What are "ashcans"? What are their purpose? Where does the name come from?
[RPG] an “ashcan” release
game-designindie-rpgpublishingterminology
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Introduction
The thoughts and opinions I provide below are based upon some basic experience with hiring talented creators for a few projects throughout the years, but more so in my own experience with finding work as a creative writer and designer.
First thoughts
As gathered from your question, it is clear that your vision for the game is very important to you and that it is to be YOUR game. I would suggest putting effort into keeping this clarity up in future correspondence with potential writers, wherever you end up finding them. Should they get the wrong impression, your time will be wasted (both in explaining this to the writer and in speaking with them in the first place).
In short, keep up the clarity of what you want and, even more, what you don't want, as you continually search for and employ writers.
Freelancer sites
There are a few sites and web services that aim towards connecting freelancers with potential employers. Depending on which service you choose, these could generate a lot of interested writers, albeit of varying skill.
Freelancer.org is one such site, where freelancers from a wide variety of fields can connect with employers. While a bit buggy and prone to some weird visual effects, this site is powerful, secure and has a free-to-use option. Posting a job offer here generates, in my experience, a lot of correspondence.
Fiverr is another such service, but starts at the other end, so to speak. On Fiverr, creators in various fields post what kind of work they are willing to do for $5 (or, a fiver). In creating writing, the offers vary from "I'll write an entire chapter" to "I'll write 200 words", depending on the writer and, often, their skill and reputation.
Forums and communities
It is my experience that talented, creative writers can be found on forums and communities, bassed upon their interest, of course. I would suggest visiting various RPG forums (such as Roleplayer Guild) and write a post about your project in some detail there (be very clear on the part about "your vision, your game"). While probably not as direct in finding a lot of Creative Writers as the Freelancer sites, the Writers you do find will probably have a greater understanding of writing for RPGs.
Disclaimer
I am not endorsed in any way by the sites that I have mentioned above, nor have I been encouraged in any way to mention them here, or anywhere else. The sites I have mentioned are examples of sites that I, myself, have found useful in similar projects.
The Oberoni Fallacy is an informal fallacy, occasionally seen in discussions of role-playing games, in which an arguer puts forth that if a problematic rule can be fixed by the figure running the game, the problematic rule is not, in fact, problematic.
The user Oberoni originally posted the idea in 2002 on the Wizards of the Coast forums:
This my my [sic] take on the issue.
Let's say Bob the board member makes the assertion: "There is an inconsistency/loophole/mechanics issue with Rule X."
Several correct replies can be given:
- "I agree, there is an inconsistency/loophole/mechanics issue with Rule X."
- "I agree, and it is easily solvable by changing the following part of Rule X."
- "I disagree, you've merely misinterpreted part of Rule X. If you reread this part of Rule X, you will see there is no inconsistency/loophole/mechanics issue."
Okay, I hope you're with me so far. There is, however, an incorrect reply:
- "There is no inconsistency/loophole/mechanics issue with Rule X, because you can always Rule 0 the inconsistency/loophole/mechanics issue."
Now, this incorrect reply does not in truth agree with or dispute the original statement in any way, shape, or form.
It actually contradicts itself--the first part of the statement says there is no problem, while the last part proposes a generic fix to the "non-problem."
It doesn't follow the rules of debate and discussion, and thus should never be used.
Simple enough.
Best Answer
(This is all based on reading about ashcans on a variety of indie RPG sites a year or two ago. I have purchased a few.)
The word "ashcan" comes from the comic book industry. In recent usage in the comic book industry it tends to mean a smaller format comic (for varying meanings of "smaller") used as a freebie to try and hook new readers.
In the indie RPG scene, an ashcan is a sort of pre-release, a weird sort of public beta-test. A designer might not feel their game is done or has uncertainty. The designer wants feedback from a wider group of people. This would normally be done by playtesting, but: the designer may have exhausted his playtesting pool, the designer may want opinions from "normal" gamers who wouldn't normally engage in playtesting.
Generally speaking an ashcan looks "finished," frequently with production quality comparable to the final product.
By and large you pay for an ashcan RPGs. While this limits your player base, the people who purchase it will almost certainly be more invested. The problem with, say, a free online release is that you'll get lots of downloads from people who will never play it. They might offer feedback, but the designer wants feedback from actual play, not feedback based on just reading the rules. If you've spent a few bucks on the game, you're presumably genuinely interested. You're more likely to seek out a group, to try it repeatedly, and to be interested in providing serious feedback.
Finally, many ashcans come with a discount on the final game as a sort of thank you.