The Campaign Builder's Guild

Quote from: GhostmanFrom a purely business perspective, it might be better to divorce such modules from any setting/other product lines and instead design them as generic standalone products. Then you could aim for the niche of horror-interested customers at large. Although you would not be able to exploit the renown of an established brand, you also would not be constrained by it.

pretty much sums up what I said above.  

On the flip side of "will this scare customers away," I think that potentially, dark stuff can attract a larger fanbase, or a section that might otherwise pass you by.  Just thinking of myself, if I saw a module on a shelf that just looked like a Japanese mythology/history-based RPG, I would probably pass it by.  If I saw a module advertising itself as a Japanese horror-based RPG, I might take a look, and if I then saw that the module had some seriously messed up content - as well as looking well put-together, professional, etc - I'd be far more intrigued than if I'd found some tame, tepid attempt at horror (whoo it's a yurei, spoooky!).  Pool of Dead Children?  Wait a second, this designer has some guts!

Just speaking as an individual; I have no marketing training whatsoever.  Just random thoughts.

Quote from: SteerpikeOn the flip side of "will this scare customers away," I think that potentially, dark stuff can attract a larger fanbase, or a section that might otherwise pass you by.  Just thinking of myself, if I saw a module on a shelf that just looked like a Japanese mythology/history-based RPG, I would probably pass it by.  If I saw a module advertising itself as a Japanese horror-based RPG, I might take a look, and if I then saw that the module had some seriously messed up content - as well as looking well put-together, professional, etc - I'd be far more intrigued than if I'd found some tame, tepid attempt at horror (whoo it's a yurei, spoooky!).  Pool of Dead Children?  Wait a second, this designer has some guts!

Just speaking as an individual; I have no marketing training whatsoever.  Just random thoughts.

As someone who does have a bit of marketing training I'd agree with you on this Steerpike. Doing separate modules like this can widen your potential fan base. And remember, Kaidan is supposed to be horror anyhow so darkening it up won't discomfort people as much as darkening up a classical fantasy setting would. They're already going into it expecting at least some degree of horror. All you're offering them here is a module that turns the horror dial to 11.

Well, I'm just exploring the idea of doing something really dark.

For the time being, the setting is plenty dark without having to cross the line. There are plenty of mature subjects, however, everything is treated lightly with a vagueness. I don't have to specify the gore, I think giving subtle hints, makes things more horrifying when the realization by the player as to what's really going on is left up to their imaginations. I don't have to be explicit, I merely have to touch upon the subject, suggest in minimal terms what the viewer sees.

I don't want to revel in the darkness. Also I don't want to overbear the dark implications. There is plenty of opportunity for nomral adventuring, monster slaying, treasure finding, interspersed with dark elements.

GP

Quote from: Gamer PrintshopI don't want to revel in the darkness. Also I don't want to overbear the dark implications. There is plenty of opportunity for nomral adventuring, monster slaying, treasure finding, interspersed with dark elements.

True but remember if you're doing a module that's something separate of the main setting itself and if said module's focus was to be horrific then you sort of do want to revel a little bit in the dark. having "normal adventuring, monster slaying, treasure finding, etc" is fine but it would be a bit bland I think if you didn't put some of that on the back burner from time to time to let other aspects (in this case horror) shine out.