What would YOU pay?

[seneschal]

All you fantasists pining for the Eighties and boxed sets are never going to see the like again (the Eighties or boxed sets). The cost of boxes is pretty high for sizes able to take US Letter/A4 books and only the Chinese printers seem to do them at lowish price points (and we all know, or should, the issues with having your printing done thousands of miles away with a huge language barrier). Generally speaking those folks wanting boxed sets and full colour are usually the ones shouting about the high cost of RPG books and seem to have little grasp on the reality of niche publishing in the 21st Century.

Bah!  I refuse to concede the printing and box-making industries to the Chinese.  Surely there is an American firm that can make a box or print a book for an affordable price.  I am inundated by colorful boxes of all sizes as my kids devour my groceries and waste my toiletries.  Surely not all these producers of consumer goods have their packaging made overseas.

[nclarke]

Seneschal, you fail to consider the volume issue. When a good run for an RPG is a thousand or two copies the unit cost of the content is huge compared to that of consumer goods made in the 10's of thousands.

[seneschal]

Which is why it behooves us to create as many new Magic World fanatics as possible in order to achieve volume pricing. 

Besides, Ninja Turtles are back.  Furbies are back.  A best-selling album is Taylor Swift's 1989 while Michael Jackson continues to dominate the airwaves.  Jem and the Holograms are taking Netflix by storm.  Tom Baker pops up everywhere from TV to comic books.  They're re-making Goonies.  God help us, it is the Eighties all over again! 

Edited September 17, 2015 by seneschal
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[tooley1chris]

Seneschal, you fail to consider the volume issue. When a good run for an RPG is a thousand or two copies the unit cost of the content is huge compared to that of consumer goods made in the 10's of thousands.

Not FURBIES!!!!!!!!

[Hexelis]

I dont know, something like the DnD 5E starter box is well made, full color (not that that matters so much to me), 2 books (a rule book and scenario) with a scenario taking you to level 5, which by BRP standards is a mini campaign. oh and dice. I think the retail price was $25, I got it for $12. Drop the dice and full color to add a map and I'd buy that. I can't believe it's that expensive to make.

Edited September 18, 2015 by Hexelis

[seneschal]

Yep, starter set ran $20 at Walmart, box and all.  But it didn't contain a full set of the rules (which were available to download online for free).  Dice should be cheap enough at volume to include without driving up the price significantly.

[tooley1chris]

I was thinking I paid $105 for D&D 4.0  box set which was 3 hard covers with glossy full color. Very well done but lousy system (IMO)  Been trying to sell it on Craigslist for $20 in brand new condition with no takers. LOL

I don't know what kinda bulk Wizards ordered these in so can't guestimate the cost/sales ratio but I'd pay that for a MW set of 3 well done hard backs in B&W. (Core, Monster Book, and Campaign guide or maybe Advanced Sorcery)

 

[SDLeary]

I dont know, something like the DnD 5E starter box is well made, full color (not that that matters so much to me), 2 books (a rule book and scenario) with a scenario taking you to level 5, which by BRP standards is a mini campaign. oh and dice. I think the retail price was $25, I got it for $12. Drop the dice and full color to add a map and I'd buy that. I can't believe it's that expensive to make.

Sadly, DnD is in a class by itself with regards to sales, so their per unit costs are way low. I'm not sure Chaosium could ever get to that level. I can see $50 boxes though.

SDLeary

[Guest Vile Traveller]

I could see boxed sets working as limited edition runs, but that basically just feeds the collector market. I'm happy with simple fare when it comes to RPGs, my main concerns are legibility, durability, and evocative artwork (in that order).

[nclarke]

My best guess for the D&D Starter box production numbers is probably at least one order of magnitude bigger than any other product produced by another RPG company. You only have to look at Kickstarter backer numbers to get an idea of how small the TTRPG niche is.

 

Let's look at Numenera,, a game by a well respected game designer, the Kickstater had 4658 backers so probably an initial print run of something like 10-12,000 to allow for product in actual stores. My guess is that the 5e boxed set initial print run was something like 100000 units. Take another KS, Chaosium's 7e campaign had 3668 backers. These numbers are a matter of record and show how small the market is because these KS numbers are for the techicnally astute, committed gamers who seek out product. The average KS for an OSR product is between 100 and 200 backers. The average CoC scenario pitch on KS has 300-400 backers. These aren't numbers to excite anyone who looks to volume production to get lw-cost product or boxed sets.

 

So let's face it anyone looking for cheap, but hi-quality, boxed sets is living in a fantasy world along with the folks who want luxury full-colour product at B&W pricing. The numbers don't lie.

[tooley1chris]

I don't think Kickstart is a good gauge for determining interest. I'm an active RPG freak and have never done a kickstarter.

I have a group of 6 in my tabletop games and they've never done one though 3 of them have bought MW products from Chaosium and Amazon. 

Anyway my original point was that I'd be willing to pay the higher prices for such quality materials. If they're done in B&W on the cheap side instead...meh, I'll take what I can get.

[Eddy]

I'm not a millionaire by any means but as I'm nearing the half century I have a bit of dosh to spend every now and then, certainly more than I did in 1980 something. Now I would pay for anything that resembles a big campaign pack that simulates a Runequest or Call of Cthulhu games from back in the day such as Borderlands, Masks of Nyarlathotep etc etc. It doesn't need colour or fancy covers but needs a good story arc. This will, in my mind make or break a Rule system. I have yet to see a modern BRP game with a decent campaign attached with the exception of the "King and Commonwealth" for Runequest 2. I'm fed up with the numerous rule systems that are out there but if I see one that has a decent campaign then my eyes will light up, So come on guys write some scenarios.

[camazotz]

An 800 page book with everything. All the stuff....every magic system option outlined in Advanced Sorcery, full bestiary with 300+ beasties, the MW rules with full errata, and as much extra kitchen sink goodness thrown in as possible. It can be more than one book for ease of use I suppose.