>Alan Kellogg wrote:
>>
>> > I must admit to having had a few visions of the Great B&W Comics Glut
>> > of the late 1980s.
>>
>> Or, for a more recent event, the Great TCG Glut of the early 90s.
>
>Indeed.
>
>Speaking as a contributor to one of the free fansites out there (and to
>touch on someone's earlier comment, we *do* have an editorial staff),
>there *are* certain features we simply cannot provide as a
>not-for-profit; professional-quality artwork being the primary loss I
>regret.
>
>On the other hand, I am very glad to see folks aware that charging for
>product does not eliminate chaff.
>
>John W. Mangrum
Which leads me to this observation, as an industry we must raise our standards.
True, some companies are producing professional product, but all too
many companies put out trash. Not because they want to, but because
they rush product into production.
Sometimes this is not through their own doing; back in the early
1990s GDW rushed Dangerous Journeys: Mythus into production because
of "urging" by JVC, which was then working on a computer game
version. Lester Smith (author/designer of Dark Conspiracy) was given
three months to edit a 1,000,000 word manuscript, *by himself*. The
game suffers for this.
But then you have companies who rush into production because they
just don't care. Then bitch and moan when people don't buy their
crappy product.
What do I hate? Prose that resembles the Missouri after a sewer
spill. Editing by dyslexic baboons. Unnecessarily complex game
systems (if it takes more than a paragraph to explain the core
mechanic, it's unnecessarily complex. If it uses more than one
mechanic, it's unnecessarily complex.) Supplements that contradict
the core rules and/or other supplements. Artsy-Fartsy layout (Kult,
anybody?). A fucking attitude.
Let me expand on the last. You know the type, some clown who thinks
his work is above the plebeian horde, a piece of art, and anybody who
dares pan his magnum opus is a cad with the taste of a pig-raised
Philistine.
Things you must do if your product is to make it:
Rewrite! Nobody writes perfect prose the first time around,
everything can be improved. The best prose is prose that flows; prose
the reader gets lost in, until he reaches the end and learns the
day/night has gone by unremarked. You want to make the experience
enjoyable, not a chore.
Edit! Even the best writers make mistakes, even the best writers miss
things. give the manuscript a thorough going over, and do it
repeatedly. One pass-through won't do it. You miss a lot with a
single read through. Furthermore, have at least two editors on the
project; each will catch things the other missed. Finally, give them
the time they need to do it right. There's a reason it takes a year
or more for a novel to make it from manuscript to hardcover, and a
lot of it is the editing.
Formatting. You have to make sure that not only does it look good,
people can actually read it. It could be the best adventure ever
done, if nobody can read it, it's shit. Never let graphics overwhelm
the prose. Always use a good text font except for special sections
(examples of play, "journal entries" etc.), where the font used must
still be legible. Never let the background "drown-out" the text
(Aria's first printing anybody?)
Artwork. Make sure it's appropriate and good. Doesn't have to be
professional, just good. If an artist can't stand rejection, don't
use him. If you can't get any art for your work, do without. It's
better to go with plain text than with lousy art. Most important is
the cover art. A bad illo will drive potential customers away, a good
one will attract them, while a fantastic piece of art will draw them
like hungry locusts.
Title. Many a good game has been killed by a bad title. You want one
evocative of the game, one that fits. You don't want a title that
promises one thing, while the prose within gives you something else
entirely. A title you can read is also helpful, but that falls under
graphic design.
Graphic Design. Be consistent, when you have decided on a look for
your product, use it consistently throughout. In those *rare* cases
where a different look is called for, use it when there is a damn
good reason, not because it would be a neat idea. You want to be
consistent.
Marketing. Sell the damn thing; if people don't know about your
effort, they can't buy it. Set up an advertising fund for your new
product, and use it. Get the word out. And use your customers.
Encourage fan efforts, adventures, supplements, websites, fanfic,
whatever. Set up a website of your own, and include links to official
and unofficial fansites. Take submissions from your fans, and buy
those that have potential.
This all could be expanded on and improved, but I've gone on long
enough. Don't feel you have to quote the whole thing when replying.
BTW, J.W., could you give us the URL of your site?
Another lengthy pontification from:
Alan
--
Perilous Perambulations, <http://mythusmage.freewebsites.com>
-------------
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