Age of Worms: Will there be a HC?

HeapThaumaturgist · Aug 11, 2005

I'm reading about the AoW adventure path and ... I wants it, my precious.

Unfortunately, we're already three issues into the AP. I've been impressed enough with the Shackled City AP that I'd like this one as well, but I can't really see my way to paying $8 an issue for the 3 back issues (24 bucks or more (S&H)) on top of the $40 for a subscription.

I'd probably subscribe to Dungeon if there was a way to get the back issues or adventures cheaper in PDF form or something, but 2/3 of the price of a sub for 3 issues is a bit much for me. If they're planning on producing another HC of this, though, I guess I could wait for that (though impatiently).

Anybody know if they're planning on releasing this new AP? Are they waiting to see how sales on the SC:AP went? (They got one sale here, already.)

--fje

delericho · Aug 11, 2005

HeapThaumaturgist said:
I'm reading about the AoW adventure path and ... I wants it, my precious.

Yep, me too.

Unfortunately, we're already three issues into the AP. I've been impressed enough with the Shackled City AP that I'd like this one as well, but I can't really see my way to paying $8 an issue for the 3 back issues (24 bucks or more (S&H)) on top of the $40 for a subscription.

I'd probably subscribe to Dungeon if there was a way to get the back issues or adventures cheaper in PDF form or something, but 2/3 of the price of a sub for 3 issues is a bit much for me. If they're planning on producing another HC of this, though, I guess I could wait for that (though impatiently).

Well, Paizo seem to be gradually offering PDFs of back issues for sale on the website for $4.95 each. So, a bit less than the $8 for a printed back issue.

Anybody know if they're planning on releasing this new AP? Are they waiting to see how sales on the SC:AP went? (They got one sale here, already.)

I'm sure they'll wait to see how Shackled City does before deciding on an Age of Worms book. I'm hoping that it does well for them, although I won't personally be getting a copy (I already have, and have played through, the SC adventures).

fafhrd · Aug 11, 2005

I hope there is, and I hope the decision to do so isn't totally based off of the sales of Shackled City HC. I(and probably a goodly number of others) spent some real money buying back issues of Dungeon to complete Shackled City and I can't justify spending another significant chunk on the HC.

Glyfair · Aug 11, 2005

delericho said:
Well, Paizo seem to be gradually offering PDFs of back issues for sale on the website for $4.95 each. So, a bit less than the $8 for a printed back issue.

Except they are only allowed to sell the PDFs for issues that have been sold out. While the AoW Dungeons are likely to be the more popular (and thus sell out quickly), Paizo certainly knows they are likely to be more popular and probably have a larger backstock.

HeapThaumaturgist said:
...but 2/3 of the price of a sub for 3 issues is a bit much for me.

If it's purely the cost that is too much for you, there is little you can do (barring finding them cheaper on eBay perhaps). However, I think you are looking at this from the wrong direction. Compare the cost of an issue vs. the cost of comparable adventures you can find. I think you'll find the cost very inexpensive (although how much you expect to use can affect that, but how do you use of anything else you buy?)

The cost of the subscription is a bonus on top of that. Agree to buy a year's issue in advance and you get a great price break. Comparing the cost of single issues compared to a subscription to decide whether to get them is like comparing the cost of a box of cereal vs. the cost of a truckload.

Whizbang Dustyboots · Aug 12, 2005

Unless they've made a monumental miscalculation about pricing, I can't imagine they're not going to see a nice return on their "Shackled City" gamble. I think it's more likely the third Adventure Path they do would be more questionable as a collection, since they'd have to start worrying about flooding the market with this kind of product. I would be absolutely floored if "The Age of Worms" didn't get show up as a hardcover.

And hey, that means a Greyhawk hardback for all the people who missed such.

Now, let's get the bamboo for the right Paizo fingernails until they commit to an "Incursion" collection/expanded edition.

Steel_Wind · Aug 12, 2005

Given the pricing of Shackled City ($60) and a similar pricing for Age of Worms HC, you are just as well off to grab a subscription and the back issues as you are to wait for the hardcover. (figure in shipping - it's a wash) or within $5.

Plus - you get it now - not later - and you get all the other dungeon adventures that go with it.

James Jacobs · Aug 12, 2005

We currently have no plans to do a HC for Age of Worms. It all depends on how well the Shackled City, Dragon Compendium, and Complet Encounters do; if these do well (and things are looking good at this early stage) we'll certainly be looking into doing similar non-magazine products in the future.

But even if we DO decide to do an Age of Worms hardcover... the earliest I can even concieve of such a book being available is Spring of 2007. At the rate of one giant campmaign every 2 years... I don't think flooding the market's going to be an issue.

We are getting into doing PDFs of old back issues, but Glyfair's right—we can't do a PDF release until an issue sells out completely.

Jer · Aug 12, 2005

Whizbang Dustyboots said:
Unless they've made a monumental miscalculation about pricing, I can't imagine they're not going to see a nice return on their "Shackled City" gamble. I think it's more likely the third Adventure Path they do would be more questionable as a collection, since they'd have to start worrying about flooding the market with this kind of product. I would be absolutely floored if "The Age of Worms" didn't get show up as a hardcover.

Well, except that Age of Worms will be 12 episodes long meaning it will take (at least) a year to complete. One of these hardcovers per year+ shouldn't be too much of a burden on the market at all.

caudor · Aug 12, 2005

I knew this topic would come up. Honestly, I'm still very torn between running Shackled City from the issues I already own, or buying the hardback for the additional adventure and other updated material. I'm very tempted to get the hardcover even though I have the issues already. Torn, I say.

Perhaps I should play AoW as they are published so I won't face this decision again.

Whizbang Dustyboots · Aug 12, 2005

Jer said:
Well, except that Age of Worms will be 12 episodes long meaning it will take (at least) a year to complete. One of these hardcovers per year+ shouldn't be too much of a burden on the market at all.

In Spring 2009, you will see plenty of folks in the "Are you getting the third dragon Adventure Path hardcover" thread saying "I already have two Adventure Path books, I don't really need more than that, especially since Mongoose has the Compleat Campaigns, etc."

"The market" is people. And very few people need multiple 1-20 or 1-30 campaigns on their shelves.