About design sequences I have very sharp opinion.
I really love design sequences, and I enjoyed a lot, both High guard and striker. But after I became a real life engineer, I noticed that that was all unrealistic.
However from the business point of view I advocate an options version. The point is that games are information products, and this kind of products have the characteristic of being modular and thus customizable. Most information products are customizable, like MyYahoo and MYCCN websites, softwares and cable TV.
In such a business You deliver something people can tailor to their need and wills. Howewver You need to be carefull not to create a monster like Rolemaster with too many options that would generate a week long debate on rules before play. A more simple division could be having three levels of play compatible with each other: begginers, advanced and grognard. This is sort of what happened with the original D&D, first came the old red box of the basic, the the expert and after a few years came advanced D&D. A grand design for traveller could be such as this one, a set of complimentary rules released over four or more years.
This goes together with the usual "programmed obsolescence" of information products. When the target public has acquired the product nobody else will buy, this is the moment to release a new procut that will kill the previous one and make everybody buy it again. This is why Microsoft realeases new windows and office version every couple of years or so.
Another positive aspect of this is the Venture capital nature of entertainment industry of which the game industry is part of, most products will fail, only a few (one in five to one in ten) will succeed, and this one has to be exploited to the max.
Take a look at the old TSR, and you will see many failed stuff like Star frontiers and Gamma world, but the one which went forward was D&D, it became a profitable line and most of the books were settings, not rules. Rules bother new players, get away with them, adventures and settings bring new players, You are selling entertainment not simulations. Players don't care if the rules are a bit unrealistic, or could be bettered, they want to have fun. Fun is your real product.
You'll never see design sequences for air galleons, castles or magic detailed in the old D&D, what you'll see is many masterpieces in adventures that deal with players having a challenge and fun like Temple of elemetal evil, Slave lords, Against the giants, Ravenloft and so on.
Note that these adventures have huge incosistencies and the adversary plans are inherently and obviously flawed because it simply ignores the existance of PC's parties, but this don't detract from game value.
I'm certain that adventure writing is one of the strongs points for Mr Miller. He should concentrate in that.
To sum it up, I would make T5 a very simple game with just one book of rules, and them would release adventure after adventure, and setting after setting. After a few years and noticing that the game has been well received I would create a new form like advanced T5.
I would never base my new company in just one product, You need a product mix. Remeber thsi is Venture capital, most products are failures. You roll a D6 and need a 6 for profit, so You need to roll a bunch of dice.
Best regards
[This message has been edited by Vicente (edited 24 February 2001).]
I really love design sequences, and I enjoyed a lot, both High guard and striker. But after I became a real life engineer, I noticed that that was all unrealistic.
However from the business point of view I advocate an options version. The point is that games are information products, and this kind of products have the characteristic of being modular and thus customizable. Most information products are customizable, like MyYahoo and MYCCN websites, softwares and cable TV.
In such a business You deliver something people can tailor to their need and wills. Howewver You need to be carefull not to create a monster like Rolemaster with too many options that would generate a week long debate on rules before play. A more simple division could be having three levels of play compatible with each other: begginers, advanced and grognard. This is sort of what happened with the original D&D, first came the old red box of the basic, the the expert and after a few years came advanced D&D. A grand design for traveller could be such as this one, a set of complimentary rules released over four or more years.
This goes together with the usual "programmed obsolescence" of information products. When the target public has acquired the product nobody else will buy, this is the moment to release a new procut that will kill the previous one and make everybody buy it again. This is why Microsoft realeases new windows and office version every couple of years or so.
Another positive aspect of this is the Venture capital nature of entertainment industry of which the game industry is part of, most products will fail, only a few (one in five to one in ten) will succeed, and this one has to be exploited to the max.
Take a look at the old TSR, and you will see many failed stuff like Star frontiers and Gamma world, but the one which went forward was D&D, it became a profitable line and most of the books were settings, not rules. Rules bother new players, get away with them, adventures and settings bring new players, You are selling entertainment not simulations. Players don't care if the rules are a bit unrealistic, or could be bettered, they want to have fun. Fun is your real product.
You'll never see design sequences for air galleons, castles or magic detailed in the old D&D, what you'll see is many masterpieces in adventures that deal with players having a challenge and fun like Temple of elemetal evil, Slave lords, Against the giants, Ravenloft and so on.
Note that these adventures have huge incosistencies and the adversary plans are inherently and obviously flawed because it simply ignores the existance of PC's parties, but this don't detract from game value.
I'm certain that adventure writing is one of the strongs points for Mr Miller. He should concentrate in that.
To sum it up, I would make T5 a very simple game with just one book of rules, and them would release adventure after adventure, and setting after setting. After a few years and noticing that the game has been well received I would create a new form like advanced T5.
I would never base my new company in just one product, You need a product mix. Remeber thsi is Venture capital, most products are failures. You roll a D6 and need a 6 for profit, so You need to roll a bunch of dice.
Best regards
[This message has been edited by Vicente (edited 24 February 2001).]
