Races and Classes cover on Amazon!

[Beckett]

Hard cover or soft?

 

[Lonely Tylenol]

I appreciate your thoughts on the subject. It is certainly something I will discuss back at the office.

I am somewhat startled that SteveC's thoughts on the subject are being considered novel in this way. I would have thought that you guys would already know exactly how something like this would be received, especially given the comments that followed the initial announcement of these books, and which appear each time the books are mentioned.

 

[Lonely Tylenol]

I love your attitude it really makes me want to make more products like this...Not!

Party on, Garth.

 

[Scott_Rouse]

I am somewhat startled that SteveC's thoughts on the subject are being considered novel in this way. I would have thought that you guys would already know exactly how something like this would be received, especially given the comments that followed the initial announcement of these books, and which appear each time the books are mentioned.

The point I took was: what can we do and/or communicate about this book that might turn attitudes? I have to admit that sometimes we get too close to a product and because we have "insider" knowledge of the product we forget that the people buying the books need to get more of the "insiders " information.

My thoughts from SteveC's comments are: Can we position the book differently, have we explained what the book sis all about well enough? What can we do to get people exicted about the book? to name a few.

 

[Aldarc]

To expand my thought behind my post here. The notion of someone advocating buying a pirated book ticks me off.

Why would anyone buy a pirated book when they can get the pirated book for free on the internet? And I am not advocating piracy for all RPG books, just ones that exist as an overpriced preview material of something that will be quickly leaked once it has been released. It is preview material. I do not want to pay for this material just so I can pay for the same material again in 2008. I have my e-book and hard copy RPG purchases, so I do not like to be lectured about piracy.

I would rather a mediocre book not sell than be acquired via piracy. Of course I want us to make books people want to buy and if people don't want a particular book and they don't sell then we have an opportunity to learn from this and take corrective action to create books that people want to buy.

Then it seems as if you need to work harder, because there is real no reason to buy except to be the first guy who tells the boards all the details in it.

$20? Twenty dollars? For a preview? For information that will be all over the message boards here, at WotC, and at RPG.net in about twelve seconds after it's released?

And this is why paying $20 for the preview material simply is not worth it.

 

[Scott_Rouse]

Hard cover or soft?

soft

 

[Scott_Rouse]

Why would anyone buy a pirated book when they can get the pirated book for free on the internet?

That was a typo i meant to say "get"

 

[SteveC]

I appreciate your thoughts on the subject. It is certainly something I will discuss back at the office.

Thanks Scott! The most important thing for you (and the rest of the folks involved with 4E) is that you have about eight months of being reviled before you go back to being all kinds of awesome. I fully expect that 4E will be a fantastic product (even if I don't like all of the aspects of it) and we'll be back to "youse guys are the roxxors!" before you even know it and all will be forgiven.

So Cheers in the meantime!

--Steve

 

[Irda Ranger]

And I am not advocating piracy for all RPG books, just ones that exist as an overpriced preview material

And because you think it's overpriced, that makes it OK to steal it?

I think the RIAA's actions, and the DRM imposed on music and movie media, have upped some people's tolerance of piracy too high. Some people justify pirating music because the seller's DRM doesn't support their MP3 player; but you've got no such excuse here. Paper is universal.

If you don't want to pay $13.57 it actually costs at Amazon, don't buy it.

so I do not like to be lectured about piracy.

Then don't advocate it.

 

[ferratus]

Well, the big problem is that we have here a "disposable" book rather than a reference book. Once you read it once, it isn't really useful for anything anymore. This is in sharp contrast to other rulebooks such as the PHB, DMG and MM, which you need to keep around for reference. Thus, the temptation to pirate that book (not that I approve of course), is going to be very strong.

Even if the book is going to be used to explain the designer's goals, methods, or philosophies in designing the new edition, isn't that what you want for marketing this product? I can't understand the marketing strategy of the new edition. Why is WotC only marketing to 2-5% of their fanbase? You are basically only spreading information about the new edition to those people who are willing to sign up for a Gleemax account or regularly check the WotC website for that matter. Subscription based content is fine after 4e is launched, but it is a horrible way to generate buzz.

The vast majority of your audience doesn't check the D&D website every week or so, or participate in RPG forums. Heck, the vast majority of your audience doesn't play D&D as often as they'd like (like my D&D games which have been on hiatus since I had a daughter in July). How are you going to bring them back to the table (much less attract new players) if they have to come to the website, sign in to D&D Insider, and spend $40 just to receive the marketing?

It defies all common sense.