GC 2006 - Ptolus Hardback $120!?!

[Numion]

With some people crying foul, yelling that it will kill the industry, I would ask this: would it be okay if it was 3 $40 books?

Well, it will be around 8 pdfs ..

 

[BiggusGeekus]

With some people crying foul, yelling that it will kill the industry, I would ask this: would it be okay if it was 3 $40 books?

More to the point, three $40 books roughly 200 pages long, with a free 96 page book tossed in.

 

[diaglo]

More to the point, three $40 books roughly 200 pages long, with a free 96 page book tossed in.

and can be bought on ebay or other secondary market at $19 each or less.

i'll wait either way.

$120 is too much for a hobby book.


edit: and i like Malhavoc's stuff. i was 4th in line at Gen Con Indy 03... and i had drinks with Monte and Sue Cook and got to play Mike Mearls part at the Ennies this year (virtually)....

 

[DaveMage]

and can be bought on ebay or other secondary market at $19 each or less.

i'll wait either way.

$120 is too much for a hobby book.

I'm surprised to hear you say that.

What's the most you've ever paid for a single RPG product (OOP or not) on e-bay?

 

[Whizbang Dustyboots]

What gets me is that I just started my Banewarrens game on Tuesday. If this product had been out earlier this year, I would have felt obliged to buy it. As it is, we'll probably be Ptolus'd out by the time the product comes out. On the other hand, the Banewarrens was so good I felt obliged to start an entire campaign just around it.

After Banewarrens (and some more levelling up), you can put that group through the Night of Dissolution adventure, especially as it appears the Banewarrens set up much of the important plot points for the Ptolus campaign.

 

[diaglo]

I'm surprised to hear you say that.

What's the most you've ever paid for a single RPG product (OOP or not) on e-bay?

i paid $150 for Mike Mearls seat at the Ennies.

i bid on the ancient d20 at sutherby's but lost.

i bought the orange B3, Up the Garden Path, the Jade Hare, and a few more off of the internet for $50 to $500 depending on rarity and condition. but those will never again be produced.

 

[Vocenoctum]

While I think it would be horrible for the hobby if this leads to the next edition of D&D having 120 dollar core books, regardless of size and content, I seriously doubt this is going to be the case. This is a definite "high end" gaming product that isn't aimed at everyone. While I don't think its "worth it" for my game and find it overpriced for what I would get out of it, I don't understand why someone would apparently get all worked up over its mere existance. This isn't going to be a hobby changing book in terms of how things are priced and created. It's a high end niche product. Why get pissed about it?

While I'm by no means pissed about it, there's always the possibility that this will contribute to other books like it, meaning that some books WON'T be published as affordable books. the Premium PHB is a niche product, the regular PHB is not, as it were.

It's like a lot of books are Hardcover, simply to justify the price, rather than having to pay more because it's hardcover.

I don't think it'll be a big deal myself, but it's always the possibility.

 

[DaveMage]

i paid $150 for Mike Mearls seat at the Ennies.

i bid on the ancient d20 at sutherby's but lost.

i bought the orange B3, Up the Garden Path, the Jade Hare, and a few more off of the internet for $50 to $500 depending on rarity and condition. but those will never again be produced.

So it pretty much has to go out of print before you're willing to spend serious $$?

That's cool. The thing I worry about is that a product like this will have a small print run. Once it's gone - it's gone. I'd rather pay $120 now then $300 later.

Of course, the product may tank and you could then pick it up for $10 (plus $20 shipping on e-bay ), but I hope that's not the case. However, the secondary market will not have all the pre-order extra bells & whistles, which, to me, makes this one special.

Whoever put together the pre-order incentive did an impressive job (IMO).

 

[Vascant]

I knew it was a matter of time before someone came out with something of this.. scale.

I do have some questions..Will this be supported afterwards or is it basically cash cow. It has been a while since I have picked up one of MC's products but last one I seen had a pretty tight reign on OGL material. The Guild website states up until release pre-orders have access, what happens after release? Will this continue to be available, this this support continue enhanced and updated or will it turn into a membership fee type thing?

 

[DaveMage]

While I'm by no means pissed about it, there's always the possibility that this will contribute to other books like it, meaning that some books WON'T be published as affordable books. the Premium PHB is a niche product, the regular PHB is not, as it were.

Putting together premium books like this takes a bit of front-end capital, so that may eliminate a lot of publishers being able (or willing) to do this. Also, the amount of work that goes into making a truly premium product is probably quite extensive, so that's another barrier.

I wouldn't mind 4 premium products a year (and by premium, I mean those that cost $60+). Beyond that, it might be prohibitive.