How much does this cost?

[Jeph]

I'm thinking that I may want get a printed and bound copy of Pagoda for myself once it's all completed. I expect it to be around 25-30 pages once finished, and wanted a softcover book with semigloss pages. Does anyone know where I could do something like this, and about how much it would cost me per copy?

[Valamir]

Heh..alot more complicated than that.  Unfortuneately (or fortuneately depending on your perspective) you can't just order up a print run that simply.  Best bet is to go to several printers give them as much information as you can about what you want and have them give you a quote.  You'll find that the rates will vary WIDELY.  I got quotes of everything from $1.20 a book to $4.80 a book for Universalis.  Also check for a range of print sizes.  The cost per book will vary ALOT depending on how many you print BUT what I found interesting is that each printer had a different range that they were competitive at.  The printer who gave the best price for a 500 item run wasn't even in the top 3 at the 750 item run.  The printer who had a competitive price with a plain (non glossy) cover on light stock was not competitive for the same job with a glossy cover on heavier stock.

Its pretty byzantine, there are lots of options, and your best bet is to get at least a half dozen printers, get quote with and without a variety of features, then put them on a matrix and evaluate which combination of features and price works out best for you.  Otherwise you could EASILY wind up paying 3-4x more than you need to.

[Tim C Koppang]

I think what Jeph wants is only 1 copy of the completed product.  If so, wouldn't a print-on-demand place be more suitable (read cheaper) for his needs?

I'm not even pretending to know anything about the process, but that's the impression I get.  Tell me if I'm wrong.

[ThreeGee]

Hey Jeph,

If you just want a copy for yourself and your friends, go to the local copy shop and ask. Semi-gloss will definitely cost you, so you might as well go for a decend binding like wire, coil, or saddle-stitch. If I had to guess, a single copy would be under $10. I live in close proximity to a number of colleges, however, so I am probably spoiled.

Later,
Grant

[Tim C Koppang]

Whoa, cross-posted with Grant.

Seriously, if you aren't looking to get a "real book" made, then a place like Kinko's does a nice job binding laser printed copies.  They even have a wide variety of cover options and sizes.  And the whole thing won't break the bank.

[Valamir]

Ahh.  Missed that.  If that's the case a copy shop or a place like PIP Printing would probably be best.

[Jeph]

ThreeGee, if living near colleges does the trick, then life's made easy for me. NCSU is five minutes away, UNC about thirty minutes, Wake Forest University about 20 minutes, Duke about 35 . . .

So, should cost about $10 at kinko's . . . works for me. =)

[ThreeGee]

Hey Jeph,

Heh. You are also in a cheaper part of the world. I am sure there is a reason Kinko's website does not list any prices. Anyway, let us know what you find out. I am sure a lot of people are curious just what it would cost to have a nicely bound copy of their shiny new pdf.

But seriously, semi-gloss paper is painfully expensive. It will be most of your cost.

Later,
Grant

[Rob Donoghue]

For a Silicon Valley area Kinkos:

Baseline copy from CD price, 8 cents per double sided page.

Increasing the paper quality to 90# (which sounds like it shoudl be cardstock, but isn't) increases that to 11 cents per page but gives a more subtantial feel and increased durability.  There are numerous other paper options that I am not personally familiar with.

Binding (Comb, Spiral, Velo, Tape, or Wire) is about $4.

This is an excellent method for producing a clean, usable copy, and I'm a regular visitor, having done this for most any game I've bought as .pdf.  The real price break is the ability/willingness to run copied from disk, rather than actually pay to print the pages.

However, if the desire is a 'real' book, a print on demand service like xlibris or myuniverse migth be more appropriate.  Unfortunately, the price is telling.  You will spend several hundred dollars to have that first copy in your hand, and while subsequent copies are not expensive, they are not cheap either.  Still, this may be the best option for someone wanting a very small run of books, for their own satisfaction.

Compare this to the economics of doing a small print run: The intitial outlay is (I expect, though someone with more expertise may contradict) somewhat higher, but the cost per unit ends up being much lower (In part because as part of the initial outlay, you're "buying" a large number of books).  I would also put forward that you'd probably want to do more homework to pursue this, and it's probably not the route to take to produce a single copy or small set.

There is one other option, but it's pretty much reserved for the stout of heart.  It is possible to physically make books yourself.  It is slow, labor intensive, and often requires highly specialized tools, especially if you want to perfect bind (the term for the binding of most softcovers).  As such, unless you wish to make a serious hobby of this, I would suggest against it. However, if the interest is there, it's worth noting the option exists.

So, there are the main options that I know of. I've firsthand experience with some, but this is mostly derived from research, so people with real world experience with soem of these options may be able to shed a little more light on the reality of these.

-Rob D.

[ThreeGee]

Hey Rob,

Did you notice whether the Kinko's offered glossy paper as an option? And was that price for double-sided color laser printing?

On the other point: not only is bookbinding slow and painful (sometimes literally, depending on how good you are at sewing), but the initial outlay is significant for someone planning to do it on a whim. I wandered over to the art department (being about ten yards from my desk) and priced awl, needles, and thread at about $15, nevermind Davies board ($6.25/sheet) and the like.

On the other hand, it would certainly be a distinctive way to make demo copies. I was thinking about doing a traditional Japanese binding for my martial arts-themed games (on office paper, of course--laser printers are not friendly to good Japanese paper).

Later,
Grant