What're yah gonna do about it?

[DDK]

I was thinking. It's a bad habit I have. I've posted a couple of times in a couple of different threads about a peak body being set up to represent the interests of the RPG publishing industry. Nobody seemed interested, ok, that's fine, whatever, just a suggestion.

But given this:

http://enworld.cyberstreet.com/showthread.php?s=&postid=607953#post607953

I thought it would be more than worthwhile to set up such an organization for not only the aforementioned purpose, but also to seek ways to expand the market for the hobby.

Now, the only groups that I know of that have any sort of 'political' interest are the RPGA (which AFAIK is now only concerned with Living campaigns) and the one mentioned here:

http://enworld.cyberstreet.com/showthread.php?s=&threadid=37138

Yes, I understand that I know nothing and am just guessing however, am I wrong? Is the RPG publishing industry a rapidly expanding market that can support hundreds of publishers publishing dozens of products each for worldwide distribution? Are prices for writing and art fair and reasonable? Are FLGS's opening up all over the place? Is WotC an expanding company, employing new people every day?

Am I stirring the pot? Yes. But that's not always a bad thing...

 

[Pramas]

I was thinking. It's a bad habit I have. I've posted a couple of times in a couple of different threads about a peak body being set up to represent the interests of the RPG publishing industry. Nobody seemed interested, ok, that's fine, whatever, just a suggestion...


Now, the only groups that I know of that have any sort of 'political' interest are the RPGA (which AFAIK is now only concerned with Living campaigns) and the one mentioned here:

There is already a major industry trade organization. It's called GAMA (the Game Manufactureres Association, though in fact all tiers are invovled). They run the GAMA Trade Show (run in Vegas every year and the only real trade show of the biz) and Origins. Go to www.gama.org for more info.

Yes, I understand that I know nothing and am just guessing however, am I wrong? Is the RPG publishing industry a rapidly expanding market that can support hundreds of publishers publishing dozens of products each for worldwide distribution? Are prices for writing and art fair and reasonable? Are FLGS's opening up all over the place? Is WotC an expanding company, employing new people every day?

I would not call the RPG industry "rapidly expanding", prices vary widely from publisher to publisher, new stores are not opening all over the place, and WotC has been laying people off reguarly for the last two years.

 

[DDK]

Re: Re: What're yah gonna do about it?

There is already a major industry trade organization.

Thanks for the info.

I would not call the RPG industry "rapidly expanding", prices vary widely from publisher to publisher, new stores are not opening all over the place, and WotC has been laying people off reguarly for the last two years.

Exactly! Which leads me to the question, what have GAMA done about it?

Their website lists nothing about their current objectives and has no mention of any actual achievements or breakthroughs they've made in the fields of awareness and expanding the market... in fact, all they seem to have is a lot of nothing.

The only significant thing I could find that helps the industry at all was the mentorship program. But really, big whoopies. No offense if you're a part of it, but it sounds like they're not doing much.

 

[Nikchick]

Re: Re: Re: What're yah gonna do about it?

The only significant thing I could find that helps the industry at all was the mentorship program. But really, big whoopies. No offense if you're a part of it, but it sounds like they're not doing much.

No offense back, Fourecks, but you're mistaken. Did you read the latest newsletter? Did you take a look at the Games in Education program? Are you aware of the work GAMA does in hosting the GAMA Trade Show, the only industry trade show where all tiers of the industry meet, conduct business, demonstrate products, and run educational seminars? How about the Origins convention, which is the #2 gaming convention in the country, behind only GenCon? GAMA owns and operates Origins, and under its stewardship the convention has shown significant growth every year. It's a special committee of GAMA that administers the Origins Awards, the most prestigous general game industry awards in the country.

By applying the talents of GAMA staff and vounteers, GAMA has worked to expand awareness of gaming of all kinds. Mike Stackpole acts as the head of the Industry Watch, testifying as an industry expert to dispel myths and unsubstantiated claims that gaming is an unsavory or dangerous hobby (for example). GAMA helped launch a campaign to oppose the "lead ban" that threatened the miniatures business in the United States several years ago, before the large-scale switch to pewter. The Gaming in Education program has exposed hundreds of teachers to the potential educational uses of games in the classroom as teaching tools, thanks to David Millians. The GAMA staff organized several additions to the programming for the Origins convention; a "newbie track" (where people new to gaming or new to certain types of games can go to learn), a "kid's track" (where even young children can find something to play), and a "spouse track" (so you can bring your non-gaming spouse to the convention, making it a family event, and while you spent the day assaulting Castle OrKenstein your spouse can enjoy the sights of Columbus, take a winery tour, visit the art museum, or whatever else they've got scheduled).

Seriously, it's great that you're gung-ho to make some changes and improvements to the state of the industry. I'm not slagging you for your enthusiasm, but it's not necessary to discount the hard work and numerous accomplishments of the people in GAMA in order to follow through on your ideas.

Might I suggest contacting someone at GAMA about how you could work within their existing infrastructure to accomplish what you want to accomplish?

Nicole

 

[DDK]

Re: Re: Re: Re: What're yah gonna do about it?

Seriously, it's great that you're gung-ho to make some changes and improvements to the state of the industry. I'm not slagging you for your enthusiasm, but it's not necessary to discount the hard work and numerous accomplishments of the people in GAMA in order to follow through on your ideas.

Sorry, I sometimes let my passions run a little wild, especially when I'm waiting on important emails and end up staying up through the night and drinking twenty cups of coffee! Lol.

But... having said that... until now, after a good 10 years of engaging in the hobby at the above level of interest and passion, I've never heard of the mentioned activities. I've heard of GAMA and Origins, however AFAI was concerned, they were some foriegn legion organization, hijacking gamers from around the world and pressing them into their service, lol. In other words, their impact was unnoticable and so I never registered them on my radar.

Maybe that's because I'm in Australia and they don't do much here, I don't know. Maybe it's because I've never been to a Con and that's the only place I'd see them active.

But even then, if their aims are to expand the market, shouldn't I have heard of them outside of gaming circles by now?

Might I suggest contacting someone at GAMA about how you could work within their existing infrastructure to accomplish what you want to accomplish?

Will do.

Again, I meant no offense by what I was saying and I only had a cursory glance through the website. But like I said, shouldn't GAMA's influence have been felt by now? I'd be willing to bet that, outside of the industry, hardly anybody knows who GAMA is or what they do, which is sortof what I'm saying shouldn't be the case.

It reminds me of when I used to do volunteer work for greenie organizations. There were several that I went to in order to see where best I could fit in and thus contribute the most. There were distinct differences in the way they tackled the problems. Some were virtually militant, some were political and others were just a bunch of people feeling useless and wanting to socialize with other useless people.

Only one of them actually achieved anything worthwhile, and that was the one I ended up sticking with; the others were all talk or their actions were ineffective.

Has GAMA actually achieved anything?

 

[HellHound]

Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: What're yah gonna do about it?

Has GAMA actually achieved anything?

Originally posted by NikChick
GAMA has worked to expand awareness of gaming of all kinds. Mike Stackpole acts as the head of the Industry Watch, testifying as an industry expert to dispel myths and unsubstantiated claims that gaming is an unsavory or dangerous hobby (for example). GAMA helped launch a campaign to oppose the "lead ban" that threatened the miniatures business in the United States several years ago, before the large-scale switch to pewter. The Gaming in Education program has exposed hundreds of teachers to the potential educational uses of games in the classroom as teaching tools, thanks to David Millians. The GAMA staff organized several additions to the programming for the Origins convention; a "newbie track" (where people new to gaming or new to certain types of games can go to learn), a "kid's track" (where even young children can find something to play), and a "spouse track" (so you can bring your non-gaming spouse to the convention, making it a family event, and while you spent the day assaulting Castle OrKenstein your spouse can enjoy the sights of Columbus, take a winery tour, visit the art museum, or whatever else they've got scheduled).

...

 

[DDK]

Good intentions are nice, but results equal achievement

Originally posted by HellHound
...

I'm surprised you see these as achievements.

Originally posted by Nikchick
GAMA has worked to expand awareness of gaming of all kinds. Mike Stackpole acts as the head of the Industry Watch, testifying as an industry expert to dispel myths and unsubstantiated claims that gaming is an unsavory or dangerous hobby (for example).

I know more about Jack Chick than I do about Mike Stackpole and I have zero interest in what Jack Chick has to say and put zero effort into trying to find out what he has to say.

And yet, I know what he has said. Therefore the only conclusion I can come to, is that Mike Stackpole has failed where Jack Chick has succeeded. If the aim is to expand awareness, then how come, until now, I've never heard of Mike Stackpole.

What has he actually DONE? Where is the evidence?

Originally posted by Nikchick
GAMA helped launch a campaign to oppose the "lead ban" that threatened the miniatures business in the United States several years ago, before the large-scale switch to pewter.

So, in other words, they failed. That's not an achievement.

Originally posted by Nikchick
The Gaming in Education program has exposed hundreds of teachers to the potential educational uses of games in the classroom as teaching tools, thanks to David Millians.

Wonderful, I've often thought that such a program would be a good idea. However, what is the actual RESULT of these efforts? Exposing teachers to the potential is great, but have any significant numbers of teachers taken up this information and run with it?

I'm sure there are a fair number of teachers on these boards. Eric Noah is a library teacher, IIRC, I wouldn't mind hearing about whether or not he's ever heard of anything like this and what the results were.

Originally posted by Nikchick
The GAMA staff organized several additions to the programming for the Origins convention; a "newbie track" (where people new to gaming or new to certain types of games can go to learn), a "kid's track" (where even young children can find something to play), and a "spouse track" (so you can bring your non-gaming spouse to the convention, making it a family event, and while you spent the day assaulting Castle OrKenstein your spouse can enjoy the sights of Columbus, take a winery tour, visit the art museum, or whatever else they've got scheduled).

That's wonderful but gamer's go to conventions so how that expands the market, I don't understand.

Look, I'm not trying to cause trouble or incite people to rise up against GAMA, I'm just interested in expanding the market for the hobby. They way I see it, no-one is doing that; at least not successfully.

Why all the resistance to such an idea?

 

[tensen]

Re: Good intentions are nice, but results equal achievement

Why all the resistance to such an idea?

How is pointing you to an organization that already exists for the purpose, resistance?

 

[JohnNephew]

Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: What're yah gonna do about it?

But... having said that... until now, after a good 10 years of engaging in the hobby at the above level of interest and passion, I've never heard of the mentioned activities. I've heard of GAMA and Origins, however AFAI was concerned, they were some foriegn legion organization, hijacking gamers from around the world and pressing them into their service, lol. In other words, their impact was unnoticable and so I never registered them on my radar.

I'll bet that there are trade organizations, Political Action Committees, and other PR/lobbying/industry groups that have 100X the budget of GAMA, that you have never heard of.

 

[d20Dwarf]

Fourecks,

It's not the world's responsibility to educate you.

Are you a solipsist by any chance?