What makes a TTRPG purchase "worth it" to you?

[Peter BOSCO'S]

Whenever the net present hedonic value of the item exceeds the net present hedonic value of not spending the money, or or of spending it on something else, of course.

 

[Micah Sweet]

Having a robust and self sustaining industry, with enough market to go around that can support both bog standard popular material and new and experiemntal ideas.

Don't get me wrong, there has never been more variety in RPGs than right now, and some folks are doing very well. But there is a LOT of labor of love stuff, and if people could make a living at it, I think we would see not just innovation, but polish and professionalism.

What I worry about is that the kind of people that are only willing to buy material when there is a humble bundle or whatever are the same folks that are going to drive the use of generative AI in the industry and drive out even more folks. Not because they support AI, but because they don't support paying what something is worth.

This seems a little too doom and gloom from my perspective. There's plenty of polished and professional work out there. And I see nothing wrong with jumping on a Humble Bundle every now and then. Done it a few times myself.

 

[Dannyalcatraz]

Where do I find value in RPG products?

1) in yoinkable content I can apply to a game I play a lot and/or to variety of games.

2) in an interesting setting, well thought out.

3) it scratches itches that have been bugging me a lot and/or I didn’t know I had.

4) high-quality artistic content that stimulates my own creativity.

 

[Scribe]

Not because they support AI, but because they don't support paying what something is worth.

This is a problem for sure.

 

[SableWyvern]

If I'm confident that I'm going to a run a game or get useful material out of it that I will use when running a game, I will most likely purchase it. Most likely, it needs to have inspired me in some way, or fill a specific need I'd previously identified.

The vast, vast majority of products that exist don't pass that bar, so when something does I don't generally worry about how much it costs; it's entirely possible it will be the only RPG product I buy that year.

 

[carmachu]

How so? Can you explain?

You are over value what the product is worth. You're assuming it hasn't matured, You're a signing far more value to it. And from that you think much of the material, which is a very niche product, we would see much more polish and innovation and professionalism.

Your idea is patently false. We have seen ALOT of innovation over the years. And that labor of love you seem to put down and decry, has kept things alive and flourishing where professionalism and making a living would actual kill many things rather then flourish them.

All I have to do is compare things like wotc\hasbo professional releases vs say, the greyhawk community or planescape community. I get far more ideas in those communities products then in the bland professional ones.

Your placing far too much value in a hobby product and niche product. and you will kill the very thing you want doing so

 

[Reynard]

You are over value what the product is worth. You're assuming it hasn't matured, You're a signing far more value to it. And from that you think much of the material, which is a very niche product, we would see much more polish and innovation and professionalism.

Your idea is patently false. We have seen ALOT of innovation over the years. And that labor of love you seem to put down and decry, has kept things alive and flourishing where professionalism and making a living would actual kill many things rather then flourish them.

All I have to do is compare things like wotc\hasbo professional releases vs say, the greyhawk community or planescape community. I get far more ideas in those communities products then in the bland professional ones.

Your placing far too much value in a hobby product and niche product. and you will kill the very thing you want doing so

Wow. That is a lot of over emphasizing what I said.

Let me reiterate as I was obviously unclear:

People that makes ttrpg material you love deserve to be paid real money for their effort, and that means you should pay reap money for it.

Is that better?

 

[Micah Sweet]

Wow. That is a lot of over emphasizing what I said.

Let me reiterate as I was obviously unclear:

People that makes ttrpg material you love deserve to be paid real money for their effort, and that means you should pay reap money for it.

Is that better?

I understand what you're trying to do, but IMO the price/value of something is equal to what people are willing to pay for it. Convincing folks to pay more for no additional benefit is going to be an uphill climb.

 

[Crusadius]

I understand what you're trying to do, but IMO the price/value of something is equal to what people are willing to pay for it. Convincing folks to pay more for no additional benefit is going to be an uphill climb.

Or you have to convince people that they're underpaying and the price increase is reflecting the real value. Either way it will be an uphill battle.

 

[Reynard]

I understand what you're trying to do, but IMO the price/value of something is equal to what people are willing to pay for it. Convincing folks to pay more for no additional benefit is going to be an uphill climb.

I mean, if there wasn't Humble Bundle or whatever, people would buy Pathfinder books and not complain that THIS massively undercharged bundle has some overlap with the last massively undercharged bundle.

Obviously, it must work for Paizo and I respect that. But it works for Paizo because people refuse to pay fair prices for entertainment.