[imager]http://www.enworld.org/newsimages/christmas.jpg[/imager]Merry Christmas, everybody! Today will be the last news update before Christmas; I may squeeze some last minute updates in later today if I receive them early enough, but remember I'm 6-9 hours ahead of the US. Depending on how much news there actually is over the next few days, I expect the news to return on Monday. I hope everybody has a happy and safe Christmas!
D&D 4th Edition News
D&D 3.5/OGL News
D&D 4th Edition News
- Review: Buck-A-Batch Wondrous Items by Creation’s Edge Games Looking for that perfect gift for the “hard-to-buy-for” hero in your life? Consider a Wondrous Item from Creation’s Edge Games’ Buck-A-Batch supplement – you can read the review all about the ebook here.
- Dungeon Master's Guide 2 Review "This is easily one of the best books released to date, and any Game Master should get it. If the Dungeon Master’s Guide covered the basics and was, in certain ways, a rehash of some gaming advice books out there (such as Robin’s Laws of Good Game Mastering), Dungeon Master’s Guide 2 doesn’t hold back. It discusses topics like cooperative world building or creating recurring villains. It also provides new rules for the game such as monster themes and alternate rewards, so there’s something new whether you’re looking for role-playing tips or new in-game toys to play with."
- i4e for iPhone Can now import characters from the D&D 4E character Builder.
- Getting Better at D&D (Part 1) A blog from Dave Noonan.
- d20 Modern - Pathfinder Style Super Genius Games are starting the process of discussing a new version of d20 Modern based on Pathfinder.
"So, a number of people have contacted Hyrum, Stan! and myself, in forums and private emails, suggesting we re-write the d20 Modern SRD to be a Pathfinder-compatible product. Both Stan! and I have a number of credits in d20 Modern products (both for WotC and 3PP), and it's something that's been on our mind for a while.
The main sticking point is that to get this done right would take a lot of time, and therefore a lot of money. The current state of modern rules is pre-3.5, and there is a ton of feedback available on what worked in the modern rules, and what didn't. We'd need to take time out to look through all of that, discuss and map-out an R&D plan, and only after forming a roadmap for redesign and rule updating could we actually get to writing.
Then there are minor details like commissioning art, layout, print costs, and so on.
This is a huge project for a company our size. As well as our products are doing (and we DO appreciate the support we've received), our coffers aren't deep enough to cover the cost of doing this up-front. During the writing period, we'd need money to cover our expenses. We couldn't undertake both this and our current lines of products without getting some more hands to pitch in, and those hands would need to be paid.
But fans have asked for it, so we want to see if we could do it. One suggested solution to this potential money-crunch was to do it as a patronage project. And there's a lot to be said for that. If fans were willing to pay for a book in advance, in return for copies of the book when it was done, exclusive access to forums where we discuss, debate and update the project as we go along, and maybe even have opportunities to be immortalized as iconics or other NPCs, that would let us give this project the time and attention it deserves.
So we sat down and looked at the amount of money we'd need, as a rough estimate. And we went over it again, to make sure we were neither shortchanging ourselves, nor asking for unneeded funds. And we came up with figures between $65,000 and $75,000.
Assuming an average patronage price of $50 (we'd have different levels, but that would be the baseline for forums access, online discussions, and copies of the book), that means we'd need about 1,400 people to be willing to pay for this book in advance. Given that hardback RPGs don't always sell through 2,000 copy print runs currently, but some blow through 10,000 copies without difficulty, that looks like a big, but not impossible, number.
Now, one of the nice things about patronage is we can get a go/no go before a penny is spent. We can set up a funding process, and give people a month or so to decide if they want to be part of this. But even that would require a business plan, some guaranteed scheduling of our future time, and other general busy-work on our part. We're willing to do that if it looks like there is even the smallest chance the demand for this product meets the level needed to make it work.
So, here's the question. If we do put up a patronage funding option, how many of you foresee being willing to put up money for a project to produce a professionally redesigned, reworked, print and .pdf Pathfinder-compatible version of the modern d20 rules?
I'm not asking for any money now. I just want to see an interest level before we do the work to have funding become an option.
- Owen K.C. Stephens
The main sticking point is that to get this done right would take a lot of time, and therefore a lot of money. The current state of modern rules is pre-3.5, and there is a ton of feedback available on what worked in the modern rules, and what didn't. We'd need to take time out to look through all of that, discuss and map-out an R&D plan, and only after forming a roadmap for redesign and rule updating could we actually get to writing.
Then there are minor details like commissioning art, layout, print costs, and so on.
This is a huge project for a company our size. As well as our products are doing (and we DO appreciate the support we've received), our coffers aren't deep enough to cover the cost of doing this up-front. During the writing period, we'd need money to cover our expenses. We couldn't undertake both this and our current lines of products without getting some more hands to pitch in, and those hands would need to be paid.
But fans have asked for it, so we want to see if we could do it. One suggested solution to this potential money-crunch was to do it as a patronage project. And there's a lot to be said for that. If fans were willing to pay for a book in advance, in return for copies of the book when it was done, exclusive access to forums where we discuss, debate and update the project as we go along, and maybe even have opportunities to be immortalized as iconics or other NPCs, that would let us give this project the time and attention it deserves.
So we sat down and looked at the amount of money we'd need, as a rough estimate. And we went over it again, to make sure we were neither shortchanging ourselves, nor asking for unneeded funds. And we came up with figures between $65,000 and $75,000.
Assuming an average patronage price of $50 (we'd have different levels, but that would be the baseline for forums access, online discussions, and copies of the book), that means we'd need about 1,400 people to be willing to pay for this book in advance. Given that hardback RPGs don't always sell through 2,000 copy print runs currently, but some blow through 10,000 copies without difficulty, that looks like a big, but not impossible, number.
Now, one of the nice things about patronage is we can get a go/no go before a penny is spent. We can set up a funding process, and give people a month or so to decide if they want to be part of this. But even that would require a business plan, some guaranteed scheduling of our future time, and other general busy-work on our part. We're willing to do that if it looks like there is even the smallest chance the demand for this product meets the level needed to make it work.
So, here's the question. If we do put up a patronage funding option, how many of you foresee being willing to put up money for a project to produce a professionally redesigned, reworked, print and .pdf Pathfinder-compatible version of the modern d20 rules?
I'm not asking for any money now. I just want to see an interest level before we do the work to have funding become an option.
- Owen K.C. Stephens
- 12 Slays of Christmas: Eight Maids a'Milking The RPG Examiner introduces the Milk Maid, the only golem you'll ever need to protect your cattle.
- Wargames 1: Superhuman Threats of the Cold War Vigilance Press releases Wargames 1: Superhuman Threats of the Cold War for M+M Superlink.You might ask: Why a book about superheroes in the Cold War? Well....Because, when you really think about it, wouldn't Red Dawn have been a whole lot cooler if Captain America were in it?
If you answered that question in the affirmative, then this book is for you.
- King of the Monsters Nominees The Top 10 nominees from the King of the Monsters contest have been announced, and the first nominee is posted. It's a classic of Welsh mythology.
- King of the Monsters Finalists The first two entries for King of the Monsters square off at Kobold Quarterly-- the Afanc and the Echidna.
- Treasure Free tabletop fantasy RPG Treasure has just become available for download in PDF format. It offers a full 'standard' fantasy system at zero cost. Treasure is also a Graphic RPG, which lets players choose to display some, or all, skills, actions and events as images or icons.
- The Power Source Podcast #12: Hate ... In A Good Way This week, Jared Glenn and Dave Noonan talk about The Plane Below, The Ardent, and Villains for your Underdark Campaign.
- Fantasy Grounds for Triple Ace Games Products Triple Ace Games has entered into an agreement with SmiteWorks to allow the popular TAG product lines including Daring Tales, Sundered Skies and Hellfrost to be released for the virtual tabletop platform Fantasy Grounds.
- FFG Cancels 'UFS' & 'Kingdom Hearts' CCGs "FFG is now out of the CCG business as the category has declined beyond the point where we can make it work for us."
- Ten Guardsmen To Amuse Or Harass Here are some NPC guardsmen to give a little flavor to a town or city district. None are meant to be a story in themselves, just color to add to a story. Pick the one that fits best or roll a d10 when you need a bit of flavor.
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