As I’m working more on preparing Yiora for publication, I’m torn on whether to continue with the original plan to do a Print & Play pdf version, or just to focus on the GameCrafter boxed edition of the game.

When evaluating the pros and cons of either edition, they land pretty evenly on the issues of financial investment and production. The downloadable P&P edition won’t cost me anything to publish, and since it’s a digital file there’s no inventory to manage. The boxed edition is Print-on-demand, and GameCrafters manages fulfillment, so I won’t have to worry about that with them either.

Also, since the endgame here is to have the boxed edition, I’m confident that I’ll be publishing that version regardless. So the real question comes down to how much sense it makes to release the P&P edition. So, a pros-and-cons list:

Pros:

• Lower price point, encouraging more people to try the game
• No shipping time, players can play immediately
• Print & Play pieces allow for limitless variations with minimal additional cost

Cons:

• Laying out a separate rules sheet will require more time
• Not sure how much players will enjoy having to construct the pieces
• The board must likewise be constructed by the players
• Additional cost required to have the pieces printed nicely

It occurs to me also, that I can include cards printed with the P&P pieces included in the Boxed edition, making it compatible with any future P&P expansions (such as themed piece sets for different holidays, fandoms, genres, whatever).

The main benefits that a player might find from the boxed edition–a sturdier, professionally printed board, 3D sculpted pieces, a storage box–would not negate the appeal of the P&P edition, and might just even give fans of the P&P edition more incentive to invest in the Box.

I think I’ve convinced myself – Since I’ve already gone so far with the P&P edition, the only work that really remains is some final layout stuff with the rules and the piece sheets. The elements needed for the rules will work with both editions, so the amount of extra work to make the P&P version available is negligible.

Sometimes it helps to just think through it.