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[bryant]

WISH 50 is all about being a professional in the game business:

Have you ever considered trying to publish something professionally in the gaming industry? Why or why not? What are the good points and bad points of being in the industry?

We’re presumably talking about pen and paper here, rather than computer games. With that in mind, the answer is yep. I have, in fact, published something professionally in the gaming industry. I have a decent-sized handful of White Wolf credits, most happily in the Trinity line; I’ve also done work for Atlas and I have something in the queue for Eden.

However, my drive to freelance tailed off a little once I’d done some of it. It doesn’t pay well, so money’s not a strong motivator, and now that I know I can do it I don’t feel the urge to prove it again. This leaves the pleasure of doing work I care about as an incentive.

I don’t get as much pleasure out of working in someone else’s vinyard. This isn’t a financial issue, it’s a creative control issue. One of the reasons I enjoyed working on Trinity so much was because my editor gave me lots of room to lay down tracks. When I wrote Psi Law, I was defining certain elements of the Trinity universe all by my lonesome. That was fun; sharecropping, not as much fun.

If I ever discover myself rich, I expect to get into the publishing business. I think there’s a place in gaming for the small press concept — games published for artistic motives. I don’t want to publish extended lines with a GM screen and splatbooks, I want to publish interesting one-offs with high production values that are complete in one book. That will, alas, probably always remain a dream.

Comments

[jeregenest.livejournal.com]

However, my drive to freelance tailed off a little once I’d done some of it. It doesn’t pay well, so money’s not a strong motivator, and now that I know I can do it I don’t feel the urge to prove it again. This leaves the pleasure of doing work I care about as an incentive.

About sums up my feelings. I wrote my two products, my name's in print. I have a dozen credits elsewhere. And to be honest I find I enjoy running games a lot more. So I've turned down job offers, just not interested.

In a perfect world I'd have the opportunity to do the projects I want (my version of the modern conspiracy game, a Great Game game, the Elizabethan game, or my Bollywood game) but I don't have the time or the resoruces to do them properly. And to be honest I derive a lot more fun from running fun game sessions with people I like.

Jere

Psi Law

[(Anonymous)]

I did enjoy Psi Law. Very fun stuff... hmmm... Al's looking into something new... how do you suppose the Trinity universe would work in a Champions kind of game (heroic, not super-heroic)?

Time to go dust off those books and give 'em to Al, I think.

Re: Psi Law

[bryant]

Psi Law is some of my very favorite work ever. You should read Jason Corley's fanfic based on Psi Law, too; he is one smart lawyer dude.

I think the Trinity universe would work incredibly well as a heroic setting for Hero. It's a complex universe that feels like good hard SF, as long as you don't mind the psionics. I'd be happy to chat about backstory and stuff at length, too.

Re: Psi Law

[(Anonymous)]

I looked up the story. Yes, very nice. I think I could enjoy a game like that -- very different from the hack & slash D&D we're currently playing. I don't know if the rest of the group would go for it tho'...

I'll float the idea and we'll see where it goes. Thanks for the tip.