thread: 2012-03-12 : Indie POV pt 1: the Very Basics
On 2012-03-13, Simon R wrote:
I've always called creator-owned publishers "COPs" to distinguish them from others. Indie is too vague - the fact everyone argues about what it means every time it pops up should be enough to warn us away from using it in the ownership/control context. It's just like you have to define "immersion" every time you start a conversation about it.
On creator control, there is both direct and indirect creator control. When you enter into a publishing agreement, you can set whatever terms or channels to market you want, and even insist on a veto. You can then have the control without the hassle, though of course there is always the potential for problems if there is a third party involved.
I'm trying all sorts of publishing models at the moment. Some of these are yet to come to fruition.
Razed - Will Hindmarch is using the GUMSHOE ruleset to devise his own post-apocalyptic game. I suspect we are going to get a print-ready PDF, though he might ask us to source some illustrations. We'll give feedback and do the playtest process, but it's up to Will what he includes. We'll share net margin.
Project J - we'll get a print-ready PDF, again, we'll handle playtesting and share margin.
New World, this is a game written by Bill White based on an idea I had; it's his game, but we'll probably illustrate and lay it out and share net margin.
Owl Hoot Trail. This was originally to be published under the same arrangement as New World, but Clinton didn't have time to finish it and assigned the rights to Pelgrane to be finished and published.
Trail scenarios: for licensing reasons writers can't retain copyright of their exact text for the Trail of Cthulhu adventures, but they could strip out GUMSHOE and Trail references and republish. Again, this is on a split of margin.
DramaSystem is Robin's first major non-work-for-hire project through Pelgrane and we are still considering the options.
This discussion is helpful from a publisher's POV because it helps me make sure I consider the needs of the creator more, even those they haven't considered themselves.
@Vincent I don't agree that you'd have had any problems finding a publisher to take your games exactly as they are, but you actively enjoy the whole publication process, the relationship it gives you with your audience and the additional margins. You don't mind the extra work.
Personally, I'd love to see a COP game compendium in a hardback for a mainstream audience.
