RJK's Bottle City updates • Page 21 • Collecting General • The Acaeum

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RJK's Bottle City updates
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Jaybird216
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Posted: Mon Mar 03, 2008 2:30 pm

Lance Hawvermale wrote:For the record (and because I always find myself defending people whether they deserve that defense or not), Rob paid me for Tower of Blood, so know that he hasn't left everyone turning in the wind.

Heya Lance!

You know, I have always secretly wondered if you got a square deal on ToB. I'm glad to hear that you did! You sort of dropped off the face of PPP after that, so I was fearing the worst.

As for me, I got paid my usual half upon delivery of the art, and then received a "bonus" check which was a few bucks short of the remaining amount due. I contacted Rob with my confusion, but said that I'd accept it as close enough to Paid In Full. He promised to send another "bonus" when he could. It never came. The bonus that I accepted as the completion of my payment for ToB was the last dime I ever got from PPP.

Jason Braun
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Jaybird216
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Posted: Mon Mar 03, 2008 2:35 pm

Mars wrote:it says "This printing of Tower of Blood is done under version 1.0a of the Open Gaming License."

My guess is that it's that way on all of them. 100% my fault for missing it in layout.

Jason Braun
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Mars
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Posted: Mon Mar 03, 2008 5:13 pm

Jaybird216 wrote:My guess is that it's that way on all of them. 100% my fault for missing it in layout.

No worries, I was just checking to sort out printing info should there be another print run.

Jaybird216
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Posted: Mon Mar 03, 2008 5:15 pm

There go my chances of ever being hired by them again!

Jason Braun
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Lance Hawvermale
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Posted: Mon Mar 03, 2008 5:16 pm

Jaybird216 wrote:You know, I have always secretly wondered if you got a square deal on ToB. I'm glad to hear that you did! You sort of dropped off the face of PPP after that, so I was fearing the worst.

Though Rob asked if I'd be interested in working on certain projects in the future, I told him that I needed to take a break to (a) promote my fiction, and (b) finish my thesis.

Pre-order and shipping problems aside, I consider it a huge honor to co-write with him. I look forward to collaborating again on future books. Assuming there are future books. . . .

http://www.lancehawvermale.com

Jaybird216
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Posted: Mon Mar 03, 2008 5:21 pm

That's the same way I feel about Jim Holloway. The main reason I got involved with PPP was to work alongside Jim. Now we're conspiring on the possibility of some mutual projects.

That's my silver lining.

Jason Braun
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dcas
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Posted: Mon Mar 03, 2008 6:27 pm

Jaybird216 wrote:That's my silver lining.

The exposure probably didn't hurt either, FWIW.

Pied Piper Publishing - Rob Kuntz's Pathways to Enchantment

Jaybird216
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Posted: Mon Mar 03, 2008 6:43 pm

True enough, Dave. I have to admit that being linked to Rob's titles probably did give me a boost as far as name-recognition among his fans. Though this wasn't my first rodeo by a long shot. I was displaying art at GenCon before Pied Piper existed, and had been published plenty of times. I've worked with a very few publishers during and after my time at PPP.

I'd actually get more effective exposure if I buckled down and hawked my wares a bit. I'm extremely passive about hunting down work because I've got a decent full-time job. Last year I made far more money on non-RPG illustration - solely from people stumbling upon my website via google - than I made in the previous 5 years of RPG work. The "real" job beats them all hands-down... probably in a month! :lol:

It would also help if I weren't so damned lazy.

To be honest, my speaking up in this whole debacle is likely to be negative exposure for me. Publishers hate to see freelancers bash other publishers. Who's to say the freelancer won't do the same if things go south on them somewhere down the line? Why take that chance?

But, in this instance, I couldn't care less. The customers deserved an inside scoop, so I held my tongue as long as I could.

<edited to make more sense, and to not sound like too much of an ass-hat>

Jason Braun
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Deogolf
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Posted: Mon Mar 03, 2008 8:23 pm

ExTSR wrote:
Interesting phrase, that. After I used it in August '06 ('way back here) Rob sent me a special (prescient?) autograph... subtitled "Vapor Man".

The way this has unfortunately turned out, I wonder what that autograph is worth...

I do honestly hope that Rob gets his feces together. But matters do appear grim.

Frank

That said, it is not "vaporware". Modules have been shipped; abeit, not all of them. Since I was assisting Rob in getting to the post office, I have no idea what the hell is going on now. He supposedly purchased a car and thanked me for helping him out. This new silence is a bit puzzling, again...

Eulaliaaa!!!

gyg
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Posted: Mon Mar 03, 2008 9:27 pm

Deogolf wrote:
This new silence is a bit puzzling, again...

Though, having read a few threads on this, not that surprising to many :roll:

You can never have too much of something you didn't need in the first place.

bclarkie
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Posted: Mon Mar 03, 2008 9:42 pm

The DF thread picked up some heat today(at least do in part to both John Stark and myself):

http://www.dragonsfoot.org/forums/viewt ... 8&start=30

I also wandered over to Rob's board today and surprisingly enough he hasn't posted anything there since February 25th. :roll:

One thing I did find kind of disturbing was this little tidbit:

http://p085.ezboard.com/fpiedpiperpubli ... =100.topic

Ah, a question. For aeons have I awaited a question!" (Not quite from the Star Trek episode that I remember, but close enough.)

March 11th or 12th. There's several large announcements to take place then. I am meeting on March 10th with two folks from out of town on that day and Grodog is flying in to attend this meeting. That is all I will say.

The direction of the company a well as my involvement within it will be drastically changing. That's all I will say on that.

A new publishing schedule will be posted and we are looking to update the website in conjunction with that (David and I will be speaking upon that, soon).

I am drafting several announcements for that time.

Six products have been envsioned, some of them as already noted. Some will be anounced then. A couple will come as a welcome surprise to many.

We are soliciting private individuals right now, including new editors and writers.

We will be concentrating efforts on both fiction and games.

But, to answer your question, right now we are closed for submissions until we start this new cycle in the company's future.

I really hope that whoever is considering getting involved with PPP really does thier homework beforehand and realizes what they could be dealing with.

"He who fights with monsters might take care lest he thereby become a monster. And if you gaze for long into an abyss, the abyss gazes also into you." -Neitzche

Rakeesh sah Tarna
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Posted: Mon Mar 03, 2008 10:13 pm

bclarkie wrote:I really hope that whoever is considering getting involved with PPP really does thier homework beforehand and realizes what they could be dealing with.

if problem is prepayment easy to fix
have not seen people even cougar complain with lousy quality mods before for first two cotsk-tob not even ppl disgusted enough to buy as investment or sell spares for $40-$100 profit. if i were rob would want to give up to stop the whining even if justified

how many people wait + set money aside long time or years for woodgrain or other valuable item?? no one has 'stolen' money yet even if very very frustrating

+thx for those worked with rob and tried not to complain

Badmike
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Posted: Mon Mar 03, 2008 10:28 pm

bclarkie wrote:

I really hope that whoever is considering getting involved with PPP really does thier homework beforehand and realizes what they could be dealing with.

It actually sounds like good news to me.

Rob might be getting some money men to come in with an infusion of cash to buy/run PPP, and regulate himself to an "idea" man only. I don't see how future products and a publishing schedule could fly otherwise...

This could work...Rob's major faults seem to be managing a business, not actually writing the adventures. My only worry is that he's never been able to hold to an agreement before....but perhaps in return for bail out money assurances (and contracts signed) will occur.

I think the presence of Grodog in this endeavor bodes well....sounds like he might be a "middleman" between Rob and the boss types. I guess it could work. If the first order of business is to ship out all the outstanding orders (including Bottle City LEs) then I'm all for it.

Mike B.

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Rakeesh sah Tarna
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Posted: Mon Mar 03, 2008 10:36 pm

better spoken than me badmike thx

bclarkie
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Posted: Mon Mar 03, 2008 10:40 pm

Badmike wrote: My only worry is that he's never been able to hold to an agreement before....but perhaps in return for bail out money assurances (and contracts signed) will occur..

That's exactly my point though. He hasn't held up to his end of the bargain so many times now, why exactly is he going to start doing it now? In addition to the absolute beating his rep has taken yet again, who the hell is going to buy whats being put out? I know alot of people have said they will forever stay away. Count me amongst that group.

"He who fights with monsters might take care lest he thereby become a monster. And if you gaze for long into an abyss, the abyss gazes also into you." -Neitzche

Last edited by bclarkie on Mon Mar 03, 2008 11:02 pm, edited 1 time in total.

grodog
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Posted: Mon Mar 03, 2008 10:44 pm

Over on the DF thread, Jason wrote:

Jaybird216 wrote:Naturally, grodog and I are the only two who can back that up, and he's staying out of this mess.

I'm trying to stay out of this, and finding it hard to do so. Not because I want to defend Rob's business practices, but because I can see over the hump of this issue into six months down the road, where things look really really good. I hope. At this point, how rosy that picture is or isn't depends on what Rob can do to make emends with the fans, if anything.

Suggestions along those lines would be very appreciated: what could Rob do to make things right (beyond the obvious of "apologize and the get the books in everyone's hands")?

Allan Grohe ([email protected])
Greyhawk, grodog Style

Editor and Project Manager, Black Blade Publishing
https://www.facebook.com/BlackBladePublishing/

brute
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Posted: Mon Mar 03, 2008 10:48 pm

I am glad that I'm 3/3 for ordering and receiving items from PPP.

Once folks have received payments / merchandise, I would certainly buy from again.

Cheers!

Ak'Ptui
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Posted: Mon Mar 03, 2008 11:06 pm

Badmike wrote:
This could work...Rob's major faults seem to be managing a business, not actually writing the adventures.

Mike B.

Hmmm??? I think the guys at Necromancer, Kenzer, and Troll Lords would disagree and say it is the exact opposite. He didn't have to run a business in those cases. All he had to do was write and deliver the manuscripts and he couldn't do it.

Cheers!

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