Koltar,

I think it's fantastic that you're trying to provide your customers with more information, choices, and support.  

In the last couple of years, the fastest growing trend in RPG purchases for myself and my greater gaming circle (say maybe 15-20 people I game with at least semi-regularly) has been small press games.  As we started getting intrigued by these small format books that fit so well in a pocket or a bag, we started liking them more and more.  Meanwhile, their production value has steadily increased, which doesn't hurt.  

A couple of our FLGS have accounts at Indie Press Revolution and carry a good deal of choice of these little books.  At first, I think they were worried about that $200 minimum order on retailer accounts, but they've discovered that the books literally fly off the shelves.  If an order arrives on Wednesday or Thursday, usually by the end of the weekend half the books are gone and several titles are sold out.  

Speaking for myself, I can say that some of the reasons include interest in the game themselves, but also a sad case of impulse buy!    You see, many of these games are small, inexpensive and self-contained (I know I won't have to buy 20 clan or tribe sourcebooks...) as well as pretty.  Plus, they often trigger curiosity: "Oh, what a concept!  I've never seen that theme before!"  So it's terribly easy to let myself be seduced by these little books -- and they use so little shelf space!  I can read them on the bus, then try them the same weekend -- in other words, their small format and simplicity is an attraction.

Savage Worlds
It really is as Fast, Furious, Fun as its tag line claims. One book, that's it. With it you can play most settings.

The other books are to give fleshed out settings for those that like them pre-made.

If you like playing a character that starts as better than the average person, and you like rules that don't require a degree to understand. Check out Savage Worlds.
=

Not going to single out individual posters , but to answer some questions :

 The other workers at the store and I DO know role-playing games in general....but we each tend to have a specialty area.  I am of course thought of as the "GURPS Guy" .

My manager, who was just promoted to District manager, knows and plays currently in a WARMAMMER fantasy role play game, gas a D5 STAR WARS nostalgia gamew about to start. He has played and DM-ed D&D/D20 - but its not his favorite system.  The manager has also been a game supplement designer. (nothing you guys have probably heard of ...one of his friends did sell some freelance stuff to WOTC)  He has also started playing in a GURPS:TRANSHUMAN game.

 Adam (the "Goth Kid") has been a player and storyteller with the World of Darkness system for years. He has accepted the nWOD and once a month is a storyteller for it. He also recently started as a player in a D&D game. He appears to know quite a bit about the Eberron and Midnight settings.

 Paul - the newest guy has a weekly D&D/D20 game. So he is aking the most questions about the stuff that he is not familiar with.

We have the major game lines. When I say "MAJOR" ...again I mean stuff that has a distributor.  Sorry, Indie Press Revolution , unless you can get a deal with Blackhawk, Diamond , etc - then you're not likely to show up in this area.

 The store I work at is part of a small chain, only 4 stores. We are the only one in Ohio. The other stores are all in the south.  The one I work at has been there since October 31, 2003, I got hired on election day the week after that.

Spike, SLA Indusries - we have that.  Could you boil down that description to maybe 4 sentences or less?  Think the type of blurbs that you see on the back of paperback books. The blurbs that work and are accurate.

 We also have : SHADOWRUN (4th & 5th edition) , EXALTED , Metamorphosis Alpha ,  Star Thugs , Ninja Burger the RPG , Call of Cthulu , .... etc...


- Ed C.

True20, it's like D20, but for stupid lazy people with short attention spans.

Quote from: AosTrue20, it's like D20, but for stupid lazy people with short attention spans.

Yay us stupid lazy people with short... Oooh!  Shiny!

Shadowrun - It's the perfect ixture of Cyberpunk and Fantasy. If you are familar with Storyteller, the rules are easy to pick up.

Exalted - White-Wolf's other flagship title. Incredible setting combined with over the top action. It's like Drogonball Z crossed with epic D&D. Throw in a little God of War to spice. Uses a LOT of D10s. Reccomend 15-20 per player. A battle between two Exalts is an Epic one that will probably last an entire game session.

Ninja Burger - An awesome game for one shots. Takes about an hour to prepare a game and maybe two to play one.

World of Darkness- An easy to play universal Horror system. You need it for Vampire: the Requiem, Mage: the Awakening, and Werewolf the Forsaken. WW also puts out a new line for it yearly starting with Promethean. An easy D10 dicepool system. Less than exalted 5-10 dice per player is usually good. I reccomend the official dice as well, as it makes successes even easier to read. Very Gritty and very fast combat.

WoD Dice- All the gamelines have their own official dice. These speed up play even more, as all the numbers 8+ are a different color. Can't reccomend them for use in other games because all the numbers 7- are harder to read. It makes counting successes almost instantaneous though.

Vampire: the Requiem- (I don't even refer to the differences with Masquerade anymore, unless people specifically ask) The quintessential vampire RPG. One of the prettiest books on the shelf.
Players play a vampire in a coterie. Games can range from pure politicking, to monster hunts, to introspective self explorations. Or a mix of all three.


Werewolf: the Forsaken- Easily the most action packed WoD game. You are a werewolf who is sworn to gaurd the border-marches between the spirit and the physical realm. As a werewolf you are a half spirit and this gives ou access to many different kinds of powers beyond just shapechanging. Just as versatile in game types as Vampire, however, Werewolves always seem to have something to do. It also has easier to grasp "bad guys". You have definate enemies in it.

Mage: the Awakening- Mage is defined by it's freeform magic system. As a Mage you are able to do anything you can dream up using magic. Mages are the descendants of Atlantis and have Awakened to the "real" world of Magic, Spirits, and secrets. Great game for Pulp action as wel as magical conspiricy, cthulhoid horror and what have you.


Hope these help

I can't think of a single rpg that I could explain to a non-gamer in a way that would make sense to them what rpg's are all about. As much as I love Weapons of the Gods, I fear for the sanity of any first-time gamer using it as a point of entry. So I would love to see this in shops more, because it deserves more airtime, but I have no idea of how you could sell it other than explain it's sources and references.

Quote from: signoftheserpentI can't think of a single rpg that I could explain to a non-gamer in a way that would make sense to them what rpg's are all about. As much as I love Weapons of the Gods, I fear for the sanity of any first-time gamer using it as a point of entry. So I would love to see this in shops more, because it deserves more airtime, but I have no idea of how you could sell it other than explain it's sources and references.

 I didn't say it would be easy.

 Hate to say it - but the easier a game is to explain , the easier it is to SELL.  That kind of matches that other thread where Pundit said if you can't describe your seting in a paragraph or less - then you haven't get a setting.

Thats also one of the reasons that D&D sells so well . MOST people have heard of it or know somebody that has tried it or played it for a length of time.

 I'm trying to figure out ways to give other RPGs a chance at the store. Games other than the 2 or 3 RPGs that are the 800-pound Gorillas of the industry.

- Ed C.

- Ed C.

Koltar,

I think as others have pointed out that just playing as many games as you can will be your best selling strategy.  From personal experience, when I'm not sure if I want a game or not from looking at it I'll check the "actual play" posts at TBP or posts and reviews here and elsewhere.  Particularly if a game is likely to set me back a few bucks I always like to get feedback from people who have played it and can answer some questions.  I bought Traveller, RQ, EPT, COC, Arduin, and D&D that way so it has worked well so far (IMO).

I'm trying to think of the short version of SLA Industries:

You are members of The Galaxy Spanning Corporation. You have guns, you have armor. Arrayed against you are traitors, serial killers and worse. Some of them have bigger guns.  You want to get paid, get to work.

Oh... and try to look nice for the Television. People are watching.

Koltar,

Regardless of what you carry, you should dump your fucking distributor. Those guys are parasites who have done more to damage our hobby than anyone or anything else over the last two decades. Work out direct deals with the companies instead. With an amount of stock like you're carrying it's not even that much extra work.

Calithena - tell us what you really think ...no really.

 I don't know WHO is reading this thing.  Not going to see me badmouthing my distributor.  (I LIKE my job)

 Only distributor issue I'm really ticked about is that ACD /WizKids deal. That screwed over a lot of smaller game stores.

Spike, good condensing of your earlier thoughts. Thank you.
That kind of stuff I might be able to use with customers, when they ask.

- Ed C.

Quote from: KoltarCalithena - tell us what you really think ...no really.

 I don't know WHO is reading this thing.  Not going to see me badmouthing my distributor.  (I LIKE my job)

 Only distributor issue I'm really ticked about is that ACD /WizKids deal. That screwed over a lot of smaller game stores.

Spike, good condensing of your earlier thoughts. Thank you.
That kind of stuff I might be able to use with customers, when they ask.

- Ed C.

Koltar,
Do you mean the exclusivity deal with Wizkids through Alliance? I thought they lowered their discount as well. Is that so? Other than that, is there something else that affects retailers?

FYI- HinterWelt products are available through distro and the offer still stands for comp copies.

Bill

Quote from: HinterWeltKoltar,
Do you mean the exclusivity deal with Wizkids through Alliance?

FYI- HinterWelt products are available through distro and the offer still stands for comp copies.

Bill

 YEs - I was referring to the Alliance thing.  I've confused them with ACD before. (I must be sleepy )

 Your offer of Comp copies I will pass on to my upper management and my local manager. Right now he is helping in thge remodel of one of our stores in Tennessee.
- OR -
 if you PM or e-mail me I could give you our address , if you want to send them directly to the store addressed to my attention and that of my manager.

- Ed C.

Quote from: KoltarI didn't say it would be easy.

 Hate to say it - but the easier a game is to explain , the easier it is to SELL.  That kind of matches that other thread where Pundit said if you can't describe your seting in a paragraph or less - then you haven't get a setting.

Thats also one of the reasons that D&D sells so well . MOST people have heard of it or know somebody that has tried it or played it for a length of time.

 I'm trying to figure out ways to give other RPGs a chance at the store. Games other than the 2 or 3 RPGs that are the 800-pound Gorillas of the industry.

- Ed C.

- Ed C.

WotG is easy to explain: it's kung fu fantasy based on a comic book (though getting hold of that would be hard). But the rules are laid out rather esoterically.