Well, I can say with all confidence that it wasn't from lack of a good team. Grodog and I busted our rumps to get that thing put to bed back in August. It's good to read that folks have had some faith in that, at least.

Deadlord39 wrote:I've never been big on prepay anything.

Just to make a note on that:  Rob's process of pre-ordering has always been to fund the development of the product being ordered, not merely to pre-order it like you do on Amazon.  The model is different, though similar in terms of how the transaction occurs.  Without the support of folks on the Acaeum and other collectors and fans, there would not have been a Bottle City at all (vs. there merely being a late Bottle City).  I am hoping that we'll be able to work out a better way to plan and deliver PPP's products, so that the release schedule will become more predictable, which will make all of us happier

The sponsorship model does emphasize the sole-propieter nature of PPP's business model, though too:  it's Rob's, and his alone.  There are folks who help him on his projects (such as me or Jaybird, for example), but when Rob's down hard, things can (and have, obviously) grind to a halt.  PPP doesn't have much in the way of additional backup, that you would have in a more-robust/larger business.

That said, getting products out the door if you're sick is something we'll talk about, re: the USPS options that Mike mentioned.  I'm pretty sure that Rob's not aware that such services exist, so that'll be something we talk about in our next chat (to help avoid these single-points-of-failure pitfalls in the future).  

Anyway, enough rambling.  I've got some scanning to do

grodog wrote:Rob's process of pre-ordering has always been to fund the development of the product being ordered

Probably appropriate for games with a pseudo-medieval setting, as this is how it was done a few hundred years ago. Buying a book was like a magazine subscription. The author used subscriber's fees to finance the writing of the book, which would be sent in installments as it was printed. Then you'd stitch the installments into a single cover. Eventually, this system split into modern books & magazines.

Deadlord39 wrote:It's not just Bottle City; I don't preorder anything. I'm sure Rob will eventually make good, but it's just in my nature.

Sorry, Frank:  I wasn't trying to single you out or anything, just responding to the thoughts raised by your post

Deadlord39 wrote:You were picking on me! You're just not a nice guy, Allan! You big meanie you!
How are you involved in the project, Allan? I know very little about it. I think you mentioned it when we spoke earlier in the year, but anything that happened over 24 hours ago is next to impossible for me to remember.

Ah that explains it.

ShaneG.

Deadlord39 wrote:You were picking on me! You're just not a nice guy, Allan! You big meanie you!

Deadlord39 wrote:How are you involved in the project, Allan? I know very little about it. I think you mentioned it when we spoke earlier in the year, but anything that happened over 24 hours ago is next to impossible for me to remember.

I edited Rob's manuscript, and wrote the intro.  Jason did the layout work and he and I kibbitzed back and forth on that for a couple of months or so.  I also transcribed the original manuscript for the free web enhancement.  I also co-DM'd it with Rob at GenCon, which was a blast.  I'm really looking forward to BC arriving in peoples' hands, since I think it's PPP's best product yet.

grodog wrote:I edited Rob's manuscript, and wrote the intro.

Such an understatement. Allan's contributions are Herculean in every aspect.

Well, before Merlynd's, I'd like to get those "Demonic and Arcane" products! Hopefully, Rob can make a living with this sort of slower output...

Anyone heard any recent news?