Just some notes...
Saw the sketch of Peter Mullen cover art for Tower of the Stargazer. Looks like he's nailed it. When it's done, you guys will see it, and you will want to play this adventure just from seeing the picture.
My Finnish business start-up subsidy ends in two days. Not a bad bit of a boost over the past nine months, I think. Printed the first four releases, paid for all the art for Insect Shrine, paid for all the art for the box set as well as the dice. Just for the record, this was specifically a business subsidy. I wasn't using the Finnish equivalent of food stamps to publish RPG stuff.
But it's not covering any of the upcoming printing costs. I arranged for the financing for that today, although the paperwork hasn't been officially signed or anything yet. I think the bill for everything for the summer releases, including the already paid-for art and Hammers of the God and reprinting Death Frost Doom and the extra non-boxed copies of Tower of the Stargazer and Weird New World, will cost just under 10000€.
That's $13,455 according to today's exchange rate.
I look at what I'm doing, and what I'm risking, and on one hand I think I'm insane.
On the other hand, I knew that already. At least I know full well that any corners cut were done so out of absolute necessity. Everything that can be done is being done. I will be able to hug my box set in ten years' time and know that it was the absolute best I could make it, without compromise.
It didn't have to be done this way. Having a game of my own to put out in Finland, to be able to have a table at Ropecon and get my stuff in stores here, it could have been easy.
All I had to do, really, was copy the shit out of the Open Game Content from Swords & Wizardry or Labyrinth Lord. The bulk of those games are all open. Just copy/paste, switch out the product identity bits, buy some cheap-ass art, and voila! Product! I could have made it as inexpensive as possible and just put a redundant game on the market because hey, none of these other guys are dealing with the Finnish market!
Could have. Decided not to do it. Decided to go big. Decided to make a premium product instead of perpetuating (or being bound by) the "oldschool equals cheap!" idea that's come about by association. Decided to rework details and rules to make something that will appear appreciably different (even if it plays identically) from the other clones. Making sure that it's not the Same Old Shit, while essentially still being the Same Old Shit and being damned proud of it!
Deadlines loom. I'll know soon enough whether I was good enough to pull this all off, and then whether or not anybody cares. All the while wondering how quick the boxes will sell out.
Not boring times. :)
Saw the sketch of Peter Mullen cover art for Tower of the Stargazer. Looks like he's nailed it. When it's done, you guys will see it, and you will want to play this adventure just from seeing the picture.
My Finnish business start-up subsidy ends in two days. Not a bad bit of a boost over the past nine months, I think. Printed the first four releases, paid for all the art for Insect Shrine, paid for all the art for the box set as well as the dice. Just for the record, this was specifically a business subsidy. I wasn't using the Finnish equivalent of food stamps to publish RPG stuff.
But it's not covering any of the upcoming printing costs. I arranged for the financing for that today, although the paperwork hasn't been officially signed or anything yet. I think the bill for everything for the summer releases, including the already paid-for art and Hammers of the God and reprinting Death Frost Doom and the extra non-boxed copies of Tower of the Stargazer and Weird New World, will cost just under 10000€.
That's $13,455 according to today's exchange rate.
I look at what I'm doing, and what I'm risking, and on one hand I think I'm insane.
On the other hand, I knew that already. At least I know full well that any corners cut were done so out of absolute necessity. Everything that can be done is being done. I will be able to hug my box set in ten years' time and know that it was the absolute best I could make it, without compromise.
It didn't have to be done this way. Having a game of my own to put out in Finland, to be able to have a table at Ropecon and get my stuff in stores here, it could have been easy.
All I had to do, really, was copy the shit out of the Open Game Content from Swords & Wizardry or Labyrinth Lord. The bulk of those games are all open. Just copy/paste, switch out the product identity bits, buy some cheap-ass art, and voila! Product! I could have made it as inexpensive as possible and just put a redundant game on the market because hey, none of these other guys are dealing with the Finnish market!
Could have. Decided not to do it. Decided to go big. Decided to make a premium product instead of perpetuating (or being bound by) the "oldschool equals cheap!" idea that's come about by association. Decided to rework details and rules to make something that will appear appreciably different (even if it plays identically) from the other clones. Making sure that it's not the Same Old Shit, while essentially still being the Same Old Shit and being damned proud of it!
Deadlines loom. I'll know soon enough whether I was good enough to pull this all off, and then whether or not anybody cares. All the while wondering how quick the boxes will sell out.
Not boring times. :)
I'll open up pre-orders only after seeing proofs from the printer. So it'll be a little while yet. :)
ReplyDeleteMore importantly, when can I order and review?
ReplyDeleteCould have. Decided not to do it. Decided to go big. Decided to make a premium product instead of perpetuating (or being bound by) the "oldschool equals cheap!" idea that's come about by association. Decided to rework details and rules to make something that will appear appreciably different (even if it plays identically) from the other clones. Making sure that it's not the Same Old Shit, while essentially still being the Same Old Shit and being damned proud of it!
ReplyDeleteThis, especially the bolded parts are why I'm already sold on it.
While I appreciate the other retro-clones, this really steps up and throws down the "we can make it our own and different and cool" gauntlet, just as Greyhawk Grognard's "Gygaxian Second Edition" will and like "Carcosa" does.
I sincerely hope this works out for you--it's very cool to see someone actually giving a damn and giving it all their best and not just caving in to mediocrity. Keep the faith. I'll be pre-ordering as well.
ReplyDelete