The cost of producing the PDF is really in time (unless you also buy artwork). The real out of pocket cost beyond that depends greatly on the choices you make when it comes to publishing/distributing the PDF.
There are people who are successful at just emailing the PDF to people who have sent them a Paypal payment. Some move beyond that and some do not.
You could also give it away for free quite easily. Since the original idea was to come up with an alternative set of rules (not buy the rights for WAB which will never happen) there really isn't a need to recover that cost making free a viable choice. There are a number of freely available rules that do a great job and have quite a following.
I'm not disputing that publishing a PDF and/or hardcopy through print on demand can't be costly. It might make complete sense in some cases but there are a wide range of alternatives that do not involve financial risk.
-EJL
--- In WABlist@yahoogroups.com, "Mike" <quidveritas@...> wrote:
>
> Well if you are already familiar with this stuff forgive me for bringing it up:
>
> http://www.pdf-publishing.com/HowItWorks.htm
>
> "If you are charging for the publication we will deduct 15% from the net receipts (i.e. after PayPal fees) with a minimum of USD $1.00, or if there is no charge for the document, we will charge a flat rate of USD $1.00/document distributed. Ordering via affliates can be supported via unique pages and reported to you in the monthly statements provided - an additional fee for this setup maybe made. A service setup charge of $100 is made per 5 titles published (for large numbers of titles a separate quotation will be provided - typically the cost falls to USD$10/book for 11+)."
>
> So. . . . IF you could get the rights to WABII and AoA at a 'reasonable price' -- lord knows what that is.
>
> THEN the poor soul undertaking this project would have to render the content into a .pdf format; (look on the bright side here -- all the errata could be eliminated and those 'after thought' rules in AoA could be included in WABII).
>
> AND pay the $100 set-up fee;
>
> THEN a .pdf version could be offered for $$$ less 15% on every sale.
>
> You have any idea what the acquisition price might be?
>
> JMHO but the above process is hardly simple nor is it inexpensive -- but maybe your own financial situation and availability of time is substantially different than my own.
>
>
> I've done limited production runs for Watch Your Six; Yanks; and Billy's Boys. This produces a product bound with that hard plastic spiral and my inventory is never more than 10 copies. You may have a preference for a .pdf but it is my experience that a substantial majority of folks want a hard copy.
>
> mjc
>
>
>
> --- In WABlist@yahoogroups.com, Zero Twentythree <zerotwentythree@> wrote:
> >
> > I don't follow that logic.
> >
> > A PDF or other digital format requires only hosting. That can be found very
> > cheap or free.
> >
> > Printed books will require an outlay of money, plus all the expense, time
> > and hassle of distribution.
> >
> > Irrelevent to me anyway. As I've said, I'm willing to allow WAB a dignified
> > death. I will play it occassionally if the opportunity presents itself. But
> > it's not as if one game cornered the market on fun - so I will continue to
> > play other games as well.
> >
> > Thomas
> > On May 30, 2012 7:26 PM, "Mike" <quidveritas@> wrote:
> >
> > > **
> > >
> > >
> > > Well I am not one of the WAB faithful.
> > >
> > > That said, the present state of affairs is more than a little regrettable.
> > > There's an awful lot of WAB players out there and IMHO, COA is a factor in
> > > the demise of WAB -- not the alternative.
> > >
> > > I have no problem with Stuart making a few bucks but if Stuart can hi-jack
> > > WAB, what's to stop the rest of us from doing the same?
> > >
> > > Call me crazy but I was more than a little happy with AoA 2.0. Everything
> > > you need in two books! (OK there are a couple lists that need some review
> > > but all things considered, it gets the job done for the local tournament).
> > >
> > > WAB isn't going to die.
> > >
> > > There is no reason why a number of folks on this list cannot create an
> > > alternative.
> > >
> > > I know a lot of you think .pdf is a great way to go but if you look into
> > > it, there is more than a little expense if you go that route -- to say
> > > nothing of financial risk. Personally limited publication runs make more
> > > sense to me.
> > >
> > > mjc
> > >
> > > --- In WABlist@yahoogroups.com, "Harold H" <haroldlhildebrand@> wrote:
> > > >
> > > > We'll I'm sad that WH gave up. I put on the Pied Piper hat over the last
> > > couple of years to keep people playing the system in Southern California by
> > > running various events and trying to generate interest. In February at the
> > > local gaming convention, I had 13 players show up for an AoA 2.0
> > > tournament, which I considered respectable. This weekend I ran a Chariot
> > > Wars event and I had 6 players, but it did overlap with a WAB event up
> > > north, so I was reasonably satisfied.
> > > >
> > > > But the truth is that there just isn't enough interest to keep it going
> > > without some semblance of support from GW, even if it's mostly illusion. So
> > > I have to think hard on what the future might be. I'm going to throw out a
> > > few options that I'm thinking about to see what comments people might make.
> > > >
> > > > Ignore it; just keep playing and running events. There are more lists
> > > than I'll ever possibly build armies for, and house rules can fix any
> > > problems that are too terrible to live with. Start trying to "collect" WAB
> > > 2.0 and supplements and then resell them to potential players hopefully at
> > > reasonable prices. The torrent route is always there but does have a bit of
> > > a moral taint for me.
> > > >
> > > > Switch to one of the other three most likely rulesets. There is already
> > > a bit of a following for COE in Southern California, and to a lesser degree
> > > HC.
> > > >
> > > > Create a generic rewrite of WAB 2.0. I've often thought I could write a
> > > more concise, maybe twenty five page version of WAB 2.0, in my own words. I
> > > don't think you can copy write the rules mechanisms, and I'm pretty sure
> > > they're not patented, so as long as I stayed away from directly stealing
> > > their format and wording I might be within the law. As we all know, GW
> > > seems to have more lawyers than creative people, so it would probably have
> > > to be a bit of an underground thing. Still I would love to be able to give
> > > away a smallish PDF file that has what everybody needs. In my professional
> > > world there's Linux that has some remarkable similarities to what I'm
> > > talking about. I'm particularly attached to the idea of it being owned by
> > > nobody but a community created endeavor.
> > > >
> > > > I've also considered writing some kind of "bridge" that would let you
> > > play the current Fantasy Battles system with the WAB lists. This would be
> > > quite a feat, but there are some strong motivations. The main recruiting
> > > ground for WAB players for me, has always been FB players. I think that
> > > anybody who is already an historical gamer has tried WAB or will never try
> > > WAB, so that isn't a pool that has much viability. I actually like some of
> > > the things about 8th edition, although I know that's not universal. But
> > > still the idea of a supplement that a FB player could use and build and
> > > play historical armies seems like a really good idea. To use another IT
> > > metaphor, I wouldn't want to "fork" the current FB, like was done with the
> > > original WAB. (in software development a "fork" is when you copy an
> > > original set of source code and then modify it so you are no longer linked
> > > to the original code, ie changes to the base code can't be integrated into
> > > your new forked project) It would be best as a living extension that could
> > > be upgraded as FB is constantly changed. One of the things that I think
> > > really needs being done is to have a clearly defined point system, that
> > > would encourage people to create their own Army lists. I know there was a
> > > "methodology for this in WAB, but it's always been somewhat arcane and
> > > shrouded. I'd like it to be open and part of the rules. Now once again I
> > > think it's hard to handle situations where there are "meta" balancing
> > > issues beyond the equation to determine the cost of an individual troop
> > > type, but still it would be nice to have. All in all I think that creating
> > > a FB supplelment would be the absolute best, but it is probably fraught
> > > with compromises and danger.
> > > >
> > > > Stop playing ancients. An emotionally charged decision. I consider WAB
> > > my main game, but I probably play less than a dozen games a year, where I
> > > play a like number of other miniatures games in a single month. I guess I
> > > could add a wait and see clause to this statement, to see if there is
> > > another discernable current or swell that I could than follow. "follow the
> > > gourd,,,no the shoe,,follow the shoe!"
> > > >
> > > > Well anyway, I may not be playing WAB in the future, but my single based
> > > inch tall friends aren't going anywhere. Oh as a bit of bravado, the
> > > Chariot Wars event I organized was entirely with my own figures, since it's
> > > not a period that everybody has an army for. I broke up my Biblical forces
> > > into eight roughly 1200 point armies. It was pretty cool to see them all
> > > out on the table at once. The feeling it generated is what makes me not
> > > want to give up.
> > > >
> > > > Harold Hildebrand
> > > >
> > >
> > >
> > >
> >
> >
> > [Non-text portions of this message have been removed]
> >
>
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