GC 2006 - Ptolus Hardback $120!?!

[Turjan]

Wilderlands -- $69.99 -- I can't find an exact page count anywhere.

As far as I know, it's two booklets with 256 pages each plus 18 maps on 9 separate sheets.

Edit: The Judges Guild page still says "boxed set containing two 188-page softbound books and 9 double sided maps" (estimated page count).

The White Wolf page says:

• 18 highly-detailed poster maps overlaid with 5-mile hexes covering every part of the Wilderlands!

• Two Map Books full of hex by hex description weighing in at over 400 pages!

• Details on more than 3,000 cities, villages, ruins, lairs, islands, citadels, castles and geographic features!

 

[Vocenoctum]

As far as I know, it's two booklets with 256 pages each plus 18 maps on 9 separate sheets.

Are double sided maps really that much cheaper than single sided? I mean, I can see less paper, but still.

 

[Lonely Tylenol]

Actually I hope WotC gets on the big book bandwagon and puts out an 800-1000 page book on Sigil -- complete with Thomas Guide level of detail map (well, maybe not that detailed) and whatever updated Planescape stuff they'd need.

It seems the one big book would be a good way to handle some of the older campaign settings that still have a fan base that wants something, but not a large enough fan base to support a full line.

Now this is a good idea. A Sigil book, I'd buy without hesitation. Especially if they deluxe'd it up like Ptolus is going to be.

 

[Vocenoctum]

But you noted that you'd spend $60 on Shackled City, but not Stormwrack. What is the difference there? And why can't that difference be something that could scale such that a $120 book is worth buying?

Shackled City could add a bit more material, but frankly it's already pretty exhaustive. Stormwrack I can't see being expanded. I don't think it's realistic to have someone justify every purchase with a reason why it couldn't be a $120 book though.

On the flip side, what's in the (640-130art) 510 pages of Ptolus, that make it worth $120? We don't really know yet, so it's all supposition, but from what I've gathered, it's mostly people and organizations (with attendant plothooks).

 

[Turjan]

On the flip side, what's in the (640-130art) 510 pages of Ptolus, that make it worth $120?

Funny that you subtract the art pages. They are a major reason for the price .

 

[Vocenoctum]

Funny that you subtract the art pages. They are a major reason for the price .

Right, hence why I said a mid-range product with less frills could be cheaper.
But really, asking someone to justify 640 pages of content when 130 of them are art, isn't really fair!

 

[WildWeasel]

Shackled City could add a bit more material, but frankly it's already pretty exhaustive. Stormwrack I can't see being expanded. I don't think it's realistic to have someone justify every purchase with a reason why it couldn't be a $120 book though.

I'm not asking why Storamwarck couldn't have been a $120 book. I'ms asking what makes a $60 book not too expensive, and why can't that answer scale up to a $120 one.

On the flip side, what's in the (640-130art) 510 pages of Ptolus, that make it worth $120? We don't really know yet, so it's all supposition, but from what I've gathered, it's mostly people and organizations (with attendant plothooks).

Huh, why suddenly not coutning the art content? Especially when it's listed as one of the selling points? And, sicne this is going to be a more travel guide format, is going to add to the overall utility of the book?

But other than that, you've stumbled onto what I think is almost the right question: What's in it that makes it worth $120 to you? That question I have no problem with. For some people, the answe is going to be "Nothing," or, "Not enough." Cool beans.

What I have a problem with, what I don't understand, is when the answer is, "What, that's too much for ANY book!", as though there is some objective limit on the top price point of a book, regardless of contents or production values.

 

[Vocenoctum]

But other than that, you've stumbled onto what I think is almost the right question: What's in it that makes it worth $120 to you? That question I have no problem with. For some people, the answe is going to be "Nothing," or, "Not enough." Cool beans.

Actually, my position is "why can't it be a 550 page book with a normal cover for $60".

What I have a problem with, what I don't understand, is when the answer is, "What, that's too much for ANY book!", as though there is some objective limit on the top price point of a book, regardless of contents or production values.

Eh, it's just the internet, if that's the only hyperbole you have an issue with in this thread, then you're doing great.
But really, I don't think there's any question that something could possibly be worth $120 for RPGness, but a single book doesn't do it for me either.

 

[A'koss]

I don't understand the "just a city" comments, though. You can have a whole campaign for years in one city, if it's a good setting.

Well that's the $120 question, isn't it... What I want to know is what people are seeing in this book that is worth dropping that kind of money on sight unseen? As I pointed out earlier, everything I've read about Ptolus (so far) seems to suggest that it's just another standard D&D city - so what am I missing here?

 

[WildWeasel]

Actually, my position is "why can't it be a 550 page book with a normal cover for $60".

It can. But it's not. And there's no reason it HAS to be.

Eh, it's just the internet, if that's the only hyperbole you have an issue with in this thread, then you're doing great.
But really, I don't think there's any question that something could possibly be worth $120 for RPGness, but a single book doesn't do it for me either.

If it were just just hyperbole, then yeah. Unfort I think there are people that are dead serious about.

And why doesn't it do it for you? Not Ptolus, but ANY book? Why can't one book be worth $120?