Sean Reynolds' new company press release

Greatwyrm

Been here a while...
First, let me start by saying I like Mr. Reynolds' work and he personally helped me with a sticky customer service issue back in the TSR days. I have no axe to grind with him.

However, was I the only one that read the press release about the new company and felt I was told that I was too dumb to recognize a good or bad product when I see them? I know sometimes it's difficult to get someone's real meaning just in writing, but...
 

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You're referring to this, right?

[url=http://www.seankreynolds.com/skrg/]SKR[/url] said:
Welcome to Sean K Reynolds Games! We have very high standards for the material in our books. With us you won't find feats that let you shoot three arrows per round at 2nd level, do cold damage to cold-immune creatures, or sneak attack undead. Why not? Because that's bad game design, and you don't need it in your game, on your bookshelf, or at your local game store.

Almost since its inception, people have been saying that the "d20 bubble" will collapse and most of the d20 companies will fold. Strangely, that hasn't happened, and that's partly because many gamers out there can't recognize bad game design when they see it. If you knew something was garbage, you wouldn't buy it, right? And if more people did that, the companies that produce volume after volume of garbage d20 product would go out of business and there would be more space on the shelves for good product.

That's our goal. Show people how to look at their gaming books. Give them the knowledge and tools to recognize what's good and not. Put the garbage-peddlers out of business. (Oh, and while we're at it, put out some fun game products of our own.)

What will you find in our books? Quality materials (both "crunch" and "fluff") that are creative and well thought-out. Our books won't surprise you with an übercharacter combo or an unexpected total-party-kill. Our books are written by people who really understand the game, care about the game, and think hard about what effect each rule has on the other parts of the system. Just as you need quality tools to build a house that you can enjoy for a long time without it falling apart, you need quality game materials to have an enjoyable campaign that doesn't break down because of rules problems.

So welcome! Take a look around, see what we have to offer.
 

However, was I the only one that read the press release about the new company and felt I was told that I was too dumb to recognize a good or bad product when I see them?

Sounds like he's implying more than that...

With us you won't find feats that let you shoot three arrows per round at 2nd level, do cold damage to cold-immune creatures, or sneak attack undead.

*cough*WotC*cough*
 

I saw it more as a shot at other companies than at customers. (And while he talks about separating the wheat from the chaff, when he cites things like sneak attacking undead, it sounds like WotC is part of the chaff to him. Not that I totally disagree with that notion itself...)

That said, when Sean talks about "good" and "bad" game design, he is using his own very personal definition, which I do not see eye to eye with him on. To me, taking a flavorful entity like drow weapons out of the game because it defied some esoteric and ill-justified game design principle is bad game design.

In fact, arguments like that are what inspired my sig.
 
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Well, I'm specifically talking about this part:

Strangely, that hasn't happened, and that's partly because many gamers out there can't recognize bad game design when they see it. If you knew something was garbage, you wouldn't buy it, right?

This just rubs me the wrong way. To me that sounds like I must not realize it's crap, because I'm buying it.
 

Gez said:
You're referring to this, right?

Hm. Yeah, it does sound pretty arrogant. Turned me right off.

Funny, I have no problem with other gamers trashing on bad writing, but when a professional does it, it somehow seems wrong. Maybe it's because making a living at it gives you some air of authority?

J
 

Well, apparently I'm a moron who doesn't know good game design from bad. I like feats that let rogues sneak attack undead, for example. Nothing's worse than playing the rogue in an undead-heavy adventure.

It would seem that SKR's new company has very different goals from most; while some attempt to satisfy their customers and make a profit, his seems to be put his competitors out of business.
 



Hmmm... Seems a little too focused on the "right" and "wrong" ways to play D&D...

I know a bad product when I see one. I don't buy from FFG or Moongoose (usually), I read the reviews of the good companies. I, as the informed consumer, make my own choices for what is good and bad. I don't think I need handholding on that.

HOWEVER, if SKR can make some good products that I need at a reasonable cost, I'll gladly buy them. Mainly because they are useful, not because they are "correct"

and I LIKE sneak-attackable undead...
 

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