$197 for a roleplaying game

DavetheLost · August 18, 2016, 09:06:44 AM

Quote from: Hermes Serpent;913640I just re-acquired a copy of C&S 2e at a con last weekend. Box is a bit battered but the contents including the original character sheet are still in almost pristine condition. Played the hell out of C&S 1e & 2e back in the day, even wrote for third edition. But our games and especially the sort of games I play nowadays often don't get any players who are so involved in the game that they'd pay 30-40 dollars for a rule book. It's mostly down to the GM to buy the material and the players reluctantly agree to play according to the amount of effort the GM put's into his elevator speech about the game setting and that's tempered by the likelihood of having to learn a new system.

Players generally seem to be stuck in a rut where the game system they first learned is almost the only one they'll play unless it's really, really simple and some won't even play any sort of narrative system as they have to think rather than hit the target even social interaction is 'I roll Charm or Charisma' rather than speak actual words in character.

My players will "play" any game I set in front of them. But they won't RTFM and certainly won't buy the book. They also pretty much want to murderhobo their way through everything with no engagement with the setting. One of my players could probably get by with one stat for all his characters "Punch Stuff in the Face". I don't need to shell out two hundred bucks for that!

thedungeondelver · August 18, 2016, 09:34:52 AM

When Empire of the Petal Throne was released by TSR in 1975, it was $25 (it was also rather extravagantly put together compared to the other TSR products of the day). That's the equivalent of $121; so this is not unprecedented. Hell, the core set for Descent is $100 +/- and all the recent editions of Space Hulk have been well over a hundred bucks (granted the last two are not role-playing games but there we are).

ArtemisAlpha · August 18, 2016, 12:01:57 PM

I'm in for $197. I've spent a lot more than that on most game lines that I play. Heck, I'm about to start running Horror on the Orient Express next month, an adventure that I spent more than $100 for.

Bradford C. Walker · August 18, 2016, 05:48:12 PM

I can buy an entry-level shotgun for that money. Fuck no. No TRPG is worth more than double-digits, and not more than low ones- not when I can just take D&D and mod it to fit.

Harlock · August 18, 2016, 07:15:58 PM

Quote from: Bradford C. Walker;913787I can buy an entry-level shotgun for that money. Fuck no. No TRPG is worth more than double-digits, and not more than low ones- not when I can just take D&D and mod it to fit.

I like you. I want an entry level shotgun as a home defense tool. My bird gun is my Grandaddy's Sweet Sixteen.

And sort of on topic - So after Mike Mearls moves on from D&D, do you think he too will follow the Monte Cook path and start publishing his own games under his own brand? I know Monte built up his rep well after his work on Mystara and subsequent titular appearance on 3rd edition. I just wonder if it might be a viable path for Mr. Mearls.

Alzrius · August 18, 2016, 07:21:59 PM

Quote from: Harlock;913824I know Monte built up his rep well after his work on Mystara and subsequent titular appearance on 3rd edition.

I think you mean Planescape; insofar as I'm aware, the only Mystara product Monte Cook ever worked on was the Glantri: Kingdom of Magic boxed set, and he shared that credit with Bruce Heard (who's a much bigger name where Mystara was concerned). Even then, 3E was what really got Monte's name out there (that and being one of the very first guys to put out third-party OGL content via PDFs).

Harlock · August 18, 2016, 07:38:35 PM

Quote from: Alzrius;913825I think you mean Planescape; insofar as I'm aware, the only Mystara product Monte Cook ever worked on was the Glantri: Kingdom of Magic boxed set, and he shared that credit with Bruce Heard (who's a much bigger name where Mystara was concerned). Even then, 3E was what really got Monte's name out there (that and being one of the very first guys to put out third-party OGL content via PDFs).

Nope. Glantri is to what I was referring. It was one of his earlier works that I remembered, probably because I am such a fan of the setting and BECMI. I was using it merely to say, he's come a long way.

thedungeondelver · August 18, 2016, 08:11:02 PM

Also, I have about $2300 in Dwarven Forge and probably an equal amount of miniatures* so I'm in no position to call anyone's bluff on spending (or charging) $197 for an RPG.

(*and at least, with the Dwarven Forge, I'm considered a piker...)

Bunch · August 19, 2016, 12:00:19 AM

It seems to me he's trying hard to find what the upper bound is for what whales are willing to pay for his name.
I don't disparage him for it. It's a totally valid tactic for how to earn a living trying to find who will pay you the most for you labor. It wont be me but I begrudge him for trying.

yosemitemike · August 19, 2016, 12:33:36 AM

Quote from: Harlock;913824I like you. I want an entry level shotgun as a home defense tool. My bird gun is my Grandaddy's Sweet Sixteen.

The Mossberg Maverick 88 is a good choice for a decent quality, simple, reliable home defense shotgun.

[Totally off-topic gun video (of all things) removed. Admin]

Quote from: Bunch;913931It seems to me he's trying hard to find what the upper bound is for what whales are willing to pay for his name.
I don't disparage him for it. It's a totally valid tactic for how to earn a living trying to find who will pay you the most for you labor. It wont be me but I begrudge him for trying.

There's nothing wrong with what he is doing. He's not trying to trick people out of their money. People are freely choosing to pay that. It's a voluntary exchange people are choosing to participate in. If that's what they want to do with their money, that's their business.

Bunch · August 19, 2016, 09:11:35 AM

Quote from: yosemitemike;913935The Mossberg Maverick 88 is a good choice for a decent quality, simple, reliable home defense shotgun.

[Totally off-topic gun video (of all things) removed. Admin]

There's nothing wrong with what he is doing. He's not trying to trick people out of their money. People are freely choosing to pay that. It's a voluntary exchange people are choosing to participate in. If that's what they want to do with their money, that's their business.

Yeah sorry didnt mean to imply he was being deceptive in any way.

Necrozius · August 19, 2016, 10:05:56 AM

Just for comparison, how much was the Kingdom Death Kickstarter pledge (for the actual base game)?

Say what you will about the controversial art: the rules are pretty damn awesome and I'd gladly have paid nearly 200$ for all that stuff.

yosemitemike · August 19, 2016, 07:54:41 PM

Quote from: Bunch;913984Yeah sorry didnt mean to imply he was being deceptive in any way.

I was agreeing with you.

Ronin · August 19, 2016, 11:53:33 PM

Quote from: yosemitemike;913935The Mossberg Maverick 88 is a good choice for a decent quality, simple, reliable home defense shotgun.

It's junk. There's a reason why there's a ton of them at gun shows. Remington 870 is far superior. For ony a few bucks more. But whatever back on topic.

Quote from: yosemitemike;913935There's nothing wrong with what he is doing. He's not trying to trick people out of their money. People are freely choosing to pay that. It's a voluntary exchange people are choosing to participate in. If that's what they want to do with their money, that's their business.

I agree with this statement. I have to say on my part. It's too much money, and perhaps to new fangled/all over the place. God I feel like an old grognard after saying that. Fuck maybe I am. Son of a .........

3rik · August 21, 2016, 03:02:25 PM

It seems a bit steep for just a core game, but in terms of production value it may well be worth the money. I have spent more on Kickstarted games, but not for just a core game. What I've seen of this particular game doesn't appeal to me, but to each his own.