Jump to content

Chaosium announces The Basic Roleplaying Design Challenge - over $10,000 in cash prizes for independent creators


Recommended Posts

BRP Design Challenge

Chaosium is excited to announce the Basic Roleplaying Design Challenge!

The goal of the BRP Design Challenge is to financially assist new and upcoming creators in bringing their games to independent publication (be that digital or print). Chaosium seeks to empower designers from all walks of life, with original ideas, concepts, and systems, with the goal of seeing all shortlisted entries eventually published independently.

Entry to the BRP Design Challenge is free.

As part of submission, entrants will need to provide:

  • A pitch for their game (both in long and short form).
  • A production budget for their game.
  • An outline on how the winnings from the BRP Design Challenge will help bring their game to life
  • A competitor market analysis of their game, showcasing where it fits in the market as a product.
  • How the BRP rules have been used in their game.
  • What makes their use of the BRP system, their setting, and/or the gameplay experience unique.

All entrants retain ownership of their work in its entirety. Chaosium does not require the signing over of rights of any kind in order to enter the BRP Design Challenge.

Winners and shortlisted entries will also retain ownership and—regardless of what winnings may be received as part of this competition—may still publish their games royalty-free under the ORC license.

“We’re very excited to give a selection of independent game designers a leg-up in making their dreams a reality,” Chaosium Vice President Michael O’Brien said. “Basic Roleplaying is a core system that is so easy to use and tweak to any setting or genre, and we cannot wait to see the imaginative worlds and innovative designs submitted.” 

THE PRIZES

BRP Design Challenge Prizes

 

Each award will also receive a trophy.

You can submit your game to the BRP Design Challenge here!

Looking for some helpful information on getting started? Check out the Chaosium primer for designing games with BRP!

Submissions close on May 31st, 2024 at 11:59pm Pacific US time.

Questions? Contact us at brian@chaosium.com

Basic Roleplaying Universal Game Engine

  • Like 8
  • Thanks 2
Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • MOB featured and pinned this topic

I admit to a bit of puzzlement, on a couple of items above...

"A production budget for their game."
If the creators are mostly "new and upcoming" then they don't likely have any reasonable background to estimate such a budget.  If their target is a 48 page manuscript with at least a small color artwork on most pages, plus a half-page piece at each chapter, and a full-page cover... what should their art budget be?  Are they up to 64 pages in total?  If they have no skills/background in layout, what should they budget for?  Etc...

"A competitor market analysis of their game, showcasing where it fits in the market as a product."
Similarly, I'm unclear how much competence the newbie author/dev brings to this element.  I suspect that any of a half-dozen folks @Chaosium will do better at this with a minute or two of thought, than any given "new and upcoming creator" will do after 20-30 hours of research.

Thanks for any assistance in helping me resolve these  puzzlements!

Edited by g33k
  • Like 5

C'es ne pas un .sig

Link to comment
Share on other sites

38 minutes ago, g33k said:

I admit to a bit of puzzlement, on a couple of items above...

"A production budget for their game."
If the creators are mostly "new and upcoming" then they don't likely have any reasonable background to estimate such a budget.  If their target is a 48 page manuscript with at least a small color artwork on most pages, plus a half-page piece at each chapter, and a full-page cover... what should their art budget be?  Are they up to 64 pages in total?  If they have no skills/background in layout, what should they budget for?  Etc...

"A competitor market analysis of their game, showcasing where it fits in the market as a product."
Similarly, I'm unclear how much competence the newbie author/dev brings to this element.  I suspect that any of a half-dozen folks @Chaosium will do better at this with a minute or two of thought, than any given "new and upcoming creator" will do after 20-30 hours of research.

Thanks for any assistance in helping me resolve these  puzzlements!

My thoughts exactly. This isn't for the hobbyists, but small publishers who probably did some crowd funding or released some products already.

  • Like 2
  • Sad 1

Wielder of the Vorpal Mace.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

1 hour ago, g33k said:

I admit to a bit of puzzlement, on a couple of items above...

"A production budget for their game."
If the creators are mostly "new and upcoming" then they don't likely have any reasonable background to estimate such a budget.  If their target is a 48 page manuscript with at least a small color artwork on most pages, plus a half-page piece at each chapter, and a full-page cover... what should their art budget be?  Are they up to 64 pages in total?  If they have no skills/background in layout, what should they budget for?  Etc...

"A competitor market analysis of their game, showcasing where it fits in the market as a product."
Similarly, I'm unclear how much competence the newbie author/dev brings to this element.  I suspect that any of a half-dozen folks @Chaosium will do better at this with a minute or two of thought, than any given "new and upcoming creator" will do after 20-30 hours of research.

Thanks for any assistance in helping me resolve these  puzzlements!

IMHO these two shouldn´t be that hard to provide. 
I don´t think that Chaosium wants to see a professional business plan. 


EXAMPLE how this could look like: 

"A production budget for their game."
- $ 1000 for art (cover and some maps; illustrations will be stock art)
- $ 250 for editing and layout (two of my friends have a bachelor in this)
- $ 250 for marketing (Facebook ads, and other social media)
---------------
$ 1500 Total 

I estimate that by book will sell about 250 copies on Drivethru in the first 6 months, with a price tag for the PDF of $ 19.99, with 70% for me. 
Which would get me an income of $ 3498.25. 

$ 3498.25 Sales 
- $ 1500 Investment 
--------------
$ 1998.25 earnings

"A competitor market analysis of their game, showcasing where it fits in the market as a product."
A) The theme of my BRP based RPG is "XXX". 
I have searched on Drivethru, RPGnet, and Boardgamegeek etc. and found three good selling RPGs already with that theme "XXX". 
But there is no D100 game (or compatible) with that theme, so my game will be the first D100 game to get into that. 

OR 

B) The theme of my BRP based RPG is "XXX". 
I have searched on Drivethru, RPGnet, and Boardgamegeek etc. and found that there are no RPGs already with that theme "XXX". 
"XXX" is special interest, but with no compaditors on the RPG market with that theme, my game will be the first one to adress that theme. 


At least that would be what i would provide Chaosium with (with more details, of course). 

Edited by AndreJarosch
  • Like 4
  • Helpful 5
Link to comment
Share on other sites

Thanks @AndreJarosch

1 hour ago, g33k said:

If their target is a 48 page manuscript with at least a small color artwork on most pages, plus a half-page piece at each chapter, and a full-page cover... what should their art budget be?...

"A competitor market analysis of their game, showcasing where it fits in the market as a product."
Similarly, I'm unclear how much competence the newbie author/dev brings to this element. 

We're offering serious money in this design challenge. Entrants absolutely do not need to be existing small publishers, or have released something before. But our expectation is they'll take it seriously. There are plenty of robust and thriving independent TTRPG creator communities and forums online where such advice can be sought and will be cheerfully given. Some good examples close to home include the Jonstown Compendium Creators Circle and Miskatonic Repository Creators Circle on Facebook. Both these groups also have "creators helping creators" databases with rates for artists, editors, layout specialists etc. 

  • Like 3
  • Helpful 1
  • Thanks 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

Thank you, @AndreJarosch & @MOB.

Next question @Chaosium:

I know Chaosium doesn't want to see any AI work in product submissions.  What about AI in "mood boards" & "reference images" & the like, when the author can't find good images to show an artist?  I could see it used in place of "found online" art, to help the artist & author communicate better... not in place of paid art.

(I ask specifically because I've got some ideas I've never really seen adequately portrayed -- and wouldn't care to attempt even a rough sketch -- but I suspect could be explored via AI imagery)
 

Edited by g33k

C'es ne pas un .sig

Link to comment
Share on other sites

3 hours ago, g33k said:

Thank you, @AndreJarosch & @MOB.

Next question @Chaosium:

I know Chaosium doesn't want to see any AI work in product submissions.  What about AI in "mood boards" & "reference images" & the like, when the author can't find good images to show an artist?  I could see it used in place of "found online" art, to help the artist & author communicate better... not in place of paid art.

(I ask specifically because I've got some ideas I've never really seen adequately portrayed -- and wouldn't care to attempt even a rough sketch -- but I suspect could be explored via AI imagery)
 

Please do not include AI content (e.g. Midjourney. ChatGPT etc) in your BRP Challenge submission.

  • Like 3
  • Helpful 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

13 hours ago, MOB said:

 For questions you might have about the BRP Design Challenge, please see our FAQ at this post on Chaosium.com.

That FAQ is a nice supplement to the original announcement, and very useful.

TYVM!

 

  • Like 1

C'es ne pas un .sig

Link to comment
Share on other sites

2 hours ago, tooley1chris said:

Too busy with QUASAR to start a new project. Too bad contest wasnt announced last October 😀

I haven't picked up QUASAR yet; it's on my "to-buy" list, but I'm unclear on this point:  if you're still basically using BRP core(?), there's AFAIK absolutely no reason you couldn't submit your next(ish) publication to the contest.

Edited by g33k
conceptual clarity
  • Like 1

C'es ne pas un .sig

Link to comment
Share on other sites

19 hours ago, g33k said:

I haven't picked up QUASAR yet; it's on my "to-buy" list, but I'm unclear on this point:  if you're still basically using BRP core(?), there's AFAIK absolutely no reason you couldn't submit your next(ish) publication to the contest.

It's mostly BRP Core. I added starship movement ratios, weapon energizing, shield recharge ratios, all based on reactor power diverted to those components, for space combat.

Added like 50 races.

Also changed psionics quite a bit but other than that...

 

I do have a campaign world I was working on awhile back but I've too many ideas for QUASAR rattling around in my pot to turn my attention. Working on an adventure module and Print on Demand for the other three books right now. Have two or three ideas for QUASAR supplements. Its only me over here😀

  • Like 1

Author QUASAR space opera system: https://www.drivethrurpg.com/product/459723/QUASAR?affiliate_id=810507

My Magic World projects page: Tooleys Underwhelming Projects

Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • 1 month later...

Hi all,

Tooley and some of the others might recognise me (Karl Brown) from Faceborg or my earlier interest in Magic World here. I'm a good way into my project for this including the budget. Just need to convert everything from my local AUD to USD 😉

Anyone else here preparing an entry?

  • Like 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

Posted (edited)
There are just a few short weeks remaining to submit your game to the BRP Design Challenge!
 
Here Basic Roleplaying creative director Jason Durall provides some super helpful information on putting together Stat Blocks for BRP titles. We hope Jason’s advice will help you make the most of your final submission!
 
436205942_914601297344124_8324418460634865118_n.jpeg.60ff188b36b02a93c494bf3dcf8f407e.jpeg
Edited by MOB
  • Like 1
  • Helpful 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • 2 weeks later...
f966e328-80e0-59fe-7e14-6d21f7bea1c1.png

One week to go until submissions for the $10,000 BRP Design Challenge close on May 31st!
 
Remember - All entrants retain ownership of their work in its entirety, even the winners. Chaosium does not require the signing over of rights of any kind in order to enter the BRP Design Challenge.
 
Read up on the FAQ and get in contact if you have any questions - we cannot wait to see all the final entries!
https://buff.ly/3V9gqZO
Link to comment
Share on other sites

We are so thrilled to discover that there were 195 entries to the BRP Design Challenge!

On 3/6/2024 at 9:26 PM, MOB said:

All entrants retain ownership of their work in its entirety. Chaosium does not require the signing over of rights of any kind in order to enter the BRP Design Challenge.

Winners and shortlisted entries will also retain ownership and—regardless of what winnings may be received as part of this competition—may still publish their games royalty-free under the ORC license.

“We’re very excited to give a selection of independent game designers a leg-up in making their dreams a reality,” Chaosium Vice President Michael O’Brien said. “Basic Roleplaying is a core system that is so easy to use and tweak to any setting or genre, and we cannot wait to see the imaginative worlds and innovative designs submitted.” 

THE PRIZES

BRP Design Challenge Prizes

 

Each award will also receive a trophy.

You can submit your game to the BRP Design Challenge here!

Looking for some helpful information on getting started? Check out the Chaosium primer for designing games with BRP!

Submissions close on May 31st, 2024 at 11:59pm Pacific US time.

Questions? Contact us at brian@chaosium.com

Basic Roleplaying Universal Game Engine

The judging team sure has their work cut out for them—watch this space in the coming weeks for further announcements, and good luck to all entrants!

  • Like 6
Link to comment
Share on other sites

Posted (edited)
23 hours ago, MOB said:

We are so thrilled to discover that there were 195 entries to the BRP Design Challenge!

195 entries! Wow! I think all the people who play BRP are the ones who will really win this contest. That's a lot of content.

Edited by Atgxtg
  • Like 2

Chaos stalks my world, but she's a big girl and can take of herself.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Join the conversation

You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.
Note: Your post will require moderator approval before it will be visible.

Guest
Reply to this topic...

×   Pasted as rich text.   Paste as plain text instead

  Only 75 emoji are allowed.

×   Your link has been automatically embedded.   Display as a link instead

×   Your previous content has been restored.   Clear editor

×   You cannot paste images directly. Upload or insert images from URL.

×
×
  • Create New...