Fear of 1st Print Runs

[Quasqueton]

I bought the D&D3 PHB the day it first hit the stores. I read it thoroughly over that week, and was shocked at the editing errors throughout the book. It was rather annoying to be trying to learn the new edition when some of the examples and such didn't match the rule text. Same with the DMG and MM.

I bought the 2nd printing as soon as it was released. It was cleaned up and I was happier. Unfortunately, there are still issues with it (polymorph spells are an example - still being tweaked in later books).

Then I bought the first print run of S&F. Oh my goodness, but that was in sore need of better editing. This irked me greatly. Now there is a 2nd printing of S&F, but I don't want to have to duplicate my purchases. A printout of errata stuck in the back is a way of fixing the problem, but it is less than best.

Recently I bought the 1st print run of Ultimate Feats (as discussed in another thread). This book also needed serious editing attention. Maybe the second print run will attend to that?

I have now started checking the copyright info in books before I buy them. I don't want to buy a 1st print run of *anything*. I'd love to have the d20 Modern rules, but I am not going to risk buying the 1st print. But how long will I have to wait?

I'm also waiting for the 2nd printing of the PsionicsHB and OA.

Ironically, if everyone waited for the 2nd printing, the 1st printing wouldn't sell and the publisher would think the game/book is a dud and won't make a 2nd printing. Catch 22?

I want to have the revised D&D3 books when they come out in July, but again, I do not want a first print run. I'll have to wait till the second print run. But when will that be? December 2003? Sometime in 2004?

I don't remember finding all sorts of errors in my old AD&D(1) books. Was I just young and less pedantic? Last night I looked through my old books -- AD&D PHB = 6th printing. The other books (DMG, MM, etc.) were similarly late print runs. They were all printed in circa 1979, and I bought/received them in circa 1981.

I remember having an argument with a player about 10 years ago over his character not meshing with the rules of AD&D2. It turned out that he was right according to his PHB, and I was right according to my PHB. I don't remember who had the latest printing.

What is the problem? Are publishers rushing books out the door before they've had time to do a thorough edit? Are they printing too many books at one time, and so can't do a reprint sooner with corrections? Is it just too bad that I'm already into the game and want the books as soon as they're available instead of learning of the game a few years after its start and getting books already in their 2nd+ printing (like I did with AD&D1)?

Would it be worthwhile for a publisher to hire a freelance editor to read over the final draft before it went to press? Someone who hasn't already been looking at the same text for 6 months. I've been a professional editor in my career, and I understand how you can read something ten times and miss errors, then have one person from "outside" read the text once and immediately spot an error or twelve.

What is the answer? Is it just me that is annoyed/irked by this phenomenon? I now need to avoid the ENWorld main page because I see all these new books I'd love to have, but I'm now afraid of 1st print runs. Do I need a support group?

Quasqueton

 

[Crothian]

It would be great to be able to wait to the second print run, but it's impossible to know when that would be. Also, some books never reach a second print run.

 

[Moxie]

Did the 3E DMG and MM ever get a revised print run? They have been out over two years!

 

[diaglo]

no support group necessary. just put your 1st print runs on a shelf as collectables. eventually some fool will think they are worth something.

 

[alsih2o]

fear of first print runs....hmmm, errataphobia?

 

[Kichwas]

The gaming industry has horrid editing...

It's really quite pathetic.

In my opinion, the so called low prices on RPG books are fully justified by the poor quality in editing and graphic design (layout, typography, and illustration, not color and glossy paper -which are just tricks).

In fact, given the poor state of it; I'd say the books are overpriced.

For what we pay, in any other field; we could expect to be near error free.

So a fear of first prints is justified. Unfortunately it also leads to books never making it to second prints. After all a second print only happens when the first sells out.

Myself, I have first print of all my 3E books. I'm glad for it too, considering the new edition is less than 6 months away...

 

[haiiro]

You're not alone. I buy most of my d20 books as soon as they come out, and many of them have since seen 2nd printings that correct errors, etc.

It's kind of a devil's choice, though:

1) buy the first printing and suck up the inevitable mistakes (and put an errata sheet in the book)
2) wait a really long time for a second printing -- which, as Crothian pointed out, may never come
3) buy it twice

Thus far, I've only gone out of my way to buy a second printing of the PHB -- I want one definitive copy, and it's also nice to have a second one in any case (and the errors aren't that major, IMO). I haven't replaced my copy of Sword & Fist because I don't think it's good enough to justify buying it twice; keeping errata on hand for it works well enough.

I'll almost certainly pick up a copy of CCI Revised when it comes out, but I'll probably grumble about it.

 

[DDK]

Heh, I've been in this argument a dozen times before so I'll just state my opinions and be done with the thread.

First off, for the most part, I agree with arcady.

It's just laziness that results in so much error. There are exceptions, for instance sometimes the channels a product go through can be convoluted and an error in the chain can go unnoticed until printing. However that's never been the claim in any of WotC's productions that I know of.

I think that printing values have decreased significantly over the last ten years as a direct result of the influx of publishers and, more importantly, the increased accessibility and popularity of DTP.

People, quite simply, will buy shoddy product and so shoddy product is what they get.

Vote with your dollar I say. Yes, it inconveniences you and it may even harm the company, but if the company is one that doesn't care enough to put a book through a decent copy editor's hands, then maybe they deserve to pay the penalty.

Hopefully WotC has learned from it's mistakes and will make the first print run of the revised editions as error free as they can, however I severely doubt it which is why I will be avoiding the first print run and will be using the SRD until the second print run clears up the errors.

Given that a lot of people felt burnt by the core rulebooks errors and especially S&F, I think this is a common attitude. However I also think that most people will disregard their better judgement and buy anyway. Like I said, people will buy shoddy product and so shoddy product is what they get.

It's the principle that Hollywood is built on.

 

[alsih2o]

you have to remember that the first printing of the revision will pretty much eb a second(possibly third) printing, most of the material has been written and published already.

for instance the poly errata will be in it (i assume) and it has been published in t+b (and others i believe). add this to what has been "put right" in the srd and i think the 3e revision will be much more err free than most.

 

[Nightfall]

I have no fear of reprints. Why? Because if I got already I'll worry about it later.