Questions about DD Next...

[waysoftheearth]

Jan 12, 2014 3:53:45 GMT -6 hareton said:

Will next DD print be distributed by drivethrurpg?

The free PDFs will be available from my website.

The hard copies will ideally be available from a US distributor. I've yet to decide exactly who this will be; this depends mostly on who can offer financially viable terms.

Jan 12, 2014 3:53:45 GMT -6 hareton said:

Will next DD print be distributed by drivethrurpg? Also are you planning to add optional book with material from OD&D supplements? Druid class would be useful.

DD is under the OGL, so anyone can do supplementary material for it (and hence for the original game); that is one of the primary purpose for DD to exist.

For me personally, I'll be working on my Hinterlands supplement after the DD hardback is out. That will include some additional material/alternate rules, including some extra PC classes, but it's not specifically intended to cover the material from Greyhawk or Blackmoor.

[idrahil]

If we want to make an adventure to share for free do we need to put on the OGL? I have no idea how any of that works. And would you want to host such adventures? I am working on making the one I originally wanted to make for your contest (that I couldn't make 4 pages ) into something that could be possibly enjoyed by others.

[waysoftheearth]

Jan 12, 2014 18:47:04 GMT -6 idrahil said:

If we want to make an adventure to share for free do we need to put on the OGL? I have no idea how any of that works. And would you want to host such adventures? I am working on making the one I originally wanted to make for your contest (that I couldn't make 4 pages ) into something that could be possibly enjoyed by others.

Hey idrahil, great to hear you want to share your stuff

If you intend to use any of the D&D-->SRD-->DD "game words" (including game terminology, monster names and stats, spell names, magic item names, etc. etc.) then yes, you should include the OGL in your work.

You have the option to declare any of your own new content as either "open game content" (which anyone could then re-use under the terms of the OGL), or as your own IP (which nobody can then re-use without your express permission).

There is no necessity that your product be free; you can choose to charge for it if you want to.

If you do choose to make it free I'd be very happy to distribute it from the DD site along with the other free adventures there. If you choose to charge for it then you'd have to make your own distribution arrangements.


One thing I have in mind to (eventually) create is an "adventure template" of some sort, which would help folks in your position to get their stuff "out there". That is on my TODO list for sure, but it's a long list

[hareton]

I see, however in my opinion druid class is important to the base game, because its list of spells adds third branch of magic, for it can cover flavor of any shamanistic and tribal classes and monsters, which is no less important than divine and arcane stuff. It also makes removing cleric from the game easier.

[waysoftheearth]

Jan 13, 2014 1:07:06 GMT -6 hareton said:

in my opinion druid class is important to the base game, because its list of spells adds third branch of magic

I agree that the addition of a druid spell list adds another level of richness to the game. I did do some preparation for a druid spell list a while back, including replacing some of the animal/plant/weather spells from the magic-user and cleric spell lists so that druid magic was more distinct from the other spell casters. But that's been on the back burner for a good long while now... I could probably dig it up if there was enough interest in it. But not before the DD hardback is done!

FWIW, Geyhawk druids were given as cleric/m-u monster type. It wasn't until Eldritch Wizardry (1976-1977) that we got the druid PC class with their own spell list.

[bestialwarlust]

How goes the progress with the hardback?

[waysoftheearth]

Thanks for your interest bestialwarlust

Things have been modestly quiet for the last month; I've been busy getting past Christmas, New Year, a couple of big family occasions, and then easing back into the work/life balance of 2014.

Post the professionally proof read gamma version, I had the whole text proofed again by the Comma Police, and I've just recently finished reviewing those changes, which amount to a few hundred small grammatical/syntactical edits.

Plus some eagle-eyed fans pointed out that both monster saves, and yellow mold were missing from the gamma version.

So, having done all that, I'm satisfied that the DD text is as whole and as correct as I can realistically make it. So, it's onto the layout work...

I had done a quick layout for the single volume book a few months back, but now that I have the "real" text, and the page size has changed from Crown Quattro to Digest, I pretty much have to start over.

I'll post more news once I'm underway...

[machpants]

Look forward to hearing about your progress, good luck.

[waysoftheearth]

In brief, I have the text all lined up as a layout, and I'm working thru re-constructing all of the (many!) tables. It's a very laborious process (partly due to me having to learn new tools, and partly because there's just so much of it), but I'm currently about half way there.

In the meanwhile, I'm seeking a some expert advice on the basic typesetting and the "look and feel" of it with a view to it ultimately having a polished and professional finish. We'll see how that turns out

[bestialwarlust]

Will there be new art in the hardback? will you use Mark if there is?

[waysoftheearth]

Yes, there will be new art in the hardback.

I have commissioned a small collection of works from two other artists (Jim Holloway and Timothy Ide) as well as a couple of new pieces from Mark Allen.

I also have a license to re-use some, but not all, of the Mark Allen art that appeared in the BHP boxed set.

I suspect that I may actually have more art than I should ideally use, so whether some or all of it ends up in print will depend on what "fits best" into the space/layout requirements.