Bits and Mortar?

[FreeTrav]

Question the First: Is Mongoose a participating publisher in the Bits and Mortar program?

Question the Second: If Mongoose is a participating publisher, are there any Mongoose Traveller products that have been published to date that are not Bits and Mortar eligible products?

Question the Third: If Mongoose is a participating publisher, is it permissible and possible to get the Bits and Mortar benefit (i.e., the PDF editions) for currently-eligible products that I purchased prior to (a) my finding out about Bits and Mortar, and/or (b) Mongoose's participation in Bits and Mortar?

Question the Fourth: If the answer to Question the Third is affirmative, what is the procedure to do so?

Question the Fifth: How do I determine whether a product is eligible?

Question the Sixth: What is the procedure for getting the Bits and Mortar benefit for future purchases of eligible products?


I invite Third Party publishers of Traveller material (including but not limited to Sceaptune Games, Jon Brazer Enterprises, Terra/Sol Games, and Spica Publishing - I'm sure I've missed some) to answer the above questions as applied to themselves - and if any of them answer "No" to Question the First, I encourage them to change their answer to "Yes"!

 

[rust]

Bits and Mortar is certainly a nice initiative, but it only makes
sense for companies which have their material available at ga-
mes shops, not PDFs only or printed on demand, and it is most
useful for customers who live near one of the shops which par-
ticipate in the program - in my case the nearest such shop is
about 1,000 km away.

 

[FreeTrav]

Bits and Mortar is certainly a nice initiative, but it only makes
sense for companies which have their material available at ga-
mes shops, not PDFs only or printed on demand, and it is most
useful for customers who live near one of the shops which par-
ticipate in the program - in my case the nearest such shop is
about 1,000 km away.

Indeed, that would be a suboptimal state of affairs - but it's one that can be remedied, by getting retailers closer to you to be participating retailers. This is a program that is best spread by word-of-mouth - "hey, Johann (FLGS-staffer) - a lot of people want to get their gaming products in PDF. You might be able to entice them into buying the hardcopy, and doing it HERE, by being a participant in Bricks... er, Bits and Mortar, and advertising that you are - and who knows, maybe you'll make knock-on sales of non-B&M products when they DO come in for B&M products..."

As far as POD and PDF-only, well... remember the B&M objective: support of brick-and-mortar gaming stores, and encouraging custom thereat. I can't think of a way to fit POD or PDF-only into that goal, but if you CAN, work it up as a proposal, and submit it to B&M! It's a no-lose situation; the worst-case scenario is that they look at it, and say "no", which leaves the status quo; if, on the other hand, they adopt it... it potentially extends the reach of the program, and possibly offers other inducements for publishers and shops both to participate.

 

[apoc527]

Yes, they are. I purchased the Zhodani book and got the PDF (same as on DTRPG) for free emailed to me by the FLGS. This was in Seattle, WA. I'm sure there are some participating members in other states.

 

[GamerDude]

Yes, they are. I purchased the Zhodani book and got the PDF (same as on DTRPG) for free emailed to me by the FLGS. This was in Seattle, WA. I'm sure there are some participating members in other states.

Um... care to share which store that was at (being in Spokane, and travel regularly to Seattle, I could use that kind of service).

 

[apoc527]

Sure, it's called Gamma Ray Games in downtown Seattle.

 

[dmccoy1693]

Question the First: Is JBE a participating publisher in the Bits and Mortar program?

Yes.

Question the Second: Are there any Mongoose Traveller products that have been published to date that are not Bits and Mortar eligible products?

All our print books that are sold in distribution are available through Bits and Mortar. (aka Mech Tech 'n' bot: Mech Squadrons and the d66 Compendium).

Question the Third: Is it permissible and possible to get the Bits and Mortar benefit (i.e., the PDF editions) for currently-eligible products that I purchased prior to (a) my finding out about Bits and Mortar, and/or (b) JBE's participation in Bits and Mortar?

Yes. Details are on my website.

Question the Fourth: If the answer to Question the Third is affirmative, what is the procedure to do so?

See previous answer.

Question the Fifth: How do I determine whether a product is eligible?

Is it MTnb: MS or the d66Compendium? Yes, then it is eligible. If not, then no.

Question the Sixth: What is the procedure for getting the Bits and Mortar benefit for future purchases of eligible products?

Make sure your local game store is a participant in BandM. If they are, they can give you the PDF themselves.