What's up with all the 'evil' books lately?

[Tsyr]

Honestly, how much of a void is there with what, five or so evil books out or coming out soon?

That logic only works if you assumed all D20 companies co-operated like that.

For example, they all meet, have dougnuts, and deicide "Hey! We need an evil book or two!", and then company A decides to do a villan book and company B decides to do a book on running evil games, and the rest of the companies decide to do something else.

Doesn't work like that in the real world, though.

 

[GILGAMESH]

Simple: there's a void, needing to be filled.

More like a dark festering hole in the human soul..........I could be wrong.

 

[Furn_Darkside]

Honestly, how much of a void is there with what, five or so evil books out or coming out soon?

Hmm, well, as a customer- I would rather have too many options nstead of too few.

Of course, it may not be looked at that way from the producers, but that is the risk they are taking.

FD

 

[Maraxle]

That logic only works if you assumed all D20 companies co-operated like that.

For example, they all meet, have dougnuts, and deicide "Hey! We need an evil book or two!", and then company A decides to do a villan book and company B decides to do a book on running evil games, and the rest of the companies decide to do something else.

Doesn't work like that in the real world, though.

I don't know about you, but if I'm a d20 company, and I see five books on the same topic, I am going to write about something else unless I am sure that I can make something that will be able to set itself apart from the pack.

 

[Furn_Darkside]

I don't know about you, but if I'm a d20 company, and I see five books on the same topic, I am going to write about something else unless I am sure that I can make something that will be able to set itself apart from the pack.

I doubt most of them really know until they are already half-way done writing the book. Are they supposed to trash invested time and money?

FD

 

[Crothian]

water worlds.. I wish, but I have not seen one yet.

FD

You will

 

[Maraxle]

I doubt most of them really know until they are already half-way done writing the book. Are they supposed to trash invested time and money?

FD

True. Throwing away half of a manuscript could be costly, but shouldn't they know whether their content is innovative or not well before that? What I mean is that all those "really bad guy" prestige classes are going to run together and start looking the same, but if I'm the only one to offer rules on the decor of a bad guy's fortress, then I have something original. Also, wouldn't trashing a half-written manuscript be cheaper than printing a book that will just sit on the shelves?

 

[Furn_Darkside]

True. Throwing away half of a manuscript could be costly, but shouldn't they know whether their content is innovative or not well before that?

I suspect most companies would say they believe their work is original - but then it is not like they see the other books while they are working on theirs. It is a gamble.

Also, wouldn't trashing a half-written manuscript be cheaper than printing a book that will just sit on the shelves?

Honestly- I don't know.

It depends on too many factors for me to say yes or no.

Perhaps the nature of being a small rpg publisher is such a risk, that worrying about competing products does not change the risk too much.

I am not too worried about it.

People have theorized the cream of the crop would rise to the top, and similar products would disappear.

But, that did not prove true with the naval books or the dwarf books.

I own all the naval books- so I can say that all three offered enough different to make each purchase worthwile.

FD

 

[Maraxle]

Perhaps the nature of being a small rpg publisher is such a risk, that worrying about competing products does not change the risk too much.

I think you just hit the nail on the head.

 

[Celebrim]

You know how if Burger King comes out with a chicken bacon club with some fat filled dressing one month, then by the end of the month McD's, Wendy's, Jack-N-The-Box, Hardy's, and Subway all have one too?

Same thing.