Afraid of the Dark wrote:But what if the alternate covers specifically targeted folks that wanted something ... more ... from the normal covers?
What if Goodman offered a limited run of old-school alternate covers for their
4e DCC line? Retail outlets get their new covers that clearly show off that it's a
4e module, but old school collectors get the retro feel that they crave.
Apologies for derailing,
That is a big fight with Goodman at the moment, but it is more than just the covers with their new line, it is also the setup and style of their interior artwork as well.
4e takes up a lot of space with their stat blocks. According to Goodman what would be a 32 page adventure in
3e is a 40 page adventure in
4e because of stat blocks.
For example take a look at
DCC #27 the cover style duplicates a
1e module with an homage to the
1e AD&D players handbook. Inside the cover is a classic blue white map (ruined only by them stapling the cover to the booklet inside. The first page art and text matches the
1e design, the following page as well, with the familiar style encounter table, and this is kept to a classic
1e style through-out ending with illustrated players handouts. The entire module is
1e.
According to the Goodman interview on Paizo they are looking for a new crowd (12-14 year olds) with the switch to
4e and have altered the art and style of their modules to appeal to a more video game oriented crowd as well as Goodman's more
2e nostalgic rememberances at the same time trying to capitalize on the Dungeon Crawl Classics name.
While I would be drawn (and be much more inclined to try their
4e selections with
1e style covers) I'd also be expecting the entire module to be done on
1e lines. A good adventure as well, yes, but it is the
DM that makes or breaks a module, not just the story and the best thing a game company can do for a
DM is to provide a support structure, especially illustrations, handouts and maps, for them to work with.
I do need to try
4e or 5e when that comes out as a boardgame. From everything I have heard and read
4e is a miniatures game with a veneer of roleplaying. According to Goodman a step back to its Chainmail roots, but with a lot more rules.
I'm not sure how collectable the new line will be. The first few adventures will probably have a big print run. Sounds like DCC#52, the last of the Classic covers (The
DCC line really needs a new name) had a small print run. A second printing is said to be on its way, though I don't know if there will be anything to tell it from a first. If Goodman comes out with some more monster-sized adventures those might be collectable, especially if
4e splits the fantasy
RPG market and Paizo and others continue to support
3e. Smaller print runs of both till the market grows or one edition becomes dominent.
I just don't see pen and paper
RPGs or even rules heavy miniatures boardgames interesting kids the way that an x-box or playstation or online interactive game can. I expect
RPGs and their less Role-Playing inclined 4th generation progeny to remain a reasonably popular niche, but not even remotely approaching the popularity of the video game industry.
I think that will mean quite a good number of modern collectable items arising as game companies produce short print runs, convention specials, small lines of products before being pushed out of business for one reason or another.
Paizo's new line may be a good future collectable, but the print runs may be too large and reprints to available for their products to be the real gems.
WOTC products while the most popular are also the most available.
For modern collectors items I'm thinking High Quality or odd-ball items. Some of the Necromancer releases are pretty nice, but also seem to be low print runs.