[HOE] Re: Combined format [Shane, Goff, Hoppler, and the rest of the PEG crew]

[John.Hostetter@hsc.com]

In regards to the new format for Pinnacle product, I have a few thoughts.

I play Hell on Earth.  I plan on playing Lost Colony.  I DONT play
Deadlands. This leads to my not wanting to buy Deadlands material that I
cant, or wont be using in my HOE campaign (I am the Marshall).  That is why
I dont buy the Epitaph.

As far as the possible new combined format of the sourceboooks goes, I dont
anticipate buying any of them.  When I consider buying a sourcebook for a
game I play, I look at whats in it, and if I want the material.  I didnt
buy either of the epitaphs, because there was little to no material in them
that I wanted.  I primarily play Hell on Earth, and I own every book they
have put out for that game, I even have the dime novels.  I buy adventures
to get an adventure, I buy sourcebooks to get world information, as well as
nifty new rules. I dont buy Deadlands adventures, because I would never run
them.  I dont buy Deadlands world books for deadlands info.   I do have a
few Deadlands books (mainly for arcane backgrounds).  I didnt like the
combined format of the epitaphs because, well, there wasnt much in them
that I wanted.  Even if fully half of the book had been Hell on Earth
information and rules, I wouldnt have bought the books.  I am not
interested in playing, or Marshaling Deadlands, so why would I want a DL
adventure, and a story in a setting I dont follow?  If the new format
becomes the only format for PEG material, I dont think I will be buying
anything.  I mean, why would I want even 20-30 pages of material I will
never use?  That is why the epitaph doesnt sell, it is varied, and that is
its weakness, not its strength.  I would pay $10 or so for a good dime
novel, but not $15 for a book with little material I want in it.  I just
dont need all the extra stuff on my shelf.

I would pay more for the high quality of product that PEG is putting out,
however, I think that that might alienate some other gamers who dont
understand the reason behind the price change, or dont want to spend so
much money on a new game.  I would be happy with a few or even one
sourcebook a year, but that wont bring in many new players, you have got to
get new and more people to play your games if you want to make money.  To
do that, you need a convention presence.  Now, I have heard that you do a
good job of that in the midwest and on the east coast, but here in
California, at the major cons, your games are nowhere to be seen.  There is
usually one, or maybe two Deadlands games, no HOE games at all.  This
really needs to change, and you dont have to be the people to run them all.
Back when the AEG-PEG split/merger/no merger thing was happening, there was
a "Bounty Hunter" program (Run by the AEG side I think...).  It was great,
it allowed those of us who had the time, and drive, to promote the games we
loved, and get something for it (Namely: Product) and it promoted the
games.  I would recommend instituting something like that again.
There are a few Hell on Earth books I have been looking forward to, and I
hope they manage to come out eventually.  They include:

The Unity Adventure
Denver
Las Vegas
A Witch book
Waste Warriors
Maybe a book about east of the Mississippi?
And the black book (Info on the hunting grounds)

Heck, even books I am not expecting, like the Spirit Warriors book are
great.  Good material is worth the money, but be wary about losing new
gamers.

In recap, I think the new format sounds like a Bad Idea.  I would rather
have good, focused product released less frequently, or if that wont
generate enough revenue, increase the price, or push the higher margin
products (CCG's and Miniatures are higher margin right?) I also recommend
starting a Bounty Hunter type program again, I know I would run for you
guys three or four times a year in exchange for product.

Just My Thoughts,

John Hostetter