Shrinkwrapping!

[GreatBear]

Boxes and modules with loose components get shrinkwrapped. Game hobby books are not usually shrinkwrapped by the printer/publisher. If you see a book in shrinkwrap it was done by the store to protect it from shop wear. Or because they are anal comic collector types.

[Nightshade]

Originally Posted by drohem

I grew up in LA area, and found that in the 90's a lot of places started shrink-wrapping their materials.

Well, as I said, it could be just stores, but its odd that all the ones I saw did it, and that I've heard of it from elsewhere. Perhaps its a spreading meme.

[Atgxtg]

It is being to look like a LA area thing.

[Nightshade]

Originally Posted by GreatBear

Boxes and modules with loose components get shrinkwrapped. Game hobby books are not usually shrinkwrapped by the printer/publisher. If you see a book in shrinkwrap it was done by the store to protect it from shop wear. Or because they are anal comic collector types.

As I said, I didn't see it all that much with hardcovers, but with softcovers it seemed almost universal.

[Nightshade]

Originally Posted by Atgxtg

It is being to look like a LA area thing.

Except I've heard the same complaints from people elsewhere, including some from the Texas area. It does sound like its not as universal as I'd gotten the impression, though. Where are you located?

[Atgxtg]

Massachusetts.

It could be due to distributors and you suggested. Probably different regions of the country have different distributors, some might shrink wrap, some might not.

As far as I concerned, if they started to shrink wrap everything around here, I'd probably stop buying new RPGs at the stores. The ability to look over a product is one of the advantages that local stores have over the net. That, instant gratification (no waiting time) and input from other gamers at the store. I hate getting stuck with a real stinker, and if I was forced to buy blind, I'd buy a PDF online and save $$.

ONe nice thing about Spririt of the Century is that you can buy a PDF/hardcopy package. You get to DL the PDF (instant gratification!) and then the rulebook arrives in the mail. Best of both worlds. I'd love to see Chasoium do some sort of print copy/PDF package deal.

[Nightshade]

Originally Posted by Atgxtg

Massachusetts.

It could be due to distributors and you suggested. Probably different regions of the country have different distributors, some might shrink wrap, some might not.

Though I was under the impression a lot of consolidation of distributors happened a few years back.

As far as I concerned, if they started to shrink wrap everything around here, I'd probably stop buying new RPGs at the stores. The ability to look over a product is one of the advantages that local stores have over the net. That, instant gratification (no waiting time) and input from other gamers at the store. I hate getting stuck with a real stinker, and if I was forced to buy blind, I'd buy a PDF online and save $$.

Other than the fact I don't entirely like .pdfs (they're okay for occasional reference, but I don't find them particularly easy to read on-screen), that's essentially what I did; I haven't bought a game at a brick and mortar store for years. And my budget is such that most RPGs are past my impulse buy anymore anyway, so the instant gratification issue is out the window.

ONe nice thing about Spririt of the Century is that you can buy a PDF/hardcopy package. You get to DL the PDF (instant gratification!) and then the rulebook arrives in the mail. Best of both worlds. I'd love to see Chasoium do some sort of print copy/PDF package deal.

Some other companies are starting this approach, but too many of them are still leery of .pdf sales in general to go there yet, I think.

[drohem]

Originally Posted by Nightshade

Other than the fact I don't entirely like .pdfs (they're okay for occasional reference, but I don't find them particularly easy to read on-screen), that's essentially what I did; I haven't bought a game at a brick and mortar store for years. And my budget is such that most RPGs are past my impulse buy anymore anyway, so the instant gratification issue is out the window.

We're on the same page here

I know that if I were running a game store, I would shrink-wrap all copies but one as a preview/shelf copy.

I hate spending an insane amount of money on a book only to find a page or more torn, tweaked, smudged, etc.

I think it might have something to do with the volume of traffic that a gaming store sees. For a small ma-and-pa store, the volume is low enough that their product is not damaged/compromised by shopper traffic. However, in the large population centers, and few gaming stores, the volume of traffic is such that shelfware becomes an issue.

[Trifletraxor]

A new thread is in order I think.
Shrinkwrap away!

SGL.

[Atgxtg]

Originally Posted by Trifletraxor

A new thread is in order I think.
Shrinkwrap away!

SGL.

Ironically, this is sort of a side thread of a side thread. The idea being that one of the advantages of closed systems is that you can see what you are buying before you buy, where as with PDFs and many third party products, you are forced to buy blind.

I wonder what other regional differences might exist in RPGing?