When I mentioned in October that we were working on a d20 product designed only for game masters and game designers, some of the perpetual purveyors of lousy advice on this and other lists began beating their drums and broadcasting that such products are stupid, that there's no market for them, etc. etc.
Some of the same voices have been assuring list members recently that there are almost no publishers who use other publishers' OGC. This is by and large blustering from people who simply have little idea what's happening outside of a few OGC/d20 shops. We released the product I mentioned above on Dec. 1. It's all but worthless for players. It was made solely for game masters and game designers. It's our Vintyri RPG Campaign Setting Guide in PDF format, running with the d20, OpenDie and Prometheus logos. As of today (a 30-day time frame), this product has been downloaded 2,241 times. Our goal for the first year was 3,000. Within 10 days of the release, we were contacted by one of the very biggest d20 publishers, who wishes to use, in modified text style, about 40 pages from this product and also wishes to use some of our PI illustrations. For the text, no permission was necessary, because it's OGC. For the second, we've granted permission to use the PI illustrations. Another respectable publisher is talking to us about rights to release a printed version of the product. The point of this message: When some inflated ego starts muttering from his or her Tower of Babel and tells you how the entire d20/OGF world turns, ignore it for the pointless blabber that it is and don't let it discourage you. If you have an idea that you think is worth pursuing, go ahead and pursue it. Don't let the big mouths discourage you. The d20/OGL world is very, very young. I don't know where it's heading, and neither does anyone else. This market still is in very early stages of defining itself. When someone, anyone, tries to tell you that he or she knows what this market is all about, ignore him or her for the false prophet that he or she is. Don't let them derail you. If you have a good train, keep it on the track in 2004! Happy New Year! Mark Oliva in Bavaria Editor & Webmaster, the Vintyri Project (TM) [ mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED] ] Internet: [ http://www.SteigerwaldEDV.com/vintyri ] _______________________________________________ Ogf-l mailing list [EMAIL PROTECTED] http://mail.opengamingfoundation.org/mailman/listinfo/ogf-l
