CD "Book" Format

[Tyrant]

While the debate between RTF and PDF rages ever onward

(I prefer PDF myself)

Lets say I wanted something Physical to sell my customers... Okay, granted actual books can be expensive to publish

but what about CDs?

I have been talking with a friend who works in the CD making industry for some time now about this....

Basically it would involve my game (in PDF format) on a CD along with anything else I could toss on it (Generators and the like) In a digipak format (For those not in the know, that's the fancy cardboard packages with multiple foldouts)

This would run about 3 buck US a CD (With a  minimum of 1000)

I know it's been/being done but would it be worth it?

(As an aside the foldout format can be used as a small GMs screen and the booklet included would have important rules inside)

[kwill]

I guess the inhibiting factor is the fear of ppl copying CDs *but* theoretically it would be easier for Joe Average Gamer to saunter down to his local photocopy shop with a print copy

(well, apart from sitting in front of a copy machine for a while)

of course, I would have said the same about other digital formats (eg, Sorceror supplements as PDFs) -- so, why no CDs yet? any been-published-ers care to comment?

(I remember one multiple-games-on-one-CD distribution scheme that was mentioned back at GO last year, but I didn't keep up with the project...)

[Dav]

I have often considered a "serialized" CD product containing a plethora of small games.  I haven't done it because I don't leak the creative juices from every pore (like Jared), and, well, I just have too much on my plate as it is.

Anyway, someone on rpg.net was talking about CD printing for games, and said he did well with them.  I forget the company name, but it was in the Business/Publishing/Marketing forum.  

I think it is a viable avenue for publishing.  My one question is one of distribution.  I am uncertain if the distribution companies will buy the product.  Of course, if you are going online, or mail order, it would work, but then, why not do download?

I think that is the main sticking point for most publishers.


Dav

[Matt Machell]

I have a feeling that Forgotten Futures was published on a CD at one point.

[Ron Edwards]

Hello,

Isn't there a whole big thread about this earlier on this forum?

I suggest that CDs as we currently know them, and with RPGs as we currently know them, are less useful than books.

This is aside from SERVICES provided on a CD, which themselves (art, music, PC generation) might be fine and dandy. I am talking about the RPG itself.

Suggested reasons vary, but I think a big part of it is that people like to read RPGs like they read books, in the same places, under the same circumstances, and with the same timing. The CD experience doesn't permit that. (Will all this change with a new generation of people growing up with CDs to read? I don't know.)

I can only cite the evidence of commerce - CDs with RPGs on them are unsuccessful products. Who knows whether this is a promotion thing, a design thing, a concept thing, or a "not ready for it" thing, or what.

For over a year, one could click over to a page on the Sorcerer site and buy a CD with the game on it (at another company's page; they'd leased the use). It was just as available as buying the PDF, and I have to say that their website was a lot cooler than mine, too.

No one bought it. Yet the PDF sales boomed with every quarter, and current book sales are excellent.

Best,
Ron

[James Holloway]

On 2001-09-04 04:26, Matt wrote:
I have a feeling that Forgotten Futures was published on a CD at one point.

Was and is. In fact, I picked up the Forgotten Futures charity CD at GenCon. It contains the rules, a bunch of Arthur Conan Doyle fiction, half a dozen or so period magazine articles, a scenario, and like that.

$3.50 (I paid $5 cause all the proceeds go to charity, but $5 is still good for what you get).

I would argue that this kind of thing works well for Con impulse buys, but otherwise have a lot of disadvantages compared to PDFs (shipping, delayed acquisition time).

OTOH, a CD "package" might be more appealing - you'd feel like you were buying something substantial, which I suspect is the reason that computer games come in boxes.

Just my thoughts.

[Ron Edwards]

Found it! It's the "Publishing pencil & paper games on CDs" thread on page 1 of this forum.

Good stuff in there.

Best,
Ron

[Tyrant]

Another Idea is to offer three or four different versions from your website all for different prices.

Full on CD with super packaging (Digipak with all the doo dads)

Burn off CD with just a light insert

PDF download

and lastly TXT only version Download