Question for everyone regarding MonkeyGod

[Erik Mona]

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Is it because they've only published modules to date, as opposed to other sorts of sourcebooks? Were people turned off by some early stuff and haven't checked them out recently?
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The Monkey God people might have facts to discredit this, but my suspicion is that their first couple releases soured retailers on them, and by the time they turned things around in the presentation department it was already too late.

My guess, and again this is just a guess, is that they have worse market penetration than folks like Green Ronin, Mongoose, or AEG. Right now, their products look as good as those from the top-tier companies, but that very clearly was not always the case, and I wouldn't be at all surprised if that hurt them.

There is a LOT of d20 stuff flooding the channel right now, and it's not surprising that once a retailer gets stuck with a lot of product that doesn't move, he's not going to reorder product from that company. A lot of those retailers probably don't know that Monkey God has picked it up a notch or two over the last couple years.

If they're not ordering the better products for their store, all that players have to judge them by is stuff like the Blood Plateau modules or perhaps nothing at all.

Also, players greatly outnumber DMs, even on EN World. It's likely that if MG published sourcebooks that interested players, they'd be showing up more often on player-dominated "favorite publisher" lists.

--Erik Mona

 

[chatdemon]

Is it because they've only published modules to date, as opposed to other sorts of sourcebooks?

For me, yes, that nails it on the head. I'm not, and never have been, a big fan of premade adventures. Not that MonkeyGod's, or anyone else's, are bad per se, I just prefer more of a homebrewed, DMing by the seat of my pants approach. Unless an adventure module containts substantial material that develops a campaign setting I'm using (like the old Greyhawk modules from 1e and 2e, or Green Ronin's Freeport saga), I am very likely to pass on it.

 

[Falcon]

I really like the style of three modules (Song of Storms, At the Edge of Dreams, and Black Ice Well), as it suits my style of DMming and they all fit pretty well into my campaign world. When I read these modules, I keep asking myself what the rest of the world is like, as the glimpses seem fascinating. I think some regional supplements like SSS, or even a full-blown setting would be great. I am kinda lucky living in the Bay Area, as nearly everything from everyone sits on the shelves of the gaming stores I frequent. Anyway, I suggest sticking to the style and flavor you have built around your modules and expanding the world around them.

I am always seeking materials that serve as a spring-board of inspiration for my campaign world, whether modules or supplements. I'd like to see more development in that direction.

 

[Damon Griffin]

Under the radar

Like many of the folks above have said, I rarely buy adventures. Maybe once a year I break down and buy one, and I am always disappointed. (I have not bought any of MonkeyGod's adventures, so it's *possible* they'd be the exception to the rule, but...)

So far as I'm aware, MonkeyGod's output to date has been all adventures, which means the company has been flying under my radar pretty much from the outset. I have been participating in some of the discussions of "From Stone to Steel" and the Explorer's Guides, and I'm very much encouraged by them, and looking forward to seeing the initial releases...but of course putting MonkeyGod on my "favorite publishers" list on the basis of as yet unreleased material would be premature.

 

[tburdett]

I'm with the crowd on this one. I've only purchased a handful of adventures over the past couple of years and don't anticipate buying any others in the near future. I do always look, but if it isn't something really extraordinary I just put it back.

I've only looked at one of the earlier products and I wasn't really impressed. My local retailer does not stock any of the newer material, and based on what he has in the store, I'm not willing to take a risk to order stuff online.

 

[Fearsome Monkey]

RE Glimpses

I have been lurking here for a day now and must say the feedback is very informative. Being a Monkey, I have avoided posting so as to not influence the comments, but if anyone has a specifc question for us I would welcome the chance to respond.

When I read these modules, I keep asking myself what the rest of the world is like, as the glimpses seem fascinating. I think some regional supplements like SSS, or even a full-blown setting would be great.

We have one setting coming out this summer (likely for GenCon) called Shadow Branch. You can read about it on our web site if you like. As far as the various lands described in our adventures are concerned, there will not be a full-blown setting book. However, beginning in Jan or Feb we will be starting our Legendary Lands series. These are a combination of a setting sourcebook and adventure. They are small settings (kingdoms, islands city-states, etc.) designed to be portable so that a DM could insert them into an existing campaign or use them to piece together a fledgling world. We hope these will have greater appeal than simple adventures, which, as you all have noted, are not very interesting to the majority of DMs.

Thanks to GenCon 2002 we have met many excellent new illustrators and cartographers so expect a significant upgrade in art and mapping for 2003. Other posters have already mentioned the sourcebooks soon to be released so I will sign off.

Please keep the feedback coming.

David Hurd
MonkeyGod Enterprises

 

[der_kluge]

I met the MG guys at GenCon, and the conversation went something like this: (paraphrased)

MG "Is there anything we can help you with?"
me "No, just looking. Who are you guys?"
MG "MonkeyGod Enterprises"
me "I've never heard of you" which surprised me, considering they had like 15+ modules on their rack for sale.
MG "We've written all these modules, and this one (holding up a module) is nominated for best module for an Ennie award"
me (dumbounded) "Really?"
MG "yep, and we're going to be coming out with some environment-based sourcebooks later on"
me "aha! Now I've heard of you"


I realize that they've been around a while, but it's increasingly hard to break into the already tight D20 market. If you're not there yet, it's probably impossible to gain any kind of name recognition unless you do something really amazing.

 

[Frilf]

In all fairness, however, MonkeyGod Enterprises is one of the older d20 publishers, to my knowledge. The original Blood Plateau modules date back a bit. I just think that, having produced *only* modules to date, they have gotten lost in the shuffle of the d20 biz.

Having said that, their modules of late have been quite interesting and show a marked improvement from their earlier efforts. The art does lack a bit, but it serves its purpose well and is not overly distracting from the product. Some of the adventure concepts were risky, such as Tsar Rising and The Magic Dump (no obvious puns, please), but they were very interesting and thought-provoking - even if the modules weren't used "out of the box".

I think that MonkeyGod is a company to keep an eye on in 2003. If their production values continue to improve and they diversify into interesting source material (as they say they are planning), they could be one of the bigger contenders at the next Gen Con. Keep up the good work, guys.

Disclaimer: I am not affiliated in any way with MonkeyGod. I just happen to like their stuff.

 

[Falcon]

I am very much looking forward to the Legendary Lands releases. Thanks for the update.

 

[roytheodd]

The reasons why I haven't laid out a lotta bucks for Monkey God stuff to date is because all they've made are modules. I'm a permanent DM and so I buy modules, but very few. Mostly I spend my loot on books of monsters, items, and spells. Also, books that simply "add" are good - that is, books I can cull ideas from and add to my campaigns (eg Requiem for a God, Relics & Rituals, Canting Crew, Mythic Races). I tend to buy (and regret) books of lairs or planned random encounters simply because they never fit what I've got going. Likewise, I tend to avoid modules too. I buy modules, but usually because there's a little something or other that catches my eye and that I can't really put my finger on it.

Also, and this isn't meant to be harsh or superficial (even if it is), the artwork is lousy. Artwork doesn't speak of the quality of the product, but it sort of does. Very few products on the market have good maps in them - they all tend to have been cooked up by some computer program that spews garbage which most gamers find keen (or so it seems to me). I've been DMing for ages and my handdrawn maps look very appealing. In my opinion I think that handdrawn is superior and harkens back to that 1st ed. feel that everyone is so desperately trying to regain.

So there's my reasons. All it takes is one well made product to start pulling the company's image up. Green Ronin was on top with only one product out there and Mongoose Press tends to move up and down the scale with their releases.