What's the biggest challange for a D20 Publisher

Biggest Challange for D20 Publishers

  • Proper use of OGL/D20 licenses

    Votes: 6 18.2%
  • Securing enough Capital to start

    Votes: 8 24.2%
  • Crowded Market/Competition

    Votes: 10 30.3%
  • Securing/Generating enough Quality Content

    Votes: 3 9.1%
  • Distribution

    Votes: 4 12.1%
  • Securing Art for your product

    Votes: 1 3.0%
  • The Ubiquitious Other

    Votes: 1 3.0%

EOL

First Post
I get the impression that being a D20 publisher might be tough (and maybe I'm wrong :)) I'm curious about which aspect specifically presents the biggest challange. As I'm sure many people have, I toy with the idea of someday entering the elite ranks of D20 publishers and I'd like to know what some of the unexpected pitfalls are.

I created a poll just for ease of use (and possible anonimity) but I would appreciate any in depth look you could give me.
 

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I think some publishers are just lazy when it comes to using the OGL/D20 SRD...

For instance, I finally (!) got Dead From Above from Pinnacle (it's their air supplement for Weird Wars).

They simply just copied the OGL from the main WW book, as well as the listing of what's open content.

The end result is pretty silly.

For instance, it says all of chapters 3,4, and 5 are open content. Yet Dead from Above only has 4 chapters
 

Presentation is vitally important, but for early projects, you simply MUST have a well-written book. Good content will earn money, and you can later get good packaging. A publisher shouldn't exist if it puts out bad material.

By bad material, I don't mean to say that rule X is worthless, but rather that a lot of times, books present information either with lots of fat still attached that could be trimmed off, or that they have a lot of info, but no guidance to using it.
 

I think going beyond having a well written product, the writers NEED to have a good grasp of the d20 rules. There's so much out there right now that just doesn't take advantage of the system at all. There are new open content rules that simply ignore the base that the d20 system is built on, new feats and prestige classes that do their best to bend or break the class balance WotC established.

I'm not saying that the books should be all mechanics. That way leads to all Skip Williams products, and it's not fun reading. :p There should be a balance between good "flavor text" and solid rules. There are a few companies and authors who do an amazingly good job of striking this balance: Green Ronin and Chris Pramas, Monte Cook and Malhavoc Press, Mike Mearls, Matt Collville, FFG games (After Traps & Treachery... a great book plagued by classes that don't follow the basic rules for attack and saving throw advancement), etc. If more companies can do the same thing, then I'll be more willing to integrate their products into my campaigns.
 

$$$$$$

Money Money Money Honey
Its a rich man's world

The biggest problem we had at TLG is money. Everything had to be shoestringed at first.

We all had day jobs (8-12 hours a day). None of us made enough money to spit at but we plied ahead, went without beer, food and other entertainments for a while and put together our first product.

And what I mean by money is not just getting a good publisher. Money buys time. The more money you have, the more time you can focus on the problem at hand. This equates to a good product. It also means you can buy good art, reliable printers, good programs, and maybe hire a designer or two, an editor, a layout person etc.

This gives you more time to spend with the core product - the information contained in a module - more time to playtest, to check layout, presentation, better ideas, bounce around thoughts etc.

The good news - this is surmountable.

Equal but placed second is a good product. (I put this second because without the first this is impossible) I don't think many people produce crap just to make money. I could be wrong. MOst people think they have a good product. I can not tell you what a good product is. I know what I like. I like some things other people don't like. I have products here that I use that were created by 3rd party publishers in the 70s and 80s that I still use ( and I wish they would produce again as they are all falling apart). But good product. And improvement through criticism. We took some hard knocks on several products and will correct those problems in future releases. This is the area all your energies should go (thankfully this summer two of us get to work full time at TLG - me and Steve - hoo dee doo - all product and product improvement)

The Good and Bad News - your product will make or break you

Getting into the distribution ring is the third biggest hurdle. Good luck. Conventions and meeting people. Especially GAMA.

The Good News and Bad News - Glut, dropping sales across the board, reluctance to pick up new producers, and mergers. But, Good products are alsways needed

Finding those people who like your products. This is through the internet and beating the ground. Word of mouth is the best advertiser in this business. There are people who will like your product. How many is always the question. And how many you can reach is another problem (I mean, look how many people bought beenie babies????)

The Good News and Bad News - Build and They will come, but how many

I hope that money thing did not go over as strong as it sounds on a second reading. A good product is a must, but I consider it a given. If you don't think its good I don't think you'd be considering publishing. Anyway.

The OGL and WOTC have proven to be the least problematic aspect of the business. The absolute least!! My printer gives me more headaches than the OGL and all our contact with WOTC has been pleasent, professional, etc. As have all contacts with other publishers of D20 material.

The Good News - it ain't goin' away

davis
trolling trol lord
 

Printer

By printer I mean my 8 year old Canon Laser printer - but it is still luggin away
trollin' trol lord
davis

Last but not least - to borrow from my peers

"Publish or Perish Davis... Publish or Perish..."
 

I'd say that getting the initial capital is the hardest part. One of the great things abouth the D20/OGL is that it opens the door to people who have the drive and talent to produce great books, but lack the connections with an established company. However, even with that freedom, you have to be willing to make a lot of sacrifices. We are all working part time in addition to day jobs and/or school, and will not get anything out of it monetarily for months, and when we do release, it will be initially only as a PDF. However, we believe enough that our product will be worthwhile that we don't mind.
 

Wow! Some excellent feedback. I'm actually glad to see that no one has choosen other yet. Because this means that whatever challanges are out there that at least they're more or less the standard challanges every business faces.
 

I have to agree with what is already being said:

Yeah, its the money. Shoestring budget? My last set of shoe strings went for artwork. (He gets the shoes one month after publication! :D)

Yeah, ya need a good product, which means solid content, which means learn the system.

From a consumer standpoint, I've seen many products that had wonderful potential, but got dragged down because they didn't know the system. But the system is young and there's still time for all to learn. :)

Walter
 

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