Subscription is the way to go?

You could also say that buying RPG books through the 80s and 90s has taught us exactly the same, that is, that once a company has a strong product with faithful followers they just churn out stuff as fast as they can with no regard for quality (looking at you, D&D and WoD). Yet Atlas did not fall into that pitfall with Ars Magica during its decades-long run. So I have faith they wouldn't with a subscription model, either.

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My thoughts exactly (except for "all but 3"; I'm not sure what that number is for me, but if I go check it it will probably instantly drop a few steps).

I can share an Excel I made listing all published books, with publishing date and IBAN (where applicable), if that'll be useful to you.

Numerous series did not fall into that pattern WRT role playing- GURPS for example. Though one could, I suppose, argue that GURPs and Ars Magica simply never rose to that level of popularity if one wanted to argue the validity of the model. In either case, I have never seen an exception to the subscription pattern, and personally believe that putting this under subscription is the most thorough way to kill the product line.

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I guess we will have to agree to disagree. :wink:

Maybe not, it might be 3. It's just that I don't want to check at least until the next payroll comes :sweat_smile:

Hahaha, I fully relate to that. :sweat_smile:

On the topic of books I would be interested- a smaller lower price book that i would love to have would chart how different traditions will view vis differently- for example the fortunum vis from learned magicians appearing to be vim vis to hermetics, but extending through all the traditions and forms, including (potentially) some where it could go more than one way...

If there was interest I could write a book on expanding rules for books and libraries, including a) making book writing an ability b) giving libraries statistic that reflect the benefit of having multiple books on a topic c) writing 'coded' books that can be presented as vulgar poetry to the uninitiated, and how someone without the key can learn to decode them. d) the creation of false lore for distractions and coding of information

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Sounds really interesting. Have you looked at the rules for polemics from Transforming Mythic Europe pages 27-35?

I just have, they should be easy to integrate but don't really affect (so much as are affected by) the topics I was planning to offer. Obviously a polemic, diatribe or apologetic with a higher or lower SQ will affect the conversation.

I would definitely be interested in whatever you write about books.

I'd be happy to contribute to the writing side of things, if there was some niche for me to fill.

I’d be glad to buy new ars magica books via subscription if that’s the way to go to get new products. I’m not really good at getting information about new release though.

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I will happily buy books as they are printed. In theory I would like to subscribe but I am also more cautious about signing up to a subscription even if I might end up spending the same amount of money or more on buying the books the regular way.

However most of all I just want to see more Ars Magica products and I will be happy to pay for them whatever way the end up getting published. Assuming that the quality is up to my standards of course (not that my standards are sky-high).

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I would certainly give it a try, though I have never used that mode for gaming (aside for using Patreon to support these boards).

I just looked at the parameters of the plan for Feng Shui. Looks reasonable.

How about expanded Bestiaries? The realm books are nice. But honestly, I would pay for an extra 50 pages of magic animals, 50 pages for dragons, 50 pages for giants, 50 pages of built elementals, 50 pages of awakened trees & items, etc. And then more demons, etc. Don't just give me a 15 might earth elemental and sample powers and a might for size ratio... give me 12 earth elementals of different sizes with their stats and combat totals and powers, some born of stone, some born of earth, some born out of a mineral vein. Give me 4 succubi-type of different might levels, and so on. I love having open rules for building uniques monsters, but ready to use templates and sources of inspiration is super useful not just for flavor inspiration but in game preparation.

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I would subscribe, depending on the direction of the material, how easy it makes it for me to grab new players and just play, and whether it had a society/affiliation/membership/discount element.

Mostly yes, some maybe.

While I do not believe subscription is the ideal way to go, I think the bigger issue here is to start getting things published- fan produced material is currently taking over and narrowing your opportunities.

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Where's all this fan produced material? Do you mean as an accumulation, because new fan material is rarer now than it was, I think.

As to narrowing opportunities, I don't think I understand your point. Could you elaborate it?