Krug
Newshound
1. Give us an overview of your product line(s).
Our first product was the Complete Spell Cards: all the SRD 3.5 spells put into handy cards. Then came the Class Spell Cards, which split the Complete Spell Cards into the different classes. Our last product, launched on April 28th, was the Complete Monster Cards, which essentially is the same thing as the Complete Spell Cards, but for creatures. The first update to the Complete Monster Cards will see tons of animal companions and psionic creatures, and right now we're trying to come up with a way to include familiars as well. That update, as always, will be free for anyone who purchased the Complete Monster Cards.
More cards are coming up. We're starting the Complete Psionic Power Cards soon - as soon as possible; we're anxiously awaiting the new psionic rules to hit the SRD. Additionally, we're thinking about cooperating with other publishers to put their spells on cards - but that's not our choice to make
The Tremendous Tome series of eBooks, written from an adventuring party's perspective and dealing with specific aspects of an adventurer's career, will launch this year. Either On Nation Building (which is long overdue - but that's what I get for announcing the most ambitious project first) or On Monstrous Villains will be first.
Additioanally, there’s our "Players Keep Out" line of eBooks aimed at Game Masters. The first of these will be the upcoming "The Game Master's Guide for the Promotion of Cruelty to the PCs", written by Jamie McGraw. While this book is not about unfair GMing, it should help GMs put the fun back on their side of the table - without taking away any fun from the players, of course.
2. Tell us at length about your most recent project (upcoming or just released).
I've already talked about the Complete Monster Cards, our latest release, so I'd rather like to talk about Dungeon Bash, which might well be our next.
Right now Dungeon Bash is nearing it's first draft (after half a year of development), and playtesting already has started.
Think of Dungeon Bash as the ROLLplaying variant of d20. While that's probably something to distain when running your regular RPG session, Dungeon Bash is something different.
It's Hack’n’Slash entertainment, and nobody has to play the victims - that's right, you won't necessarily need a Game Master, as quests and encounters are determined randomly.
While there might be similar games out there, we're taking the concept one step further - it's using exactly the same rules as your favorite roleplaying game.
The game, as always exclusively available at RPG Now as PDFs, will be bursting with material - the rule book (obviously), floor plans and accessoire, treasure and encounter tables, simplified one-page character sheets, and more. If it’s possible we’ll also include encounter and room cards, so you could either use the tables or the cards.
It will include literally hundreds of tables - of which you won't ever need all at the same time, as they're taking different character levels into account. Some of these tables could even be used outside of Dungeon Bash. For instance, they might help to inspire your next dungeon crawl, or could generate the treasure quicker than the standard rules.
Rules to customize Dungeon Bash will be included, so you can use virtually every fantasy miniature (or counter, for that matter) or any floor plans you own. We will include our own floor plans and counters for those not having their own already.
To sum it up, Dungeon Bash will be unlike any other d20 supplement you’ve ever seen.
3. 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 cards are first and foremost aimed at the low- to mid-experienced d20 players, or more precisely: anyone who still needs to make notes of spells, creatures and so on.
Dungeon Bash in particular is not for "hardcore roleplayers" (we're not talking experience here, we're talking about those roleplayers who won't never ever touch any dice), but rather for everyone who either enjoys a beer&pretzel game, or simply is left with no GM for whatever reason, or wants to play her favorite roleplaying game at the pub, or wants his players to play out the low levels before starting the campaign at mid-level…
But frankly, my target audience is me. If I won’t buy a book myself, I would neither write nor publish it.
4. What is the main thing about your company that makes you most proud?
Our first product was an instant hit - the Complete Spell Cards are currently #25 on RPG Now's d20 Top Sellers list. And the Complete Monster Cards were already at the top of this month's Top Sales list.
And, even better, people really love them, and appreciate that we're willing to walk that extra mile (like we did for the Complete Spell Cards update, when we didn't just correct the erraneous cards but made a single update PDF with all the changes).
So it's all really awarding, and for that I’m grateful.
5. Where do you see your company one year from now?
Hopefully in the same place as now, but bigger
Honestly, it seems we've already craved out a niché for TOGC (cards!), but we won't stop there - I don't see myself doing cards for the rest of my life... at least not solely!
Although I don't consider the PDF market as inferior in any way, I'd love to see one of my projects put to the printer. There ain't few things like seeing your name printed on a "real" cover...
Anyway, TOGC is using up more and more of my time, and I expect that trend to continue. And yes, that’s a good thing.
The Other Game Company is located at: http://www.theothergamecompany.com/
Our first product was the Complete Spell Cards: all the SRD 3.5 spells put into handy cards. Then came the Class Spell Cards, which split the Complete Spell Cards into the different classes. Our last product, launched on April 28th, was the Complete Monster Cards, which essentially is the same thing as the Complete Spell Cards, but for creatures. The first update to the Complete Monster Cards will see tons of animal companions and psionic creatures, and right now we're trying to come up with a way to include familiars as well. That update, as always, will be free for anyone who purchased the Complete Monster Cards.
More cards are coming up. We're starting the Complete Psionic Power Cards soon - as soon as possible; we're anxiously awaiting the new psionic rules to hit the SRD. Additionally, we're thinking about cooperating with other publishers to put their spells on cards - but that's not our choice to make
The Tremendous Tome series of eBooks, written from an adventuring party's perspective and dealing with specific aspects of an adventurer's career, will launch this year. Either On Nation Building (which is long overdue - but that's what I get for announcing the most ambitious project first) or On Monstrous Villains will be first.
Additioanally, there’s our "Players Keep Out" line of eBooks aimed at Game Masters. The first of these will be the upcoming "The Game Master's Guide for the Promotion of Cruelty to the PCs", written by Jamie McGraw. While this book is not about unfair GMing, it should help GMs put the fun back on their side of the table - without taking away any fun from the players, of course.
2. Tell us at length about your most recent project (upcoming or just released).
I've already talked about the Complete Monster Cards, our latest release, so I'd rather like to talk about Dungeon Bash, which might well be our next.
Right now Dungeon Bash is nearing it's first draft (after half a year of development), and playtesting already has started.
Think of Dungeon Bash as the ROLLplaying variant of d20. While that's probably something to distain when running your regular RPG session, Dungeon Bash is something different.
It's Hack’n’Slash entertainment, and nobody has to play the victims - that's right, you won't necessarily need a Game Master, as quests and encounters are determined randomly.
While there might be similar games out there, we're taking the concept one step further - it's using exactly the same rules as your favorite roleplaying game.
The game, as always exclusively available at RPG Now as PDFs, will be bursting with material - the rule book (obviously), floor plans and accessoire, treasure and encounter tables, simplified one-page character sheets, and more. If it’s possible we’ll also include encounter and room cards, so you could either use the tables or the cards.
It will include literally hundreds of tables - of which you won't ever need all at the same time, as they're taking different character levels into account. Some of these tables could even be used outside of Dungeon Bash. For instance, they might help to inspire your next dungeon crawl, or could generate the treasure quicker than the standard rules.
Rules to customize Dungeon Bash will be included, so you can use virtually every fantasy miniature (or counter, for that matter) or any floor plans you own. We will include our own floor plans and counters for those not having their own already.
To sum it up, Dungeon Bash will be unlike any other d20 supplement you’ve ever seen.
3. 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 cards are first and foremost aimed at the low- to mid-experienced d20 players, or more precisely: anyone who still needs to make notes of spells, creatures and so on.
Dungeon Bash in particular is not for "hardcore roleplayers" (we're not talking experience here, we're talking about those roleplayers who won't never ever touch any dice), but rather for everyone who either enjoys a beer&pretzel game, or simply is left with no GM for whatever reason, or wants to play her favorite roleplaying game at the pub, or wants his players to play out the low levels before starting the campaign at mid-level…
But frankly, my target audience is me. If I won’t buy a book myself, I would neither write nor publish it.
4. What is the main thing about your company that makes you most proud?
Our first product was an instant hit - the Complete Spell Cards are currently #25 on RPG Now's d20 Top Sellers list. And the Complete Monster Cards were already at the top of this month's Top Sales list.
And, even better, people really love them, and appreciate that we're willing to walk that extra mile (like we did for the Complete Spell Cards update, when we didn't just correct the erraneous cards but made a single update PDF with all the changes).
So it's all really awarding, and for that I’m grateful.
5. Where do you see your company one year from now?
Hopefully in the same place as now, but bigger
Honestly, it seems we've already craved out a niché for TOGC (cards!), but we won't stop there - I don't see myself doing cards for the rest of my life... at least not solely!
Although I don't consider the PDF market as inferior in any way, I'd love to see one of my projects put to the printer. There ain't few things like seeing your name printed on a "real" cover...
Anyway, TOGC is using up more and more of my time, and I expect that trend to continue. And yes, that’s a good thing.
The Other Game Company is located at: http://www.theothergamecompany.com/
