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What makes someone a "Professional" in this hobby?

Started by RPGPundit, July 29, 2013, 01:22:18 PM

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RPGPundit

July 29, 2013, 01:22:18 PM
How do we define that?  Is anyone who "publishes" an RPG book on Lulu, even if it doesn't sell 10 copies, a "Professional RPG writer"?

Is it, on the other hand, only someone who's sole means of income is RPGs?  That would probably exclude just about every freelancer.

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Exploderwizard

#1
July 29, 2013, 01:40:02 PM
Technically, only someone legally liable for their work is a professional. A doctor, lawyer, public accountant, etc.

So, strictly speaking there ARE no professionals in this hobby. There are those that are able to earn a living producing content and those that are not.
Quote from: JonWakeGamers, as a whole, are much like primitive cavemen when confronted with a new game. Rather than \'oh, neat, what\'s this do?\', the reaction is to decide if it\'s a sex hole, then hit it with a rock.

Quote from: Old Geezer;724252At some point it seems like D&D is going to disappear up its own ass.

Quote from: Kyle Aaron;766997In the randomness of the dice lies the seed for the great oak of creativity and fun. The great virtue of the dice is that they come without boxed text.

Xavier Onassiss

#2
July 29, 2013, 01:46:20 PM
A paycheck.

Or a royalty check.

Bill

#3
July 29, 2013, 01:46:29 PM
What if you publish an rpg product that is so horrible people suffer actual harm from reading it?

Sacrosanct

#4
July 29, 2013, 01:47:12 PM
Quote from: Exploderwizard;675672Technically, only someone legally liable for their work is a professional. A doctor, lawyer, public accountant, etc.

What about professional athletes?

.........

In this hobby?  I don't know if there are any, only because when you think of a professional, they've established a certain skill set that puts them well above just anyone off the street.  How do you do that with an rpg?  With just average grammar and math skills, with the right amout of luck/marketing/word of mouth/money, anyone could have a successful RPG.

I guess if you were to back me into a corner, I'd say it's someone who does this full time.
D&D is not an "everyone gets a ribbon" game.  If you\'re stupid, your PC will die.  If you\'re an asshole, your PC will die (probably from the other PCs).  If you\'re unlucky, your PC may die.  Point?  PC\'s die.  Get over it and roll up a new one.

RunningLaser

#5
July 29, 2013, 02:08:44 PM
I'd go with the general view of if you got paid for your services, that makes it a profession for you.  Doesn't mean high quality of course.

SineNomine

#6
July 29, 2013, 02:14:12 PM
My completely arbitrary line for determining classification as a professional RPG writer is a simple two-part test.

Have they demonstrated the ability to consistently fulfill their role in a professional and businesslike fashion, delivering good material on deadlines and keeping the terms of an agreement? If no, they are not a professional RPG writer. They are at most an interesting auteur best observed from a safe financial distance.

Do they earn or are trying to earn enough at their trade to maintain a modest living, whether or not it's their actual day job? If no, they may be a talented amateur or reliable session player or many other good things, but they are not trying to make a profession out of the work.
Other Dust, a standalone post-apocalyptic companion game to Stars Without Number.
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Red Tide, a Labyrinth Lord-compatible sandbox toolkit and campaign setting

Exploderwizard

#7
July 29, 2013, 02:29:08 PM
Quote from: Sacrosanct;675679What about professional athletes?


Their work is bound by legal contract. Likewise a licensed and bonded plumber or builder is a professional.

There are differences between a vocation and a profession. I work as a private accountant, which is a vocation. If I went public and worked as a CPA the game would change and it would become a profession.
Quote from: JonWakeGamers, as a whole, are much like primitive cavemen when confronted with a new game. Rather than \'oh, neat, what\'s this do?\', the reaction is to decide if it\'s a sex hole, then hit it with a rock.

Quote from: Old Geezer;724252At some point it seems like D&D is going to disappear up its own ass.

Quote from: Kyle Aaron;766997In the randomness of the dice lies the seed for the great oak of creativity and fun. The great virtue of the dice is that they come without boxed text.

Sacrosanct

#8
July 29, 2013, 02:31:53 PM
Quote from: Exploderwizard;675693Their work is bound by legal contract. .

Not really.  They could sign their contract, and then just hang out.  There almost never is requirements for performance in those contracts.
D&D is not an "everyone gets a ribbon" game.  If you\'re stupid, your PC will die.  If you\'re an asshole, your PC will die (probably from the other PCs).  If you\'re unlucky, your PC may die.  Point?  PC\'s die.  Get over it and roll up a new one.

Exploderwizard

#9
July 29, 2013, 02:35:25 PM
Quote from: Sacrosanct;675696Not really.  They could sign their contract, and then just hang out.  There almost never is requirements for performance in those contracts.

I doubt it. There usually isn't a requirement for specific performance meaning no hard coded stat expectations, but I'll bet that just refusing to perform for shits & giggles would void the contract.
Quote from: JonWakeGamers, as a whole, are much like primitive cavemen when confronted with a new game. Rather than \'oh, neat, what\'s this do?\', the reaction is to decide if it\'s a sex hole, then hit it with a rock.

Quote from: Old Geezer;724252At some point it seems like D&D is going to disappear up its own ass.

Quote from: Kyle Aaron;766997In the randomness of the dice lies the seed for the great oak of creativity and fun. The great virtue of the dice is that they come without boxed text.

Votan

#10
July 29, 2013, 02:48:12 PM
Quote from: Xavier Onassiss;675677A paycheck.

Or a royalty check.

Yes, that is the general definition.  Freelancers can do a lot of different things and it is hard to decide how a career is constructed.  

Professionalism, in terms of meeting deadlines and high quality products, is a different issue but probably more important to how a person is perceived.

Novastar

#11
July 29, 2013, 02:55:14 PM
I'd say one can call it a profession, after they've earned money.
But there's a far cry from someone that works in the profession, and a professional. A professional takes ownership of their work, and more importantly, their work ethic.
Quote from: dragoner;776244Mechanical character builds remind me of something like picking the shoe in monopoly, it isn\'t what I play rpg\'s for.

jeff37923

#12
July 29, 2013, 03:04:17 PM
Quote from: Bill;675678What if you publish an rpg product that is so horrible people suffer actual harm from reading it?

This needs a seperate thread.
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flyingmice

#13
July 29, 2013, 03:16:19 PM
Quote from: Bill;675678What if you publish an rpg product that is so horrible people suffer actual harm from reading it?

Can I be the first to suggest "Brain Damage"? :D
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Rincewind1

#14
July 29, 2013, 03:22:16 PM
Quote from: Bill;675678What if you publish an rpg product that is so horrible people suffer actual harm from reading it?

Considering existance of FATAL, Synnibarr, RaHoWa and  that Post Apocalyptic game with absolutely bizarre mutations generation (where many of them meant your character'd die suddenly during creation), I'm sure that's simply impossible.

I mean, we have about 4000 - 3300 years of literary history (taking Epic of Gilgamesh as starting point), and we haven't a single example of someone suffering harm from reading it. Now, causing harm due to reading something is an entirely different sack of potatoes.
Furthermore, I consider that  This is Why We Don\'t Like You thread should be closed
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