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Wooly Rupert
Master of Mischief
USA
36804 Posts |
 Posted - 03 Nov 2006 : 13:50:38
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There's a new readers survey Wizards is doing... You can get to it by clicking on the link below.
http://ww2.wizards.com/Books/Wizards/?doc=main_bookssurvey1106
It took me about 15 minutes.
It asks a lot of questions about how much fiction you read, how many books you buy, etc. It eventually gets to asking about shared settings, allowing you to give opinions on a bunch of them -- including, specifically, the Realms. There's also a place you can comment on why shared settings appeal to you.
I'm making this thread sticky, for now, to make sure everyone has a chance to go tell Wizards that we love FR novels! 
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Candlekeep Forums Moderator
Candlekeep - The Library of Forgotten Realms Lore
http://www.candlekeep.com -- Candlekeep Forum Code of Conduct
I am the Giant Space Hamster of Ill Omen!  |
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Rinonalyrna Fathomlin
Great Reader
USA
7106 Posts |
Posted - 04 Nov 2006 : 03:58:46
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For some reason, the test keeps "crashing" for me after asking me how many fantasy novels per year I read. |
"Instead of asking why we sleep, it might make sense to ask why we wake. Perchance we live to dream. From that perspective, the sea of troubles we navigate in the workaday world might be the price we pay for admission to another night in the world of dreams."
--Richard Greene (letter to Time) |
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KnightErrantJR
Great Reader
USA
5402 Posts |
Posted - 04 Nov 2006 : 04:02:10
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| Same for me . . . |
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Kuje
Great Reader
USA
7915 Posts |
Posted - 04 Nov 2006 : 05:11:13
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| I managed to do it earlier in the day but I couldn't give truthful answers on some of the questions because the boxes weren't big enough for me to put my answers in, since some of them only went to 99. I buy more then 99 books a year. :) |
For some of us, books are as important as almost anything else on earth. What a miracle it is that out of these small, flat, rigid squares of paper unfolds world after world, worlds that sing to you, comfort and quiet and excite you... Books are full of the things that you don't get in real life - wonderful, lyrical language, for instance, right off the bat. - Anne Lamott, Bird by Bird
Scribe for the Candlekeep Compendium |
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The Sage
Procrastinator Most High
Australia
31774 Posts |
Posted - 04 Nov 2006 : 06:14:40
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quote:
Originally posted by Kuje
I managed to do it earlier in the day but I couldn't give truthful answers on some of the questions because the boxes weren't big enough for me to put my answers in, since some of them only went to 99. I buy more then 99 books a year. :)
Indeed.
It's frustrating, specifically, because 99 books is nowhere near the actual amount I purchase in one year.
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Candlekeep Forums Moderator
Candlekeep - The Library of Forgotten Realms Lore
http://www.candlekeep.com -- Candlekeep Forum Code of Conduct
Scribe for the Candlekeep Compendium -- Volume IX now available (Oct 2007)
"So Saith Ed" -- the collected Candlekeep replies of Ed Greenwood
Zhoth'ilam Folio -- The Electronic Misadventures of a Rambling Sage |
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Victor_ograygor
Master of Realmslore
Denmark
1075 Posts |
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acro
Acolyte
USA
16 Posts |
Posted - 04 Nov 2006 : 20:22:00
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Same thing for me too.
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Bring out those dusty tomes to be copied.
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Reefy
Senior Scribe
United Kingdom
892 Posts |
Posted - 05 Nov 2006 : 00:59:24
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| I just pulled some random figures from my posterior - I genuinely have no idea how many books I buy or read a year. Lots is about as far I get. |
Life is either daring adventure or nothing. |
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Kentinal
Great Reader
4689 Posts |
Posted - 05 Nov 2006 : 01:49:08
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| I could not get that far, it appears I do not read the "correct" types of fiction to complete the market survey. |
"Small beings can have small wisdom," the dragon said. "And small wise beings are better than small fools. Listen: Wisdom is caring for afterwards."
"Caring for afterwards ...? Ker repeated this without understanding.
"After action, afterwards," the dragon said. "Choose the afterwards first, then the action. Fools choose action first."
"Judgement" copyright 2003 by Elizabeth Moon |
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Mkhaiwati
Learned Scribe
USA
252 Posts |
Posted - 05 Nov 2006 : 02:19:36
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I tried with two separate browsers, and it crashes at the exact same point after it asks how many fantasy novels I read, the same problem others were having. I usually use Firefox, but I tried IE after it crashed twice at that page. IE didn't work, either.
I'll try later, maybe it is just busy.
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"Behold the work of the old... let your heritage not be lost but bequeath it as a memory, treasure and blessing... Gather the lost and the hidden and preserve it for thy children."
"not nale. not-nale. thog help nail not-nale, not nale. and thog knot not-nale while nale nail not-nale. nale, not not-nale, now nail not-nale by leaving not-nale, not nale, in jail." OotS #367 |
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hammer of Moradin
Senior Scribe
USA
758 Posts |
Posted - 05 Nov 2006 : 02:48:30
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I tried. No luck here either. |
"Hurling himself upon his enemies, he terrified them with slaughter!"
Scribe for the Candlekeep Compendium
Candlekeep proverb: If a thing is said often enough, fools aplenty will believe it to be true. |
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Wooly Rupert
Master of Mischief
USA
36804 Posts |
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Zimme
Learned Scribe
Denmark
209 Posts |
Posted - 06 Nov 2006 : 13:13:40
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| crash here too, frustrating as h... |
Sometimes I feel like Beshaba is sitting on my back, devoting her entire attention to me!
Rannek.
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Ergdusch
Master of Realmslore
Germany
1720 Posts |
Posted - 06 Nov 2006 : 13:37:51
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same here!
Edit note:
I tries it wth IE7, Opera and Mozilla - same result: crash
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"Das Gras weht im Wind, wenn der Wind weht." |
Edited by - Ergdusch on 06 Nov 2006 15:48:48 |
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Kalin Agrivar
Senior Scribe
Canada
956 Posts |
Posted - 06 Nov 2006 : 15:08:55
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sounds like a conspiracy!  |
Kalin Xorell El'Agrivar
- High Mage of the Arcane Assembly
- Lore Keeper of the Vault of Ancestors
- 3rd Son of the Lord of the Stand |
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Kajehase
Great Reader
Sweden
2104 Posts |
Posted - 06 Nov 2006 : 16:28:19
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| It worked fine for me with IE7. |
There is a rumour going around that I have found god. I think is unlikely because I have enough difficulty finding my keys, and there is empirical evidence that they exist.
Terry Pratchett |
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Lord Nemes
Seeker
Canada
58 Posts |
Posted - 07 Nov 2006 : 01:45:16
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It crashed 2 times at the beginning... fine not so much time wasted.
The third time I was near the end and had typed a couple of long answers (can't copy the text) then it crash again.
Sorry, three strikes...Out!
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quajack
Seeker
86 Posts |
Posted - 13 Nov 2006 : 17:17:26
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| I was up to 93% complete until it crapped out on me. Hey, I tried. |
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Wooly Rupert
Master of Mischief
USA
36804 Posts |
Posted - 13 Nov 2006 : 17:56:56
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| Well, with the number of problems people are having with this, I think I should unsticky it. It's just not reliable enough to warrant keeping it here at the top, I guess. |
Candlekeep Forums Moderator
Candlekeep - The Library of Forgotten Realms Lore
http://www.candlekeep.com -- Candlekeep Forum Code of Conduct
I am the Giant Space Hamster of Ill Omen! |
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ElaineCunningham
Forgotten Realms Author
2396 Posts |
Posted - 14 Nov 2006 : 12:51:48
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quote:
Originally posted by Wooly Rupert
Well, with the number of problems people are having with this, I think I should unsticky it. It's just not reliable enough to warrant keeping it here at the top, I guess.
I tried the survey, and it had only two questions for me. Once I typed in my birthdate and filled in the types of books I read, I established myself as "not the kind of household we wish to survey." It would seem that my age doesn't fit the demographics, and my reading is too ecclectic.
Apparently this survey is targeted at the perceived core of WotC readership: young males who primarily read fantasy. |
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Mace Hammerhand
Great Reader
Germany
2296 Posts |
Posted - 14 Nov 2006 : 12:56:39
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quote:
Originally posted by ElaineCunningham
quote:
Originally posted by Wooly Rupert
Well, with the number of problems people are having with this, I think I should unsticky it. It's just not reliable enough to warrant keeping it here at the top, I guess.
I tried the survey, and it had only two questions for me. Once I typed in my birthdate and filled in the types of books I read, I established myself as "not the kind of household we wish to survey." It would seem that my age doesn't fit the demographics, and my reading is too ecclectic.
Apparently this survey is targeted at the perceived core of WotC readership: young males who primarily read fantasy.
At least their target group isn't young males who lock themselves up in the bathroom reading erotica
Kinda silly really  |
Mace's not so gentle gamer's journal My rants were harmless compared to this, beware! |
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Zimme
Learned Scribe
Denmark
209 Posts |
Posted - 14 Nov 2006 : 13:12:51
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quote:
Originally posted by Mace Hammerhand
quote:
Originally posted by ElaineCunningham
quote:
Originally posted by Wooly Rupert
Well, with the number of problems people are having with this, I think I should unsticky it. It's just not reliable enough to warrant keeping it here at the top, I guess.
I tried the survey, and it had only two questions for me. Once I typed in my birthdate and filled in the types of books I read, I established myself as "not the kind of household we wish to survey." It would seem that my age doesn't fit the demographics, and my reading is too ecclectic.
Apparently this survey is targeted at the perceived core of WotC readership: young males who primarily read fantasy.
At least their target group isn't young males who lock themselves up in the bathroom reading erotica
Kinda silly really
But there are alot of those! .....their new demografic..ey!    |
Sometimes I feel like Beshaba is sitting on my back, devoting her entire attention to me!
Rannek.
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ElaineCunningham
Forgotten Realms Author
2396 Posts |
Posted - 14 Nov 2006 : 14:04:55
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| Surveys and statistics are only as good as their samples and controls. If you're trying to ascertain what appeals to a particular audience, it makes sense to limit your data collection to that audience. No arguments here. |
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Kalin Agrivar
Senior Scribe
Canada
956 Posts |
Posted - 14 Nov 2006 : 14:25:26
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from the WotC link...
quote:
Tell Us What You Think!
Tell us what you think! Help us publish the best books for you by telling us a little about yourself and the books you read.
I am a natural resource tech...I do alot of differnt kind of surveys, including "people" surveys
to already limit your survey to a certain demographic defeats the purpose of the survey in the first place...to limit the demographic when you ask for a general, widespread opinion to "improve" your material is misleading and gives the whole notion and spirit of their "opinion" survey a spin that would do a politician proud
the results would be misleading and conclusions made are biased and I'd bet their announced "survey results" would be deceptive
I was amused and suspicious that the survey kep crashing, but to hear they are limiting their demographic actually disgusts me (as crooked politics disgusts me)...that survey isn't for improving anything, it is to give the illusion Hasbro actually cares about their customers |
Kalin Xorell El'Agrivar
- High Mage of the Arcane Assembly
- Lore Keeper of the Vault of Ancestors
- 3rd Son of the Lord of the Stand |
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Mace Hammerhand
Great Reader
Germany
2296 Posts |
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ElaineCunningham
Forgotten Realms Author
2396 Posts |
Posted - 14 Nov 2006 : 16:22:10
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quote:
Originally posted by Kalin Agrivar
from the WotC link...
I am a natural resource tech...I do alot of differnt kind of surveys, including "people" surveys
to already limit your survey to a certain demographic defeats the purpose of the survey in the first place...to limit the demographic when you ask for a general, widespread opinion to "improve" your material is misleading and gives the whole notion and spirit of their "opinion" survey a spin that would do a politician proud
the results would be misleading and conclusions made are biased and I'd bet their announced "survey results" would be deceptive
Well, yes and no. If the purpose of the survey was a desire to give the target audience what they want, then the survey should focus on responses by the target audience.
Look at it this way: do you really want the direction of the Realms determined by people who primarily read mystery, romance, or inspirational novels? Does it make sense for books written for a 12-30 demographic to be shaped by the opinions of eight-year-old girls or 65-year-old women?
The Realms books are not mainstream books; they appeal to a niche audience. Gathering data from an undifferentiated readership and weighing all responses alike would not be particularly informative. The fact that the survey is on the WotC website would define the sample to a large degree, but I've taken enough statistics courses to realize that the result of any survey is only as good as the sample.
Let's assume for the point of argument that the New York Times bestseller list represents an undifferentiated sample of readers. In any given week, the fifteen top-selling fiction books, paperback and hardcover, will be dominated by romance and thrillers, with three or four mainstream and the occasional literary fiction. Science fiction and fantasy books do appear on these lists, but not every week. Should WotC assume from this that they should be publishing romantic intrigue, thereby blending the two most popular catagories?
People who read shared-world fiction do so for a number of reasons. The survey was designed to gather data on what those reasons might be. I took it again, using my younger son's age, interests, and reading habits, and this was very informative. They asked how many books Sean reads each year, how much he spends on them, where he buys them (or who buys them for him), what format he prefers and which formats he buys (hardcover, paperback, ebooks) what influences him to buy a book (cover, back cover copy, reviews, advertisement--and if so, in what magazine, recommendations from friends), what he likes in the books (continuing characters, the world itself, lots of magic vs less magic), and whether he thinks the books have enough action, humor, and adventure. Does he think the books are well written? Which settings is he familiar with, and which does he read? What games does he play, including CCG, RPG, and video? What other types of activities does he enjoy?
All of these things have a purpose. If they find that many people are buying books because they saw them advertised in Dragon, this lets them know that advertising dollars are well spent in that magazine. If people are influenced by reviews on a particular online website, it's probably worth their while to send advance reader copies to the reviewers on that website. If people say that cover art is a big influence, and if these people are also very interested in Manga, this might suggest a move toward Manga-influenced cover art. If more people want dark novels than humorous ones, this may well influence how the line is balanced. I can see reasons why it would be valuable to know how many FR readers are also gamers. I can also see why it would be helpful to know how many FR readers are reading ebooks, and how (computer, specially designed device.) My husband just got the new Sony e-Reader, and he was surprised to learn that none of my WotC books are available electronically. I would love to see FR books available for the e-Reader and other e-book formats, but before a publisher decides to make books available in a new format, it is reasonable to ascertain whether or not there is any interest in this new format.
quote:
I was amused and suspicious that the survey kep crashing, but to hear they are limiting their demographic actually disgusts me (as crooked politics disgusts me)...that survey isn't for improving anything, it is to give the illusion Hasbro actually cares about their customers
I don't know why the survey crashes for some people. It's not run by WotC, and it's held on an off-site website. But it makes perfect sense to me that the survey would be designed to gather different kinds and amounts of data from different types of readers. Market research generally isn't motivated by an altruistic love of gamers and readers, but a desire to produce games and books that will appeal to these gamers and readers and that, therefore, will sell. There's nothing wrong with this. Questions should be geared both to the interests of the consumers, the buying habits, and the most effective promotions. The best FR novel ever isn't much good to you if you never hear about it. |
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Sian
Senior Scribe
Denmark
596 Posts |
Posted - 14 Nov 2006 : 16:56:20
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well ... instead of limiting they should just look more at the once they have as target group, (looking on what this and that group wants
whats funny though is that they first ask for birthdate ... and then two questions later ask for age :D |
what happened to the queen? she's much more hysterical than usual
She's a women, it happens once a month |
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Besshalar
Learned Scribe
Finland
166 Posts |
Posted - 14 Nov 2006 : 17:50:46
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quote:
Originally posted by Sian
well ... instead of limiting they should just look more at the once they have as target group, (looking on what this and that group wants
whats funny though is that they first ask for birthdate ... and then two questions later ask for age :D
They're trying to trick all those people who try to lie about their age to affect the demographics.
Managed to complete it but didn't ask too many questions.... |
The large print giveth , and the small print taketh away.
-Tom Waits |
Edited by - Besshalar on 14 Nov 2006 17:55:20 |
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Another readers survey from Wizards. Vote Realms!
