Audio Report: special guest Clinton R. Nixon

OgreCave 12 comments

RPG author and Forge co-admin Clinton R. Nixon joins us for an in-depth and rollicking hour of discussion that I just described as though it were the Dick Cavett Program. Follow up here with your questions and comments on anything from indie RPGs to exactly what the hell is up with WizKids delaying its first CCG right after announcing its third. Oh, and listen to the show and add the feed.

12 comments

  2. Another great show.

    I was wondering if the middle road between retailers and indie games from sites like IndiePressRevolution.com could be computers online in retail shops, with assistance for ordering given by the shop operators, for a small fee.

    This is modification of Ryan Dancy’s brilliant proposal to put model kilns in game stores for people to pour and cast their miniatures on demand.

    “My HAND it burns! It BURNS!!”

  3. Does anyone else find it ironic that Clinton Nixon is named after two Presidents that were (1) impeached and (2) almost impeached? LOL

  4. Del: For quite a while now, the idea has been floating around for placing print-on-demand kiosks in retail stores, which sounds similar to what you’re suggesting. The recent RPGnow announcement of a print distribution arrangement with Alliance, Blackhawk and Centurion may be the first step toward that sort of thing.

  5. Allan: Does it really take 4 distributers working in unison to make it happen? Are there rules about charging a fee for ordering and printing a PDF made by a company? I’ll throw this out to young entrepreneurs reading this to cozy up to your local retailer and make it happen.

    People like me who capitalize on web presence attached to PDF distribution would definitly support their efforts.

  6. Hey there Del,

    Here are some things to consider:

    1) Who pays for the PC and Printer installed in the retail store? Also, who pays to maintain them? (IE pay for tech support if it goes down, or pays for the reams of paper and toner carts used in the printer.)
    2) Who provides the kiosk fixture itself?
    3) If the retailer only has dial up internet (yes, some do only have that), who pays for the broadband, and potentially wireless gear to connect it to the internet.
    4) Will it be a dumb terminal, meaning it can only do this one function? This will require a proprietary interface. Otherwise the computer is open to abuse. People who might be smarter about computers than the retailer whose shop the kiosk is in, might vandalize the terminal. Can you say “resetting the windows password?” Pain follows.
    5) How is payment made, and who collects it? Through the terminal, or through the retailer. Most likely through the terminal, which sounds easier.

    And it goes on…just some things to chew on.

  7. Allan: Aye, I know well the trials of those victimized by hackers. As a cyberpunk media creator I have to watch things, black hats take cyberpunk as some sort of weird guantlet thrown in their face.

    The terminal would have to manned by an online retail assisant, but that would make the terminal intelligent (the assistant). As for other concerns, I would hope a smart business school grad could figure it out.

  8. I’m highly interested in POD technology, but the “one-size fits all” aspect of true on-demand (the sort of system that you are describing) really leaves me cold. I like having freedom of book design. Even small things like the non-glossy cover of Polaris or the odd shape of Sorcerer and MLwM matter a lot.

    Also, good show! Of course, Clinton said nice things about my game, so…

    yrs–
    –Ben

  9. Yeah, if the kiosk thing were gonna fly, they’d already be in Barnes and Noble and Borders locations across the country by now. I think the hookup with distributors is a better bet – make it easier for them to get a print shipment and the obstacles to getting in front of people in retail stores go way down. Because it’s all about retailers who have the desire and know-how to put new product in front of people – plus publishers who know how to support retailers in doing that.

  10. Indeed. With major distributers leading the way even, it could be agreed that online publishers getting exposure in a retail game store would be a good thing, and I would hope profitable for everyone involved. In the end I wouldn’t care who I had to sign with to do that.

  11. I can say with certainty that you will see more Indy games in our store now that Indie Press Revolution is offering us terms. Once we get some of our crazy xmas ordering done, and knock the Anniversary party out of the way this weekend…we will get that order out 😉

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