True20 Companion: Who's got it?

[jezter6]

Let us not forget that we're already on edition 1.5.

I'm actually very happy with this entire product line. It's very modular and very playable. In fact, while I still use D&D for fantasy roleplaying, I pretty much stick to True20 for Modern, scifi, and post-apocalyptic games. I'm really looking forward to the True20 edition of Darwin's World.

I'd rather say we're on 2.0, since it started with M&M and Blue Rose was the 1.5 edition.

And in spite of running a d20 modern chat room, True20 will be likely to replace 100% of my gaming. I'll still purchase some d20 modern stuff as I try to convert, but I will slow all my non-True20 purchases.

And this thing is supported very well, I just can't wait to see MORE of it.

 

[Roudi]

I can already see ways around this though...

Take a look at Licensing True20. As a publisher, paying $100 annually for a maximum of 6 products within that year means that those (up to) 6 products better make a return on investment. Ask any of the current publishers using the single-class release format - the only way that format makes any money is by sheer number of products. TheLe and LPjr make way more than 6 class products per annum, and they have to in order to profit from that model. I think. I'm pretty sure.

Technically, True20 is OGL, and that means publishers can release OGL products that are True20-compatible. They cannot, however, explicitly state they are compatible with True20. And think about it... how difficult is it to say a product is True20 compatible without using the word "True20"? It's not easy, and odds are the majority of your target market will overlook such a product in favour of something sporting the actual True20 logo.

So, yeah, there are ways around the licensing. They are only technically successful, and I doubt "getting around" the True20 license will lead a 3rd party publisher to profit.

Just my +1 wealth check, anyhow.

 

[jezter6]

Never said it would be profitable, but I could see how it could be done.

I'm not good at business, so I'm unsure how a flood of low profit el-cheapo PDFs actually makes money by flooding the market with them. I'd love to see some business numbers to support that, but I know that publishers don't want to give that info out.

I can't wait to see Chuck's take on True20. True Darwin's World is definately high on my list.

 

[CaptainChaos]

Take a look at Licensing True20. As a publisher, paying $100 annually for a maximum of 6 products within that year means that those (up to) 6 products better make a return on investment. Ask any of the current publishers using the single-class release format - the only way that format makes any money is by sheer number of products. TheLe and LPjr make way more than 6 class products per annum, and they have to in order to profit from that model. I think. I'm pretty sure.

If you do 6 products a year, you are paying a whopping $16.66 fee per release to use the True20 logo. If that's going to make your releases unprofitable, you should stop pretending you're a publisher in the first place.

 

[Nahat Anoj]

Let us not forget that we're already on edition 1.5.

I'm actually very happy with this entire product line. It's very modular and very playable. In fact, while I still use D&D for fantasy roleplaying, I pretty much stick to True20 for Modern, scifi, and post-apocalyptic games. I'm really looking forward to the True20 edition of Darwin's World.

Where did you hear about a True20 Darwin's World? My gaming group wants to do a post-apocalyptic setting and I thought about picking up the DW pdfs and converting some stuff to True20. If the work will be available soon, I may just wait

 

[Darrin Drader]

Where did you hear about a True20 Darwin's World? My gaming group wants to do a post-apocalyptic setting and I thought about picking up the DW pdfs and converting some stuff to True20. If the work will be available soon, I may just wait

I've heard it here and on the True20 forums. This has also been confirmed by more than one person in the RPGO camp, so I can only assume that it's true.

 

[Vigilance]

Where did you hear about a True20 Darwin's World? My gaming group wants to do a post-apocalyptic setting and I thought about picking up the DW pdfs and converting some stuff to True20. If the work will be available soon, I may just wait

There might, hypothetically speaking, be a freelance writer for RPGO who is a regular poster on these boards who has, theoretically, entered into a verbal agreement to do a True 20 conversion of DW in the near future.

As least, that's what I heard on the street third hand.

 

[Urizen]

Chris Davis and I have talked about Doing a Darwin's World Conversion for True20.

It's definitely going to happen, the only question right now is when I can get the time to tackle it.

With the new True20 companion out, I think it's going to be a really fun conversion.

 

[Jackson]

The companion rocks. I especially liked the Horror section by Sean Preston. Good job buddy.


Ed Wetterman

 

[Roudi]

If you do 6 products a year, you are paying a whopping $16.66 fee per release to use the True20 logo. If that's going to make your releases unprofitable, you should stop pretending you're a publisher in the first place.

I take it you've never tried to publish RPG PDFs on your own.

You're right, the licensing doesn't look expensive if it's the only expense you see. But when you take into consideration every other expense involved in creating a quality product, that extra $16.66 per product just for a logo can become quite unappealing. Freelancers and editors to pay, art to buy, advertising to purchase, and not to mention one's own daily expenses...