Book Prices...

[jcayer]

Lets see, late 70's early 80's, I remember hard covers going for $12 and modules for $6. Based on the inflation calculators people are using, the prices haven't changed much. Add to that, you can pick up most books now for $20 at Amazon, instead of the $30 retail.

The one that burns me is the supplements like Manual of the Planes, what is it, 120 pages and that costs the same as the 200+ page books?

As for value, look at the amount of entertainment the 3 core books can provide. My group has played every other Wednesday, for 6ish hours. I'm betting I can't get that return on investment for any other hobby.

 

[Storminator]

Originally Posted by Treebore
I thought $20 was expensive back in 1979, I still do.

I think how much that $20 is valued depends on how much a person values the work they did to earn that $20.

People still work 5 hours to take $20 home. Maybe 6 hours, depending on taxes, medical, etc...

So to take a $40 book home they may have had to work 12 hours or more to afford it.

So I still think it costs a lot, even at $20.

In 1979 I made $1.50 an hour, and I worked about 6 hours a week. I paid no taxes, so it took me about 2 and a half weeks to make enough to buy an AD&D book, if I saved all my money.

In 2008 I make a touch over $40 an hour, and pay about 1/3 of that in taxes. If I saved all my money again, I could by a D&D book every hour...

PS

 

[DonAdam]

It doesn't make a huge difference to this conversation, but economists widely agree that the CPI (which is what the calculations above are based on) overstates inflation. It hangs around for political reasons and because it can be calculated much sooner after the fact than alternative measures.

Using the GDP deflator, still not perfect but slightly more reliable, we get a difference between 1979 and 2003 (the last year for which the number isn't an estimate) we get a $20 book being about $43.36 now.

Ultimately, though, you'd want to look at labor hours to get a similarly produced book, recognizing that tastes as to what constitutes similar value are subjective. That has fallen dramatically, I wager (a la Storminator's calculation). Publishing and distribution is simply much, much cheaper than it used to be even two decades ago.

 

[Lord Mhoram]

They were much more expensive. You paid more, in raw dollars, for fewer pages and poorer art.

But oh man, were they bound well.
I have a first printing 1E Core books. The PH has been through heck and back in the 30 years I've had it. Abused, spilled on, left open on the floor, boxed, tossed, tugged of war on (while closed), boxed, shelved, and much more...

And the book's binding is as good as it was the day I bought it.

I already have creaks and cracks in some of my 4E books, and had similar problems with 3E stuff.

 

[Drkfathr1]

I remember getting the 1st Ed AD&D player's handbook on sale for $10, and most of the other hard backs for $15-$20. I didn't think it was bad then. Not until the prices started going up to $20-$25. I remember the first $30 price I saw during the 2nd ed era and felt that was high, but not too high considering what I was getting (the hardback Monstrous Compendium). It was just a lot to be paying for a gaming book.

I make much more money now, but still find $30 game books to be high. Its a psychological thing I guess. I still try to buy at a discount. Gaming books actually aren't too bad considering the rate of inflation on everything else.

 

[Storminator]

I make much more money now, but still find $30 game books to be high. Its a psychological thing I guess.

How do you feel about ordering a couple of pizzas?

To be sure, I have many more bills now. I certainly don't have 150 the disposable income I had in 1979.

PS

 

[Quantarum]

I recall buying all three core books in the space of a month at Lionel Playworld in 1983, with the Fiend Folio and Deities and Demigods following before the end of summer. Pretty much swallowed up my summer allowance and my birthday money, but I was thrilled at the acquisition.

-Q.

 

[Drkfathr1]

How do you feel about ordering a couple of pizzas?

To be sure, I have many more bills now. I certainly don't have 150 the disposable income I had in 1979.

PS

I hate it! Gotta have some good coupons!

 

[Darkwolf71]

Hmm, most of my 1st/2nd ed books were either shoplifted or on 'extended loan' from the local library. I have since, of course, repented of my evil ways. So, for me the price increase is large indeed.

 

[JRRNeiklot]

i beg to differ! I really like a lot of those evocative black and white pictures. Some of the stuff in the 1e phb is fantastic.

And those pages were dense with material! I'm still getting use out of my 1e dmg to this day (and i'm not playing 1e).

Whereas i don't like the texture of glossy pages, i don't like war's art at all (or any dungeonpunk or associated stuff) and find the text about as interesting as washing machine instructions.

Some (not all) of those old books were full of such brilliance and vitality that, value-wise, they were a steal. And a lot of books today seem like a total waste of trees.

qft.