Thread by @HLG_Corporate

So I found out a friend of mine was using some pirated pdf @Wizards_DnD products to plan his next campaign. Found out he had no intention of purchasing, nor did he feel bad because they were a "big company." Here is why that pisses me off:

#dungeonsanddragons #CriticalRole

I am CEO of a really tiny RPG company that is desperately trying to break even on our products. We do this for love, for sure, but things cost money. Not only that, as much as I thought I did, the main thing that I have learned is how much work it takes to make even small things.

Right now we are working on a #savage worlds setting called #ArchonsofNikud and it is going to cost us thousands of dollars and untold thousands of person hours to make. It is hard to describe the blood, sweat, and tears that will go into this project.

People like this in the hobby are a cancer. They don't see the human beings behind these products, they don't see that this is someone's art, and that they should be paid for that art.

And for those that think it is OK to do this to the big boys because "Something, something, they can afford it!" You need to know that their success breeds our survival. Their rising stock is critical for this industry as a whole.

In my life as a gamer, I have watched the #TTRPG industry nearly collapse time after time, and it could happen again. Right now things are good, overall, but FFS, stop stealing other folks' creative content. Their art is not yours by right!

This is a part of a culture that doesn't value creative people's work and demands their product for free. This is the exact same thinking that asks artists to work for #exposure and freaks out when graphic designers want to get paid for their time.

This is part of a culture that acts as entitled consumers, used to getting everything for free in the digital sphere and then whining about how "greedy" people are when they put something behind a paywall or sell ads on their website.

This is part of a culture that thinks that consuming a product makes one an expert not only at its process of creation but of the economics and logistics of getting it t market.

I can't count the amount of people telling me or other creators how "They would have done it," dismissing the effort of our creation and then pirating something. Then do it. Prove us wrong. Stop making excuses. Because until you do that you are just a thief that has no idea.

And another thing: if you see this shit happening and you don't call out that behaviour or piracy at your own table, you are part of the problem! It is all of our responsibility.

But for real: back a @Patreon buy some products at @DriveThruRPG Check out our stuff or any other creators, but shell out your hard earned money if you use the products. Support creators, and support the hobby.

#thankyouforcomingtomyTedTalk

And if you want to support us? Follw our social media, throw us a few bucks at patreon.com/highlevel, or check out some of our products on highlevelgames.ca

Oh, and because some of you have asked in the DMs, our #savageworlds setting called #ArchonsofNikud is coming to @kickstarter in 2019. Here is some artwork from the free Jumpstart that will be dropping shortly.