This sort of thing always sort of wierds me out. Let's face it, 99.99% of people creating in
rpgs are not making good money, sad but true. However, all of those people should know that they are never going to be rich doing what they love. The reward is in the job itself, and if it pays the bills and gives you kudos in the community you love then so much the better.
Which leads me to why there is some odd idea that the people that support their products by buying and playing them should feel some impulse to support them in potential tough times, times that almost every person could succumb to. Why game designers, what about out of work actors or musicians? What about the guy that runs the cafe down the road where you get your morning coffee who's hitting hard times since starbucks moved in?
To go even further out on a limb - what would be say about bankrolling Luke Gygax over the years? This is an extreme example and is not intended as a personal attack, just bringing up stuff that is a matter of record. I'm walking the dog and on my mobile at the moment so I am dnot doing much in depth research but the numbers are out there for those willing to dig.
How much was
EGG earning from TSR. If Arneson settled for an annual "6 figure sum" in 1981 then the royalties Gygax earned should have been substantial. The average price for a home in the US in 1981 was under 70k. If I were earning money equivalent to twice the cost of a house every year then you better believe my kids would be sorted forever. I'm not talking about ferrari/5 star celebrity lifestyle, just a decent standard of living for your family. We laugh at celebs these days who piss away their millions, is there a real difference? I get that creatives aren't always the best business men but ffs employ someone to look after that side of things for you.
A bit all over the place but it just seems seems so strange to me that people seem willing to put their hands in their pockets for strangers. Don't get me wrong I am more than happy to help out those around me who need it but not people who I don't know who are already doing what they choose to do.
You can never have too much of something you didn't need in the first place.
