Ads posing as News

[Mistwell]

This was posted on the front page of the site today:

Don your capes and tights!

Finally, after disaster upon disaster (including an artist who was involved in a serious accident and admitted to hospital the day before his deadline - he's back on his feet now and recovering well, I'm pleased to report), and a long delay during which everyone else in the entire world released a D20 superhero PDF, Natural 20 Press' D20 superhero supplement, Four-Color to Fantasy: Superhero Toolkit is here! In fact, this book is so "super" that it has garnered a glowing review and enthusiastic praise even before its release! How about that for superpowers?

Anyway, you can buy it now from RPGNow. And if you're wondering why you should buy it, here's a quick list of some of the cool things about it:

Various character creation and advancement options - you can use classes, templates or even just buy powers with experience points!
Use it in your regular game to give the bad guys some powers that will flummox your players!
Play in the genre of your choice - high powered or low powered, gritty or fantastic, medieval, modern-day, post-apocalyptic, futuristic!
And more stuff! Super stuff! (Or should that be "superstuff"?)
And see if you can spot the tiny little Monty Python joke we put in there and the web page it links to! First person to send me the URL of the web page gets a free copy of our next product!
And if you're still not sure, you can check out the preview in Asgard Issue 6!

As far as I can tell, this is a free, full page ad for this new game. The specific details were posted in a sales-oriented fashion, as if it were directly from a PR department.

Is this really what ENWorld is all about? Couldn't this have been a short sentence with a link to the "story", such as "Natural 20 Press' D20 superhero supplement, Four-Color to Fantasy: Superhero Toolkit , is finally here. Click for the full story." instead of this spam? That way, if I am not interested in how to get a free copy of the companies next product, or in superhero games, or in a review of the new superhero game, or why i should buy the new superhero game, I can just not click on the link. Instead, I have to scroll through a page of crap to get to the next article.

I know this has been mentioned in the site redesign thread, but I just don't understand why it hasn't been implemented already. You don't need a site redeisgn to refuse to post free ads for new products.

 

[Staffan]

Given that Natural 20 press is part of ENWorld, I find it appropriate that ENWorld advertises their products. I might find it less appropriate if they do something similar for, say, the Everquest RPG.

 

[Umbran]

Um, Mistwell, Natural 20 Press is actually the EN World publishing company....

[edit: Oops, beat me to it...]

 

[Morrus]

Two things, Mistwell:

1) I've done that three times in my life. Once for each book Nat 20 has released. I'm sure it didn't offend you that much and the scrolling didn't cause you that much distress and inconvenience.

2) Server bills need paying. Otherwise no EN World. But then, that would mean less scrolling for you....

3) (OK, I can't count) -- the less ads thing was because I was feeling used. This doesn't make me feel used. Thus my whole "less ads" speech doesn't apply to this one iota.

4) (I REALLY can't count! ) -- the other thing about it is that it's saying "Hey everyone, look at what this community has done!" From art to layout to writing, it's a showcase of people who hang around here who might, just might, get a cool gig out of it (the layout guy, Scarogoth, already has started being offered work actually!)

 

[Piratecat]

So go buy it! Go, go, go!

Opinionated or not, I think it's really good, and it's supporting our favorite site. And it might even get that funny foot taste out of your mouth. *grin*

 

[thalmin]

Morrus, your error was in not reminding us that Nat 20 was your own publishing arm, something some of us may forget and others may not be aware of. You should have given yourself that little extra plug. As often as you like.

 

[Morrus]

I know... I'm one of those people who hates blowing his own trumpet. But you're right - I think I'll change it to make it a bit clearer.

 

[dreamthief]

I know... I'm one of those people who hates blowing his own trumpet. But you're right - I think I'll change it to make it a bit clearer.

I guess it's a matter of adding the standard disclaimer (Natural 20 press is published by etc).

I have no problems with it.

 

[Staffan]

I know... I'm one of those people who hates blowing his own trumpet.

<mode=HONG>
Most guys would be happy if they could blow their own trumpet, IYKWIM, AITYD.
</mode>

 

[Jarval]

And it might even get that funny foot taste out of your mouth. *grin*

You're printing it on edible paper?