Been creating and playing testing aa B/X style adventure for almost two years now.  Nearly ready to put them up on Drivthru.  Just got a domain name so I can support my stuff with other free content and maybe sell there too.

Before I publish my main stuff - adventures, I want to put a few smaller GM toolkit type items for free or for $1.  The main thing is to get products out there and start to build a name for myself - hopefully some people beyond my gaming group and the Con people I've tested with like my stuff enough to pay a few bucks.

Not sure if I'm going to do a small kickstarter for art costs or if that is even worth it.

I'm going back and forth between the arguments of offering stuff for free vs perceived greater value if it costs a buck or two.  The goal is to get my name out and get more people to lay eyes on my stuff. . . . . I realize that's going to take some time, maybe a really long time.

Main question:  Assuming title and cover art drew you in for a closer look, would you realistically be more likely to get an item if it were free or if it were $1-2?  I don't care about the money for that - just want to build a body of work that people get or at least remember (I'm trying to use a specific look and style for my stuff).  Thanks.

Free stuff often feels like the author is saying "this isn't worth anything" while $1-2 feels like a bargain. If I were trying to build a name, I think I'd project confidence in my work by at least going for the "Pay what you want" option with a $1-2 suggested price.

Ditto to what Featus said.

Quote from: Festus on March 24, 2023, 09:59:33 PM
Free stuff often feels like the author is saying "this isn't worth anything"

Most of the time (and there are exceptions) I associate 'free' with poor quality and not worth picking up.

Quote from: Festus on March 24, 2023, 09:59:33 PM
Free stuff often feels like the author is saying "this isn't worth anything" while $1-2 feels like a bargain. If I were trying to build a name, I think I'd project confidence in my work by at least going for the "Pay what you want" option with a $1-2 suggested price.

For me, I'm more likely to read something if it's free rather than if it costs $1-2. But people differ.

At least *something* needs to be free or PWYW so that people can check out the quality of your work. So at least one free thing, the others can be $1 (if very short, like 8 pages) or $2 (eg 16 pages). IMO that's the case even with a preview.

Quote from: jhkim on March 24, 2023, 11:05:06 PM
For me, I'm more likely to read something if it's free rather than if it costs $1-2. But people differ.

Me too.

Quote from: Vic99 on March 24, 2023, 09:46:18 PM
Been creating and playing testing aa B/X style adventure for almost two years now.  Nearly ready to put them up on Drivthru.  Just got a domain name so I can support my stuff with other free content and maybe sell there too.

Before I publish my main stuff - adventures, I want to put a few smaller GM toolkit type items for free or for $1.  The main thing is to get products out there and start to build a name for myself - hopefully some people beyond my gaming group and the Con people I've tested with like my stuff enough to pay a few bucks.

Not sure if I'm going to do a small kickstarter for art costs or if that is even worth it.

I'm going back and forth between the arguments of offering stuff for free vs perceived greater value if it costs a buck or two.  The goal is to get my name out and get more people to lay eyes on my stuff. . . . . I realize that's going to take some time, maybe a really long time.

Main question:  Assuming title and cover art drew you in for a closer look, would you realistically be more likely to get an item if it were free or if it were $1-2?  I don't care about the money for that - just want to build a body of work that people get or at least remember (I'm trying to use a specific look and style for my stuff).  Thanks.

I'm going to be a little contrary, because I've seen free stuff that was great, and pricey stuff that was terrible, so I don't care if you charge zero or a buck in that situation. I care about, why should I check out your book What's the "hook"? There is
So
Much
Crap
On drivethru, it's hard to sift through the glut. I usually go there and buy stuff I've heard about from another source, like a video review.

To be honest, I'm mainly interested in free adventures that get reviewed on https://tenfootpole.org/ironspike even if the review isn't a glowing review.  Byrce breaks things down well enough that I know what I'll be getting.

There are alot of good, free products out there.  More than I can possibly ever play.  So a good adventure at a cost gets passed over for a good adventure at no cost.

If there's art, having a free version without art and a paid version with art is probably the best option. That says you think what you've made is worth something but also lets the end users decide for themselves.

When I look at DTRPG and I see complete no names charging £15 or more for PDFs that are clearly word documents converted to PDF with stock art assets it doesn't endear me to the product. Having some free stuff so I can get a sense of what the designer makes can be very helpful in that regard.  A free demo version of the product as I've seen from games like Notequest and 2D6 Dungeons is ideal as opposed to separate things that don't relate to the main product being sold.

Quote from: S'mon on March 25, 2023, 04:07:32 AM
At least *something* needs to be free or PWYW so that people can check out the quality of your work. So at least one free thing, the others can be $1 (if very short, like 8 pages) or $2 (eg 16 pages). IMO that's the case even with a preview.

I personally avoid PWYW products, unless it is from a known to me source. In principal, I agree with the concept. In practice, some part of of my brain just treats it as an infinite price and moves on. Your mental wiring probably works differently however.

The art free and $0 vs. with art and for some cost concept is the sweet spot in my opinion. It is largely the same as the PWYW option, but allows one to get the free one without guilt.

My habits are that I accumulate free or PWYW PDFs if they look to be of interest. But I may not read them for years, and even then might just be a skim, if I have no use for them at the time of initial download.

One dollar or five dollars, I won't lay down money unless I'm into the game for some reason. That may include prior play or a review I lend credence to.

Of course, I'm not one of those gamers who's always on the lookout for, or willing to try, lots of new games.

I agree with prior comments about at least something being free for you to get exposure. I don't see any stigma to a free or PWYW item. And the "no art" free version is a good compromise.

Quote from: Howard on March 25, 2023, 02:33:43 PM

Quote from: S'mon on March 25, 2023, 04:07:32 AM
At least *something* needs to be free or PWYW so that people can check out the quality of your work. So at least one free thing, the others can be $1 (if very short, like 8 pages) or $2 (eg 16 pages). IMO that's the case even with a preview.

I personally avoid PWYW products, unless it is from a known to me source. In principal, I agree with the concept. In practice, some part of of my brain just treats it as an infinite price and moves on. Your mental wiring probably works differently however.

The art free and $0 vs. with art and for some cost concept is the sweet spot in my opinion. It is largely the same as the PWYW option, but allows one to get the free one without guilt.

Well I'm the same as you.  But I recognise that we're odd. 

Quote from: S'mon on March 25, 2023, 04:07:32 AM
At least *something* needs to be free or PWYW so that people can check out the quality of your work. So at least one free thing, the others can be $1 (if very short, like 8 pages) or $2 (eg 16 pages). IMO that's the case even with a preview.

That'd be my advice too, this is what I do with my "dark fantasy" line. One free/PWYW, the rest usually in low prices.

Caveat: I usually get one bad (three stars) review every time I post something free.