GC 2006 - Ptolus Hardback $120!?!

[Scribble]

From what others have said it looks like a big ol really nicely put together everything in one book campaign setting.

So it's probably worth the price tag. I mean most companies split the main stuff you need for a campaign world over multiple books.

That said, even though I like Monte's work, I probably won't buy it. I'm not looking for a new campaign setting anytime soon.

But then again, it's like a year from now, so what do I know now?

 

[Flexor the Mighty!]

It'd be handled as roughly as my Nintendo DS. Same price, y'know (and I suspect that the hardcover book will be even more resilient). It's only $120, not the Hope Diamond.

Considering how anal some posters here have stated they are about people putting thier grubby hands on thier books I thought the joke would be a bit funny. I'm trying to remember who it was that said they don't even let their friends look at thier books at the game table, they have to buy thier own copy. Anyway that was kind of tongue in cheek.

From the report, it sounds like the bells and whistles actually do enhance the utility of the product - more so than any other gaming book in existence (again, based on the report: "extensive cross-references, color coding, footnotes, topic divided indices, glossary, and mnemonic aiding repetition"? WTF? Somebody actually deciding that my game product should be easily used? Amazing).

Book marks, full color, embrossed cover, glossy paper, etc. To me those are unnecessary bells and whistles. But then again I'm the kind of guy who thought the Castles & Crusades books are perfect with thier black and white art and regular old paper for 19.99 Flashy books have never made my game run better, or made me more excited about a game so I tend to prefer a non-deluxe package that is more affordable. Some of the ideas seem good, but overall its just a bit much for me, and I don't buy Monte's stuff in any event. Hope you have fun with it though.

 

[Whizbang Dustyboots]

Let's face it. If you don't use Malhavok books in your games (whether you still like them or not). Chances are you won't use this. If you use some Malhavok stuff but never its game worlds (you substitute the Realms for Diamond Throne or Greyhawk for IH's world of ruins), then you probably won't like this one too.

What a strange assertion. What are you basing it on?

I own zero Malhavoc products but am interested in Ptolus. I do not exist in your equation.

 

[Odhanan]

Ptolus at that price wouldn't be a sale to me. Whether he cut it into three books, where I could buy one book per quarter, or dropped it in price, or some other change, I could handle, but I couldn't justify one book for that.

If it can make you more at ease about Ptolus, Henry, let me precise that, from the reports I've read about the GenCon meeting regarding the product, it will contain three different parts, Below Ptolus, Ptolus Itself and Above Ptolus (Jabel Shammar I think). These three parts would be sold in PDF format separately. So... here you go.

There are remarks on this thread about "Monte Fans do/are like this or that". Namely that they would buy anything Monte puts his name on, that they don't accept critics and so on. I'm a Monte fan, guys (notice the non-capital f). There isn't such a thing as a "Monte Fan" pool of guys just bowing mindlessly about the Great-Monte-God. There are a lot of discussions over at his boards, many people disagreeing with contents and treatment in this or that product for this or that reason. The thing one can find, however, is a near-general respect for the opinions of each other. And that's great.

Take that as a rave about Monte's message boards, if you absolutely want to put a "Monte Fan" sticker on my name.

I'm not the most neutral guy you could find to talk about Malhavoc products. Look at my sig. However, I know guys over on these boards who certainly don't deserve to be put in the same basket or be talked about like they are mindless, lame people without a will of their own.

Now, my last point. The price of the book. Let me compare a 640+ pages book with handouts, CD, Deluxe cover and treatment, maps etc. not with BMWs but with say... five pizzas or two/three diners at the restaurant (depending on drinks, quality of the menu etc) ... well of course that's worth it, if you ask me!

 

[JoeGKushner]

There are remarks on this thread about "Monte Fans do/are like this or that". Namely that they would buy anything Monte puts his name on, that they don't accept critics and so on. I'm a Monte fan, guys (notice the non-capital f). There isn't such a thing as a "Monte Fan" pool of guys just bowing mindlessly about the Great-Monte-God.

At times it certainly seems like there are though. The whole one bad apple and all that no doubt.

 

[BryonD]

There isn't such a thing as a "Monte Fan" pool of guys just bowing mindlessly about the Great-Monte-God.

Sorry dude, but there are.

Is it some huge group or piece of the market? No. But it is a very rabid and vocal core group.
They are there.

I have this theory that once someone decides that they really like a particular band, they tend to like songs by that band even if they wouldn't like that exact same song done the exact same way by someone else. I'm not talking about anyone who simply likes a given band. But I am talking about these "#1 FAN" types.

I think the same principle works in gaming.

 

[gamecat]

Ptolus doesn't appeal to me. I run my own setting, so no need for it. I'm not buying it.

A $120 price tag raises my eyebrows but I am not going off on a "m0nt3 haxx the prise of arr pee gee boox!!!one!eleven OMG WTF BBQ" spree.

A smile costs 13 muscles, a frown 45, apathy about none, except some eyebrows.

 

[Varianor Abroad]

Sorry dude, but there are.

Is it some huge group or piece of the market? No. But it is a very rabid and vocal core group.
They are there.

Much like the anti-Monte fans feel compelled to post their dislikes in every single thread no matter how slim the reference? Usually accompanied by little snide comments?

Seriously. Monte's a great guy and a great designer. If you don't like his stuff, no skin off my nose. If you start getting nasty about him, well I'm sticking up for him. I also stick up for anyone else I see getting attacked unnecessarily when I know them personally. (Even when I don't know them in many cases.)

 

[Eridanis]

Let's keep it civil, folks. Regular rules apply. No sniping at each other's motives or points of view.

$120 is a lot of money, and I most likely won't drop that kind of money on a book, but I'm open to the idea that there's going to be a heck of a lot packed into that thing. It all depends on how much use you get out of it. If youcan base five years of gaming in that campaign, then I imagine your ROI is pretty high.

 

[Voadam]

If it can make you more at ease about Ptolus, Henry, let me precise that, from the reports I've read about the GenCon meeting regarding the product, it will contain three different parts, Below Ptolus, Ptolus Itself and Above Ptolus (Jabel Shammar I think). These three parts would be sold in PDF format separately. So... here you go.



Now, my last point. The price of the book. Let me compare a 640+ pages book with handouts, CD, Deluxe cover and treatment, maps etc. not with BMWs but with say... five pizzas or two/three diners at the restaurant (depending on drinks, quality of the menu etc) ... well of course that's worth it, if you ask me!

Huh. I thought it was going to be 1 Ptolus the city, 2 running city games, and 3 the complete 1-20 campaign set in Ptolus.

As for the price comparison, as noted before I think of it in terms of the budget I set for myself for gaming stuff, $25 a month. So $120 represents five months of not getting any other gaming stuff or seriously splurging over my budget. There are tons of things within my budget that I can get and that I want so the price is a significant issue in whether I will buy it. We will see how much the pdfs are when they come out, and what they cover.