Top 20 Sales on DriveThru RPG - Part 2 - Swinging and... Hits?

In finishing this two-post series, I had to modify my thought process. To recap, every time someone clicks a link to DriveThruRPG I make a small amount of money. This occurs every time someone goes from a link here to a product on DriveThruRPG, even if it isn't the product I posted about. 

For example, on the left are links to my products. If someone clicks one of those links but ultimately decides to purchase a completely different product, I still receive a small amount of income. What started this two-post series was the realization that MOST people do not buy what I suggest. I shouldn't be surprised because a review should say why you might like something, not that you will like it. Add in the fact that authors also have varied interests, you will likely see something vaguely related to one of my reviews and enjoy that item more. 

As I mentioned before, this was actually a top 26. I removed my 6 products from the list. This website is dedicated to selling my things. Today that thing is this post, not my books, with the links off to the top left on every stinking page! Yes, I am bad at marketing and I am ok with it. 

To recap, within items 20 down to 11, I only reviewed one item and own only two. Let's count down from 10 to 1 with one hiccup. It seems that 4 of 10 books are part of a series, so I grouped them together. 

Number 10 was Savage Worlds Adventure Edition. I have exactly one post about Savage Worlds and it wasn't a review. The system was used for a Flash Gordon-themed game at a local con. It is a funny story though. Click here to read it. 

This is a jump to 8, as nine pairs with another title appearing high on the list. 8 was A Guide to Thieves' Guilds by Todd Leback. I own this and meant to review it but did not. 

Legendary Bloodragers was number 7. This is a Pathfinder book that I am not familiar with at all. 

Number 6 isn't a surprise to me, but it was not a topic I normally cover here. It was Shadowrun: Better Than Bad (Deep Shadows). This should be no surprise as Shadowrun hit its 30th Anniversary in May of 2019. There was a special banner for it and just a few months later COVID kicked us all and my web stats went nuts:

There was a bit of a lag in the data, there was a small uptick in March followed by that massive spike in May. I started posting daily between March and May which might explain some of it. 

Number 4 was Filling in the Blanks, which I reviewed back in March of 2021. I also fell in love with the cover art and end up posting about Jenna Drummond's artwork. 

Into the Wild was 3 and another excellent product that I reviewed. This one was special because we all received a preview of the product on Kickstart. It also features Jenna Drummond's artwork on the cover, which I love just as much as the other covers in the series. 

The last 4 items were surprising, the Game Outbreak. Nine was Outbreak: Undead Starter Kit Card Set, and five was Outbreak: Undead 2nd Ed - Pocket Book. Two and one were Outbreak: Undead 2nd Edition - GM's Pocket Book and Outbreak: Undead 2nd Edition - Survivors Guide. The card set and the Survivor's Guide don't seem to be available. 

This is a big surprise as I love The Walking Dead and zombie films in general but I have never posted about them here. Maybe I should start posting about these sorts of things. 

Anyway, thank you again for your continued support in this strange adventure. 

Top 20 Sales on DriveThru RPG - Part 1 - Swinging and Missing

When I start an idea, I often have an idea of where something will end or at least how it should go. Not so with affiliate links and such. I've bombed out affiliate sales so many times, I don't even know what to think. My website does not have a lot of traction with cross-sales, all my readers care about is gaming. They totally don't care about non-gaming books, movies, or Legos. 

DriveThruRPG is my most significant revenue stream. So, I must know a lot about it... 

Yeah, no. 

Here is the funny bit. I've reviewed hundreds of products from DriveThruRPG. It would be reasonable to assume that most of my revenue would come from these. It was easy enough to run a top 20 report and see how effective this tactic is. I actually had to run the top 26, to remove my own six products.

Obviously, a whole website revolving around my products is a good way to sell products. Even I know that much.   

With my products removed, number 20 was How to Hexcrawl. My Review of this can be found here. It was really gratifying to see that my reviews were moving product. 

Well, that is where my assumptions and hopes ended. 

19 was a product called Easy Settlements. I purchased it to do a review but for whatever reason, I did not. It's a really nice and helpful product, it packs a lot of details into just 14 pages. As an added bonus it is system and theme agnostic. It just rocketed to the top of my "To Review List".  

Next at 18 is Downcrawl. Never heard of it, but the description is interesting. It's a generator for open-ended adventures. As an added bonus, it comes in pdf and soft cover. Since I lost most of my books, this makes Downcrawl an attractive title. Maybe I'll buy it on payday. 

# 17 was Dishonored: The Roleplaying Game Core Rulebook. Again, I have no familiarity with this title. From the description, it sounds like it would be perfect for a Gray Mouser or perhaps a Thieves World Adventure. 

Again, this is something I find attractive yet I didn't write about it. 

The rest of the list goes the same way. From 11 to 20, I reviewed exactly one title. Here is the rest of the list, with the links leading to DriveThruRPG: 

16. Berlin - The Wicked City
15. The Codex of the Black Sun: Sorcery for Stars Without Number
14. The Black Hack Second Edition
13. Outbreak: Undead 2nd Edition - Gamemaster's Guide
12. Knave
11. Barbarians of the Ruined Earth (Standard Cover)

This is a very curious collection of works. Of the 10 titles, I only have 2 own two. What I find interesting about this part of the top 20 is I can see how these titles run parallel to subjects and topics I really enjoy. Except for one, I don't care for the setting of Berlin. I do love Zombies. Traveler (but not to play) and the concept of a Dying Earth. 

Clearly, I am not reading my audience, and my audience is not guiding me, it seems we are on a parallel adventure together. That is really cool. 

Stay tuned for the next half of the top 20 list. Click here to read. 

Top Ten Posts of 2022

I had hoped to go out this evening, but the bitter cold is killing my shoulder. I had wanted to throw so dice and push mecha around. Instead of that, I will do a Top Ten list.  

I've never done a top-ten list for two reasons: 

1. Google Docs Templates for D&D

2. TGT-1415C-1 Embark 9Person Tent by HKD International

What the heck are those? 

The first is a post about a great D&D 3.5 found in Google Docs, by Benjamin Connell. At some point, Google Docs changed its search format making everything hard to find, which meant coming to a website like this is a good choice for content. Damn you, Google. I really think that it is a good public service to provide great links to content, and Benjamin Connell’s 3.5 D&D character sheet is amazing content. I've thought about deleting it, but I would be doing a disservice to 3.5 fans. 

The next item is a walk-through post on my favorite tent. This tent went on dozens of trips and graced our backyard when we weren't on trips. It was one of my all-time favorite Christmas gifts. It died a good death, we wore it out. We probably spent 365 days in that tent over all the years. I'd take the post down but it has been on one or more of my websites for a ridiculously long time. 

These two posts are my highest clicked posts every year for many, many years. I guess it's time to just ignore them for the next 10 posts. 

Number 10 is a surprise entry, a fragment of a short story called Ghouls. I don't often write fiction on the blog. This post is one of my favorites as it uses a trick I learned to embed a Google Doc into a webpage. The downside of this is, everyone can see when I edit the file. 

This short follows the adventures of Rolf, a cleric of Mercury, and his family against a wild and creepy threat in the forest. 

Number 9. Question From The Hive Mind - Variable Damage in B/X. In this post, I weigh the pros and cons of variable weapon damage. I am solidly on the side of variable weapon damage, but there are some wonderful side effects of not permitting it. I have a collection of house rules to offset the difference between the two styles of play, hopefully realizing the best of both. 

8. Finally, a review! In The Hollow Of The Spider Queen is a great little solo game Powered by the Apocalypse. It's nice to see reviews in the top 10 because of a stupid promise I made to myself. In 2021, I tried to post 52 reviews, one a week. Then my house burned down. Ultimately, I was successful, but it was a success that stung a bit. Like a spider bite you can't itch. 

7. Next up is another House Rule entry: Refined House Rule Armor Class in Old School Essentials. I have a ton of house rules and to be honest, it feels strange to see this one in the top 10. It was posted at the beginning of December and cracked the top 10 of the same year. That makes me super happy. 

Number 6 doesn't surprise me at all. A Review of Hexcrawl Basics by Todd Leback. If you need a good intro to hexcrawling, this is a good one. 

Number 5. This is a review entitled: "Oh, Dear. What Happened? Review of Farscape Roleplaying Game". Sometimes a favorite has worts. This game is 99.9% D&D 3.5. In fact, it really wouldn't be hard to use Benjamin Connell's D&D sheet at the top of this post for Farscape. It'd be weird, but not hard. That is fun of 3.x D&D. It's a great tool kit. 

4. I have over a hundred reviews on this website and I am really glad to Necrotic Gnome's Old School Essentials Advanced Fantasy at the top of the list. The OSE rules are amazing and now my go-to ruleset. If I am doing fantasy, OSE is my game. 

3. Up next is another review. The Review of Into the Wild (Kickstarter Complete!). This was my first foray into Kickstarter and it was perfect. The book holds a special place in my heart because it survived our house fire sitting out on a table. It does smell vaguely of laundry soap and campfire, something I don't mention in the subsequent mocking posts about another Kickstart by Todd Leback. I flat-out claim that Todd Leback's books are fire-resistant, which is maybe a lie. 

Good fun, though. If you don't laugh at some things, you'll go crazy. 

2. Sundiver By David Brin Review. This is one of my favorite books of all time, and for it to be number two on this amazes me. I can't believe how many hits this book review got. This review is strictly by the numbers, so I am really happy with how far up the list it is. As a bonus, David Brin is on MeWe and you can follow him. I'd be remiss if I didn't share a second review, GURPS Uplift an RPG based on the books.  

I have to say, I didn't plan it this way but... now for the ad. 

Number 1 on this list is a post about a title I made available on DriveThruRPG called The Hex Pack. The title of the post is "And another thing... 6 Mile Hex pack". Yeah, number one is one of my products and that really should surprise no one. But it does. Let me tell you a secret, you can totally skip this post. I won't even link to my #1. 

Back at item 2, I gave you three links because of the surprise, wonder, and sense of discovery I had at realizing the readers love something I love. What a great thing.  

What I would really like you to do is check out Steamtunnel's The Hydra's Grotto and his post about 6-mile hexes. This was my source of inspiration not just for a product I made, but it was also THE THING that inspired me to review Todd Leback's Hexcrawl books. In turn, those review couple of review inspired me to continue post reviews through all the wacky and crappy things that happened in 2021-2022. 

It's an amazing thing to be a part of the OSR community. It really gives me a sense of awe and wonder, exactly like the first time I sat down to play a game with people that loved the fun of imagination. 

Review - Dragon Snack Games

2024 Edit - Dragon Snack has closed. You can check out their Facebook page for details. I hear they are going to reopen under new ownership. 

The goal is to have a review a week. My idea was to do a review of books, movies, and games every week for 2021. This is week two and I have 3 already and a list of 52 on deck to go. 

This is a bonus post because I didn't set out to review stores. This post is without remuneration, I have no affiliation with Dragon Snack games but I am purchasing a lot of material from them to fuel this thing. I have a shortlist of stores I need to visit in the near future, so expect to see more store reviews in the future. 

Name: Dragon Snack Games
Location: 3908 Maple Rd, Buffalo, NY 14226
Phone: (716) 833-0740
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/dragonsnackgames/

January 1st, 2021 I needed something to do. I had the chance to stop into Dragon Snack Games to make some game purchases. I had never been there before and had no idea what to expect. 

Normally, I'd call this "a trip to The Shop", but Dragon Snack is much more than a "shop". It's huge. I was the only shopper probably because of the holiday and that wide open space threw me for a loop. 

On entry, there is a closeout section in front of the register loaded with stuff I want. I bumbled my way past it and onto the dozen or more racks that line the center of the store. They have a bit of everything from books to figures. I was so Woww'ed by what I saw, I am unable to process everything I saw. The outer walls are lined with shelves loaded with books, games, and puzzles. Maybe some models, too.

They have a small selection of paints and figure supplies, but this is a highly qualified statement. It was several shelves and racks, easily enough to fill a 10 by 10 room. 

Unlike other "game shops" Dragon Snack Games is open, airy, and brightly lit. I was easily able to make up a list of 50 things I wanted on entry and ticked off a list of 50 more items I saw that I now wanted after browsing the shelves. To say their selection is ample is an understatement. Prices are on par with other outlets or websites. If they are more expensive than online retailers, it's tiny and worth the experience.  

The back of the store is dedicated to either in-store gameplay or some sort of DIY activities, I was not able to tell as it was not in use due to Covid. I can't wait to go back after this mess is over. 

Quirks: In addition to being brightly lit and spacious, they play Sisters of Mercy and have a large glass screen between the cashier and the customer. It is completely touchless. I was surprised when the cashier asked me to turn the boxes around so she could read the price. Real, really touchless. It was one of the best touchless shopping experiences I have ever had. Probably on par with something you'd see at a massive company like Disney. 

Yeah, that feels about right. It's the Disney World of Game shops in my mind. 

Map: 

Review of Daniel K. Richter’s Ordeal of the Longhouse

     Daniel Richter did not set out to write a book about the Iroquois. In taking on the daunting task, he constructs a compelling history of people who “found themselves caught up by economic, political, and demographic forces over which they had little control”. Richter explains how the Iroquois met these challenges or ordeals, often with unique geographical and cultural advantages, with adaptation and changes unlike other people in the region. These were not unique advantages to the Iroquois. What set them apart from others was their ability to hold on to these advantages for so long.
     Richter treats the Iroquois as if they were newly come to North America, placing them on the same footing as Europeans. Additionally, he cautions the reader against reading the phrases “the Iroquois” or “the Five Nations” as a singular or uniform entity but as a leader or collective of leaders and persons working within their self-defined political authority. Richter’s premise was to re-envision the Iroquois’ creative adaptations to situations by highlighting what he calls “a double trio of geographical and cultural advantages”.
     By Richter’s own admission, the seventeenth and eighteenth century politics and policies of the Iroquois descended into a confusing array of system, people and points, all in flux. While he authored a survey of primary source materials, he sought to maintain the flavor of the thoughts and ideas of the Iroquois. Throughout, Richter stays true to making the voice of the Iroquois audible in his work.
To this end, this book is punctuated with 22 plates, 7 maps, methodological comments, 104 pages of notes and 26 pages of biographical information. At one point Richter labels his own work “slim” and “pedantic”. He could added “humble”. The Ordeal of the Longhouse is well paced, excellently reasoned and designed, while remaining accessible to the average reader.
     Richter's “slim” book is rich in detail, wonderful in exposition of the plight and firmness of the Iroquois culture against the wave of European forces arrayed against them. Richter weaves an excellent story of historical facts and apt observation and analysis.

Book Review List

I am compiling a list of book reviews I plan to launch this summer. I am starting with a classic by Ritcher. Right now, I am editing the first review for publication on Friday. Check back for more updates.

Book Reviews

1. Review of Daniel K. Richter’s Ordeal of the Longhouse
2. Review of Lakota Moon by Gregory F. Michno
3. Review of Duane Schultz’s Month of the Freezing Moon
4. Review of Howard H. Peckham’s The Colonial Wars, 1689-1762
5. Review of Leo Tolstoy’s Hadji Murat.
6. Review of Richard M. Ketchum’s Saratoga: Turning Point of America's Revolutionary War,
7. Review of Martin Bruegel’s Farm, Shop, Landing: The Rise of a Market Society in the Hudson Valley, 1780–1860
8. Buddha, Jesus and Muhammad Paul Gwynne
9. The Storm Before the Storm Mike Duncan
10. The Delikon H.M. Hoover
11. Workers Go Shopping in Argentina,
12. Age of Youth in Argentina
13. Children of Facundo
14. SPQR Mary Beard
15. The Legacy of Conquest
16. Buying into the Regime
17. The Country of Football
18. Creating a Common Table

Movie reviews:

1. Blessed by Blood.
2. Battleship Potemkin