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Message: <blockquote data-quote="kenjib" data-source="post: 174413" data-attributes="member: 530">In my opinion, the sad truth just might be that an entertainment book publishing industry in which 10,000 units sold is a great success simply might not have a large enough customer base to thrive at the level that it's authors would like.  Honestly I would love for game designers to make more money and would like to see a more workable model emerge - those salary figures are really very insufficient, but I don't think that the comparison to textbooks is very fair.  It's a very different dynamic.  I personally would probably still buy books after a 20% across the board (although perhaps fewer of them so it might just cancel out the benefit) but will that really double all of the writers' salaries?  I think not because the distributor and retailer will still take their cut of that increase, right?How about thinking of ways to increase the customer base instead of trying to raise the prices, which would shrink the customer base (even if only a tiny bit)?  I think it's quite obvious that this would have a positive impact on the industry although I'm not sure how well it can be done.  I think more product tie ins to other industries would help - Everquest d20 is one example.  Top selling Computer Console Games consistently bring in sales figures that are in a different league than most rpg products (probably with the exception of only the three core D&D books).  The diablo game was another example of such an attempt.  Why stick to just fantasy though?  Bringing in players through the current fantasy movie craze would also make a notable impact in my opinion.Start with the younger generation.  I have a nephew who plays computer games and it's all he can think about.  When he's not playing computer games he's pretending that he is.  If you think about it, pretending to play a computer game is pretty much a tabletop RPG.  Get these young kids - there are tons of them.  A friend's daughter only played our playstation one night and she still keeps talking about it and pretending that she is one of the computer game characters when doing other things.  Young kids around age 6 or so really want to play RPGs, but there is not enough marketting toward them.  They have significant buying power - look at pokemon.  In addition by catching people at a young age you keep the industry alive in the long run by bringing more and more new generations into the game, who might continue playing for the rest of their lives via other product lines aimed at the more mature players.The marketing needs to be in full swing as well.  The Diablo tabletop game should be sold right next to the computer game aisle at places like Toys R Us, Walmart, and Comp USA.  The Harry Potter rpg (why the heck doesn't a harry potter rpg exist guys?  come on now!) should be for sale at Barnes and Nobles, at toy stores next to the Harry Potter action figure series, and at Blockbuster video even.  The Marvel Comics RPG should be sold at the comic book store.  You can't just plop this stuff down at the game store in the middle of all of the hardcore game stuff - your target market doesn't shop there.Finally, the rules need to be simplified so that 6 year old kids can play these games without adult supervision.  The product lines need to scale across different complexities for different target audiences.  The intro D&D game that came out was a start but it was still far too complicated.  Think somewhere in between that and Candyland.  Blur the lines between mainstream consumer games and RPGs.  This could help to reduce the stigma on RPGs that keeps many potential players away.  Why are many people fine with playing "host a murder mystery" but rpgs are suddenly kids stuff?  What's the difference?  If you blur the lines enough there is no difference.Get this stuff out there and diversify the market.  Kids really want this stuff but it's not there in a form they can use.  The hardcore gamers don't need to worry about quality being diluted through the mass market approach because this mass market approach could provide a sound economic basis for more risky niche-oriented and hardcore game materials to be produced at great quality and less profit.I might be totally wrong but those are my thoughts on the matter.  What are some other untapped markets?</blockquote>

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