Best of Ennies book

[Michael Morris]

Would there be any interest in making a Best of Ennies book primarily as a means to try to get retailers interested in buying nominated products. Since there are some 25 categories I'm thinking a 125 page book averaging 5 page excerpts per category.

Now obviously some of the materials nominated and awarded aren't OGL. For instance, a page showing interior art from the Monsternomicon must have Privateer's blessing to be done.

My idea isn't so much a functional book as opposed to a special catalogue of sorts. Am I even making sense?

 

[Krug]

Yes you are. Not a bad idea to me..

 

[thalmin]

Perhaps it could contain a couple reviews of each product?

 

[Michael Morris]

Perhaps it could contain a couple reviews of each product?

Perhaps, but I honestly think example speaks for itself in a way that a review cannot.

 

[thalmin]

Example helps only those who know about the subject. What about the reatilers who don't play D&D and therefore would miss the significance of the product? Well written reviews usually cover this in ways that ads and cover blurbs miss.

 

[jgbrowning]

Example helps only those who know about the subject. What about the reatilers who don't play D&D and therefore would miss the significance of the product? Well written reviews usually cover this in ways that ads and cover blurbs miss.

Yep. From a retailer position reviews with maybe a small excerpt would be better. Many retailers make most of their money from ccgs and minis so they're not as knowledgeable in lesser profit areas.



joe b.

 

[knight_isa]

This almost sounds like FFG's Mastercraft Anthology, only with material taken from multiple publishers and aimed more at the retailer than the consumer.

As for the 5-page sampling from each book (would Monsternomicon get more samplings, since it won multiple Ennies IIRC?), I'd like to see it be somewhat functional, even if taken by itself. In otherwords, I wouldn't expect an overall theme, but it'd be nice if each sample was completely self-contained, although teasers like "see how great this one was, buy the book and get the rest of them!" would be totally acceptable.

As for the target audience, I'd think it might be better aimed at the consumer. Of course, as a consumer and not a retailer I'm probably biased, but I'd guess that if retailers are more concerned about ccg's & minis than rpg's, reading thought a 125 page book of samples/reviews isn't going to be high on their list of things to do, whereas I would more likely to buy/read through it/have purchase decisions influenced by it, especially if it was cheap (even if not as cheap as Mastercraft Anthology).

Just out of curiosity, I wonder if FFG or RPG retailers noticed any surge in sales for old titles after Mastercraft Anthology was released.

 

[Michael Morris]

I'm no expert in the field, I'm not even a novice either so I dunno.

I didn't have in mind a glorified catalogue - rather something players in DM's might be interested in that could serve as a sampler for them. It's easier to convince a retailer to order a best of annual that establishes a history of quality for itself than to order server products they haven't heard of. The annual in turn should encourage gamers to order other products.

It's a name recognition thing we're aiming for. Make sense?

 

[Michael Morris]

This almost sounds like FFG's Mastercraft Anthology, only with material taken from multiple publishers and aimed more at the retailer than the consumer.

As for the 5-page sampling from each book (would Monsternomicon get more samplings, since it won multiple Ennies IIRC?), I'd like to see it be somewhat functional, even if taken by itself. In otherwords, I wouldn't expect an overall theme, but it'd be nice if each sample was completely self-contained, although teasers like "see how great this one was, buy the book and get the rest of them!" would be totally acceptable.

As for the target audience, I'd think it might be better aimed at the consumer. Of course, as a consumer and not a retailer I'm probably biased, but I'd guess that if retailers are more concerned about ccg's & minis than rpg's, reading thought a 125 page book of samples/reviews isn't going to be high on their list of things to do, whereas I would more likely to buy/read through it/have purchase decisions influenced by it, especially if it was cheap (even if not as cheap as Mastercraft Anthology).

Just out of curiosity, I wonder if FFG or RPG retailers noticed any surge in sales for old titles after Mastercraft Anthology was released.

Yeah, that's a better description of what I had in mind - an anthology.

 

[BigFreekinGoblinoid]

Yeah, that's a better description of what I had in mind - an anthology.

Well, it wouldn't SELL, that's for sure, so economics the first thing to consider. If you mean this to drive sales to the winning books, someone needs to foot the bill for the production of such a book. Also, a good way to get the unindoctrinated to read it needs to be discussed - perhaps a (bagged?) insert with a magazine

For the record, I thought the FFG anthology was a great idea, BUT it is just collecting dust on the LGS shelves in my area. Price = Perception of value, and most of the time this is true. Also that book lacked focus, so it was not attractive in that way either.

Your idea is a good one, but the book as you are brainstorming would not really be functional, so it needs to be viewed as strictly a marketing tool. The retailers are not gonna read it. They have four million things to do, and staff that turns over ever three months. This would need to get to the consumer.