[BNW] Dissapointments [Matt read if you have the inclination]

[Brian Ward <eswhanu@juno.com>]

n Sat, 25 Sep 1999 14:22:19 -0500 "Sidhain" <sidhain@Earthlink.net>
writes:

 >  I won't buy another BNW product or another Pinnacle product, I feel >
I have> been cheated, so therefore the Main book is it for me UNLESS, PEG
> does one> of three things.


Have you ever tried putting out an RPG?  I don't mean as something typed
up in Word and put on the internet, I mean write something, edit, layout,
send to the printers, promote at conventions, and demo and sell in
stores?

It is not easy.  I had a part in writing the Continuum time travel RPG (
http://www.aetherco.com ), and what this involved.  More importantly, I
saw that sometimes, ***you run out of room***.   The book ended up at 232
pages, and that is crammed with information (some of you on this list
have seen the book, you know what I mean).  But we had to leave some out.
 Actually, 96 pages worth, and that's even considering some of the main
book is printed in 7 point font...

We are selling the book for 19.99.  This, for a 232 page softcover.  For
BNW, selling at I think $30, a hardcover with color artwork, a complete
rules system, attractive layout, a detailed history of superpowers, and
enough super powers and suggestions on how to make your own to keep
creative people occupied, and everything a creative person needs to run
many adventures is a pretty good deal, better than most.  Sometimes, you
can't fit everything into one book, as much as you would like to try,
even if everything is written at once.  You could, but the book would be
$70, 300 + pages, and no one would buy it since it was so bulky, and
maybe had stuff that you didn't want.   There is another supers game
(Blood of Heroes) out there that is quite large, and supposedly has
everything in it.  But the artwork and layout is terrible, and the game
world (as it were) is uninspired.   And they have supplements with new
powers and such even...

I know I won't be involving alot of high-end plot in my games of BWN.  I
could care less about Kennedy and high politics, or even a lot of the
background.  I'm going to deal with street gangs, both regs and Deltas,
Delta Prime breathing down the player's necks for being Delta, and
roleplaying issues.   So Ravaged Planet might get bought, it might not. 
But I have a choice.  

You got a high quality game out there, complete on its own in one book,
unlike other companies that supposedly you can do with one book, but
*cough cough White Wolf* you need the Guide to This and the Guide to That
in order to actually use it properly.  I don't know what you want as a
gamer.  Way it seems, you want to be handed all the elements of the
stories which can be used or not.  If that's the case, you might as well
watch a movie, since that is a pre-packaged story for you.


> Produces a book of just packages and makes it extremely cheap 6.95

Ok, so now I have to buy a background book, and a book of Packages, and a
rule book?  What about those of us that are creative and can make up our
own packages (I have six new ones already done)?  We have to buy all this
stuff?  I think not.  :)

> Cut's the Price of the dditional books by HALF.

You ever hear of something called price point?  They could cut the price,
but then you get a book without art, or hardcovers, or editing.  And
given enough of this, PEG does not put out as many *quality* books as
they do, or goes out of business.  And then we are left playing GURPs
Supers or Blood of Heroes...

I have no problem playing for quality.  And most other people don't
either.

> OR  Makes all the packages available via download in PDF format (or >
other> printable but nice format) If they don't they won't get a another
> dime for> me--

Well, Matt and the people at Pinnacle, I'll cut you a deal.  For every
book of BNW that Sidhain does not buy, I will buy one, and encourage my
friends to buy one, as well as all the players that attend my live action
games.   All 100 of them.

PEG has one of the most comprehensive support systems for their games in
the industry.  They regularly post scenarios on thier website, errata,
and they field questions from players.  I just talked with Matt Forbeck
the other day online.  He took the time to talk with me.  More than some
game company people do.  Perhaps we've been spoiled by our wonderful
treatment at the hands of PEG.  

**Matt, please don't be nice to us anymore, we'll just take it for
granted and expect far much more than we deserve.  We are not worthy...
:)  **

I don't take stuff like that for granted.  And I would hope that you
wouldn't either.  :)

>and to tell you the truth anyone in my area--because I am one of > the>
only "Experimental" gamers out here who gets new things in and runs >
them as> demos, or talks to people about them when I drop in the gaming >
store...
 
Well, your dollars.  I know where I'm spending mine.  Perhaps you should
play BNW for a bit, and see how much mileage you can get out of it before
you condemn what looked like a great book "Ravaged Planet".   I really
wish I had something something else to trade with Matt so I could have
gotten that one at GenCon too...  :)

Brian Ward

_____________________
Brian Ward         eswhanu@juno.com         Itinerant Freelancer
ICQ: 38414424    AIM: TDOSST or TheFerrymn
"He wanders the land like the gunslinger of old.  His purpose:  write for
your company"
"Have Game, Will Demo"