Technomancer Press
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| Technomancer Press, LLC | |
 |
|
| Type | Limited liability company |
|---|---|
| Founded | 2005 |
| Headquarters | Seattle, Washington, USA |
| Key people | Tony Hellmann: Founding Partner/CEO; Matt Baldridge: Founding Partner/COO; Sandy Antunes: Partner/CIO |
| Industry | RPG & other assorted media. |
| Products | Books, Games |
| Website | http://www.technomancer-press.com |
Technomancer Press, LLC is a print publisher of role-playing game products. It also has a board game and an educational game in development. The company is notable for its approach to content delivery, preferring to use public domain images and unknown artists for illustrations and manufacturing books in-house with cost-saving components in order to deliver books significantly less expensive than other RPG books of similar length[1] [2] [3].
To go along with its "High Adventure, Low Prices™" branding strategy, Technomancer Press has developed highy popular, unique convention activities that are free for participants, and cost very little to run[4].
Technomancer Press also has a controversial view of the d20 System License, which may put it into legal conflict with its larger competitor Wizards of the Coast, Inc.
[edit] History
At PAX: the Penny Arcade Exposition 2004, Tony Hellmann gamemastered a role-playing game with three of his friends and a number of other players. During the course of the game he used critical hit tables he had designed. Several of the other players asked for copies of his materials, and at the end of the day, he and his friends discussed the idea of publishing a book of critical hit charts and fumble charts, since they were well-received at PAX. The Critonomicon was born as a result of this discussion. Of the four who initially began work on organizing the company, only two continued to work on the company as the others developed other priorities.
In January of 2005, Technomancer Press, LLC was formed by Tony Hellmann and Matthew L. Baldridge, two high school buddies who each had 20 years of fantasy role-playing experience. In January of 2006, Technomancer Press bought out Kajigi, Inc. and assumed their assets. Kajigi's president, Sandy Antunes, cofounder of RPGnet and also a long-time roleplayer was brought on as a third owner.
The company is now owned by CEO & Publisher Tony Hellmann, Chief Financial Officer & Chief Operations Officer Matthew L. Baldridge, and Chief Technology Officer & Chief Information Officer Sandy Antunes.[5]
[edit] Business Model
The company focuses on providing content at prices well below that of the competition.
Technomancer Press think[s] RPG books and board games are way too expensive.[6]
The company is banking on the idea that customers would rather pay $12 for a book with great content than pay $24 for that same book with color covers and expensive interior artwork. The company's slogan is High Adventure, Low Prices™[6].
Their business model is based on the use of Print on Demand aka POD technology in order to minimize costs and manage cash flow [7]
[edit] Products
Technomancer Press currently publishes thermal bound books, manufactured in-house[6].
[edit] The Critonomicon: A Guide to Critical Hits, Fumbles, and Magical Mishaps
This book contains over 60 critical hit, fumble, and spell fumble tables: simple, quick crits and fumbles decided by the roll of a single six sided die; more sophisticated tables requiring a twenty sided die or multiple dice, and large charts which have hundreds of possibilities. There are charts that are weapon specific and others that are opponent specific (mounted opponents, winged opponents, etc.). Notably, one of the spell fumble tables is even specific to spell level and school of magic.
[edit] The Manual of Mysteries: A Guide to Codes, Puzzles, and Riddles in Your Fantasy Campaign Setting
The Manual of Mysteries provides game masters tools to present players a wide variety of challenges. It provides information on how to use cryptography, riddles, murder mysteries, and many other types of non-combat challenges in their role playing games.
[edit] The Player's Companion: Getting More out of Your PHB
This book is designed specifically for use with Dungeons & Dragons, and provides answers to questions like: What are your racial abilities when one of your parents is a halfling and the other is a dwarf? How much space does 100,000 gold pieces take up? How far does one fall in a round, or three? It also includes six new classes, dozens of feats, spells, and more.
[edit] Game Chef, First Course: Best New Indie RPGs of 2006
The Game Chef contest (nominated for a Diana Jones Award for Excellence in Gaming[8]) was created in 2002. Each year the competition has spawned a number of powerful, widely diverse RPGs and semi-RPGs and is now one of the best break-in points for new game designers and small press publishers. One of the competition's strongest features is its development of a community of review and that community's interest in one another's projects[9]. Technomancer Press has published the top eight 2006 contestants in two volumes. Volume 1 (First Course) contains the Game Chef 2006 winner: Crime and Punishment. All profits go to Child's Play, a charity which provides games to children in hospitals.
[edit] The Play's the Thing: Adding Creativity to Your Characters and Game
This collection of essays by RPGnet columnist David Goodner provides tips on creating and playing memorable roleplaying games. The Play's the Thing is their first RPGnet collaboration, publishing the best of the web as print collections. The Play's the Thing is designed to help players "play better characters and have more fun."
[edit] ConQuests: Four Ready-to-Go Adventures for Those Short on Time
This book contains four convention-style scenarios--complete with adventure, maps, handouts, and pre-generated characters. The pages are perforated to facilitate tear-out sections, such as maps and character sheets. Each scenario stands alone and is useful for a last-minute or impromptu gaming session.
[edit] Unique Convention Presence
Technomancer Press was noted for highly creative, yet inexpensive booth displays[4], like the World's Smallest Dungeon™ which required participants to find one of a dozen "magic items" within 60 seconds. Those that found the item won a prize. Those that did not were invited to try again. The World's Smallest Dungeon was debuted at PAX 2006. The activity drew lines the entire time it was open, and was one of the only booth activities available that was appropriate for children and families.
[edit] Controversial View of d20 System
In summary, Technomancer Press has asserted that the d20 System License grants permission for its licensees books to contain statements that said products are already allowed to contain under US intellectual property laws, and makes restrictions against using other content and statements which US intellectual property law does not specifically forbid[6] (such as the statement "This product is compatible with Dungeons & Dragons 3.5 Edition" appearing on the cover).
Technomancer Press publishes d20 System compatible products, but does not display the d20 System logo on its products. Their reasons are stated as such:
If you read the text of the Open Gaming License (version 1.0a), it actually restricts companies from using certain terms in their books. For example: You agree not to indicate compatibility or co-adaptability with any Trademark or Registered Trademark in conjunction with a work containing Open Game Content except as expressly licensed in another, independent Agreement with the owner of such Trademark or Registered Trademark. This means that saying our books are compatible with Dungeons & Dragons is a violation of the Open Gaming License. In addition, the d20 System Guide, v5.0 states: You may refer to the Players Handbook by title or as the PHB. You may refer to the Dungeon Master's Guide only as the DMG and the Monster Manual only as the MM. You may refer to the Psionics Handbook only by title. You may refer to the Epic Level Handbook by title or as the ELH. You may refer to the d20 Modern Roleplaying Game only by title. You must not cite page number references… Technomancer Press finds these requirements to be restrictive and more beneficial to Wizards of the Coast than any of the d20 System licensees. We also find it to be hypocritical, considering that Wizards of the Coast’s initial product line consisted of books intended to be used in other role-playing systems[6].
While Technomancer Press' position on the d20 System is negative, the company is careful to differentiate between the d20 System, the Open Gaming License, and open gaming as a movement, stating on their FAQ:
| “ | So you guys think that Open Gaming movement is crap?
Not at all. We applaud the open gaming movement, and invite everyone to create new material inspired by our content. We just aren't pleased with Wizards of the Coast’s Open Gaming License.[6] |
” |
[edit] External links
[edit] Notes
- ^ "ENWorld Review of Green Ronin Publishing's Cavalier's Handbook, 96-page softcover, $19.99", ENWorld.org', September 16, 2006.
- ^ "ENWorld Review of Wizards of the Coast's Critical Locations, 64-page softcover, $19.99", ENWorld.org', September 16, 2006.
- ^ "ENWorld Review of Mongoose Publishing's Quintessential Bard, 128-page softcover, $19.99", ENWorld.org', September 16, 2006.
- ^ a b "World's Smallest Dungeon a Smash Hit at PAX", Gamingreport.com, September 3, 2006.
- ^ "About Us", Technomancer Press website, October 5, 2006.
- ^ a b c d e f "Frequently Asked Questions", Technomancer Press website, October 5, 2006.
- ^ "Attack of the POD People", RPGnet Soapbox, November 11, 2006.
- ^ "Diana Jones Award 2006 Nominees", Diana Jones Award website, August 5, 2006.
- ^ "Short description of Game Chef", GameSpy Archive, September 24, 2006.
