Indie DCC Publisher Hub

With more than 150 Indie Kickstarters launched, DCC is the second-most popular TTRPG game system on Kickstarter! You can join this energizing community by publishing under our DCC Indie publisher license. Goodman Games offers this royalty-free license for Indie publishers to support Dungeon Crawl Classics, Mutant Crawl Classics, and Xcrawl Classics! Bookmark this page since it’s your master source for all Indie Publisher content.

Summary of the License and Support

The DCC Indie Publisher license has existed since 2011 and has been copied by many other publishers, yet offers several unique aspects that make it particularly appealing to creators. For example:

• The license is free and requires Goodman Games to approve the final product. The most important criteria for obtaining approval is producing quality material of interest to our fans. We approve all well-intentioned creations.
• We encourage brand-new creators to take the plunge! It’s perfectly fine (and, in fact, encouraged) for you to use this license to publish your very first product. Welcome to our publishing family! You’ll only get better as you get more experienced.
• We purchase copies of your physical product to sell in our online store and at conventions. We offer generous terms.
• We will help support your Kickstarter with advice and promotion via our website, social media, and newsletters.
• We occasionally organize indie DCC publisher webinars where you can learn from peers and experts.

Email us at info@goodman-games.com for a full copy of the license!

How To Publish

Once you’ve written your own DCC material, what do you do next? Here are some resources to begin publishing.

• There are hundreds of DCC and MCC Indie books available in our online store. Click here to browse them and become inspired. 
• There is a thriving community of creators on the DCC RPG Rocks Facebook page. Join in!
• Watch episodes of The Scrivenary where existing creators offer advice on publishing.
• We have done shows in the past with additional advice. This video on Getting Started With Third-Party Publishing is a great introduction.
• Here is another helpful presentation on How To Be An Awesome Game Designer  
• Look for events that will help promote your crowdfunding. For example, Kickstarter typically runs a Zinequest event every February where they spotlight new small-press projects.

FAQ – Frequently Asked Questions

Here are questions we’ve been asked over the years. If you have additional questions, email us at info@goodman-games.com!

FAQ – Creative Content

Are there certain items from the published DCC material I’m allowed to use? (Or not?) In general, you can use any DCC, MCC, or XCC rules mechanics, but proper nouns and “named characters” are off limits. However, we have granted exceptions to this rule, especially when someone has a really cool idea. Email us if you’re unsure.

Can I republish stats, spell results, or other material from the core rulebook? In general we ask that you don’t directly reprint material from the core rulebook. Create your own new material!

Can I offer the product for other systems in tandem with publishing it for DCC? In general, yes! We find that most publishers who do this discover DCC outsells almost all other systems.

Is it okay to suggest in advertising that the material can easily be converted to other game systems? Yes, that is fine.

How can I find artists or writers? Start by posting to the Goodman Games social media sites. You can also email info@goodman-games.com for recommendations. Watch for our periodic publishing events where we’ll put you in touch with them. It can also be extremely rewarding to attend conventions and directly make contact with prospective artists and writers. Gary Con, Gen Con, Gamehole Con, and Origins can be particularly useful in this regard.

FAQ – Licensing Process

What does the process of “approval” look like? We ask that you email us a PDF of your finished product. Showing us versions prior to “final” is optional and up to you. If you new or unsure, it is okay to email us a draft manuscript earlier in the process. If you intend to launch a Kickstarter, we ask that you email us a draft of the Kickstarter page at least two weeks before it goes live.

Is there more than one license? Yes, there are three licenses: one for DCC, one for MCC, and one for XCC. The license fundamentals are very similar but the trademarks involved in each are different, so you have to sign the license appropriate to what you’re publishing.

What logo can I use? You can use the appropriate compatibility logo. We will send you a high-resolution print-ready version when your project is approved.

FAQ – Book Production

Am I allowed to use my own ISBN or barcode? Yes!

What should I choose for an MSRP? (Manufacturer Standard Retail Price) We encourage you to look at the marketplace and your own costs to decide this. There are many existing Indie products in our online store to consult for comparison.

What kind of paper do you print on? What are your printing specs? In the past our books have typically been printed on 60# or 70# uncoated text stock (or GSM equivalent). We are currently converting to FSC stock, which is from sustainably harvested forests. In most cases our future books will be printed on 60# FSC-certified uncoated paper stock. Our “skinny modules” utilize 10 pt C1S stock for covers, with gloss lamination on the outer cover. Hardcovers are casebound with adhesive and Smythe-sewn binding.

What are the layout specs for DCC adventures? Here are the specs:

DCC House Style (layout)

• Body copy: Book Antiqua, 10 point (italics for read-aloud text)
• Chapter headers: Duvall, 24 pt, all caps
• Section headers: Duvall Bold, 14 point, all caps
• Section subheaders: Duvall Bold, 14 point, small caps
• Area titles: Cooper Std Black, 10 pt
• Drop Caps: Romantique Initials, 48 pt, capitalize
• OGL and credits: Futura and Futura Condensed, 9 pt or smaller
• Two columns of text, printed 100% black
• 0.1″ Space After paragraphs

Can you recommend a good printer? Certainly! We print with PrintPapa for our short runs and convention specials. For most “skinny modules” and some hardcovers we work with Walsworth Publishing. For boxed sets and many hardcovers we work with Regent Publishing.

FAQ – Sales and Marketing

How do I get Goodman Games to spotlight our product on your Twitch channels, web site, newsletter, and so on? In general, simply make a point of communicating with us! If you record videos helping to sell your product, we’re happy to share it. Just remember: if you don’t email us at info@goodman-games.com, we probably don’t know about it.

How do I ensure my product is salable on the Goodman Games online store and at conventions? There are a few simple things that will ensure your books are easy for us to sell. Print a price on the back cover. Print a SKU code on the back cover (for example, the DCC core rulebook has GMG5070 printed on the back cover). If you can get an ISBN bar code, please print it on the back cover. Be prepared to send us cover art at 1200 pixels wide, or, even better, an attractive photograph of your product. Finally, you’ll need to complete this product setup spreadsheet.

What are best-in-class examples of online selling graphics? We have learned that product photography tends to sell better than flat cover art. The more you can show the dimensionality and physicality of your product, the better consumers understand what you’re offering them. This is especially true of products that have physical appeal, such as boxed sets, multi-booklet sets, thick hardcovers, miniatures and other three-dimensional items. “Lifestyle shots” showing the products in use or in an appropriate setting can also be popular, but make sure not to let the imagery get too cluttered. Here are some examples of what we consider strong examples of online selling graphics.

• Examples of product images (click to enlarge):

Can you display a selling video for my product? Yes! We’re happy to embed a selling video on your product page, and spotlight it where possible. You should upload the video to YouTube and send us the link when you send in your product info.

• Examples of selling videos from Goodman Games and Indie Publishers:

If I am crowdfunding a product before it is completely done, can I get pre-approval for the indoe license so I can include the logo in my crowdfunding video/page? Yes, definitely! Please send us a draft of your product and a draft of the Kickstarter page at least two weeks before it launches.

If I add content to the approved product because of stretch goals reached in a crowdfunding campaign, do I need to resubmit for final approval? Yes, please! We’d like to see the final version. If your initial submission was approved it is likely your final submission will also be approved.

FAQ – Shipping and Logistics 

What is the basic process for shipping inventory for the Goodman Games online store? Goodman Games purchases inventory from indie DCC publishers to sell in our online store. In select circumstances we may also sell inventory on consignment to distributors. The basic process is as follows: 

• Wait until you receive a purchase order (PO) from Goodman Games. 
• Ship your products, carefully packed with a packing list (see below), to the shipping address. The shipping address is typically our warehouse in Fort Wayne, IN. Check your paperwork and make sure you ship to the correct address. Do not ship product to our billing address in San Rafael, CA. 
• On the same day that your products ship out, e-mail an invoice to invoices@goodman-games.com. 
• Make sure you have emailed the necessary item setup information to info@goodman-games.com. In order for us to set up your item for sale, we need the Excel item setup form completed, as well as high-res cover art and (in most cases) a PDF. We also recommend secondary product shots, photographs, and videos as noted above. 

How should I pack and ship an order? You should pack orders so securely that not a single book suffers even the slightest damage. Here are some simple rules for packing an order: 

• Use far more packaging material than you think is necessary. It’s hard to overstate how important this is. Use a ridiculous amount of packaging material. We encourage compostable or reusable materials instead of Styrofoam or plastic. But whatever you use, use a lot of it. 
• Pick up your packaged box and shake it violently (yes, VIOLENTLY) for about 5 minutes straight. If the result is any damage to the books enclosed, then you have not packed the books securely. This test is LESS handling than shipments usually receive “in real life.” A box on a UPS truck driving 60 mph down the highway will typically be shaken violently for potentially hours on end.  
• “Damage” is defined as any visible scuff or mark. Any visible scuff or mark. A dented corner, a bit of flattening on the spine, or an abrasion on the cover are all reasons that a customer or retailer may return a book, so we do not accept books in this condition.  
• We follow the “Christmas present test.” Remember shaking presents on Christmas morning to see what is in them? You should be able to shake your box violently and hear literally no movement. If your books are so well packaged that a good long shake means you hear no sounds and no movement, then they will likely survive the freight process with no damage. 

What if books arrived damaged? We do not pay for damaged books. We also don’t sell damaged books to our retailers or distributors. If you ship products in a way that they arrive damaged, it is your responsibility to replace them, and arrange for pickup or freight costs on the damaged copies if you would like them returned. 

Should I include a packing list? Yes. Every shipment to the Goodman Games warehouse should include a packing list. A packing list is very simple: it lists the SKU, title, and quantity of each item enclosed in the shipment. The packing list should be on the exterior of the box in a packing list blister (such as these commonly available versions sold by Uline) or placed inside one of the boxes that is clearly labeled with “packing list enclosed.” Please do not make our team search every box to find a packing list, and please do not make us have to count everything in the order. If you can’t enclose a packing list, email a packing list with your package’s tracking info to ftwaynewarehouse@goodman-games.com before the package ships out. We receive many packages each day, so an emailed packing list is only useful if is accompanied with the tracking info that corresponds to that packing list. 

Should the SKU and ISBN be printed on a book? YES! Please make sure every book is printed with a SKU code, as well as a bar code based on an ISBN (not EAN or UPC). This information should be printed on the back cover, typically on the bottom third. Look at every professionally published RPG book (include pretty much everything Goodman Games publishes) for an example. This aids immensely in every step of the process, especially on the warehousing and logistics side. 

How do I send an invoice? Email your invoice to invoices@goodman-games.com. Here is a standard format you can follow for the invoice.

FAQ – Distribution Operations

What is a SKU code?
A SKU code is a way to identify your product in a distributor’s catalogue. It typically consists of a three-digit alpha and a 4 to 6 digit numeric. For example, the SKU code for the DCC RPG core rulebook is GMG5070. The SKU code is typically printed on the back of the game product. It is in addition to the product title and ISBN or EAN. You register with the SMH to receive the three digit alpha, and it is important to ensure this is unique and does not overlap with another publisher’s abbreviation. It is up to you to assign the numerics. It is extremely important that a SKU code be used only once, for a single product, and never repeat. If you do a leather or foil variant cover for a title, that variant cover should have a different SKU code. 

How do I register for a SKU abbreviation?
You can register for your three-letter publisher abbreviation, known as a Standard Manufacturer Code, at the hobbysmc.com site. Use this direct link [[hyperlink to https://hobbysmc.com ]] . 

What is the difference between shipping and billing address?
Many distributors (and publishers) have a warehouse which is a separate physical location than their office. The shipping address is the warehouse address to which you ship the product. The billing address is where you send the invoice. 

What is a “street date”?
The street date is the date where a product is offered for sale by retailers. Typically the publisher sets this date to ensure that all sales channels have a fair chance to offer the product for sale. For example, let’s imagine that the street date is March 1 for Product X. A retailer who receives Product X in a shipment from their distributor on February 25 should hold Product X in their back room until March 1, then put it up for sale when they open on March 1.  

When should my product arrive at the distributor’s warehouse, and how does that relate to the street date?
In short, your product should arrive at the distributor’s warehouse several weeks before the ship date. If you’re shipping from the Goodman Games warehouse, your product should be in our warehouse at least 6-8 weeks before the ship date. Why? Well, each step in the process takes time. In order for the retailer to get ready for the street date, they need to receive stock from UPS or FedEx or USPS, open the boxes, apply price stickers or otherwise process stock, then put products on the shelf. This takes a couple days. In order for the distributor to ship the product to the retailer in time for this, the distributor needs to account for the time they need to receive our shipment into inventory, process the invoice, give the retailer time to order, pick and pack the retailer’s order, then allow for the shipping time from their warehouse to the retailer. That could be anywhere from a few days to a few weeks, depending on certain variables. In order for Goodman Games to get products to the distributor on time, we need to ship out approximately two to three dozen deliveries to all the various distributor warehouses. It’s not like there is one big “distributor warehouse”; there are a dozen distributors and each of them has anywhere from 1 to 5 warehouse locations. It takes several days to several weeks to process all those shipments, depending on certain variables.