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Khorvaire:Two Problems
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<blockquote data-quote="WizarDru" data-source="post: 1652315" data-attributes="member: 151"><p>We may not hold the same idea of what a player's book is; from our previous discussion, I was assuming this would be a book with prestige classes, changes to core classes, spells, feats and so forth. Either way, I'd need to know that information, be it fluff or crunch. If all bards in Eberron get 10+Int bonus skill points, that's something I need to know. If all sorcerors get to change spells every level, monks can freely multiclass or certain feats are available, I not only need to know it, too, but I may choose to use it for my NPCs and monsters.</p><p> </p><p> I think WotC has stated that the majority, burned by TSR, tend to dislike it, but I'm honestly not sure. I do know that I like the Githyanki, but I don't want to feel obligated to buy the XPH just for them. Luckily, I don't have to, if I don't want to. Printing costs being what they are, based on Ryan Dancey's and Monte Cook's breakdown, even if the book were 50% reprint, it still wouldn't drive the cost down as singificantly as 50%. Check the d20 forum for a discussion on the costs of releasing such a book in today's market, and the costs therein.</p><p> </p><p> </p><p> Well, I agree that TSR had lots of problems, and this was only part of it...but some of it was a systemic problem with the company's culture and outlook. The total lack of anything other than gut feelings to determine what should be published was a big problem. That attitude led directly to the spellfire fiasco.</p><p> </p><p> Most of those box sets were sold at a loss...they sold well, but they didn't earn money - a classic TSR problem after EGG left. Most of the books made a good profit for the first month or two, but then stagnated on the shelves. No setting other than FR sold consistenly well, and even FR tended to go stale on the shelves after a certain point past release. Rather than stop supporting five or six settings, TSR attempted to support them all, and failed, as I understand it. </p><p> </p><p> Here's what Ryan Dancey said about it a few years ago:</p></blockquote><p></p>
[QUOTE="WizarDru, post: 1652315, member: 151"] We may not hold the same idea of what a player's book is; from our previous discussion, I was assuming this would be a book with prestige classes, changes to core classes, spells, feats and so forth. Either way, I'd need to know that information, be it fluff or crunch. If all bards in Eberron get 10+Int bonus skill points, that's something I need to know. If all sorcerors get to change spells every level, monks can freely multiclass or certain feats are available, I not only need to know it, too, but I may choose to use it for my NPCs and monsters. I think WotC has stated that the majority, burned by TSR, tend to dislike it, but I'm honestly not sure. I do know that I like the Githyanki, but I don't want to feel obligated to buy the XPH just for them. Luckily, I don't have to, if I don't want to. Printing costs being what they are, based on Ryan Dancey's and Monte Cook's breakdown, even if the book were 50% reprint, it still wouldn't drive the cost down as singificantly as 50%. Check the d20 forum for a discussion on the costs of releasing such a book in today's market, and the costs therein. Well, I agree that TSR had lots of problems, and this was only part of it...but some of it was a systemic problem with the company's culture and outlook. The total lack of anything other than gut feelings to determine what should be published was a big problem. That attitude led directly to the spellfire fiasco. Most of those box sets were sold at a loss...they sold well, but they didn't earn money - a classic TSR problem after EGG left. Most of the books made a good profit for the first month or two, but then stagnated on the shelves. No setting other than FR sold consistenly well, and even FR tended to go stale on the shelves after a certain point past release. Rather than stop supporting five or six settings, TSR attempted to support them all, and failed, as I understand it. Here's what Ryan Dancey said about it a few years ago: [/QUOTE]
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