Operation Misanthrope
The Manifesto | 24 September 2024
Nothing to See Here
Several people have noted that I am in the process of burning things to the ground while quietly consolidating and rebuilding other areas of the business. Operation Misanthrope is a publishing initiative that is, but also isn’t, an unfurling spiral of words that may or may not have been written. It moves through spaces that might exist, or perhaps they don’t, guided by a clock that ticks backward, sideways, or not at all. Content is released, or maybe withheld, depending on the alignment of ideas with non-ideas. Each project is an abstract shape that dissolves into sound, or silence, before being consumed by those who both read and un-read simultaneously. It isn’t mass or niche, it’s the space between where meaning gets lost in the shuffle of form without function. The initiative follows no path, or perhaps it follows every path, converging at a point that’s both nowhere and everywhere, always on time for deadlines that haven’t been set. You won’t see it, but it’s already there, lingering in the periphery of a thought you forgot to have.
Most Likely Human Made
At some point, DriveThruRPG decided to slap a new section under product details, right beneath the authors and artists, where they now inform us whether something is, and I quote, "Most Likely Human Made." I have no idea how they’re figuring this out—do they have some secret test? And let’s be real, it's not going to stop the conspiracy theorists who “just know” if something is AI-generated based on the vibe alone. But hey, at least it feels like someone’s got my back. Being cautious is one thing; going full witchhunt is another. Tossing shade at real, flesh-and-blood creators because a word or phrase feels a little too AI-ish? That’s just plain rude.
As a bit of a joke, I’m now adding “This book was written by a human” to the indicia of everything I publish. This both entertains and mildly irritates me, because I know some wild-eyed loon out there is going to take it as ironclad proof of some absurd cover-up, convinced I’m actually a Chinese robot plotting to destroy... something? Who knows what they're worked up about today. Oh, and from now on, whenever I have to check a box for my race, I’m ticking “Other” and writing in “Most Likely Human.”
Pricing Adjustments
After a top-secret meeting with my Friends in the Industry™ (Which friends? What industry? We’re not accepting questions at this time), I’ve decided to standardize the price of digital roleplaying games (Foragers Guild: Gold, DoubleZero: Gold, Ghostlight, etc.) at $15.99 USD, and sourcebooks (Using Themes, Outcomes & Story, etc.) at $9.99 USD. The price of print-on-demand? That’s still up in the air, but I’m doing my best to keep it as low as humanly possible—or robotically possible, depending on who you ask.
Frequently Asked Questions, Updated
After spending what feels like an eternity answering brain-busting questions of the “is your water wet” variety, I’ve finally reached my breaking point. So, I’ve taken the time to thoroughly and completely overhaul the FAQ section of the website. You’re welcome. It now covers everything from the painfully obvious to the needlessly specific, so that hopefully—hopefully—I never have to explain the concept of water or its wetness again. If you still find yourself needing to ask something that’s already been answered there, I can only assume you’re doing it for sport. Click this link to go to the new FAQ page.
New Releases
We didn’t release anything last week, for reasons the smart folks out there can probably figure out without a full breakdown. Thanks to the machinations of Operation Misanthrope, I’m aiming to get at least one book out this week and get back to something that resembles a reliable schedule ASAP. Fingers crossed.
Thank You
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