Comments on: RPG Publishers are Holding Games for Ransom

By: guybrush

guybrush — Fri, 15 Jan 2010 05:29:50 +0000

In the current economic climate, a lot of us can’t afford to take big economic risks, so it makes sense to have a get paid then deliver mindset. It’s not just for RPG publishers, either; there’s a wider application for this, and framework web sites are popping up all over the place.

For example, check out kickstarter.com – you can list any project you like, along with how much money it’ll cost, and people can pledge money to support it via PayPal/credit card. They don’t actually pay anything, though, unless the project’s target amount is reached.

It’s not automatically open to all to create projects, but if I can get an invitation I might try using it to raise enough funds to tour my D&D comedy show to the US. If I put it up there, I’ll be sure to let you know!

By: silentstriderm

silentstriderm — Thu, 14 Jan 2010 22:51:01 +0000

Well, they sure have a strategy for hooking buyers like me… dangle a little art-work out there and we start drooling. Who cares if I don’t have a group and haven’t really played for years? Show me a cool monster or setting and my imagination starts to take control of my wallet.

p.s. It’s been a while since I’ve commented, but I’ve still been stopping by, and Ed, keep up the good work!

By: ggodo

ggodo — Thu, 14 Jan 2010 18:14:13 +0000

See, my only problem is that I tend to only buy RPG books as the ‘impulse buy.’ I’ll see it in a store and thumb through it to see if I want to try it, and whether or not I can afford it. Usually they get marked on the come back later list because if I buy it I won’t be able to buy what I came to the store for, but I’ll come back later to grab it. Then I hope and pray that this summer I can actually organize the guys into playing one of them.

By: mordicai

mordicai — Thu, 14 Jan 2010 12:52:58 +0000

Of course, then the issue becomes CONTACTING the people who’d want to ransom/preorder. I see the charm in the pre-order model, I really do. I just think that print-on-demand is going to catch up first.

One big downside is– sometimes there are products I WANT but I can’t afford at the moment (less so now that I’m old & have a job…). I will shell out for X down the road, or splurge on Y in a spasm of consumerism. You know? Or like– like look at the PHB2. I don’t own it. I haven’t gotten bored of my PHB1. Still; maybe one day I’ll have a real yen to play a…a goliath sorcerer, or something. & so I’ll pick it up.

I use White Wolf products to run my game; I run a Science Fantasy High Weird campaign of my own design. I like the mechanics & flavor of the World of Darkness products; the material I can do without largely, since I run my homebrew. I wish there was a way for this to be communicated to the publisher– that is the strength of ransoming– money-where-your-mouth-is dialogue between the buyer & the producer.

(& btw re: the above I am MOST excited about WoD Mirrors)