Any chance of a full-color hardcover?

danbuter · Post by **danbuter** » Fri Jun 18, 2010 2:55 pm

I know this had been kicked around a few months ago, but wanted to check again. I know I'd buy one.

Post by **BASHMAN** » Fri Jun 18, 2010 4:39 pm

Hardcover- I've looked into it- and ordered a test copy- I need to reformat the file for the cover though for it to work. The test copy didn't come out right.

Shadowchaser · Post by **Shadowchaser** » Fri Jun 18, 2010 5:59 pm

BASHMAN wrote:Hardcover- I've looked into it- and ordered a test copy- I need to reformat the file for the cover though for it to work. The test copy didn't come out right.

This would be sweet.

AslanC · Post by **AslanC** » Fri Jun 18, 2010 9:02 pm

What about a full colour softcover?

Shadowchaser · Post by **Shadowchaser** » Sat Jun 19, 2010 1:08 am

AslanC wrote:What about a full colour softcover?

Yeah, actually, if I had to make a choice between full color and hardcover, I'd go with color. The art in the book really deserves color treatment.

MrJupiter · Post by **MrJupiter** » Sat Jun 19, 2010 2:17 pm

Shadowchaser wrote:
AslanC wrote:What about a full colour softcover?
Yeah, actually, if I had to make a choice between full color and hardcover, I'd go with color. The art in the book really deserves color treatment.

Yes, definately must be in color! You could still offer the b/w version for the thrifty purchaser, but I feel that this game is best served in this market by the full-color treatment!

For instance: On a shelf, BASH:UE and ICONS sitting side by side, which one do you think that a newbie buyer will pick? Both books are about the same size. Both books look like they are targeting the same audience (rules-lite, supers gaming). A colored BASH might be a couple of bucks pricier than Icons but, that might also suggest to the buyer that Basic Action Super Heroes is offering a little more.

Just from a casual examination, it becomes apparent that, with BASH, more offerings is what you definately get. [NOTE: I can only compare the pdf versions as I don’t own ICONS in hardcopy.]:
1. BASH’s cover looks better.*
2. ICONS is 8 pages shorter.
3. ICONS averages less text per page than BASH.
4. BASH has a much larger GM section.
5. Unlike ICONS, BASH discusses – and offers supportive rules for – 9 alternate superhero settings.
6. BASH’s 45 templates (useable as villains or heroes) vs. ICONS 14 villains.

*While this might seem a little subjective, let me support my “BASH has a better cover” argument with these 3 points:
>> The characters on BASH look like they are coming to you; while ICONS’ characters are going somewhere else. This is more dramatic and exciting.
>> The cover of BASH is more visually stimulating with colors that compliment well with each other; while ICONS’ hot red background washes out many of the red costuming pieces of the cover’s characters and is, generally, more difficult to look at.
>> While the characters on ICONS cover are good and follow the same ‘simplified’ art style; BASH’s characters have a more ‘professionally rendered’ quality to them, increasing its appeal.

Oh, and just so you know, I will repurchase BASH:UE in the colored version - that's at least 1 guaranteed sale!

AslanC · Post by **AslanC** » Sat Jun 19, 2010 2:25 pm

1 here too!

Oh and I think both covers are hot!

urbwar · Post by **urbwar** » Sun Jun 20, 2010 2:37 am

The GM for the BASH game I played at Recess had a spiral bound print out of the PDF. The images in color looked soooooo much better than the B&W of my regular print copy. I wouldn't mind a full color softcover

BeardedDork · Post by **BeardedDork** » Sun Jun 20, 2010 5:18 pm

I need the durability of the hardcover.

MrJupiter · Post by **MrJupiter** » Tue Jun 22, 2010 6:06 pm

BeardedDork wrote:I need the durability of the hardcover.

That's my preference too; but willing to settle for softcover.

Maybe in a couple of years when BASH is ready for it's awesome 3rd edition we could get that as a hardcover.

If it isn't cost effective to do the current edition in hardcover for a worthwhile print-run, maybe it could be offered as a Lulu print-on-demand option. It might be expensive but I'd go for that one for sure: and I don't think that I'm the only die-hard BASHer that would go for that!

Post by **Kinetic** » Wed Jun 23, 2010 11:36 am

I printed out my pages and coil bound them. The difference between the B&W images and the color is astounding. If there was a color version produced you could put me down for at least one copy.

danbuter · Post by **danbuter** » Wed Jun 23, 2010 4:04 pm

I'd be more than happy with a Lulu hardcover option.

Shadowchaser · Post by **Shadowchaser** » Wed Jun 23, 2010 4:39 pm

Quick remark about the comparisons between ICONS and BASH UE... I have to say I like the layout much better in BASH. I find the text easier to digest, and the pages easier to read, and rules easier to find.

I would certainly buy a 'dead tree' version of the game if it were available in color.

Hardcover preferred, but considering the brevity of the document, I'd expect a Softcover might be all I'd need for durability.

Over to you, sirs!

jaysin1414 · Post by **jaysin1414** » Tue Jul 20, 2010 6:22 pm

I have the ICONS and BASH softcovers and both are great in their own rights. I like them both for what it is they're trying to do - and while they're competitors, they're really not the same type of game. BASH is a deeper game, ICONS is more of a party/one-shot game. Both excel at their respective roles.

That being said - I'd happily pay for a full-color softcover version of BASH. It's the only area where it does fall short of ICONS...and it needn't be that way. The art in the BASH UE PDF is fantastic and jumps off of the page in a way that the B&W doesn't quite capture. ICONS was able to produce a full color soft-cover for an affordable price...I imagine that BASH could follow suit with a similarly sized color book at a similar price.

I don't personally need a hardcover, but if an option can be made for those asking, it's certainly worth investigating.