Pathfinder 1E Paizo sets price of Pathfinder RPG PDF at $9.99!!!!!

[gamerprinter]

And that, with all due respect, is where you're going horrifically wrong. You obviously haven't done much in the way of even casual research, and that's a recipe for disaster. The notion that a first-time designer is going to sell 10,000 copies of an adventure is pure fantasy, and I don't mean of the D&D variety. (Yes, anything is possible, but you're doing the equivalent of basic a business plan on creating a top tier best-seller the first time out of the gate.)

I understand that this is a very difficult industry to get hard numbers, but you can at least get some basic ideas by seeing what's been said in public forums by people in the industry.

And if I were publishing this alone, you'd be quite right. In truth, I'm a just a cartographer with good storyline and setting idea, the actual publisher is Dementia 5 Publishing House, and while small have quite a few products in their stable, and the publisher/author has been in the industry for quite awhile. He was sold on the idea of my project. The person with the real knowledge of the market is the publisher, not I.

I began my discussion to this, based on what I know of the product costs. Wulf asked subsequent sales venue/price questions, and I lack the knowledge/experience to answer it realistically, so I probably shouldn't be doing so now.

Beyond art cost and my personal time involvement, my true investment is almost neglible. I did do six maps in trade with the publisher for his writing/editing staff in this project - so a defined "cost" there, but again, it was my time spent, and the "loss" of commissions I should have gotten for those six maps. All in all, my cost so far is very low. Some investment on the part of the publisher exists, but are costs that I am not incurring.

So really if I sold 200 products, I would still earn some profit, so my numbers previously presented is most likely wild speculation. Since I'm not going into debt creating it, its only a failure, if I sell nothing - or if it doesn't at least pay for itself.

GP

 

[Mouseferatu]

And if I were publishing this alone, you'd be quite right. In truth, I'm a just a cartographer with good storyline and setting idea, the actual publisher is Dementia 5 Publishing House, and while small have quite a few products in their stable, and the publisher/author has been in the industry for quite awhile. He was sold on the idea of my project. The person with the real knowledge of the market is the publisher, not I.

Fair enough.

And don't get me wrong, I hope you do well.

 

[mach1.9pants]

The (absolutely awesome) One Bad Egg products have some sales info here and about that LJ entries.

 

[gamerprinter]

Thank you!

Fair enough.

And don't get me wrong, I hope you do well.

Thank you!

Despite my imbecillic understanding of the RPG marketplace, I do know that I've purchased crappy modules that had awesome cover and interior art, and conversely missed out on great adventures because the cover didn't turn me on. While I wish I didn't judge a book by its cover - there it is. I am sure I am not alone in prejudging game content based on inferior art.

Knowing this and knowing that Paizo always acquires the best art possible in their products, I wanted to do the same within my first-timer's budget, or lack thereof. So here's where I've spent hard-earned cash - three artist's working on my Kaidan project:

Jan Pospisil, is a fantasy concept artist working in South Africa, she is doing the cover for my initial adventure, which will probably be used elsewhere in the splat, though not as the cover. Here's a link to her art posted on the dementia5 forum, the pre-published cover is in that thread, near the end...

Jan Pospisil

For the beastiary for the splat, as well as one piece used in the initial adventure module, I'm relying on Mark Hyzer, who paints work for WotC's MtG CCG and for AEG - so he's an artist with some RPG cred, a worthy addition to the art staff of Kaidan (my project)... also some 18+ art here for just a warning, only one piece I think.

Mark Hyzer

Simon Turnbull, another lesser known artist with a fantastic style is also contributing quite a few color and b/w pieces, here's a link to his work...

Simon Turnbull

Finally, I've got a couple maps posted in an EnWorld Art/Gallery forum thread, including the regional map I created and am using for the initial adventure, to see my work in the cartography department...

http://www.enworld.org/forum/art-ga...inting/257465-gamerprinters-map-emporeum.html

I just wanted to show that within my non-marketing acumen, I am doing the best job I can in creating a superior product. Whether sales can match my efforts, only time will tell.

Its my contribution to the release of Pathfinder RPG!

GP

 

[Jack99]

Now we're getting into the question of how much each part of a print product cost.

How much of a product goes towards paying the editors and layout guys and the artists...

No idea. But the Rouse stated in a similar thread that the cost of production was quite small for WotC, compared to the other costs. Ie, making a PDF was not significantly cheaper for them.

 

[Wulf Ratbane]

Guessing on total numbers, is just that, a guess, because this is my first product, and with the weakened economy, I don't really know. I think a break-even point would be 1000 sales (still just a rough guess here.)

That's the sort of info that's useful to know before you invest $4000.

These are my plans and perceptions anyway. Does that answer your question, Wulf? (I'll definitely be purchasing your product as well!)

Thank you! I hope to count you among my wildly optimistic target of 200 sales.

Well, I also hope you do well. But be careful. Reduce your costs and your expectations. It looks like you have a good niche product-- but remember you're selling to a niche (Oriental fans) of a niche (PDF buyers) of a niche (Pathfinder players) of a niche (D&D players).

 

[gamerprinter]

I refigured to reality

Yeah, I already refigured that number. Real costs: $500 for custom illustration, ?? for me doing my maps of free, ?? for the publisher writing/editing it for free, say $500 to $1000, that's it.

At $8 a purchase, I need 125 sales to break even.

So hopefully I can exceed 125, and do that repeatedly over the course of a 3 part adventure, and proposed setting/splat book, plus a planned 1st - 20th level campaign arc. We'll see.

Thanks for the reality check!

GP

PS: if the initial adventure arc sells poorly, then the splat book is out of the question, though I still may try to create a fairly complete lite splat as a PDF only. If all goes well then I'll move to creating the larger campaign in my line up - of course everything is based on how sales go from the start up.

PPS: because I am a graphic designer, I have experience and I will be doing the layout myself, that too is "free". Our proof-reader has been promised a free copy of the splat, that's her payment. So "other" costs have been factored in as well. Aside from free advertising and forum posting like this, I am "cashing in" on advertising in Roleplayingtips.com newsletter (John Fourr owes me $100 advertising trade for some map laminations I did for him back in December 2008.)

 

[Twowolves]

This is all very facinating, but could we carry this on to a forked thread, as it's link to the original topic is tenuous at best?

 

[gamerprinter]

I'm done

I'm done, as far as the partial jack of the thread.

I think all of Paizo's cost is in the hard-bound, providing a PDF is just expected, but their price was not, rather a pleasant surprise.

So back to the main thread point, a $9.99 price point for PFRPG is a great idea. I hope all 3pp's for Pathfinder can get excited about this too!

GP

 

[Hunter In Darkness]

Well I have been told by at lest 1 3pp that they could have got the book by now if they wished Paizo has given some 3pp a chance to have the full rules. Some may have had them for a while I really do not know