Process, Process, Process [Monday Meeting Notes]

Monday Meeting

Hi, everyone! I’m Eddy Webb. I’m a freelance developer, consultant, and occasional Rich Thomas stand-in. Rich and his family are on vacation in San Diego, Seattle, Sacramento… someplace beginning with S. (Thanks for clapping, one person in the audience. That joke was for you.) Right now, I’m in the middle of a number of projects at various states. Lore of the Clans is wrapping up, Pugmire is in the middle of development, and new books (such as Lore of the Bloodlines) are just starting. So it’s a good time to talk about the process of making products.

Pitch. Every product starts with a pitch. For the Lore of the Clans stretch goal products, it was a quick exchange of emails to talk over what would make sense for the Kickstarter campaign. I had pitched Lore of the Bloodlines previously, but we all agreed it wasn’t a strong enough book compared to others that were accepted (which I can’t go into – NDA ninjas and all that). But it made sense as a Kickstarter goal. Other projects, like Pugmire, involved a lengthy document covering what the product is like, what it could do for Onyx Path, and so on. So there isn’t a “standard pitch process” – it really depends on the situation.

Outline. Next, the developer writes up an outline to detail the scope and structure of the product, to make sure everyone is on the same page. For example, I need to work on the outline for Lore of the Bloodlines soon. I have a rough idea of what the book will look like, but each bloodline will be covered in about 5,000 words, which is a little less than half the size of each of the Clan chapters in Lore of the Clans. I think I have a way of handling it, but I may also need to argue for a slightly higher wordcount budget – it’s something I haven’t had the chance to really think through. I also have to do a lot of initial research to sort out what direction I want the book to go in. Every book has its own challenges and limitations, and the outline (ideally) sorts those challenges out.

Production and Art. This is the bulk of the “making the book” phase. Hiring writers, artists, and editors happens here, and the developer and the art director work with them to make sure the words and the art are all going in the right direction. That’s the phase I’m in with Pugmire right now, although it’s early development: I have some playtest data that I need to finish compiling, rewrite the core system, and sort out what will go into the first playtest product. (Weirdly, this actually requires another outlining phase, because the alpha playtest ended up being its own “product.”) I’m also working with Rich and Mike on some initial art pieces to help get the right look and feel for the world. For some books, this is a very straightforward phase – implement the outline and make sure it’s on track – but the more central or complex the product is, the more that this phase can take different and exciting directions.

I’m certainly deep in the “different and exciting” direction right now.

Proofing. Once the various pieces are done, “Mirthful” Mike or one of his freelance layout people puts everything together. Once that’s all done, the developer looks over the book to make sure everything looks right and there aren’t any errors. I did a proof of what we currently have for Lore of the Clans online recently, and now it’s up on YouTube (start at the 14:00 mark, since Ian and I put things up early and I was waiting for viewers to arrive). It’s a quick overview of a longer process, but I do talk through some of the various things I look for when proofing a book. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Xd5kOyogO7E

Drink. It isn’t part of the process, but I try to celebrate each product when it’s done, if I can. Sometimes it’s just a beer at home, but other times I go out for a nice dinner or get myself something as a gift. But I think it’s important to remind myself that I helped get something out the door.

That’s a very quick, high-level look at how a product starts from an idea and ends up as something for you to read and play. It’s not a rigid checklist with defined timetables, but more of an organic growth that each team approaches in different ways.

Announcements

Gen Con

Our booth number is #1103. Also, our lovely Marketing person, Monica, asked me to pass this along, since it goes live today!

Along with the Exhibit Hall Map’s debut, the release of the Gen Con Event Catalog is one of the most anticipated days of the gamer year. Good news! It will be live and searchable on Monday, May 11. This will give you approximately one week to explore it and create your 2015 Wish List. Along with the debut of the catalog, you can begin creating your Wish Lists on Monday for the opening of Event Registration on Sunday, May 17 at noon (Eastern).

DriveThruRPG Sales

World of Darkness: Mirrors sale has one day left: [Edit: Sale is over, but you can still get the PDFs!]

God-Machine Anthology Sale has one day left: [Edit: Sale is over, but you can still get the PDF!]

Production (from Rose!)

First Draft

WtF The Pack

MtC Anthology

Dark Eras expansions

Scarred Lands Player’s Guide: Ghelspad

Ex Realm

Ex Dragon-Blooded

Pugmire Gen Con book

CtL anthology

Ex3 Novel (Forbeck)

MtAs Book of Secrets

MtAs M20 Anthology”

Redlines

WtA Employee Indoctrination Handbook

WoD Hurt Locker

CtL 2e

Beckett’s Jyhad Diary

MtC Rio

WtA Changing Ways

WtO Wr20 core

Second Draft

VtR Secrets of the Covenants

Ex Arms of the Chosen

MtAw 2e core

VtM Ghouls

WoD nWoD 2e core

Development

WtA Shattered Dreams

DtD Storytelller’s Guide

Demon Translation Guide

PtC 2e core

Editing

VtM Tal’Mahe’Ra/Black Hand

VtM Ghouls

MtAs How Do You DO That?

Art Direction (from Mike!)

In Art Direction

M20 How Do You Do That – Finals should start be all in this week.

Dreams of Avarice – Artnotes going out to artist. Assembling some elements.

Beast – Finals are starting to roll in.

Red List – KMJ working on art. I think he’s gotten five done… all looking good.

NWoD 2 – Artists assembled and notes going out. Lost power for a chunk of my Friday, so running a little behind.

In Layout

Gen Con Stuff – Brochure is pretty much as far as I can get it until text is in. Trying to get the booth shirt done and resolved this week.

Proofing

M20 – Corrections and page refs fill in followed by some final layout tweaks. This will take up the bulk of my week, if not all of it. Once that is all done and I’m happy with the final pdf, I’ll send it over to CCP for approval…

M20 Screen – Proofing with Phil.

Red List – In proofing.

Art of CB – Awaiting the Rich seal of approval.

At Press (on Drivethru… or whatever)

BotW 20 – Should have shipped out to the fulfillment house on Friday…

Ex 3 Anthology – Awaiting updated text file.

Sothis Ascends – Awaiting the proof copy of Sothis Standard.

Special

Dark Eras – Holding pattern.

V20 Lore of the Clans – Holding pattern for appendices.

Beast Within Revised Layout – Awaiting approval, then I’ll update the PDF and add PoD and Epub.

VDA20 – Indexing.

Wraith 20 – Awaiting art notes for the book. All the logos from Cobb are in.

EDIT FROM EDDY: I didn’t receive any word on Exalted 3rd. As such, I assume it’s in the same state as last week.

Reason to Drink: On May 11, 1927, the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences was founded. Yesterday, I saw Avengers: Age of Ultron for the second time.