> All IMO, not from any discussion with Rick.
I completely agree with everything Ian says here - and, in fact, I said the same thing to Rick myself, just a few days ago.
> So I suspect that the move to electronic formats for niche products
> like RPGs is inevitable. How fast? I suspect it depends on how fast
> readers that are practical at the game table spread. Out of interest
> some of us in our group already use netbook style PCs at the gaming
> table. But small press publishers will have to be early adopters
> because of economics. And we as consumers will have to accept that.
Yes; it's a pain. But, as Ian says, its also pretty much inevitable.
> Another option may be to only print certain core books, such as the
> HQ rules for distribution to stores, and then rely on electronic
> sales for supplements. The idea is to capture the players in the
> store with the basic rules and key supplements, then draw them in.
> If you bought HeroQuest 2 in the stores along with The Sartar Book I
> suspect you might be willing to go the effort to pick up The Coming
> Storm electronically as a campaign for the above two core books.
This is, pretty much word for word, the possibility I raised with Rick off-list (he's not replied yet, being away from home on work). If books like the Elf book and LotW sell, as Jeff has indicated, only a tenth the number of copies as the Dragon Pass books, they would seem an ideal opportunity to try this out. I don't know anything about the detailed economics, but this would seem a perfect way to sell what are, apparently, a niche even amongst Gloranthan products. If the sales are all *that* small, they're only selling to the hardcore fans anyway, so its unlikely to make much of a difference, except for being cheaper for MD.
> It works, and I can see it working for rpg products the sameway,
In fact, its how GURPS seems to work these days. Of course, SJG have a rather bigger infrastructure than Moon Design. But that's what the likes of DriveThru are for.
>
> As consumer we may well have to adjust our attitudes. RPGs may not
> be produced in anything like the way that they were in the 80's or
> 90's. Those days have gone.
I would love to see my books published as proper hardcopies through regular distribution channels. But if it ain't gonna happen (and I don't think it is) then, like you say, adjustment is required. We have to get used to it, unfortunately. Hopefully, MD sees things the same way.
-- Trotsky Gamer and Skeptic ------------------------------------------------------ Trotsky's RPG website: http://www.ttrotsky.pwp.blueyonder.co.uk/ Not a Dead Communist: http://jrevell.blogspot.com/
Powered by hypermail