Recent content by JLowder

I've done some consulting with the people behind the new PotA RPG and players will not be limited by "biological essential" roles. So you will be able to create and play gorilla scientists and so on. The intro PR is aimed at people familiar with the franchise. Hope that helps. Cheers, Jim Lowder

You may be putting too much emphasis on "immediately," which in 1970s and early 1980s publishing terms meant a printing or two, so at least a few months, likely longer. Remember, when the original book was published, printers were using printing plates for each page, likely metal but eventually...

Great write up. I am indeed still in the area, which has a weird relationship with its tabletop gaming heritage. More places are coming around, though, and some of the local media have been very supportive over the years. I've been doing an annual holiday Games to Gift segment about new tabletop...

Gary Con is a lot of fun. Gamehole in the last few years reminds me of Gen Con in the late 80s. You should have a great time there.

Did WotC announce this? Did they explain the specific reason they wanted the switch to how names were translated?

It's possible the change in translation strategy was related to trademark concerns. This topic can get quite complicated when dealing with translations.

Welcome to the area! Barrister (different stores have different space available) and Game Universe are good places to start. Oddwillow's is a newer store focused on building community; they are a ways out from downtown, but you might want to check with them as well. If you're looking for a...

Unless the original publisher is working with a language expert on staff or a localization expert, and those are not common in TTRPG circles, in-house review of translated projects often consists of checking for required legal language and proper trademark use, then reviewing a PDF for obvious...

At a company the size of Wizards, the translations are arranged through the international licensing team. The brand team might have some input over the licenses, but translations are always complicated by the ability of the people involved to understand the translated text. If the staff you ask...

Individual creators are far more likely to find their possibilities for continuing employment with publishers, as freelancers or staff, narrowed with even a relatively few complaints about bad actions--or even speaking out about a publisher's bad actions and being branded a "troublemaker." Those...

Legal threats from publishers against former staff or freelancers who criticize their former employers, along with various other non-legal punitive actions (like the publisher or employees still working for the outfit disclosing what amounts to confidential info about the targeted ex-employee)...

Don't count on it. The tabletop industry and hobby market audiences are quite forgiving of what should be fatal PR moves and unrepentant bad business behavior from publishers. The power imbalance between publishers and most staff or freelancers in these situations, and in the market overall, is...

No, there are plenty of problems. This entire thread is about that topic. You will find many other such discussions in tabletop circles.

No, fair and ethical treatment in publishing on a practical, functional level is not all that hard to pin down, and nods to radical subjectivity are mostly flak for dubious or overtly predatory behavior. The best overall guide on matters like this is to take people at their word, to watch their...

Again, even with ethics, there are areas where actions can be debated, but lots more in business where, no, it's pretty clear the people in power were not being ethical. You are also way off about the expectations of the people working in "the artistic trades." While they may be motivated to...