Category talk:Source

Are Sources merchandise? I'd originally intended Merchandise to be NON-sources. but I can be convinced... -- Gonzoron 15:25, 30 January 2010 (UTC)

Well, the first question is, are there any sources that are NOT merchandise? That is, any sources that are not bought or sold?DeepShadow 00:52, 31 January 2010 (UTC)

yes, several. Netbooks, for one. Also TSR Gold Map and Before I Wake. Then there's the Category:RPGA stuff too. We don't want them to be merchandise, right? -- Gonzoron 00:59, 31 January 2010 (UTC)

OK, since things can be in multiple categories, I'm going to rule that sources can be merchandise. But I don't think the definition of merchandise should be whether can be bought or sold, but rather if officially exists in a physical form. (Printouts of netbooks or VRGttM wouldn't count, but RPGA modules would, as would the GC modules, even though they are now available for free download. Before I Wake doesn't count, but the TSR Gold Map does. Domains of Dread articles from Dragon online don't count, even though you have to pay for them. Sound like a reasonable distinction?

My original goal here was to have a category for minis, bookmarks, pins, patches, cardboard Strahds, mousepads, etc. Calling those "sources" doesn't seem right to me. I don't think it really matters if some sources are labelled as merchandise too, but it seems wrong to call a netbook merchandise, so I can't just make sources a subcategory of merchandise. There's crossover, but I don't think one is a subset of the other. -- Gonzoron 17:42, 4 February 2010 (UTC)

Not an objection on my part, just a question. I believe that there were a desk of cards of some sort that proved to be the source of several new NPC's and perhaps also the source for the levels, etc. for several existing NPC's. Where would they fit in, as they are actually informative as opposed to a Strahd cutout? Cure 23:25, 4 February 2010 (UTC)

Yes, the TSR collectors cards. I would call that a Source, albeit an apocryphal one. (A lot of it is Questionably canon). The only one I'm not sure about is the Tarokka deck. It's just a bunch of pictures. Not really any more informative than a miniature. Right now it's a source, but maybe it should just be merchandise. -- Gonzoron 00:57, 5 February 2010 (UTC)