Preferred format for published adventures?
 

Now that I have both the SJG volume of TFT adventures and the '5 perilous journeys' set, I have to say I prefer the separate-module format of the latter. It reminds me a bit of the original D&D pastel modules. It's handier at the table, gives you a format for presenting cover art with each adventure, and if you are clever you can use those inside covers for maps. (the pastel module tradition of making the cover a detached map can't be beat). I think it is possible that SJG will present their next adventure modules in the same hard-bound format as the first, both because it is what they did before and because I suspect the printing and binding costs might be less. But I would like to see them follow in the 'perilous journeys' footsteps! What do you think?

Re: Preferred format for published adventures?
 

I guess I prefer the all-in-one book format. It probably is a little cheaper, it's easier to shelve, and the cover won't give away what adventure I'm planning to run. Having said that, I'm not likely to run any of the published adventures cuz I'm a picky bastard. But don't worry, I'll still buy and read them all!

Lars, for me the one area the old module style has the single volume format beat is nostalgic charm. That counts for something.

Re: Preferred format for published adventures?
 

I prefer the separate volumes as well. Extra covers and maps are a good thing, and though it's mostly nostalgia, it just feels right.

I've been working on solo adventures formatted as decks of cards. Not quite as intricate as text based numbered paragraph adventures, but they flow well, you don't lose your place, and you avoid spoilers since there's no book to flip through.

A book that lays flat when open would be ideal for solo games, but less convenient for sessions with a GM, unless maybe it can stands up?

Are there other formats for adventures are there, or ways to improve those already mentioned?

Re: Preferred format for published adventures?
 

For what it's worth, I'm looking into the detached cover, shrink-wrapped style for "More Perilous Journeys." I need quotes (actually, I need more than a few quotes, so I'll be sending out a note to my printer in a few minutes) so I'm not sure, but now that my page counts for various books are firming up...it's time to get them.

Re: Preferred format for published adventures?
 

Great! I'm sure it will be a good product regardless, but I hope it works out to print them in separate (detachable!) covers.

Re: Preferred format for published adventures?
 

I know it can be done, of course. The question is how much it costs! I'll be polling prior backers once the data comes in.

Re: Preferred format for published adventures?
 

I like the D&D module format of each adventure as a standalone, but can definitely see where omnibus releases would be more cost effective. I have no clue which format would actually sell better, however. Depends on how many people prefer to pick-and-choose over those who prefer a big book of stuff to pick from (and which does look nicer on the shelf). I would suspect that the omnibus edition is cheaper adventure-wise, in that it likely retails for the same price that 3 or 4 individual adventures might cost, thus giving the buyer more adventures for the dollar. That could offset the perception of paying for adventures you may not otherwise have bought.

Re: Preferred format for published adventures?
 

Does anybody do books where the adventures refer to common characters in some appendix? How do you handle the players killing off their guide in an different adventure then?

Re: Preferred format for published adventures?
 

I think it's easier to work with an adventure book that only has one adventure in it, not several others in the same book.


I don't think I understand what you mean or what issue you're talking about.

But e.g. Orcslayer had separate sheets for the NPCs.

I think ideally there would be a GM control sheet for the NPCs, or perhaps one per likely group encountered.

When running original Tollenkar's Lair (which just listed stats in the book, no sheets), I would make my own sheets for them.

Re: Preferred format for published adventures?
 

I like the look and feel of the 4, no, 5 Perilous Journeys, the book quality is very good and feels nice to hold.

For use at the table I prefer modules that are individually printed.
For pdf format the omnibus is just fine.

Re: Preferred format for published adventures?
 

I'd like a more traditional, magazine sized book personally. I appreciate the small booklets that came with the Legacy box, but the print is kind of eye-straining.

Re: Preferred format for published adventures?
 

It sounds like individual adventures are the most practical in a gaming setting, whereas the bound book is best for collecting and displaying the adventures (and probably the most cost effective).

How about bringing back individual adventures that are hole-punched and can be collected into three-ring binders? The worst of all possible worlds. ^_^

Re: Preferred format for published adventures?
 

Cost effective for the consumer.

Costs go up pretty much page-by-page for pre-production (cost-per-page to make the book goes up by word count and graphics content) and production (printing by page or signature, shipping by the pound or kg) for physical goods. The price folks are willing to pay for bigger goods does not go up linearly.

My preference is for adventures to be done separately unless they're related to each other. For example, by the time "More Perilous Journeys" is done, there will be five adventures in the set involving Jok C. Sevantes and the Indhyna League. These 80 pages would make an outstanding "adventure path" type offering because they're all related. If folks like a few of them, they may want a collector's edition of all of them.

(Hmm. . . )

For a hodge-podge, I can easily see folks saying "why make me buy all of them?" I can see this because I've heard it in other contexts.

Re: Preferred format for published adventures?
 

I was thinking it might also be so for the publisher in one way, which is that they don't have to support separate print runs for each adventure. I know that there has to be a minimum order volume to make a print run economic, and with the individual releases that can be harder to plan for than the omnibus edition. But it's quite possible that the individual editions are more economical in other ways, such as material costs. The omnibus edition will generally be large enough that it will require bookbinding, whereas individual 12-page titles could be as simply bound as issues of Hexagram are. I'm not in the business, but I suspect there are a host of factors that determine what format is most practical, and that there isn't a one-size-fits-all answer for anyone.

And I do concur that the omnibus version is not always a win with the customer. Particularly if the volume contains only one or two adventures they really want. In that case it's quite possible to lose potential sales. Again, so many factors go into it all. I'm glad that I don't have to make these calls, especially when it involves real money.

Re: Preferred format for published adventures?
 

I would like an adventure formatted as a series of random procedural generation tables and then npc and treasure cards. The logic of the plot would be built into the random generation tables with named event triggers that cause table transitions. So the first page of the adventure would look like a software block diagram that would include the associated triggers. Each page or column thereafter would be the phased procedural generation tables. Finally, a pile of npc / monster / treasure cards for the necessary stats.

Re: Preferred format for published adventures?
 

Kommisar, I've been working, on and off, on that exact thing for about 6 months.

Not sure I will ever finish, but it seems like a good idea to continue.

Re: Preferred format for published adventures?
 

A manufacturing note. Classic adventures -- with the booklet separate from the cover -- are 1.5 to 2x more expensive to produce.

It's an oddity, but there's extra work required since the cover has to be shrinkwrapped to the booklet, where otherwise a booklet can be a single unit. Additionally, going with the tri-fold cover also adds to the cost. And on top of all of that, there's a base cost to each booklet, regardless of size. A book that includes five adventures will cost less than five separate adventures.

They're cool, but they'll cost more.

For example, the Adventures book costs $35 and is available now at Warehouse 23 -- http://www.warehouse23.com/products/...rip-adventures -- but if we had created this as five separate adventures, each would have been priced around $15. (And that is without trifold covers, just standard-sized covers kept separate from the interior pages.)

So, it's all a balancing act.

Re: Preferred format for published adventures?
 

Yoiks! Reality can be such a downer.

Re: Preferred format for published adventures?
 

There's also the added expense of five covers vs a single cover. Cover art costs more than interior art, so overall expenses also climb when breaking a collection of five adventures into five separate products.

Re: Preferred format for published adventures?
 

How about the economics of hardcover vs. softcover?


As much as I might like the contents, it seems extravagant to have a collection of adventures hardbound, especially it it is relatively slim.


(Rule books, which tend to be thicker and much more frequently consulted, are another matter.)

Re: Preferred format for published adventures?
 

Wow, that's a sigficant difference. I can see where the omnibus format is an economic win, broadly speaking. Given the ballpark prices you listed, the book puts the adventures almost in the range of "buy 2, get 3 free". I can still see where some consumers would prefer the standalone adventures and be willing to pay more for them, but business requires compromise. At least a profitable and well-run business does.

Re: Preferred format for published adventures?
 

It really depends on printer. Roughly 25% more to upgrade to hardcover with some. Over twice as much with others.

Personally, I would rather every book be a hardcover. Even 32-page books. I like hardcovers.

Re: Preferred format for published adventures?
 

I concur. They tend to last longer and I like the way they feel in the hand.

Re: Preferred format for published adventures?
 

Hardcover preferred here as well. I like fine press books, so I actually enjoy an attractive binding versus a dustjacket, too.