How many would be interested in this kind of d20 supplement ...?

[GMSkarka]

I meant that it seems that there are a lot of publishers offering d20 supplements which would indicate that there are people out there interested in such things.

If you're serious about getting into publishing, you're really going to need much more solid market research than that....you're still drawing conclusions with no supporting data.

The presence of "a lot of publishers offering d20 supplements" does not mean that there is a market for a product specifically like the one you're planning.

I would recommend, if you're just wanting to see your stuff in print, that you look for an existing publisher who is taking submissions, rather than trying to enter publishing yourself.

Sorry to be a wet blanket, but, as it says in the RPGNow vendor info: Potential publishers need to examine their goals. Do they want to be published, or publishers? Being a publisher means running a business. It means creating a website, coordinating art, editing, and layout, marketing the product, keeping finances in order, and so on.

If you're not thinking of those things, you're better off submitting your work to an existing publisher.

 

[Mithril Dragon]

GMSkarka - I already have a website ( http://www.jeffspangler.net ) which I will be using to showcase illustration work and I will be publishing the book under http://www.cafepress.com which means I will not have any publishing costs. It is a print-on-demand service that absorbs all of the printing, shipping, and billing details (and consequently takes a large part of the profit). I am a cgi artist and graphic designer (as well as an illustrator) who does print design, film & video effects, 3d and 2d animation, writing, and page laytout work for a living so the technical aspects are all covered. Also I have DMed for many years and know quite a few others with a very strong knowledge of the d20 rules. And, most importantly, I am doing this BECAUSE it is very difficult to get publishers to even look at your work without a ton of hassle. But I realize the incredible amount of work it involves so I understand the realistic possibility that it will not make much money. I'm not really doing it for the money. I love the game and it will serve as an excellent portfolio of illustration work to send to prospective clients.

 

[GMSkarka]

And, most importantly, I am doing this BECAUSE it is very difficult to get publishers to even look at your work without a ton of hassle.

Um...emailing them and asking "are you accepting submissions" is a ton of hassle?

Or, for that matter, the Open Calls & Job Vacancies Forum on this very site is FILLED with publishers looking for submissions.

Heck, even my own company is looking.....

 

[haiiro]

I like the idea, and if a good sample were available, I'd consider buying it.

As far as possible publishers go, if you like the sound of that route, Philip Reed of Ronin Arts has an open thread looking for submissions. RA handles the assembly, layout, etc., and gives you a cut of the profits -- but you also keep the rights to your work. Might be worth a look.

 

[pogre]

Hey M-Dragon go for it! I for one have a special place in my heart for vanity press offerings and this looks like yours could be pretty good. Make sure you have a preview available when you're done.

A few years ago I published my own mini rules as a vanity press with the expectation of losing $500 or so. It was a lot of fun and I almost broke even. Made me realize I don't want to publish another book, but the experience overall was very good.

 

[Jdvn1]

I like the idea, and if a good sample were available, I'd consider buying it.

Ditto! Sounds v. cool.

 

[ptolemy18]

I am working on a d20 (dungeons and dragons 3.5) suplement book to be published in accordance with the WotC OGL. It is essentially a Monster Manual concerned with one specific terrain type and will include background information for the area (brief history, myths, legends, etc) as well as unique spells, artifacts, and items.

Sounds a teeny bit like the environment supplements Wizards is coming out with now (SANDSTORM, STORMWRACK, FROSTBURN or whatever it's called). It would depend on the situation -- I think Wizards' supplements will take care of my need for desert, ice and water encounters, but until they come out with forest, swamp and jungle books, for instance, I might be interested...

Jason

 

[Pinotage]

You may also want to look at the Monster Geographica series from Expeditious Retreat Press. Not quite what you're suggesting but it covers the critter bit.

Pinotage

 

[Turanil]

If you do it as a way to show a complete work to prospective clients, and at the same time doing something as a hobby, I would say go for it!

Seeing the subject, vague enough to fit any campaign, and what you are capable of as a graphic dsigner, I am potentialy interested in your product. (Note that I would prefer something special, that could be used for a weird demi-plane, twisted evil forest, swamp of the green magial light, etc., rather than a mundane terrain that could already be found in a WotC product.)

If you publish it as a PDF on RPGnow, for all that I know you may expect to sell a hundred copies or so in three months. So, if you sell it at a reasonable price (5 $), you can expect 500$ out of it. However, as you said earlier, it's for hobby and to show potential clients, so I think it's worth doing it.

Something I like: Monster pictures: Put small pics in the monster description, with only one monster per page. Then, put a few pages that only have monsters, four per page, so it's easy to print, cut, and then show to players.

 

[Umbran]

I am working on a d20 (dungeons and dragons 3.5) suplement book to be published in accordance with the WotC OGL. It is essentially a Monster Manual concerned with one specific terrain type and will include background information for the area (brief history, myths, legends, etc) as well as unique spells, artifacts, and items. I don't want to give too much away since its still in the works but I will say that it should work well in any d20 fantasy campaign.

Everyone says that, but few hit the mark. It is very, very difficult to create something that will fit in any d20 fantasy campaign - flavors and styles vary too much. If you're producing a thing about deserts, and I'm working an underwater campaign, I'm not going to be interested. If you're covering mountains, and my group is mostly working in rainforests, again, not much interest. And that's before we get to whether your background information has any relevance whatsoever to my campaign world. Unique spells and artifacts are usually linked to specific backstory elements, and I have to work around that if I don't want the backstory....

Which is not so say that it wouldn't be wonderful material. But, incorporating it into my game already in progress may take a whole lot of work, and that may or may not be worth it...

Which leads me to the real point - I don't think one can really answer the question on so little information. Can't tell whether I'd be interested right now, without knowing more about the specifics of the product.