Krug
Newshound
Give us an overview of your product lines
Blue Devil Games currently has three product lines. The first is our Complete line of d20 sourcebooks, which takes a single, undeveloped d20 rule and expands on it as completely as possible. Poisoncraft: The Dark Art is the first book in the line. The next Complete sourcebook will be on antimagic and is due for release in September.
We are also entering the world of M&M Superlink with the “First Appearance” line of supplements. They will introduce a new character or superhero team as a backdrop for introducing an entirely new ruleset. The first book in the line is T.O.M.C.A.T.s (short for TacOps Modular Cybernetics Assault Team) and presents detailed rules for modular cybernetics along with other crunchy goodness. It should be released in August.
Finally, Blue Devil Games also publishes non-RPG, standalone games. We focus on simple games that reward thought and strategy. Our first such product is Golem, a two-player bidding game, featuring card art by Niklas Brandt.
Tell us at length about your most recent project (upcoming or just released)
With the success of Poisoncraft, we’re really excited about the next Complete sourcebook on antimagic. Fans of the first book can expect the same kind of “fiendishly clever” treatment. The cornerstone will be an in-depth analysis of the nature of magic and antimagic, offering magical system “models” and logical explanations for how the various forms of antimagic work in each one. It will offer a whole new way of looking at dispelling, counterspelling, spell resistance, and antimagic fields. Yes, counterspells will finally be a viable option for your mage!
The book will also include a host of new game mechanics—feats, spells, (anti)magic items, core classes, prestige classes, creatures, and adventure seeds—that explore antimagic in interesting new ways. Take the lochund, for example, a nasty, blue-furred, lupine creature that regains hit points every time its spell resistance causes a spell to fail.
What is your main target audience, and how much of a spread beyond that do you feel is likely, first for your line(s), then for your most recent?
Our motto is “fiendishly clever,” and that’s what we strive for. Generally, our RPG supplements are more complex, more detailed additions to the existing rules. For example, we don’t just give you new creatures—but creatures with unique abilities. We don’t just give you new superhero powers—but whole new rulesets.
So, for our RPG supplements at least, our target audience is the intelligent gamer. Our stuff is not for novices. I honestly just don’t see a newbie getting a lot out of a 96-page book on poison. Veteran gamers, on the other hand, will savor the robustness our products can add to their gaming experience.
Our standalone games, on the other hand, can be enjoyed by anyone. They’re just plain fun!
What is the main thing about your company that makes you most proud?
The high quality production values of our products. Several purchasers of Poisoncraft have commented that they can’t believe it’s our first publication. One of the reviews of Poisoncraft said it was similar in appearance to a Malhavoc Press product—only better! That’s high praise in my book.
As an e-publisher, we are mindful that there is a great sea of electronic material out there. Unfortunately, some of it is not so great. We strive to set ourselves apart by maintaining the strictest quality standards, so the Blue Devil Games logo becomes synonymous with “quality.” When our customers plunk down their hard-earned money for one of our books, we want them to be confident that they’ll get their money’s worth.
Where do you see your company one year from now?
Poisoncraft and Antimagic are in the top-50 on RPGNow’s all-time best sellers list. We’ve just released our first print product to rave reviews. One of our standalone games has been picked up by Hasbro. And I’m surfing the E.N. World boards one day and come across the following post:
“I was just wondering which company’s products you get whenever they come out, no matter what they’re about. For me, it’s: Green Ronin, Malhavoc, WOTC, Fantasy Flight, and Blue Devil Games. They’re stuff rocks!”
That would be sweet and would take some of the sting out of turning 35. (Today’s my birthday. Through the end of the month, you can take advantage of Blue Devil Games’ birthday sale on Poisoncraft.)
--
Links:
ENWorld username: Justin D. Jacobson
Contact: Justin@bluedevilgames.com
RPGNow link: http://www.rpgnow.com/default.php?manufacturers_id=540
Website: www.bluedevilgames.com
Blue Devil Games currently has three product lines. The first is our Complete line of d20 sourcebooks, which takes a single, undeveloped d20 rule and expands on it as completely as possible. Poisoncraft: The Dark Art is the first book in the line. The next Complete sourcebook will be on antimagic and is due for release in September.
We are also entering the world of M&M Superlink with the “First Appearance” line of supplements. They will introduce a new character or superhero team as a backdrop for introducing an entirely new ruleset. The first book in the line is T.O.M.C.A.T.s (short for TacOps Modular Cybernetics Assault Team) and presents detailed rules for modular cybernetics along with other crunchy goodness. It should be released in August.
Finally, Blue Devil Games also publishes non-RPG, standalone games. We focus on simple games that reward thought and strategy. Our first such product is Golem, a two-player bidding game, featuring card art by Niklas Brandt.
Tell us at length about your most recent project (upcoming or just released)
With the success of Poisoncraft, we’re really excited about the next Complete sourcebook on antimagic. Fans of the first book can expect the same kind of “fiendishly clever” treatment. The cornerstone will be an in-depth analysis of the nature of magic and antimagic, offering magical system “models” and logical explanations for how the various forms of antimagic work in each one. It will offer a whole new way of looking at dispelling, counterspelling, spell resistance, and antimagic fields. Yes, counterspells will finally be a viable option for your mage!
The book will also include a host of new game mechanics—feats, spells, (anti)magic items, core classes, prestige classes, creatures, and adventure seeds—that explore antimagic in interesting new ways. Take the lochund, for example, a nasty, blue-furred, lupine creature that regains hit points every time its spell resistance causes a spell to fail.
What is your main target audience, and how much of a spread beyond that do you feel is likely, first for your line(s), then for your most recent?
Our motto is “fiendishly clever,” and that’s what we strive for. Generally, our RPG supplements are more complex, more detailed additions to the existing rules. For example, we don’t just give you new creatures—but creatures with unique abilities. We don’t just give you new superhero powers—but whole new rulesets.
So, for our RPG supplements at least, our target audience is the intelligent gamer. Our stuff is not for novices. I honestly just don’t see a newbie getting a lot out of a 96-page book on poison. Veteran gamers, on the other hand, will savor the robustness our products can add to their gaming experience.
Our standalone games, on the other hand, can be enjoyed by anyone. They’re just plain fun!
What is the main thing about your company that makes you most proud?
The high quality production values of our products. Several purchasers of Poisoncraft have commented that they can’t believe it’s our first publication. One of the reviews of Poisoncraft said it was similar in appearance to a Malhavoc Press product—only better! That’s high praise in my book.
As an e-publisher, we are mindful that there is a great sea of electronic material out there. Unfortunately, some of it is not so great. We strive to set ourselves apart by maintaining the strictest quality standards, so the Blue Devil Games logo becomes synonymous with “quality.” When our customers plunk down their hard-earned money for one of our books, we want them to be confident that they’ll get their money’s worth.
Where do you see your company one year from now?
Poisoncraft and Antimagic are in the top-50 on RPGNow’s all-time best sellers list. We’ve just released our first print product to rave reviews. One of our standalone games has been picked up by Hasbro. And I’m surfing the E.N. World boards one day and come across the following post:
“I was just wondering which company’s products you get whenever they come out, no matter what they’re about. For me, it’s: Green Ronin, Malhavoc, WOTC, Fantasy Flight, and Blue Devil Games. They’re stuff rocks!”
That would be sweet and would take some of the sting out of turning 35. (Today’s my birthday. Through the end of the month, you can take advantage of Blue Devil Games’ birthday sale on Poisoncraft.)
--
Links:
ENWorld username: Justin D. Jacobson
Contact: Justin@bluedevilgames.com
RPGNow link: http://www.rpgnow.com/default.php?manufacturers_id=540
Website: www.bluedevilgames.com
