Comments on: Dollar woes and RPG spending http://d7.pipemaze.com/blog/2008/10/22/dollar-woes-and-rpg-spending/ Odds and ends of roleplaying Sun, 07 Feb 2010 04:51:52 -0800 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.8.5 hourly 1 By: Tyler http://d7.pipemaze.com/blog/2008/10/22/dollar-woes-and-rpg-spending/comment-page-1/#comment-940 Tyler Wed, 11 Nov 2009 14:26:28 +0000 http://d7.pipemaze.com/blog/?p=299#comment-940 I'm a huge fan of printed material. It's the only way I can really focus on and absorb information in a lasting way. If economic necessities force RPG publishers to produce mainly electronic documents, I'd probably drop out of the "contemporary" end of the hobby altogether and fall back on older books from the era of print. I’m a huge fan of printed material. It’s the only way I can really focus on and absorb information in a lasting way. If economic necessities force RPG publishers to produce mainly electronic documents, I’d probably drop out of the “contemporary” end of the hobby altogether and fall back on older books from the era of print.

]]> By: d7 http://d7.pipemaze.com/blog/2008/10/22/dollar-woes-and-rpg-spending/comment-page-1/#comment-79 d7 Thu, 23 Oct 2008 21:26:12 +0000 http://d7.pipemaze.com/blog/?p=299#comment-79 I like books too. The trouble I have with a PDF is that it's nearly useless for evangelising about a new game. Sure, I can give someone a copy of the PDF, but that's counter-productive when I'm trying to get more people interested in a game and to support the publisher. Since I'm my group's sole point of contact with all things indie, and that the kind of stuff I want to play more of, PDFs just don't do the job. A physical book, on the other hand, is a powerful tool for convincing someone to give a game a look. You can forget about a PDF on a keydrive someone stuck on there for you, but it's harder to ignore the physical book the GM stuffed into your bag after the last session of the group's usual game. On a tangent, I can't wait for cheap, ubiquitous digital ink document viewers. I like books too. The trouble I have with a PDF is that it’s nearly useless for evangelising about a new game. Sure, I can give someone a copy of the PDF, but that’s counter-productive when I’m trying to get more people interested in a game and to support the publisher. Since I’m my group’s sole point of contact with all things indie, and that the kind of stuff I want to play more of, PDFs just don’t do the job.

A physical book, on the other hand, is a powerful tool for convincing someone to give a game a look. You can forget about a PDF on a keydrive someone stuck on there for you, but it’s harder to ignore the physical book the GM stuffed into your bag after the last session of the group’s usual game.

On a tangent, I can’t wait for cheap, ubiquitous digital ink document viewers.

]]> By: Michael M http://d7.pipemaze.com/blog/2008/10/22/dollar-woes-and-rpg-spending/comment-page-1/#comment-78 Michael M Thu, 23 Oct 2008 21:05:44 +0000 http://d7.pipemaze.com/blog/?p=299#comment-78 I'm in accord with newbidm on this one. Iron Crown Enterprises (I'm a fanboy, sorry) has already jumped on the PDF market, and has nearly their entire line of products on PDF--even ones that have been out of print. PDF prices are 50% of the paperback prices, so a full rulebook costs about $15. The only problem with electronic retail is that your product is already in a pirate-able form. There are ways to fight this, but they become cumbersome; but I'm rambling. Our hobby likes books. And our hobby--I believe--will strive to continue to produce books, and sell them to game stores. Even IF PDFs are cheaper, isn't walking into the store and flipping through the pages, talking to the clerk, and walking out with that nice, heavy bag with receipt worth all the while? The only reason we stopped using video rentals is because Netflix has a great rate. But there's something I'm going to miss about browsing through the video section (The Onion News Network online did a great take on this). Despite the move to PDF market, RPG companies will (they better!) continue to create books. I’m in accord with newbidm on this one. Iron Crown Enterprises (I’m a fanboy, sorry) has already jumped on the PDF market, and has nearly their entire line of products on PDF–even ones that have been out of print. PDF prices are 50% of the paperback prices, so a full rulebook costs about $15.

The only problem with electronic retail is that your product is already in a pirate-able form. There are ways to fight this, but they become cumbersome; but I’m rambling.

Our hobby likes books. And our hobby–I believe–will strive to continue to produce books, and sell them to game stores. Even IF PDFs are cheaper, isn’t walking into the store and flipping through the pages, talking to the clerk, and walking out with that nice, heavy bag with receipt worth all the while?

The only reason we stopped using video rentals is because Netflix has a great rate. But there’s something I’m going to miss about browsing through the video section (The Onion News Network online did a great take on this). Despite the move to PDF market, RPG companies will (they better!) continue to create books.

]]> By: RPG Ike http://d7.pipemaze.com/blog/2008/10/22/dollar-woes-and-rpg-spending/comment-page-1/#comment-77 RPG Ike Wed, 22 Oct 2008 21:26:20 +0000 http://d7.pipemaze.com/blog/?p=299#comment-77 I hear ya. I just heard on the radio that we're under 80 cents US. It sucks. Nice to see another Canadian on the Network, though. :) I hear ya. I just heard on the radio that we’re under 80 cents US. It sucks.

Nice to see another Canadian on the Network, though. :)

]]> By: newbiedm http://d7.pipemaze.com/blog/2008/10/22/dollar-woes-and-rpg-spending/comment-page-1/#comment-76 newbiedm Wed, 22 Oct 2008 20:42:48 +0000 http://d7.pipemaze.com/blog/?p=299#comment-76 I think the PDF market stands to gain the most from this downturn, if they don't get greedy. They are relatively cheap to produce, and there is an unlimited supply. If the price is right, why not go that route? I think the PDF market stands to gain the most from this downturn, if they don’t get greedy.
They are relatively cheap to produce, and there is an unlimited supply.
If the price is right, why not go that route?

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