02-03-2015, 09:01 AM | #21 |
GURPS Line Editor
Join Date: Jul 2004
Location: Montréal, Québec
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Re: Reprinting GURPS 4E books?
The "attract new players" angle is a serious concern, and we're quite aware that having books in shops is the commonly accepted solution. However, it's evident that there are alternatives to be found in some mix of social media, blogging, and crowdfunding. It's just that those tools are so new relative to printed books and brick-and-mortar shops that the "best" approach hasn't surfaced yet. To be continued.
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Sean "Dr. Kromm" Punch <kromm@sjgames.com> GURPS Line Editor, Steve Jackson Games My DreamWidth [Just GURPS News] |
02-03-2015, 09:27 AM | #22 |
Join Date: Feb 2009
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Re: Reprinting GURPS 4E books?
Even before ever seeing a GURPS book in person I knew of GURPS from RPG humor like the real men/real roleplateys/loonies/munhchkins bit
One thing that really appealed to me at the FLGS about gurps is found bunches of GURPS books in the used/clearance scrap heap at low low prices so was very willing to take a flier on it, and then I found they were really fun reads |
02-03-2015, 10:13 AM | #23 | |
Join Date: Jan 2006
Location: Central Europe
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Re: Reprinting GURPS 4E books?
Quote:
If we like print GURPS books, the best we can do is buy them, encourage our fellow gamers to buy them, and play GURPS with new people. Edit: The first two would be easier if new books were appearing in print, but we can certainly do the third.
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"It is easier to banish a habit of thought than a piece of knowledge." H. Beam Piper This forum got less aggravating when I started using the ignore feature Last edited by Polydamas; 02-03-2015 at 10:26 AM. Reason: Afterthought |
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02-03-2015, 10:27 AM | #24 | ||
GURPS Line Editor
Join Date: Jul 2004
Location: Montréal, Québec
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Re: Reprinting GURPS 4E books?
Quote:
Quote:
Pretty much this. Our unofficial intelligence-gathering suggests that the biggest issue is the phenomenon of one gamer per group, usually the GM, buying a copy of the book, which then sits on the table for all to consult. This discourages sales of additional copies to that group. Digital supplements get shared illegally, we know, but we still sell more than one copy per group.
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Sean "Dr. Kromm" Punch <kromm@sjgames.com> GURPS Line Editor, Steve Jackson Games My DreamWidth [Just GURPS News] |
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02-03-2015, 10:32 AM | #25 | |
Join Date: Jan 2005
Location: Gothenburg, Sweden
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Re: Reprinting GURPS 4E books?
Quote:
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“When you arise in the morning think of what a privilege it is to be alive, to think, to enjoy, to love ...” Marcus Aurelius |
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02-03-2015, 10:52 AM | #26 |
GURPS Line Editor
Join Date: Jul 2004
Location: Montréal, Québec
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Re: Reprinting GURPS 4E books?
Everything I mentioned counts as "things" . . . "people" is its own category, and my wife is the most important person in my life.
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Sean "Dr. Kromm" Punch <kromm@sjgames.com> GURPS Line Editor, Steve Jackson Games My DreamWidth [Just GURPS News] |
02-03-2015, 10:56 AM | #27 |
Join Date: May 2009
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Re: Reprinting GURPS 4E books?
A crucial and often overlooked distinction.
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02-03-2015, 12:52 PM | #28 |
Join Date: Mar 2013
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Re: Reprinting GURPS 4E books?
What I most want to see are electronic versions well formatted for tablets and e-readers, and very well indexed.
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02-03-2015, 12:56 PM | #29 |
Join Date: Dec 2005
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Re: Reprinting GURPS 4E books?
The problem is that the 4e Basic Set is a lousy point of entry. I've been running my store for three years now and running GURPS demo games as often as I can. I've sold, three copies of Basic Set volume one and nothing more. The GURPS Basic Set scares too many people off.
I've advocated doing some simple, cut and paste supplements to GURPS Lite that would let people try a cut down and focused version of the system without spending any money but I think arguments for a GURPS Medium are also viable. But I think there's another road that should be considered. Board Games are huge and I realize that they are expensive to produce but a GURPS based starter that cut the game back and focussed it might work. I'm not going to suggest plastic figures. I know, I know, shockingly out of character, who is this really? But what about a folio game product like the early Yaquinto games. Pick something hot, say superheroes (sadly the most complex and unapproachable thing to do in GURPS) and make a game that includes characters, map tiles ,(I like big sheets and I cannot lie but I don't think they'd be cheap in color or sell the game) scenarios, and pogs or cardboard heroes. Most of the material already exists and I know it's not a small project, but I think SJG has invested enough in GURPS that it might be worth putting some money and effort into promoting it. And even if the money's a problem I expect the fans would be more than willing to support a kickstarter to promote GURPS with a solid point of entry product. Disc World will be cool but, like GURPS, it's a name that carries certain connotations. I probably wouldn't put GURPS in big letters on the starter game. People already "know" GURPS is too complex, we want to trick them into finding out that it's not.
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http://www.neutralgroundgames.com |
02-03-2015, 01:05 PM | #30 |
Join Date: Sep 2004
Location: Montréal, Québec
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Re: Reprinting GURPS 4E books?
I'm assuming the Basic Set always remains "in print". That's your visibility right there. People will find other books in used/clearance, but need the Basic Set so you can make use of them.
I bought every single 4e Hardcover except setting books (IW, T:IW and Vork; got Banestorm from Kromm), and will keep buying them - but there's really no need to have all of them on shelves all the time. And let's be honest, the average gamer will impulse buy a book once in a while, but completing your collection is done on Amazon, not at your FLGS. Powers was published in 2006 - that's NINE years ago - how many 2006 books does your FLGS restock? Not much stuff even gets reprinted anymore. Maybe, if PoD doesn't come together, there will be a Kickstarter a few years down the line to get a new print run of a bunch of stuff - but expect a one-time "get it now" thing, like OGRE. |
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lulu, print on demand |
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