To All of My TTRPG Friends and Family,

Thanks for being here today. Your contributions, no matter how large or small are appreciated. You are all awesome as creators, artists, editors, and contributors. Thank you for all you do.

I’ve made a lot of friends through this hobby, and I think I’m better for it. This is a hobby about playing games and having fun with friends. It’s what we do when we sit down to game. I love the hobby and all of the wonderful people in it.

Disclaimer: Statements expressed in this article are strictly my opinion. If you disagree or have a different opinion, that’s okay. I’m not an expert on everything. I’m not always right. I’m just writing from my experience as I know it. Your mileage may vary.

We know there’s a “but” on its way, or is there?

I want desperately to keep this positive, but yes, there’s a “but.” I’ve noticed a few things that could use improvement. I’m not trying to start arguments or get myself cancelled on social media.

The first thing I want to discuss is this odd trend for the same designers appearing in multiple books. I understand if a company  goes back to the same person multiple times. I understand people freelancing and bouncing from one project to the next.

I’m struggling (mentally) with the notion of someone with their own stable company bouncing from one project to another outside of their own company. I don’t want to pick on anyone specific because it’s nothing personal. If you have a hit monster book, why do you go contribute to several others?

On the one hand, it defies the entrepreneurial spirit. On the other hand, there’s room for all of us. Here’s my issue, because there definitely is one.

Here’s the second “but.”

The same awesome energy that sparked multiple designers on one project is now possibly gatekeeping new designers from getting a crack at contributing to a new anthology of monsters, spells, items, or whatever. It’s somewhat concerning to see one book after another full of names I recognize in the credits.

We need more new names in the design credits. I’m really getting the impression that maybe some of the old hats keep recruiting the same old faces. I would like to see a pack of new names on a project, but doubtful any of these guys that have been in the industry for long would put out an open call for talent. I’ll be nice and not go into the last “open call” for TTRPG writers I participated in.

What’s the solution?

I think my solution might be more controversial than some, and there are other approaches, but I think the best bet is to start one’s own company. I’ve now seen any number of TTRPG designers rise through the ranks of being virtual unknowns to being in charge of million dollar Kickstarters.

We live in the day and age of digital publishing. Anyone can start a supplement, a zine, or even publish a full book online. There are numerous websites from private to Itch.io and DriveThruRPG.com who are happy to host new TTRPG products (as long as their publisher guidelines and rules are followed.) It’s pretty darn easy to get started and keep the ball rolling.

I want to mention another solution.

We keep seeing these absolutely phenomenal million or multimillion dollar Kickstarters go by. Regardless of the source, please spread that prosperity around. Yes, by all means hire known quality talent. But then, maybe try out a new writer, freelancer, artist, or editor. Maybe let them do a few pages and if it works out- great! Hire them again. If not- oops. Try someone else.

Those of us writers/designers out here in freelance land who don’t have a huge list of contacts in the industry would love to do a couple of pages and maybe get noticed. Wouldn’t it be great to show off three or four portfolio pages from a book that sold $4.6 million on Kickstarter? Wouldn’t it be great to get that foot in the door instead of groveling at the feet of “real professionals?”

I apologize if I offended anyone. The point I’m trying to make is that someone shouldn’t have to get writing credits from Wizards of the Coast or MCDM before they are taken seriously as TTRPG designers. We shouldn’t have to rub elbows with Bob Worldbuilder or Ginny Di at a convention or summit before someone takes notice of what we do. We shouldn’t have to acquire 500,000+ followers on YouTube before Wizards of the Coast takes us seriously enough to send out free merch, for that matter. I think it’s ridiculous that we have a hobby that is normally accepting of almost everyone built on an industry that constantly rejects people trying to break in as creatives.

We can do better. We should do better. Once I’m in a position to help others, I will do so.

Let’s talk about politics while we’re here.

(I hear people rolling their eyes.) When I was a younger Game Master, we were just happy to have players in our group. It was even rarer if we could find players for something besides Dungeons & Dragons. We didn’t question politics, gender, sexual orientations, race, or even recreational marijuana use away from the table back in the day. I still don’t care for that matter, but we do have to be somewhat careful around the kids with certain things.

My real point here is, don’t be a Nazi. Please, be a friend to all. Be kind. Be considerate. Extol those values at your table and in your products. That’s all there is to it.

If sensitivity to horror is a major concern, don’t make a horror game. If violence in TTRPGs is a big problem for you, make a cozy, friendly, non-confrontational game. (Yes, they exist.) Please, make the kind of game you’d want to play in and people will likely find it. That said, please don’t put a bunch of edgy, bigoted crap in a game just for the sake of doing so.

“But what about the kids starving in war torn countries?”

This is an incredibly tough subject to address fully in one article. Charity often begins at home. Yes, we have a hobby that is by and large based on disposable income. I believe we, as humans, should share our prosperity/wealth, joy, or kindness in whatever way we see fit. Yes, I hand money to homeless people on the street. Yes, I buy books and back Kickstarters.

We’re probably talking about the only case in which Trickle Down Economics has ever worked. When I spend money on a TTRPG book or dice at my Friendly Local Game Store, that money goes to feeding the store owners, their employees, and feeding their company mascot, Olive. (She’s such a sweet doggie.) That money also went to their distributor, then the manufacturer and all of the employees up and down the chain. That disposable income, especially spent on smaller or indie products, helps out dozens of families.

Yes, I feel terrible about some of the things happening in our world today. I can only do what I can, though. Yes, help wherever you can. If that’s a donation to Doctors Without Borders, great. If that’s purchasing Shadowdark RPG, wonderful. If that means you’re struggling to write your first novel while being unemployed- yay food, shelter, electricity, and medicine. Please do what you can to help one another when you/if you can.

Does it matter to the players?

TTRPGs are escapism at its very finest. We pretend to be cybernetically enhanced Elves piloting giant magical robots in the post-apocalyptic weird west for four hours per week. (Hey, it could happen.) We play wizards, dragons, and superheroes in person and online. We get to eat Cheetos and yell, “Huzzah!” when someone scores a critical hit.

Does it matter what big scandal some game company started this week to the average player? Not really. If all someone wants to do is play a roleplaying game for four hours on Saturday night, industry scandals are a big nothing burger with extra air. It’s all good as long as the corn chips are fresh, the lights are on, and the Player’s Handbook was in the bag with the character sheet. The same is true for a lot of GMs along with prep work, notes, minis, dice, screen, blood, sweat, and tears.

There are some of us who are watching everything that happens in the TTRPG industry every day. I know several YouTubers, bloggers, and streamers who watch for TTRPG news probably closer than they do national and local news. (*Guilty. D’hyuck!) We do take note of scandals in the hobby, especially after the Great Dungeons & Dragons Open Gaming License Debacle of 2023. If people understood how close we came to having to reboot half the industry because someone at a large corporation got greedy…

This was not aimed at anyone specific person or company.

I love the TTRPG hobby dearly. I love the people who make it all possible regardless of how they contribute. I don’t have any beef with anyone out there. I just want to be happy and make fun games. It’s pretty simple, really.

This probably won’t be the last letter I write about such matters. I’ve got open letters to Wizards of the Coast around here somewhere. I have no fears of expressing my feelings about TTRPGs, the hobby in general, the product, the industry, or the people involved. I’m here for as long as people will listen.

A couple of things happened today to really reaffirm my love and belief in the people who make TTRPG books possible. First, my free copy of Monsters of the Wilderness: Oswald’s Curse and a Cawood logo d20 arrived. (Great stuff!) Second, another book I ordered from a different company arrived with serious damage and they’ve already agreed to send a replacement. Man, do I ever love this hobby right now.

Thank you so much for being here. I appreciate you beyond measure. Please embrace that which brings you the most joy in life.