True20 Setting Search

[SassyRonin]

Today Green Ronin released the PDF version of the True20 Adventure Roleplaying game. This innovative game engine first appeared in the Blue Rose RPG and it served the romantic fantasy genre admirably. It didn't take fans long to figure out that True20 would also be great for other settings and genres and that's why we're releasing a core book for the system. True20 Adventure Roleplaying contains the rules from Blue Rose, plus a Modern appendix. The PDF version presents a complete game system but it does not present any campaign settings.

This is why Green Ronin is proud to announce the True20 Setting Search.

We're planning a print edition of the True20 game early next year and we want it to feature several sample campaign settings. We are looking for talented publishers to lend their creativity to this endeavor. The challenge: design an exciting campaign setting of any genre that shows off the elegance and flexibility of the True20 system.

The rules of the True20 Setting Search are simple:

* Your company must create an original campaign setting using the True20 rules. The setting should be approximately 15,000 words and should be as polished and edited as possible.

* You must be a publisher (print, PDF, or both) with at least two released publications to participate.

* Submissions must be received by Green Ronin on or before September 19, 2005.

* You should send both a hard copy and a non-returnable floppy disk or CD with an rtf file of the submission to:
Green Ronin Publishing
Attn: True20 Setting Search
PO Box 1723
Renton, WA 98057-1723

* Each entry must be accompanied by a submissions form. We'll be putting this form online later this summer.

* Each company can only submit one setting. We want to see your best work, not every idea you've got.

* Green Ronin will judge the entrants and announce the results in December.

* The winning entries will appear as sample campaign settings in the printed version of the True20 Adventure Roleplaying Game. The number of winners will depend on the quality of the submissions that we receive.

* If your company wins, you'll retain ownership of your setting and receive full credit in the True20 book. You'll also receive a royalty free license to use the True20 logo on any support material for your setting that you choose to produce.

* The only limitation on this support material is that each product must require the use of the True20 Adventure Roleplaying Game. Stand-alone games using the True20 rules are not permissible.


The True20 Setting Search is a great opportunity for your company to get some attention. If you win, your material will be showcased in a major release from one of the leading RPG publishers in the world and then you'll have the opportunity to capitalize on that with releases of your own.

We look forward to your submissions.

[timemrick]

I look forward to seeing what comes of this challenge. Based on what I've seen of Green Ronin's previous collaborations (with Adamant Entertainment for Skull & Bones, and Ronin Arts for Freeport and Blue Rose), this search should produce some pretty amazing material!

[bladestalker]

the submission should be 15K long?

[Pramas]

the submission should be 15K long?

Yes, approximately.

[LeaderDesslok]

Blue Rose used a number of Paths to define and contextualize variations or subgroups of each of the three primary roles. There's no mention of paths in the True20 rules, but can they be used to sort of personalize a camapaign setting?

For instance, a military game might specify paths for grunts, pilots, and commandoes for Warriors, and a horror game might specify paths for cultists, witches, and hermetic sorcerers for adepts.

I just want to know before I go crazy trying to write out this campaign setting. Thanks for your help, and thanks for a great system!

[Michael Tree]

Blue Rose also used Backgrounds, which are for some reason absent from True20. Can the settings use Backgrounds?

[Pramas]

Sure, the settings can use Paths and Backgrounds.

[ravenspoe]

I'm already formulating my submission, I'm just hoping I can meet the Criteria by Sept.

[Denaes]

I'm already formulating my submission, I'm just hoping I can meet the Criteria by Sept.

You meet the criteria now. The criteria is that you've published 2 books, either PDF or Physical.

[JongWK]

I'm a freelance writer, but not a "publisher" per se. I've written for Shadowrun's State of the Art: 2064 (published in October'04) and the upcoming Shadows of Asia, Shadows of Latin America and System Failure. These books are to be published before September of this year.

Would that count?

Also, if a submission was kick ass enough, would Green Ronin be willing to act as publisher?

Regards,
Jong-Won Kim

[Denaes]

Would that count?

2 books, electronic or dead tree that you've published yourself - your own company (even if thats just you).

If someone else published your two books, you would have to contact that publisher and see if they'd send your submission to Blue Rose.

I believe the whole idea is to get other people to print True20 products.

From what they've said everyone else has to go strictly OGL and can't claim compatability.

[JongWK]

FanPro isn't exactly a d20 publisher and right now they're busy as hell with SR4. That's why I'm asking if Green Ronin would consider freelancing proposals (in other words, it'd be a GR product).

EDIT: And it's hard to be a publisher when you live on the southern cone of the Americas...

[Denaes]

FanPro isn't exactly a d20 publisher and right now they're busy as hell with SR4. That's why I'm asking if Green Ronin would consider freelancing proposals (in other words, it'd be a GR product).

I don't think that would be part of this contest. You'd probobly be best contacting them directly about it.

My gut reaction is that since they have this contest structured the way it is, they probobly don't want to be publishing all of these <potential> suppliments themselves.

[JongWK]

If people like the 15k setting in the book, wouldn't that be an incentive for GR to publish it?

[Denaes]

If people like the 15k setting in the book, wouldn't that be an incentive for GR to publish it?

They're looking for publishers to publish their own books. That is the goal of the contest.

It would make perfect sense that they'd publish any submission that was presented to them that was really good. But I think reality might be getting in the way here.

[Pramas]

I'm a freelance writer, but not a "publisher" per se. I've written for Shadowrun's State of the Art: 2064 (published in October'04) and the upcoming Shadows of Asia, Shadows of Latin America and System Failure. These books are to be published before September of this year.

Would that count?

No, afraid not. This is not a search for freelancers, but for publishers. If you are serious, you may want to try find a publisher interested in putting forward your setting in the search. Or start a PDF publishing house of your own and try to get a couple of releases out before the submission deadline.

[Denaes]

I'm a freelance writer, but not a "publisher" per se. I've written for Shadowrun's State of the Art: 2064 (published in October'04) and the upcoming Shadows of Asia, Shadows of Latin America and System Failure. These books are to be published before September of this year.

Would that count?

No, afraid not. This is not a search for freelancers, but for publishers. If you are serious, you may want to try find a publisher interested in putting forward your setting in the search. Or start a PDF publishing house of your own and try to get a couple of releases out before the submission deadline.

If you (or anybody) would like to release PDF suppliments to get in on this contest, my company d12 Designs focuses mainly in layout work for RPG suppliments at the current moment.

My wife is a graphic designer who loves to work on gaming material and can lay everything out and give you a print quality PDF of your work.

Then you can "publish" it yourself under your own company/self.

Not trying to spam or anything, but lend an option for those who wish it. Check the site for examples of my wifes work if you're interested

[urizen]

Greetings,

I am hoping for a bit of clarification on a point.

When you say "The setting should be approximately 15,000 words and should be as polished and edited as possible," do you mean that we should do the layout as well to give you an idea of what our production values are( assuming of course that our company production values might have bearing on your decision), or should we just send the hard copy and the disk in a text format?

Also, should we send any artwork?

Thank you for your time.

[LeaderDesslok]

I second Urizen's questions. While I as a writer present my finished work to Silven Publishing as a Word document, it's certainly not what the finished PDF product looks like. For example, I don't put any columns in my rtf file, and if I have a sidebar item I will flag it SIDEBAR ITEM and put the text in italics. When it goes into layout, SP adds a table of contents, borders, usually an interesting font for headers, shaded sidebars, etc.

I guess my slant on Urizen's question is: should the hard copy appear as a finished PDF product would, while the rtf document appears as a doc ready for layout?

(I ask this also because it will determine what kind of human resources we'll need to complete our submission.)

[ravenspoe]

Ok, I hate to keep yammering away...


I am planning to do 2 PDF's this summer under the chapter 13 press banner.
The reason, although I have a published book designed by chapter 13 press it was published by DGBG so it becomes an invalid entry into the criteria of the contest.

Again I am not questioning GR's motives behind why they want what they want... it's thier company and thier book.

I just think there are alot of exceptions to the case.
Anyone can write a piece of crap book and publish it though RPGnow, does that mean the book is quality? Not really...

I want to be part of this so badly, and Mr. Pramas I will do my damned to meet the criteria.
I guess my Indie Forge Ideas are a bit alien in the world of the big guns.

[Nikchick]

Anyone can write a piece of crap book and publish it though RPGnow, does that mean the book is quality? Not really...

That would be why publishing is not the sole criteria for participation in the setting search. There's still quality of work to be judged.

[Pramas]

Greetings,

I am hoping for a bit of clarification on a point.

When you say "The setting should be approximately 15,000 words and should be as polished and edited as possible," do you mean that we should do the layout as well to give you an idea of what our production values are( assuming of course that our company production values might have bearing on your decision), or should we just send the hard copy and the disk in a text format?

Also, should we send any artwork?

Thank you for your time.

No, I just mean that the text should be clean and tight. We don't expect you to submit layout or artwork.

[Pramas]

I am planning to do 2 PDF's this summer under the chapter 13 press banner.

Well, that's fine. I don't see what the problem is then.

Anyone can write a piece of crap book and publish it though RPGnow, does that mean the book is quality? Not really...

And we're not saying they are, we're just setting some very minimal requirements to entry. We're going to judge which of the entrants are of the best quality. That's rather the point of the contest.

I guess my Indie Forge Ideas are a bit alien in the world of the big guns.

For the record, Green Ronin is an independent company and always has been.

[ravenspoe]

I guess my Indie Forge Ideas are a bit alien in the world of the big guns.

For the record, Green Ronin is an independent company and always has been.

and thats why GR kicks major Ass!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

please don't feel I am diss'n
you guys (and gals) have done great...
don't become big money monsters... That would make the baby (insert Messiah) cry.

[GMSkarka]

This seems as good a place as any to put this out there:

We've gotten a surprisingly large number of folks emailing in the past few days, so I'm posting here what I've been telling them--

Adamant Entertainment is not looking for any outside pitches for True20 settings.