 Arsenal, the price....WTF????? |
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 May 24 2006, 11:56 PM
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#1
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Running Target  Group: Members Posts: 1,379 Joined: 16-April 02 From: the LI shadows Member No.: 2,607  |
I picked up the latest Previews catalog, filling out my order form, and found the entry for the upcoming SR4 book, Arsenal on page 502.....then I saw how much.
$34.95 ???? Sheesh! |
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May 25 2006, 12:12 AM
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#2
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Beetle Eater Group: Dumpshocked Posts: 4,797 Joined: 3-June 02 From: Oblivion City Member No.: 2,826 |
And it will be hardcover. |
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May 25 2006, 12:41 AM
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#3
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Neophyte Runner Group: Members Posts: 2,001 Joined: 26-February 02 From: Michigan Member No.: 1,514 |
And unfortunately more than 10% of it will be useless to most people.
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May 25 2006, 12:52 AM
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#4
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Great Dragon Group: Members Posts: 5,430 Joined: 10-January 05 From: Fort Worth, Texas Member No.: 6,957 |
How so? |
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May 25 2006, 01:10 AM
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#5
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Moving Target Group: Members Posts: 341 Joined: 3-October 05 Member No.: 7,802 |
In any case using 90% of a book is pretty good going... And if you experiment with different character types, especially helpful if you play on DS here, you might reach about 100% usage.
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May 25 2006, 02:00 AM
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#6
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Great Dragon Group: Members Posts: 5,430 Joined: 10-January 05 From: Fort Worth, Texas Member No.: 6,957 |
True, if you don't cros character types parts won't be useful to you. But by that token at least 20% of the main book would also be useless to you.
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May 25 2006, 02:20 AM
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#7
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Target Group: Members Posts: 3 Joined: 10-March 04 From: Milwaukee, WI Member No.: 6,148 |
I saw this in Previews also and was actually excited. I doubt it will come out in August, but you never know.
I was wondering though is Street Magic hardcover and $34.95 also? I pre-ordered it on Amazon a while back and they had it listed as softcover and $24.95. |
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May 25 2006, 02:35 AM
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#8
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Great Dragon Group: Members Posts: 5,430 Joined: 10-January 05 From: Fort Worth, Texas Member No.: 6,957 |
The last I heard all of the SR4 supplements are going to be hardcover.
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May 25 2006, 02:38 AM
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#9
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Moving Target Group: Members Posts: 296 Joined: 26-February 02 From: Usually under a cat Member No.: 864 |
All of the main rulebooks (Arsenal, Augmentation, Unwired, and Street Magic) will be hardcover. The other sourcebooks (such as Runner Havens and Emergence) will be softcover. |
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May 25 2006, 02:47 AM
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#10
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Great Dragon Group: Members Posts: 5,430 Joined: 10-January 05 From: Fort Worth, Texas Member No.: 6,957 |
Has anyone said why they'll be hardcover? It just seems like a way to make them a little prettier but a lot costlier.
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May 25 2006, 02:48 AM
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#11
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Dragon Group: Members Posts: 4,589 Joined: 28-November 05 Member No.: 8,019 |
Was Sr3 originally hardcover?
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May 25 2006, 03:06 AM
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#12
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Great Dragon Group: Members Posts: 7,089 Joined: 4-October 05 Member No.: 7,813 |
my personal theory is so that there's a difference between buying the hardcopy and buying the PDF (and subequently printing your own copy). ie, those who don't want to pay hardcover costs can always just buy the PDF. those who want a hardcover will have a much harder time printing and binding their PDF in hardcover, comparatively speaking ;) but that's just my theory, personally. |
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May 25 2006, 03:26 AM
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#13
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Dragon Group: Members Posts: 4,589 Joined: 28-November 05 Member No.: 8,019 |
Or there's a new price discrimination. Price discrimination is the microeconomics concept of charging different prices for essentially the same product based on how much different demographics are willing to pay for it. So hardcovers are sold at twice the price of softcovers even though they take about 2 dollars more to bind just because people who buy hardcovers are quite willing to pay lots of money for the book.
With SR pdf's, the cheapass gamer will buy the pdf rather than a softcover simply because it will inevitably be cheaper. That means that the only people left over are the fanatics, who will willingly pay $35 for a core rulebook. And that is how penguins fly. The more you know! |
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May 25 2006, 03:54 AM
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#14
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Running Target Group: Members Posts: 1,379 Joined: 16-April 02 From: the LI shadows Member No.: 2,607 |
Emo: Yes, I think it was. I'll have to check for mine, but it's in storage.
I really have nothing against buying the PDF, I just had a bad XP with one. I'd rather have the hardcopy. But $34.95 is a bit steep. |
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May 25 2006, 04:02 AM
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#15
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Moving Target Group: Members Posts: 341 Joined: 3-October 05 Member No.: 7,802 |
Well I'm going all PDF anyway, not cheap just more practical for me.
I just wish they'd release more of the older sourcebooks and rulebooks in PDF, I'd like to read riggers 3 to see what rigging was like then for some perspective. Physical books just don't work for me. |
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May 25 2006, 04:15 AM
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#16
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Great Dragon Group: Members Posts: 7,089 Joined: 4-October 05 Member No.: 7,813 |
so like i said, print yourself off a copy. iirc, as long as you aren't selling it or giving it away to someone else (and keeping the PDF for yourself) it's not illegal... of course, i may be wrong. and obviously that also depends on where you live, i suppose... laws may be different where you are. |
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May 25 2006, 04:44 AM
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#17
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Uncle Fisty Group: Admin Posts: 13,891 Joined: 3-January 05 From: Next To Her Member No.: 6,928 |
Personally I'm stoked that the new books are hardcover. I've replaced most of my SR3 books once already. That puts the tag over $40 and I am a book nazi over how my books are treated. My wife hates it sometimes, because she'll be sitting htere writing something with a book on her lap, and she'll let it sit open to far. I sit there shaking for a good 30 seconds thinking "she'll notice! She has too! How can she treat a book that way on purpose!?" Then I'll say "umm.. honey.. the book.. could you ... pick it up! you're ruining it!" That's about how long I can keep my cool. yeah, she hates it. Sadly, that's me after "getting better"
So far with the SR4 book, I can slide it across the floor or toss it to players and not have any worries. Believe me, I'll pay an extra $10 for not having to worry about my insanities getting me hit with the book I'm trying to protect (happened before). And besides, with all the delayed releases everyone is expecting, and the fac that it isn't coming for another couple of months, that should be plenty of time to save up and extra $10. put your change in a jar or somethin'. |
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May 25 2006, 05:08 AM
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#18
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Dragon Group: Members Posts: 4,589 Joined: 28-November 05 Member No.: 8,019 |
So either way, PDF or hardcover, you have a durable format.
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May 25 2006, 06:13 AM
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#19
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Uncle Fisty Group: Admin Posts: 13,891 Joined: 3-January 05 From: Next To Her Member No.: 6,928 |
one I can keep and beat unruely players with. The other I can print out again if the first one dies. Personally I prefer to do it just once and have the pretty hardcover. Damn that stupid cover pic though!
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May 25 2006, 06:37 AM
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#20
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ghostrider Group: Retired Admins Posts: 4,196 Joined: 16-May 04 Member No.: 6,333 |
SR3 was softcover. A "special/lim.ed./whatever" hardcover edition was published. There was one up on Ebay a couple of days ago (don't know if it's gone yet). SR1 and SR2 were both printed in hardcover; SR1 in all runs (to my knowledge), and the first printing of SR2 (my subsequent printing is softcover, and its number is one-up). And I suspect that the "hardcover" is to generate that small extra profit, and that they're simply following the WotC model of charging an assload of money for a shiny hard cover when the material only composes a pamphlet. People will pay for it, obviously, so why not? (from a "making money by selling books" standpoint) |
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May 25 2006, 06:50 AM
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#21
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The back-up plan Group: Retired Admins Posts: 8,423 Joined: 15-January 03 From: San Diego Member No.: 3,910 |
Fistandantilus--That's why God invented book covers, they aren't just for junior high any more...
Re: the Price--I think that $35 is in line with the rest of the industry. There has been a push throughout the RPG industry the last several years to go to hardbound books, generally in full color. That has the side effect of raising costs to the the consumer and the printer, but I feel creates a much better product. Most core books these days cost between $30 and $40 dollars, (IIRC, my D&D core books, translated into French cost 40 Euro--Roughly $60 USD each) This is NOT FanPro gouging it's loyal fan base, but rather it's Rob and his team doing the best they can to create a good product that looks good and sells well. An important part of the success of a product is how it is perceived to the casual viewer before that person picks up the book and discovers the quality of the content. And as I have advocated before, if you just do not have the money to purchase the book, help FanPro out and they will compensate you with Product Credit (read: FREE BOOKS!). It is not hard to join the Missions writing team, become a Commando, or just run a few games at a local convention. Besides the books, you get to meet some great people and the process is a lot of fun. PM me if you have questions and I can put you in touch with the proper people for any of the methods listed above. -Stephen |
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May 25 2006, 06:55 AM
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#22
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Great, I'm a Dragon... Group: Retired Admins Posts: 6,699 Joined: 8-October 03 From: North Germany Member No.: 5,698 |
40€ are more likely 35$. |
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May 25 2006, 07:01 AM
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#23
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The back-up plan Group: Retired Admins Posts: 8,423 Joined: 15-January 03 From: San Diego Member No.: 3,910 |
Grinder--It was just before Bush told the French off and invaded Iraq. At that point, his economic policies were driving the value of the dollar way down and the conversion was about 1.25 to 1.50 USD per 1€.
Being an American in Lyon was not always a pleasant experience at that point, but the fact that I sound Russian (and look like one) when I speak French helped. Link action |
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May 25 2006, 07:03 AM
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#24
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Uncle Fisty Group: Admin Posts: 13,891 Joined: 3-January 05 From: Next To Her Member No.: 6,928 |
It's not the cover I'm concerned about. I can deal with a couple of bends, general wear and gloss and color loss. it's the binding that worries me. I've had too many pages fall out of SR 3 books. I'm the same way with novels. When I'm done , there's no creases on the spine of the book. But I never get them back that way when someone else borrows it. Drives me nuts. Just my little bit of OCD I guess. |
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May 25 2006, 07:14 AM
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#25
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Moving Target Group: Members Posts: 208 Joined: 3-May 06 From: On the Run Member No.: 8,521 |
All of the current Wizards (WotC) hardbacks have the same issue. I wish all these game companies would take a lesson from the old 1e AD&D hardbacks - those things are still rock solid after 15 years of constant abuse. None of my other RPG books have ever been as sturdy. |
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