Appeal to scarcity: Hand numbered Burning Wheel print run

[Tav_Behemoth]

The first printing of the limited edition of 1000 hand-numbered copies of The Burning Wheel is sold out!

Just saw one hell of a press release (full text from Gaming Report) for Burning Wheel, and this part really caught my eye.

We've been planning to use this same idea for Masters and Minions: to make a small press run an advantage by making scarcity part of the appeal, reinforcing the collectability factor with a numbered "limited edition", and adding value by selling each book signed by the author.

This adoption of an artist/printmaker's business model seems to me like one possible response to the digital revolution; when the text is going to be electronically shared whether you plan for that or not, it's best to enhance the unique physicality of the book (and focus on selling that object, not the info it contains). Being megalomaniacs, we've also thought about also adopting part of the artists' model by holding back copies #001 - #0xx so that, once a collector's market develops, we can cash in...

I'd be very interested to hear other's thoughts about this general idea as well as more about Luke's experience with it!

[Luke]

Hi Tav,

"hear more about Luke's experiences" is pretty broad. Do you have any specific questions regarding the numbering? I'd be happy to answer them in public.

And just so you know, I was following more of a local music/art rock scheme than an "art print" one. I have a number of hand numbered 7"s that I think are very cool.

Also, in no way did I do this to "develop a collector's market". I simply wanted to give each set a unique identity and show the customer that I really did care about each one that went out there.

I'm planning doing something similiar (but different!) with the next book.

-L

[Tav_Behemoth]

And just so you know, I was following more of a local music/art rock scheme than an "art print" one.

That's the kind of thing I was looking for: an exploration of what other kinds of indie artistic communities are our conceptual neighbors, and whether things that work for them would work for us.

In talking about markets & marketing, I hope I didn't come across as hopelessly mercantile--but

a) controlling/limiting one's marketing, like Fugazi did w/their stance towards putting their band's name on t-shirts, is a valid & interesting option within the larger issue of how to market

b) from the 7" collector's market, you've got to realize that people are likely to get pretty obsessive over a hip scarcity even if you don't make it easy for them to do so with "limited-edition" numbering.

Some other topics I'd like you to explore, I guess, would be how to handle scaling up if you've started with a situation where you *can* care about each one that goes out there, and find yourself nearing a point where the volume gets too large to do so? What can we learn from the "selling out" issues that happen when art rock bands outgrow their local scenes?

But really, I'm just fishing for ideas about a topic where my own thinking is still very exploratory.

[AnyaTheBlue]

As a consumer, I'm tickled that Luke personalized and signed my copy.  I'm even more thrilled that I ended up with 'Pi' =)

[Andrew Morris]

Tavis,

Personally, I'd pay more for a lower-number, limited-run copy of a game that I liked. This means I'd not only buy two books, but I'd happily pay more for the limited one. The old book I'd probably give to a friend or save for regular use.

[Tav_Behemoth]

The HeroQuest rune in your sig is another interesting example, Anya! I wasn't aware of that one. There was a non-limited edition of it as well, no?

[Michael S. Miller]

Also, in no way did I do this to "develop a collector's market". I simply wanted to give each set a unique identity and show the customer that I really did care about each one that went out there.

What about the game selling on eBay? You mentioned something about that at AGoG, but I don't recall all the details.

[AnyaTheBlue]

The HeroQuest rune in your sig is another interesting example, Anya! I wasn't aware of that one. There was a non-limited edition of it as well, no?

Yup -- the limited edition was hardback with what appears to be a sewn binding, had the custom rune, and had glossy paper.  I gather there were a few 'extras' printed without runes at all for some other use.

The 'normal' edition is paperback with 'standard' game book softcover with a 'perfect binding'.

Another example of this pseudo-scarcity would be the http://www.yog-sothoth.com/modules.php?name=Sections&op=viewarticle&artid=19">CoC MU Library edition and the http://www.yog-sothoth.com/cocdbdetail.php?Master_ID=198">CoC 20th Anniversary edition, too.

Oh, and SJ Games general 'special runs' with the stamped foil faux-leather hardbacks, too.

In my case, I have also tended to purchase a non-special copy of my 'special editions', when available and appropriate, particularly when I'm concerned about wear and tear -- I want my special editions to last.

That's not to say I don't use them, I just don't throw them willy-nilly into a backpack to get all dogeared and scuffed up.  Well, I try not to, anyway.  I have to admit I've stopped doing that with my copy of Burning Wheel because I've decided I do want it to last -- so I"m probably going to pick up a spare everyday working copy when I find one in a store.

[Paul Czege]

My experience with publisher-structured collectibility as a comics reader in the late 80s and early 90s is that it can very quickly become poison across an industry. I witnessed a shift in the comics customer base from being mostly readers to being mostly collectors. And when publishing decisions became increasingly focused on optimizing for sales by exploiting customer perceptions about collectibility, I found it harder and harder to find titles that interested me.

Our successes as indie publishers are directly related to our focus on the power of our designs (our content) and on selling to a customer base who actually like to play.

But that said, you know what...Luke's numbering scheme isn't poison. Burning Wheel remains in print, and available and complete. In my mind, today's indie comics have it right. They may do something different with a book for each print run, that is, the presentation may be different, but no book is ever crippled with the absence of content, and they do their variations across micro print runs with such freneticism that collectibility is actually discouraged. No one can think they might be able to keep up, so the book you buy and own feels personal and important...not at all like a chilly investment.

Paul

[Tav_Behemoth]

Thanks for the insight, Paul! The analogy to comics is another I'd had in the back of my head in an uninformed way, and it's good to know how the scarcity model can create undesirable effects.

I think that what Luke is doing (and I'm planning) is to take advantage of the micro-print-run reality and the fact that we have a personal hand in the creation/distribution of the books, not to position our releases as collector's items instead of gaming-table necessities.  I wouldn't go so far as to say that I'm not going to consider my market as including people who aren't actually likely to play the book; those who only read also serve the cause!

In my case, there won't be a non-numbered printing of Horde Books 1-3 at first; people who want to keep their first-run copy pristine can print out pages from the PDF that comes free with purchase of the print version, or use the rules in the online SRD. Keeping copies for a collector's market is a daydream for me; the reality is encouraging people to buy a physical book when they could get the Open Game rules for free or the PDF (in many ways superior: indexing, portability, cut & paste text) for $7 less.

[Luke]

Some other topics I'd like you to explore, I guess, would be how to handle scaling up if you've started with a situation where you *can* care about each one that goes out there, and find yourself nearing a point where the volume gets too large to do so? What can we learn from the "selling out" issues that happen when art rock bands outgrow their local scenes?.

Well, this is the next issue for me. I create and sell BW very much out of a love both for gaming and printed matter.

However, I also want to keep my prices as low as possible, so multiple covers and other print gimmicks are out of the question as is jacking up the price just cause I write my name or a number in it.

In order to keep the prices low for the Monster Burner and all future BW books, I am going to have to do a larger print run. The price stays low, but it becomes harder for me to personalize the books. Numbering the whole run becomes impossible when you add in my fulfillment house, Key20. They'll be getting a shipment of books straight from the printer -- books that I won't ever see.

What to do?

First off, I've decided to sign and number the first 500 of the Monster Burner that are bought directly from me. For the remainder, I've decided to create a new stamp that indicates that this book was bought directly from the creator. I hope to encourage people to buy directly from me, and give them a little incentive to do so.

-Luke

PS Collectability really drives me nuts. But it triggers quite a dichotomy. I love unique or special items, but such qualities are inherently collectable. Whatever. It's just a game.

[Christopher Weeks]

Just to chime in as a consumer, I thought the number in my BW was kind of cute, but completely non-motivating.  OTOH, Luke also signed my copy after our game at a con and what he wrote, of personal significance to that game, caries real meaning.  That is way more valuable to me than the number.

Chris

[Tav_Behemoth]

I agree with you, Chris, that the ne plus ultra is a signature w/an inscription that reflects a special relationship with the book/game/creator. And, as has been said before, creating these relationships is/should be what we're all about.

Another small-scale-only idea would be to write a personal comment for people who bought the book from the creator's website, if the buyer (in some way or another, like posting about themselves at the website forum) gives the creator enough info to personalize it this way!

[Jack Aidley]

Just to chime in as a consumer, I thought the number in my BW was kind of cute, but completely non-motivating.  OTOH, Luke also signed my copy after our game at a con and what he wrote, of personal significance to that game, caries real meaning.  That is way more valuable to me than the number.

This reflects my impression of the numbering. It gave the books a personal, 'loved', feel; it never occured to me that it might be a collectability factor.