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Sean's Picks of the Week (1113-1117) - Get Your GURPS Week!
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<blockquote data-quote="barasawa" data-source="post: 7729851" data-attributes="member: 44909"><p>If I started this mess, that wasn't intentional. </p><p></p><p>I was just pointing out that PDFs supposedly have a significantly lower cost than a hardcopy book. Well, we know that the cost of digital distribution is much smaller than printing and physical distribution, and in the past publishers have very clearly stated that printing the book is the biggest part of the cost, so the cost difference between making a digital (aka pdf) and a physical book must be huge! </p><p></p><p>When cost to manufacture goes down, it's pretty traditional to drop pricing as well, because the lower cost increases sales. This effect can easily make for greatly increased profits due to the increase in sales, except when the demand greatly outstrips supply for some reason, then things tend to go up. Super basic economics stuff there. </p><p></p><p>Taking all that into account, the price of the GURPS pdfs seem to be way too high, especially when compared to the rest of the market, who obviously have the same kind of basic costs to create a book as SJG. </p><p></p><p>I've played a lot of GURPS, and haven't gotten a new one since probably 2nd edition. I'd love to get a new one, but when you add up for all the basic books to play, it's too bloody much. </p><p>(What the heck did they bloat their books with?!?!?) </p><p>So I check out these new PDFs (Of their books they've already created, so no new item there) and find them nearly as expensive as dead trees! WAY too EXPENSIVE ! </p><p></p><p>Sure the PDFs have all the same info, but display and access, other than being able to search for a specific word, isn't that great. They're supremely portable, but only if you have the display device, which really isn't so portable, unless it's a small model, but then the display suffers even more. Our clients for accessing digital books are usable, but honestly they are no where near as useful as that physical book, at least not yet. </p><p></p><p>I for one will often get PDFs of things I'm not sure will be great, or in high use. Then if I like it enough, or the usage warrants it, I'll also try to obtain the physical copy. (I hear that's not at all uncommon) </p><p></p><p>SJGs selling their PDFs that high likely aren't "refusing to devalue their product", but are likely instead "decreasing costs while simultaneously increasing profits". Something that isn't consumer friendly at all. Even so, I still like SJGs, although I doubt there's anyone there that I know anymore, it's been a rather long time since the 80s. </p><p></p><p>That's the whole of the point I was trying to make now spelled out in a rather verbose version, with maybe a bit extra to try and clear up a few things I said. </p><p>I'm not sure what the argument is actually about, unless it's participants are just big into debating, but I also got a bit lost with all the back and forth and snippet quotes. </p><p></p><p>What I've posted is just some facts, and my own opinions. The facts don't change no matter what anyone likes, and everyone is welcome to have different opinions.</p></blockquote><p></p>
[QUOTE="barasawa, post: 7729851, member: 44909"] If I started this mess, that wasn't intentional. I was just pointing out that PDFs supposedly have a significantly lower cost than a hardcopy book. Well, we know that the cost of digital distribution is much smaller than printing and physical distribution, and in the past publishers have very clearly stated that printing the book is the biggest part of the cost, so the cost difference between making a digital (aka pdf) and a physical book must be huge! When cost to manufacture goes down, it's pretty traditional to drop pricing as well, because the lower cost increases sales. This effect can easily make for greatly increased profits due to the increase in sales, except when the demand greatly outstrips supply for some reason, then things tend to go up. Super basic economics stuff there. Taking all that into account, the price of the GURPS pdfs seem to be way too high, especially when compared to the rest of the market, who obviously have the same kind of basic costs to create a book as SJG. I've played a lot of GURPS, and haven't gotten a new one since probably 2nd edition. I'd love to get a new one, but when you add up for all the basic books to play, it's too bloody much. (What the heck did they bloat their books with?!?!?) So I check out these new PDFs (Of their books they've already created, so no new item there) and find them nearly as expensive as dead trees! WAY too EXPENSIVE ! Sure the PDFs have all the same info, but display and access, other than being able to search for a specific word, isn't that great. They're supremely portable, but only if you have the display device, which really isn't so portable, unless it's a small model, but then the display suffers even more. Our clients for accessing digital books are usable, but honestly they are no where near as useful as that physical book, at least not yet. I for one will often get PDFs of things I'm not sure will be great, or in high use. Then if I like it enough, or the usage warrants it, I'll also try to obtain the physical copy. (I hear that's not at all uncommon) SJGs selling their PDFs that high likely aren't "refusing to devalue their product", but are likely instead "decreasing costs while simultaneously increasing profits". Something that isn't consumer friendly at all. Even so, I still like SJGs, although I doubt there's anyone there that I know anymore, it's been a rather long time since the 80s. That's the whole of the point I was trying to make now spelled out in a rather verbose version, with maybe a bit extra to try and clear up a few things I said. I'm not sure what the argument is actually about, unless it's participants are just big into debating, but I also got a bit lost with all the back and forth and snippet quotes. What I've posted is just some facts, and my own opinions. The facts don't change no matter what anyone likes, and everyone is welcome to have different opinions. [/QUOTE]
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