A question about RP game product.

[davywavy]

Chatting to davedevil the other night we started talking about the content of game product - that is, the source and reference books outside of core rulebooks for game systems.
It struck us that the majority of additional product, either downloadable or hard copy - tends to be written adventures. Even sourcebooks seem to have the greater part of their content as adventures set in the new setting rather than researched or created background.

The question is, is this because:
1) People are more likely tyo buy adventures than background material,
2) Adventures are waaaay easier to create than background material and research despite that being what people would prefer, or
3) Something else?

Thoughts?

Comments

[chrisvenus]

The only product line I've strongly followed has been exalted which was virtually 100% background/new rules and very little in terms of actual adventures. It was all about the story hooks and I like this model. The Warhammer 40K roleplay stuff seems to be more new rules and background than adventures in the books I've seen too... Are you sure your premuse isn't flawed? :)

[davywavy.livejournal.com]

In your face.

[davywavy.livejournal.com]

They might be; the only game product I tend to buy is CoC and D&D, and that seems very adventure heavy and not so research/original work heavy.

This led to me asking the question.