Patronage is nothing new. Merriam Webster defines a patron as one that uses wealth or influence to help an individual, an institution, or a cause. During the Renaissance wealthy individuals would commission an artist to create a specific piece of artwork on contract. Sometimes the patron simply wished to support an artist whose work they enjoyed, and allowed the artist freedom to create what they desired. More often the patron dictated to varying degrees what the final piece should be like. Many important historical pieces of art were created using this system.
So what does that have to do with role-playing games? In 2006 Wolfgang Baur started an experiment called Open Design. He wrote an adventure, later named Steam & Brass, for a group of patrons who collectively commissioned it. These patrons were able to provide feedback and help steer the direction of the project, or they could wait and trust that Wolfgang would produce an excellent adventure. Essentially with the patron system a writer gets to bypass the normal publishing channels and work directly with the customers while the patrons get to see and shape the development of the product from the beginning. Participation in development is optional, but I found it the most valuable part. Not only does it help ensure that the final product turns out in a way that you desire, but it is a great way to learn about the writing and design of modules. At Open Design, no matter what level of involvement you choose each patron receives a PDF of the final product and could have access to a limited number of printed copies. With 7 projects behind him and an 8th, Halls of the Mountain King, currently in progress, something about the patron system must be working.
Why pay money toward something you are going to help contribute to? Certainly that isn’t something everyone is going to be interested in. Just remember, patronage isn’t merely buying a product. Patronage is supporting an artist, and in the case of an RPG, your funds can help pay for artwork, maps, editing, layout, and any other expenses that may occur. This isn’t a large company trying to maximize profit, but an artist that wishes to express their vision and needs a small community of supporters to make it happen.
Coming from an open-source software background I naturally found the idea of community collaboration appetizing. With the success of Open Design, other patron projects were sure to follow. Steve Russell, of Rite Publishing, started his own distinct project, the Rituals of Choice Adventure Path, an entire campaign with 25 individual adventures planned. Only the very first one, A Witch’s Choice, has been released so far. I was fortunate enough to have heard about the project early and became one of the original patrons. Having been involved in the creation of the adventure, I can’t really give a fair review of it. I can, however, give my view into the patronage system from the inside.
During the course of A Witch’s Choice‘s development there was an encounter that Steve was not satisfied with. He decided to open it for patrons to pitch a replacement. I decided to give it a shot, so I wrote up an encounter involving a will-o-wisp in a swamp. Before the selection process was finished Steve already had comments on how to improve the encounter and make it fit better within the overall story. When my encounter was selected he was very helpful throughout the process. I found him very easy to work with and particularly good about both giving and receiving constructive criticism.
While the whole process was very satisfying I was really amazed when I saw the map for my encounter. Jon Roberts did an fantastic job transforming my crude sketch into something I’d want to show off on my gaming table. Having helped create it, A Witch’s Choice isn’t just another module to me, it is something I’m a proud to have been a part of. I highly recommend anyone interested in game design to give a patronage project a try. Even a casual gamer will find it a unique and enjoyable experience. I know I will continue to participate in patron projects to enrich my gaming experience.
Want to learn more about Rite Publishing? Read on…
Drop by Rite Publishing and become a patron today!