CD format suggestion - Avery opinion plz?

[Rerednaw]

One of the major problems in releasing gaming products is the high cost of printing (or unreliable publishers). I have a suggestion for T5.

Instead of just paper format (which is my preferred format, BTW) put them on a CD.

As a freebie, include a basic/mini-traveller rules (kind of like GURP-lite tm or basic World of Darkness tm) on the CD.

For EACH additional book, you could buy online an unlock key, or as an option a lower rate to unlock all the books on the entire CD. For example, if the first CD has 10 'books' on it, unlocking one book at a time would be $5 each, but the whole CD would be $30.

For security/copying concerns, each CD published would have a unique serial number and each unique registration key purchased would be linked to the CD. The registration key would be linked to a specific CD serial number. This information would reside on your designated server. (So no one person buys an unlock key and gives it to all his friends).

The point of this? To get the word and system out to as many people as possible. Give the CD away at shows and expos (Gencon and so on).

Look at AOL, I can't tell you how many of those CD's I have, so it can't cost that much.

For the people who prefer paper (like me) go ahead and still print (but perhaps at a reduced quantity?).

Perhaps as an added feature for the CD version, add hyperlinks/searchable index.

Just a suggestion.

What do you folks think?

Cheers.

Mike

 

[PVernon]

<BLOCKQUOTE>quote:</font><HR>Originally posted by Rerednaw:
One of the major problems in releasing gaming products is the high cost of printing (or unreliable publishers). I have a suggestion for T5.

Instead of just paper format (which is my preferred format, BTW) put them on a CD.

<HR></BLOCKQUOTE>

As an adjunct to this idea check with "Logos Software" as they have such a system and they do licence it.
Peter V.

 

[TheDS]

This solution can save a cubic butt-ton of money. CDs can easily be had for under $1 apiece. Labels? Dirt cheap too, but putting them on might be tedious enough to hire some one, and maybe they can laser-etch something instead of sticking a sticker on... CD burners are pretty cheap, even at high speed. There are machines that make mass-burning very fast and easy, and their price has dropped considerably. Heck, it's likely there are mass-labeling machines too...

Of course, now you've got to buy this encoding system, which it was pointed out is available, and you have to have a huge database of codes. EACH PRODUCT on the CD has to have its own code if you are going to restrict access to it.

But of course, you want top-notch product, so you're going to have to have not only a printable version of the book (I prefer Word format, but others prefer .PDF), but you would also want an HTML version that has lots of handy links. And you're going to want programs that help the GM simulate some things, or help to generate things; rolling dice 1000 times and adding numbers 1000 times gets boring sometimes.

These can't be just spreadsheets; they have to be actual programs, so users don't meddle with them too much and mess up the mechanics you'd built... Of course, your data files can be spreadsheets or whatever, because people are gonna wanna make their own stuff...

Programs like character gen, world gen, ship-building, vehicle building (and how about a wet-navy this time?), weapon building (personal,heavy, and starship), powered armor building, space combat simulator, ground combat simulator (or at least stuff to make it easier to keep track of), and I'm sure you can list twice as many as I did.

Certain programs will go with certain books, so they can have the same code.

Next you have artwork and.... aww heck, that's enough right there.

Sounds daunting, doesn't it? I'm sure it's at least as daunting as publishing a book or series of books, to which Marc is surely no stranger, but it's challenges are different. The overall product can be cheaper because the materials involved are cheaper and distribution can be almost free (upload to people with broadband, let them burn their own CD). The things that really cost are the intangibles; the amount of time and effort put into doing it all.

I'm not writing all this to say you had a bad idea; quite the opposite is true. But you need to know it's not a simple undertaking for a properly done setup. Sure, you can get Linux distributions out in a day or two, but who uses them? Tech-heads. And how many of them are out there? Not enough to get away with charging. This is a whole different ball of wax. This product has to appeal not only to the oldies like most everyone here, but it also has to draw new blood or it doesn't go very far for very long. Traveller has always been a well thought out, well presented set of ideas, and to maintain that level of quality is no small undertaking.

------------------
"This is a spaceship! Why did you throw that grenade here?"
"I was just trying to get the bad guys."
"Uh guys,..."
BOOOMM!

 

[kafka47]

Call it the librarian in me.

I prefer acid free crisp paper.

 

[Crimson Cat]

Give me a book any day over cd format. With that said charts and maps and such things would be nice to have on cd.

 

[lucasdigital]

<BLOCKQUOTE>quote:</font><HR>Originally posted by Crimson Cat:
Give me a book any day over cd format. With that said charts and maps and such things would be nice to have on cd.<HR></BLOCKQUOTE>

Agreed.

You never need to change the batteries, It never crashes and always displays information in a consistant and clear manner.
(just don't get it wet)

Books will definately make it into the 3rd Imperium.

Mk



------------------
Mark Lucas
Lucas-digital.com

 

[TheRaptor]

Great idea about the CD's except for one
thing. Any decent Hacker would have it hacked
in about a day, and post it on the web. Or
seeing that it would not be economically
viable to produce unique unlock keys except
by running the serial number through an algorithm. The hacker could just make a
program that replicates the production of
unlock keys given a CD's serial number. And
now you can see why no sane publisher would
do this. Unless security systems improve several magnitudes quicker than the hackers.
Admittedly the "people" who would defraud the
developers of there hard earned money may
be a small proportion, given the examples of
"I want everything for free" mindset prevalent in society (MP3 ripping, warez etc)
I dont think anybody would trust peoples good
will.

------------------
========================
That is not dead which can eternal lie, And with strange aeons even death may die.

 

[laning]

I have been aching to have the entire mass of Traveller canonical material available on a searchable CD for a long time now. Any Traveller product on CD or DVD with decent search features would have me preordering it just as soon as I finished jumping up and down for joy. I mean the entire body of canonical material on one CD. Having to swap in different disks and run new searches would be very unsatisfactory. I would not feel any special need to purchase such a product and would only occasionally use that feature. I guess if the entire canon doesn't fit on one disk then I'd be forced to swap disks occasionally, but I doubt that's a problem.

Marc may want to do a reissue of all the CT stuff on one disk, and then a separate disk for MT. TNE...well let's not bother, lol. T4...parts of it are definitely useful (char gen and Central Supply Catalog) but most of it would languish unpurchased on most disks.

:::looking at the three and a half shelf feet of CT, MT, and T4 with a few DGPs and whatnots sitting near my desk:::

I'm pretty sure that would all fit on one CD. As long as the image files aren't too big, and there's no reason for them to be. There's even less trouble fitting it all on one DVD.

Rerednaw's idea is both excellent and extremely economically feasible. Costs to have the CDs burned are less than five cents (US) each from a professional "fulfillment center". Mailing costs are higher than the reproduction costs.

As for encryption of selected products/files with unique keys that can be purchased online for each product and that only work for one CD and no others...this is also very doable. You have to be careful to not hire someone who can only sort of deliver a secure product, but there are definitely companies who can do this for you very reliably and in a not very expensive way.

Unique serial numbers for each CD seem to be what distributors are going to want anyway-- to help track who is owed how much and for what while dividing up the revenues. That part is no biggie.

--Laning

 

[Nurd_boy]

need I remind you that for those who want t5 but don't have a computer would be reamed? plus, CD books are useless when you need the book at the table....and taking time to print HUNDREDS OF PAGES then get them bound would drive away people....

...cd only is not practicle..

IMSO...<In My Strong Opinion>

 

[Rerednaw]

<BLOCKQUOTE>quote:</font><HR>Originally posted by Nurd_boy:
need I remind you that for those who want t5 but don't have a computer would be reamed? plus, CD books are useless when you need the book at the table....and taking time to print HUNDREDS OF PAGES then get them bound would drive away people....

...cd only is not practicle..

IMSO...<In My Strong Opinion><HR></BLOCKQUOTE>

Did you read my post? Where did I say CD only?

The point of *ALSO* using a CD format is to get exposure for this product. For new players not the rest of us that have been playing it for 20 years. While adding search features, etc. would be nice they would not be required.

I stated to also print using paper for those of us (like me) that also like the feel of books.

And of course it would perhaps help speed up the publishing process...which reminds me when are the other books due out? I think they are falling a wee bit behind schedule. I hope not because I am really looking forward to completing my collection (and so my originals can stay safe under glass).

 

[Nurd_boy]

knee-jerk reaction....

...<my bad>...

apologies offered...