
Hugo Solis |
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Yes, it's not a joke, I'm up and ready to start publishing and soon [whispering]Augusssst[whispering] I'll launch the first free product!
Of course ALL will be under PFRPG and maybe some other systems. And of course ALL will be done with top notch, close to Pathfinder-nice writting, artwork, cartography and layout.
The Froggie Studio will focus on Designing and producing RPGs of our own line and to help other produce their games. I'll continue to offer artwork, cartography and graphic design to other companies and also offer a full developing process to your products. You'll bring us your manuscript, we'll get it PDF/Printer ready.
I'll give more details right after PaizoCon
The studio is in the brewing process and soon will be released into the wild, any suggestions and comments are most appreciated.
Suggestions/comments on stuff like:
-If you are a Indie start-up publisher, what would you like to be offered by an outsuorcing RPG studio?
-If you don't publish, but would like to have some of your personal RPG material professionally developed, what would you need?
-As a gamer, what kind of unique material/resources have you not find yet with the current 3pp?
The froggie studio will be a brand new and fresh one, but I've been running around and picking some interesting brains and there's a bit of know-how under my belt ;)
Frog on!
PS: Knowing that there are plenty of other (bigger and older) frogs in the gaming industry, the name butterfrog may not be final, lest I incour the wrath of the Frog Gods!

KTFish7 |

Wow! This is really cool, am hoping this works out for you Hugo, gawds knows your art has been all over enough of the gaming world to make sure we all know your name by now, lol. I'm looking forward to seeing what type of material your company will be releasing. I love to see an artist get to design, it always interests me to see what comes out of a creative mind when the tethers come off and it is allowed to create. Can't wait.

Sketchpad |
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Best of luck Hugo! Looking forward to seeing what you produce, and, if you need any help, please let me know.
As for, as a player, what I'd like to see...
• Setting neutral information that could enhance Golarion or Midgard.
• New monsters. Because there are never enough monsters ;)
• ARG compliant races.
• New magic items that break the mold a bit.
• And most of all, a good design sense that compliments the source material :)

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Thanks guys!
Of course the idea is to get way more than I can handle, so I'll be outsourcing a lot of stuff. A big part of the Buttefrog Studio is to be a managing/outsourcing business, so I'll be relying a lot on freelancers :)
Outsourcing eh? Well, I uh.. know a guy. I hear he's pretty good.

Matthew Finch Frog God Games |

If Hugo and Bill like the idea, then so be it; but it sounds to me like a real lose-lose proposition. It will lead to both companies constantly explaining "No, that's the other frog publisher," and we'll both be lucky if we even get a chance to explain that, because most potential customers don't bother to ask questions, they simply leave the website or put the book back on the shelf. "Product X must be out of print because I went to Frog site Y and it's not on there any more."
When you guys get together for a beer, it might be worth talking about how to address issues of customer confusion, because I think they will be legion.
Obviously I'm not speaking on behalf of FGG, since Bill already answered the question, but this is why I'm "poison dart" frog. IMO it's a bad idea for all concerned.

Hugo Solis |

First I want to see a picture of a butterfrog...
Is it a Monarch Dart butterfrog or more like Blue Mountain Swallowtail butterbullfrog?
It's more on the side of a butterbettlefrog, the ones fond of deep rocky ponds and mossy streams.
Croak!

Hugo Solis |

Obviously I'm not speaking on behalf of FGG, since Bill already answered the question, but this is why I'm "poison dart" frog. IMO it's a bad idea for all concerned.
At firts I thought you were joking, but a few words later I see you are dead serious. Good choice on the frog name :)
I do agree with you and even thou I'm thrilled Bill siad it was ok, I do think there could be some confusion in the future and I do consider not keeping the name (to my 13 year old moniker regret) for both our sake.
The thing that makes me consider keeping it, is that in the end, why couldn't be another frog around? After all, there are a few companies sharing the names of Dungeon, Dragon, Sorcerer, Sword... (etc, etc). Maybe the older frogsters woulnd't mind another friendly frog hopping around :)
Thanks for the input, it is beign conidered.

Aaron aka Itchy |

Keeping the Butter theme, a friend of mine once wanted to start a band called "The Undead Buttermuffins."
As far as I know, he wouldn't mind you using the name. I would buy whatever your first product was and give a copy to him if you were "Undead Buttermuffin Publishing," or something like that.
-Aaron

Matthew Finch Frog God Games |

Don't get me wrong, either, I think a rising tide lifts all boats as far as RPGs go, so I want you to succeed and to succeed BIG. I think that cross-promotion is one of the most powerful tools out there, so I want FGG to talk about you and vice versa. All that will help both companies. Cooperation is the most powerful tool in a niche industry like RPGs. It's just that I've seen (granted, it was in other industries) situations where product confusion generates upset customers for absolutely no reason other than that they couldn't figure out which products came from whom.

Ambrosia Slaad |
2 people marked this as a favorite. |

Well, if you decide to replace your frog motif, I'm sure you could go with ButterBadger: "Guaranteed Great, Or We'll Rip Your Face Off!" :)
In all seriousness, you've already been turning out gorgeous professional art for a while now, so launching your own pro studio seems almost overdue. Good luck and knock their socks off!... or poke their eyes out!... whatever is most applicable for artists.

Hugo Solis |

Cooperation is the most powerful tool in a niche industry like RPGs.
Again, I agree 101% with you. I always try to promote the people who I work with, and so far it has worked great (most of the time).
I think working among publishers with a positive and supporting atitude is the best way to work, that's how I've gotten this far (not too far anyway... :P). Sometimes I do get too involved in other people's projects, which is bad for my schedule, but great for my customer's relationship.

GentleGiant |

Great news Hugo!
(or should that be "Good news everyone!"...?)
Unfortunately, these news only makes me even more antsy about resurrecting past ideas about doing something similar with a certain artist friend of mine... Curse you Frogman! :-p

Hugo Solis |

Great news Hugo!
(or should that be "Good news everyone!"...?)Unfortunately, these news only makes me even more antsy about resurrecting past ideas about doing something similar with a certain artist friend of mine... Curse you Frogman! :-p
Well, do it! As easy as to put a foot in fron of the other and so on ;)

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Sharoth wrote:P.S. - I just don't want you to end up as Nick Logue did. (I am just glad that he is recovering from his fall. He is too good of a person.)Yes, that's a very good bad example... and knowing my s¿current timing/schedulling, believe me I'll thread very carefully around it.
Maintaining a disciplined schedule as a freelancer is probably the hardest part of doing this!

Hugo Solis |

Hugo Solis wrote:You'll bring us your manuscript, we'll get it PDF/Printer ready.Ooh, my favorite bit of the post.
Actually this is also one that I'm very interested in developing to a very useful service.
There are plenty of people out there offering their freelance services, but sometimes the person in need of such services has very little to none knowledge about what he needs, where to get it or what are the best options to develope his project.
We'll be helping to develop your project by pointing out to appropriate freelancers, or by directly taking care of the whole producing/publishing process, as an intermediating manager between the freelancers and the project owner, giving the owner the advice and know-how needed to develop his projects to the quality he requires.
In short, you'll be able to outsource you production and art direction with us. :)