First off, hello. I just got here and am loving it, so far!
Second, just to let you know that regardless of my main question being put out there when new here, I am a gamer. I started gaming back in the mid 1980's. I am married to a gamer who started in 1976. We game not only as a family with the kids in a campaign, we also run several more "open-to-the-public" games in our home, 3 GM'd by my huband and 2 by me. We have an entire room that was a formal dining room that is our dedicated gaming room. It's ceiling to floor books, maps, modules and minis. Just letting you know that I am passionate about gaming to the extreme.
Now, that said, I hope I can get some help.
I don't know how to do a formal poll but I'm trying to write an article and a blog and need input from other sources than just us and the 10 we game with. Just passing out quizzes on the street to the general populace won't help because they aren't gamers and this is specifically geared toward RPGers, mainly those who purchse accessories such as minis, modules, books, dice, etc.
I am trying to see if there is a decrease in gaming accessory purchased if there is a downturn in the economy. My theory is that there is not but I need actual fact based at least in part, by input from other gamers than myself, lol
Anyway, I am hoping some of you (well, I'm actually hoping ALL of you) will answer three questions for me.
1). Does the current national economy dissuade you from purchasing game-related items?
2). How much do you usually spend per purchase (not per item)?
3). What is the most important factor when deciding on a purchase (ex. cost, variety, stocked amounts, store ad, website appearance, advertisement, etc)?
Can I ask you guys/gals something?
1. No
2. It's been a long time since i bought the last book and set of dices. For years it's been just paper and blank books from bindery (including one engraved tome that dried my wallet). 10e average.
3. As the above person, in the exact same order.
2. It's been a long time since i bought the last book and set of dices. For years it's been just paper and blank books from bindery (including one engraved tome that dried my wallet). 10e average.
3. As the above person, in the exact same order.
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Thanks for the responses. These are really helping me (though I'd love a lot more responses so I don't have to explain my "20% of respondants" is just 2 people, lol.
I am really surpised, though. I was leaning toward people spending a lot more per purchase (and the key wasn't per item but how MUCH was a "purchase" so if people buy in bulk or just a single item at a time was the info I'm trying to prove/disprove).
These answers are very interesting to me and not at all what I was expecing.
I am really surpised, though. I was leaning toward people spending a lot more per purchase (and the key wasn't per item but how MUCH was a "purchase" so if people buy in bulk or just a single item at a time was the info I'm trying to prove/disprove).
These answers are very interesting to me and not at all what I was expecing.
1 No actually I find during hard times I spend more money on tabletop gaming items then any other recreational items. Overall it is cheaper and I can get long term playability for every penny spent.
2. any where from 5 dollars to 80 dollars U.S. depending on whether I am playing or DMing a game.
3. It is strictly on an as needs basis but always look for quality above all else.
I also started playing in 1976 so congrats to you and your hubby, I still have my wilderlands of high fantasy from judges guild and am actually running a group through the Dark tower of Set as a 3.5 pathfinder game. For those who have never had the joy of seeing judges guild adventures and maps youhave my deepest sympathy cuz they were best thing going in the 70's and 80's before they fell to the TSR legal machine.
2. any where from 5 dollars to 80 dollars U.S. depending on whether I am playing or DMing a game.
3. It is strictly on an as needs basis but always look for quality above all else.
I also started playing in 1976 so congrats to you and your hubby, I still have my wilderlands of high fantasy from judges guild and am actually running a group through the Dark tower of Set as a 3.5 pathfinder game. For those who have never had the joy of seeing judges guild adventures and maps youhave my deepest sympathy cuz they were best thing going in the 70's and 80's before they fell to the TSR legal machine.
Between Vietnam, Agent Orange, and male menopause I am no longer responsible for my actions............:speech:
1. As likely to spend money in hard times as good on books and dice. Or I was many, many years ago, haven't bought any books since buying 2nd Edition AD&D books when they first came out, and promptly stuck them on a shelf and forgot about them. The cost of 1st Edition AD&D manuals back at the end of the 70's and early 80's was almost the same as the 4th edition books are now, factor in inflation and they were a hell of a lot more expensive in real terms. I was unemployed when I bought my first DMG, and it cost more than a weeks welfare cheque! But, to paraphrase an old saying, D&D will get you through times of no money better than money will get you through times of no D&D. And if you know the original phrase I'm mis-quoting, tut tut!:laugh:
2. So in current terms, anywhere up to £60 stirling for books, not sure on dice etce, about half to two thirds of that on modules. The Vault of the Drow (Lolth's actually been dead for decades of course!
) cost about £30-40 in current money.
3. Need, no books = no D&D, necessity is the mother of poverty to para another phrase.
2. So in current terms, anywhere up to £60 stirling for books, not sure on dice etce, about half to two thirds of that on modules. The Vault of the Drow (Lolth's actually been dead for decades of course!
) cost about £30-40 in current money.3. Need, no books = no D&D, necessity is the mother of poverty to para another phrase.
[QUOTE=Darth Gavinius;1096098]Distrbution of games, is becoming a little like Democracy (all about money and control) - in the end choice is an illusion and you have to choose your lesser evil.
And everything is hidden in the fine print.[/QUOTE]
And everything is hidden in the fine print.[/QUOTE]
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misterfister60
- Posts: 2
- Joined: Tue Oct 05, 2010 10:23 pm
- Location: Elsie, MI
- Contact:
i currently live out here in Michigan and the economy out here is one of the top worse. right now i play a lot of battletech magic and im also a big console gamer. out of those the most expensive would definitely be the console products i mean i just dropped 60 bucks on castlevania because that's how passionate i am about gaming. see its alot easier to not worry about the other things such as battletech and magic because those are things that have been collected over the years. it takes passion to spend your well earned cash on something you want so badly.
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Johnnflex1984
- Posts: 4
- Joined: Sat Nov 20, 2010 5:05 pm
- Location: canada
- Contact:
1). Does the current national economy dissuade you from purchasing game-related items?
No. If it matters, I am Canadian. Typically, I have the opposite problem -- I have game-related items which I can't actually use at the moment, namely, the games themselves. :laugh:
2). How much do you usually spend per purchase (not per item)?
Usually I go for bulk if I am shopping, and spend around 90 dollars. However, these are rare trips and usually it takes me some time before I go out for another purchase, usually once or twice a year. This is because, at the moment, I am behind the gaming edge as I do not own a next-gen console, nor do I own a computer which can play many of the modern games (the last one which could kind of play Mass Effect, for example, blew up on me).
3). What is the most important factor when deciding on a purchase (ex. cost, variety, stocked amounts, store ad, website appearance, advertisement, etc)?
I do have a cost cap, and it really depends on word of mouth for me. I have certain friends or sources which I prefer to hear news from before I make a purchase, usually because I know where I stand on games typically compared to them.
I have to admit it also depends on good PR. If a company does a good job of keeping in contact with those interested in the game by consistently keeping information going, then I am typically more inclined to get the game. Dragon Age: Origins and Mass Effect, for example, were both developed with excellent PR and the visuals, previews and work at expanding the back story before they even released the game was absolutely enthralling and made a large portion of my purchasing decision right there.
No. If it matters, I am Canadian. Typically, I have the opposite problem -- I have game-related items which I can't actually use at the moment, namely, the games themselves. :laugh:
2). How much do you usually spend per purchase (not per item)?
Usually I go for bulk if I am shopping, and spend around 90 dollars. However, these are rare trips and usually it takes me some time before I go out for another purchase, usually once or twice a year. This is because, at the moment, I am behind the gaming edge as I do not own a next-gen console, nor do I own a computer which can play many of the modern games (the last one which could kind of play Mass Effect, for example, blew up on me).
3). What is the most important factor when deciding on a purchase (ex. cost, variety, stocked amounts, store ad, website appearance, advertisement, etc)?
I do have a cost cap, and it really depends on word of mouth for me. I have certain friends or sources which I prefer to hear news from before I make a purchase, usually because I know where I stand on games typically compared to them.
I have to admit it also depends on good PR. If a company does a good job of keeping in contact with those interested in the game by consistently keeping information going, then I am typically more inclined to get the game. Dragon Age: Origins and Mass Effect, for example, were both developed with excellent PR and the visuals, previews and work at expanding the back story before they even released the game was absolutely enthralling and made a large portion of my purchasing decision right there.