Short & Sweet RPG Resources on Patreon

Patreon has revolutionized how gamers receive new content. Just as Kickstarter changed the publishing landscape for roleplaying games and board games, funding ambitious projects with high production values and tempting stretch goals, Patreon has – somewhat more quietly – enabled creators to bring projects to their fans in smaller but no less worthwhile bits. The concept hearkens back to the days when talented individuals like artists, writers, and even archaeologists (like Howard Carter) worked for wealthy patrons who believed in their efforts and funded their work; it’s an idea I fully support and have discussed in the past. Patreon provides a platform where creators (particularly those making game content) can find financial support and engagement with those who enjoy their work. I’ve found it’s a wonderful place to find “short and sweet” game material to fuel my enthusiasm for Old School Renaissance (OSR) or classic B/X D&D roleplaying games.

Patreon delivers game material to supporters who pledge donations for each work. People subscribe to creators who cater to their interests, making a payment for each new “article,” and receiving fresh game material on a somewhat regular basis...usually once a month, sometimes more often. This allows supporters to customize the content they receive, in a way serving as their own editors or curators of material that most interests them. Some designers post their creations for free, others offer a mix of free material and exclusive pieces for their paying supporters. Creators frequently offer additional perks for higher-levels patrons, including engagement through the Patreon site, influence on future projects, and even material customized for particular supporters. Each designer crafts their page differently to appeal to supporters and deliver content in a satisfying way.

Dyson Logos Offers Free Commercial Map License

I don’t really cover “news” as such too often here at Hobby Games Recce. Other websites compile the deluge of relevant adventure gaming developments in a far more timely and comprehensive manner. But I still occasionally find “breaking news” that grabs my attention. Dyson Logos’ recent announcement deserves note: he’s releasing every map that hits the $300 level on his Patreon site under a free commercial license for use by anyone in a for-profit project.

Cool Map by Dyson Logos

The prolific and talented mapmaker already allows individuals to use his maps in their personal, free materials with the proper attribution. Several times each week his Dyson’s Dodecahedron blog releases new maps, each with enough adventure hook notes to suggest how to populate them and use interesting features he’s packed into each creation. Many other talented artists produce maps and map-based game materials online – Tim Shorts, Matt Jackson, and Simon Forster remain among my favorites – and while I like their contributions to the collective map-making community, Dyson’s style really connects with my ideals for how dungeon maps should look: black-and-white line art, crosshatching (with some nice embellishments), intuitive secret door notation, and a solid feel for imbuing the graphic map with elements suggesting their specific and more general purpose.

I’m excited about this news for two primary reasons: it provides free maps for publishers and it reinforces the effectiveness of the Patreon model.