What are your thoughts on DriveThruRPG?

[Onix]

I avoided DriveThruRPG so far because I figured, I have my own website, why use their system. I looked into using their service a while ago and wasn't real happy with the terms and conditions. I can you offer a system for free using their site? Is it worth it? Has anyone here used them?

They seem to be the default destination for Indie RPGs these days. I'm wondering if I'm missing out by not using them.

Any experiences here good, bad, meh?

[maledictus]

I use DriveThruRPG: http://rpg.drivethrustuff.com/index.php?manufacturers_id=3163
I haven't found any problem using it. My only two products are free and one of my games was actually the first product in spanish in all the site. The guys administrating DriveThru are really nice people.

If this page is a source of consumers, it can't be bad. The main problem I think is that your products can get lost between the 15000+ titles available.

[Onix]

I'm checking things out now. So far I have to contact them in a form to tell them I want to publish with them. What kind of a process did you have to go through to get set up?

[koipond]

Really, you just have to email them your signature on their contract after contacting them.

You also have to decide if you're going to be exclusive with them or if you're going to be offering your game on other sites. The pay scale is different, if you care about such things, but the key thing is that if you're free there are people who will look at your game regardless.

I mean the free version of Geasa has about 500 downloads that I wouldn't really have had because I'm sure people picked it up because they went, "Oh free on drivethru" rather than finding me on my blog or twitter or fb or something else like that.

[Rob Lang]

[Onix]

Keeping files updated is a minor annoyance but I'd take that burden on. I don't want to disassemble everything else I've done so far so I think I'm looking at a non-exclusive contract. Apparently that means I need to put up banner ads for drivethru or rpgnow. (rpg now meshes better with my color scheme)

It strikes me that this is all decidedly low tech, (print document and then scan it) gives it a wonky feel to me. I guess it's not a big deal I'm just whining because I have to hand write something and they're going to think I'm a ten year old. My handwriting is awful.

It seems like resistance is futile and I'll just have to be assimilated.

[Onix]

We are the Borg.

[Rob Lang]

You have a cover! Cool!

[koipond]

Here's a question.

Why did you go for the watermarked PDF?

[misterecho]

I've only ever bought the help for heiti bundle, all other have been free resources. I love the fact they are starting PoD, all those old OOP classics sitting in their database.