Year of the BIG BOOKS?

[DaveMage]

The Arduin campaign world (non-system specific) was just released, 865 pages, $59.95.

The World's Biggest Dungeon (estimated at 800 pages, no price announced yet) is coming later this year.

The 4 Accordlands Books ($39.95 each, 300+ pages average) will be released this Fall.

And, Castle Zagyg, (8 256-page books, price unknown) is due out this year as well.

Do you all think this is a trend, or just an anomoly?

My hope is that they succeed, since I've wanted this kind of completeness in my RPG products for some time, but I'm concerned that the high-prices in an already thin market may mean they will not be successful.

What do you all think? Will you buy them?

 

[JoeGKushner]

Really hard to say.

The Arduin book isn't d20 although d20 supplements are supposed to be planned for it.

Warlords and Iron Kingdoms are both vastly late so I'll believe it when I see it. And I do hope to see it.

The thing by AEG is pretty much an annomaly so it'll be interesting to see how it goes.

I think if they can find some way to keep the price down just a tad, they'll probably find a willing audience. Then again...

 

[Wombat]

Accordian ... err... Accordlands is finally seeing the light of day then?

 

[Hand of Evil]

Mega-books and modules. sort of expected this, settings sell and modules have not been so what do you do combine them.

You forgot the Iron Kingom setting, two books about 300 pages each.

 

[Arthur Tealeaf]

We also have the Iron Kingdoms campaign guides, two books at 300 pages...

Maybe it is a trend?

 

[Ed Cha]

Big books with big print. That's the trend.

Why? Because people buy them. Even adventures are going that way.

 

[Crothian]

Ya, no big suprise at all.

 

[Sammael]

I'd only buy a compendium-style big book (such as a nice, leather-bound 600+ page monster compendium by WotC). I don't buy modules anyhow, and, even if I did, I'd prefer smaller modules that can be more easily fitted into an ongoing campaign. As for campaign settings... well, I DM mostly FR and Planescape, and I have plenty of resources for both, so, unless it were a REALLY good and novel campaign setting, no thanks.

 

[crabclaw]

Hey Tealeaf looking at your cats it's ironic, I once had a cat named "Tealeaf" -- which later degenerated to the name "Teabags" when she got preggers. :\ I'm not trying to be offensive I really had a cat to that description.

BUT what about folio sized rpg books -- I want to see tall and wide books -- not just thick ones.

 

[Old Fezziwig]

Hey Tealeaf looking at your cats it's ironic, I once had a cat named "Tealeaf" -- which later degenerated to the name "Teabags" when she got preggers. :\ I'm not trying to be offensive I really had a cat to that description.

BUT what about folio sized rpg books -- I want to see tall and wide books -- not just thick ones.

IMO, although potentially neat, folio-sized RPG books would be somewhat inconvenient. My group just doesn't have the room on the table for them, and I don't think I have any bookshelves that could fit them. I'm not sure that most retailers would be thrilled about it either (game books seem to be a fairly uniform size, which means that, at least in all the stores I've been in, game store shelves are, too).

Best,
Nick