Modules, it turns out, apparently DO sell

[renau1g]

Oh yeah, the later 3.5 stuff killed all the early modules for me. Red Hand of Doom was trounced through by the Book of 9 Sword/Spell Compendium/Magic Item Compendium-wielding players... sad, so sad

 

[Thornir Alekeg]

Uhm... yet WotC's "big-budget opuses "... don't seem to be satisfying "as wide of an audience as possible.". In fact, IMO, they seem to be loosing more and more of their audience. Anecdotally... I bought Thunderspire and Pyramid... but with those two adventures (compared to Paizo's) WotC lost me as a purchaser of adventures. It would take one heck of a review by someone I trust to ever get me to buy another adventure from them. Honestly, sometimes first impressions count.

I think DEFCON 1 intended the "big-budget opuses" to be the splatbooks, rather than their modules. WotC doesn't put much time or effort into modules and they don't expect to generate the blockbuster money from them. They will put some out to be seen as supporting the line, just like occasionally big studios might release a smaller budget film as pet project and keep some claim to "artistic endeavors," but it isn't their focus.

 

[Scribble]

One thing I've noticed about modules (at least in my own case) is that I rarely buy them...

Once in a while if they're cool I will, but mostly to mine for ideas.

Now that I have a subscription to DDI, I haven't even looked at a WoTC module (unless you count Hammerfast) because I get 3 or so each month with my dungeon subscription, and all the info (stats and items wise) from the other ones goes into the compendium...

I wonder if WotC's module sales would increase if they didn't offer adventures each month in Dungeon, and didn't put the useful stuff to mine out of them in the compendium?

Or conversely, if Paizo published another monthly adventure magazine would sales of their stand-alones drop?

Either way they're getting money from me... It's just a question of through what means.

I do know one thing- If WoTC wants to sell me more physical modules, they should keep doing more stuff like Hammerfast. I plan to buy the next one as well. I buy them for the flavor, and inspirational ideas.

 

[pawsplay]

Paizo started with modules and APs, and then moved into the RPG business. I'm baffled how anyone could draw the conclusion that modules are just a loss leader for their flagship products.

 

[PaulofCthulhu]

Even if I don't get to run them all, I still prefer to read modules over splatbooks.

I think that is a significant point. Especially with respect to currently non-active players.

 

[SkidAce]

I suspect you are probably in the minority on this point.

As a guy who runs games, I love to see a small core line of rule books and a shelf brimming with adventures. That's the system for me.

I am also a member of this "minority"

 

[Beginning of the End]

I would be more inclined to think that what WotC wants in their adventures is basics and simplicity. They want to have the modules on the shelves of Borders to be so easy to use and not confusing or in-depth that a kid who is given a PH, DMG, and a module for his birthday can sit down and figure out how to play the game without his head exploding.

The word "accessible" doesn't mean "bland and boring".

There's also a difference between "accessible" and "bad". There's nothing about continuity errors or room descriptions that don't match the maps which equates to making an "accessible" product.

 

[guivre]

I am also a member of this "minority"

As am I. That's the primary reason I'm dumping 4e. Since release I've bought every book that came out, this is the first month where I've balked.

It's too many damn books (and not nearly enough playtesting IMO).

Pathfinder has slowly grown on me over the past year, I'm going to subscribe to the AP and Modules line and see how that goes for awhile. It's a better model for me so I might as well support it.

Now I have to decide whether to quit buying 4E permanently or complete the collection. Unfortunately I'll probably stop buying stuff from GG too.

 

[Plane Sailing]

Seriously, it has always been my opinion that the #1 reason for the success of D&D relative to other RPG product lines was modules. As a guy who runs games, I love to see a small core line of rule books and a shelf brimming with adventures. That's the system for me. In my opinion, quality GM aids are the determining factor in the success of your RPG. If you turn out good adventures, people will play your game, and simply no other RPG product line has had over the years the focus on adventures that D&D has. What it means is that more players are willing to become GM's, more adventures get actually run, and you end up with more fans.

Excellent point.

I remember back in the day when FASA was producing most excellent Traveller adventures, and it helped spark a lot of interest in Traveller. There was event useful things like the "76 patrons" book. By contrast, there were very few RQ2 adventures coming out during its life time (although a few sorta campaign packs like Pavis, The Big Rubble, Griffin Mountain etc) and at the time I couldn't help wondering whether that was holding RQ back from the wider success I believed it deserved.

Cheers

 

[ggroy]

At the present time I am not DM'ing nor playing in any regular games. (My 4E game ended awhile ago). I do play the occasional pickup one-shot game, about once a month.

Nevertheless, I do regularly pick up the Pathfinder AP books to read. To me it's like reading "Dungeon Magazine" on better quality paper without any ads. I don't think I'll ever use much of the stuff I read.

Wonder how much of the Pathfinder sales (ie. APs, chronicles, companion, etc ...), are to people who just read them without ever playing or using much of the stuff in their own games.