A newcomer to the world of hobby games is usually quite surprised by the price of some of the games. This is especially true of the first-time buyer of role-playing games. He is used to seeing a board inside a games box, and is often heard to say, "Is this all I get?".
There are several ways of looking at price structures . In defence of the manufacturers is the fact that the unit costs of production are so much higher for a hobby game than a mass market game like Monopoly. But the hobby games manufacturer has to make profits to enable him to research new titles . Then comes the dilemma between the number of components to be included in the box vs . profit motivation .
I don't believe prices will drop until the games reach mass market proportions. But then they would have to be modified out of all recognition and lose their appeal . A reassuring analogy can be made with record albums . We pay around £5.00 for a thin piece of plasticworth approximately 2p: But it is the amount of enjoyment we get from that piece of plastic which is important, and the same can be said of hobby games.
Ian Livingstone
Table of Contents
FEATURES
12 My Life As A Werebear by Lewis Pulsipher
D&D Monster Character Classes
14 The Magic Brush by Shaun Fuller
Figure Painting as an Art
16 The Sable Rose Affair by Bob McWilliams
Task Force Traveller mini-adventure
24 White Dwarf Questionnaire
The results
25 White Dwarf Interview by Ian Livingstone
Greg Stafford of The Chaosium
26 Perception by Barney Sloane
A new D&D requisite
DEPARTMENTS
8 Fiend Factory
16 Open Box
21 Letters
22 Treasure Chest
24 News
27 Classifieds, Clubs and Help!
