Opinion Poll: Book Length
Added 2017-11-01 04:59:00 +0000 UTCThe High Seas Update is finally out! Well, kinda. Even though this book is currently the same length as the Weird West Update (which, at the time, I thought was a PDF of ungodly length), it's still incomplete, and will take another month to wrap up. Naturally, as our books get grander and more elaborate, they'll also probably get longer, and the time is takes to craft them will also likely swell. This comes with greater risk of delay, of course, as we've seen with High Seas and Dark Matter, but pays dividends with sheer quantity.
But this brings me to an interesting question: what length works best for you all? Do you prefer shorter books that hone in on a more focused topic (a little book that just explores holy spells, or one that provides a number of new undead monsters), or longer books that really flesh out an entire setting or period (like Dark Matter, which is bringing all of the sci-fi to D&D, or High Seas, which is importing an entire genre of adventure to D&D), or something in-between? Do you feel like over a certain length is too long, or is there no such thing?
Do you have any other thoughts on this topic? Feel free to let me know in the comments.
* Note that the options below shouldn't imply a drop in quality, just a difference in release schedule. You can assume that a Short-and-Sweet book will be every bit as good page-for-page as a Comprehensive book, except you waited longer for the latter one.
Comments
Alanis, like the singer. And no, I did not choose her name.
The Nails of Vecna
2017-11-04 18:58:30 +0000 UTCWhat's the little things name?
Cody Butler
2017-11-04 09:54:11 +0000 UTCWell... I do have a cat. That's basically the same as a family, right?
The Nails of Vecna
2017-11-04 09:53:44 +0000 UTCHeh, next you'll be telling us you have real names and families too ;).
Cody Butler
2017-11-04 00:35:26 +0000 UTCWe do have lives outside this, you know.
Jaron Mortimer
2017-11-03 21:55:40 +0000 UTCI cannot vote for 100 minimum?! :0
Cody Butler
2017-11-03 02:22:36 +0000 UTCWe're going to do the /same/ thing with Dark Matter super soon! It's going to be nice having a physical copy of it at the table.
Mage Hand Press
2017-11-02 19:18:06 +0000 UTCSo for Dark Matter, I actually printed out the PDF and am planning on using it as a table book for when I run the game. My most sincere hope is that for High Seas and other MFOV source books be added to this collection. To that end, having expansive lore sections that cover the universe in depth is perfect for my ends.
Kristopher R. Hunter
2017-11-02 19:14:31 +0000 UTCI am partial to large books, as the lack of a limit on size means more side facts can be put in, and it allows full concepts, like the High Seas.
Pioneer1111
2017-11-02 03:07:46 +0000 UTCThe biggest challenge w/ any lore is seeding enough to fully grasp the imagination of the audience into that domain. I see comprehensive as a way to provide solid references to different domains.
Eddie Freeman
2017-11-01 21:16:11 +0000 UTCPersonaly, I like the big books, I like having that big book of options to choose from as both a player and dm. I also think we should get some somewhat smaller ones in between though, maybe to help give you more time to work on the bigger ones. I also like that when a book is going to take a bit longer you always find something to give us in the meanwhile. The big thing is, as long as you keep giving us quality stuff, I'm happy, even if I have to wait a while for the bigger ones. And as long as we keep getting some stuff in between, the wait usually isn't that bad because we still get some stuff to mull over. You do great work and make some of the best homebrew I've seen, please keep up the great work no matter what schedule you use.
Jackie syver
2017-11-01 16:17:03 +0000 UTCi like the schedule of one large book and then a shorter books, just fine. but maybe its a good idea to plan 2 shorter books before a comprehensive book so you can still keep the schedule. or other if its not possible to keep a one thing each month schedule try and limit the comprehensive books to only once or twice each year so we don't have to wait to often.
mitchell aarsman
2017-11-01 12:06:33 +0000 UTCI really like the long content, but I also like getting the content I pay for every month. I love y'alls stuff, which is why I pay for it. Do what y'all think is best, though. I do agree that something small would be good between the big posts.
Dathan
2017-11-01 10:59:10 +0000 UTCHow about write books as long as they need to be to get finished, and while we wait for them, write a bunch of Siegeball add-ons we can play with. ;)
J.M.L.
2017-11-01 07:56:31 +0000 UTCThat's starting to look evident from the votes. And I'm a little surprised! Of course I know that our longest books are also our strongest offerings (Dark Matter is more of an obsession of mine than a project, at this point), but I always considered that the likely delays that come with longer books would weigh more heavily on folks' opinions.
Mage Hand Press
2017-11-01 06:43:58 +0000 UTCI can understand that. In that case, I say go for the long books, but a few short ones here and there are always nice.
Jason Jones
2017-11-01 06:35:27 +0000 UTCI've been pretty happy with the current schedule as well, but as we write more elaborate books (which I think is a positive change), I've been wrestling with where to draw the line on book length. We, of course, want to write the longest books possible, but that's always in conflict with meeting a regular schedule. If the opinion is strongly in favor of longer books, I can keep pushing the length without as much fear. But if people would rather have more frequent, more focused, and more varied books, I get that too. mostly want to get a sense of what bugs people more.
Mage Hand Press
2017-11-01 06:33:03 +0000 UTCI like both options. Some books, if it's just for a new class or something similar, are fine for a short and sweet pdf. Honestly, I've been perfectly fine with your current schedule.
Jason Jones
2017-11-01 06:17:54 +0000 UTCDefinitely focus on longer books. I think it's cool if the schedule is punctuated by small releases like the early drafts of base classes and seasonal supplements but I am always super excited by sprawling epics like Dark Matter, your complete classes, and most recently High Seas (even if we have to wait a bit longer). Just my two cents.
Claire Christenson
2017-11-01 05:31:52 +0000 UTC
