Web supplements or smaller font

[johnnype]

All the web supplements for the first Fiendish Codex have made me wonder why they didn't just include them in the book. An incrased page count would undoubtedly increases the cost of the book and we now know that WotC won't go for that. Personally I'd rather see it included in the book even if it meant smaller font. We've seen it done before (the Forgotten Realms Campaing Setting is a perfect example).

What do you think?

 

[JoeGKushner]

Heck, I'd rather have a slight price increase and go back to the 192 page format that was popular last year than this 160 page stuff.

Get rid of the ads.

Reduce full page art (especially reprinted art.)

Better use of font and layout.

 

[Voadam]

By the way, Book of Fiends is the Green Ronin Book, though I've gotten great use out of that book's web enhancement too.

I don't buy every book but I do get a lot of benefits from the web enhancements, both for the ones I do have the book for and even for some I don't. It is also a good opportunity to add extra things after they've finished the book and had time to think up extra little tidbits after digesting the whole book or getting some customer feedback.

For example when Book of Fiends came out and Chris Pramas anounced its release in the publishers forum here I asked if it had tables of what fiends from it could be summoned using the summon monster spells. He said no it didn't but thought it would make a great WE and they came up with one including that and the demonic, devilish, and daemonic templates as more specific alternatives to the fiendish template. I have since used the tables with a demon possessed summoning sorceress to great effect in my game.

 

[Aesthetic Monk]

Heck, I'd rather have a slight price increase and go back to the 192 page format that was popular last year than this 160 page stuff.

Get rid of the ads.

Reduce full page art (especially reprinted art.)

Better use of font and layout.

I'd go with the first two easily (increased page counts; no ads). The house ads are offensive at some visceral level. I do like full-page art, if done well, though, and don't mind paying for that.

The last one I'm a little unsure about, myself. It depends. I'm legally blind, so the core rulebook font size is on the lower edge of readability for me. On the other hand, it seems like many of the more recent books not only use a larger font but also a disproportionately larger leading, or line spacing, which exaggerates the larger font size. So if we're just tightening up the layout, then I'd pretty easily be for that. (Plus, my case is rather unusual anyway.)

 

[johnnype]

By the way, Book of Fiends is the Green Ronin Book, though I've gotten great use out of that book's web enhancement too.

Ahh!! Sorry I meant to say, Fiendish Codex. I'll go back and fix the original post.

 

[Troll Wizard]

All the web supplements for the first Fiendish Codex have made me wonder why they didn't just include them in the book. An incrased page count would undoubtedly increases the cost of the book and we now know that WotC won't go for that. Personally I'd rather see it included in the book even if it meant smaller font. We've seen it done before (the Forgotten Realms Campaing Setting is a perfect example).

What do you think?

Depending on how much smaller, it could still potentially mean that they would have to add more content, thus increasing their development (writers, editors, layout, etc.) costs. Which would mean an increase in the book's retail price, even at 160 pages.

It's a fine line they play with the books. Obviously they found that the $29.99 price is the ideal price point for their books in order to maximize their number of sold units targets. I imagine as the price points goes up $34.99, $39.99, etc. for the most part less and less books are sold (depending on the focus/content of the book - PH2 and DMG2 being exceptions).

Be mindful that the distributors and even retailers have a say in the pricing of the books. They prefer $10 and $5 price points. So even if the actual costs only translates to $1 to the books retail price (depending on anticipated volume of sales), the distributor will ask (insist) that the book be priced at the next price point.

Also don't think that WOTC gets the full cover price. At most they collect 25%-35% of the retail price. The distributor gets 15%-25% and the retailer collects 35%-50%. The final numbers depend on the volume purchased directly from WOTC. Many LFGS order 3-4 copies and are lucky to get 30% off retail price, ordering from their distributors. The bulk distributors/retailers that order books by the pallets get the best prices.

 

[jgbrowning]

Also don't think that WOTC gets the full cover price. At most they collect 25%-35% of the retail price.

Unless WoTC gets worse terms than I do they get at least 40% of the MSRP.

joe b.

 

[davidschwartznz]

Ugh, no to smaller fonts. I like my gamebooks legible.

 

[Angel Tarragon]

This one is easy, Web Enhancements. I have no qualms with them, and printing them is a breeze. The cost of printing is non existent, as I use my dad's work printer. I know that isn't the case for most people.

Also, Web Enhancements are free. You can pretty much use them without the book, if you are inclined to. Since I do not current have FCI, that is the state of it for me.