The Reply From Bastion Press

Do you believe that the competitive environment that now exists in the D20 scenarios market will result in a gradual increase, over time, of the rewards, both financial and magical, that scenarios offer to player characters?

I believe the large number of scenarios will begin to decline; the market is too saturated with them at this point in time for companies to make their livings off selling adventures. It's certainly possible we'll still have more adventures than anything else (just because most people write adventures for their campaigns, and everyone wants to be published), but I suspect we'll see fewer than the current number.

To get back to your main question, though, I believe there will always be a demand for adventures that take it to the next level (or down a level, etc.). The disparate campaign types out there demand an equally disparate adventure mix. Some campaigns are very magic poor, while others are very magic rich. While it's easier to write to the 'established' level and let the DMs alter it to fit their campaigns, it would make sense for a company to make itself known for high-powered campaigns (tougher monsters, more phat loot, more magic).

There's a break point, however, that companies have to accept. Inflating rewards in adventures is of great concern to DMs, so producing adventures with ever-increasing rewards has to be stopped by the DM at some point. And since the DM's the one who has to live with the results of the adventure, he'll be the one deciding not to buy products that break his world.

That's my two coppers, anyway...

Good Gaming!

Jim Butler, President

Bastion Press, Inc. (www.bastionpress.com)

Return to article...