When Is a RPG "Complete" From a Publishing Perspective?

[Parmandur]

Nevah. Id play Traveller and Pathfinder Classic stuff as long as they made it.

Yeah, if a game is good, I'm down for more as long as it remains interesting.

 

[Parmandur]

This underscores an important point: the difference between "fun" and "necessary." I believe that Shadowdark is complete in the core rulebook. That absolutely does not mean I did not back Western Reaches at a high level.

Yeah, I think a game should be sufficient for a great deal of play with just core materials...but since none of it is neccdsaey...there isn't necessarily any sort of limit beyond personal interest for further material.

 

[Koloth]

From a publishing perspective, when the income becomes equal or less then the cost of production. If you are losing money on a game, probably time to call it. Moving might be making version X+1 of the existing game or producing a totally new game. Sometimes a game is good enough and doesn't really need a new version.

From a consumer point, once you have enough material that you are unlikely to expend it all in your lifetime, probably complete enough.

 

[Umbran]

In your opinion and/or based on your preferences, when is an RPG complete? That is, at what point in the publication life cycle would you, as a fan and customer of a particular RPG, say "Yeah, that's enough, I will take it from here."?

It depends on the game - specifically, a game is "complete" for me when it has covered something like it's basic set of features.

For some games, that's just the core rules. Other games need one or more supplements to get to that point.

I usually like to see at least one adventure the way the writers sort of intend it to be played, even if it is just an introductory one-shot in the core book.

 

[Reynard]

From a publishing perspective, when the income becomes equal or less then the cost of production. If you are losing money on a game, probably time to call it. Moving might be making version X+1 of the existing game or producing a totally new game. Sometimes a game is good enough and doesn't really need a new version.

From a consumer point, once you have enough material that you are unlikely to expend it all in your lifetime, probably complete enough.

As my OP should have made clear, I was asking from a personal perspective.

 

[Thomas Shey]

I said "after one meaty suppliment", but honestly, it depends on the game and what its covering; some need more add-on materials than others. I'd call Champions Complete pretty self-contained for example. But Savage Worlds I wanted more material.