Hard Backs

[Errold the Minstrel]

Blame my gamer OCD, but now that Heart of the Wild is out in such a great hard back format (glossy cover and very nice paper inside), I'm wondering if Cubicle 7 could go back and release hard cover versions of the core rule books and Tales from Wilderland in a similar format.

Each of the main rule books could be sold separately with their relevant maps tacked in.

Are there any other people out there with an appetite for this?

[Beleg]

I'm fairly sure EVERYBODY wants this

[Hirobumi]

I would buy this. I am still hoping that Cubicle7 will release those. And a collectors version of the Wilderland map.

[Mim]

Absolutely! I prefer hardbound volumes, & am willing to pay the difference for their beautiful work.

[fbnaulin]

I understand and share your enthusiasm. I don't like uneven collections in my shelf, and I'm sorry TOR line was managed this way, but I can get used to it, I don't want to pay again.

Furthermore, maybe it's more competitive to sell core books as cheap as possible in a nice set. The One Ring needs good sales to keep the line running.

[trystero]

I would love a hardcover edition of the core rules, but I don't really expect C7 to release one. And honestly, I'd rather they focus their resources on getting new material out (such as The Darkening of Mirkwood) than on reprints.

That said, I have backed a limited-edition hardcover edition of the core rules for another RPG system on Indiegogo; I don't know whether C7's license would allow them to do anything like that, but it might be an idea for getting backing from a relatively small pool of potential buyers in order to assure that costs are covered.

For now, though, I think this probably goes in the "pipe dream" category.

[Throrsgold]

I have backed a limited-edition hardcover edition of the core rules for another RPG system on Indiegogo; I don't know whether C7's license would allow them to do anything like that, but it might be an idea for getting backing from a relatively small pool of potential buyers in order to assure that costs are covered.

For now, though, I think this probably goes in the "pipe dream" category.

I would back a hardcover edition of the core rules, provided they were a combined and reformatted edition into a single unified book...via Kickstarter, for example.

[Mim]

Well, I guess you all raise some valid points about how they can incur cost problems in re-issuing the originals.

I just hope they continue to utilize a hardbound format for their future releases. I love what they've done with The Heart of the Wild & believe it improves the professionalism & collecting aspect.

[Aiwendil]

I give credit to C7 for the quality of the products in layout, type of paper used, editing, etc... But like some here, I am hoping subsequent releases will follow some sort of standard format (hardback versus softcover, size, color scheme, font) to give it the look of a cohesive product line.

[Mordagnir]

Presumably, it is easier to sell cheaper books and I would thus prefer, for the sake of the line, that Cubicle 7 settles on soft-cover books. Hard-covers could be released later when a larger fan base exists to justify the tradeoff in terms of sales volume. Remember, TOR is still not well-known and has considerable potential to attract brand new role-players (versus just players of other RPGs attracted to TOR for the setting or system).

That said, I acknowledge the superiority of hardbound media both in terms of durability and aesthetic quality and would personally favor such books for my own collection. However, I will probably stick to electronic copies at least until I retire for reasons elucidated elsewhere so my positions are thoroughly theoretical!