mark_gedak pointed out that there's a discussion of Open Design pros and cons at ENWorld, started by Glyfair. I couldn't help myself and posted three replies. Mostly I find it interesting to see what people who *don't* like the project have to say, and why.

I've gotten a lot of questions about patron publishing from designers, novelists, and even journalists. The tone of feedback from the industry types has ranged from a sort of wistful hope (from those who want to ditch their publisher, perhaps) to hardbitten inquiries about funding, the work required to keep it going, etc. I think, though, that they expect the patron model to be more than it is. It's an experiment.

The biggest change I've noticed is getting feedback early and often. Most writers and game designers work in bit of a void. They are starved for feedback, and game editors are notoriously quiet. If they hate your work, you don't hear about it. If they love your work, you don't hear about it. You'll hear a critique from playtesters, of course, but that's usually some months down the road.

So for me, the attraction is not the way Open Design bypasses the usual channels. It's the direct audience connection that makes it worthwhile. The patron model certainly isn't going to replace hobby stores and paper products any time soon, but it will make for better games.

Why better? Because they are shaped by the people who matter most: the audience.

The cover art and a killer map have gone off to the magazines, and I've posted the fourth and final adventure outline to the patron-only portion of the site. Up next will be a discussion of monster selection and how to use hinge scenes most effectively.

I'm enjoying the experiment so far for one reason above all: it tightens the feedback loop between designer and audience. All too often, the big company RPG adventures are written to match what a brand manager or marketing director thinks the audience wants. Sometimes they are right. Sometimes they produce junk, written in a hurry. I should know, I've written at least two that I'd rather forget.

But there's no need to go down the standard issue road. So far, the patrons are saying no to the middlebrow approach, and demanding a high bar for every adventure element. Oddly, I feel the pressure of the audience more acutely with a few patrons than with thousands of faceless readers. I don't want to disappoint them, so I'm coming up with foundations that feel fresh, with less encounters but more memorable moments.

Since I'm at the outline stage, much of this is the "pre-work", working in broad strokes. I'm still trying things out, imagining how elements will fit together in the final design — I don't know how this loose approach translates to the patrons. Explaining the creative process is a bitch. But from my perspective, the pre-work is strong: the outlines all show strong potential for development, with great key creatures, locales, and story moments.

I think this project is working because I don't want to take any shortcuts or reuse any old tricks; I'm aiming for memorable and extremely playable, not tied to any particular setting or IP. Maybe that pressure is all in my head, but that doesn't matter. I'm excited to work on it, and that always results in better work. The patrons are making great suggestions; the collaboration is clicking.

And only a limited audience will see it. That's tough, but it's part of the gig. Don't miss out; sign up today and watch the design from the inside. More details are at the Publishing Strategy announcement and Patrons and Pricing posts, or just click the button below.