tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3871409676946408069.post1467387817941863721..comments2023-10-14T03:58:59.333-06:00Comments on The Tao of D&D: Book CoverAlexis Smolenskhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10539170107563075967noreply@blogger.comBlogger20125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3871409676946408069.post-17370216376018272282014-01-25T13:43:17.869-07:002014-01-25T13:43:17.869-07:00Thank god. Been waiting on this book for a long ti...Thank god. Been waiting on this book for a long time. Almost had a heart attack when I saw the current cover. Anonymoushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01074437610703828827noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3871409676946408069.post-30749711652224180292014-01-25T00:22:22.653-07:002014-01-25T00:22:22.653-07:00I don't like it Vincent.
I have acquired an a...I don't like it Vincent.<br /><br />I have acquired an artist who is going to redesign the cover. Alexis Smolenskhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/10539170107563075967noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3871409676946408069.post-72181013986589195592014-01-24T23:23:36.214-07:002014-01-24T23:23:36.214-07:00Thought I'd spruce up your cover. Used the rec...Thought I'd spruce up your cover. Used the recommended Smashwords size and tried to keep the spirit (not "shiny"). <br /><br />https://dl.dropboxusercontent.com/u/50855627/howtorun.jpgAnonymoushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01074437610703828827noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3871409676946408069.post-30672369099453170262013-12-13T11:03:35.098-07:002013-12-13T11:03:35.098-07:00How bout something like
…
“Advanced Roleplaying M...How bout something like <br />…<br />“Advanced Roleplaying Mastery”<br />....<br />A Referees guide to run the popular fantasy replaying games.<br />OR ...<br />How to ARM yourself for gaming challenges <br /> .. . <br />I am glad you researched my comment<br /> from your glorious return 1 Dec 2013 <br />Clovis Cithoghttps://www.blogger.com/profile/18208194219083373456noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3871409676946408069.post-90820449712773192432013-12-12T11:40:42.383-07:002013-12-12T11:40:42.383-07:00To take a page from the Malcolm Gladwell titling m...To take a page from the Malcolm Gladwell titling manual, how about just plain "Run" or "The Long Run".Silbermanhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/03634048670337733047noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3871409676946408069.post-34430450643211021952013-12-12T09:05:18.964-07:002013-12-12T09:05:18.964-07:00I think the title is plenty hilarious.
It strikes...I think the title is plenty hilarious.<br /><br />It strikes that point of seeming utterly simple, "How to Run" an absurd book without knowing the definition of Run being used.<br /><br />Then, it follows up with the explanation to keep anyone from REALLY getting confused.<br /><br />Furthermore, I do believe that while your title is good Jhandar, I wouldn't be surprised if the implications are that it would be a good book to pick up before ever having run before...<br /><br />I am unsure if that is a valid conclusion to come to.Lukashttps://www.blogger.com/profile/05779189363430537747noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3871409676946408069.post-18654256854732752862013-12-12T07:38:25.410-07:002013-12-12T07:38:25.410-07:00"Running Your RPG,
an advanced guide for mana..."Running Your RPG,<br />an advanced guide for managing your game, players, and ideas"Jay Murphyhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/00069789456292604679noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3871409676946408069.post-58356121384904795832013-12-11T18:13:27.647-07:002013-12-11T18:13:27.647-07:00As we are looking into the feeling of words, I'...As we are looking into the feeling of words, I'm unsure about the word managing, while it is accurate and a little thought hasn't turned up a better alternative it comes with some of the baggage you associate with GM. Perhaps it's just me.<br /><br />More importantly I feel the cover would benefit from making it clear that this is a book about learning to DM, not a book about how to DM. Now you have mentioned explicitly that that is your intention the whole distinction seems like a rather large source of miscommunication.Anonymoushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/04278455754046118073noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3871409676946408069.post-398764470777433292013-12-11T17:04:22.342-07:002013-12-11T17:04:22.342-07:00The part of me that loves word puns above little e...The part of me that loves word puns above little else is making me forward an alternative title:<br /><br />'Beginning to Run after you Crawl: An Advanced Guide to Managing Role-playing Games'<br /><br />It incorporates all of the thought behind 'run' and tacks on a jab at the history (and some would argue present) of the game being mainly about engaging in serial dungeon crawls. Jhandarhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/16305832462589582095noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3871409676946408069.post-61473796970720170942013-12-11T14:13:48.146-07:002013-12-11T14:13:48.146-07:00Oh as for the cover...
I'd ensure there's...Oh as for the cover...<br /><br />I'd ensure there's a small splash of color.<br /><br />Double red line instead of a solid black or something although I am a fan of the simple approach.<br /><br />I might even pull up How to Run to start about a third higher in that whitespace and see how that looks.Lukashttps://www.blogger.com/profile/05779189363430537747noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3871409676946408069.post-89336445506719488972013-12-11T14:08:10.317-07:002013-12-11T14:08:10.317-07:00More than likely. I've read through that awfu...More than likely. I've read through that awful, awful book. It sounds like WOTC had its paws all over it.Alexis Smolenskhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/10539170107563075967noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3871409676946408069.post-89492279540269790432013-12-11T14:05:26.990-07:002013-12-11T14:05:26.990-07:00So I guess these guys just got the permission need...So I guess these guys just got the permission needed, maybe they know something? http://www.dummies.com/store/product/Dungeon-Master-For-Dummies.productCd-0470050888.html<br />Jomo Risinghttps://www.blogger.com/profile/13552294536240059611noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3871409676946408069.post-84968358968216969992013-12-11T14:00:50.109-07:002013-12-11T14:00:50.109-07:00My intention is to use the cover page above and co...My intention is to use the cover page above and continue calling it a DM throughout the actual text.Alexis Smolenskhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/10539170107563075967noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3871409676946408069.post-17394701781818328702013-12-11T13:43:01.409-07:002013-12-11T13:43:01.409-07:00A non-owner of a trademark is allowed to refer to ...A non-owner of a trademark is allowed to refer to an actual trademarked product or it's source, aren't they?<br /><br />Unauthorized product guides, do it all the time. Recognition of the trademark is advisable of course.<br /><br />Trademarks can also slip into common usage if folks use it enough...<br />just ask the the makers of linoleum.<br /><br />Hasn't there already been books that use the term DM? A series of computer games called "Dungeon Master"? <br /><br />Not encouraging you to slam into the trademark wall Alexis but the days are numbered on Dungeon Master beign a trademark.<br />JDJarvishttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07691101939920824546noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3871409676946408069.post-10067619585103931082013-12-11T12:21:45.132-07:002013-12-11T12:21:45.132-07:00That's disappointing that DM is trademarked. I...That's disappointing that DM is trademarked. I thought it would have been great to use for the book, but obviously if there will be a real risk of legal trouble then it's not worth it.<br /><br />I don't know if you're trying to seem intentionally humble or not, but I get the feeling that you're underestimating how successful this book could be. Companies manage sell books for a profit to a fairly large audience, and these books are usually only useful to players of a particular system. This book though will be useful to anyone who runs, or even plays, in any system. So this could potentially appeal to a broad audience, at least compared to most other gaming books. To me this doesn't seem like quite the niche product you're treating it as. There's no guarantee it will get big at all, but there's no good reason it won't, either.<br /><br />About the new cover/title, I have to say my first impressions aren't good. That's probably the only useful feedback you're going to get from someone who doesn't do this for a living. I can only really guess about why I don't like it, and what could make it better. I suppose it looks a bit too blank, a bit too unfinished, and a bit too much like other books. Books with white covers also tend to get stained visibly, which could make it look kind of cheap and temporary. I'd say some kind of color scheme would be nice, or some simple image like a d20 on the cover. (If that isn't trademarked too.)<br /><br />The title is alright. "Running" a game is definitely an expression people are familiar with, and it has a nice feel to it, kind of like DM. But I don't know if I've ever said "I'm going to run Friday" and meant D&D rather than jogging. It could even risk sounding like some kind of workout book about interval training and the best running shoes, to someone looking at it briefly.<br /><br />Phil sounds like a reasonable guy from what I've heard of him. He caught the problem with using the term DM when none of us in the comments did. I'd like to see what kind of exciting cover he has in mind. If it's an elf princess with giant boobs casting a fireball, I understand your hesitance. But I can't say that I'm totally satisfied with the minimalist look.<br /><br />I don't expect you to take any of my suggestions to heart too much. You know better than anyone the dangers of listening too much to the ideas of people who aren't experts on the topic. Probably specifically turning the book red or putting a d20 on the cover aren't great ideas, but hopefully my general first impressions are useful to hear.Anonymoushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14189911599909073698noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3871409676946408069.post-75272506493175613552013-12-11T11:16:01.752-07:002013-12-11T11:16:01.752-07:00The title is important for the cover, but not as i...The title is important for the cover, but not as important as the bare chests and bimbage. Heheheh.Jomo Risinghttps://www.blogger.com/profile/13552294536240059611noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3871409676946408069.post-3078682005766619062013-12-11T10:38:37.018-07:002013-12-11T10:38:37.018-07:00Yes Lukas.
I'd like to tell them to sand the ...Yes Lukas.<br /><br />I'd like to tell them to sand the floor. Paint the house. Wax the car. Reason to be revealed later.Alexis Smolenskhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/10539170107563075967noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3871409676946408069.post-27891776565747868542013-12-11T10:27:40.899-07:002013-12-11T10:27:40.899-07:00Alexis, it sounds like are trying to do something ...Alexis, it sounds like are trying to do something complicated that is simple to understand once it's said out loud.<br /><br />You aren't trying to teach people the answers to the questions. You are trying to teach people how to find the answers. You are trying to teach them HOW TO LEARN.<br /><br />It's more useful than most things. For one thing, it can be a lot more system agnostic.Lukashttps://www.blogger.com/profile/05779189363430537747noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3871409676946408069.post-39378641107182922242013-12-11T09:47:38.029-07:002013-12-11T09:47:38.029-07:00I think 'run' is a wonderful word for what...I think 'run' is a wonderful word for what we do. When I thank a DM, I say 'thanks for running.' That sometimes gets a confused look for a second, but recognition sets in quickly.<br /><br />I like your title. I gave some thought on a better title, but couldn't come up with one. The nearest I got was:<br /><br />Baby, We Were Born To Run: A High-Octane Treatise On Game Masteringness<br /><br />Oh well.<br /><br />- ArkArkheinhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/04197738947435750745noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3871409676946408069.post-5792061870455009922013-12-11T09:33:46.447-07:002013-12-11T09:33:46.447-07:00I like the cover. It's unpretentious. And I...I like the cover. It's unpretentious. And I'm looking forward to reading what you wrote - and will write.<br /><br />lars_alexanderhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/05219440507891240916noreply@blogger.com