CAN THERE BE A HYBRID OF AMATEURISM AND COMMERCIALISM?
What are the aims of amateur organizations and commercial enterprises?
Amateur seek to spread the word of their ideas so that people can join them in a life style. Businesses seek to spread the word of their ideas so that people will buy their products. Amateurs measure success by how many people join them. Businesses measure success with money – profit, no profit. So they are very different in end goal but similar in method. Both want to spread ideas.
Amateurs generally work by spreading ideas one person at a time – attraction. While Businesses make an item that people will buy in a store based on advertising or a pretty box. Amateurs typically spend little money in their efforts. They instead expend time. Businesses on the other hand require lots of money spent up front – without a guarantee of breaking even (let alone a profit.)
Money means property. Property means ownership. Ownership means prestige/power. Power means ego. Ego means trouble.
So can business and amateurism be joined together? Only when ego is reduced as much as possible!
If it is so difficult then why bother?
Simply put, spreading ideas costs money. No one should have to bear that expense alone. Which means people banding together to do things. Whenever money is gathered in this way the group of is like a business whither it wants to be or not. There will be property and ego and if it is not dealt with effectively it will destroy the cause.
THE PROPERTY OF THE MATRIX GAME PROJECT IS THE MATRIX GAME RULES
The "product" of Matrix Games is generally speaking individual scenarios rather than game rules. The rules should come with each scenario so that each book stands alone. But a scenario without rules or access to Matrix Game rules is not a Matrix Game.
At this time I hold copyright on my Matrix Game rules. So no one else can use them in a for sale product (amateur or professional) without my being involved. A person could develop their own set of MG rules independent of mine, though from personal experience this is harder than it looks! Anyway, my ownership – thus my ego stands like a bolder in the road.
I for one do not have the time money or ability to write produce and sell the number of MG products it will take to spread the word to the wide world. I also lack the business skill to run a company to hire people to do that work for me. So I have a property I can't fully utilize.
What I need is a way to get the rock out of the road.
SHARING THE WEALTH – EMPOWERING OTHERS TO MAKE MATRIX GAMES
The business solution to letting go of ownership without totally giving it away is to lease or license it. This means letting other people have a go at using it for a royalty payment. Some royalties require the owner to give up that ownership. Others allow the owner to retain ownership. Licensing agreements can be for set lengths of time or for set projects. And can have all manner of special clauses in them.
If I make my rules open to other people's use for an easy licensing deal it will clear the road for others to take the project forward. While still leaving me with enough power to protect the project from barbarians (those who would rape and throw away the game.)
I think I would like to do this.
What do you think?
REASONS WHY GIVING UP CONTROL MIGHT HELP
People are occasionally rational. As such they generally will not do something for nothing – especially if it involves money. But if they own something then they will go to great lengths to see that it is a success. That is what empowerment really means. "It's my power and I'll use it as I see fit!"
If one hundred gamers decided to take up this kind of offer and produced two books each there would suddenly be 200 Matrix Game products available to us all! No one person would be out a lot of money. The products could be sold on the internet (which would mean low sales but also little expense) and people could gain experience that would move the project towards a true commercial game.
The reason why ownership is needed here is because of the cost of shipping and printing products. No one will do it without the chance of no losing money!
From my end, lots of little products will likely return no or few actual royalties but the game itself is propagated and that can not help but help all Matrix Games be sold.
IT WILL STILL TAKE AN ARMY OF AMATEURS TO SPREAD THE WORD
Products alone do not sell Matrix Games. What sells the idea is word of mouth – they great strength of amateurism.
For Matrix Games to spread we will need dedicated individuals who will take on one job and do it for the sheer joy of the work. What is needed?
- People to run Matrix Games at clubs, conventions and stores.
- People to get on Internet newsgroups and talk about the Matrix Games they've played/run
- Intrepid web page designers to build pages about individual games or Play By Email Games.
- And people to write articles for print and electronic journals.
This requires that they have a standard set of games to write about. Which is where opening the doors to other writers making product comes in. If a flood of games can be made then we will have something to talk about.
If you are on a newsgroup or write for a magazine or if you just like running games then there is a place for you at this table. Like in AA each game group is totally autonomous except in matter that would effect other groups or the project as a whole. That way each person can take full credit for their own efforts are reap all the prestige (if any) from the work.
SHOULD THEIR BE MANY MATRIX GAMES OR JUST ONE?
Clearly my Matrix Game rules are not the only way to do an argument based game. I am certain that there are many ways to do it. But none of these methods is now developed. So though I in no way want to discourage anyone from developing their own game – the goal of spreading the word about this gaming approach may be best served now by pushing a unified method. "Progress for the greatest number depends on unity."
If I can get my ego/ownership rights out of the way then everyone can use my rules – which are fully developed and ready to go.
I invite other people's opinion this question.
HOW TO JOIN THIS DEBATE
This is a debate. I do not want to be the one who decides what to do with this project by myself! I would like us to hold a dialogue on the MatrixGamer Onelist
To join in the debate join the Onelist by clicking on the following link. http://www.onelist.com/index.html Look up MatrixGamer under the role play game section.
The Future of the Matrix Game
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© Copyright 2000 by Chris Engle.
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