Report To The Stakeholders

[Lupo]

Originally Posted by Ze'Manel Cunha

Well, I'd opine that Low-Tech's sales were hurt by the PDF sales to forumites.

I bought the PDF as soon as it was out, and then I kept waiting for the hardcover to be available on Amazon for below cover price like all the other GURPS books, it never was, so I eventually bought it at full price this year, but I can see how other people with the PDF wouldn't necessarily buy it, given that they already have a functional PDF.

There also appears to be some confusion out there, amongst people who aren't regular forumites, about what is the Low-Tech PDF vs Low-Tech companions vs the hardcover book, as well as some confusion as to why the supplements are not part of the book.

This is pretty much my experience. Ordinarily, I would have bought just the paperback, not the PDF, as I did with other major GURPS books.
But I was so eager to have it as soon as it come out, that I bought the PDF. I read it and planned to buy the hardback, too, but then the Companions come out, so I bought them instead.
Now I've read all of them and I am not so sure I will buy the hardback - not because I didn't like them, just because... there would be nothing new to read, it would feel like a waste of trees to me :)

There is also the fact that the hardback Low Tech will always be "uncomplete" when compared to the full set of PDFs. Having a hardback is less useful if you still need to have a computer to see the "full rules".
I think this further encourage people to buy the PDFs rather than the physical books.

But of course, SJGames makes far more profit in selling 100 PDFs rather than on selling 100 physical books, so it might not be as bad as it seems...

I just hope than in a few years GURPS books will switch to a layout meant primarily for screen rather than print (e.g., single columns and/or horizontal pages ^^)

Originally Posted by Rev. Pee Kitty

Great to see the report was so positive.

I'd like to preemptively address the fact that GURPS wasn't specifically called out as a priority. For those who may take this as some sort of omen or portent, please note that GURPS wasn't listed as a priority last year, either . . . no big deal.

Still, if you look at the stakeholders reports of the last few years, the importance given to GURPS sharply waned. This is sad, obviously :(
And in last year report, GURPS was still mentioned in the "Overview" section; this year has been moved down, under the e23 header.

Our only hope for the future is: GURPS Munchkin :)

[sir_pudding]

Originally Posted by Lupo

Now I've read all of them and I am not so sure I will buy the hardback - not because I didn't like them, just because... there would be nothing new to read, it would feel like a waste of trees to me :)

Of course you don't see the same value in a hardcopy that many others do. I'm not sure which attitude is more widespread.

Still, if you look at the stakeholders reports of the last few years, the importance given to GURPS sharply waned. This is sad, obviously :(
And in last year report, GURPS was still mentioned in the "Overview" section; this year has been moved down, under the e23 header.

I'm not certain if it's placement in the report is all that relevant. Certainly GURPS support is doing as well or better than I think most of us hoped. I know that personally the amount of GURPS stuff out there currently exceeds both my finances and my available free time.

Our only hope for the future is: GURPS Munchkin :)

Isn't that called GURPS Dungeon Fantasy? :)

[StormCrow42]

Originally Posted by stefanj

Revolution wouldn't . . . not enough player spots! Which is a shame since it's totally the kind of game they love.

IIRC, there is an expansion in the works or out for Revolution to add more players.

Edit: Yes, it's The Palace

[stefanj]

Originally Posted by sir_pudding

*Is it just me or does the ostensible theme of Ticket to Ride have absolutely no relation to the actual game play, since you don't actually have to make connecting routes?

This kind of disconnect seems to apply to many "European Style" games. They're games, not simulations. Which is fine as long as they're great fun.

I'll have to think about Revolution + Palace for my CMU friends. Might be a good thing to bring when I drive down for Maker Faire.

[sir_pudding]

Originally Posted by stefanj

This kind of disconnect seems to apply to many "German Style" games. They're games, not simulations. Which is fine as long as they're great fun.

Sure, it just always hurts my brain a bit when I play it. Why don't you think your family would get Revolution!, though? It's not any weirder than Settlers, Dominion, or Carrassone.

[Anthony]

Originally Posted by sir_pudding

I still find it very difficult to read pdfs (especially long ones like Low-Tech) on a screen cover to cover.

Yes, but I pretty much never read a gaming book cover to cover.

[sir_pudding]

Originally Posted by Anthony

Yes, but I pretty much never read a gaming book cover to cover.

I find that if I don't I miss stuff that I later wish I had read in the first place, and in general GURPS books are fairly entertaining to read through at least once.

[stefanj]

Originally Posted by sir_pudding

Why don't you think your family would get Revolution!, though? It's not any weirder than Settlers, Dominion, or Carrassone.

Just a matter of flavor and perception of "appropriateness." The problem isn't weirdness or geekiness in Revolution!'s case. More "Oh, I don't know if we're into a wargame." Even though it isn't!

Mind you, if the very same game were about competing vampire families it might win over my nieces real good. (Really, kids these days . . . totally into Harry Potter and vampire/werewolf tweener stories, but D&D is too weird for them.)

[sir_pudding]

Originally Posted by stefanj

More "Oh, I don't know if we're into a wargame." Even though it isn't!

It's less of a wargame than Settlers, IMO.

[RevBob]

Originally Posted by stefanj

Mind you, if the very same game were about competing vampire families it might win over my nieces real good. (Really, kids these days . . . totally into Harry Potter and vampire/werewolf tweener stories, but D&D is too weird for them.)

Who's to say it's NOT vampire factions at work? Just say the name of the city's Carthage, and you could slot it right into the old World of Darkness, for that matter...