POLYHEDRON: Favorite Designers

[Morrus]

1 & 3) Certain names will make me more likely to check something out, but only if it's a subject matter I'm interested in.

For example, of the following list, assuming I'm in the market for a Book of Bugs, but not really a Book of Fish:

a) Book of Bugs by preferred author
b) Book of Bugs by unknown author
c) Book of Bugs by disliked author
d) Book of Fish by prefrred author
e) Book of Fish by unknown author
f) Book of Fish by disliked author

The probable probabilities of my checking them out would be in this order:

a) Book of Bugs by preferred author
b) Book of Bugs by unknown author
c) Book of Fish by preferred author
d) Book of Fish by unknown author
e) Book of Bugs by disliked author
f) Book of Fish by disliked author

So you can see that the most important thing is the subject matter (as long as the author is not disliked), followed by the author.

2) Not in the slightest.

 

[hong]

The probable probabilities

It's Bayesians like you who cause all the trouble in the world.


Hong "obscure joke of the day" Ooi

 

[Eosin the Red]

1) Anything by Steve Long or Bruce Cordell will tempt me like crack as long as it isn't something I don't like (i.e. WW II RPGs, Feng Shui, anime), I have bought books in RPGs that I had no intention of playing because of the writer (Carl Sargent). I will look a Robin Laws products carefully.

2) Rarely

3) If I don't like it, I don't like it, no matter who wrote it.


More importantly - I often don't buy products because they are written by an author that has failed to impress me or otherwise turns me off.

 

[BiggusGeekus]

1) Yes.

2) Never.

3) Subject matter edges out author, but not by much.

Incidentally, I think it is a shame that some publishers don't list the author on the front cover of the book. After all, I don't buy novels based on who published them and I don't see movies based on the studio.

 

[NiTessine]

1) Yeah. If the names of Monte Cook, Skip Williams, Sean K. Reynolds, Gary Gygax, or Bruce Cordell are on the cover, I will at least check it over. If it's a Gygax, I'll probably buy it anyway, interesting or not.
2) Nope. They're not as geeky as I am, I guess. They do recognize the name of Tuomas Pirinen, though.
3) The subject matter is most important to me. I generally don't buy stuff that has only spells, or only monsters, or only prestige classes. An even mix is usually the best. See Oriental Adventures to see what I mean.

 

[MerricB]

1) At the risk of sounding like a broken record, Monte Cook, Gary Gygax, Robert J. Kuntz. And Bruce Cordell is about to be added there as well (having just got the Psionics Handbook and Bastion of Broken Souls I stand in awe of his design skills). James Wyatt I will seriously consider.

Monte Cook: I didn't know the man existed until 3E (having been out of the D&D loop for several years). Now I do, and I regret not having Dead Gods. Amazing stuff. Amazing mind. Wow.

Gary Gygax: It might not fit, but the ideas will be interesting.

Robert J. Kuntz: as Gygax.

2) Yes. And "Monte Cook" is at the head of all of their lists as well. They also stand in awe.

3) Depends. Subject matter is more important than than the author (I'm unlikely to buy a book on Deep Sea Diving by Monte Cook), but if it seems of general usefulness, seeing a recognised name is going to draw me in.

Otherwise, and Ryan Dancey is quite right here, "Brand" is important. I'll investigate any Greyhawk product because I like the setting.

However, if I see Jean Rabe's name on a Greyhawk product (or any other product for that matter), I run screaming, even if I'm really interested in the subject matter otherwise. There are authors with severe negatives against them.

A positive author will make me at least consider a product.
A good brand will make me want to buy a product.
A good subject will make me at least consider a product.
A negative author will make me run screaming.

Cheers!

 

[KDLadage]

1. -- I am a bit of a cult of personality-style book collector. I tend to follow author's very closely. I have multiple copies of some author's entire writing careers. On the same token, if I get burned by an author a few times, I will ignore the topic completely to avoid getting material by them.

2. In my group, I am the only one that is even aware that books have authors, I think. The rest just want the 'class book for X' or the 'monster book for setting Y' -- they never even look to see who has written it.

3. Since, generally, I can write my own stuff if it comes down to it, I pay more attention to the author. If it is an author I trust, I figure that, even if it is a subject I am not interested in, I might pick up a few gems.

DAVE'S TOP 5 RPG AUTHORS:
5 - S. John Ross
4 - Marc W. Miller
3 - Sean Punch
2 - David Pulver
1 - Nigel Findley

DAVE'S BOTTOM 5 RPG AUTHORS:
5 - Kerie Campbell-Robson
4 - Eric Metcalf
3 - Chris W. McCubbin
2 - Mike Bennighof
1 - Raven c.s. McCracken

 

[Tuerny]

In no particular order:

1)

a) Mike Mearls: I have pretty much been impressed with his material since I first read In the Belly of the Beast. I am slightly disappointed with the Psionic's Toolkit, but that is mainly cause I wanted more material.

b) Monte Cook: As has been said, I might not agree with his stuff but at least it is interesting.

c) Bruce Cordell: I have been a fan of his ever since he started writing Cthulhuesque material for 2nd edition.

d) Chris Pramas: Legions of Hell. Death in Freeport. Point.

2) Yes. In fact one of my players is a raving Monte Cook fanboy. Its kind of sad. ;-)

3) Yes. If it is by one of those four authors I am likely to pick it up despite my interest in the subject matter (unless it is totally outside of the fantasy genre)

 

[leaghe]

1) There are no Authors who I buy all the time. However, there are a couple that make me perk up and decide that I will check out a product. Those authors are J. Tweet, J. Tynes, D. Detwiller, R. Laws, and J. Ward.

2) I suspect members of my group have only the vaguest idea of who Gygax is, much less any other author. They are likely to check out a book because I ran a game, they liked it, and now they want it. Funny... I guess that my name is the only one they pay attention to...

3) Subject Matter is more important than author, when it comes to gaming materials. I'm more likely to check out the crappiest Science Fiction stuff than the best d20 fantasy module ever written.

Thanks for asking.

Leaghe

 

[andrew]

1) Sean K Reynolds, Monte Cook and Bruce Cordell. These 3 writers almost always strike a chord with me. Their writing is usually fun and innovative and has a sense of humor. Wolfgang Baur rates very highly on my list as well. I would also love to see someone bring back Colin McComb to tackle something interesting.

2) Not really. But they also don't buy many RPG products outside the WotC core.

3) Subject matter rules my purchasing decisions. However, one of my preferred authors will often get me interested in a subject I didn't think I cared for.