The only game store I know of in Fresno, CA is like an archaeological dig of gaming history. Everything from wargames to 4e sit gathering dust on its dreary shelves. I asked the proprietor if he had any Gamescience dice and he didn't know what they were at first. It felt like some eerie Twilight Zone shadow-shop; I was expecting to learn he was a simulacra or something.
This is what I thought of when I heard Swords & Wizardry was getting a publishing and distribution deal. Do other cities actually have vibrant game stores where people will encounter S&W if it shows up on the shelves there?
I know Lulu has its problems, but this all seems kind of backward, because of the great success of S&W available as POD, it will now go back into brick and mortar stores. Unless that means it will appear beside 4e in Borders, I really don't see the gain.
I think some people are uneasy because once you start getting bigger money tied up in it, then there is a chance that the goal is to make that money back, not make a fun game you can imagine the hell out of. I assume Mythmere believes he's found a publisher who doesn't consider those things mutually exclusive. I'm crossing my fingers because I just got to this party and I sure want to contribute.
On a more upbeat note, I visited a nearby comic shop where I've purchased far more gaming material over the years than the game store, and bought, the third LLB (I only had the first two), and: Chainmail, Greyhawk, Eldritch Wizardry, and Gods, Demi-Gods &Heroes! I got them all pretty cheap, I think. I didn't cheat him though, I mentioned I saw the three LBB on Ebay for $400.
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