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Message: <blockquote data-quote="countgray" data-source="post: 3403875" data-attributes="member: 18338">As a patron of the first adventure, Steam & Brass, I can tell you that the paradigm for the first project was an artwork commissioned by a group of patrons for our private, personal use.  It was understood that the work would never be sold to the public or made available to anyone other than the commissioning patrons.The ability to join as a patron was actually held open long past the date when the commission was met, right up the through the date of publication.  The idea was that late joiners would fund more art or maps or editing and would add to the work in progress.  But after the publishing date, patronage for Steam & Brass was closed.I remember posting in a thread here on ENWorld that the deadline was approaching and people still had time to join.  A few opted in at the last minute.  Ample warning was given.Back over on the Open Design site, when it was clear how cool Steam & Brass was turning out, I and some other patrons felt extremely thrilled and proud of the project and wanted to let Wolfgang sell Steam & Brass to the public or do whatever he wanted with it.  We wanted people to be able to enjoy it, for it to have a wider audience.I think the majority of patrons felt this way.  We took a vote to allow Wolfgang to make Steam & Brass available beyond the exclusive circle of the patrons who commissioned the work.  Due to the nature of the original agreement it had to be unanimous.  It was tantamount to us all waiving our right to exclusivity..  But there were some patrons who did not want to alter the original agreement.  So Steam & Brass remains forever a private work for the enjoyment of the original patrons only.Wolfgang has since altered the terms of the commission agreement so that subsequent projects can be made available to future patrons, which I support wholeheartedly.As a patron I had several reasons for joining.  1) to get a cool, unique adventure. 2) to participate in the process, and 3) to support Wolfgang in realizing his vision and to help bring something wonderful into the world.  I got my adventure.  I enjoyed very much participating in the process, and Wolfgang got to create a unique work of art.  So it was a grand success for me.I would love for people to be able to see how cool Steam & Brass is, although, I must confess that part of me feels a secret schadenfreude that I got in on the ground floor and get to enjoy an adventure that no one else will see beyond our initial group of patrons.But the 2nd project, Shadowcrag will be available to future patrons, and it is totally awesome!  So maybe that is a little extra added incentive to join for project 3 and project 4 and beyond.  With a growing library of past projects available to future patrons, maybe that bonus will help ensure that the patron model of Open Design will prove robust and allow us to commission Wolfgang to write many more amazing projects to come!</blockquote>

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