• From: Denver, CO
  • Registered: 2005-03-27
  • Posts: 3,578

Topic: Print-n-play?

So, two recent games (Quantum Legions, Grand Admiral) have been released as purely "print-n-play" products. This was done for a couple reasons, not least of which is the prohibitive cost of putting together truly professional hard copies (i.e. die-cut counters, mounted gameboards, etc.)

However, I am aware that some (many?) players dislike the idea of having to print out their game components... so I'm wondering if there isn't room for a compromise of sorts.

I could probably have some professional-quality copies of Quantum Legions (as an example) printed and made available for around $20 or so. The catch is that players would still have to assemble the counters/markers, and mount the game board sections on cardboard/foamcore if something more substantial than heavy paper stock is desired.

Would that be something y'all would be interested in? Or does "some assembly required" defeat the purpose of a hard copy?

Daniel Kast
Majestic Twelve Games
cricket@mj12games.com

mj12games's Website

  • Registered: 2008-12-22
  • Posts: 654

Re: Print-n-play?

cricket wrote:

So, two recent games (Quantum Legions, Grand Admiral) have been released as purely "print-n-play" products. This was done for a couple reasons, not least of which is the prohibitive cost of putting together truly professional hard copies (i.e. die-cut counters, mounted gameboards, etc.)

However, I am aware that some (many?) players dislike the idea of having to print out their game components... so I'm wondering if there isn't room for a compromise of sorts.

I could probably have some professional-quality copies of Quantum Legions (as an example) printed and made available for around $20 or so. The catch is that players would still have to assemble the counters/markers, and mount the game board sections on cardboard/foamcore if something more substantial than heavy paper stock is desired.

Would that be something y'all would be interested in? Or does "some assembly required" defeat the purpose of a hard copy?

For me I would think that some assembly required would definitely defeat the purpose. I'm not against a little arts and crafts time, but I don't need to pay more for the rules to do it. Besides, I'm a big fan of PDF rules and like that I can have my gaming books all available at a moments notice and my wife can't complain that they are all over the coffee table.  But, I have almost totally converted to the electronic medium for my gaming using things like Vassal and Cyberboard. I've never been overly fond of most die cut counters anyway as my fat fingers are more likely to scatter them across the board than actually lift and move them as I intended. Unless the hard-copy version would include some nifty if inexpensive minis instead of paper counter sheets I wouldn't be tempted. I know there are still some people that like to hold the book in their hands, but this is just my opinion...becuz youz ask'd.
Erik