POLYHEDRON: Favorite Designers

[Erik Mona]

Folks,

I'm doing some research for Polyhedron, and I'd like to hear your opinions on a few things.

1) Are there any d20 creators (either at WotC or otherwise) whose stuff you'll buy pretty much all the time? Are there any names that make you think "oh, that gaming product will be worth getting"? Please list those names, and why you think so highly of them.

2) Do other members of your gaming group pay attention to the author of a roleplaying product?

3) Which is more important to you when making a purchasing decision: The name of the book's author or the book's subject matter (spellbook, monster supplement, world book, etc.)?

Thanks much, guys.

Erik


__________________
Erik Mona
Editor/Art Director, Polyhedron
Editor, Living Greyhawk Journal

Edit: GAH! I hit 'edit' instead of 'quote', but I managed to rescue the text. Sorry about that! Dang buttons so close together...
--Ashtal

 

[MythandLore]

1) Nope.

2) Yes, some do, it's more of "I'm NOT going to buy this because So and So wrote it so it will be horrible", not so much they want to buy something because they think that author is great.

3) Subject matter is by far the most important to me, if I don't think I'll ever use it I probably wont get it.

 

[trancejeremy]

1) Nope.

For instance, I'm a long time Shadowrun fan, so I like Steve Kenson's stuff. But even so, I have no plans to buy his upcoming Green Ronin Shaman book, because I have no interest in a Shaman class book.

There are some authors I try to avoid. For instance, anything rules heavy by Lester Smith. He tends to have an imperfect grasp of games rules. (See his Book of the Dead for Deadlands, or any of his companies first few d20 products). OTOH, I feel bad about it, because he's a pretty nice guy.


2) Not in a positive sense.



3) Subject matter.

For instance, I plan on buying the Witch & Assassin books in that same series from Green Ronin, because I want Witch & Assassin class books

 

[Ycore Rixle]

1) Not really, but anything by Gary Gygax would definitely make me pick it up off the shelf and look at it. And if you could get Peter Adkison or Ryan Dancey in an interview for Polyhedron, I'd definitely buy that. Of course, I have a three-year subscription to Dungeon already, fyi, but those are names that would interest me. Also Monte Cook, Chris Pramas, Chris Perkins, Skip Williams, Jonathan Tweet, David Noonan, Sean Reynolds, Rob Kuntz; those names would make me check something out.

2) One out of four does.

3) The book's subject matter is far, far more important. I like the Polyhedron minigames. Adventures are the most useful to me. Maps of Mystery are great, and I'd love to see a slightly expanded map of mystery including names/one-line descriptions for the rooms in Polyhedron for Shadow Chasers, Spelljammer, Pulp Heroes, etc. After adventures and maps, next most useful to me are city books, creature books, npc books (like Enemies and Allies), and short encounter books. I loved the old "Trails" supplements for 1e/2e (can't remember which, the ones where there were two maps included for each treasure trail, one for players, one for DMs).

 

[TheDayKnight]

I will at least give anything done by Monte Cook a look. He writes turbo charged adventures and interesting alternates.

I will also look over anything done by Gary Gygax and Rob Kuntz a look for the nostalgia factor.


My gaming group doesnt give a hoot about authors.

I would have to say that subject matter and author is evenly balanced.

 

[Erifnogard]

1) I don't buy everything that comes out from any author. That having been said, anything by the following authors automatically goes on my "I must check that out/probably buy" list:

Sean Reynolds - Slavers. After that book, I will automatically check out anything SKR is associated with. Incredibly cool and well thought out with respect shown for what went before.

Chris Pramas - See comments for Sean Reynolds. Repeat here. Also Chris wrote Dragonfist, which has got to be the coolest thing I've ever been given free by a game company. I really hope this recieves a printed treatment in the future.

Monte Cook - Even though I don't necessarily agree with everything he does ruleswise, I at least know he does know the rules and has a reasoned approach to using them. Plus he has some pretty cool ideas that I usually develop for my own stuff.


2) Two others of our six person group also take note of authors, though like myself, that is not the final criteria by which they judge a work.

3) The name of the author is a factor in attracting my attention. Actually buying the book depends on subject matter and quality.

 

[Nightfall]

1. Well I know there are NAMES that make me look closely at a product, Mike Mearls, JD Carriker, Jeff Harkness, Wil Upchurch. I chose them because I feel they are some up and comers in the d20 world. However, I think the names that make me REALLY glance at a product have to be Monte Cook, Sean K Reynolds, Bruce Cordell, Jeff Grubb (I love his work as an AUTHOR more than game designer though), Erik Mona (cause I I LIKE what you've done with Armies, at least from the previews! )and of course Chris Pramas (I LOVE Freeport! )

2. A Definitative NO. I showed them Book of Eldritch Might to use in a game, I got beat down (not physically just verbally)...even when I showed them the PHB, the DMG, and MM, they STILL didn't get the connection.

3. I'd say it's a NEAR even balance, 60 percent what the book's SUBJECT is about, 40 percent who wrote it.

 

[tsadkiel]

1. Unabashed Robin D. Laws fanboy = me. I love Feng Shui, and have been impressed by his race/culture creation skills since the Star Trek Player's Guide. But if you look on my game shelf, you'll notice a distinct lack of Rune or Dying Earth or Hero Wars. Seeing laws' name on a product makes me more likely to pick it up, but if I'm not interested, I'm not interested.

Other d20 writers I like:

Chris Pramas. Death in Freeport is the only module I've ever used completely as written. Ever. And that's over nearly 20 years of gaming and a whole lot of systems. And I want d20 Dragonfist. Sigh.

Mike Mearls. Monte Cook. Erik Mona. Jared Sorenson (though his d20 stuff isn't his best work, IMO.) Lots of people who I' forgetting at the moment. But there's no one who's work I'll pick up sight unseen. Has Ken Hite actually done anything d20? 'Cause I really like him.

2. Yes, but not as much as I do.

3. Subject matter all the way.

 

[7thlvlDM]

1)

1) Monte Cook - Even though I don't necessarily agree with everything he does ruleswise, I at least know he does know the rules and has a reasoned approach to using them. Plus he has some pretty cool ideas that I usually develop for my own stuff.

That pretty much sums up my feelings about Monte Cook too. Don't always agree with him on balance/rules, but he has some neat ideas.

Other authors that would definately catch my attention and at least make me look at the product are Mike Mearls and Piratecat (after Sound Mind, that was great).

Some of my favorite designers that I haven't seen in a while are Dale Donovan (2E Cult of the Dragon), John D. Rateliff (The Standing Stone), and Rob Heinsoo (Monsters of Faerun).

2)
I don't think the other 4 in my gaming group pay attention as I've only introduced them to the game a few months ago.

3)
Subject matter is certainly a big deal, but so is quality, and I tend to associate the author with a level of quality after a while. So I guess my answer is, both equally

 

[ColonelHardisson]

1) Monte Cook. I buy anything he writes sight unseen. I've yet to be disappointed. Bruce Cordell - same as Monte. Anyone with the last name Gygax - I'll look very closely, and always greatly anticipate anything by them, especially the Old Man.

2) No, not really.

3) Depends on the name of the author - if it's any of those mentioned above, then it's the biggest factor. Otherwise, the subject matter is paramount.