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avatar_ukmarkh

The 'book of Arnold' Poll

Started by ukmarkh, 17:12, 18 January 10

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Who will buy the Book of Arnold?

8x10 Full Colour 250 pages £20-25
86 (76.1%)
250 Page PDF £4-7
21 (18.6%)
8x10 Black and White 250 Pages £5-10
6 (5.3%)

Total Members Voted: 106

ukmarkh

This is where I'll be updating you guys with the progress of the book thus far... currently it's around 30% complete, I have already completed the book cover, along with many articles including the CPC intro and history. Please pledge your support for the upcoming book, and remember all I wanna do is break even... not make a profit. I'm thinking of only making ten full colour books available.

I think the PDF is more likely to be around £3-5 - It all boils down to what amazon and Lulu charge.

FYI - The book will also cover Speccy, Atari XL, BBC and Commodore content... but is primarily written for users of the Amstrad CPC, with the other machines used for reference and comparisons. 

So Far:

Book cover - 100%
Intro - 100%
Begineers guide - 100%
Alan sugar
Amstrad CPC 464 history - 100%
Amstrad CPC 664 history - 40%
Amstrad CPC 6128 history - 90%
Magazines
Public domain
Top 100 1984 - 30%
Top 100 1985 - 5%
Top 100 1986
Top 100 1987
Top 100 1988
Top 100 1989
Top 100 1990
Top 100 1991
Top 100 1992
Interviews
DIY
Worst games on the CPC
Bloodiest games on the CPC 40%
The CPC can scroll - 90%
Speccy Ports

Nreive

While I would get the Full Colour version, the PDF will be the most popular choice for many buyers.
Retroaction - the digital retrogaming magazine

Ygdrazil

Quote from: Nreive on 17:40, 18 January 10
While I would get the Full Colour version, the PDF will be the most popular choice for many buyers.

I would like to buy 2 copies of the full color version (One for myself and one for a friend of mine, very much into CPC).. But I think Nreive is right the PDF version would be a popular choice by many!!

/Ygdrazil

ukmarkh

For sure, and hopefully that's what will happen. Although owning the book in full colour will be very desirable, as only a few will ever own it.

Gryzor

Hm.... nothing beats the smell of paper in your hands (ok, so I can think of some alternatives, but let's just keep it on topic! :D ).

I'd say you could offer the pdf only some time after the print edition comes out...

How much would a smaller colour version cost?

PS I stickied the topic, let's also add it to the wiki's homepage. But you should change the topic's title if you'll be reporting on the progress here, since it'll not be a mere poll...

Ygdrazil

Hi

I don't think 20-25£ is too much, anyway that's what they charge for a book of this size here in DK!!

If prize is of essence (which is suspect it is) what about a mixed color/BW edition like seen in some pages in old computer mags(Eg. Amtix). Can the printing company do this? And would that affect the price? (make it cheaper)

/Ygdrazil


Quote from: ukmarkh on 17:12, 18 January 10
This is where I'll be updating you guys with the progress of the book thus far... currently it's around 30% complete, I have already completed the book cover, along with many articles including the CPC intro and history. Please pledge your support for the upcoming book, and remember all I wanna do is break even... not make a profit. I'm thinking of only making ten full colour books available.

I think the PDF is more likely to be around £3-5 - It all boils down to what amazon and Lulu charge.

FYI - The book will also cover Speccy, Atari XL, BBC and Commodore content... but is primarily written for users of the Amstrad CPC, with the other machines used for reference and comparisons. 

So Far:

Book cover - 100%
Intro - 100%
Begineers guide - 100%
Alan sugar
Amstrad CPC 464 history - 100%
Amstrad CPC 664 history - 40%
Amstrad CPC 6128 history - 90%
Magazines
Public domain
Top 100 1984 - 30%
Top 100 1985 - 5%
Top 100 1986
Top 100 1987
Top 100 1988
Top 100 1989
Top 100 1990
Top 100 1991
Top 100 1992
Interviews
DIY
Worst games on the CPC
Bloodiest games on the CPC 40%
The CPC can scroll - 90%
Speccy Ports

Gryzor

Ygdrazil, maybe this is not too much for us (I'd pay double that!), but it may be too much for others. For instance, there are those lovely Speccy/c64 books out there but I'm not touching them because of the price - I'm simply not THAT interested...

Ygdrazil

#7
Heh ...

I see what you mean!!

Well then back to the idea

A limited edition in full color, and the PDF version!

Could this be done :-)

/Ygdrazil

PS. I am really looking forward to the book in any form it might come!

Quote from: Gryzor on 13:12, 21 January 10
Ygdrazil, maybe this is not too much for us (I'd pay double that!), but it may be too much for others. For instance, there are those lovely Speccy/c64 books out there but I'm not touching them because of the price - I'm simply not THAT interested...

Octoate

I already own the printed version of the Amstrad Action Tribute Magazine and paid nearly 25 EUR for the magazine, so I wouldn't mind to pay that or little more for the CPC book, too. The CPC is my hobby and there is not much to buy these days, so why not spend some bucks for your hobby ;-)?
--

ukmarkh

I spoke with LuLu and a few others, and they aren't interested in doing a mixed B/W & Colour book... it's B/W or colour only :-[

I really wanted the book to be cheaper, as I were hoping for around 350 pages, but that would have bumped the cost up massively. Instead I've planned to release a Vol2 if Vol1 does ok. Again, I just need to tread water, and hopefully not make too much of a loss.

Gryzor

What's the minimum order qty for Lulu?

ukmarkh

Quote from: Gryzor on 16:37, 21 January 10
What's the minimum order qty for Lulu?

Not sure... I'll have to check

Nreive

Quote from: ukmarkh on 15:52, 21 January 10
I spoke with LuLu and a few others, and they aren't interested in doing a mixed B/W & Colour book... it's B/W or colour only :-

I really wanted the book to be cheaper, as I were hoping for around 350 pages, but that would have bumped the cost up massively. Instead I've planned to release a Vol2 if Vol1 does ok. Again, I just need to tread water, and hopefully not make too much of a loss.
Yeah, it's B&W or Colour at Lulu.com and as we know a full colour book is expensive to publish at Lulu.com

I don't see how you would make a loss, certainly no worse than break even, unless you're going to ask for an order requirement and sell them on.  if you're going to do this, you could bump up the cost of the PDF version to cover any shortfall from the printed version.

Have you considered approaching Hiive Books ? (http://www.hiivebooks.com/).  They have no CPC book planned and may be interested in publishing your book.

Quote from: Gryzor on 16:37, 21 January 10
What's the minimum order qty for Lulu?
There is no minimum order requirement at Lulu.com: buy as many or as little as you want.  When we did the AA tribute mag, it was done on a print-on-demand basis.  This meant that customers would purchase the book and it would be printed there and then and sent out - no upfront cost to buy a certain amount of copies (which to sell on) and no financial loss.

Quote from: Gryzor on 13:12, 21 January 10
For instance, there are those lovely Speccy/c64 books out there but I'm not touching them because of the price - I'm simply not THAT interested...
BTW, The ZX Spectrum Book - 1982 to 199x by Andrew Rollings is now available as a free PDF download: http://www.worldofspectrum.org/infoseekid.cgi?id=2000926
Retroaction - the digital retrogaming magazine

Gryzor

Ok, this is what I was wondering... if there's no minimum qty then there should be no financial risk...?

Ygdrazil

Just had a guick browse in the ZX Spectrum Book. Well I am not particular into Sinclairs line of computers, even though my first Z80 computer was a bamboo clone of the ZX81. It's graphically pretty, but it would have been nice with more background info and stuff besides endless game reviews. In this respect I think the proposed contents for the CPC book sounds much more interesting..

A bit like the C64 book which I liked, the book I mean as I am even less in C64's!

Cant wait for the CPC book!

/Ygdrazil

Quote from: Nreive on 11:02, 22 January 10
BTW, The ZX Spectrum Book - 1982 to 199x by Andrew Rollings is now available as a free PDF download: http://www.worldofspectrum.org/infoseekid.cgi?id=2000926

Gryzor

I agree - I'm not too fond of books only featuring games reviews. Well, especially when it comes down to our CPC, for which there's little coverage in other publications...

ukmarkh

I spoke with Hive books a while ago, but they were not convinced a CPC book would be worth the trouble. So I'm basically on my own. The Book of Arnold will be about 20% techy, 20% History and 50% games... with 10% coverage of the other popular 8-bit systems.

Gryzor

I think this is a great balance... As long as the "other systems" is discussed under their relation to the CPC...

ukmarkh

Good news! Richard Clayton, the chap behind Locomotive has agreed to do an interview for the upcoming book. He has also agreed to do the preface at the begining of the book. I felt it was important for either Roland Perry or Richard to do this, and lets face it without the locomotive basic, the CPC just wouldn't have been the same machine, or worse; never existed.

Rest assured, a Roland Perry interview will hopefully feature, but towards the end i.e. in closing.

Trebmint

Thats great. Info on the arnold 2 please

Ygdrazil

Yeah great news!

More info on the ANT!!!

/Ygdrazil

Gryzor

Hahaha! And here I was, trying to find his address to drill him about those prototypes... :)

Trebmint

Is it possible you could video this meeting, rather than the seemingly usual email exchange. That would be fun

Gryzor

Quote from: Trebmint on 10:30, 28 January 10
Is it possible you could video this meeting, rather than the seemingly usual email exchange. That would be fun

Oooh now there's an idea!!!!! :)

ukmarkh

Probably... but I'd prefer a pod cast if I were to do it. Don't like the idea of my ugly mug being seen across the internet.

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