RPGNow Expanding...

[BryonD]

(pet peeve)

The not abridging free speech part is clearly intended to state that free speech exists in the absence of the Constitution and the Congress and that the Congress may not take it away.

Thus, when people claim that free speech doesn't apply outside that framework they are missing the most important part of the statement.

(/pet peeve)

You are wrong.
He is right.

He doesn't have the right to say anything he wants on someone else's message board. But otuside that he exactly does have freedom of speech to express any opinion he wants and Congress and the Constution have nothing to do with that beyond not taking it away.

 

[Morrus]

And, just to throw a spanner into the works of the whole free speech concept, this is not a subject that's going to be discussed on EN World. Please don't bring it up.

No politics. No religion. Simple.

 

[Vascant]

I do have a question for a few of those on this thread concerning the subject. Thus far everything has been directed in the interest of publishers, I however deal with software applications. According to my plan, October was going to be the month I seriously look at RPGNow as a method of branching out, with all the changes though I kind of wonder if it would be even worth the time now.

How would it be decided if Software is to be on the Main site or the Edge site?

Once decided and if on the Edge, how does one "advance" (For lack of better words)?

If sales are one of the measurements to determine where a publisher belongs, is it in terms of dollar or individual sale?


(I did attempt to find a thread related to anything like this matter on RPGNow's forum but after 20 minutes figured it wasn't there)

 

[Vigilance]

Disclaimer: I am not affiliated with RPGNow. These answers are to the best of my understanding.

I believe anyone beginning right now would start on the Edge site.

There has been some talk of maintaining "niche" product on RPGNow regardless of sales, but since RPG Software is one of the top categories I doubt an exception would be made.

Expansion from RPG Edge to RPGNow would be based on demonstrating leadership on the Edge- standing at the top of your peers. There are several criteria being discussed to judge this, including sales and product quality. My guess would be more than one criteria will be used to judge expansion between the two sites.

I believe when sales are being looked at Gross Sales would be the way they would be looked at (but again this will not be the only measure used).

Chuck

 

[WilliamAndersen]

No. There is a difference between an arrangement designed to keep new publishers out enitrely and something that keeps the Average Joe who knows absolutely nothing about putting together a quality product from tossing his hat into the ring.

I've edited and done layout on a number of projects for other companies that have recently come into the PDF industry and have no previous experience--not even as freelancers. What they have is a good idea (hopefully), but no ability to write, draw or prepare a project. That's not a publisher trying to get into the industry. That's some guy off the street trying to pass himself as a publisher and charging people money for it. That dilutes the market and reflects poorly on everyone else.

I was (and still largely am) against the splitting of RPGnow into two sites. Anyone of RPGnow's publishers who have been keeping track of what's been said on both sides since RPGnow announced this will know that because I was rather vocal about my opinions. However, the one thing I can't dispute is that there needs to be some measure of control that ensures only the people who have taken the time and effort to develop their knowledge and skills prior to tossing their hat into the ring can step up and start publishing. Without any manner of quality control, it becomes that much harder for the people who want to make a real attempt at it to be taken seriously.

So on, bastioning an industry against new publishers is definately not the same as wanting to ensure the market isn't damaged by letting every person with a desktop have a go at it.

Steve,

I can appreciate the need to consider quality control. However, if that is the main concern, then it would not make sense to have a quality screening to get on the main site (have that, and not sales, be the key issue)? I am unaware of any quality screening process that determines whether a product is allowed on the feature site... as a result, I am not sure that it is fair to say that quality is the dividing line (or that publishers on the 'featured' site have more of a claim to quality).

William

PS: For what it is worth, for those that are interested in publishing and having the principle review process for whether you are on a certain site be a specific quality review of your product, there are some etailers that do a review for product quality. I do not object to James' decision to split the site... it was to answer some concerns of the larger publishers (who make him more money, and therefore from a business standpoint need to be taken care of). However, it is not fair nor accurate to say this is about quality... there will be very good quality products on both sites, and there will be some low quality products on both sites.

 

[Vigilance]

Steve,

I can appreciate the need to consider quality control. However, if that is the main concern, then it would not make sense to have a quality screening to get on the main site (have that, and not sales, be the key issue)? I am unaware of any quality screening process that determines whether a product is allowed on the feature site... as a result, I am not sure that it is fair to say that quality is the dividing line (or that publishers on the 'featured' site have more of a claim to quality).

William

Sales are not the only dividing line- quality is considered as well.

If sales alone were the key site division, RPGNow would have only 75 vendors instead of 100.

Chuck

 

[WilliamAndersen]

I do have a question for a few of those on this thread concerning the subject. Thus far everything has been directed in the interest of publishers, I however deal with software applications. According to my plan, October was going to be the month I seriously look at RPGNow as a method of branching out, with all the changes though I kind of wonder if it would be even worth the time now.

How would it be decided if Software is to be on the Main site or the Edge site?

Once decided and if on the Edge, how does one "advance" (For lack of better words)?

If sales are one of the measurements to determine where a publisher belongs, is it in terms of dollar or individual sale?


(I did attempt to find a thread related to anything like this matter on RPGNow's forum but after 20 minutes figured it wasn't there)

As for the time required... I would suggest developing your program, and submitting it also to DT:RPG, e23 and other sites (including RPGNow). Then it is not really additional time involved.

William

 

[Steve Conan Trustrum]

Steve,

I can appreciate the need to consider quality control. However, if that is the main concern, then it would not make sense to have a quality screening to get on the main site (have that, and not sales, be the key issue)? I am unaware of any quality screening process that determines whether a product is allowed on the feature site... as a result, I am not sure that it is fair to say that quality is the dividing line (or that publishers on the 'featured' site have more of a claim to quality).

When this split was first announced, I was saying that instituting greater quality control should have been the first step and I still don't think the split is the best solution. However, just as I can't ignore what can potentially go wrong with it I can't ignore where it might work. As you know, sales wasn't the only determiner of who went where--a majority part, yes, but not all.

However, it is not fair nor accurate to say this is about quality... there will be very good quality products on both sites, and there will be some low quality products on both sites.

Very true. My arguement concerning this is more a proactive comment about new publishers coming in after the fact and current publishers pooling resources to make better use of what each has available.

 

[Steve Conan Trustrum]

I do have a question for a few of those on this thread concerning the subject. Thus far everything has been directed in the interest of publishers, I however deal with software applications. According to my plan, October was going to be the month I seriously look at RPGNow as a method of branching out, with all the changes though I kind of wonder if it would be even worth the time now.

How would it be decided if Software is to be on the Main site or the Edge site?

Once decided and if on the Edge, how does one "advance" (For lack of better words)?

If sales are one of the measurements to determine where a publisher belongs, is it in terms of dollar or individual sale?


(I did attempt to find a thread related to anything like this matter on RPGNow's forum but after 20 minutes figured it wasn't there)

I'd suggest talking to James and sending an example of your product. Considering you sit outside the common publishing role, it's possible he'll put you on RPGnow. He did indeed consider more than just sales with the initial split, so it's likely he'll continue doing so.

 

[Vascant]

As for the time required... I would suggest developing your program, and submitting it also to DT:RPG, e23 and other sites (including RPGNow). Then it is not really additional time involved.

William

Already spent a year doing that and has been available on my site for a few months. Thus far it has managed to achieve all of the goals set for sales. Especially where this split comes into a factor, you would not get the same degree of viewing. Fact is the change will not produce new viewers and the human nature to be lazy will cause a loss of some. So is whats being offered now with 25-30%, in terms of NPC Designer thats about $750 a month.

As for just putting it everywhere to be sold, I will pass. I have turned down everyone at this point to who offered because they do not help me achieve my goals. As Steve put it, in most cases the ones who are taken seriously are the ones who have made a serious investment into what they are doing. Example, the ad on Enworld's leaderboard paid for itself in the first 6 hours of being up. Domain and website are just an expense but one that is needed. With the changes coming to RPGNow, I now question what it will cost to be on there vs just how effective it will be. Everything thus far has been based on a user can search, under that theory the user has to have knowledge of the product.