I want smaller, leaner core books.

[Bedrockgames]

It certainly makes for a very short-lived game company if it's only allowed to sell one short book.

I think he just means the core book (but adventures and setting books could also be part of the line).

This subject comes up a lot. I tend to cycle back and forth between wanting simpler, less prose heavy books, and wanting more complex, more prose heavy books. And my cycle seems to be every five years or so. Personally I think it is probably good for us to have books like the OP mentions, but also ones like the type he wouldn't want. I think some of it boils down to whether you are feeling like opening the book and getting right to the business of playing, or if you are looking for an RPG book that can pull you in with clever verbiage and inspire you as you read it. I find I often approach RPG books in these two ways.

 

[Morrus]

I think he just means the core book (but adventures and setting books could also be part of the line).

You should read his next sentence then! You probably won’t think that then!

 

[AmerginLiath]

All said, however, I do wonder if posts like this suggest a market for offering cheap bound prints of the basic rules for sale on newsstands and comics racks, for folks who are willing to shell out a few bucks rather than print out a bunch of pages or keep consulting a screen. As someone who used to play D&D on Boy Scout trips and long car rides, having effectively a pocket version of the rules (versus an entire box set) would be a useful addition to carry along with a small set of dice and a folded character sheet!

 

[Morrus]

For sure. Like I said, that's my preference not reality.

You’re gonna love my next game then! 32 pages, comic book format.

Awfully Cheerful Engine! A roleplaying game of action comedy!

www.awfullycheerfulengine.com

 

[embee]

...When I see an RPG core book that's the size of a phonebook...

What's a phone book?

 

[Bedrockgames]

You should read his next sentence then! You probably won’t think that then!

Ooops. I thought you were quoting the OP (and just mentally inserted his post into your quote). Didn't realize it was a quote from another poster

 

[ragr]

It certainly makes for a very short-lived game company if it's only allowed to sell one short book.

As a game company you're "allowed" to sell what you want. There's no legislation. As a consumer, I'm "allowed" to buy what I want. I will, you will. Everyone can do what they want. That is allowed. Everyone's happy. In a different way. Who'd have thought?

To be clear, I'm happy to buy a 64 page book, I'm happy to buy a 364 page book. I'd prefer those to be as lean as possible in terms of prose as per the OP so would lean towards a lower page count. But, I'm only happy to buy one corebook containing rules and character options etc. While I might buy "setting" expansion and maybe scenarios/adventure/campaign books if they interest, what I'll not be buying is additional rulebooks and books with character options. Sorry if that hits any nerves.

 

[DemoMonkey]

"As a consumer, I'm "allowed" to buy what I want. "

Are you sure of that?

 

[Morrus]

As a game company you're "allowed" to sell what you want. There's no legislation. As a consumer, I'm "allowed" to buy what I want. I will, you will. Everyone can do what they want. That is allowed. Everyone's happy. In a different way. Who'd have thought?

Calm down, mate.

 

[payn]

I'm all PDF now so I don't care how many pages it is. Organization on the other hand...