GAMES IN FOCUS Dungeon Crawl Classics Use DCC World to build a module business by our years after the release of Dungeon gorgeously illustrated poster-sized world maps which notate the locations of every Dungeon Joseph Crawl Classics #1: Idylls of the Rat F King, the Dungeon Crawl Classics line Crawl Classics module in the series. The Goodman remains one of the industry’s best-recognized boxed set includes three defined adventure President, brands of d20 System adventure modules. paths that show a Dungeon Master how to Goodman With the imminent publication of #35 in the link these adventures together. Of course, all Games series — a milestone for any role-playing of the modules must be purchased separately. game line, especially a d20 line past the boom So the Dungeon Master who buys the boxed — publisher Goodman Games announced set will be back in your store two weeks later, plans to make the 35th DCC a deluxe boxed purchasing the other Dungeon Crawl Clas- set. This $69.99 MSRP product is a complete sics modules he needs to set up his cam- campaign setting that also presents a unique paign! From a opportunity for retailers — not only will it This placement within a larger line is a very make for a profitable sale on a single product, important trait to consider. Selling a role-play- retailer’s it can also be used to sell an entire line of ing game product with an MSRP higher than perspective, products. $40 is always difficult, and it becomes more DCC #35 Dungeon Crawl Classics #35: Gazetteer difficult the higher the price goes. Consumers of the Known Realms presents a is a always wonder, “Will I use this enough to get complete campaign setting my money’s worth?” or “Is unique that ties together all previ- this good enough to selling ously published modules justify the price?” In opportunity. in the series. The “DCC this case, the consumer World,” known as Áereth, is already familiar with It’s not just a is an archetypal fantasy the Dungeon Crawl one-shot world. It’s the kind of Classics brand, so half product with world where a grizzled old the battle is already a high MSRP. warrior decides to go won. It’s not a question after the dragon and of whether they’ll buy It’s also a asks who’s coming with DCC #35; it’s a question lead-in to the him. Or where the of when. rest of the dark-eyed sorceress slowly surveys the Dungeon Dungeon Crawl Clas- crowd of peasants, sics #35: Gazetteer of Crawl Classics waiting for one to step the Known Realms pres- line. forward and pull the ents retailers with a sword from the stone. chance to sell a high-mar- In other words, it’s a gin, high-priced item to an classic fantasy established fan base. Some world, an environ- Dungeon Crawl Classics ment where a Dun- fans may question the high geon Master can price, especially in an tell engaging new stories entry-level product line using archetypes already familiar to the whose typical price point is players. under $15. The boxed set is expensive — but Joseph Goodman is it presents an extraordinary value for the president of Goodman From a retailer’s perspective, DCC #35 price. Any consumer who picks up the box Games, publishers of presents a unique selling opportunity. It’s will feel the weight of what’s within — more Dungeon Crawl Clas- not just a one-shot product with a high than 300 pages of gaming material, presented sics, Etherscope, and MSRP. It’s also a lead-in to the rest of the as a total of four books. A Gazetteer, GM’s X-Crawl. Find out more Dungeon Crawl Classics line. Any gamer Guide, and two brand new modules fill up the at www.goodman- who starts a campaign in the world of interior of the box, along with the aforemen- games.com. Áereth is presented with three full-color, tioned three full-color poster-sized maps, plus 42 • Comics & Games Retailer • September 2006 www.comicsretailer.com The boxed set’s a fourth players’ map designed for immediately that Goodman Games provided. use by players. cover is The boxed set’s cover is designed to appeal to We also promoted the line directly designed to older gamers. According to Wizards of the Coast’s to consumers through a number of appeal to older demographic surveys, older gamers typically channels. Check the back of Dun- gamers. spend more than double what younger gamers geon or Dragon for their periodic spend on role-playing games each year. They rep- DCC ads. In January of each year, According to resent a segment of the population that has dis- Goodman Games offers a consumer Wizards of the posable income — and they have influence over rebate program. We also feature a Coast’s what the next generation of gamers will buy. Many retail locator on our web site. Perhaps older gamers are raising their children as role- our most popular promotion is the “$2 demographic players. It’s with that in mind that the cover art of module,” a complete DCC adventure surveys, older DCC #35 is designed. It features two design ele- module priced at the low, low price of gamers ments that will immediately appeal to older $2. It’s a perfect introduction to the typically gamers — the Clyde Caldwell-style cover art remi- DCC series and a very easy sale for a niscent of the old TSR Gazetteers, and the “red retailer. spend more box” look of the classic Dungeons & Dragons Each year at Gen Con, Goodman than double Basic Set from the early 1980’s. Every gamer Games sponsors the annual Dungeon what younger from that era will immediately “get” what the Crawl Classics Open Tournament, gamers spend product is trying to accomplish. where more than 100 gamers compete to survive some of the toughest dun- on role-play- Despite the fact that Dungeon Crawl Classics geons ever designed. Each year’s tourna- ing games #35: Gazetteer of the Known Realms presents a ment module is released to stores as a each year. campaign setting for an adventure line billed as DCC module. DCC #13: Crypt of the “stand-alone,” it doesn’t change the way Dungeon Devil Lich and DCC #30: Vault of the Crawl Classics modules will be produced and Dragon Kings were both tournament played in the future. Áereth draws upon the same modules, and the locations of both can basic fantasy archetypes as Dungeons & Drag- be found on the maps inside Dungeon ons, so it doesn’t change the assumptions neces- Crawl Classics #35: Gazetteer of the sary to build a world of adventure. A gamer can Known Realms. easily run any Dungeon Crawl Classic in their own world, even after the release of DCC #35 — Build a Module Business In Your Store and that won’t change with #36 onward. Future There’s an old saying in the gaming Dungeon Crawl Classics will identify their loca- industry: “Modules don’t sell.” Don’t tell tions on the maps presented in DCC #35, but will that to Goodman Games. We draw our remain world-neutral for all practical purposes. inspiration from the 1980s boom days, before the terms “sourcebook” and Retailer Support “gazetteer” were ever termed. Back then, Goodman Games offers extensive retailer sup- modules did sell, and they were Dungeons port to make sure this boxed set continues to sell. & Dragons in the eyes of many gamers. Our spinner rack program is one of the most popular promotions of the last year. Nearly 100 game stores nationwide now employ the “DCC spinner,” a stainless-steel 16-pocket spinner rack with custom sign that occupies a tiny footprint — yet allows a retailer to display the entire line. All distributors offer this spin- ner as part of a DCC bundle — with a sufficiently large purchase, a retail- er can get the custom-designed fix- ture free for their store. Another popular Goodman Games promotion for the Dungeon Crawl Classics line was the 20%-off sale in April and May. We offered retailers the entire DCC line at a whopping 20% discount, and asked distribu- tors to extend the deal to retailers. In turn, retailers were asked to extend the deal to consumers, with the help of a full-color in-store display sign www.comicsretailer.com September 2006 • Comics & Games Retailer • 43 GAMES IN FOCUS An Good- fit his play- adventure man ers’ current Games is level. Thus, module leading the the impor- line charge tant lesson such as back to the is to stock a Dungeon “glory days” range of lev- of adventure els. An adven- Crawl module sales. ture module Classics It is possible line such as doesn’t to build a Dungeon game company Crawl Classics earn around adven- doesn’t earn its legitimacy ture modules, provided legitimacy in the eyes of in the it’s done right. Goodman Games has used Dun- consumers until it has enough depth of adven- eyes of geon Crawl Classics to expand both retailer tures and breadth across levels to offer an and fan awareness about what makes a good option for every campaign. consumers module, and how to sell adventure modules. Adventure Paths — Sometimes, But Not until it has Always. There are strong opinions among enough Here are a few things you can do in your gamers regarding whether or not they prefer depth of store… adventure paths. An “adventure path” is a Stock a Range of Levels.