Ars Magica Suggestion
From: Araquael Posted on: 10/23/2002 4:16 pm
To: ALL
Message: 107.1
Hi all.

I recently downloaded the eBook of The Dragon and the Bear, for AM, and I must say that I am very impressed.

I think it would be WELL worth putting back into print, especially because of the 4th Ed Shamans appendix.

Gavin

From: Al3xWhite Posted on: 10/23/2002 11:19 pm
To: Araquael
Message: 107.2
in reply to: 107.1
I dunno. The more books that go out of print, the more new books Atlas can sell without competing against itself.

~Alex

From: John Nephew Posted on: 10/23/2002 11:38 pm
To: Al3xWhite
Message: 107.3
in reply to: 107.2
As Alex says, there's an issue of "competing with ourselves." The Dragon and the Bear had a healthy life in print (and is surely still available in some outlets and in the used market), but now it's good to make room for new books. Someone looking for a Tribunal might, say, try the Levant instead of Novgorod, if that's what's available in stores. Thus, letting books go out of print makes new books more viable.

The other issue is just the economics of reprints. If we reprinted the book, it would probably take 3-4 years of sales (judging by the sales life of the book, since it would follow the reorder pattern, not the new release pattern) to recover the cost of printing, even with a price increase and the smallest print run that could make sense. That's not a very effective way to invest our money.

On the other hand, PDF is great. It means the book remains available, and available in exactly the quantity that demand warrants. ;-) I sure think it's a neat book, and I'm very happy that PDF and internet technology makes it available on demand to the fans who want it.

(Had PDF been a viable option, I might have avoided the reprint of Hedge Magic a few years ago. I'm not sure if it's even recovered its cost yet, but we figured it was important to keep available for the line. The other ArM book that's been reprinted, besides the rules, is the Wizard's Grimoire Revised, which I *think* has passed its break-even point...)

From: spuwdsda Posted on: 10/24/2002 4:31 am
To: John Nephew
Message: 107.4
in reply to: 107.3

DatB is an excellent book.

If people really need a hardcopy on their shelves there are used-book dealers who specialise in rpgs. This is how I built my oop ArM collection (still no Bats of Mercille).

Alternatively you could print off the pdf and have it professionally bound. Iirc it's not that expensive, but my experience is about 10 years ago... Perhaps with more pdf's being published this might catch on.

It's water under the bridge now, but I wish AG had decided to commission a Hedge Magic Revised Edition. Cut the story, revise and expand on the Hedge traditions. Could could have been great. I guess it'll have to wait until ArM5 now, but it would be a good follow-up to the ArM5 release.

From: Jeremiah Genest Posted on: 10/24/2002 9:42 am
To: John Nephew
Message: 107.5
in reply to: 107.3
I think making it pdf was the best decision. Maybe after te mythical 5thedition we'll see an update. Maybe not. But its out there for those who need it, with little extra expense to Atlas.

Jeremiah

From: Jeremiah Genest Posted on: 10/24/2002 9:44 am
To: spuwdsda
Message: 107.6
in reply to: 107.4
[[It's water under the bridge now, but I wish AG had decided to commission a Hedge Magic Revised Edition. Cut the story, revise and expand on the Hedge traditions. Could could have been great. I guess it'll have to wait until ArM5 now, but it would be a good follow-up to the ArM5 release.]]

Me too. All hedge magic tradition rules in one place, streamlined t fit together. Stuf that shoul be global made global (most f the geas stuff from LotN for example. Or the Necromancer from Kabbalah).

Jeremiah

From: Araquael Posted on: 10/24/2002 3:51 pm
To: John Nephew
Message: 107.7
in reply to: 107.3
Hi.

I guess I am a raving completist.

I would like to see, in the event of a 5th Edition ever being produced, the line going Atlas-only and 5th Ed only. Hence, I would like to see a bunch of big corebooks that would cover The Order of Hermes, the Fae, The Shamans, the other Auras, the Setting, all in nice faux leather hardbacks that'd look great on my shelves. :-)

One reason I started the thread is because the Dragon and the Bear supplement both covers a Tribunal, works for the 4th Ed, came out from Atlas, AND updates the Shamans book.

:-)

That being said, I think I can come by a copy down at Le Valet Couer, the big, big gaming store that has everything, here in Montreal.

Gavin