Why no new GURPS hardcovers?

[acrosome]

I am absolutely not going to criticize SJG for it's support of GURPS. I know that GURPS is against the wall, financially.

Just FYI, I too find printed books to be much more esthetically pleasing than PDFs... but I don't mind PDFs. If I really want it printed, I'll get it printed.

The issue for me is this: I love crunch, so the many smaller supplements that come out, like the Low Tech Companions and such, are awesome. But frankly it's been a while since a setting has come out that interests me in the least. And yes it could be on PDF- that's my point! It doesn't have to be a Discworld hardcover.

Sure, I bought Discworld. I'm blessed with disposable income and it's at least fun to read. Likewise DF. No interest in playing it; fun to read. Same with the over-the-top settings like Monster Hunters and AtE. (Though AtE at least is full of great crunch that I can use in a less over-the-top apocalyptic setting.) I don't like the Banestorm setting, though that's mostly due to disappointment about what it could have been but isn't, rather than about what it is per se.

I'd LOVE the OP's suggestion of GURPS: Empire of the Petal Throne. And it could be a huge PDF, that'd be fine. I could name a lot of settings that would be exciting as hell, though almost none of them are realistic options. (GURPS: Call of Cthulhu, frex.)

Well, I've said this a lot of time son this forum: I know that I'm the minority, here. I'm not expecting anyone to publish to suit my neuroses. But if you ask... I'll answer.

[Whome?]

No matter how you publish it, some will like the other methods of publishing more.

Some like .pdfs, some like paperbacks, some like hardbounds.

I am glad that GURPs is published in a variety of methods and despite less than stellar sales of the Hardbounds they have published a few recently.

I thought Mars Attacks was amazing, I am so glad that got published.

If you like a certain method of publishing, like hardbounds for example, buy them and review them - Amazon.com is a great place to post reviews even if you didn’t buy it from them.

[David Johansen]

At the risk of sounding like a broken record, I think in store print on demand is the future for game retailers who want to carry rpgs. The infrastructure isn't in place yet but removing the need to carry stock and guess what people want would make rpgs other than D&D much more viable on the shelves.

Whenever I look at ordering direct from SJG, the shipping is about 25% of the order. If I was in better shape financially I'd take the hit just to get the books in. I get people in, looking for GURPS books quite often but I can't get more than the Basic Set from my distributor. I did get in Mars Attacks and Disc World in when they came out but they sold out. I run GURPS as much as five days a week in my store. So I might be going a bit above the call of duty there.

I think the hardest thing with GURPS is getting past the reputation as a complex and nitpicky game. New players at my table are often surprised to discover how much simpler it is than D&D. Sure Basic and Original D&D are simpler but those aren't what people are buying or playing.