Anthony Valterra breaks his silence

[Anthony Valterra]

1) How can I join or start a sect for the Church of the Blood Red Moon?

2) Will there be spells in your book such as "Detect Homosexual" or "Smite Homosexual" (and "Smite Hetrosexual" as well of course)? Fiery Balls? Summon Sex Slave?

3) Do you actually feel that there is a NEED for the Book of Erotic Fantasy? Or that most campaigns seem to be lacking this type of information and that there is an actual desire for it?

4) Have you done any market research about this topic before you decided to start the venture? If so, care to share some facts (such as formal/informal polls you may done) with us?

PS - By formal/informal I mean (a) did you get a general opinion of your friends to see if they thought it was a good idea or (b) did you ask random gamers. Hope my question is clear here...

5) One more question that I forgot to ask; going back to the whole cult/church thing. What is with the name? What does "Blood Red Moon" have to do with a bunch of people that want to learn about tantric sex (or whatever sex information you were trying to learn about).

1) It doesn't exist anymore so you'll have to start you're own.
2) I don't think any of those are on our list.
3) I think some campaigns will *want* these rules. I don't any campaign *needs* these rules.
4) Most of the market research I have done is among other manufacturers. Many of them have told me that their audeince would likely be interested.
5) Like Valar its just a name. It had more to do with the founders and their personal symbology.

AV

 

[alsih2o]

way off topic...was anyone at wotc or hasbro in on the inclusion of the players handbook in the GE commercial?

 

[kenjib]

From your web site:

Valar Project will also strive to hold itself to the highest of ethical corporate behavior. We are a privately held company so we can afford to be as honest and forthright as possible – both with our consumers and with those who work for us. We will try to remain dispassionate and objective about our work and ourselves and admit and repair mistakes when we make them. As we develop corporate statements, goals, ethics and beliefs we will make them available to the public for consideration and comment.

How does this honesty and forthrightness relate to a deliberately misleading/sensationalist press release - considering that the press release was effectively the company's inauguration into the rpg publishing world and is now the irrevocable first impression among the community?

 

[alsih2o]

How does this honesty and forthrightness relate to a deliberately misleading/sensationalist press release - considering that the press release was effectively the company's inauguration into the rpg publishing world and is now the irrevocable first impression among the community?

you couldn't have been a little more polite than "deliberately misleading" ????

 

[kenjib]

you couldn't have been a little more polite than "deliberately misleading" ????

Here is what I'm referring to:

1. Was this emphasis on the controversial aspects an intentional attempt to stir up free publicity by representing (only implicitly of course) the product as something more than it is? If so, was it done because of the possible beneficial effect this same type of marketting (whether intentional or not) had on sales of the Book of Vile Darkness?

1) That was the intention and BoVD is my model on alot of the things I am doing PR and marketing wise. Once again I am rethinking that strategy.

Sorry about that. I was honestly having trouble finding an accurate yet diplomatic phrase and I came up a bit short.

Anyway, I asked if it was intentionally implicitly representing the product as something more than it is. Anthony confirmed. I think that is valid criteria for "misleading," although I agree that another word would have been more tactful.

 

[Anthony Valterra]

way off topic...was anyone at wotc or hasbro in on the inclusion of the players handbook in the GE commercial?

Kate Ross (head legal counsel) and I worked with GE to make that happen. They came to us so we get only credit for being able to respond quickly.

AV

 

[Anthony Valterra]

How does this honesty and forthrightness relate to a deliberately misleading/sensationalist press release - considering that the press release was effectively the company's inauguration into the rpg publishing world and is now the irrevocable first impression among the community?

I hope it was sensationalist. It was meant to be sensationalist. As to misleading - it emphasised those aspects of the product that I felt would garner it the most attention. I don't feel that that is improper. Now, did I make errors in the press release? Yes, strategic and technical. But as I have said it was the first I have ever done and I am neither a writer nor a PR person (I did read an article which helped). So the honest part is that my press release was less then perfect. The forthright part is that I am willing to admit that - in public. I hope no one believes this is the last mistake that I or Valar Project will make but we will always try to own up to our errors and rectify them where possible.

AV

 

[Bendris Noulg]

When is your departure from WotC "official" (i.e., what day is your last day on the job)?

 

[jdavis]

Haven't been able to root around the Valar website that much yet so I apologize if this question is covered there.

Does Valar have a mission statement or a company goal in regards to the general product line it will be creating? Will it all be adult content, will it all be erotic in nature or will it be a general game company with some adult niche products? I'm sure that would be hard to answer definitively with such a new company but I was just looking for some thoughts and ideas on what to expect from the product line in general.

I find the idea of a adult product line intriguing and while the BoEF may not be very useful to my campaign more adult level material would be most welcome.

 

[Numion]

Kate Ross (head legal counsel) and I worked with GE to make that happen. They came to us so we get only credit for being able to respond quickly.

AV

Different times from T$R .. when Spielberg asked for a permission to use D&D in E.T (one of the most popular movies evar, or something), TSR asked money for it. Needless to say, it didn't happen. About the biggest product placement ad D&D could ever hope to have, wasted.

Hmm... maybe it wasn't coincidence TSR went belly-up.