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New Book Formats

Post/Author/DateTime Post
#1
22_Over_7
Feb 13, 2010 3:39:42 I see that we're trying additional book formats besides the "Only get the Martial/Arcane/Divine/Primal/Psionic books that you want!" with the Essentials line.

To me, this signals an opening in the willingness of the publishing team to create books that include fluff and crunch together - specifically, the setting specific ones. I miss the FR Regional source books from 3/3.5E. The Eberron books were pretty sweet too. Please consider adding some books like that to the product line.
#2
Authw8
Feb 13, 2010 10:49:07 I think they could probably sell softcover, short setting books, kind of like the dragonborn supplement coming out. I would like to see some of the regions of Khorvaire covered like this, maybe with a short adventure and poster map tossed in for good measure.
#3
athzar
Feb 13, 2010 11:55:03
I think they could probably sell softcover, short setting books, kind of like the dragonborn supplement coming out. I would like to see some of the regions of Khorvaire covered like this, maybe with a short adventure and poster map tossed in for good measure.

This. They're already doing something similar (Hammerfast), so it's not inconceivable to go from Hammerfast to Sharn or Sarlona.

Whether or not they'll actually do it is another thing entirely. How did those regional FR books sell?
#4
22_Over_7
Feb 18, 2010 16:07:01
This. They're already doing something similar (Hammerfast), so it's not inconceivable to go from Hammerfast to Sharn or Sarlona.

Whether or not they'll actually do it is another thing entirely. How did those regional FR books sell?

I couldn't tell you how well they sold, but I can tell you they made like 10 or so of them over the course of 3.X which is quite a large number. Especially since the Spellplague changed everything, players want to know more about the new Realms.
#5
kalstrand
Feb 19, 2010 14:12:12 Maybe they are using Hammerfast as a test bed. If it does well maybe we will see further products of a similar fashion. I think it would be a good idea to have regional books in that kind of format.
#6
ignis_fatuus
Feb 19, 2010 18:49:26
How did those regional FR books sell?

This allegorical story is what Sean K. Reynolds had to say about the sale of Forgotten Rums books...

#7
strand0
Feb 19, 2010 20:12:34 I thought you meant the boxed sets.

And Gamma World will be 160 pages in a 6 x 9 book, in a 10 x 10 inch box. Wierd. I thought thay had a hard time getting non-books into the Major Book Store chains.
#8
22_Over_7
Feb 22, 2010 19:09:11
How did those regional FR books sell?

This allegorical story is what Sean K. Reynolds had to say about the sale of Forgotten Rums books...

Which isn't to say that you could find a good mix of fluff and crunch. Tome of Battle in 3.5 was great for that.
#9
azazyll
Feb 22, 2010 20:23:05 Tome of Battle? A mix of fluff and crunch? that's laughable. It had funky names for things and a one page opener to each chapter that kept a bland story going. It was terrible. Which is, by the way, basically the format of the regular D&D books now. without the story
#10
Marandahir
Feb 22, 2010 20:25:53 It's unfortunate that you do not see the brilliance in the new edition and the fluff that was deeply ingrained in Tome of Battle and the new books. Tome of Battle was iconic in everything it did, every power felt like there was a story behind it, and that's how it feels now. And the fluff-mechanics level is pretty darn good as well.

You're entitled to your own opinions, of course.
#11
azazyll
Feb 22, 2010 20:32:45 I'd rather have a good chunk of fluff than flavor text, personally. Setting books and gazeteers. A little crunch in the back, well thought out instead of an avalanche of things that change only in damage type and distance moved.

Sorry to come off so negative, it's just really frustrated me since the new edition came out. there are things I love, but I miss the old format. And there just aren't enough KQs to satisfy me. Even the Dragon content has shifted that way: we basically get one page of nonsense, followed by two or three pages of new powers, feats, and paragon paths. I'll be dropping my subscription if they don't go back to more substantial articles.

Post/Author/DateTime	Post
#1 22_Over_7 Feb 13, 2010 3:39:42	I see that we're trying additional book formats besides the "Only get the Martial/Arcane/Divine/Primal/Psionic books that you want!" with the Essentials line. To me, this signals an opening in the willingness of the publishing team to create books that include fluff and crunch together - specifically, the setting specific ones. I miss the FR Regional source books from 3/3.5E. The Eberron books were pretty sweet too. Please consider adding some books like that to the product line.
#2 Authw8 Feb 13, 2010 10:49:07	I think they could probably sell softcover, short setting books, kind of like the dragonborn supplement coming out. I would like to see some of the regions of Khorvaire covered like this, maybe with a short adventure and poster map tossed in for good measure.
#3 athzar Feb 13, 2010 11:55:03	I think they could probably sell softcover, short setting books, kind of like the dragonborn supplement coming out. I would like to see some of the regions of Khorvaire covered like this, maybe with a short adventure and poster map tossed in for good measure. This. They're already doing something similar (Hammerfast), so it's not inconceivable to go from Hammerfast to Sharn or Sarlona. Whether or not they'll actually do it is another thing entirely. How did those regional FR books sell?
#4 22_Over_7 Feb 18, 2010 16:07:01	This. They're already doing something similar (Hammerfast), so it's not inconceivable to go from Hammerfast to Sharn or Sarlona. Whether or not they'll actually do it is another thing entirely. How did those regional FR books sell? I couldn't tell you how well they sold, but I can tell you they made like 10 or so of them over the course of 3.X which is quite a large number. Especially since the Spellplague changed everything, players want to know more about the new Realms.
#5 kalstrand Feb 19, 2010 14:12:12	Maybe they are using Hammerfast as a test bed. If it does well maybe we will see further products of a similar fashion. I think it would be a good idea to have regional books in that kind of format.
#6 ignis_fatuus Feb 19, 2010 18:49:26	How did those regional FR books sell? This allegorical story is what Sean K. Reynolds had to say about the sale of Forgotten Rums books...
#7 strand0 Feb 19, 2010 20:12:34	I thought you meant the boxed sets. And Gamma World will be 160 pages in a 6 x 9 book, in a 10 x 10 inch box. Wierd. I thought thay had a hard time getting non-books into the Major Book Store chains.
#8 22_Over_7 Feb 22, 2010 19:09:11	How did those regional FR books sell? This allegorical story is what Sean K. Reynolds had to say about the sale of Forgotten Rums books... Which isn't to say that you could find a good mix of fluff and crunch. Tome of Battle in 3.5 was great for that.
#9 azazyll Feb 22, 2010 20:23:05	Tome of Battle? A mix of fluff and crunch? that's laughable. It had funky names for things and a one page opener to each chapter that kept a bland story going. It was terrible. Which is, by the way, basically the format of the regular D&D books now. without the story
#10 Marandahir Feb 22, 2010 20:25:53	It's unfortunate that you do not see the brilliance in the new edition and the fluff that was deeply ingrained in Tome of Battle and the new books. Tome of Battle was iconic in everything it did, every power felt like there was a story behind it, and that's how it feels now. And the fluff-mechanics level is pretty darn good as well. You're entitled to your own opinions, of course.
#11 azazyll Feb 22, 2010 20:32:45	I'd rather have a good chunk of fluff than flavor text, personally. Setting books and gazeteers. A little crunch in the back, well thought out instead of an avalanche of things that change only in damage type and distance moved. Sorry to come off so negative, it's just really frustrated me since the new edition came out. there are things I love, but I miss the old format. And there just aren't enough KQs to satisfy me. Even the Dragon content has shifted that way: we basically get one page of nonsense, followed by two or three pages of new powers, feats, and paragon paths. I'll be dropping my subscription if they don't go back to more substantial articles.