[Adamant Entertainment] THRILLING TALES - Pulp for D20 Modern

[Roudi]

I have to agree with jezter6 on this one. $2 for six pages... it might seem cheap in pieces, but acquiring all the material in the line is going to hurt my pocketbook more. Even at $2, I would expect more in the way of content than a 6-page class writeup.

 

[GMSkarka]

I understand and appreciate your opinion, but I'm afraid that many more customers have expressed a desire to pick up "ala carte" product, which allows them to pick and choose what they want and what they don't.

I'll also be honest with you---you'd be more likely to get publishers to consider your point a bit better if your sig and original post language wasn't pissy and confrontational.

...and trust me on this. I *know* pissy and confrontational.

That said, it is our intention to compile the smaller releases into large ones, for people who prefer that sort of thing.

For those who prefer it in print...we might consider a POD print release at some point, but historically, pulp-genre products perform dismally in the print market, so are not worth investing the 10 to 20 thousand dollars that a standard traditional print launch would require. So, it will be POD if it goes into print at all--and whether or not we even do that depends on the response that the PDFs get, sales-wise. (...and yes, if we did print, existing PDF customers would get a major discount on that print release--that's only right.)

 

[GMSkarka]

I have to agree with jezter6 on this one. $2 for six pages... it might seem cheap in pieces, but acquiring all the material in the line is going to hurt my pocketbook more.

I would suggest, then, that if you're considering getting all of the material in a line, it's worth your while to contact the publisher to see if they're compiling all of the material later on, in which case it would make sense for you to wait. Ala carte releases are not really intended to cater to those who are going to acquire the entire line, they aimed at the folks who pick-and-choose. Publishers like myself try to walk a fine line, attempting to please both types of customer.

Even at $2, I would expect more in the way of content than a 6-page class writeup.

...and only in this hobby would one find people willing to complain that 2 bucks is too expensive.

 

[C. Baize]

Here's a question for you pulp fans in the audience: What sort of additional releases would you like to see for Thrilling Tales? We're currently considering doing some adventures, but beyond that--what do you want to see?

How about a 20 page product for $2.00?

Or a 60 page product for $6.00?

Put the whole thing out at competitive prices with other PDFs of that size, and THEN break it up into gamer fleecing pieces for people to get at outrageously inflated prices...

As a fan of pulp.... THAT'S what I'd like to see.

 

[jezter6]

My language, if pissy and confrontational, is not in question. It's a matter of the business decision you and your partners (if you have them) and other publishers have chosen to take.

If I want your line, I have to wait until you finally compile all the singles into a complete product, then hope for a preview, but with most of the stuff already sold as single, you can't preview free something you sold to some guy a month ago for $2. Wait, just because I'm not going to shill out tons of money for each individual product, I'm stuck waiting till last. I don't think so. If you want me as a customer, put it all out at once and THEN let us decide if we want it all or a la carte. Putting it out in chunks first basically gives the assumption that you'll wait for all the individual sales to run the course then compile it again to resell it as 'something completely different and whole.'

Second, I don't want any publisher to 'consider' what I'm saying. Like others who put in sig their dislike for DRM and DTRPG and whatever 'cause' they are fighting for, I'm doing it purely to get the attention of the masses. I don't want you to change your philosophy regarding your release schedule. In fact, if this is the model you wish to take, I HIGHLY encourage it. Make a name for yourself and your company quick, so that when you do decide to flip sides (like other companies who find a business model great, then dump it for the flavor of the month) I, and others who feel the same way, will remember your company. I'd rather you be up front about it than sell me good product THEN go and make me an angry consumer. If you make me angry up front I can simply pass your products by now, rather than selling them all half price on e-bay later because I'm disgusted with your business model.

 

[Roudi]

...and only in this hobby would one find people willing to complain that 2 bucks is too expensive.

Would you pay $2 for a bite of a candy bar? Or perhaps a sip of water? How about a teaspoon of sugar? Maybe a single newspaper article?

Regardless of how "cheap" the price may be, there is something to be said for "getting what you pay for." At $2, I expect a bit more than just a single class. Perhaps some new feats, NPCs, adventure hooks... something?

I already have to buy several of your products to exceed RPGNow's checkout limit. I have no means to preview them to see if they are even worth my money in the first place. Assuming I buy only Thrilling Tales products, I have to purchase four classes, at a total price of $8 USD, without any guarantee of quality.

I'm not at all opposed to mini-PDFs - I'm just opposed to overpriced ones.

 

[jezter6]

Would you pay $2 for a bite of a candy bar? Or perhaps a sip of water? How about a teaspoon of sugar? Maybe a single newspaper article?

Regardless of how "cheap" the price may be, there is something to be said for "getting what you pay for." At $2, I expect a bit more than just a single class. Perhaps some new feats, NPCs, adventure hooks... something?

Roudi, you hit the nail on the head with this one. "But it's so cheap" is the best argument most of these guys can come up with. "Come on, you can't spare $2??" is always the big retort.

It's not the $2 that bothers me. It's the $20 I have to spend to get 10 of your 'cheap' products, when I could have gotten it all for $7, or $10, or heck, even $12. One product at $2 is a steal....10 products at $2 is twice what I should have paid for a product, and it's still likely incomplete.

I knew I should have stayed out of this post after my initial post, but since the author replied to my comments, I feel the need to reply back.

 

[CalicoDave]

Wow, at $2 for 6 pages, the Player's Handbook would have cost over $100!

 

[C. Baize]

Wow, at $2 for 6 pages, the Player's Handbook would have cost over $100!

Now now... That would only be if it were an economically priced PDF.

 

[GMSkarka]

Look, guys, I just wanted to ask people what they were interested in seeing, so I could try to come up with some stuff you might like.

I wasn't looking to be a punching bag for people who bizarrely insist that I'm out to "fleece" gamers, or who will even more bizarrely lecture me that my trying to consider your point is somehow a bad thing.

I apologize if my pricing model offends you.