D&D 4E 4E at the printers...but we don't see it until June?

[beverson]

Just as a point of reference, all 3 of my 3.5 core books say "printed in the USA" on them...

 

[Filcher]

Just as a point of reference, all 3 of my 3.5 core books say "printed in the USA" on them...

Considered me corrected. I checked the SAGA book and it is USA, too.

 

[GoodKingJayIII]

I'm hoping that someone with more of an insider's view of the publishing world can explain that. In my mind, once the books have been printed you need, maybe, a month to check the first-run proofs for errors, and start shipping to distributors. Why, if the books are going to the printers now, will it take 3 months for them to be available?

Not a gripe, not a rant...I'm just genuinely curious.

-F5

Because, sending them to the printer =/= massing printing.

If WotC is smart, they'll get proofs back from the printer for one final edit. If they want to go over it with a fine-toothed comb (and they should) I could easily see the remainder of the process taking until June.

 

[catsclaw]

If WotC is smart, they'll get proofs back from the printer for one final edit. If they want to go over it with a fine-toothed comb (and they should) I could easily see the remainder of the process taking until June.

Not to mention, they could potentially slip rules fixes and clarifications into the galleys. It's trickier, since you generally have a limited space to work with and have to cut things for everything you add, but it's far from impossible.

 

[Ranger REG]

I'm hoping that someone with more of an insider's view of the publishing world can explain that. In my mind, once the books have been printed you need, maybe, a month to check the first-run proofs for errors, and start shipping to distributors. Why, if the books are going to the printers now, will it take 3 months for them to be available?

Not a gripe, not a rant...I'm just genuinely curious.

Well, we're nearing the end of March (one week left?) so they got about 2 month plus a few days.

They're also printing not one book but THREE books that have the same release date. Those 2 months should be able to fill that order, whereas it would take less than a month to print one book.

And isn't this a worldwide release or is it just a domestic (US) release followed by a later release date for the rest of the global community?

 

[Assallya]

That's the kicker. A couple companies (Goodman, Necro, more?) have offered to pay the $5k, but I don't think Wizards has accepted yet. There hasn't been the exchange of contracts that would bind Wizards to cough up the development kit --- that contract is what is still being held up by lawyers.

That 6 month development time is about 3 months now, by my count.

Bah... it's like when my company and union spent eight months suing one another about an irreversible change in store policy. By the time the case was settled (if it ever was...) the actual result was pointless.

Well, perhaps then they can release the core books early, the moment they're completed. That would be nice.