Ah yes... now that I'm looking at how one secures a PDF (I've never needed to that for anything I've made) I see that they don't let you do much picking a choosing. You kind of have package deals and other odd little options.
Basically, it's Adobe's fault!
First Flash being a resource hog (thus denying it from my iPad), and now this!
Indeed it is!
adobe gripes:
I can't add watermarking to my fillable products because it flattens the fields and renders it flat. Form fields are also limited to as-is fonts (no spacing adjustments), needing a custom font embedded to work at some smaller sizes for legibility. What's wrong with that? * see below.
Paizo (probably like other publishing companies) purchases their fonts. For those of you who have ever done this, there can be a lot of limitations (especially if it's a custom font purchased). Unlocking all of those other features would allow anyone with the know how to steal that as well. While I doubt anyone on these boards would really want the typeface and such, it is one of the characteristics that makes their products shine. The more one really looks at fonts, the more one sees the subtle but huge difference font selection makes.
That probably fits the house argument / orange purchasing rights argument a little better. :)
I've got a set of spell cards out on RPGNOW.com, but they're in the middle of a major overhaul. Originally I didn't use Chopswill's database, but I have incorporated some of it since then and heavily modified it. Also APG cards are coming too be added to that set with no cost difference.
The major hold up? My external hitachi hard drive died a couple days before my toddler wiped out half of my storage drive. So much for backup. *facepalm* Now I burn backups on DVD.
Perram has some good stuff if you're looking for free cards though. :D If you're interested in looking at a few with the new look, email me at wickedkgames@gmail.com. :D
EDIT: As another option I am looking at making the cards the size of a magic card for sleeving purposes... it'd just require a lot of cutting out.
Unfortunately even the best PDF create products have limits. There's just not a way to allow such things to without opening oneself to pirates. For example, in Acrobat I can't make multiple layers for forms (fillable form fields come on a single layer over the PDF's other layers). It's a limitation I hope they overcome one day, but I don't expect others to beat down their door to do this... by the same example, I do not believe they'll make the products do what you speak of any time soon. It's just an unfortunate lack of technology (vs making it easy to pirate).
[...]I really like the lack of Data Verification. Far too often I find I'm dealing with houserules or obscure material and verification just throws a cramp in my style because the sheet tries to tell me I'm wrong when I'm not.
[... ]
My feelings exactly. It's just that some folks like their applications to be more supportive - and that's why it's in both categories.
The review is hardly worth the praise - just wanted to make the product more visible to target audience.
Regards,
Ruemere
To answer on the data verification.... I've had some experience with it, but I'm merely an amateur when it comes to javascript. As Dark_Mistress pointed out, I'm a not usually one to do things simple. I'd like to do more in the way of auto-calculation and such... but I'm not quite there yet. Both Kryt-Ryder and Ruemere made a valid point on Data Verification, so I'd make sure there was a version without it. :D Hope that helps!
Ruemere, Kryt-Ryder, & R_Chance - You're all very welcome! :D
ruemere wrote:
Review added. Thank you for taking your time to put it up... and for doing it for free.
Should you do a statblock version of this product, know that you're going to have at least one customer willing to pay a modest fee to use it.
Regards,
Ruemere
First off, thank you very much for the review. Not only did I appreciate your words, I also liked that you added thoughts on improvements. :) I'm actually already working on a loot sheet. I also think it's entirely possible that I'll do a stat block version eventually. I've been debating over doing a set for NPCs the last couple days. Also there's a chronicle like sheet in the Advanced Character Portfolio (working on updates).
Very nice, I like the layout. I still prefer the one that was put out by Neceros (mainly because it auto calculates all the skills/etc), but this is designed to be a simple 2 page sheet for quickly filling out and using. Honestly, I think I'd use it for important NPCs more than PCs, as I don't need to be so careful with them and double check numbers, and this keeps all the data in a nice two page bit thats easy to keep track of.
I like that! That's something I hadn't honestly thought of. I may try making a set of NPC sheets in the future. ;)
To MDT about autocalc:
I would like to do the autocalc features, but for some reason when I enter them in on acrobat it doesn't update the numbers until I enter another value elsewhere. It was the problem with the autocalc sheets I released with the Adv. Char. Portfolio. I know there's a way to do it, but I haven't figured the trick yet. When I do, I will certainly add autocalc.
You do a something simple? Ok who are you and what did you do with the real WKG?
Hahaha... :) Actually I originally called it he Basic Character Sheet (PFRPG), but google turned up that name as taken. This is simplistic for me though. ^_^
Just in time for the new year! Hope you all like it!
EDIT: This includes some of the effects being incorporated into the next update for the Advanced Character Portfolio... I guess you could a call this a trial balloon. :)
To me, the best thing to give away is either a new module in order to generate buzz about it, or something that's been very well received in the past in order to get new customers.
For example, if you're planning on a series of expansions, such as racial books, each taking an existing OGL race, giving some new options, some new racial feats, and some new racial arms and armor and racial magic items, the best thing to do is give away the first one to generate buzz about the series. BUT! Make sure it is GOOD! Nothing will kill your future sales worse than giving away a first module that everyone hates or finds cheesy. Put 3 times the effort into the first one. Not because you are trying to 'bait and switch', but because it's the first one, you won't have past lessons to learn from on it. And, it's going to make or break your whole series, so pay extra attention. I really liked a book I bought for PF called the Tome of Secrets. However, there were SO many spelling mistakes and glitches in the book, things that were easily noticeable, that it was hard to see how it got past proofreading. They fixed it, but I haven't really looked at anything else the company did since then, mainly just because I hate getting 5 pages of errata on a book. It means it was rushed to publication, and it is especially bad when compared to Paizo's core books, which generally have much greater production values than most RPG companies.
I think you hit the nail on the head with this.
Concerning Errata:
Something really put together really well leaves me wondering what their other stuff is like. I'm a very forgiving person when it comes to errata...anyone who has proofread for me can vouch for that (thanks again Mark :D). I've only been really steamed once (I rolled on a numeric chart only to find that the number I rolled wasn't even there). I get very frustrated when I get the errata and it's a bunch of pages in the back.
I've been very pleased and in some cases impressed by companies that have come back and edited the original work AND included the changes in errata pages. With Paizo being the publisher of the Pathfinder RPG core rules, the core rules were my first impression and the first errata motivated me to subscribe.
I understand for many publishers errata DOES equal free work in a way. It's improving the product, but there is no new money from existing customers and it is time consuming. While I am sympathetic to this, the obligation for product quality has already been purchased. The real bait and switch is not doing the errata after purchase.
I've had to slow my pace due to family issues myself, but I'm still plugging away at updated...but I digress. :p
mdt wrote:
As a different example, let's take the same 'races' series. Let's say you've got 8 of them out, and sales are slowing. The 2nd book in the series was generally acclaimed as the best so far by your marketing research. So, go over that book and fix any errata issues, maybe add 2 pages of additional items or feats (things you didn't have ready for production, but wish you'd been able to include), and give away PDFs of that book. This generates more buzz, you keep your existing customers happy because they get 2 new pages of stuff too, and you can attract new customers who look through it because all your existing customers are raving about how good it was. If they like it, more than likely they'll buy more of the series.
Again, spot on. The web enhancement with the errata would also possibly spark a renewed interest in the product. If the additional free new content went over well enough, it might pave the way for a sequel!
@ Brian E. Harris - I LOVE the concept of Free RPG Day! I really want to get onboard in 2011. The deadline is in February, so I got a while...
I'm not sure why companies put out products that are unusable and free, paranoia or stinginess? This stigma IS one of the thing's I'm curious about. When I download a product (a pdf reader for example) and it does everything advertised, I'm quite pleased. If they have an advanced version with more functions, I'll probably buy it knowing they're upfront about it. I used the "tryout" demos to make my first product. I liked it so much I bought it (albeit an older version I could afford). :)
@ Anguish - Sorry if it's a bit vague... basically the point of asking this hopefully answers the questions:
If a product is free, will it get downloaded more as opposed to making it $0.99?
What caliber of product should be expect?
What impact does receive a product from a publisher have on you as a user?
As I mentioned to Brian above, the stigmata.
Slightly off subject, but still related:
Spoiler:
I currently don't write to much in the way of creative content. My current work is in forms, reference cards, and sub-systems. I'd like to make available some of the cards I'm making/reworking like spell cards or summon cards to other publishers. This kind of sharing is something I'd love to see between publishers. I'm not certain how purchaser's of the products (the other 3PP using my templates) would feel. So far the only thing I've heard is either what's the catch or sign me up.
Overall I find this kind of conversation invaluable and hope that other 3PP find it helpful as well. ;)
@ Wraithstrike - Indeed. I found a few free things I liked, but had to trash a lot of stuff that had major power creeping. It was like they wanted to use it to promote their stuff, but instead of buying the product, their stuff got banned. :p
@ Megan Robertson & Dark Mistress - First off, I'd like to thank both of you for your reviews, I read them quite often and find it very helpful in selecting products! :D I like the concept of using the free products to say thank you. I'm grateful for the time people take to read over products and give critical feedback. I'm sure many other publishers feel this way as well.
I think the risk is ultimately worth it though, because in your heart of hearts, as a creator one knows if the stuff their putting out is just crap slung together or something crafted with artistry. It's disheartening when someone leaves a review with one star and "didn't like it" without anything they can grow from, but thankfully most people ignore cheap shots like that. In the rare cases that it was bad work thrown together apparently hastily, I guess it's kinda karma.
Agreed on all points. Gaining face seems like a reasonable motivation to give away a solid product.
My initial experience with websites offering free stuff was to delve into it. In the end their was so much of it, it was more work than it was worth in many cases to separate the wheat from the chaff. I guess that is the cost of free in a way.
Before I dive into this topic, I want to mention that I'm not referring to product previews when I use the term free (example: the playtest classes). I'm referring to complete products made by third party publishers that are given away for whatever reason.
I would also like to state that this thread is intended to be about the users and their perspective. If we could keep specific names, companies, or products to a minimum I think that it will help to keep this thread on track. :)
I've asked several people one-on-one recently of their perspective on the subject and receive a pretty diverse array of answers. If a product is independently functional, would you use it?
The most obvious is that the product is free and there's nothing to lose. The second most popular answer is that it's probably too little to be of use. The most puzzling answer is that some people wouldn't bother looking at it (why give good product away?) unless it was a preview.
I would like to begin by apologizing for being out of communication for a while to all those out there waiting for updates or new product. I had some serious events come up in my home life and with family members that I had to see through. I have still been working on the updates to the spell cards and character sheets, albeit much slower then I've ever wanted to.
Due to some unforeseen financial concerns I have had to take up other work and have been more pressed for time. I am not however giving up, I've just slowed down a bit.
I will not be able to do the all the cross-promotional products I originally wanted to, but I will be happy to let any publisher use my spell card templates to create a set to accompany their products as soon as I finish.
Thank you all for your patience and I hope to make it up in the future. :D
Working on it right now! I just completed the A4/A6 stuff. I just need to do a thorough quality check and I'll be uploading the new core stuff. It may be an hour or a couple days honestly. It just depends on if there's any final issues. If this goes as planned then the APG stuff will be a snap.
Also, I just uploaded the Advanced Character Portfolio and Initiative Cards to Paizo. They're not updated, but at least I can use the product discussion for feedback in updating it instead of a side thread.
For those of you wondering what is taking so long, I apologize. The updated content has more fields then previously, to the point I was having issues with the software to create it. As a solution to both ink use (on printing the quarters - having to print unwanted cards) and the high numbers of fields, I have made a card that can be printed as multiple copies per sheet. I've also got an ISO version, but the issue is that it isn't lining up. I've been experimenting and printing a lot for the last few days and although I am close, it's not the same.
If anyone has any ideas for this, I'd love to hear it. The alternative is copying and pasting by hand each entry, which would take a LONG time. :p One way or another, I've resolved to see it through.
Still working on it... have been all day. I reached a snag in software limitations, but I think I have a solution to may peoples ink issue on the quarter-sheets. The new layout will allow you to print the 4 spells of your choice onto the quarter pages. It also means you'll be able to print by selected classes!
something like the 3.5 expanded character sheets would be sweet.
I gotta admit that I actually hated the Wizards later character sheets. Aside from the one in the book, all of them either wasted a lot of space, tried to incorporate a lot of stuff that was not important to most classes, or just looked really bad and all over the place. It may just be me, but I advice against either "expanded" character sheets in the 3.5 sense or class specific as they are nearly useless to multiclass or prestige class characters.
Wicked K Games wrote:
Beckett - The spell sheet is quite doable. It would probably include the most pertinent info. I have spell cards also, the core spells should all be available on monday.
That would be amazing. I would hope that it could include the
Name [TYPE]*School*Components*Casting Time*Range*Duration*Save/S.R.*Description*
Also, hopefully would include Domains/Mysteries/Bloodlines/Specializations/Etc within reason. At least the core material. I have the cards, which are nice, but also not as tabletop practicle as I had originally thought, at least at the higher levels.
I could do Name [School/Sub/Descriptor], Components, Casting Time, Duration, Save, SR/PR, and Brief. The full description would take up WAY to much room, sorry... :p
I would love either a larger spell sheet or an actual spell list for the major spellcasting classes personally. My 3.5 ones are the most valuable character info I have ever used but too much has changed in PF.
Up to 3 lines for classes and levels instead of one. (for multiclass characters and a Prestige class)
I have five. I wouldn't think one would need more than five. :D
Beckett - The spell sheet is quite doable. It would probably include the most pertinent info. I have spell cards also, the core spells should all be available on monday.
YuenglingDragon - I've learned to use layers and play on using them to add more choices to the sheets, so more or less weapon slots shouldn't be a problem. Poison slots, wand slots, all that would seem helpful. You mentioned using all your slots up with one weapon. Would a line with the status effects help somehow? Perhaps a list of check boxes pertaining to each change? How detailed should it be? If you email me at wickedkgames@gmail.com with as many details as possible, I'll see if I can get you a mock-up.
JoeCargo - I must be honest in that I'm unsure how to respond to this. While I'm looking for a way to cover each set of new alterations, the only problem with a single class sheet is if you decide to multiclass it's not as useful. What about making class specific functions (such as sneak attack) available as a layer? Would that work for you?
I was originally going to sell the APG spells separate from the Core. However, I've decided to add the APG content to the Master Compendium. The price will increase, but not until after all of the content is added. The individual content will be sold separately as well later on. I also want to have it bundled by classes.
I hate to admit it, but it IS THAT GOOD. I work with a lot of writers who are hard core fans of what they write. But some other are just good writers who understand what works to sell RPGs. I wanted people to read this a get an "interesting" look at what can happen when your ego gets MORE than away from you. This same situation has happened a lot in the comic book arena with writers or artist who just do it for the money. Warren Ellis (Planetary and Authority fame) is well known NOT to like comic books, but he likes the money they make and he is THAT GOOD. Where is the line?
Hmmmmm... Sorry, I just had to respond to this. I skimmed it the first time and liked your advice to them but I obviously missed something that irritated me. :p
I identify with being proud of what you do, but I don't think anything could ever be so awesome that it negates just how important fans are though. It's only a matter of time before they lose touch with their fan-base and their customers become aware of this. I think that may be why there is so much resentment for big business. They couldn't care about the individual and try as they might, it shows.
As you know I've been doing this for a less than year and I openly admit the success I've achieved wouldn't have been possible without the feedback of the great folks on these boards. Their ideas and suggestions inspire me and sometimes help me make difficult decision.
No matter how great you are at something, someone will come along and do it better. Speaking as someone who has worked with you, I can appreciate that you're trying to give talent a chance to blossom. I just hope they figure out that they're fame rests on the decisions of all of us "mouth-breathers" that they're "better then". :P
Hungry Pit & Hunter's Howl missing ";" from between Saving Throw and SR
Bard’s Escape missing ";" from between School and Level
to Chopswil:
I'll enigmatically muse that we're working on the same thing... :D
EDIT: I'm sending you an email with the address listed on d20pfsrd.com
The spells Fire of Entanglement and Fire of Judgment do not have the [Fire] descriptor type, while Fire of Vengeance does. They're varying smiting fire paladin spells... shouldn't it apply to all of em?
I have to whole-heartedly agree with that mantra (it is just like in retail work saying how may I help you to the customer). I believe Paizo is a perfect case and point. I'm a little curious who Writer X is out of amusement, but as you've stated, it's unimportant.
I also had a chuckle and comment at the phrase 'mouth breathers' as it reminds me of both LotR and a scene in White Collar.
Loengrin mentioned modifying the system slightly in another thread and it gave me an idea. I've been wanting to learn to do layers for a while now, so I sat down and learned it. I just added a customizable sheet that lets you modify some features:
Any of the chart print sheet's important text is rewritable,
starting dots and lines have alternative placements, and
the neutral center has multiple sizes.
Hope you all like these features, let me know if everything works alright... ;)
YES ! YES ! <Dance all over the place> THANK YOU !!!
Oups, sorry for the shouting but this chart was exactly what I needed for my idea of alignement ;)
So what I think of is a sort of scale of alignement with a "grey" area in it. This grey area mean you are not or less affected by alignement based spell or abilities.
Well for the purpose of my demonstration I'm going to refer to Wicked K Games chart, so if you have'nt seen it just take a look ;)
For now on the chart there a "grey" area from 0 to +/- 25. I extend this area from 0 to +/- 30.
Everyone in this grey area will not/less be affected by alignement based spells or abilities, be it NPC or PC.
PC will begin at +/-30 just at the begining of this grey area but still within, except for the more "dedicated" character such as Paladin or Cleric (or even every PC who think he is more dedicated to an alignement than the average, ie background stuff) will begin at +/-40 meaning they will be affected by alignement based stuff.
For example, I will not let a PC or NPC in a grey area be affected by a detect evil spell or ability.
Thus most NPC in town will be "neutral" and so will be the brigand waiting on the road, and exit your Paladin smiting every "evil" people he encounter in the wild on sight... ;p
I'm thinking of dividing smiting damage too... Will see...
Loengrin - I'm gonna respond in the other thread so that the current one can continue it's course, but I have something neat in response to this. ;)
Many thanks to all! I am quite pleased if it's helping. I would eventually like to do a simple expansion for it with sanity/control/taint/virtue, but I wouldn't want to over complicate it. :D
Not taken as argumentative in the least. I actually downloaded your product and left a comment in the thread about it. Reading it is what spurred me to post this thread. I like using alignment in my games, and I always have. But of course, its never really been a huge issus in any game I've run, probably because I unconsciously downplay it anyway. LOL! But yeah, I love the Alignment Wheel you've made and I plan to use it in my future campaigns.
Evil Genius Prime - I'm not meaning this to start an argument, I just wanted to outline one of the underlying causes for discarding the system. I want to offer an alternative perspective.
I feel like the alignment system is under developed as it is. There has to be some reward or way to make it fun, otherwise it becomes a burden. Nothing should be used in the game that makes players unhappy... It usually gets swept under the rug and I am not surprised that many people don't use it. The only fix for an under-developed structure is to either to remove it or bolster it to a usable form.
I feel so strongly about this that I released a free product as an alternative to this. Much like experience points, frequent tangibly rewards can fix this for some players and GMs (as suggested by chapter 5 in the GMG).
I'm not saying you should download this product if you feel like dropping alignments from your game. If you feel like there should be more to it, give it a read... it's free! I just hate to see something flavorful going to waste.
Any reason Combat Maneuver Bonus says "Combat Maneuver Base" on most of the sheets?
Typo... something small I missed. Thanks for the catch.
BTW They look great. However the base save entry on the auto calc don't seem to work properly.
Thanks, I'm still learning with the auto-calc. One major frustration is that tabbing over is required to update the spots. I'll admit I've stepped away from java scripting, but I hope to learn more soon.
