A message from the Head Frog
about 8 years ago
– Sat, Mar 10, 2018 at 12:15:37 AM
All,
I would like to respond to some feedback from our longtime customers regarding other editions of Rappan Athuk besides the fifth edition one for this Kickstarter.
Hardcover
We have received numerous requests to redo the whole book in previous versions. I have to tell you its extremely unlikely for a couple of reasons. First, its about $20,000 to print even 500 copies of this book--that would add $40,000 to our costs, as well as massive amounts of internal layout time for Chuck to make all 3 new books, and would likely delay shipping 2 months or so. Essentially $60,000 of cost and delay and hassle...hence the need to sell 600 books (minimum 300 of a version), just to break even. Hardcover books have a minimum 500 print run from our printers--we could do POD, but honestly a 700 page POD would probably be a bad idea--it would fall apart in weeks. Second, and most importantly, 75% or so of the material already exists in SW and PFRPG versions. I feel as though we would be price gouging our fans by charging them $100 for something they can already (and probably already have) when we can lower the costs to $35 for the new material. Not saying never, but I just don't see this as having the value (to you all) or the breakeven cost (to us) that makes it feasible.
Softcovers
Ok--on the softcovers. I am looking into adding the PF and SW versions of the extra modules at this time. Honestly its mostly a capacity issue for us (I have almost all of my regular guys and gals doing maximum overload on City of Brass, Bunnies and Burrows, Tegel Manor and yes, the Lost Lands Campaign Setting (you heard it here...djinni out of the FGG bottle) as well as Icebound (the last piece of the Perilous Vistas set). Oh yeah--we also have Quests of Doom 5 in the works. Tom Knauss and Casey Christofferson are writing machines, but I think I have even them overbooked.
Simply put, 5e sells far, far more copies than the other two for every release. Pathfinder sales are way, way down. SW never was huge, but still sells more than Pathfinder. Not every book or partial book can be made for all three systems. We are not abandoning any of the three systems, however, practical decisions have to be made about the viability of products. Can we risk $1000 to do a Pathfinder version of a module? Probably. Can we risk $30,000 to do a Pathfinder version of a huge hardcover that already exists in part? Probably not.
Ok, so what solutions can we add. Folks want the art--we will add an add-on art book as a stretch goal. Maps--we already handled that. New material--also handled. Bonus module add-ons--let me validate I can get the staff to get them done and sure, I see no reason we cannot fix that. Zach will update an exact details but you should see any new softcover (or PDF) material available in Pathfinder and Swords & Wizardry.
Yes, Adam and Steve (you convinced me). Dan--5e converts pretty easily to SW too. Heck, SW has almost no rules anyway, so just roll a d20 under a stat or judge what happens rather than roll if a stat check is needed. We love our Pathfinder and SW fans a ton. Heck, I mostly play SW myself (as does Zach and Matt--though believe it or not, Steve Winter and Wolfgang Bauer have gotten me playing (not running mind you) in a 5e game). The difference is only that Pathfinder and SW need 3 books (the old RA, RA Expansions and the New material add-on) to have the core material that is virtually the same as the 5e book. We will offer those books at a discount on backerkit, and the Pathfinder RA books are already on sale at out store for a hefty discount. I know its not optimal, but honestly I just feel dirty charging you another $100 for something most of you already have.
Thank you again, all of you, for making us successful on this effort and on the 200 or so other efforts we have made over the past 8 years (wow, 8 years as of April 1st, believe or not). The fact that we can do this and make great material is because of all of you. Not giving up my day job mind you..
BW 020318