Monte Cook on publishing a successful d20 product

[Hussar]

Interesting read. While I'm not a big fan of Malhavok, I have to give credit where it's due. That and Ptolus seems like a really cool Christmas present.

 

[Thomas Percy]

This is good strategy if you are Monte Cook only.
It's worthless for any Percy etc.
Even Slavicsek personally (without WotC) can't use it.

Everything because Monte designed brilliant 3E.

 

[tonse]

Monte Cook is to D&D 3.x fans what David Hasselhoff is to Germany.

What works for him, probably won't work for others.

As a Hasselhoff-tested German, who is also very tired of endless recitations of the "Gospel of Monty" I can honestly say:" At least he doesn't try to sing." So everything in the end is a matter of positive thinking.

 

[Lockridge]

I have to add to the positive Monte message.
He drew me in with the quality and imagination of his products. They are well thought out and also low in price (exception being Ptolus but you more than get your money's worth there). Also, he has no problem reaching out to his fans. Even when I had a complaint he answered personally.
When I purchased from Malhavoc I felt that I was purchasing a creative product from a creative person. I never felt as though I was buying into the latest marketing ploy from some corporate cookie-cutter publisher.
Just my opinion.

 

[DaveMage]

I really like the fact that he did Ptolus.

When the World's Largest Dungeon came out, Monte made the comment to the effect of, people don't want the World's Largest Dungeon, they want the World's Best Dungeon.

Now I happen to think the WLD is an excellent product, but I'm glad he stepped up and showed us what he believed to be a "best product." IMO he succeeded. I think it *is* the best RPG product out there. The other Malhavoc products have been hit or miss with me (though functionally solid, some haven't been inspiring to me, YMMV of course), but I think Ptolus is a gem.

 

[Gold Roger]

I think it's true that Monte's idea of marketing doesn't work for everyone that just pics it up and uses it, I don't think it's that way because he "designed brilliant 3rd edition" or is special in some magical way.

The simple fact is, Monte is both talented and well read in the craft of marketing. People say things like "he designed brilliant 3rd" not because he did so, he didn't really, he was one of multiple people involved, but because he knew how to capitalise from his involvement. He didn't just say "Hey, I'll hype my products and get ritch!". The way to success is plastered with the bones of people that thought like that and went down.

He understands hype and marketing, I'm sure he's read a lot of books on marketing and communication, and knows how to employ it for himself. This of course doesn't lower my respect for him, in fact it increases it.

 

[TheNovaLord]

good luck to him. dont think i own any of his malhavoc products, but the boy done well

Ptolus from all the freebie bits ive downloaded does look pretty groovey so who knows i may invest.

John

 

[Imruphel]

Monte and Sue deserve their success. Malhavoc is one of the few companies that has consistently published great products and also provided them with solid support via the website. More power to 'em!

 

[00Machado]

I have to add to the positive Monte message.
He drew me in with the quality and imagination of his products. They are well thought out and also low in price (exception being Ptolus but you more than get your money's worth there). Also, he has no problem reaching out to his fans. Even when I had a complaint he answered personally.
When I purchased from Malhavoc I felt that I was purchasing a creative product from a creative person. I never felt as though I was buying into the latest marketing ploy from some corporate cookie-cutter publisher.
Just my opinion.

Yes. I have to agree here. At least once, perhaps more than once, I had an issue that he dealt with quickly, efficently, and personably.

I've attended some seminars that he ran, and he was personable and approachable.

While not every Malhavoc product was a perfect fit for my game, I bought a lot of them for some key reasons.
1 - The ideas inspired me to want to do new adventures/campaign themes
2 - They were well done, in terms of mechanics and presentation - meaning art, quality and so on.
3 - His enthusiasm for the products came across and was, at times, contagious
4 - The message boards/cultivated user base. Some might call it fan base, but I don't, because it wasn't the hype that drew me in. There was a place to go to discuss the products, ideas, and so on with people who were excited about them, using them, and just seemingly cool.
5 - This is important too, though not likely to be replicated. I call it right time right place. Before PDF was big, before there were too many d20 companies, he was there doing stuff of quality basically for free. The early feats and things on his web site, before there was much product, got be hooked that he was giving back, not just marketing his products. There wasn't a lot of that going around.

I also liked the general approaching things on their own terms that Monte and Sue brought to their projects. It was cool. And I liked that someone was in a position to do it, and willing to take those risks/make those investments in themselves and their dreams for the work they were doing.

 

[trancejeremy]

If you are a fan of his, you think he's successful because he's a genius, he's cool, yada yada yada.

If you aren't, then it seems like there is a cult of personality-like quality to his success.