Page XX?

[jinnetics]

Personally, I think this is the height of irresponsibility. I was really hoping that these types of errors, which had gotten so bad toward the end of the 3.5 publishing cycle, could be avoided. Alas: no.

I mean, they KNOW a million people will be reading every word of this book! Could they not get someone to take one last pass before it went to the printer?

You're dealing with a product created by human beings. It's inevitable.

 

[Verys Arkon]

Having tried my hand at editing the PrRC before the books were out, I can say it is very difficult to catch every little thing. The WotC editors did a fantastic job given the size and complexity of the books, in my opinion. Its easy to say "I found the errors, why couldn't they", but until you actually try editing something like the core rulebooks, I don't think you really know how good a job they actually do.

Verys Arkon

 

[JDJblatherings]

"page XX" is a pretty minor publishing error. Annoying but minor.

 

[evilbob]

You're dealing with a product created by human beings. It's inevitable.

I understand this, but at the same time their 3.5 core books' editing quality was so much better. And many of the recent 3.5 splat books (and even adventure books - see Ravenloft) had tons of serious typos.

I know people make mistakes. But they've already done better before. And it is possible to print a book without typos.

 

[Whizbang Dustyboots]

Yes they know full well how many people will read it. Errors cause more buzz about the game, more hits on the website to get free errata (which can lead to more subscribers) and perhaps to a second printing. It can also irritate people enough to be done with WOTC. Its a calculated gamble.

No.

 

[Whizbang Dustyboots]

You're dealing with a product created by human beings. It's inevitable.

Simple solution: Stop hiring humans.

There are lots of gnomes currently looking for work and we promise not to use Secret Page on too many critical pages.

 

[Zogmo]

I've worked 15 years in the copy and printing industry and typos are in many, many docs that were proofed many, many times. It's almost more of a surprise when there are no typos in the books we print. It's really difficult to get them 100 percent accurate. It's the reality of the industry. Anyone who hasn't actually tried to proof books has no idea what they are talking about.

There are trick's to doing proofs correctly. One is to read the book backwards. And the fact that there are "tricks" to do this in the first place should tell you that it's not that easy.

 

[Olaf the Stout]

Yes they know full well how many people will read it. Errors cause more buzz about the game, more hits on the website to get free errata (which can lead to more subscribers) and perhaps to a second printing. It can also irritate people enough to be done with WOTC. Its a calculated gamble.

I really doubt that they put errors in their books on purpose. That would just be silly.

Olaf the Stout

 

[Psion]

Yes they know full well how many people will read it. Errors cause more buzz about the game, more hits on the website to get free errata (which can lead to more subscribers) and perhaps to a second printing. It can also irritate people enough to be done with WOTC. Its a calculated gamble.

Um, o-kay...

I think this is really a case where Hanlon's Razor applies. Never attribute to malice that which can be adequately explained by stupidity. Or in this case, the astonishingly easy and mundane happening of editing errors.

 

[Elephant]

I heard someone made a search on a PDF and found two instances in one book (PHB?).

Since the PDF is essentially a leaked, pirated copy, it is possible that only the PDF has the error.
If that is true, anyone claiming to have seen the "page XX" reference is outing himself as a software pirate. So be careful, folks.

Ehrm, a .pdf is not software. It's just a file.