Comparing products

[Flyspeck23]

Well, I got a problem...

Say company A has just published a roleplaying aid PDF, a product which sounds pretty much like company B's product, with two differences: the product from company B is not as expensive, and more extensive at the same time. But company A has something going for them: bigger names.

Now what? Can that other game company, company B, announce to the world that theirs was there first, has companion products, is bigger, etc.? Or will company B get trampled in the process?

(Hope I didn't sound too bitter (as I'm not).)

 

[Crothian]

well, this has happened quite a bit in the d20 market. Let us take Froist Burn and Frost and Fur. Frost and Fur was written by Monekygod, it was out first, and personally it is by far the better product. But Frostburn is a Wizards product so everyone knows about it and seemingly has it. Besides the few people like myself that keeps pushing and telling everyone about Frost and Fur, there really is not much to help it out.

Out of curiosity what are the books you are referring to?

 

[Flyspeck23]

The product from company B are the Complete Monster Cards. So it should be clear who company A is, isn't it?

Still I'm not sure what to do... was it already too much to mention the product? Dunno.

 

[philreed]

This is a risk of the OGL. It can be frustrating -- especially if you make the mistake of mentioning a product and then someone else follows up with a similar product using the exact same name -- but there's really nothing that we can do. After all, I could take just about any 100% OGC product and release it in PDF. I won't . . . but I could.

I think the only solution is to respect others and find ways to work with those that respect you and the community.


Now to go poke around and see what these products are (so far, this is just me rambling).

 

[Flyspeck23]

Oh, I'm not angry that my idea was stolen (I ain't angry at all) or something like that.

It's just... strange... that company A's product costs that much more (+30-35%, something like that) while at the same time containing so much less (less than half the content).

What I'm wondering... is company A unaware of company B's product?

And to rephrase my question: what would you do in a case like that?

 

[jmucchiello]

What I'm wondering... is company A unaware of company B's product?

Why not ask them directly? In email, not in their forums.

And to rephrase my question: what would you do in a case like that?

Grin and bear it? Advertise my own product more heavily.

 

[Prest0]

What I'm wondering... is company A unaware of company B's product?

And to rephrase my question: what would you do in a case like that?

It's certainly possible that they don't even know your product exists. The d20 publishing world moves pretty fast, and those guys stay busy. All it would take is one week in which you're too busy to surf the net and you'd miss out on quite a few product releases.

In this particular case, they won an ENNIE a couple years ago for their design of blank initiative cards. It isn't much of a stretch that they would get the idea to fill those cards with monsters. JD and gang are upstanding people with no shortage of creativity. Trust me, they have no need to recycle someone else's idea. As Phil and Crothian pointed out, sometimes it's just the nature of the publishing world that these things happen. It's especially tricky with long product development cycles. Do you abandon three months work because someone beat you to release by a month?

Stand by the quality of your work, and look forward instead of behind. Every time a satisfied customer buys your next product, they'll come back to see what else you have to offer and find your cards.

 

[Flyspeck23]

In this particular case, they won an ENNIE a couple years ago for their design of blank initiative cards. It isn't much of a stretch that they would get the idea to fill those cards with monsters. JD and gang are upstanding people with no shortage of creativity. Trust me, they have no need to recycle someone else's idea. As Phil and Crothian pointed out, sometimes it's just the nature of the publishing world that these things happen. It's especially tricky with long product development cycles. Do you abandon three months work because someone beat you to release by a month?

Hmmm... when I was asking if they know of the other problem, that wasn't about my chance in court if I'd sue them - nothing like that. And neither was is about their lack of original ideas (trust me, I'm as much a fan of the Game Mechanics as the next guy, and respect them and their work).
So let me rephrase that question again: do they probably not know about the other product (and you're right, the PDF market is a fast one), because their product does half of what another product does for a higher price? The answer's probably: they don't.
As for the blank initiative cards winning an ENnie... iirc, they did that two years in a row...

Why not ask them directly? In email, not in their forums.

As pointed out above, it's not that important to me personally.

Grin and bear it? Advertise my own product more heavily.

Thinking about it. On the other hand, the Complete Monster Cards will be 8 month old next week (they were released on April 28th).
But there will be more advertisement, when the Complete Item Cards are published (as every new card product seems to refresh the interest in older ones).

 

[jmucchiello]

As pointed out above, it's not that important to me personally.

So it's important enough to ask people what they think about the situation but it's not important enough to say to the other pub directly "Hey, your product is similar to mine (link). Were you aware of mine when you developed yours?"

But there will be more advertisement,

Heck, the tGM release gives you an amazing advertizing opportunity. Heck, your cards are also smaller being 9 to a page rather than 4 to a page: "Save ink and paper with TOGC's Complete Monster Cards. More than just initiative cards, cost less."

And BTW, they aren't twice your price, they are three times your price. Their release is only Set 1 of 2. Thus both sets will cost around $24 versus yours at $8. One of their big features is fully statted Dragons of all ages, just like your product has. Perhaps you've been underpricing these things.

Good Luck

 

[Flyspeck23]

So it's important enough to ask people what they think about the situation but it's not important enough to say to the other pub directly "Hey, your product is similar to mine (link). Were you aware of mine when you developed yours?"

Well, what I wanted to know what others would do, and what action would both be legal and respectful.

Heck, the tGM release gives you an amazing advertizing opportunity. Heck, your cards are also smaller being 9 to a page rather than 4 to a page: "Save ink and paper with TOGC's Complete Monster Cards. More than just initiative cards, cost less."

And BTW, they aren't twice your price, they are three times your price. Their release is only Set 1 of 2. Thus both sets will cost around $24 versus yours at $8. One of their big features is fully statted Dragons of all ages, just like your product has. Perhaps you've been underpricing these things.

So it would be ok to compare them to the monster set 1+2? Or would that be in bad taste?

Btw, the CMC also include all creatures from the summoning lists too - IIRC, tGM only did/will do some.
As a sidenote, I don't think the CMC is underpriced, as people will have to pay enough to print them. At least that's my reasoning