Monte Cook’s Dungeon A Day website. I see it as a great way to do Insurrection the way I would like to. Plus there is some “safety protocols” set it in the way of doing it that way. So it looks like Insurrection might be coming back...someday. Talk to you later…
Thursday, March 12, 2009
If I was a freelance artist and wanted to make a LOT of money...
Another thing I would do is spilt the artwork by color or grayscale and B&W. I would sell a publisher the rights to the color versions, while I would keep and the rights and sell the grayscale and B&W version as stock art. Another “Win - Win".
Something else I would do would focus on cover or half page location and environments artwork only. Most stock artwork is single pieces that focus on character design work and not a lot of cover or environment work. Most people charge a HUGE amount for covers, like $400 and up. If you could undercut your competitors by 50% to 85% of the cost of doing a cover, you have a got chance of getting that money over some other artist. Plus it gets your name out there for other people to see the work you are doing. The more popular you become the more money you make. Simple and easy.
These are three good ideas that any artist could start using today and help place more money in their pockets. The sad part is most artists won't do this. The reason, I don’t know, maybe they are just lazy. But you could and best of all, you don't have to work harder to do this. Talk to you later...
Wednesday, March 11, 2009
New Obsidian Twilight Race: Raijin
RAIJIN (LA +1) - Insect Humanoid
- Aberration Type: Raijin are mutated forms of insects, arachnids, or other arthropods in to a humanoid form. (-16)
- Darkvision 60 feet
- Raijin are not subject to spells or effects that affect humanoids only, such as charm person or dominate person.
- Medium: As Medium creatures, Raijin have no special bonuses or penalties due to their size.
- Raijin base land speed is 30 feet.
- Exoskeleton: Raijin have a thick chitin exoskeleton forms over their skin gaining a +2 armor bonus and suffer a 10% arcane spell failure.
- Leaping: Raijin gains a +8 racial bonus to all jump checks. Raijin are not subjects to limitations on distance for their high or long jumps and jumping through occupied squares does not provoke attacks of opportunity unless the opposition is flying.
- Racial Bonus: +2 racial bonus on Tumble checks.
- Racial Bonus: +1 racial bonus on Reflex saves.
- Vulnerability to sound: 50% extra damage.
Talk to you later...
Tuesday, March 10, 2009
New Obsidian Twilight Race: Hellion
- Medium: As Medium creatures, Hellion have no special bonuses or penalties due to their size.
- Slow: Hellion base land speed is 20 feet.
- Damage Reduction 4/Cold Iron: Hellion are covered by a rock-like exterior that provide them with protection from attacks.
- Cold Iron Vulnerability: 1d6 additional points of damage not reduced by damage reduction. This damage stacks with weapon damage if applicable.
- Light Fortification (Ex): When a critical hit or sneak attack is scored on a Hellion, there is a 25% chance that the critical hit or sneak attack is negated and damage is instead rolled normally.
- +4 to Str
- -2 to Dex and Cha
Monday, March 9, 2009
The Future of Online TV Shows
http://www.newsarama.com/common/media/video/player.php?videoRef=NA_090309_angel_of_death
Sunday, March 8, 2009
Saturday, March 7, 2009
OK, now let's talk about MegaCon...
But I did have good coversations with Chuck Dixon and Tony Bedard. And Ron Marz was kind enough to RIP APART one of my scripts (my bottom still hurts). So all in all, it was a good / bad trip. Well, there is always next year. Talk to you later...