Can RPG's be collectable?

[Michael S. Miller]

For example, my fantasy setting Dawn of the Magi has magic as being rare. It could be neat to actually do small runs of spell books that couldn't be found everywhere, or info on artifacts that don't reach every store. In this I think it could be collectable while making the setting also a little more interactive although I'm sure there would be some serious logistics involved.

I think it's possible for someone like WotC or maybe WW to pull this off, if they wanted. However, any indie game's appeal is going to be limited to begin with. The whole theory behind "collectibility" is decreasing supply to increase demand. It seems to me that with the limited appeal we have, it wouldn't be in our best interest to frustrate any portion of our customers by restricting their access to our product. What would your reaction be if your favorite game had a magic supplement, but you had to drive to the next state to buy it because they intentionally chose not to supply it to your FLGS? Personally, I'd not be a happy camper.

IIRC, Marvel comics did the whole limited-edition, multiple covers, special zero-issue thing to death about 7-10 years ago. I stopped following the comics biz a long time ago, but I think they came within a hair's breadth of bankruptcy, too.

On the other hand, I'm not tech-savvy enough to be sure what avenues the Internet opens up for this kind of thing. Having free (I wouldn't try this with for-sale) supplements downloadable from different URLs around the net ... having clues to web pages with clues and riddles to other web pages ... if it were done well, it could be like a scavenger hunt to find the magic rules. Although I'd have a direct link clearly labelled as "the quick and easy path, for those tempted to the Dark Side" which links to the almost-complete magic rules, which is lacking the most powerful type of "good" magic. Just a thought.

[Comte]

On the other hand, I'm not tech-savvy enough to be sure what avenues the Internet opens up for this kind of thing. Having free (I wouldn't try this with for-sale) supplements downloadable from different URLs around the net ... having clues to web pages with clues and riddles to other web pages ... if it were done well, it could be like a scavenger hunt to find the magic rules. Although I'd have a direct link clearly labelled as "the quick and easy path, for those tempted to the Dark Side" which links to the almost-complete magic rules, which is lacking the most powerful type of "good" magic. Just a thought.

A cheery little game called Deathstalkers dose something vaugly similar to marvelouse effect.  Throughout the book the have hidden spells, hidden monsters, and all sorts of stuff.  If you are observant you can find and use them.  None of this is truly nessesary to the game but it is fun to unravle stuff like this.  

To apply this notion to what we are talking about we could have a hidden phone number or address which people could send in and get spiffy game related fluff.  Of course the inherent problem with this is control.  The same problem will happen with the above web page idea.  Lets face it, I am a generation the logs onto the internet and downloads a 14,000 graphics arts program because  I can.  As soon as one neferiouse person gets ahold of the secret then it will be splattered all over the net and what can you do.  Somethng similar happened to SLA Industires "the truth".  It could only be gotten if you sighned onto the mailing list and asked for it.  Once some people got it they simply copied and pasted it into thier geocities webpage.  

Ray of Hope:  Some how Deathstalkers has managed to keep its secrets safe.  Someone might want to ask them how they did it.

To wrap up, I think this idea would have been awsome in the pre-internet days.  However, now and days secrets are so hard to keep.  If you had a team of net junkies who were capable of keeping up with the wave of knowlage then it might actually be worthwhile.  But the cost might get a bit excessive if you are alway constantly redoing your webpage.