Traveller 3rd Party Licensing

[apastuszak]

Does this mean the drive-through takes half, and then I get 60% of what’s left over after mongoose takes their cut

 

[Anstett]

I am not sure which is the case.

Different documents have different numbers.

 

[middenface]

No you get 60% - this I do know. Being one of those involved in the discussion

IIRC the % is set by each publisher. I know Matt can confirm this.

 

[apastuszak]

So, no additional DriveThruRPG fees? I publish something and I’m guaranteed 60%?

 

[Prime_Evil]

The tradeoff is that the TAS Community Content Creators Program allows you to use the OTU setting and associated IP in commercial products. The Traveller Compatible License only allows you to use the game system - not the setting. It us royalty-free but assumes you have your own setting. Also, the TAS program is open to any publisher (including first timers). By contrast, the Traveller Compatible License is restricted to established publishers only.

 

[apastuszak]

I feel there is a pretty big gap there. As a guy who just wants to make some generic adventures that are setting generic and sell them, I have to use TAS and give up 40% of my sale price, even though I am not using the OTU. There should be a way for some guy in his basement to use a copy of Scribus and a great imagination to release content as Traveller Compatible and have some kind of logo on it. Otherwise we're going to get a bunch of stuff that's "compatible with the current version of the most popular sci-fi role playing game in the industry."

 

[Anstett]

Also anything you publish on DriveThru stays there, you cannot sell it elsewhere, convert it to a different format (VTT is my intent) or just about anything else.

By using an official program with Mongoose (other than TAS) that seems to maybe go away. But the details are hazy.

 

[Vormaerin]

I thought DTRPG had two different percentages of the sale they take: one for exclusive and one for non exclusive. TAS is specifically exclusive, but if you are selling your own products that aren't part of TAS you can decide which one you want.

 

[Anstett]

I do not know for certain. (I am not a lawyer, I just try to pay attention to these things)

What I think is currently available for PDF sales (and PoD through DTRPG)

TAS - exclusive to DTRPG, allowed to use Mongoose branding
Community Content - allowed to use Mongoose branding, may or may not be exclusive to DTRPG
Your own content - exclusive to DTRPG, not allowed to use Mongoose branding, ie "compatible with the famous 2d6 science fiction RPG"
Your own content - non-exclusive to DTRPG same as above

Percentages of sales to the author seems to vary per type.
We have quotes for 50% and 60% in the thread.

This all only pertains to PDF creations.

 

[Vormaerin]

If you have your own publisher account with DriveThruRPG, then they take 30 to 35% depending on whether you promise them exclusivity. If you are publishing under a default Community Content program, you get 50% of the sale. I suspect that the rights holder gets the difference between the DTRPG fees and the writer's share. Mongoose seems to have arranged to take a smaller share of the TAS program, so you'd get 60% instead of 50%.

 

[MongooseMatt]

Hey everyone,

You do indeed receive 60% through TAS. Of that 40%, Drivethru takes the lion's share of 35% whereas Mongoose receives 5%.

 

[MongooseMatt]

I feel there is a pretty big gap there. As a guy who just wants to make some generic adventures that are setting generic and sell them, I have to use TAS and give up 40% of my sale price, even though I am not using the OTU. There should be a way for some guy in his basement to use a copy of Scribus and a great imagination to release content as Traveller Compatible and have some kind of logo on it. Otherwise we're going to get a bunch of stuff that's "compatible with the current version of the most popular sci-fi role playing game in the industry."

But where are you going to sell them? Likely Drivethru? In which case you would be receiving 5% more and be outside of the TAS community.

Really don't think 5% is too much

 

[Anstett]

But where are you going to sell them? Likely Drivethru? In which case you would be receiving 5% more and be outside of the TAS community.

Following up on this, I would be interested in selling for VTT on the various store fronts. The Forge for Fantasy Grounds would be my choice.

Is there a time frame yet for the update to the licensing for those?

 

[apastuszak]

But where are you going to sell them? Likely Drivethru? In which case you would be receiving 5% more and be outside of the TAS community.

Really don't think 5% is too much

Well, you could sell them through your own web store or itch.io. You could sell them as PODs on Lulu.com. You could create a Patreon and offer a monthly PDF for subscribers. DriveThruRPG is not the only option.

It's not your fee that's the issue. It's DTRPG fee. I'd prefer to set up my web store or use itch.io. If you want me to pay 5%, so be it.