Author Topic: New Print on Demand Survey (Read 8068 times)

Defendi · « **on:** April 25, 2007, 02:26:33 AM »

Now that we have a new product out, I thought I'd check on the status of the Print on Demand versions of the books. Each product would be its own book, with the adventure as a seperate section at the end. They'd be softcover copies with black and white interiors.

Anyway, let me know. Vote either way. I'm looking for the most accurate data.

kedrake · « **Reply #1 on:** April 25, 2007, 08:43:15 AM »

My vote (sticking with PDF's) is atypical.... I have high speed, high quality double sided laser printers right down the hall. If I wanted a print copy I could get one for $.008 per page.

Defendi · « **Reply #2 on:** April 25, 2007, 08:45:32 AM »

It's not so atypical as you'd think. I have a LOT of customers overseas and it's cheeper for them to print than to pay shipping. So far, the ratios are more favorable on this one though. We'll see if that holds out.

mocking bird · « **Reply #3 on:** April 25, 2007, 10:06:16 AM »

I would buy some new ones as printing pdf's is just as expensive. I do like pdf's though in that it is easier to print a few pages rather than bend a book to photocopy.

Michael Petrea · « **Reply #4 on:** April 25, 2007, 11:18:58 AM »

I voted for the printed books even though I have the PDFs and have printed them and put them in sheet protectors in a binder. But, there is something tactile about having a book that appeals to me.

markc · « **Reply #5 on:** April 25, 2007, 03:57:21 PM »

I am looking at a new laser printer that will print for around .01 per page, so the PDF is still a good option for me and provides the option for a binder.
As a bis decision I can see printing up some and auctioning them off at trade shows or a prizes. Such as the winer of a convention adventure as well as a raffle in the venders area. One thing is people like to look at touch things when they go to these things so instead of a lot of laptops you can have some hard copies.

MDC

ictus · « **Reply #6 on:** April 25, 2007, 04:08:58 PM »

I voted yes, though I am not after EoH just yet anyway, as I have too many other things to juggle.

But I always prefer real books, if your going that road, then PDF/Print bindles might be an idea, at a slight discount.

If you can get a printer to print small enough runs, even down to one book then just add the option to the website and those that want the premium product can have it, or perhaps do a wait for X number before a print run.

If your going that way you have no real risk of a loss as long as monies are up front, but of course people may have to be prepared to wait a small amount of time to get the print done.

Either way I hope it works for you.

Defendi · « **Reply #7 on:** April 25, 2007, 07:36:09 PM »

Well, I can set up on Lulu for free. The profit margin isn't bad if I sell direct from them. It would get worse on Amazon, but you have to pay to get listed on Amazon, and I'll probably just do that on d20, since almost all ICE customers look to this site first anyway.

I put this up again because I was printing a copy of product and I looked at the quarter maps trying ot figure out how I redo them in Black and White. Finally I came to the decision that there was no point, that anything I did would be unreadable and that information isn't that crucial anyway. I'll probably just replace the color legend with a note that says there are downloadable color maps on the website.

Defendi · « **Reply #8 on:** April 25, 2007, 08:30:44 PM »

I just got an e-mail back from RPGNow (or rather, I just read it). If I use Lulu, I'll probably be setting up on RPGNow too. That means that if you buy through RPGNow, at least, you can get the book and the pdf. I might be able to do that through Lulu as well.

markc · « **Reply #9 on:** April 26, 2007, 01:05:22 AM »

Quote from: Defendi on April 25, 2007, 08:30:44 PM

I just got an e-mail back from RPGNow (or rather, I just read it). If I use Lulu, I'll probably be setting up on RPGNow too. That means that if you buy through RPGNow, at least, you can get the book and the pdf. I might be able to do that through Lulu as well.

Sweet!
MDC

Defendi · « **Reply #10 on:** April 26, 2007, 02:59:59 AM »

Of course, that requires me to release them at the same time I release the PDFs to help most of y'all. Don't know how practical that is.

ictus · « **Reply #11 on:** April 26, 2007, 06:35:43 PM »

it depends how finished the PDF is, if you use the first PDF as a beta, then you can't real put them both out together, if you get it playtested and as right as you can, then it should work, though that's extra work your end.

Dr. Joe · « **Reply #12 on:** April 27, 2007, 03:35:16 AM »

I voted yes, as the question was whether I'm interested or not.

The maps would not be color? That would seem a rather big drawback. At least the covers would be color, right?
I agree with BillyJoeJive on the tactile argument and would add the visual effect of having a nice, color hardcover in your book shelf...

I'm one of the overseas people, so shipping is an issue, but it's not that bad: It gets much worse when you buy a larger (i.e., more costly) amount of stuff because you end up picking it up at the customs office and paying quite some taxes there. Usually, buying only one book at a time gets you around that problem...

PDF/Print bundles would indeed be the way to, IMHO, which would alleviate the pain of waiting for the printed version.

In the end, it is also a question of support for me. I'm usually willing to pay some extra dollars in the hope that a project survives - I would be very disappointed, if EoH went to sleep due to either lack of interest or financial difficulties (see, e.g., the problems of the Shadow World setting...).

Defendi · « **Reply #13 on:** April 27, 2007, 04:10:02 AM »

The covers would be color. They would be softbound, not hardbound. The problem with color maps is that means color interiors. With print on demand you have to do the entire interior color if you do a single page. That would put the price point somewhere near $40 for a 130 page product like product 2. So that's not really practical.

The problem with doing the print and pdf bundles is just one of timing. There's a lot more involved in getting a print version ready. For instance, you have to order a copy, have it sent to you, then approve it before going live. I suspect that waiting to release the pdf at the same time as the print copy would delay each product a month or more, depending on little issues with getting the print version right. You can't just upload a new copy if something gets missed and push it out to all existing customers. So I intend to do the bundles, but I suspect most people would prefer I post just the PDF versions first.

Thanks for your support, BTW.

mocking bird · « **Reply #14 on:** April 27, 2007, 08:30:37 AM »

Would it be possible to have the color maps in files for download?
Or about doing just a 10 page color booklet like an insert?
It just seems a shame to do all that work in CC3/DD3 only to have it printed in black and white.

Defendi · « **Reply #15 on:** April 27, 2007, 08:41:53 AM »

They are currently available for download. I don't intend that to change (although I'm not always caught up). I tried to come up with a way that I could do a booklet like that, but Lulu said there was no way to do a bundle, so basically, it would be an expensive side product, and I doubt worth it to most people.

markc · « **Reply #16 on:** April 27, 2007, 06:55:56 PM »

Quote from: mocking bird on April 27, 2007, 08:30:37 AM

Would it be possible to have the color maps in files for download?
Or about doing just a 10 page color booklet like an insert?
It just seems a shame to do all that work in CC3/DD3 only to have it printed in black and white.

I think this would be the way to go, simplely say you have two projects to print 1 color and 1 BW.

MDC

Defendi · « **Reply #17 on:** April 27, 2007, 08:54:39 PM »

Which would be the way to go?

Dr. Joe · « **Reply #18 on:** April 28, 2007, 07:32:10 AM »

I think markc meant to make the printed version in two separate parts: The main one as softcover in B/W and an additional booklet containing the maps, in color. Something like the old MERP modules which had separate color maps?! But if that's also too expensive... That leaves the option of printing the maps from the PDF if you have a good printer. $:-\$

Another question: The covers are in color, so the inside could be used for the most important maps (in color, too)? This was done for many ICE modules, IIRC...

Oh, and concerning the bundles: I would think it's absolutely no problem if the printed version is released noticably later than the PDF. The idea of a beta phase, where you have time to fix typos and all that, seems clever to me.

Defendi · « **Reply #19 on:** April 28, 2007, 08:35:06 AM »

Yeah, I think that WOULD be a good idea. I'd probably check out the minimum size for a saddle stich book and then combine a few products, so you might have one book that's just the maps of the first three products in full color high-res. Like 16-24 pages, something like that. It would probably cost a bit much (like $10 or more), but it would be an option for the people who want it, and it's likely a lot less work than the big PDFs so it doesn't cost me much time to put it up as an option.

That's a spectacular idea about the inner covers, and I'll check on it, but I seem to remember that you can't do that at Lulu.

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Author Topic: New Print on Demand Survey (Read 8068 times)