To Many Publishers?
- Thread starter SGTScott
- Start date
TheAuldGrump
First Post
I am all in favor of many small companies.
If anything I would like to see more diversity, but that is making a cautious return, so in order to see it I needs but wait.
It is only in having too many products covering the same territory that I have difficulties. Competing compilations of feats, spells, and prestige classes from other companies seems to me the work of the Department of Redundancy Bureau.
But sometimes even that is a good thing, goodness knows I intend to pick up Staem & Steel even though I already own Sorcery & Steam, and I have to admit that OGL Steampunk looks tempting as well...
To take Nifft out of context, and not at a poke at a spelling error, I raise my glass (quite full) and and say: 'To many publishers!'
The Auld Grump
If anything I would like to see more diversity, but that is making a cautious return, so in order to see it I needs but wait.
It is only in having too many products covering the same territory that I have difficulties. Competing compilations of feats, spells, and prestige classes from other companies seems to me the work of the Department of Redundancy Bureau.
But sometimes even that is a good thing, goodness knows I intend to pick up Staem & Steel even though I already own Sorcery & Steam, and I have to admit that OGL Steampunk looks tempting as well...
To take Nifft out of context, and not at a poke at a spelling error, I raise my glass (quite full) and and say: 'To many publishers!'
The Auld Grump
I like choices.
Bendris Noulg
First Post
ROFL!!!Vigilance said:
Something I think that many of you discount when you talk about companies joining together is that despite the fact that it is a group activity, it is still very individualistic. Most GMs seem to make their own campaign setting, or at least they all go off in tangents that deviate or go beyond the campaign setting they buy. With this in mind, having to work together would basically limit this freedom, and I think this probably contributes to the lone wolf mentality...
Darrin Drader
Explorer
Well, crap is clearly in the eye of the beholder. I've stated before that I'm one of the 16, no, make it 17 fans of the Spelljammer setting.
Clearly not every book is going to appeal to every gamer, but a few books from the larger selection should appeal to every gamer, whether it be setting stuff, player options, monster books, or whatever other flavors that I'm missing. Personally, I've worked on some WotC books (Death Knight template in Monster Manual II, Book of Exalted Deeds, and Serpent Kingdoms), and I've also done quite a bit of work on the Oathbound setting, which is being mentioned quite a bit in this thread - something that brings me great joy!
As a roleplayer and a fan of this particular industry, I have to agree that there are a lot of books out there on the market. I also agree that there is some variation in quality, though most of them meet or exceed my expectations. My personal favorites are Green Ronin, Necromancer Games, Malhavok Press, FFG, and the B5 line from Mongoose. I would mention Bastion Press, but then I'm biased. I don't buy every product from most publishers (the only exception to this being that I have bought every offering to date from Necromancer Games), but instead I pick and choose which ones look the best for my purposes.
I also know that almost all of the books on the shelf are the result of a labor of love on the part of the designers and the publishers. This isn't always the most profitable business to be in, and in many cases the books aren't there to make certain people a whole heap of cash. For most, this is something done in people's spare time, and it is their best outlet for their creativity.
While I agree that there are a lot of products on the market, I don't think I would really want to see fewer of them unless there are fewer books that people feel compelled to write.
Clearly not every book is going to appeal to every gamer, but a few books from the larger selection should appeal to every gamer, whether it be setting stuff, player options, monster books, or whatever other flavors that I'm missing. Personally, I've worked on some WotC books (Death Knight template in Monster Manual II, Book of Exalted Deeds, and Serpent Kingdoms), and I've also done quite a bit of work on the Oathbound setting, which is being mentioned quite a bit in this thread - something that brings me great joy!
As a roleplayer and a fan of this particular industry, I have to agree that there are a lot of books out there on the market. I also agree that there is some variation in quality, though most of them meet or exceed my expectations. My personal favorites are Green Ronin, Necromancer Games, Malhavok Press, FFG, and the B5 line from Mongoose. I would mention Bastion Press, but then I'm biased. I don't buy every product from most publishers (the only exception to this being that I have bought every offering to date from Necromancer Games), but instead I pick and choose which ones look the best for my purposes.
I also know that almost all of the books on the shelf are the result of a labor of love on the part of the designers and the publishers. This isn't always the most profitable business to be in, and in many cases the books aren't there to make certain people a whole heap of cash. For most, this is something done in people's spare time, and it is their best outlet for their creativity.
While I agree that there are a lot of products on the market, I don't think I would really want to see fewer of them unless there are fewer books that people feel compelled to write.
Last edited:
Emiricol
Registered User
Good insights from Darrin. I know how long it took T13K to come together (it sits as we speak going through final edit with a professional editor!). It wouldn't have happened for a measly few $k. It took two years of a labor of love from a lot of people who worked really well together.
So - I am happy to see more products out there. Other than Strongholds & Dynasties, I haven't had a single product I bought be a complete waste of money (and that's purely because it didn't do what I bought it for, which is my fault for not reading more reviews).
What I mean is that careful consumers are, mostly, happy consumers. There's a ton of really good stuff out there, just lurking amidst all the chaff.
So - I am happy to see more products out there. Other than Strongholds & Dynasties, I haven't had a single product I bought be a complete waste of money (and that's purely because it didn't do what I bought it for, which is my fault for not reading more reviews).
What I mean is that careful consumers are, mostly, happy consumers. There's a ton of really good stuff out there, just lurking amidst all the chaff.
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