It's Time To Pre-Order Your Copy Of Into The Borderlands

Goodman Games announced some months ago that it would be producing 5th Edition updates of classic D&D adventures, and the first is now ready for pre-order: Into the Borderlands, a 384-page hardcover reprinting two classic adventures and also updating them to D&D 5E. The book slated for a May release.

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Original Adventures Reincarnated: Into the Borderlands is now available for pre-order! This 384-page hardcover reprints the classic Dungeons and Dragons modules B1: In Search of the Unknown and B2: The Keep on the Borderlands, in both their original format and updated for Fifth Edition Dungeons and Dragons. And there is even a full-color 16-page cover gallery insert!

The expected release date for Into the Borderlands is May, but we are hoping (cross your fingers!) to have some early-release copies available at Gary Con in March!

Inside this book you will find high-quality scans from multiple printings of the original first edition adventure modules, plus commentary by such gaming luminaries as Luke Gygax and Mike Mearls. Full fifth edition conversions of both adventures are included, as well as brand new additional adventure locations to further expand and develop the Borderlands. This is a fully playable mini-campaign to start off your new fifth edition adventures, with a distinct old-school vibe.

The originals were 16 pages each (edit - correction; B1 was 32 pages and B2 was 28 pages). This 284-page hardcover includes TWO reprinting of each of the two original modules plus the 5E conversions, which take up more space. The two reprinting include differences like different stat block formats, and different interior art. Goodman Games says "We don’t believe this is repeating the same thing, and these reprints are particularly interesting if you are a student of gaming history."

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The conversion to 5E is a "direct conversion", remaining consistent with the 1E originals; so there will be the same number of monsters in each location, and so on. "It’s up to the DM to mitigate this, or the PCs to use wise tactics (some described by Mr. Gygax himself, decades ago), or to use the age-old practice of “run away to fight another day.” The original B2 was itself not balanced in regard to encounters. There was nothing (aside from a few vague rumors) to prevent a party of 1st-level PCs from wandering into the upper caves, and facing down dozens of undead in one room (for example)."

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[Zardnaar]

Seems expensive and there are already conversions of those products out there. Seems a lazy conversion as well and there is a huge difference in power levels between 20 kobolds for example. An old school sleep spell for example would knock out around 18 of them. B1 is also not that good. You can just run the original putting in the 5E monsters and using the DMG traps.

 

[Guest 6801328]

The table of contents is in the post. I mean it’s right there.

Oh, lord. Sometimes the Internet is just one big /facepalm

Ok, since this is all so obvious to you, please explain:
How does it takes 70+ pages to reproduce each 16 page module? Even with "two reprintings each" we're less than halfway there (and why on earth do they reprint them twice, plus the the 5e version? Why would we even want a single reprinting of the original?) What could consume 14 pages of "Dungeon Master Advice"? If the original, full modules are in there, why are 30 pages of new monsters needed?

We can conjecture why this makes sense, and I have some theories, but it's not at all obvious from looking at this TOC.

Maybe I should have just tweeted "Failing publisher can't multiple 16 times two covfefe!!! SAD!!!!" and my point would have been more readily understood.

 

[darjr]

Oh, lord. Sometimes the Internet is just one big /facepalm

Ok, since this is all so obvious to you, please explain:
How does it takes 70+ pages to reproduce each 16 page module? Even with "two reprintings each" we're less than halfway there (and why on earth do they reprint them twice, plus the the 5e version? Why would we even want a single reprinting of the original?) What could consume 14 pages of "Dungeon Master Advice"? If the original, full modules are in there, why are 30 pages of new monsters needed?

We can conjecture why this makes sense, and I have some theories, but it's not at all obvious from looking at this TOC.

Maybe I should have just tweeted "Failing publisher can't multiple 16 times two covfefe!!! SAD!!!!" and my point would have been more readily understood.

Oh, lord, insults, because?

First, as you can read earlier in the thread, B2 isn't 16 pages. My PDF copy says 28, not including outside cover and the maps on the inside cover. So you know that could be 32 pages. Almost halfway there. Not sure about the other edition. I doubt there are six more pages, however I'll bet there is a page introducing each, that leaves four for some of the other differences in editions talked about at the link.

 

[Parmandur]

I love B1 and B2. They were the first modules I ever got to play. I have a great deal of love for them.

But only distaste for this product. I want to love it like I loved the originals, but the more I hear about this the more reluctant I get. The more the taste sours.

3 versions of each version? If I want the old versions, I'll just go get them out of my closet or buy the PDFs. I mean really, how many of us need reprints so that we can be "students of gaming history"? These reprints will never be collectors items like the originals, and for any type of 'study' you would want the originals anyway.

"expected release date" How many times have we heard this? Wasn't is supposed to be September 2017 originally?

A "direct conversion" where "It’s up to the DM to mitigate this". Then what am I supposed to be buying? Sure, I know the roginal wasn't balanced, and this one doesn't have to be either. But if all they did was take the old one and said "5 goblins in this room, ok, we'll put 5 goblins in our conversion."

Then what the heck are we buying? What "work and effort" have they done? Where's the value add? Was all their effort all about cleaning up the images, text and formatting? I'm not paying for that.

I'm not in the same boat, having never played the originals, but this is not attractive to me as a TftYP style book would be.

 

[DRF]

I haven't played the original. I really like the idea of this book, but it does seem like massive overkill to have such a huge book. I'll definitely wait for user reviews before purchasing anything.

 

[Guest 6801328]

Oh, lord, insults, because?

Because this wasn't condescending/snarky?

The table of contents is in the post. I mean it’s right there.

First, as you can read earlier in the thread, B2 isn't 16 pages.

Before I posted? Mine was literally the first post. Your response was second. There was no "earlier in the thread" at that point.

I was asking "How on earth....?" in the way that Calvin's mom says "What are you doing?!?!" when it's quite apparent that he is pounding nails into the coffee table. Sometimes the obvious explanation still doesn't explain things.

 

[darjr]

Because this wasn't condescending/snarky?



Before I posted? Mine was literally the first post. Your response was second. There was no "earlier in the thread" at that point.

I was asking "How on earth....?" in the way that Calvin's mom says "What are you doing?!?!" when it's quite apparent that he is pounding nails into the coffee table. Sometimes the obvious explanation still doesn't explain things.

Wait? Typeing 'table of names' wasn't condescending or snarky? Hardly a good beginning to a nice conversation.

Second, I meant before I posted. Earlier in the thread, as in from where I wrote that. Some time before your post where you said 16 pages. And why 16 pages? Because it's what you read on the internet vs actually knowing how many pages either actually are?

 

[darjr]

I know this isn't every bodies bag. I'm looking forward to it. I hope that they do more of them, and maybe with fewer copies of each and more commentary from the original creators or those close to them or those involved or even details from any historians about the product and their production and invention.

 

[jerryrice4949]

I don't understand all of the complaining. Goodman has been very upfront about the nature of the product. They specialize in deluxe reprints like they did with judges guild. I would hardly expect them To use their resources on a simple conversion. While the MRSP does seem a little High it will probably be less expensive on Amazon. I plan to buy it later and not preorder though.

 

[Shadow Demon]

I don't get the complaint either. Plus, per the FAQ, there is going to be a PDF for sale which works for me.