Why is being "in print" important?

[PapersAndPaychecks]

I'm afraid I don't know what this lot are talking about. Being "in print" isn't important.

I play Civilization 3 even though you can't buy the disk in shops. I play Nethack even though it's never been released by a commercial publisher or sold for money. I read Stephanie Flanders' blog every day even though it's never been printed. And I play AD&D even though you can't buy the rulebooks in shops.

 

[Nadaka]

1: in print games have easier to find resources.

2: only in print games have new officially supported publications.

3: In print games have more people playing.

In short, it makes it easier for you to get new things for the game, including players.

 

[rogueattorney]

I understand the desire to have rulebooks available for the players if the players desire to get them. In that case, it completely depends on what out of print game you're wanting to play. Something that was very popular is generally easily obtainable. The 1e PHB, for example, is just as easily available at Amazon.com as the 4e PHB is. If you're playing something more esoteric though, you may have a problem finding things.

As for the continuing support, that's simply something I don't get. I just don't understand why some people find that to be so important.

 

[pawsplay]

As for the continuing support, that's simply something I don't get. I just don't understand why some people find that to be so important.

It probably depends to an extent on whether you are a system diehard. If you like Alternity, it hardly matters that it's as dead as dirt. On the other hand, if you play multiple systems, you have your choice of many systems, all of which are awesome, but some of which are still coming out with new awesomeness to read and use.

 

[rogueattorney]

It probably depends to an extent on whether you are a system diehard. If you like Alternity, it hardly matters that it's as dead as dirt. On the other hand, if you play multiple systems, you have your choice of many systems, all of which are awesome, but some of which are still coming out with new awesomeness to read and use.

My experience is the complete opposite. It's the single system die-hards who need supplements coming out on a regular basis, and who kvetch the most when their chosen system no longer gets that support, switching to whatever new hotness is now supported to the extent they want it to be. Whereas those who play multiple systems never buy too many supplements from any one system, and thus the level of support (or lack thereof) is pretty irrelevant.

I know personally, if it's between spending $20 on a supplement for a game I already have or $30 on a new game, I'll pretty well get the new game every time. (By "new" game, I mean one I don't have already, not necessarily one that just hit the market.)

 

[pawsplay]

It's the single system die-hards who need supplements coming out on a regular basis, and who kvetch the most when their chosen system no longer gets that support, switching to whatever new hotness is now supported to the extent they want it to be.

How is that a diehard?

Whereas those who play multiple systems never buy too many supplements from any one system, and thus the level of support (or lack thereof) is pretty irrelevant.

Right, but what you already own is probably irrelevant, too. So...

I know personally, if it's between spending $20 on a supplement for a game I already have or $30 on a new game, I'll pretty well get the new game every time. (By "new" game, I mean one I don't have already, not necessarily one that just hit the market.)

So in other words, although you don't need in-print items, you are drawn to anything new, such as a newly in-print item.

I don't often buy deeply into game lines, but I would certainly appreciate a wealth of options when the books are good in their own right. It's important to me that GURPS is in print, just because I like the opportunity to buy more GURPS books.

 

[evildmguy]

It probably depends to an extent on whether you are a system diehard. If you like Alternity, it hardly matters that it's as dead as dirt. On the other hand, if you play multiple systems, you have your choice of many systems, all of which are awesome, but some of which are still coming out with new awesomeness to read and use.

Mine wasn't exactly mentioned, so I will list them here.

Players: I have had no problems getting my players, that I started with DND, to play other systems and to enjoy their time playing other systems. But, yes, it took a known system (oop or not) to excite them about playing.

Support: I referenced the above quote because Alternity is my favorite RPG but lack of support is what hurt my playing it. I'm not a designer. I did use various rules and write up my own, with varying levels of success, but found that to be difficult and not what I enjoyed about the experience. Further, NONE of my players were even remotely interested in writing game rules, so it was all up to me.

This was important because, since Alternity got so little support before it was canceled, it only takes about two campaigns before you have seen 80%+ of the options in the Alternity system. I did get a little extra life out of it by switching settings (Dark*Matter and Star*Drive and homebrewed/online fantasy rules) but even then it only gave me one extra campaign. And even then, by the end of it, the players felt bored because their characters felt too similar. Even playing fantasy the same thing happened.

So, support is very important to me. Having said that, I will also agree that if I went back to play 3.X, I would have many years of support with options that I never got to try the first time around. However, there are many other issues with that. I won't mention them here as I don't want to start an edition war or derail this thread. Suffice to say that support is important to me.

Books: I think it's important for each player to have the PH or core book. To that end, I had an Alternity PH for every player. It was a bit expensive for me, although they were mostly cheap but I needed six, but I figured that was the "cost" for me of them agreeing to play the game. I was fine with that but it's a reason that I wouldn't do an OOP going forward.

(Cost side note: In fact, I just started a SW Saga game and am wanting one extra core book. They are already going for $65+ via amazon and ebay! But, regardless, I have many years worth of material to pull from before I will find that I am "done" with Star Wars Saga edition.)

So, my reasons have been stated but a) I liked the Alternity example! and b) I wanted to give my own specific reasons for a game. Being able to find support for the game, oop or not, is the most important thing to me. I found out for myself that the reason I was getting burned out on 3.x DND or earlier was because I felt I had done it all and the system had nothing else to offer me. I still had stories to tell! But no system that I trusted to tell them.