gamersgambit
First Post
Marty's right.
Thing is though, I've been an aspiring writer in the past and an aspiring game designer as well, though I've found my niche since and am happy with it. What I don't get is why on Earth a designer would WANT to see more PDF sales than real-book sales on a personal pride and achievement level. There's nothing (to me) that says "I've made it, I'm here, this is awesome" than a physical copy of my book that I wrote in front of me. If what you're selling is a PDF, you're making money, but without the visceral sense of achievement that only a physical object can supply.
Otherwise, you might as well be charging for people to read your ENWorld posts, if done prettily.
Give me something to promote your game with. Please. I want to promote your game, really I do.
One of the biggest markets I have that is unaddressed in terms of demand are things that D&D players will want to buy, once the D&D books and dice and minis are bought. I've a captive market of 100-200 D&D players that come to my store. When it isn't the third Tuesday of the month, lots of them will desultorily look around the store in the hopes that something cool will be there for them to buy. And it ain't. And 3rd-party "quintessential loser" D&D products aren't cutting it. Do something Wizards *isn't* that doesn't try to introduce new stuff rules-wise into the game. Ancillary products like I mentioned above (character folders, minis, marks, zone markers, markers of all sorts, dice/randomizers, tracking forms, color art packs with pics of characters, language/accent guides (do you know how many players try to play characters with accents that have no idea how to do so? If I had a book that contained medieval turns of phrase using the Irish way of speaking circularly, I could sell that). I don't know, I'm not a designer. Dragonfire Laser Crafts has some neat stuff but it isn't of a quality that my players want. Alea Tools has some neat stuff that players want but they have a lousy distribution model.
Best non-dice, non-minis, non-WotC products that sell in my store?
* Crystalline Counters (Three Sages Games)
* Gamemastery Combat Pad (Paizo)
* D&D Character FOLDER (not pre-printed character sheets, but a folder)
* Card Sleeves
* Map Packs and Tiles
There's a niche there. A BIG niche for things that people would love to have at their game tables. Something as silly as a book that people can put cool quotes in that they hear at the table. These are the things that can make you money and keep B&M stores in business. Take a look at the vast lines of things that Gale Force Nine makes for minis games and apply that to the much broader range of possibilities for a roleplaying game.
Find something for PCs to do in between "their turn" that isn't playing Sudoku or BSing with each other OOC while other characters are trying to take their turns and that doesn't disrupt the game and you will be able to make money. Alea Tools are cool for this because players love screwing around with magnetism.
Find something unique enough that a player can call their own or personalize that other people don't have or won't buy but some will--pricy items do this, but so do customizable things. Marks they can write their name on or that look cool...
These are the things I would love to sell. I actually have a product specifications document that I've a poor man's copyright on that I'd love to collaborate with someone capable of manufacturing plastic/metal thingies effectively that consists of ideas gathered from what my players/DMs want that isn't currently there. I don't want much for it, a tiny share in the profits and some recognition. If you're one of those folks, drop me a line.
Thing is though, I've been an aspiring writer in the past and an aspiring game designer as well, though I've found my niche since and am happy with it. What I don't get is why on Earth a designer would WANT to see more PDF sales than real-book sales on a personal pride and achievement level. There's nothing (to me) that says "I've made it, I'm here, this is awesome" than a physical copy of my book that I wrote in front of me. If what you're selling is a PDF, you're making money, but without the visceral sense of achievement that only a physical object can supply.
Otherwise, you might as well be charging for people to read your ENWorld posts, if done prettily.
Give me something to promote your game with. Please. I want to promote your game, really I do.
One of the biggest markets I have that is unaddressed in terms of demand are things that D&D players will want to buy, once the D&D books and dice and minis are bought. I've a captive market of 100-200 D&D players that come to my store. When it isn't the third Tuesday of the month, lots of them will desultorily look around the store in the hopes that something cool will be there for them to buy. And it ain't. And 3rd-party "quintessential loser" D&D products aren't cutting it. Do something Wizards *isn't* that doesn't try to introduce new stuff rules-wise into the game. Ancillary products like I mentioned above (character folders, minis, marks, zone markers, markers of all sorts, dice/randomizers, tracking forms, color art packs with pics of characters, language/accent guides (do you know how many players try to play characters with accents that have no idea how to do so? If I had a book that contained medieval turns of phrase using the Irish way of speaking circularly, I could sell that). I don't know, I'm not a designer. Dragonfire Laser Crafts has some neat stuff but it isn't of a quality that my players want. Alea Tools has some neat stuff that players want but they have a lousy distribution model.
Best non-dice, non-minis, non-WotC products that sell in my store?
* Crystalline Counters (Three Sages Games)
* Gamemastery Combat Pad (Paizo)
* D&D Character FOLDER (not pre-printed character sheets, but a folder)
* Card Sleeves
* Map Packs and Tiles
There's a niche there. A BIG niche for things that people would love to have at their game tables. Something as silly as a book that people can put cool quotes in that they hear at the table. These are the things that can make you money and keep B&M stores in business. Take a look at the vast lines of things that Gale Force Nine makes for minis games and apply that to the much broader range of possibilities for a roleplaying game.
Find something for PCs to do in between "their turn" that isn't playing Sudoku or BSing with each other OOC while other characters are trying to take their turns and that doesn't disrupt the game and you will be able to make money. Alea Tools are cool for this because players love screwing around with magnetism.
Find something unique enough that a player can call their own or personalize that other people don't have or won't buy but some will--pricy items do this, but so do customizable things. Marks they can write their name on or that look cool...
These are the things I would love to sell. I actually have a product specifications document that I've a poor man's copyright on that I'd love to collaborate with someone capable of manufacturing plastic/metal thingies effectively that consists of ideas gathered from what my players/DMs want that isn't currently there. I don't want much for it, a tiny share in the profits and some recognition. If you're one of those folks, drop me a line.