YOU CAN DO BETTER

I'm sick of the complaining. Yes, there are plenty of tired ideas out there and hard sales techniques. Why is it so hard to challenge them constructively, or challenge ourselves?

If you don't like what a particular producer is doing, don't buy the products and services. If you think it's so bad no one else should be buying it either don't give them publicity. Be positive and point to alternatives. If you can produce something better, do it. 

I'll support you.

I'll link to your idea to help give it maximum exposure. I'll review it too. I'll try to show what it is in itself, what it has that's fresh. I'll even rearrange this blog to give it and other works like it pride of place. This goes for everyone, whether games designers, writers or sculptors, anyone at all creating. Just comment here or email me.

Everyone knows the kind of producer being talking about. They're the subject of chains of rants criss-crossing the blogosphere. To my mind we need to get to a point where every unit of every currency spent on the hobby is spent on small teams and individuals like you, with no dividend siphoned off to pay shareholders who take little risk and do little work, or packages for a board of executives who can add little value I see beyond maybe tightening the grip on minds and pockets the company already has.

Yes, a monopoly can innovate. But I'd prefer a wider choice than that. Much wider.

People like Gygax and Kaye had to struggle to find the funding. The creative people of today don't. We have a well-developed network here, and easy means of publishing. Overheads are almost zero. Time and energy will do it. Again, I can help out and so can many others. We can help a constellation of successful small studios grow right now. Just people with passion using a talent to support themselves, family, community and interests. The hardest thing to shake is the bizarre feeling good work should be free.

If this is your dream too, don't wait. We're stagnating here.