What Books Would You Want to See on a Shelf?

aseariel · Post by **aseariel** » Wed Sep 05, 2012 10:39 pm

In the event that you were walking into a comic/gaming/hobby shop, that is. I work part-time for a couple of friends that run such a place, and have been tasked with coming up with suggestions for improving our RPG section. While a large part of this will be dependent on, well, what people are playing locally (4e D&D brought in a lot of new players, but it didn't really keep them, so we're trying to phase that out, for example), there are a lot of games I've heard lauded but never played. We do special orders, but I'd like to have some of the core books of various games on the shelf for people who wander in as well as some of the more entertaining supplements for our regulars.

In short, what should I check out and try to talk my boss into carrying?

(If this belongs elsewhere, I do apologize, and will get back to working on my lurking.)

Prak · Post by **Prak** » Wed Sep 05, 2012 10:43 pm

Rifts is a terrible game, but has a great setting, and the company could use some help, so take a look at that. It should get some people having fun at least. If you can check out some more indie games, and possibly even make your store *the* spot in your area to buy them offline, that could also be very helpful.

codeGlaze · Post by **codeGlaze** » Wed Sep 05, 2012 10:58 pm

Do you have a general feel for the gaming people in your area?
Is there anything they tend toward it have special ordered in the past?

aseariel · Post by **aseariel** » Wed Sep 05, 2012 11:44 pm

Prak_Anima wrote: Rifts is a terrible game, but has a great setting...

That sounds about like what I've heard (apart from the terrible game bit, that's new xD). They're also local, though, so that's definitely something I'll check out.

I would love to get into carrying more indie games; we've actually tried to do that a bit but haven't promoted them well enough, I don't think. I was the only employee for a while, though, so we were stretched a bit thin.

codeGlaze wrote:Do you have a general feel for the gaming people in your area?
Is there anything they tend toward it have special ordered in the past?

Our core people who consistently buy books tend to be either big fans of Pathfinder, World of Darkness, or both. Most of our special orders tend to be for supplements from those two lines.

Koumei · Post by **Koumei** » Thu Sep 06, 2012 12:41 am

While keeping a decent selection of the big hitters (WW and PF it sounds like - many stores these days also have sections for GURPS, 4E and "Dark Heresy and friends"), I'd suggest a shelf that is full of "misc". The more successful stores I've been to not only have this, they have that shelf facing the front door so it's the first thing you see, and is more like what Newsagencies do - you can see half the front cover, and not just the spine.

So include a couple of Rifts books, a couple of BESM (like the core rules and the "conversion for your favourite anime" thing), Cybergen, some of your particular favourites that maybe no-one has heard of, CoC, Unknown Armies etc.

I was hoping this was a thread about "What book that doesn't exist would you like to see released in the gaming industry?" Where my answer would have been "Why I resigned" by Mike Mearls.

codeGlaze · Post by **codeGlaze** » Thu Sep 06, 2012 1:11 am

Champions.
Do it.

OgreBattle · Post by **OgreBattle** » Thu Sep 06, 2012 1:50 am

RIFTS books are always super fun to read.

It's rules are just very fiddly though

like percentile dice for skills, skill sstart at different %'s for different classes and advance by +3% or +5% or +1% all on their own.

tussock · Post by **tussock** » Thu Sep 06, 2012 4:17 am

As a comic/hobby shop you probably want a name-brand supers game or two. Not sure there are any currently supported though. Other than that, poke around the Amazon RPG best-sellers list, and whoever else gives that sort of information away, like Paizo and other online stores. Google your products and see what everyone else sees when doing the same, some bad reviews get high coverage and that shit won't sell as well afterward.

Plus, you should totally stock whatever the next smash hit's going to be before everyone else does. Good luck on that one, a smattering of pretty covers from new projects may or may not work (which is to say, it probably won't, and if it does you won't have enough stock anyway).

Korgan0 · Post by **Korgan0** » Thu Sep 06, 2012 4:30 am

Paranoia has a pretty easy pitch (Your job is to hunt out mutants and traitors. You are yourself a mutant and a traitor, and so is everyone in your group) associated with it, and is apparently bucketloads of fun.

Maxus · Post by **Maxus** » Thu Sep 06, 2012 4:41 am

Crazy idea, but you could also stock game-universe books. Pretty much every 14-year-old who reads some of Salvatore's Drizzt is going to read on those for a while. Same thing with some Warhammer and suchlike.

As well as stocking a few perennial sellers, like Lord of the Rings and Terry Pratchett

Korwin · Post by **Korwin** » Thu Sep 06, 2012 9:20 am

codeGlaze wrote:Champions.
Do it.

Is this even in print? Every few months I look at amazon(.de)
Ah, yes...
http://www.amazon.de/Hero-6th-Rpg-Chara ... 629&sr=1-2
Used € 319,74 (~ $ 400,--)

fectin · Post by **fectin** » Thu Sep 06, 2012 2:34 pm

Exalted. As far as I can tell, it's the only WW product which reliably sells splats. (my source is gossip, so YMMV)
Dnd 3.5 (used maybe? Also, there's those reprints)

Ancient History · Post by **Ancient History** » Thu Sep 06, 2012 3:27 pm

I'd like to see Eclipse Phase products, but I'm biased. Really, you should stock whatever can sell. Product that looks pretty but doesn't move is the albatross of any game store. If Warhammer 40K sells, you stock WH40K. If Yu-Gi-Oh sells, you stock Yu-Gi-Oh. It's nice to see some smaller and indie RPGs, and even a stash of old stuff or bargain-bin used books bought remaindered and up for a couple bucks, but those are the olives in the cocktail of life, and you need to get the gin in the glass first.

sabs · Post by **sabs** » Thu Sep 06, 2012 3:35 pm

Things I look for
Ars Magica (1 copy of each of the main books/supplements)
Warhammer Fantasy RPG (The new version, it's crazy expensive though)
Warhammer 40k RPG stuff: Dark Crusade, and the Traders ones whose name escapes me.

Arcanis (Has 2 books right now, the main book and the Codex of Heroes)
Legend of the 5 Rings
Earthdawn (though I admit, I freaking hate the new rules/fluff)
Things I hate but expect to see
SmallVille RPG
Buffy the Roleplaying Game

Things I wish were better, but aren't and should probably not be supported
Shadowrun
Battletech RPG

Josh_Kablack · Post by **Josh_Kablack** » Thu Sep 06, 2012 5:37 pm

In terms of what seems to be hot right now and might actually sell : you probably want a bunch of Pathfinder stuff and a bunch of Magic: the Gathering then a mixture of smaller amounts of 4e, Star Wars Saga, Shadowrun, 40k, Exalted, Used 3.x D&D and Indie stuff as well as licensed / related works and gaming accessories (dice, dice bags, battlemats, minis, life counters, GM screens tables available for reservation/rental, etc).

In terms of what I personally would like to see:

A bunch of euro-ish and indie board/card/dice/round thing games. (Especially Sirlin's games and some of James Earnest's greatest hits, probably also some of the Steve Jackson classics, James Wallis's work and Hasbro's latest reboot of whichever acquired franchise they are focused on this quarter belong here)
A list of staff picks and capsule reviews for favorite (new) games and books of people working at the store
A list of "Games we eagerly await" both big company new releases and shout-outs to kickstarter projects go here. Since you're a physical store instead of a website, it would be coolest to actually make a physical display with mock-ups of forthcoming works in a display case instead of merely listing them.
A used, "you should give these out-of-print games a second look" section that includes: Everyway; AD&D 1e books; an assortment of GURPS splats; Champions, Feng Shui; Teenagers from Outer Space, Baron Munchhausen
A "so bad it's good" shelf where you can put stuff like Synibarr or Imagine Role-Playing or The Price is Right boardgame 2006 edition.
A schedule of forthcoming game events at the store. Such events should be varied among types of games - there should be a regular RPG group or three that meet there, there should be a family game night, there should be nights dedicated to playing a brand new release, there should be entry-fee and prize CCG tournies, there should be playtest festivals where the aspiring game designers at your store can beta-test whatever they are trying to bring to market.
A purposeful lack of RA Salvatore novels and Catalyst Gaming products (Shadowrun) - these people are evil and doing business with them should be treason.

Remember that in the internet age, the point of a physical store is that it's a physical location where people can get face to face interaction. If someone just wants to buy a particular book, they can probably do that at least as cheaply and easily via an online order. If you want to compete you have to become a destination where people can find and buy things they didn't even know that they wanted.

ckafrica · Post by **ckafrica** » Fri Sep 07, 2012 7:48 am

Build a used book section. It was may favorite section to browse at my old shop. Pay 10/20% of cover for it and sell it for 30-50% depending on condition and popularity. I ended up collecting several games just because I bought a cheap copy of the main book used

Starmaker · Post by **Starmaker** » Fri Sep 07, 2012 9:23 am

Josh_Kablack wrote:[*]A purposeful lack of RA Salvatore novels and Catalyst Gaming products (Shadowrun) - these people are evil and doing business with them should be treason.

Why is Salvatore evil? (Not disputing; I know he's a shitty writer and I want some dirt on him other than "I have it on good authority".)

Josh_Kablack · Post by **Josh_Kablack** » Fri Sep 07, 2012 4:42 pm

People were posting negative reviews of some of his books on the WotC forums. This upset him and so he had the forum for novels discussion closed down. Allegedly he has pulled similar teardowns of criticism elsewhere on the web, but I cannot personally substantiate that one.

Relevant chat log from way back when I was a WizO:

Session Start (AIM - Wiz0Pony:WotCMel): Fri Jan 23 17:02:14 2004 [17:42]
WotCMel: yeah, it has been a big pile of shit for me this week, but it is Friday and I am going to make it
....
[17:43] Wiz0 Pony: well, it's attitude that counts
[17:43] Wiz0 Pony: about that pile though....what's the reasoning behind closing the novels boards?
[17:44] Wiz0 Pony: Or is that top-secret?
[17:50] WotCMel: It is top secret
[17:51] WotCMel: however, it is becuase RA Salvatore cried to the books dept every time he had a negative post on our boards. Boards couldnt manage him so they shut the boards down to make the problem go away
[17:51] Wiz0 Pony: Ugh.
[17:52] Wiz0 Pony: I know it's part of our job to make the boards more welcoming for designers and authors
[17:52] Wiz0 Pony: but there's a point where you just have to go "who cares about those crackheads on the 'net, my stuff is still selling well"
[17:55] Wiz0 Pony: Here I was thinking that it was because Hasbro had wanted to spin-off the books line (ala Pazio and Dragon)
[17:56] WotCMel: nope, much more petty than that
[17:56] WotCMel: And becuase he makes the books dept reasonable amounts of money he gets his way
[17:56] Wiz0 Pony: understandable
[17:56] WotCMel: not htat he demanded them to be down--he just wanted no negative reviews of him up whatsoever
[17:57] WotCMel: which i said would be impossible as long as the boards existed--so they killed it
[17:57] Wiz0 Pony: "If such feedback disturbs you, I suggest you use our ignore feature"...sigh
[17:58] WotCMel: indeed
[17:58] WotCMel: unless you are a diva author and then you get your way
[17:58] Wiz0 Pony: I definitely have to read some of his stuff
[17:59] Wiz0 Pony: Most of the writers whose work I really like were/are complete jerks in their lives
[18:01] WotCMel: he is just a big baby who can't NOT read the criticism on the net that makes him so unhappy
[18:01] Wiz0 Pony: exactly, and that leads me to think I might enjoy his work
[18:02] WotCMel: he apparently had Amazon.com remove a negative review
[18:02] WotCMel: interesting eh?
[18:02] Wiz0 Pony: whoa..Amazon will do that?
[18:03] WotCMel: one wouldnt think so, eh?
[18:03] Wiz0 Pony: I remember them cracking down on the totally bogus reviews a few years back..where apparently "The Family Circus" was being lauded as a new triumph in horror novels., but this is different
[18:03] WotCMel: it kinds ruins the point of unbiased reviews . . .
[18:04] WotCMel: heh
[18:05] Wiz0 Pony: Not only does it ruin unbiased reviews, but as he is not employed by or somehow involved in managing Amazon, it's perilously close to censorship
[18:06] Wiz0 Pony: I mean, can a book author walk into a Barnes and Noble and demand that they change the display for his book?
[18:07] Wiz0 Pony: Well, I suppose he could demand that...but I'd like to think that bookshops would not feel compelled to comply
[18:08] WotCMel: sorry, be with ya in a sec
[18:11] WotCMel: well, it isnt exactly the same--becuase you cant go post a "this book suxs" not in B&N
[18:11] WotCMel: however Amazon makes that out to be a big feature of its site--unbiased reviews. But if you cull out the negative stuff it makes it useless
[18:11] Wiz0 Pony: You obviously haven't seen the men's room in the local B&N Wink
[18:12] WotCMel: point it, Bob Salvatore needs to grow up
[18:12] WotCMel: LOL
[18:12] WotCMel: um, no
[18:15] Wiz0 Pony: Well, so do a whole lot of people
[18:15] Wiz0 Pony: especially among gamers and the online community

Maxus · Post by **Maxus** » Fri Sep 07, 2012 5:36 pm

And then Salvatore wrote a Star Wars EU novel and it got lambasted and he declared he wasn't going to read online reviews any more.

I also heard from a buddy who was reading Salvatore at the time and checking out the online stuff, that he quit posting on some semi-official FR (or Salvatore, can't remember which) forum because some forum-goer kept talking smack to him when he was being reasonable. The guy was dissing the mods, Salvatore chimed in with something to the effect of "They're not actually out to get you, dude." Then the dickhead kept ragging on Salvatore to the tune of "you think you're a big man just because you wrote some books", and Salvatore ragequit.

codeGlaze · Post by **codeGlaze** » Fri Sep 07, 2012 9:18 pm

Korwin wrote:
codeGlaze wrote:Champions.
Do it.
Is this even in print? Every few months I look at amazon(.de)
Ah, yes...
http://www.amazon.de/Hero-6th-Rpg-Chara ... 629&sr=1-2
Used € 319,74 (~ $ 400,--)

Crazy.

It's only $20 : http://www.amazon.com/Hero-System-6th-E ... mpions+rpg

Korwin · Post by **Korwin** » Sat Sep 08, 2012 7:05 am

Hero 6th Basic isnt even findable in amazon.de
but the one I found in de isnt cheap on com either.
http://www.amazon.com/Hero-System-6th-C ... 855&sr=1-8
$131.95

Ted the Flayer · Post by **Ted the Flayer** » Sat Sep 08, 2012 8:26 pm

I want to write negative Salvatore reviews RIGHT NOW, but integrity demands I read his crap first, and I don't want to.

Maxus · Post by **Maxus** » Sun Sep 09, 2012 3:39 am

Ted the Flayer wrote:I want to write negative Salvatore reviews RIGHT NOW, but integrity demands I read his crap first, and I don't want to.

For a while, he was getting better. The trilogy focusing on Entreri, Drizzt's long-time rival, was actually pretty fun.

Then he started writing the Hunter's Blades, which is about a thousand pages in all in which fuck-all happens.

Aryxbez · Post by **Aryxbez** » Sun Sep 09, 2012 4:59 am

Alas, I would have to suggest crap like Pathfinder, and "One Ring" since they're apparently popular. I know in my area it's Pathfinder and AD&D as the seemingly popular choices (sighs).

However Josh_Kablack ideas are sounding pretty cool, and I support what he has said on the matter: http://tgdmb.com/viewtopic.php?p=282415#282415

As for me, I would be interested in rarer stuff, like Cartoon Action Hour, Street Fighter RPG or Fight!. As well any other RPG's that aren't common knowledge, good way to get people intrigued on a new game, bringing new experiences than just "more" Pathfinder. I also support the notion of becoming a somewhat unique store, housing products that other places don't as Prak_Anima illustrated.

Lastly, in regards to lurking, long time, or recent? In any case, welcome to the Gaming Den! Good to find more people who would want to be part of a forum that doesn't condone ignorance the level like Paizils and therpgsite.

malak · Post by **malak** » Sun Sep 09, 2012 8:02 am

- Some of the weirder GURPS sourcebooks (as they are an amazing read even for non-GURPS players), e.g. Voodoo, Bunnies and Burrows, ...
- Burning Wheel (I don't like it, but it sure does look interesting when leafing through it
- Labyrinth Lord (for the Gamers who still remember 1e)
- Trail of Cthulhu (because I bought it seeing it displayed in a hobby shop and it seemed interesting

)