GAMES IN FOCUS Adventure module gold Build a profitable module market by dventure modules are underrated. For are in a slump, but they’re actually in a “back JOSEPH years, some publishers have said “adven- to basics” mode. The days of Ature modules don’t sell.” But a growing splat books are over, as every store with five GOODMAN number of publishers are proving them wrong. sourcebooks on the shelf knows. The publish- President, Between Publishing, Goodman Games, ers that survived the d20 boom-and-bust cycle Goodman Games Green Ronin, Necromancer Games, and of learned to provide what gamers really need — course , your store has a and what gamers really need on a regular basis wide assortment of adventure modules to offer are fantastic adventures. your d20 System and Dungeons & Dragons customers — and you should be making money Advantages of a strong modules category off them. When properly stocked, displayed, and pro- Adventure modules add a steady stream of moted, adventure modules have several obvious Adventure incremental sales to every role-playing game advantages as a category. line in your store. Just as Repeat Purchase Module: modules add consoles When a game master finishes a steady drive sales of game his level 1 adventure module, cartridges, properly he needs a level 2 adventure stream of designed role-play- module. Two weeks later he’ll incremental ing game lines use need a level 3 module, then sales to core rulebooks to level 4, and from there the drive sales of adven- cycle continues. If you can every role- ture modules. Every persuade your local groups playing game ’s to rely on adventure mod- line in your Guide that you sell ules, every sale today brings today should mean a in another sale tomorrow. store. Just as dozen adventure mod- Steady Release video game ules sold tomorrow. Schedule: More d20 consoles drive Goodman Games System and Dungeons & was the first to dem- Dragons adventure mod- sales of game onstrate this with ules are being released cartridges, its Dungeon Crawl every month, giving cus- Classics line of adven- tomers a reason to check properly ture modules, which in regularly. Between designed role- are “just d20 modules” Dungeon Crawl playing game but, nonetheless, con- Classics from Goodman sistently rank in the Games, the ramped-up lines use core Top 10 role-playing output from Wizards of the Coast, and other rulebooks to game lines. Other publishers have followed publishers, there are several new adventures drive sales suit, including Green Ronin with their available every month. Bleeding Edge adventure modules and the Shared Experiences: Adventure modules pro- of adventure Necromancer Games modules released by vide a common platform to experience a role-play- modules. Troll Lord Games, Kenzer & Company, ing game. Peruse the message boards at Wizards and White Wolf. Market trendsetter of the Coast’s web site to see just how many Wizards of the Coast has ramped up its gamers are playing Red Hand of Doom. These module output noticeably, and sister com- shared experiences give your regulars something Joseph Goodman is the presi- pany Paizo Publishing is making a splash common to talk about, an important foundation dent of Goodman Games. His with its series drawn to building a community at your store. “Every company publishes the best- from the pages of Dungeon magazine. game shop owner probably played Keep on the selling line of Dungeon Crawl There are a lot of options for role-playing Borderlands back in the day,” said Rob Schwalb, Classics adventure modules. gamers these days — and a lot of follow- line editor for Green Ronin Publishing’s Bleeding For more information, visit up options for your DMG sales. Edge adventures. “Giving their customers the www.goodman-games.com. Some might say role-playing games same experience unites the fan base.”

34 • Comics & Games Retailer • May 2007 www.comicsretailer.com New Customer Recruitment: “Adventures displayed like comics and were easy to How you choose are great teaching tools. For the new game mas- sort through. But since we got a spin- ter, adventures act as a first-time guide to sto- ner rack they’ve been selling even better, to sort modules rytelling,” said Paul Bazakas, National Account and they’re easier to shop.” can also make Director, Publishing, for Wizards of the Coast. The spinner rack in question was a difference. New players need the most help, and adventure supplied by Goodman Games, which modules show them how to play. The $2 pro- offers a spinner rack bundle with its While publisher motional adventures from Goodman Games are Dungeon Crawl Classics modules. brands do ideal for this; they’re so cheap they can literally “The spinner is great,” continued Tess, matter, the first be given away, and the company will provide “because little kids can look at the lower complimentary copies for special events. tiers while adults shop the higher tiers.” choice of most Up-sell Potential: The adventure module Whatever you do, make sure your game masters itself can be an up-sell from the Dungeon adventures are shelved face-out. “Module is character Master’s Guide. In turn, adventures often sup- art tells a story, like a movie poster,” said port sales of other rulebooks. “A D&D adventure Jacobs. “It’s heroes doing heroic things. level. may contain monsters with annotated rules fea- Third edition hardbacks tend to have styl- tured in another book,” continued Bazakas. “For ized ‘magic tome’ type covers that aren’t example, Expedition to Castle as eye-catching as the art on modules.” features rules from books How you choose to sort modules can including the and also make a difference. While pub- . While lisher brands do matter, these books are not required the first choice to play the adventure, DMs of most game may end up picking them masters is char- up to expand their play acter level. “Shelve options.” all the publishers Plug-and-Play Utility: together, sorted Good adventures don’t by level,” recom- require much prep work. mends Bill Webb of They’re like “D&D in a Necromancer Games. bottle” — perfect for “Creating a ‘Modules the harried gamer who Central’ area also cre- just wants to play. “A ates a collectibility player needs to roll up effect — it indulges the a new character to use packrat aspect of the the prestige classes player.” and feats from a new sourcebook,” Selling more modules in said James Jacobs, your store editor-in-chief of As a storeowner or Dungeon maga- manager you probably zine. “But an adventure can already have modules for be integrated into an ongoing campaign.” sale. But you may not be Adventures that include pre-generated charac- selling as many as you could. ters are even more versatile; the pre-gens allow Understanding why customers buy adventure the module to be used as a one-shot or break modules will help you sell more of them. Here from a regular game. are tips from some of the industry’s most Collectibility: Adventure modules are more experienced sellers. likely to appreciate in value than any other role- Low-Level Sells Best: Every game starts playing game category. There might be gold in at 1st level — but how many advance past your backstock — more on that below. 10th? Low-level adventure modules will always be your best sellers. They’re easy to play as Displaying adventure modules pickup games, they appeal to new gamers, and Adventures are a challenge to display due many fans consider them more fun than the to their narrow spines. Creative retailers have rules-heavy games that happen at high levels. devised many good solutions, and publishers This is true even with long campaigns. “The are there to help. first issue of our Dungeon adventure paths “We used to keep the modules in a magazine always sell the best,” said Jacobs. “As the lev- box sorted by level,” said Rick Tess, manager els get higher, players migrate to other games of The Shop in Florissant, MO. “They — often to start a new adventure path.” www.comicsretailer.com May 2007 • Comics & Games Retailer • 35 GAMES IN FOCUS

I sell 20%-25% of my modules to them.” Finally, modules as a category offer a unique forecasting capabil- ity. Knowing your customers’ cam- paigns will tell you what to stock. For example, if you’re selling level 4 modules today, you’ll be selling level 5 modules tomorrow. If the campaign in your back room just finished the level 2 Wizards’ module Shadows of the Last , odds are good they’ll be ready for the level 4 Wizards adventure Whispers of the Vampire’s Blade. Pay attention to the level range of your alpha gamers’ campaigns, and stock modules of the appropriate character levels. Ride the “Long Tail”: Unlike Follow the Level Pyramid: Low-level almost every other role-playing game category, adventures might sell best, but you need a adventure modules have a “long tail” — that full range to support every customer. What is, the backstock really sells. Along with core will a fan think when he finishes his 6th rulebooks, well-known adventure modules can level adventure, only to find you have noth- continue selling for a long, long time. Dungeon ing for 7th level? At that moment you’ll lose Crawl Classics #1: Idylls of the Rat King has him. But at the same time, you don’t need as been selling steadily since February 2003, and many 7th level adventures as 1st level ones. is about to enter its fourth printing. Likewise, You should stock adventures using a ratio The Lost City of Barakus, a Necromancer called the “level pyramid.” Roughly speak- Games adventure published by Troll Lord ing, the level pyramid works like this: You Games, is entering its third year of steady sales. should stock twice as many low-level adven- Low-level modules are most likely to experi- tures as mid-level adventures, and twice ence a “long tail.” Pay attention to your assump- as many mid-levels as high-levels. Include tions: you may assume that a module sold isn’t a few epic level adventures to round it out. worth restocking, but make sure you’re not Experienced adventure publishers follow missing an evergreen. this ratio in their release schedule, so if you The More You Have, The More You’ll Sell: carry their complete line you’ll naturally This is not as obvious as it sounds. A store have the right proportions. The Dungeon manager with 20 sourcebooks on his shelf will Crawl Classics line is one example. think to himself, “I offer a good selection of Know Your Customer: This goes with- sourcebooks.” And he does. But a store man- out saying, but it’s especially important ager with 20 adventure modules on his shelf You should with adventure modules for a couple rea- does not offer a good selection of adventures sons. First, your adventure selection must stock twice — because each module is good for only a lim- be as broad as your customer base. “Don’t ited level range. Twenty adventures on a shelf as many go with your personal likes or dislikes,” means you offer, on average, one module for said Curt Duval, co-owner of Games Plus low-level each character level — so a DM with level 4 in Mount Prospect, IL. “Just because you adventures characters has one option from your 20 modules. don’t like urban adventures doesn’t mean You need at least 30-40 modules, at a range of as mid-level that your customers will dislike them levels, before you’re really getting close to a good also. You need an assortment of adventure adventures, selection. types and levels to cover everybody’s inter- and twice There are facts behind this theory. Goodman ests.” Games inserts customer reply cards in their as many mid- And the people buying modules today modules. Two of the questions they ask are: aren’t the same as they were ten years levels as high- “How many other DCC adventures did the store ago. Many adventure modules are now have for sale?” and “How many other DCC mod- levels. Include purchased by experienced gamers with ules do you own?” a few epic level less time than they used to have. “Keep The results are surprising. The response to an eye out for parents running games for adventures to the first question, how many modules were for their kids,” said Tess. “If you’re missing sale, is evenly split: 35% said 1-4, 34% said 16+, round it out. them, you’re missing a pretty big market. with the rest in the middle. The response to the

36 • Comics & Games Retailer • May 2007 www.comicsretailer.com GAMES IN FOCUS

second question, how many other these strategies: DCC modules does the customer Create a Destination: Be THE place to go own, is also split: 40% own 1-4, for adventure modules in your town. Mr. Duval 31% own 16+, with the rest in of Games Plus carries such a broad inventory the middle. But when the results assortment that his store is a regional destina- are cross-referenced, there’s an tion, not just for adventure modules but for interesting result. Of customers other categories as well. If your selling zone who said they owned 1-4 modules, doesn’t have an adventure destination, make 61% said they shopped at a store yourself one. that had 1-4 modules for sale. Get the Up-sell: Whenever someone buys a Only 22% of these customers core Dungeons & Dragons book, up-sell them shopped at a store that stocked on a module. “If I were a retailer,” said Schwalb 16+ modules. Of the customers of Green Ronin, “I would keep a couple modules who said they owned 16+ mod- right there on the counter, and up-sell on every ules, 59% shopped at a store that Dungeon Master’s Guide I ring up.” had 16+ modules. Only 18% of “The First Hit’s Free”: If someone’s on these customers shopped at a the fence about using published adventure store with 1-4 modules. modules, give them a promotional module for In other words: if you stock it, free. Goodman Games publishes two separate they will buy it. And if you don’t Dungeon Crawl Classics modules priced at only stock it, they will go to another $2, perfect for this purpose. Good occasions for store where they can find it. this sort of promotion include Worldwide D&D Keep a wide variety of adventure Day on November 4, GM’s Day on March 4, and modules in stock. It encourages of course, Free RPG Day on June 23. impulse buys and repeat pur- Cross-Merchandising: As Bazakus from chases, and helps build a steady Wizards mentioned, many modules tie back to market for modules. Your custom- other sourcebooks. Display these titles together ers will agree! – or, at the very least, use shelf tags to keep customers informed. See the sidebar for more Promotions with adventure information. modules Themed Presentations: Some customers If razors are made to sell razor want to run a horror-themed campaign, while blades, then core rulebooks are others like nautical adventures. Halloween is a made to sell adventure modules. great time to pull out all the horror adventures, Generate repeat purchases with and April Fool’s Day is a good time to pull out humorous adventures. At the very least, provide Cross-Merchandising Modules “staff lists” of titles that support each theme, so Here are some examples of modules that can sell other a game master with a seafaring campaign can titles. easily find the relevant adventures. Build Your Own Adventure Path: This is a great idea for a promotion centered on adven- Wizards of the Coast: Expedition to Castle Ravenloft ture modules. Give a discount or freebie to includes rules from Fiend Folio and Book of Vile customers who purchase modules that take Darkness. Red Hand of Doom utilizes NPCs with pres- their party from 1st to 20th levels. Allow some tige classes from and . gaps (you might not have a 17th-level module in stock, for example), and make a minimum Goodman Games: Dungeon Crawl Classics #18: purchase of 4 titles. One good incentive is a Citadel of the Demon Prince includes rules from The “bounce-back” coupon good toward their next Demon Hunter’s Handbook, while Dungeon Crawl module purchase, or a free book of character Classics #34: Cage of Delirium includes a soundtrack sheets for starting their new campaign. produced by Midnight Syndicate, whose gaming CDs are Trade-Ins: Some customers think modules aren’t worth the price because “I can only use in many quality game stores. them once.” If you face this attitude repeatedly, consider creating a trade-in section. Customers Green Ronin Publishing: Green Ronin’s Freeport can trade in old adventures for credit equal to franchise combines sourcebooks with adventures. The half the retail value. That credit can then be classic Freeport adventures (especially the Freeport redeemed toward any new role-playing game Trilogy) support Creatures of Freeport, Tales of purchase, but can’t comprise more than half the Freeport, and the many other Freeport titles. sale value; the other half must be cash. You can sell the trade-ins at 25% off and still come out

38 • Comics & Games Retailer • May 2007 www.comicsretailer.com ahead. In-Store Reviews: Provide a simple form for Award-Nominated Modules customers to write a review. A 3x5 card with the store logo stamped on it works well. A customer “Best Adventure,” ENnie Awards, 2006 who writes a review of their favorite module The Shackled City Adventure Path (Paizo Publishing) (which you then attach to the shelf by that mod- Dungeon Crawl Classics #12.5: Iron Crypt of the ule) gets $1 off their next purchase. Heretics (Goodman Games) Session Reports: Have the “alpha gamers” Dungeon Crawl Classics #20: Shadows in Freeport from your store write session reports for your (Goodman Games) newsletter, bulletin board, or web site. This is a Etherscope: The Lemurian Candidate (Goodman great way to convey how much fun an adventure Games/Steampower Publishing) can be, and it also serves to create a sense of 1 on 1 Adventures #6.66 (Expeditious Retreat Press) shared community as other players run through the same adventure. Emphasize Quality: If you emphasize the “Best Adventure,” Gen Con ENnie Awards, 2005 quality adventures within your assortment, Maure Castle, Dungeon #112 (Paizo Publishing) gamers will take notice. Game masters will steer Dungeon Crawl Classics #11: The Dragonfiend Pact their campaigns toward the adventure they want (Goodman Games) to play, and players will ask their game masters Trouble at Durbenford (Necromancer Games/White to take them through “that adventure that won Wolf Publishing) the Gen Con gold medal award.” One suggestion Villainy Amok (Hero Games) is to print and laminate a small sign featuring Slavelords of Cydonia (Bad Axe Games) award-nominated adventure modules from the last two years. Another idea is to assemble the award nominees together with a shelf talker haystack. indicating their status. See the sidebar for a list “Look up modules as a competed auc- of recent nominees. tion on eBay,” said Marcus King of Titan Games. “That is an advanced search field. The in the Haystack: Collectibility Look up the module by title, then by SKU “Never underestimate the collectibility code. Look for completed auctions only, aspect,” said Mr. Webb. “I have a complete set which tells you how many have sold in the of . My book shelf actually past 30 days, and what their value is. How collapsed a couple weeks ago when I added the many have sold is important — the fewer latest book!” modules that have sold, the scarcer the Module fans are collectors, and it shows in module. If you find that one of your modules eBay prices. As I type this, Dungeon Crawl is not listed at all, then it may be pure gold!” Classics #20.5: The Mask of Death was Michael Cox of Centurion Distribution just bid up to $50.00 on eBay, and the auc- recommends acaeum.com as “the best tion still has two days to go. The ultra-rare reference site for real oddities.” His own col- Dungeon Crawl Classics #3.5: The Haunted lection of super-rare modules is extensive, Lighthouse has sold on eBay for more than and Centurion Distribution still does a fair $200.00. These adventures are usually found volume in out-of-print role-playing game in the hands of dedicated retailers who attend products. “In my opinion,” he says, “the most Gen Con to acquire such convention specials valuable modules are the original Palace — but even the “common” adventure module can of the Vampire Queen, the limited editions appreciate noticeably. A regular, no-frills copy of Lost Tamoachan and Ghost Tower of of the first printing of Dungeon Crawl Classics Inverness, ST1 Up the Garden Path, and #10: The Sunless Garden, which retails the fabled orange B3 Palace of the Silver for $10.99, fetched $38.00 on eBay in mid- Princess. I personally own the B3 and the two November, even after the reprint was already limited editions, and I have owned a Palace of announced, and the rare Necromancer Games the Vampire Queen, but have never owned an module Tomb of Abysthor has also sold at a ST1 and I believe it is the rarest official mod- premium. ule out there.” Adventure modules are one of the few role- Check your used games backstock. If you playing game categories to appreciate this have ST1 Up the Garden Path from TSR, you much. It is quite possible that some of your have a golden needle in your haystack. Even if “old backstock” is actually valuable collector’s you don’t have that title, you can start building items, especially if you buy up old collections. your business now by stocking a range of qual- Certain retailers like Titan Games, Hit Pointe, ity adventure modules. In the short term they’ll and Noble Knight Games specialize in prized build your role-playing game business consider- modules — and you can, too. Here are a couple ably — and in the long term, you may end up tips from the experts for finding needles in your with even more golden needles! ❖

www.comicsretailer.com May 2007 • Comics & Games Retailer • 39