Expanding my publishing horizons...

[Gamerprinter]

So yesterday's experiment with the Gnomic Vault map follows another publishing idea I've been working on. In a way, I am unhappy with my relationship with Dementia 5 Publishing, though I am still working with them on the Kaidan project. I wanted to see what else I could create that could have a faster ROI and not require as much work from me.

So, on a whim, I took my June Challenge Winning entry (Assassin's Lair):
http://www.cartographersguild.com/showthread.php?t=5870
wrote up a detailed map key, then sliced the map into printable letter size chunks for easy printing on home inkjet or laser printers.

I contacted Johnn Four of Roleplayingtips Newsletter fame, (and a rare member here) about the possibility of developing a product that I would market exclusively through him. In addition to his newsletter, Johnn has been developing a site and blog focusing on teaching how to create your own RPG publication - emphasizing the business side of game development.

He was very excited with the idea with using the Assassin's Lair map and the prospects for making a larger product out of it. So what he wants me to do, is to create two more Roguish Lairs in similar hand-drawn style, key them and slice the map. Johnn and his partner Mike Bourke will write 12,000 to 15,000 words of text regarding RPG adventures with Assassins, using my three base maps as useable options for the publication.

My part is the idea, and the three maps (one already completed). We're looking at creating a $15 product that will be split three ways.

All marketing will occur through Roleplayingtips.com Newsletter, Campaign Mastery Blog, and Johnn's RPG marketing site - he will write reviews, articles in the newsletter/blog, and place ads through his various RPG contacts.

So we'll see what happens.

Traditionally the cartographer is commissioned to create maps for a given project, is paid after work is complete, but never sees any profit from the publication later on. While this publication venture idea doesn't pay a commission per se, it allows me to be the primary pubisher and active participant in the project and potentially make much more money. Its a different Method of Operation, but I think there's great potential.

I'll update this as the project moves forward.

GP

PS: if this idea turns out to be profitable, then there's any number of following products consisting of three themed maps that could be expanded with text into an ongoing series of products...