The RPG Room: Authors as Bending Machines

Should Authors pander to what the gaming crowd want and produce what sells, or should they produce what they want and get stuck with poor sales? This is a very real question and a very real situation that many RPG authors out there have to face every day. And it is not an easy decision to make. Sometimes making creative and truly new games and games mechanics means people will look at the product and choose to spend their money on something a lot safer, a lot better known. Oftentimes people miss out on amazing games just because of that. But the truth of the matter is that authors miss out on earnings that could keep them ticking and helping them make more money to help them make more games. This is a conversation I have had with Jim many times in private. Now we have it in public. Tell us what you think!