First Questions - Should I self publish?
Sebastian K. Hickey:
Hello,
I'm new to this industry. I don't plan to make it big, but I love designing games. I think I've come up with something tasty and, like all the dreamers, I want to publish online.
Maybe I'm jumping in without following forum etiquette. Is there a resource on this forum I should peruse before asking for help?
If not, here is my dilemma. I'd like to publish using the Open Gaming Licence, but I'm not sure I'm allowed. Let's say I put my game together as a PDF, stick the OGL inside the front page and send it off to Indie Press Revolution. Would they even take it? Would they be allowed to take it? Let's say they are allowed to take it, and then a hundred people like the idea and make a purchase from the website. What would happen to the money? Would I need to register a limited liability corporation in order to keep things straight, or could I just take my alms to my personal bank account and spend it on snacks at the weekly game session? Essentially, do I need to have a registered company behind me to publish my own work?
Or... Do I try to get a Real publisher to back me? Are there any pitfalls?
As I say, I love designing, I love playing, and mainly, I love writing. It's the thing I do after work until the wee hours. So even if it's just a vanity dream, I'd like to give it a shot. You guys seem to understand it all. Any advice would be appreciated.
Kind regards,
Sebastian.
Lance D. Allen:
I hope you understand, no one is going to answer this question yes or no. What I'm going to do is ask you some questions that, once you know the answer, should help you decide for yourself.
I know, nor care, nothing about the OGL. Others will likely be more helpful in that department. The IPR dudes show up around here occasionally, but if you can't get IPR specific answers there, I'm sure they'd be open to your inquiries in a more direct manner. I do not believe a registered company or LLC is required, but they'd be better able to answer that.
If IPR isn't your only option, then things open up a bit. You can sell direct from your own site, or the Unstore. You can sell out of your backpack, even.
No one here will tell you to get a "real" publisher back to you. Check the articles section at the top of the Forge, specifically looking for War Story and the Nuked Apple Cart essays on that topic.
So, what are your goals?
Do you want to publish hardcopy, or just PDF? If PDF, do you intend to charge for it, or make it free? Possibly a volunteer/tip jar scheme? If hardcopy, are you thinking of hand-making the copies, like Darcy Burgess' amazing Black Cadillacs ashcan, or Chris Engle's Matrix Games? Do you want to whip up a PDF and slot it to a Print on Demand printer? How much are you willing to spend on art, editing and layout? (See Clinton Nixon's somewhat dated but still relevant article in the article's section on making a book for cheap) Do you have friends you can tap for artistic, editing or graphic design skills?
Why do you want to publish?
Vanity publishing (just to have a book on your shelf with your name on it)? Do you think you're going to revolutionize the RPG industry (Hint: You're not gonna)? Do you just think your ideas are pretty awesome, and you suspect other people would, too? Do you want to make enough money to pay for your weekly Cheetos and Mountain Dew? Are you looking to make money, or just break even?
All of these are completely valid. Aside from selling your ideas to a "real" publisher, there's very little about game design and publishing that you can't find information about. It just helps for us, and more importantly it helps you to know how much, how far and how big you're looking to go.
Seth M. Drebitko:
1.Well I would say your first step would probably want to be lulu if you truly just want to get "out there".
2.It is not needed to file an LLC a DBA should be sufficient as I don't think I have seen LLC after any of the publishers names at indie press revolution.
3.I have seen d20 products sold at IPR so again you should be fine.
Unless you are developing your own system based on the OGL I would probably say you should look to develop something compatible with say pathfinder, mutants and masterminds, or true20. These are all actively supported and published systems and you wont get say an Alternity effect where you have an increasing fan base and a dwindling base of core books.
Ben Lehman:
The reasons to externally publish:
1) You have a publisher who deeply, truly, and hard-core believes in your book and promoting it.
2) They're paying you a good amount, including a royalty.
3) You trust them.
4) They can provide services (promotion, etc.) that you can't.
5) You would rather not have the hassle of handling promotion, printing, and distribution all by yourself.
I would say that all of these have to be true before it's worth it to externally publish. 3) is particularly important.
The reasons to self-publish:
1) You love your game.
2) You're willing to put a small amount of cash on it, that you're willing to lose.
3) You know the basic process (go read the publishing forum for more of this) of publishing and marketing your own game.
4) Your game is good enough to charge other people their hard-earned money for it.
Again, I'd say that all of these are important. I wouldn't move forward on a project without all of them, at least. 2) is the least important, as PDF sales or Lulu sales are basically zero-cost (except for time). 4) Is the most important.
yrs--
--Ben
MatrixGamer:
Should you publish?
Yes!
It is a great learning experience and no matter how much money you make (which we all know won't be much) you'll meet a lot of cool people, learn a ton about how things work and have your name in a nice pretty book. POD makes it possible to anyone to publish.
Chris Engle
hamsterpress.net
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