Obviously, the adventure can't be set in a WotC campaign world because they own those copyrights. It might be set in a sympathetic d20 publisher's world, but most of them retain the rights to the non-rule portions. So really, this is an adventure for any D&D campaign, meant for a wide range of players and DMs. It could be a "Kingdom of the Ghouls" sequel, an outrageous dragon hunt, or a great 1st-level adventure for a new campaign. I'd use all core and/or d20 material, add new monsters or items, and let the buyers determine some of what the adventure is, for $10 or $5 per suggestion they make. No contribution, no customization. If you send me a 1,000-word outline, you best back it up with a $200 check or the like. I'd have to iron out the details, but it might allow for a kind of feedback between gamer and designer that you don't see very often.
It would take just a couple hundred folks at $10 each to make this worthwhile, compared to the standard industry rates of 5 to 8 cents a word. A rate that hasn't budged in about 10 years or so. Am I crazy, or is offering customized design worth a shot?
Poll #694321 Customized Adventure
Open to: All, results viewable to: All
How crazy is this?
I want to tell you what to do! Sign me up.
4 (33.3%)
Write the post that announces it, and I'll cross-post to my blog. 7 (58.3%)
I want to tell you what to do, but not if it costs money. 0 (0.0%)
It's a little crazy, but go for it. At your own risk. 0 (0.0%)
It's plenty crazy. No marketing + no art = no interest. 1 (8.3%)
What features would you want to customize?
Level of the adventure 5 (45.5%)
Location: wilderness, city, dungeon, Underdark 7 (63.6%)
Monsters featured 4 (36.4%)
Boss villain type 3 (27.3%)
Style: combat-heavy, investigative, chatty, puzzles 8 (72.7%)
Plot points or premise 4 (36.4%)
How polished would you want it, considering that more editing, art, and maps means less game design?
Full-color art, cover treatment, the works. I'll pay for a better-looking result. 2 (18.2%)
No art, but professional editing, maps, and layout. 4 (36.4%)
Skip the edit and fancy layout. Do professional maps, though. 2 (18.2%)
We gamers are a cheap and hardy people. Simple text and kinda ugly B&W maps will do. 3 (27.3%)
What else would make this project fly?
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the_monkey_king- Wolfgang Baur
- Kobold Quarterly
Comments
I guess my questions is: is there enough of a market out there for this kind of thing to make it worthwhile?
-=Jeff=-
I'd be looking to attract a few hundred of the hard core. I think Robin Bailey or someone has done a similar set of monthly patron-only stories in the fiction world, with some success.
The audience already has to know you for this to work, of course, but it might make sense.
Hey if you have the 'street cred' push it! As long as you're satisfying your tier one customer base word of mouth will get out to others. Even if you don't have the 'street cred' push it anyway. I think it is a good idea and worth seeing to fruition.
-=Jeff=-
Details to follow at
I'll post new details in a separate LJ this week, with an announcement here.