Basic Fantasy RPG Forums

I would like to encourage Solo to make a kickstarter for a "third edition" of BFRPG. The goals as I see them would be:

1. A new art theme for the entire book.
2. Incorporation of all errata.
3. Rules clarifications, maybe reorganization.
4. As a stretch goal, a Book of Knowledge, a work that takes the same art theme and organization of the core and stitches together the optional rules into one volume.

The purpose of the kickstarter would be to give the team responsible for the project financial means and incentive to get it done. The end result, after a period, could still be free.

I would contribute $40.00 for these causes.

I would have no problem if such a thing were started, but overall, BFRPG is my hobby. I would not want to feel 'obligated to produce' or otherwise 'have to' create. That, and BFRPG is quite directly meant as Free and OpenSource in its nature... I think that even a small profit motive would corrupt that... unless very carefully administered and monitored.

That said, a non-profit, use most proceeds towards design... and perhaps use a portion for some marketing considerations (page hosting costs, some well placed ad-banners, google ad-words, perhaps a number of copies of print editions to be distributed at CONS, (also expenses to send me to the CONS to do such distributions ), all would be worthy ways to utilize such funding.

Oh, but the nightmare and stress of being the steward of the funds (accounting & accountability, decisions on spending, etc.) become a job unto itself.

edit: And, Welcome.

With all due respect: no, thanks.

In more detail:

peelseel2 wrote:1. A new art theme for the entire book.

Artistically, the book is nearly perfect. It has the exact theme and style that I wanted. The only thing I'd change if I could would be to get a few more monster pictures in there. But I'm fine with it as is.

peelseel2 wrote:2. Incorporation of all errata.

There is so little errata, I hardly see this as worth trying to raise money for.

peelseel2 wrote:3. Rules clarifications, maybe reorganization.

Rules clarifications: I wouldn't know where to start. Because, you see, they all seem perfectly clear to me.

Reorganization... so you are saying you don't LIKE my organization? Seriously, it's organized exactly how I wanted it.

peelseel2 wrote:4. As a stretch goal, a Book of Knowledge, a work that takes the same art theme and organization of the core and stitches together the optional rules into one volume.

I have a long-term plan for something like this, starting with an Advanced Class Supplement, then rolling up some of the other supplements. But it's not something I want to rush... there are ramifications to the community to doing something like that.

peelseel2 wrote:The purpose of the kickstarter would be to give the team responsible for the project financial means and incentive to get it done. The end result, after a period, could still be free.

Financial means are nice, but not needed. Look at the vast quantity of material the project has accumulated over the last six years.

Incentive? Bah. You can't give me financial incentive to create. That's like pushing a rope, but with added guilt. You can give me financial reward for having created (I have no problem with that per se) but trying to give me incentive with money is useless.

My mind creates when it wants to create. If it doesn't want to create, you can't make it. I can't make it. Trying to force it is fruitless. This is why, right now, I'm writing tons of Secrets of the Guardians chapters, which had been forgotten for months, but I'm not doing much Basic Fantasy stuff. My focus goes where it will.

peelseel2 wrote:I would contribute $40.00 for these causes.

I do appreciate this expression of support, though I'll admit, I also see this as a bribe. You've asked me to change a number of things that I feel strongly are already correct, and done so in a way that indicates that you think it should be obvious to me that my way is wrong (though you have not been rude about it, which is a point in your favor).

Well, looking to the future, how much traction is this game going to have beyond Solomoriah and SmootRK's lives is a good question. There's really no telling what the future will hold for this project. That its out there in the public domain already will help it. Those who have the files will be able to put them up anywhere they like. Since the intent of the author of this thing is to keep it free, and he gets his living from other sources, perhaps a means to continue this site in perpetuity could be looked into. Dunno, I'm just thinking out loud.

shadowmane wrote:Well, looking to the future, how much traction is this game going to have beyond Solomoriah and SmootRK's lives is a good question. There's really no telling what the future will hold for this project. That its out there in the public domain already will help it. Those who have the files will be able to put them up anywhere they like. Since the intent of the author of this thing is to keep it free, and he gets his living from other sources, perhaps a means to continue this site in perpetuity could be looked into. Dunno, I'm just thinking out loud.

In all honesty, it has held up well... despite NEVER having had any actual mercantile or otherwise marketed presence. I have no doubt that it will continue to have a sort of fringe existence, used by people who have learned that they need not spend $money$ in order to game amongst friends. Its use will ebb & flow according to external influences (5e will likely cause a drop off initially, followed by a new round of converts who have 'learned the lesson' (of not having to spend and be the corporate revenue stream).

All that said, I would not have any problem with Solo even changing the 'mindset' a little towards something that earns a small portion that can be re-directed back towards marketing endeavors (including managing/funding the overall site). Not really a profit motive, but a motive of self-sustenance with a little bit of 'spreading the word'... a net-zero mindset still.

Marketing is the root of all evil.

Just sayin'.

I was actually thinking more along the lines of some sort of donation into a trust set up to keep the site and domain name in perpetuity once its no longer being hosted on the back burner of a site owned by a business.

word of mouth and running games at game stores and cons is some of the best aadvertising you can get. I have already gotten people to experience the system and some are slowly converting over.

Metroknight wrote:word of mouth and running games at game stores and cons is some of the best aadvertising you can get. I have already gotten people to experience the system and some are slowly converting over.

some game stores are less than appreciative of BFRPG's free nature. They don't mind games going on, but generally give much more preference to games that generate interest in 'games they sell' or actual sales of materials. This is generally why one sees so many card-based games going on... they generate sales of those cards.

But, yes. Direct word of mouth is a great way (perhaps even the best, although certainly not the most efficient).

shadowmane wrote:I was actually thinking more along the lines of some sort of donation into a trust set up to keep the site and domain name in perpetuity once its no longer being hosted on the back burner of a site owned by a business.

I suppose this is not such a bad idea. Just not sure how I'd go about setting it up.