Pondering about how to release my rules

[geoffb]

Gents

I have been working for a while on a set of Wild West rules under the Lard Approved banner (for those who don't know what this is its an initiative by the TooFatLardies to assist new rules writers get started. Anyway I've also been thinking of how am I going to release them. My main problem as I guess many people also face is the financial risk of ploughing a lot of money into producing a physical copy in an age that seems to wholly favour the high quality, full colour coffee table tomes that are produced now.
Personally as a lowly programmer with a family and lead addiction to support this kind of investment is a long way out of reach.

In the digital age however there is the obvious route of PDF's and downloadable content. I am almost certainly going to go this route however as a programmer when learning new techniques I tend to do it by online articles and more and more by videos which can illustrate things much better with audio, monitor views, charts and diagrams etc.
It occurs to me that this is an ideal way to teach rules. Showing the game in action and explaining what goes on. Now this is not anything new as lots of gamers do the same on Youtube and alike. However I'm thinking on the lines of teaching ALL the rules online through a website whereby if someone purchases the rules then they get access to these videos along with the downloadable content. In fact I don't even think I'd email anything at all just let the customer access to the download area.

The main caveat I can see is that in the same way that people can just pass a copy of the files on, they could do the same with the tutorial videos. I have a few idea about how I can track copies to users so i would know if any were widely circulated who would have started it.

My question is more do you feel that this is a possible better way of getting rules and learning them than a physical copy. Providing you have a pc and an internet connection you can get the rules instantly and be learning them before you have even reached your local store and days before the postman delivers them.

Thoughts?

cheers
Geoff

[baldlea]

I wouldn't want to play a game that I solely learn from videos. I'll often read pdf rules in the front room, bed or at work where I wouldn't want sound disturbing the missus/colleagues (as appropriate

Frankly, if a set of rules needs a video to explain things, I probably wouldn't want to play it. Regarding the pdf thing, I like to have a pdf to read wherever/whenever, but like a hard copy set of rules at the games table for reference. The option of hard copy or pdf or both is preferable. That said, I understand the costs of physical production and will sometimes buy just pdf sets if that's all that's available.

I know some people who will buy hard copy only.

The videos, though...no way.

[geoffb]

Ah, perhaps I didn't make it clear.
The idea is that you you buy access to the site which has all the downloadable content you need, which most importantly is the PDF of the rules. But as a bonus and how I think is a nice addition is access to video tutorials showing you how. You can just learn from the PDF rules but I think is a nice bonus.

cheers

[Billchuck]

No matter what you do to control access, someone is going to find a way to distribute it.

Personally, I would make the tutorial videos and put them on YouTube for everyone to see. Think of them as advertising.

[geoffb]

That's the problem. I want to have the videos demonstrate the whole game. How many rulesets do we read and find out we get it wrong or find confusing. For example I failed miserably at learning Arkham Horror but a nice chap did a Youtube tutorial and everything was crystal clear (well nearly..)

[Billchuck]

Ok, I don't see the problem. Players will still need the book to play no matter how detailed the videos are.

[matakishi]

Videos are funny things.
Firstly, they go along at their pace, not the viewers unless they fast forward, rewind or skip, which isn't usually a good thing. I find watching tutorial videos tiresome for the most part.
Secondly, they are often poorly produced, and even if they have great production values (like Beasts of War for example) the content is often delivered in a bad way (see Beasts of War for example). Delivering content in a digestible form is a skill that takes practice. I know everyone thinks teaching is easy but they're wrong.
If you can keep the videos succinct enough and well enough presented they might be worth while.

As for your second point, though you didn't make it a point as such, -piracy of your work- people who copy or download a free copy of a pdf almost certainly weren't going to buy it so you haven't lost any sales. It hasn't cost you anything either and it might spread the word, which is good. Either way you can't stop it so it's best to keep it in context and not let it get to you. I never worry about it myself.

Lastly, personally, a pdf is better than a book for me as a player. If it's properly indexed I can find what I want quickly, write notes on it and annotate it without damage, print or share maps, OOBs, briefings or whatever with the other players. No matter the page count of the book it becomes just the size of a tablet and is less intrusive during play. Some people attach value to the physical paper and covers of a 'real' book rather than the content. The content is what you're paying for, how much would the pages and glossy cover be worth if they were blank? Not a lot. I view a rule book as a tool not a luxury item, utility all the way!

Good luck with your rules.

[fred]

I don't think videos of all the rules would be great - there are too many rules and many are too detailed to be easily told in video.

I rarely choose to watch videos - for many of the reasons given above. Slow pace, poor editing, too loud, too hard to find the bit you want to know.

But, videos showing the key bits of game play - then these can work well - for example the way Chain of Command was promoted. Videos and AAR showing key mechanisms worked well as a marketing tool, and when you came to read the rules it was easier to get as you already knew the shape of things, if not the detail.

[geoffb]

Thanks for the feedback gents 
I admit I an a little as personally I thought that anything whether it is professionally shot poorly paced or anything has to be  better then nothing?

What you would normally get is a PDF of the rules however I was proposing you also get instructional videos as an addition.
It would not affect the price and obviously there is no need to watch them if you don't want to but I thought (as per the Chain videos) would make it easier to visualise and learn the game.

One thing I should mention is that there a re a few concepts that are a little different to most rulesets which are nonetheless very easy to play which I have found from the playtest group that perhaps are not completely intuitive to learn but once shown very easy to play.

Once again though, thanks for the feedback
cheers 

[fred]

I think what you have explained above is sensible and helpful.

What I think we thought you initial were suggesting, was the whole of the rules as videos.

I know from attempts at writing up rules for our group, trying to write down something in a clear way, can be much harder than just showing someone what to do.