Sales data for Ancient Awakenings Publications (I promised...)

[PlotDevice]

settings

This is an untested theory, but looking at the settings that have worked, it seems to me that they are either based on an already existant licence (slayers d20 etc), or are heavily marketed and supported. Hard for a small publisher to manage.

 

[trancejeremy]

I was actually going to buy a print copy of the Valley of Frozen Tears (along with print versions of some of 12 to Midnight's stuff), but my TV died, and I had to use the money I was going to buy that with (along with some other RPG stuff I had promised to buy), for the new TV.

(Not a very good new TV either, I might add. Though at least it stays on. My old one would turn off and on and off and on. I kept missing punchlines to jokes, among other things...)

 

[mroberon1972]

You're all welcome!

I offer this for two reasons: I doesn't hurt me, and it might help somebody else.

I just wish I knew what I was doing wrong... Any ideas? I've tried three product types, and they all seem to only get lukewarm sales.

Am I choosing my products that badly, or is everybody's sales doing this poorly?

 

[JoeBlank]

Thanks for sharing this info. I wish I could offer some advice. Valley of Frozen Tears is a wonderful setting, but I must be a minority in that I buy PDFs, enjoy small settings, and am willing to give new publishers a try.

I just don't understand the reluctance to buy PDFs. VoFT is $6.95, less than many people spend on lunch every day. One possibility is that most buyers prefer settings in print. Fluff is better for armchair reading. I printed out VoFT to read it, but I usually do that when I am reviewing so that I can highlight and make notes as I read. The print version costs significantly more, especially when you figure in shipping.

You may have just missed the wave on the d20 Modern stuff. And as HellHound noted, most people are probably not interested in using Modern rules for fantasy. This is the reason I have not bought your other two products. Of course, Grim Tales might change this somewhat.

Keep making good products. See is you can convince a couple more folks to do a review of VoFT, if you can get five total reviews you stand a good chance of being in the top 20 for PDF reviews, which might get some attention.

 

[Arnwyn]

One possibility is that most buyers prefer settings in print. Fluff is better for armchair reading.

Absolutely. PDFs aren't even on my radar, and likely won't ever be.

And as HellHound noted, most people are probably not interested in using Modern rules for fantasy. This is the reason I have not bought your other two products.

Another ditto.

 

[mroberon1972]

Absolutely. PDFs aren't even on my radar, and likely won't ever be.

Another ditto.

Then I'm sorry for all the great stuff you missed... I'll never regret Elements of Magic or Four Colors to Fantasy...

You would not believe the PDFs I've seen that beat the heck out of most print products I've seen.

But, to be honest, I'm not worried about converting you to a PDF buyer. If you want it, then we're here to provide. Otherwise, I'll just call you a fellow gamer instead of a customer...

Later,
John

 

[froggie]

Mesopotamia sales

are actually looking very good...Its the highest selling Necro book right now. Though I am betting CSIO erases that mark.

Bill

 

[Jraynack]

I just wish I knew what I was doing wrong... Any ideas? I've tried three product types, and they all seem to only get lukewarm sales.

Am I choosing my products that badly, or is everybody's sales doing this poorly?

Hey mroberon (I think we met briefly at megacon last Feb.),

I don't think you are doing anything particularly wrong. Your site and products both look good (we are still recovering from our site being hacked), however the class books and variations on classes have really been flooding the .pdf and print market. With our first product, A Question of Honor: A Guidebook to Knights, we tried to make a product that didn't really have a niche yet (such as knights in the d20 game) and have continued upon that. But more important is that our products offer innovative new rules that try to push the d20 system boundaries (class templates, prestige skills, combat skills, etc.).

We are trying constantly to add to the game rather than saturate it with the same old, same old. As for the campaign setting, I think it has a place but we were not willing to take that risk, so what we decided to do is put a primer of our campaign world for free with A Question of Honor to where it could be used as a starting place for the setting or just a drop-in region to an already existing campaign. We have heard a few customers remark that they would like to see a fleshed out setting, however it was in an almost passing curiosity. So, for now, we build upon it piece-by-piece with each of our products.

As for sales, A Question of Honor: A Guidebook to Knights has been out a year last month and we have sold a total of (including our combined Knight Guidebook package; includes A Question of Honor and A Question of Loyalty) 163 copies.

A Question of Loyalty, out seven months, has sold 112 copies.

Both are doing pretty well in the .pdf market. So I think my advice could be (for I am definitely not an expert in the matter) is to try something off beat but in the realm which the average gamer can relate too.

Anyway, take care and good luck.

 

[Vanuslux]

I always love seeing sales figures...they are very intriguing to me as someone who is getting close to finishing his first product.