Charles Ryan on Adventures

[BryonD]

I think it displays a tremendous lack of respect for their industry peers, and looking at the bylines on upcoming books with names that have also appeared on books by the likes of Green Ronin and Sword & Sorcery, coworkers.

I think the gaming industry could do with more focus on being the best and less focus on being one big happy family.

 

[IronWolf]

I think it displays a tremendous lack of respect for their industry peers, and looking at the bylines on upcoming books with names that have also appeared on books by the likes of Green Ronin and Sword & Sorcery, coworkers.

It's a business. Statements proclaiming one the best at what they do happen all the time and does not necessarily imply disrespect. One can claim themselves the best and still respect their competition.

 

[Crothian]

I think the gaming industry could do with more focus on being the best and less focus on being one big happy family.

Ya, I'm not sure I really expect or am all that concerned that everyone like and respect each other.

 

[Psion]

It's a business. Statements proclaiming one the best at what they do happen all the time and does not necessarily imply disrespect. One can claim themselves the best and still respect their competition.

This is true, and something I thought about earlier. I guess I view the game industry as somewhat cozier than bigger industries and don't like being disillusioned of this. After all, have any of you shared dinner with your favorite novelist, or had Roger Ebert recognize you and call your name out from across the room?

Still, it does seem a tad unprofessional to me. Despite the fact its not that unusual for business at large, in the gaming industry, it almost seems a hallmark of unprofessionalism to me, something I typically have experienced excusively from self-absorbed and self-aggrandizing small publishers. One such publisher blasted me for rating his company worse than his competitor (when in fact, if you did the math, I didn't) EVEN THOUGH they were tapping into the same freelancers for much of their work!

 

[WingOver]

Charles: I will say this: we think this hole in the marketplace is a long-term phenomenon, so we're looking at long-term solutions!

I'm looking forward to some new adventures from WOTC... especially if they're related in some capacity to the design contest their running.

 

[Reynard]

I've said it before, I believe that Wizards greatly over-estimated how accepted third-party material would be under the OGL and d20 STL. The continuous clamor for adventures from WotC has caused them to re-evaluate how much they have to invest in low-profit adventures to prime the sales of the profit-making supplements they'd rather be selling.

-Dave

I wonder -- did KoK do better than, say, Scarred Lands or IK? In other words, does putting the D&D brand logo on a product -- even if it is produced by a third party -- make it a much more salable item? And, if so, is there a way that the next generation od licensing might incorporate so both WotC and the third parties could get what they wanted?

Imagine if they god rid of the d20 STL entirely -- which they can do -- and replaced it with a "Powered by D&D" STL. It would be a little more stringent, maybe, and a little more tightly controlled -- as far as checking for compliance goes -- but would it be worth it to the d20 publisher? Frex, the PbD&D license might allow you to create adventures, setting sourcebooks, and other 'play oriented' materials -- making use of much more than what's out there in the SRD -- but it wouldn't actually be an OGL product and it might have a cap on how much new stuff, or what kinds of new stuff, you could create. PrCs and feats and spells might be okay -- campaign settings need that sort of thing -- but rules systems outside of those in official D&D books would be prohibited. It would certainly be more work on both WotC's and third parties' behalfs (behalves?), but increased sales of the product, and in turn increased sales of not just the PHB but other WotC books, might make it worth it.

I mean, imagine if GR was able to put out a big, fat seafaring advnture and not only call in Powered by Dungeons and Dragons, but also say 'uses rules from Stormwrack' on the cover. Would that sell better than a GR product with the d20 logo and a blurb on the back saying 'new seafaring rules'? Would it serve WotC's interest more? GR's?

Just thinking.

 

[BryonD]

After all, have any of you shared dinner with your favorite novelist, or had Roger Ebert recognize you and call your name out from across the room?

I'm sure this has happened to someone. But studios and publishers still compete to be the best at books and movies.

 

[IronWolf]

Still, it does seem a tad unprofessional to me. Despite the fact its not that unusual for business at large, in the gaming industry, it almost seems a hallmark of unprofessionalism to me, something I typically have experienced excusively from self-absorbed and self-aggrandizing small publishers. One such publisher blasted me for rating his company worse than his competitor (when in fact, if you did the math, I didn't) EVEN THOUGH they were tapping into the same freelancers for much of their work!

I guess I don't see it as unprofessional. I can see how it could disrupt the illusion of a cozy gaming industry, but I think WotC looks at it more from a business standpoint than a strive to be friendly to competitors.

When the company I work for goes to trade shows where there competitors are all about them you can bet we proclaim we are the best at what we do. Again, its not that we don't respect our competitors or are trying to treat them in an unprofessional manner - we simply state what we believe. You can bet there are in their booth doing the same.

Now criticizing you directly for rating a company lower than another is on the unprofessional side. Everyone is entitled to their opinion. On some things we may agree and on others we may not and even publishers should respect that.

 

[The Shaman]

I think it displays a tremendous lack of respect for their industry peers, and looking at the bylines on upcoming books with names that have also appeared on books by the likes of Green Ronin, Sword & Sorcery, Mongoose, and FFG, their coworkers.

Well-said, Psion.

It's insulting to others in the trade who do award-winning work respected by the consumers and their business peers.

It's a business. Statements proclaiming one the best at what they do happen all the time and does not necessarily imply disrespect. One can claim themselves the best and still respect their competition.

Confidence and arrogance are not the same thing. Belief in oneself and disregard for others are not the same thing.

There is a story - which like most good stories may or may not be true - about a football coach who pulls aside one of his players after the player performed an extended display in the end zone on scoring a touchdown. The coach looks the player in the eye and says, "Now next time, act like you've been there before."

 

[Hammerhead]

To be honest, I'd hate to work at a company that doesn't believe it's the best at what it does. Especially if that company dominated the market like WotC does. Furthermore, remember that Wizards competes with FFG, Mongoose, Necromancer, etc.

However, I do think it sad when some people restrict their attentions to only products made by WotC and ignore so many wonderful gaming books out there that surpass the 'official' material.