Write a primer. A primer is a booklet with a condensed version of the game and a sample adventure. In other words, it allows the player play a short, simple game with no preparation time and very little investment. In the e-book business is the equivalent of letting a reader browse a book in the aisle, or the first chapter booklets that some good publishing house print and let you take away home for free.
I believe it is a fantastic tip, and it’s one I am gladly taking, only with a minor change. I will charging for it, I don’t know yet how much, but less that $1.
I want to know how much I can invest on this game, and to know that, I must know how many people would actually care to buy the game. The way I’m seeing it, if you aren’t paying $1 for an adventure, chances are high you will not buy the finished game either. You’ll resort to P2P, violate my rights and possibly not ever play the game, anyway. I want to meet the people who care.
By the way, if you can’t really afford this game, just email me and I will email it to you, as soon as it’s released, no questions asked.
Plus, this booklet will be well thought, professionally proof-readed, and made to the same standards of the full game. That takes time, effort and money. And above all, it will be immediately useful to the reader who will get a fun evening for a bunch of friend for less that a dollar. It seems fair.
If the primer does not sell well.
Well, I will swallow my pride, finish off the game as soon and cheaply as possible and move on. For a little investment, I will know where to stop.
If the primer sells well.
Then I will know I have people who care about my game. That will give me strength to keep on, to move forward to do wild things. The motivation boost would pay by itself. Besides, I’ll make it easy for people to offer feedback, because that is gold, hey big corporations pay for feedback, and they seem to know what they are doing, so.
A big thank you
To the fine gentlemen of rpg.net forums, without them there N&B will not be here, and I do mean it.
Photo (c) by Selim Aksan licensed. I have suspended my work on Book 2 (Adventures) and just began drafting the primer. I’m allowing myself three weeks for that. Then I’ll send it to my proofreader and it will then be available on rpgnow and other places like that.