Enpeze Posted October 23, 2007 Share Posted October 23, 2007 It sounds like the monograph format, to test the market I suppose. I wish they could find another way to do that, I hate buying things twice. But if it's the only way... I dont like monographs. I am working in the print business and it hurts my eyes if I see one of these booklets. 25years ago I made fanzines which looked better. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Enpeze Posted October 23, 2007 Share Posted October 23, 2007 Based on what Dustin and I talked about a while ago, their goal is to break a setting into manageable pieces to start with - smaller sourcebooks with followup publications if the setting was popular. I think they're trying to steer clear of monolithic settings that take forever to detail and even longer to write. Remember that all of the works you mention began initially as smaller pieces, articles in fanzines, etc. Aha. Just producing some nice teasers and then looking what the customers are interested in. And those settings will be supported with additional material. Looks like a good idea. Maybe they made a successful economics check and added 6% to their original skill of 20%. The only difficulty could be to find good writers for this. How about you Jason? Ahem...what are you planning in the next 10 years? (OMG I hope these teasers will not be monographs, :eek:) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rurik Posted October 23, 2007 Share Posted October 23, 2007 I do not like the monograph format at all. They're like doomed to stay underground forever. They will not be taken into RPG stores, and few would order them, since the shipment often surpases the cost of the book. If Cthulhu Rising hadn't been available for free from the CR website, I would not have gotten a look at it. Ordering from Chaosium is just to expensive, at least if you live in Europe. SGL. That's a valid concern. You should email them directly and let them know you've got a problem with that. Wow. I would say overall Chaosium/BRP has at least as strong support overseas (Europe) than in the US, if not even stronger support. I agree the Monographs are overpriced for what you get (but so are most 'niche' products compared to more mainstream products) - but making them prohibitively expensive overseas is a big mistake, as well as a disservice to their loyal European fanbase. I'd never thought about that before (but then I'm not really affected by it). Quote Help kill a Trollkin here. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Trifletraxor Posted October 23, 2007 Share Posted October 23, 2007 That's a valid concern. You should email them directly and let them know you've got a problem with that. That's a good idea. I will do that. I dont like monographs. I am working in the print business and it hurts my eyes if I see one of these booklets. 25years ago I made fanzines which looked better. They could at least throw on a colour cover! A own Chaosium store on Lulu would be better, as they print on demand both in the U.S. and in Europe, and the covers always colour even if the book is black and white. SGL. Quote Ef plest master, this mighty fine grub! 116/420. High Priest. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Enpeze Posted October 23, 2007 Share Posted October 23, 2007 That's a good idea. I will do that. They could at least throw on a colour cover! A own Chaosium store on Lulu would be better, as they print on demand both in the U.S. and in Europe, and the covers always colour even if the book is black and white. SGL. Yep. This would be a modern solution. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Simlasa Posted October 23, 2007 Share Posted October 23, 2007 Or make them available as a PDF you can buy and download... I've gotten lots of obscure stuff that way, though some people still don't like reading off their computer. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jason D Posted October 23, 2007 Share Posted October 23, 2007 I dont like monographs. I am working in the print business and it hurts my eyes if I see one of these booklets. 25years ago I made fanzines which looked better. Well, they have gone over to Lulu (I believe) for some of the printing, which does make for nicer-looking books. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jason D Posted October 23, 2007 Share Posted October 23, 2007 The only difficulty could be to find good writers for this. How about you Jason? Ahem...what are you planning in the next 10 years? I'm trying to decide what I'm working on for them next. I've got a few small projects on the table, but will likely do one of those short setting/sourcebooks. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Simlasa Posted October 23, 2007 Share Posted October 23, 2007 They might also try something like Worlds of Wonder with a few distinct settings in one book... and if one or another gets more positive feedback then flesh it out in a sequel. Maybe the settings could have some common tie (again like WOW)... such as being different eras of the same setting... ancient/modern/future... with a common evolving dilemma/plot/nemesis. Somewhat like GW's Warhammer and Warhammer 40K... where Warhammer was (at one time at least) supposed to be a planet within the Empire. One of our GMs ran a Whispering Vault campaign years ago that spawned several distinct settings that continued to see play after the WV games ended... they were scattered over a couple of different worlds at different points in time... and only one ended up dealing much with the occult/paranormal. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
soltakss Posted October 24, 2007 Share Posted October 24, 2007 Why produce one big sourcebook for a setting when you can produce half a dozen really thin ones? More for us to buy. Quote Simon Phipp - Caldmore Chameleon - Wallowing in my elitism since 1982. Many Systems, One Family. Just a fanboy. www.soltakss.com/index.html Jonstown Compendium author. Find my contributions here. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Enpeze Posted October 24, 2007 Share Posted October 24, 2007 I'm trying to decide what I'm working on for them next. I've got a few small projects on the table, but will likely do one of those short setting/sourcebooks. Great! And which setting will it be? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Enpeze Posted October 24, 2007 Share Posted October 24, 2007 They might also try something like Worlds of Wonder with a few distinct settings in one book... and if one or another gets more positive feedback then flesh it out in a sequel. I think they want to circumvent bigger setting books (and bigger production risk and cost) at first, which I find a good idea. Also its easier to check which setting the customers are liking if you compare just the selling numbers of the different booklets. If more than one setting is in one single book/box its difficult to learn which the customers prefer. "Customers feedback" per wallet and not per poll. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Triff Posted October 24, 2007 Share Posted October 24, 2007 If they start producing 64-page hardbacks for $25 dollar a piece then they can really start competing with Mongoose! :eek: SGL. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jarulf Posted October 24, 2007 Share Posted October 24, 2007 Or make them available as a PDF you can buy and download... I've gotten lots of obscure stuff that way, though some people still don't like reading off their computer. That might be the third thing Jason can't talk about yet. With the new catalog in place, they have the infrastructure for it I think. It's not that I'm particularly fond of pdfs, especially if they have lots of pictures and stuff (ink is expensive), but they do have some things going for them. Cheaper to produce than hard copy, they can be any size, don't take up much storage space, easy to get delivered to places outside North America. Steve Jackson Games seem to have rather ambitious plans regarding pdfs and I'm sure other companies have too. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jason D Posted October 24, 2007 Share Posted October 24, 2007 Great! And which setting will it be? You missed the part about "trying to decide". Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jason D Posted October 24, 2007 Share Posted October 24, 2007 If they start producing 64-page hardbacks for $25 dollar a piece then they can really start competing with Mongoose! :eek: SGL. I'm pretty sure that's not the plan at all. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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