Seeking advice on how to package a campaign for sale

Hi,

Context:
For the last 2+ years I've been converting 2E planescape adventures into a single 1-20 5E campaign. In addition to mechanics and encounter balancing, I've made editorial adjustments to certain plots. When it's done it will be a 17-module campaign, and I have two "playtest" groups currently most of the way through module 12.

As of this past weekend, I've finished the first 16 modules. At this point I've converted 683 full-sized pages. I've been making all my own battlemaps with dungeondraft, as those are largely absent in the original modules, and the ones that are available often don't port terribly well to fantasy grounds. 214 maps to date. At some point in the journey, I thought that I've spent so much time on this project, if I polished it up I could share/sell it. Licensing allows me to do this, provided i don't include any original artwork, so when I finished 'coding' module 16, i went backwards and replaced all the essential artwork (e.g. player handouts, DM maps, etc.) with my own work in wonderdraft, gimp, etc.

As of last weekend, I was ready to finally code the final module: Die Vecna Die. Seems a fitting way to end a 2E conversion campaign involving planescape. But lo and behold, that weekend I coincidentally see on D&D Beyond an announcement for The Eve of Ruin to be released in May. Not an exact 2E to 5E conversion of Die Vecna Die, but very similar. Why would people want to play both? So, I decided to end my campaign with an original adventure that had been kicking around in the back of my head for some time.

Question:
Do I sell the campaign as a complete package? Or I do split the converted and original content, and put the final module on kickstarter? I thought if enough people showed interest, I could hire an artist to add cinematic art to make it look more like a professional product (battlemaps & assets are one thing, but cinematic art is way beyond me. And the audience seems to disprove of AI art, nevermind any potential legal issues). But maybe splitting the campaign up like that weakens their value individually. Maybe what i need is a sales expert rather than (or before) an artist. But I thought I'd turn to the forums first, and fantasyground forums have always been supportive and kind to me.

Does anyone have experience with making adventures available for sale, or simply have an opinion on the matter? Your input would be welcome.

P.S. while the license allows the sale of converted/edited 2E content sans artwork, it only allows this on DMS Guild. So I can't also place the converted modules up on kickstarter.

It would have to be something through DMsGuild. They are the only place currently licensed that allows you to sell your own creations that rely upon and use their IP. Fantasy Grounds has the license to directly convert 2E (several settings) and 5E content. It doesn't allow us to publish any other content other than direct conversions.

Sell them as individual modules and then do a bundle. (All on the DMsGuild).

Have you looked at how Classic Modules Today has been doing similar stuff? https://www.dmsguild.com/product/190...Conversions-5e
I think they have a very few FG conversions in their catalog.

Note that you certainly can't re-use artwork, but you also can't copy text completely either (not if you are going to commercialize them). Hence why Classic Modules does conversion guides, not standalone modules. i.e. in order to use one of their conversions, you still have to have the original module itself for all the descriptions etc.

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Originally Posted by LordEntrails

Note that you certainly can't re-use artwork, but you also can't copy text completely either (not if you are going to commercialize them). Hence why Classic Modules does conversion guides, not standalone modules. i.e. in order to use one of their conversions, you still have to have the original module itself for all the descriptions etc.

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Thank-you for the idea of the dual-strategy, that was the kind of feedback I was looking for.

Your comment here about the text is also important. It was my understanding that I could reuse text, based on their guides and some generic replies from WOTC to my attempts to seek clarifications. Are you aware of any modules that had reused text, and were consequently "recalled"? Just looking to verify that this is indeed a restriction, as that kind of blows apart the work I've done (not a complaint, I appreciate learning this way rather than after posting them on dmsguild).

Aside from mechanics and altering targeted PC levels, in most cases I've made changes to each story, ranging from subtle to extensive; although, reusing a majority of text.

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Originally Posted by lousilver

Thank-you for the idea of the dual-strategy, that was the kind of feedback I was looking for.

Your comment here about the text is also important. It was my understanding that I could reuse text, based on their guides and some generic replies from WOTC to my attempts to seek clarifications. Are you aware of any modules that had reused text, and were consequently "recalled"? Just looking to verify that this is indeed a restriction, as that kind of blows apart the work I've done (not a complaint, I appreciate learning this way rather than after posting them on dmsguild).

Aside from mechanics and altering targeted PC levels, in most cases I've made changes to each story, ranging from subtle to extensive; although, reusing a majority of text.

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I can say that all modules that were supplemental data to WOTC could not copy that data but had to link to it in order to insure that the data was derived directly from a bought loaded copy of their module. If you are talking about selling that data then they are pretty strict. For just using the data for free non profit purposes then you can copy it probably - but you'd have to investigate that.

And yes, they were told by WOTC they had to "fix it". AE5E data modules and something out of rob2e were only ones I was aware of doing that sort of thing a few years ago. Both had to rewrite all their data to not copy the WOTC data but to link it so that it was guaranteed the WOTC module they were based on had been bought and loaded. Extensions were then modified to support showing that linked text without clicking on it - I know for AE5E modules - I "think also" for rob2e modules but I really don't know much about them.

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Originally Posted by SilentRuin

And yes, they were told by WOTC they had to "fix it". AE5E data modules and something out of rob2e were only ones I was aware of doing that sort of thing a few years ago. Both had to rewrite all their data to not copy the WOTC data but to link it so that it was guaranteed the WOTC module they were based on had been bought and loaded. Extensions were then modified to support showing that linked text without clicking on it - I know for AE5E modules - I "think also" for rob2e modules but I really don't know much about them.

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Thank-you, this is all great input. Final clarifying question: none of the adventures I've converted have existing VTT modules (in any version). You can buy PDFs of the 1990s 2E adventures, but there is no VTT content available for any of them. Does you think that would make my release permissible?

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Originally Posted by lousilver

Thank-you, this is all great input. Final clarifying question: none of the adventures I've converted have existing VTT modules (in any version). You can buy PDFs of the 1990s 2E adventures, but there is no VTT content available for any of them. Does you think that would make my release permissible?

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Almost everything is copyrighted or assumed to be copyrighted. Without written permission - or plainly stated copyright text stating it was usable for sale/profit - likely you could not. Or you should always assume you cannot. You are essentially using their property to make money with no renumeration to them for the original work.

Most conversions - which FGU and Grim Press do many of - are deals where part of the sale % goes to the authors of the original work (text, art, etc.) - but they have cut the contract and made the deal.

Why if you want to do sale of stuff with no complications, you make it all original - or cut a contract with the authors work you're basing it on.

Both FGU and Grim Press - and probably others all take on converters from time to time because they have the contacts and opportunity to cut the deals that might be much harder/expensive for small time operators.

Or so I understand it. Others may be more knowledgeable as I don't do conversions myself.

Its why if using WOTC material DMsG has some (I said some) built in usage - though i'm not sure what is governed and what is not. Though if it gets put into VTT then likely it is something you have to know explicitly what you can and cannot do.

But I'd go by what ddavidson said (owner of FGU) - a direct conversion is allowed as they will get their cut based on contracts. But just grabbing their stuff and using it to base your stuff on (as your stuff) is not.

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Originally Posted by SilentRuin

Almost everything is copyrighted or assumed to be copyrighted. Without written permission - or plainly stated copyright text stating it was usable for sale/profit - likely you could not. Or you should always assume you cannot. You are essentially using their property to make money with no renumeration to them for the original work.

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That makes (unfortunate) sense, I just could have sworn I had read on dmsguild that it was ok. So i just revisited the website to see if I could relocate the text I thought supported my understanding, but instead i found the following. Looks like they've tightened up the text since I've last read it months/years ago, because I do not remember the additional details being there previously (though I could have had blinders on at the time).

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Can I convert old D&D content from earlier editions to 5E and publish it on DMsGuild?
With some restrictions, the answer is yes. You can convert magic items, monsters, character classes, spells, etc. from earlier edition books to 5th Edition and publish your conversion at DMsGuild.com.

There are two exceptions:

• Do not convert content from settings not yet released in the DMsGuild program, with the exception of classic D&D adventures (see #2 below).
• No direct, full reprints of classic adventures converted to 5E. If you want to publish something based around a classic adventure like Against the Giants or Queen of the Demonweb Pits, then you could consider options like:

• a distinctly new 5e adventure that is perhaps a prequel or sequel to the classic adventure content;
• a streamlined, bare-bones conversion guide for someone who already owns the classic adventure (i.e., encounter-by-encounter conversion notes with any 5E stats needed, leaving out all other content, augmented with ideas for setting the adventure in the Forgotten Realms); or
• a unique take in the spirit of the classic adventure. Yeah, Acererak’s tomb is horrific, but what about that other lich’s place?

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Originally Posted by lousilver

That makes (unfortunate) sense, I just could have sworn I had read on dmsguild that it was ok. So i just revisited the website to see if I could relocate the text I thought supported my understanding, but instead i found the following. Looks like they've tighted up the text since I've last read it months/years ago, because I do not remember the additional details being there previously (though I could have had blinders on at the time).

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Legally copyright law has not really changed - its assumed to be copyrighted unless explicitly proving a copyright that allows reuse and sale. This is true for pretty much anything.

But some felt they have to explicitly spell it out for you from time to time. This does not mean it was not always there imbedded in copyright law though. They are saying it like this because they actually allow you to do something (where if they said nothing it would be applied you could not reuse it at all).

The Wizard's Fan Content Policy is a bit more lenient with use of WotC IP. BUT, it also has the restriction that you can not commercialize or sell it. Note that SmiteWorks does have permission to convert to FG some of the older AD&D stuff, but not to convert it to 5E.

So unfortunately, I think you find yourself in-between the various allowable use cases.

If you rewrote how you did all your notes etc. you can probably package it like this exception - just a thought...

a streamlined, bare-bones conversion guide for someone who already owns the classic adventure (i.e., encounter-by-encounter conversion notes with any 5E stats needed, leaving out all other content, augmented with ideas for setting the adventure in the Forgotten Realms);

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Originally Posted by SilentRuin

If you rewrote how you did all your notes etc. you can probably package it like this exception - just a thought...

a streamlined, bare-bones conversion guide for someone who already owns the classic adventure (i.e., encounter-by-encounter conversion notes with any 5E stats needed, leaving out all other content, augmented with ideas for setting the adventure in the Forgotten Realms);

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Yep, this is how Classic Modules does it.

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Originally Posted by LordEntrails

The Wizard's Fan Content Policy is a bit more lenient with use of WotC IP. BUT, it also has the restriction that you can not commercialize or sell it. Note that SmiteWorks does have permission to convert to FG some of the older AD&D stuff, but not to convert it to 5E.

So unfortunately, I think you find yourself in-between the various allowable use cases.

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I appreciate the encouragement in other posts to streamline my content to meet the guidelines. But this fan policy looks interesting. I don't think I'd mind sharing it for free - I've put so much effort into this project, it'd be nice knowing it's getting used, free or paid. And the overall product (with my own original maps and edits) can help build my reputation for when/if I do publish my own original content.

Thank-you all, all of the input (the sperate/bundle packaging, the copyright, the encouragement to streamline my work, and the fan policy) has been really great. What a nice community we have here. I'll have to reflect on what path i want to take, I have other projects in the queue, and I have to stay ahead of my players, so those factor into my considerations.

I think the fan policy is likely over ridden by the specific item i quoted earlier about converting adventures. Looks like my work is pooched, unless I gut the whole thing for a barebones version, which in a sense is rewritting 700 pages from scratch.

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Q: How does this Policy affect other content policies, like the D&D Dungeon Master’s Guild?

A: This Policy applies to Fan Content generally. If Wizards’ or its partners have provided specific guidelines for your type of Fan Content (e.g., DM’s Guild; D&D Adventurer’s League), please follow those policies.

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You dont have to do 700 pages in one go. Do one module at a time.

Hey Damned, I have a question for you.

I have been looking at converting something that has 3 adventures in the one pdf. How would I go about creating a module that contained all 3 adventures?

Do I create separate modules for each adventure, and submit as 1 package? Purpose being that if they download the product, they get all 3 adventures.

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Originally Posted by johnecc

Hey Damned, I have a question for you.

I have been looking at converting something that has 3 adventures in the one pdf. How would I go about crceating a module that contained all 3 adventures?
'
Do I create separate modules for each adventure, and submit as 1 package? Purpose being that if they download the product, they get all 3 adventures.

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You can have more than one adventure in a module.

You can do it either way.
Submit 3 separate modules as one product or combine them into a single module - do what makes sense to you.