The market dying?

JoeGKushner

First Post

• Sep 2, 2005

• #1

When I see the good reception a $70 boxed set like the Wilderlands gets, or how much I enjoyed Shackled City, or how many people I know have World's Largest Dungoen, and look to the near future and see books like Ptlous and Game of Thones coming out, at their price points, I don't think a dying market could support them.

I do think that the market may be shrinking in terms of people buying everything in sight, but I think part of that was due to the amount of material put out initially and buyers are becoming smarter.

Opinions?

 

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GlassJaw

Hero

• Sep 2, 2005

• #2

Well I am extremely selective about what I buy these days. It takes a while for me to actually shell out my cash and buy something. Because there is so much out there, I take my time and sift through everything to find the gems in the rough so to speak.

 

Hand of Evil

Hero

Epic

• Sep 2, 2005

• #3

I am depending more on reviews.

 

diaglo

Adventurer

• Sep 2, 2005

• #4

i'm still buying.

just shelled out $90 plus shipping for a bunch of stuff.

 

Morrus

Well, that was fun

Staff member

• Sep 2, 2005

• #5

Talking about the D&D/d20 market specifically (I haven't a clue about other systems), 3E has been out for years now. The market is bound to shrink - everyone has tons of stuff already. I know I have - piles of it. I can't use it all (even just the WotC stuff!) There's nothing now that everybody needs.

It'll be like that until the next big thing, which I imagine will be 4E. Then every D&D player will buy a new PHB, most will buy a DMG and a MM, most of those will buy the next round of supplements... until 5 years later, everyone will be saying "Oh, the market's shrunk!"

 

Frostmarrow

First Post

• Sep 2, 2005

• #6

I buy stuff that catches my fancy. I don't care if it's any good or if it rhymes with anything I already have. I just buy what makes me curious.

 

Hussar

Legend

• Sep 2, 2005

• #7

JoeGKushner said:

*snip*

I do think that the market may be shrinking in terms of people buying everything in sight, but I think part of that was due to the amount of material put out initially and buyers are becoming smarter.

Opinions?

Click to expand...

That certainly describes my buying habits. Once upon a time, I bought everything I could afford and more than a few things that I couldn't. Wound up using probably less than half of it overall. Then 3e came out, and I bought the core books, then a few of the splatbooks and things sort of grinded to a halt. I realized that I wasn't using very much of what I bought and
kind of reined in on my buying habits. When 3.5 hit, I bought the PHB and that was it. Now, I'm very, very careful about what I buy. I usually only buy a book if I see a need for it beforehand.

For example, I was running a campaign in Shelzar City of Sin for Scarred Lands. I realized that I would like to have a good urban campaign supplement to flesh out my setting. Searched around, read the reviews and bought MEG's Urban Blight book. Loved it and used more than half of it. When the campaign started to move outside of Shelzar and into the desert, I picked up Sandstorm and again, loved it to pieces. I've begun letting my needs dictate my buying, rather than just picking up books because they happen to be in print.

I find it works much better for me.

 

Mark CMG

Creative Mountain Games

• Sep 2, 2005

• #8

JoeGKushner said:

The market dying?

Click to expand...

Naw, not really. There are more companies trying to serve the market so it can appear to some as if the market is less motivated but, as always, offer something people want or need and they will take notice.

 

francisca

I got dice older than you.

• Sep 2, 2005

• #9

The most expensive single item I have purchased was the Conan book. After getting my hands on the Pocket Version, I regret the purchase of the hardback.

I won't spend more that $50 on any single item. Period. (Not even for the Wilderlands boxed set. Sorry Diaglo!)

Matter of fact, I won't buy most $40 items either. DMG II? Not enough there for me.

Now if I see this stuff used, or makred down, sure. But I'm not paying that kind of money. And please, spare me the speech about page count, production values, and cost per hour vs. movies, etc.. It really isn't worth it to me.

 

Bront

The man with the probe

• Sep 2, 2005

• #10

I think that merchants have recognized better what gamers want, and are moving towards utilizing it better. So, as a result, products that are being made are generaly moving better. The market may eventualy shrink, but I don't see it happening any time soon, as companies are still taping the potential of the D20 system (like M&M 2, several other OGL game systems using D20, and even WotC is making products that are a bit more interesting than they were earlier in D20 days.) As for other systems, with the pluthera of D20, their market is expanding as people look for alternitives or for simply different ideas.