Tuesday, March 31, 2009

Idris Elba may be the next LOSER

Read about it here!!!

The greatest book a writer can own…

The greatest book a writer can own is the Writer’s Digest Character Naming Digest and I’m not going to go in to all the greatness of this book because it will take WAY TOO LONG, but I will say if you want to created actually realistic sounding name that actually make sense, then you should pick it up. I have never seen a greater book for name people. I paid $40 for a book that original sold for $18.95 and it was worth every cent. Go get your copy, if you can find it. Good luck. Talk to you later…

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:

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

Louis Porter Jr. Design, in association with Devil’s Workshop, is proud to announce its next product in the support for the Pathfinder Roleplaying Game, The Ultimate Spell Decks.

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?

That is a question I normally ask when I am thinking about doing some think out of the ordinary. Two good example of this are NeoExodus: A House Divided and Obsidian Twilight. NeoExodus: A House Divided is my Sci-Fi meets fantasy setting, while Obsidian Twilight is my Dark Sun / Ravenloft mash up. but what makes them special is I am passionate about the two settings. Very passionate. You can see it in everything we do for these products. The writing, the graphic design, and production values. It is all there. So if you are going to do a project, be passionate about it. That will help make it special. Talk to
you later...

Saturday, March 28, 2009

Hot artist of the week – Jason Walton

Jason Walton is one of the best artists I have had the pleasure of working with. Jason was responsible for roughly 90% of all the art work that appeared in the Haven: City of Violence gaming line. Jason is innovative interesting and the right kind of person you want to work with. I Give Jason my personal seal of approval. You can locate his site here and mention that you read about him on my blog and I suggest him to you. Talk to you later.

Friday, March 27, 2009

Spinning a web of RPG adventures…

This one is for the people interested in a cool business idea for their RPG company or for their local gaming group. Enjoy!

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

I have started in this new concept of "gaining followers". I don't know if it was just all this coverage on Twitter and Facebook that got me thinking this way, but I have decided that I need more followers to ths blog, In the Mind of a Mad Man. Why? I have no idea, but since more is usually better we are going with more. So if you come by on a semi- regular to regular basis, sign up to be one of my followers for this blog. I mean, what's the worst thing that can happen. All the cool kids are doing it.

The other part is the newest Monsters of NeoExodus: Nocternal is coming out soon. Here is the cover mock up. Expect to see it in the next few days. Talk to you later...

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

I found this yesterday at http://www.beingmarcecko.com and I found a lot of stuff that we could use to know about the RPG industry. I have modified (A la Mash-up) to make it something important for RPG Publishers.

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...

With the introduction of the Pathfinder Roleplaying Game Compatibility License, I think I will be selling my Pathfinder Roleplaying Game Compatibility License products exclusively at Paizo.com and I will be opening my own PDF store at my website, LPJ Design.com. Now that does not mean I will stop selling at RPGNow.com, but I will be changing what I sell there. Basically I have broken it down like this:
The reason for this is I want to experiement with drawing different types of customer traffic to different retail locations. I think different websites can server a different purpose. Think of it like this: Ecko brand clothing sells is a lot of locations like Macys (Think RPGNow.com) but they also have their own stores where they sell specific items exclusive to Ecko (Think LPJ Design PDF Store). Ecko has also have very speficic lines like Mark Ecko Cut & Sew that are more premier lines (Think Paizo.com). Very basic business ideas that can be used by many up and coming RPG PDF publishers and virtually no cost. Tell me what do you think. Talk to you later...

Monday, March 23, 2009

500 sq. ft. of Gaming Store Success

In 2003, I used to work at TATE'S Gaming Satellite, a local gaming store that was a split off of TATE'S Comics. Now I have worked in all kind of gaming and comic stores over my 25+ years of collecting comics and game, BUT what made TATE'S Gaming Satellite the most intersting was the it was onlt 500 sq. ft. in size. The store was 25 feet by 20 feet, with 45 feet high walls. Think of a grain silo and you have the right idea. I worked at TATE'S Gaming Satellite for roughly 18 months. I helped open the store up and get it running as the assistant manager. The first year in business, TATE'S Gaming Satellite made $80,000 (or $221.48 a day) for the year and broke even. The second year in business the store made $120,000 (or 332.22 a day) and made a profit. By 2005, Tate (the owner) moved the store from the 500 sq. ft. store to a 2,000 sq. ft. store and the store has continued to make MORE and MORE money with it. The store was clean, bright and sunny.

When I was in the store (500 sq. ft) only half of the storee was dedicated to products and gaming material, the other half was dedicated to open gaming (250 sq. ft.). Also remember out of the remaining 250 feet of actual selling floor about 30% of it wen to a bathroom and register area, so there was really only 175 sq. ft. to sell in. So using the numbers above in the 80K year, each sq. ft. of TATE'S Gaming Satellite was generating $457.14 a year (or $1.26 a day), while in the 120K year each sq. ft. was generating $685.71 a year (or $1.89 a day). As you can see, "Sell, sell, sell!" was the mantra of the little store that could.

Another gaming store in my local has done the opposite to TATE'S Gaming Satellite. They havebeen around for over 20 years, and just int he time I have been going there (9 years) they have moved from a 2,000 sq. ft store to a 1,000 sq. ft store to a 500 sq. ft store. They have gone from healthy store to going on life support. Why? For me in comes down to one simple concept: TATE'S Gaming Satellite is a gaming store, other location is a gaming hangout. The worst par of it all as the store got smaller, the service got worse. The store is messy and unorganized. The store is in HEAVY debt and I don't think the store can last the rest of the year.

So if you are ever in South Florida come check out TATE'S Gaming Satellite and TATE'S Comics. They will show you what a gaming store and a comic store could be and should be.

Sunday, March 22, 2009

[Obsidian Twilight] Working on the cover...

I like artwork, as I am sure many who read this blog know. I also like to get the most out of artwork, so when I do a cover to a project I look at a lot of sources to get good ideas. The best art source that I know of is comic books. Since they come out monthly you get a lot of sources of art to draw from and with a lot of different styles. Best of all, comic book sell normally based on their covers, so you can always look at them as a great art source of what your RPG covers might want to look like to sell your product(s) better. Personally I think Jim Lee is one of the greatest artists to ever come out of comic books. His personal style and talent comes through on anything he works on. So it was only natural when I was looking for cover ideas that I would start (and end) with something he created. After searching for a while I came up with a cover that I thought would work very well with Obsidian Twilight and here it is. WildC.A.T.S. volume 1 issue #7. This cover is POWERFUL!!! There is action, danger, excitement and everything cool you want in a cover for a product. It gets people interested BEFORE they even know what is going on inside of the book. So using this as a starting point for the creativity and ideas really can easily flow. Just replace the two characters on this cover with an exalted and a vampire lord locked in combat. I can’t wait to see the finished piece. Talk to you later…

Friday, March 20, 2009

Worldwide OGL Game Day!!!

I was thinking, with Worldwide D&D Game Day coming up this weekend, and Free RPG Day and Free Comic Book Day right around the corner these are great opportunities to get more people involved. And then I thought, why isn't there a Worldwide OGL Game Day? Why hasn't someone thought that up? And I realized, I just did. So here is my idea, All the OGL publishers I know get together and support each other with one day where we promote and play our OGL based games. We do it online, in local gaming store, any where you can. Just simple promotion of why OGL is good for the gaming community in general. I think it is best to pick a summer month, because most schools are out and game time is high. I think the first weekend in July would be best. So any companies who would be interested in participating should e-mail me at LMPjr007 (at) AOL (dot) com. Talk to you later...

Thursday, March 19, 2009

New Website Banner for NeoExodus: A House Divided

This kind of says it all, doesn't it. Talk to you later...

Payrates and Artists...

OK tell me if this makes sense...



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

While I am working on the new adventure, Obsidian Temple of the First Ones for NeoExodus: A House Divided, I decided to go back and add some cool stuff to my old asian influenced sourcebook/setting, Xao: Island of Iron and Silk. I took a look at the outline and I realized a lot of work has already been done for this sourcebook. So now I am thinking that maybe I will go back to this one again. And maybe I will finally put it out. It is a little delayed but still a good idea and workable. Only time will tell. Talk to you later...

Tuesday, March 17, 2009

[Devil’s Workshop] NeoExodus: A House Divided Softcover and Hardcover released

Louis Porter Jr. Design, in association with Devil’s Workshop, has released NeoExodus: A House Divided Softcover and Hardcover (AKA The Ultimate Edition) at Lulu.com. Here is information on this product:

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.

Available Here in Hardcover or Available Here in Softcover

Monday, March 16, 2009

Lexicon Chronicles: Arcane Intelligence

One project that has evolved and changed over time is the Arcane Intelligence section in NeoExodus: A House Divided. The basic concept behind this all was inspired by science fiction holograms and artifical intelligences like the Doctor from Star Trek: Voyager and Cortana from Halo. I like the concepts of genies and djinn, but I hated that most people though of them in a "classic fantasy" sense, with no willing to see them differently. Plus I needed a way to make them differ from classic fantasy concepts, and with that the idea of Arcane Intelligences were born. The most powerful Arcane Intelligence in Exodus is Kaga, and they are often NPCs but PCs can create and use Arcane Intelligence versions for themself to use like familiars. Due to my lover love of iron golems, and Privateer Press reimagining of them as warjacks, I wanted to give them the same treatment as I have done with the Arcane Intelligences. Neal Bailey and I are still working out the details and naming of this new type of iron golem, so when we get the official name, you will be the first to know. Look for Lexicon Chronicles: Arcane Intellignce to be released in the very near future. Talk to you later...

Sunday, March 15, 2009

Dungeon a Day.com’s New Business Strategy and Financial Breakdown

With Monte Cook’s DungeonaDay.com getting up and running this week, I wanted to take a second out and look at the business & financial side of this to find out who well it worked as a money making business. Remember, these are my thoughts and opinions on what I think will happen. Take them with a grain of salt. So here I go…

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

Louis Porter Jr. Design, in association with Devil’s Workshop, has released Monsters of NeoExodus: Chanting Queen at RPGNow.com and DriveThruRPG.com. Here is information on this product:


The Chanting Queen is best described as a living sentient spell. The Sorcerer Kings devised many spells during their long and tyrannical rule – some served as boons for society, and others banes. One of the most disastrous was a spell designed almost as a pocket paradise – a limited, conjured intellect that had the ability to read the caster’s thoughts and desires and fulfill them through manipulation of the mind. The spell created an arcane sentience that controlled a fantasy world. Over time, the spell was used to treat the mad and the depressed.

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
Created by Neal Bailey. Available Here: http://lpjdesign.rpgnow.com/product_info.php?products_id=60594

When good ideas hit a bad economy...

Sometime I have really cool ideas that never make it out of the development stages. There are several reasons why that may happen. The economy. Freelancer work schedule. Whatever. This is one of those ideas that never made it out of the development stages. Insurrection: The Rise of the Phoenix Guard was an idea that came out of Monte Cook’s Event books series like When the Sky Falls or Anger of Angels. Monte built these sourcebooks to tell particular events that might happen in a game setting. I liked this idea but I wondered why he never covered the political side of it. And with that the initial concept of Insurrection was created. I built is as kind of a Sidetrek Adventure Weekly / Sourcebook combo. But I never really liked the format that Sidetrek Adventure Weekly was presented. Basically as a publisher I had to put all the upfront product money BEFORE they came out. This can be risky. And After what I saw with Sidetrek Adventure Weekly 2, I wanted to find a different way to release the series as a whole. But nothing really came up. So I placed Insurrection is the back files and continued on with other projects…

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...

...I would create stock artwork. Now I know this is not real revelation but here is what I would do different. I would give publishers options if they wanted to use my art. The first option would be instead of paying me for my artwork, I would take a percentage of the total sales amount of the product (at least 10% to make it worth my wild) and I would be able to sell the artwork as stock art. The publisher basically gets FREE artwork (They only pay for it AFTER they make a sale); you get two steady sources of income (The product sales and the stock art sales) that you don't have to do any additional work for. It is a "Win - Win". I don't know any publisher who would not take this deal. If you want to offer me this one, email me right now at havengod@lpjdesign.com!!!

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...

Johansson In, Blunt Out of Iron Man 2; Rourke is Whiplash

Read about it here!

Wednesday, March 11, 2009

New Obsidian Twilight Race: Raijin

OK, Here is another one that I created. I will not tell you what mad me come up with this idea, but once again I think it is funny where you can get your ideas from in life. Enjoy!

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

Here is a race I am workign on for Obsidian Twilight. I am still working on on this one but I wanted to hear some people's input on it. I built it using the Race Creation Cookbook. Thanks!
  • 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
Let me know. Talk to you later...

Saturday, March 7, 2009

Blood the Last Vampire Trailer


The Ultimate LEGO Millenium Falcon Assembly Movie


Building the LEGO Millennium Falcon from Gizmodo on Vimeo.

OK, now let's talk about MegaCon...

Well this MegaCon was a good / bad con. The wife and I went up on Saturday, and got there just in time for the writer's seminar of "How to write for comic companies". The panel consisted of Mark Waid, Tony Bedard, Barbara Kesel, Ron Marz, Chuck Dixon, and Chris Claremont. Basically, the first thing that come out of their collective mouths is, it is impossible to become a comic book writer no matter what you do. And they continue this theme for the next hour. To make is sound even worst, they also inform us that Marvel Comics, like DC Comics, will no longer be accepting "outisde" (AKA unknown writer) pitches any longer. So the process that discovered several of the most popular writers in the industry of all times, like Jim Shooter, will no longer be available. And from there, it just got worst. So my million to one shot of writing comics, has gone to a trillion to one. WOW! Welcome to the suck.

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...

Friday, March 6, 2009

Support for The Pathfinder Compatibility License

With the release of the Pathfinder Compatibility License, LPJ Design is formally announcing its support for it. We have several products planned and several will be announced in the next few weeks. Plus we have a few surprises that will .. well surprise you! Talk to you later...

Tuesday, March 3, 2009

An interesting trend with my PDF sales…

This one is for all the PDF OGL publishers out there. Over the last few months I have noticed, my D20/OGL fantasy sales have slowed (OK, this is no big thing since there is 4E and the economy is in the toilet.) BUT the weird thing is my D20/OGL Modern sales have taken off like a rocket. I mean the sales have taken off so much to the point of making me think I might have to put out some new D20/OGL Modern material out there. Like NOW!!!! Is this happening to anyone else? Drop a comment and let me know.

Monday, March 2, 2009

[LPJ Design] Fantasyscape Portfolio announced for Publishers & Fans

Fantasyscape Portfolio is a new publisher resource line of stock 2-D building and terrain tile sets. All the tiles in this resource can be used in any of their upcoming RPG products or projects. When a person acquires one of the Fantasyscape Portfolio products, any of the tiles in the PDF can be used in any of their own products as if they owned the artwork themselves. This is due to the limited licensing agreement of Fantasyscape Portfolio. Fantasyscape Portfolio tiles contain various 6 x 6 inch square tiles exchangeable and ready-to-use for publishers looking to add gaming tiles and location maps to their products.

“As with our highly successful Image Portfolio line, we have created a product line that not only helps publishers to save money by not having to hire expensive cartographers looking for several hundreds of dollars; it adds the element of miniatures gaming to their products at no additional cost. In a tough economy were money is tight, it’s great for publisher to not only save money but add value to their products,” comment Louis Porter Jr., president of LPJ Design and Devil’s Workshop.

Fantasyscape Portfolio Volume 1.1 will be available from RPGNow, DriveThruRPG and Paizo for the low cost of $7.99 for over 20 different tiles. Learn more about the Fantasyscape line here!

Sunday, March 1, 2009