Hardcover adventure compilation, separate player guide?

[RangerWickett]

I'm pondering whether, when we go to layout for the ZEITGEIST hardcover compilation, we should bundle the player guide into hardcover (which has the campaign guide and the adventures), or if it should always be a standalone item. I also need to look at the pricing to see whether it'd be feasible to send out hardcover plus a softcover player guide.

My thought is, would a GM actually want to hand the big hardcover to the players, and risk someone accidentally seeing a spoiler?

What do you think?

 

[Morrus]

I think he'd like it in there for his own reference, but would get them for his players separately (either softcover or free PDFs).

That's my view as a potential GM, at any rate.

 

[skotothalamos]

One of my players complained when she went to the Kickstarter and saw two spoilery pictures. Keeping that book out of player hands seems like a great idea.

I bought two of the softcover Player's Guides so my players could borrow them and read up on the world on their own time.

 

[Ravenmantle]

Keep them separate, I say. It just seems easier and less risky to hand the players a player's guide than handing them the book containing the actual adventures.

 

[Morrus]

Keep them separate, I say. It just seems easier and less risky to hand the players a player's guide than handing them the book containing the actual adventures.

Why can't you do both? A copy in the book for you, and separate copies for the players.

 

[Ravenmantle]

Why can't you do both? A copy in the book for you, and separate copies for the players.

You certainly can, but to me having the player's guide be a separate book AND a part of the adventure book seems rather redundant. I'd prefer GM-specific material in those pages, such as expanded/additional encounters; material that expands on the organizations, locations, and other campaign-specific elements; etc.. If I want to read the player-specific stuff during prep, I'll just read through the player's guide book.

Anyway, just a personal preference.

 

[Morrus]

You certainly can, but to me having the player's guide be a separate book AND a part of the adventure book seems rather redundant. I'd prefer GM-specific material in those pages, such as expanded/additional encounters; material that expands on the organizations, locations, and other campaign-specific elements; etc.. If I want to read the player-specific stuff during prep, I'll just read through the player's guide book.

So working on the assumption that it's in the main book in addition to not instead of the exiting content there, would you prefer it just be left out? I suppose we could make two versions of the book; it's PoD, after all. One of 'em could have the PG stuff missing from it. I know I'd personally like to have everything I'm likely to need in the one book.