RPGNow Sales Numbers Update

[jmucchiello]

Perhaps someone can build a site with all the various pdf publishers that frequent the boards, and list all their products. Include the RPGNow links and get Morrus to host it. Then there would always be a place to browse the pdf market.

Isn't that just RPGNow? Or you could just go to the enworld reviews page and browse by company.

Good web design says you want to minimize mouse clicks thus sending people to your company page on RPGNow is the most direct way to get them to your products.

 

[jmucchiello]

Revised editions seem to be popular too. Now Joe you KNOW your book could use a few extra illustrations...

I've been toying with the idea for a web enhancement that I would merge into the book (with a few illos and a cover, of course). You know, something to pretty up the book for the ENnies.

I hope to have that done about a month after Tree of Knowledge comes out which should be about a month before ENnies cut-off unless Morrus goes with the April date that he is toying with. In which case it bumps up ahead of ToK.

 

[jmucchiello]

Has anyone added any advertising at the end of the PDF. Sort of like a banner exchange on a website?

Do you mean of another publisher's product or your own? That would be interesting especially if you found another pub who's product lines complemented (rather than competed with) your own.

 

[Kerrick]

That would be interesting especially if you found another pub who's product lines complemented (rather than competed with) your own.

Or better yet, actually creating a product to complement someone else's. That's something Ambient and we (The Brood) have started doing... We make references to things in other Ambient products in our books (we have permission, of course); Hellhound is also including a new PrC, the Blighted Slayer, in the print edition of our first book, Crimson Contracts. We've used material from Monte Cook (the poison handling tables).
I've seen collaboration between other compnies before, too, and I think it's great; our goal is to get companies working WITH each other, rather than against, so that we can create a widespread community of producers, publishers, and gamers, and to enhance and enrich the quality of products on the market. By referencing other people's material and/or including it in our products, we get people interested in those other things also, as they could be used with the book(s) they already have.

 

[HellHound]

Adding advertising to a PDF product seems to irritate those who buy them. (See the latest review of Modern Day Maps 2 on RPGnow... here) - I've also seen this mentioned in other threads here and elsewhere.

A better option, IMO, is to include a PDF pamphlet about your other products in the zip file. Several publishers do this, and I have never seen a negative comment about this sort of "packaging".

 

[malladin]

I think some sort of collaboration with other pdf publishers would be a great idea.

As rpgnow is becoming, possibly, over subscribed by publishers it might be an idea for a bunch of us to get together as suggested and produce a web page to promote a limited range of products, meaning that things don't 'drop off the font page' as quickly.

I think the site would probably link through to individual product pages on rpgnow, but if you can build a site thats a good resource (by us all supplying it with freebies, support products and editorials) and cuts down the amount of dross you have to search through on RPGNow it could be popuar with the customers. A smaller database would mean quicker browsing too.

Personally I would be keen to be involved in anything like this. As I'm a programmer by day and programmed and designed all the Malladin's Gate site myself I'd be happy to put a site together (although probably best if someone else provides me with some grafix, as all I've got at the minute is a couple of textures copied out of word)

I suppose the question is how do we decide who will join? Do we have a set membership, and onlyinclude others by invitation? That doesn't seem fair to me. What about some sort of review system to maintain quality control, as It'd have to have a high overall standard to attract people to use it instead of the RPGNow front page. Any other thoughts?

How about a name for this site. Ifjust checked and both www.d20alliance.com and www.pdfalliance.com domain names are available, as a thought - anyone got a better name?

Cheerio,

Ben, Malladin's Gate

PS. Krug - I'd be happy to pass a you review copies of our newer products, could you pass me your email and I'll sort you out with a complimentary copy through RPGNow. Email me at ben@malladinsgate.com

 

[V_Shane]

Or better yet, actually creating a product to complement someone else's.

This is something I have started also (see thread "Writers of the Arcane") to hopefully have art packets out that other companies and people can reference for thier own resources and campaigns, and as time goes on I will be putting up more art packages that can eventually help support other products shy on art. By doing this I maintain the rights to my work, my art/ID doesn't get lost in the shuffle. And I promote on my site the links of those that have written about the Card Art series. I feel this a great opportunity of cross-colaberation that has alot of potential.


Shane

 

[Krug]

But does one have to ask permission first before refering to the product of another company? NOT using the material, mind you.

 

[jmucchiello]

But does one have to ask permission first before refering to the product of another company? NOT using the material, mind you.

According to the OGL we cannot refer to one another's trademarks without permission so you cannot do this without having a bit discussion with each other.

 

[Strutinan]

Psionics Companion - 135 copies

Now that the novelty has worn off, I seem to be selling an average of a copy every day. Not bad, not bad at all. My girl-friend is proud

Over here at DaemonEye we've been thinking alot about advertising and product line. We are probably going to a convention towards the end of the month to do some networking and customer relations. We plan on running three totally distinct product lines under the DaemonEye banner in order to maximize cross-sales.

later on in the spring I'll probably be releasing a free PDF of a few bits-n-nibblies form Lands of Molokai that can be used in non-LoM campaigns. I swear (sometimes loudly), this thing has become an all-consuming force of nature! The thing has ballooned form a simple campaign setting with a few setting-specific feats and PrCs, to a complete nearly self-contained EXPERIENCE that borders on being an immense splat-book!