Re: [DL] Combined Format $$$$$$$

["John Goff" <JohnGoff@deadlands.com>]

You know, I had decided to stop replying to this thread. It's starting to
take up _way_ too much of the time I ought to be spending writing product.
:-)

However, I really think I should answer one or two of Ronnie's concerns.

> So let me put it this way, statistically
> speaking, the cards aren't in PEG's favor and if we don't help em' stack
the
> deck a bit, well...I don't think they're gonna make the final cut.
>

Things aren't nearly that bad--not by a long shot. If they were, Cybergames
would have never purchased the company. They did it decisicvely, because
they believe in the company and the setting. As do Shane, I, and everyone
else here at PEG.

I think there's been a negative vibe in the air for the past few days and I
think it's getting folks down and assuming the worst. Heck, I've seen
several concerns about the website being out of date. Truth be told, we only
missed _one_ update last Tuesday and decided rather than do an end-of-week
one later, to simply hold it until this week.

Heaven knows we've done that before. :-)

I'd like to calm everyone's concerns and cancel the funeral <g>. We've been
bought by a larger company, but that was a Good Thing (TM), not a bad one.
It's indicative of the strength and future of the company, not the weakness.

I'm sure everyone's worried with all the recent changes, but most of them
were planned since February or earlier this year. I think most of the
problem is in perception--which unfortunately, is often confused with
reality. :-)

For example, had we broached the combined format books the way we did at
GenCon (I'm paraphrasing, so if you heard it there, bear with me):

"We've accomplished a tremendous amount in four years. We've released over
30+ books and supplements for the Weird West, over 20+ books and supplements
for the Wasted West, a miniatures game, and licensed our setting to three
other companies. The two existing lines of the Deadlands setting, the Weird
and Wasted West, are fairly established and we've covered most of the core
material for those two lines. As a result, we're going to slow down our
sourcebook production for those settings next year so we can pursue other
projects--and to free your money as fans. :-)

However, we're not abandoning either setting. We will continue to produce
sourcebooks for both, albeit at a slower pace, and we're planning to produce
a combined format book approximately bi-monthly or quarterly that's 128
pages long and contains material for all three settings."

Basically, one book has been bumped--and we're not even certain at this
point that it won't show up a few months down the road--from this year's
schedule.

Things aren't that bad--in fact, they're pretty darn good.

Now, I'm going to pull myself away from this thread/topic, because,
honestly, I'm pretty fascinated by the whole business side of this type of
work. I'll get distracted and ramble on for hours (as I've already done once
or twice) when I really ought to be working on products. :-)

If you guys chose to continue the discussion and need any comment
specifically from me, tag it [GOFF] as usual, 'cause if I don't stop reading
every post, I'll never get anything done. ;-)

John