Holy shit. What drugs were they taking, and where can I get some?Originally Posted by chirine ba kal
Holy shit. What drugs were they taking, and where can I get some?
I don't care if you respect me, just buy my fucking book.
Formerly known as Old Geezer
I don't need an Ignore List, I need a Tongue My Pee Hole list.
The rules can't cure stupid, and the rules can't cure asshole.
I don't know, but whatever the stuff is, they could make their fortunes selling it instead of being in the RPG trade.
This came up at the first strategic planning meeting the June after Phil passed away, where they were telling Ambeeen (Mrs. Barker) all about their future plans on how they were going to "grow the brand" and turn Tekumel into a real prestige-enhancing money-generator. They assumed that they could all get the fifty grand each for just being directors of the Foundation; the five grand per year is what I was quoted by them for a license for my book, with a ten percent of gross sales and all of their expenses (for their having to "edit and correct" my text, at $250 an hour) on top of that. (They still can't get their heads around the notion that I'll be just as happy to have the book up on the web as a free-to-read/download thing, as all I'm interested in is telling people about Phil and his creation.) This all may be a reason why game authors and publishers are not flocking to their doorstep, but what do I know, eh?
This is the point at which I rapidly shake my head with a "wooga wooga wooga" noise.
It kind of reminds me in a way of Phil and Don Wollheim talking about movie rights for Man of Gold, but that was over 30 years ago when I was much younger and more naive.
I don't care if you respect me, just buy my fucking book.
Formerly known as Old Geezer
I don't need an Ignore List, I need a Tongue My Pee Hole list.
The rules can't cure stupid, and the rules can't cure asshole.
I know of at least one other person who rejected those terms, for obvious reasons. The open-ended (not fixed-price) consultancy fees are a particular roadblock. I can't speak re the people who did agree to licenses, but I would be astounded if the Foundation has ever successfully negotiated a license on those terms.I don't know, but whatever the stuff is, they could make their fortunes selling it instead of being in the RPG trade.
This came up at the first strategic planning meeting the June after Phil passed away, where they were telling Ambeeen (Mrs. Barker) all about their future plans on how they were going to "grow the brand" and turn Tekumel into a real prestige-enhancing money-generator. They assumed that they could all get the fifty grand each for just being directors of the Foundation; the five grand per year is what I was quoted by them for a license for my book, with a ten percent of gross sales and all of their expenses (for their having to "edit and correct" my text, at $250 an hour) on top of that. (They still can't get their heads around the notion that I'll be just as happy to have the book up on the web as a free-to-read/download thing, as all I'm interested in is telling people about Phil and his creation.) This all may be a reason why game authors and publishers are not flocking to their doorstep, but what do I know, eh?
Agreed. I had to point out to Phil that his contract with Don specifically gave on those rights, and they had to renegotiate that clause in the contract.
And yes, I do the same thing when I think about it, which is one of the reasons why I try not to think about it.
Agreed. As far as I know (everybody seems to feel the need to talk to me, it seems) the only licenses - sub-licenses actually, the TF working from their having a licence from the Barker Estate - that have been granted are on very favorable terms to the applicant, as the applicants are what the TF feels are The Big Names in the OSR; the TF wants very badly to be associated with these people as a way to enhance their own prestige so they get really good deals. Otherwise, not; I'm an example of the opposite extreme, where the TF has sworn on a stack of their mothers' graves that they will never allow the book to be published - which is why I got the quotes that I was given. I don't particularly think that this is a particularly viable approach to 'enhancing the brand identity' in the longer term, as a lot of very interesting projects that I have been asked to comment on never seem to get any traction.
From my personal standpoint, having looked over what's been published, I think the materials stand on their own as good, solid Tekumel products; I have them, and I like them. We've been very lucky; what's been done has been by good authors, who have done some very good work in the setting, and - readers of this thread will note - I've mentioned them here with positivity. Regardless of what I think about the TF and their policies, I like good work and I'll be happy to spend my money on it.
(See also the little Successor army that I bought today, under the urging of Karim Missum, Ace Shopkeeper and Persuader Of Cheap Gamers To Spend Their Money. Well, okay, so I was in there anyway so 5th Daughter could buy some comics, but he was very persuasive...)
Last edited by chirine ba kal; 05-06-2017 at 08:19 PM. Reason: typo
well nice! in the tradition of Tony Bath who, I seem to recall, was a fervent Macedonian chauvinist, and insisted his Macedonians could defeat any army from any (ancient) time period hands-down. Or maybe he just liked elephants. One of my favourite time periods too. Have you ever read Peters' Harvest of Hellenism?
Thank you! These will be my first historical troops in some thirty years, and I'm looking forward to building them - these are the Victrix plastics, and I have one pack each of the heavier infantry and an extra pack of the Numidian lights. I had previously gotten a pack of the latter to make some light skirmishers for the Salarvyani army I have, but following Phil's dictate of "A guy in a kilt is a guy in a kilt is a guy in a kilt", they'll do double duty in my version of Cleopatra VII's army. (Have to have something to use on those pesky Romans...) I'll use them all for Salarvyani as well, of course, as this was one of Phil's all-time favorite periods - he and Tony Bath were pretty good friends, it seems - and I'll be thinking of him as I paint these up.
Come to think of it, I don't think Phil had any elephants in his armies. I don't recall seeing any; Gronan, do you?
The Missus did well at the track, as her horses in the Oaks and the Derby all came in, so I was authorized to raise an army...
Really had a wonderful day, today, getting the Daughter-in-residence her comics and had a great time talking to old friends and former opponents - mostly the same, in our games!
sounds like a great day!Thank you! These will be my first historical troops in some thirty years, and I'm looking forward to building them - these are the Victrix plastics, and I have one pack each of the heavier infantry and an extra pack of the Numidian lights. I had previously gotten a pack of the latter to make some light skirmishers for the Salarvyani army I have, but following Phil's dictate of "A guy in a kilt is a guy in a kilt is a guy in a kilt", they'll do double duty in my version of Cleopatra VII's army. (Have to have something to use on those pesky Romans...) I'll use them all for Salarvyani as well, of course, as this was one of Phil's all-time favorite periods - he and Tony Bath were pretty good friends, it seems - and I'll be thinking of him as I paint these up.
Come to think of it, I don't think Phil had any elephants in his armies. I don't recall seeing any; Gronan, do you?
The Missus did well at the track, as her horses in the Oaks and the Derby all came in, so I was authorized to raise an army...
Really had a wonderful day, today, getting the Daughter-in-residence her comics and had a great time talking to old friends and former opponents - mostly the same, in our games!
It has been, and I hit 'send' without answering you about the book. No, I haven't, and I'll do so - thank you!!!
I'm just happy to have the energy to get back to model-building and painting again; it's been a very long 'dry spell' since the late unpleasantness of last year, and I'm happy to have it all behind me. Getting the shop cleaned out and getting back to dormant projects has been a tonic, and I'm finally starting to enjoy my hobby again.
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