How will your gaming-purchase habits change in 2019?

[Flexor the Mighty!]

I will buy the odd miniature but outside any new books related to S&W I don't see spending much on RPG in 2019. Wargaming will probably get 95% of my gaming fundage. The days of buying books I know I'll never really be able to run, Traveller books for example, has been over for a while.

 

[Calithorne]

I think everyone in our group now likes Savage Worlds more than D&D, and I will be getting the next edition when it comes out. I am no longer buying D&D books.

 

[MNblockhead]

My buying will go down unless I hit more cons. My current gaming expenses including cons are $2,930.48. Which is over doubled what I spent in total from 6/2016 -12/2017. I have enough minis so only specials or impulse buys on those. I now have all the AL seasons, so only the modules I planning on running will be bought. So that leaves a Hardcover if I planning on running it.

Oh, I forgot to inlcude Con costs. I only go to Con of the North as any other vacation time are for the whole family. Even though I live in the area I get a room at the hotel. Con of the North is more about playing games than a trade show. Not many vendors there so I don't spend much beyond room, board, and registration.

 

[MNblockhead]

The three biggest changes I see for me for 2019:

-Fewer Kickstarters. I’ve always been cautious, but have only gotten moreso of late. At this point, the idea either needs to be awesomely compelling (and the price point just right) or it needs to come from someone with a proven track record.

I keep telling myself the same. Actually, I have gotten much more selective with Kickstarter. It is unfortunate though, because I find myself support established publishers like Kobold Press who I know put out great stuff and will deliver. So it has become more of a pre-purchase site for me.

Kickstarter is at its best, IMO, when used to support new creators. However, Kickstarter's success means that most backers now don't understand the risks involved and spirit of the site. The backers ahve been getting increasingly nasty and unfriendly towards new and inexperienced creators.

I found myself starting to troll the clueless, rage monsters and armchair business analysts--which is not a productive thing to do, so I try to stay away from the community discussions on struggling Kickstarters beyond the occasional encouraging word to struggling creators.

 

[jasper]

Oh, I forgot to inlcude Con costs. I only go to Con of the North as any other vacation time are for the whole family. Even though I live in the area I get a room at the hotel. Con of the North is more about playing games than a trade show. Not many vendors there so I don't spend much beyond room, board, and registration.

Cons are expensive. Dragon*con was 818.16 and 13.16 of that was paying for a frame for the free swag. My wife actually liked old dragon con poster they gave me. Most of the other swag, I have read and passed on.

 

[Ralif Redhammer]

Kobold Press, Goodman Games, they’re both names I trust when it comes to Kickstarter. I’ve taken some risks on new creators when they seem to have a solid, actionable plan (and don’t get bogged down offering a ton of stretch goals). Kickstarter has enabled some great products, but there’ve also been plenty of people that’ve gotten in over their heads.

About the only one I’m really salty about is the Hunter’s Mark Kickstarter, which is pretty much a vaporware scam at this point.

I keep telling myself the same. Actually, I have gotten much more selective with Kickstarter. It is unfortunate though, because I find myself support established publishers like Kobold Press who I know put out great stuff and will deliver. So it has become more of a pre-purchase site for me.

Kickstarter is at its best, IMO, when used to support new creators. However, Kickstarter's success means that most backers now don't understand the risks involved and spirit of the site. The backers ahve been getting increasingly nasty and unfriendly towards new and inexperienced creators.

 

[DQDesign]

The only prediction I can do right now is that I will not buy any storyline set in FR, so most probably no storylines at all.

 

[MNblockhead]

Cons are expensive. Dragon*con was 818.16 and 13.16 of that was paying for a frame for the free swag. My wife actually liked old dragon con poster they gave me. Most of the other swag, I have read and passed on.

Yikes! Just to get in‽ Are you including the hotel cost?

I don't think I would ever spend that much for a fan con. Maybe I'm dating myself with my sticker shock. Still, even though I have far more disposable income than when I was young, I would not want to spend that amount of money on top of travel, hotel, food, and purchases. I'd rather use that money to buy new games or on other hobbies.

 

[MNblockhead]

Kobold Press, Goodman Games, they’re both names I trust when it comes to Kickstarter. I’ve taken some risks on new creators when they seem to have a solid, actionable plan (and don’t get bogged down offering a ton of stretch goals). Kickstarter has enabled some great products, but there’ve also been plenty of people that’ve gotten in over their heads.

About the only one I’m really salty about is the Hunter’s Mark Kickstarter, which is pretty much a vaporware scam at this point.

For me it depends on the amount of money I'm pledging. If I lose $25-50 I'm not going to waste my time screaming on the community discussion. If the pledge needed to get what I'm interested in is closer to $100 or more, I probably would not back the project unless it was from a creator I know and trust.

With gaming projects, my luck has been pretty good. Even ones that looked like they were going to just disappear, like BOSS bags, eventually came through. Some like Saga World Builder have had lots of setbacks and it is iffy that they will pull it off, but they are trying. I'm mostly upset with them caving in to other backers who demanded refunds. That just lowers the funds they have to try to pull it off, which is a bit of a slap to the other backers patiently sticking with them.

Software, however, is something that I will no longer back. More often than not I've been disappointed. I've learned that I need to still with released versions of software that I can try before I buy. I don't like being a beta tester.

 

[jasper]

Yikes! Just to get in‽ Are you including the hotel cost?

I don't think I would ever spend that much for a fan con. Maybe I'm dating myself with my sticker shock. Still, even though I have far more disposable income than when I was young, I would not want to spend that amount of money on top of travel, hotel, food, and purchases. I'd rather use that money to buy new games or on other hobbies.

Dragoncon swag $8.02
Dragon Con Cash $185.00
Dragon Con frame $13.16
Dragon*Con food $34.00
Dragon*Con Store 2019 mem $95.00
Dragon*Con card food $8.00
Dragon*Con ebooks $41.00
Dragon*Con room payment $400.00
Dragon*Con dry cleaning $29.00
Dragoncon dinner & stuff $79.00
Does not include gas as the deal was I leave house with a full tank and on way back the passengers fill the tank. So say $30 in gas because The Altanta airport is only 2 hours 20 from my front door (ask me how I know.) And I was not paying attention to drive time once I hit Atlanta proper.