Page XX?

[spunky_mutters]

While I think that Lizard is probably correct, I would also think that after falling prey to the same problems on and off for the last 4 years or so (the earliest I can remember XX is Complete Divine), I would think that they would add 'search for XX' to their signoff process for the document. It may be an error in typing the code in, but it slips through often enough that it deserves a check of its own.

 

[JDJblatherings]

While I think that Lizard is probably correct, I would also think that after falling prey to the same problems on and off for the last 4 years or so (the earliest I can remember XX is Complete Divine), I would think that they would add 'search for XX' to their signoff process for the document. It may be an error in typing the code in, but it slips through often enough that it deserves a check of its own.

It's not "code" it's a document.

My 2nd edition PHB had a page XX typo in it. Must have been a Wotc time travel publishing experiment.

 

[Orius]

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.

I wouldn't trust gnomes on a 4e book. Not a bash; but I would expect some disgruntlement.

Besides a handful of Page XX errors doesn't seem that bad. It's nowhere near as bad (or amusing) as the dawizard error.

 

[Wik]

There's more than just two, though. I know I've found a few more, but God help me were I to try and find 'em. But, it doesn't really bug me or anything. Just happens, y'know?

Not as bad as finding "attacks of opportunity" and "five foot steps" (I think) in KotS.

 

[Whizbang Dustyboots]

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.

Hadn't heard of that. I may have to print it out and hang it up over my desk. It seems like once a day I run into someone professionally who cannot believe there's any possible reason for something to have happened other than TEH CONSPIRACY!

 

[Whizbang Dustyboots]

I wouldn't trust gnomes on a 4e book. Not a bash; but I would expect some disgruntlement.

It's either us or the half-orcs. Whose disgruntlement concerns you more?

 

[Ondo]

It's either us or the half-orcs. Whose disgruntlement concerns you more?

The gnomes. You guys are monsters.

 

[Aus_Snow]

The gnomes. You guys are monsters.

Yeah sure, but in that context, half-orcs have to be cooked up by. . . the evil DM beast.

Half-orcs: homebrew monsters. *shudder*

 

[Mustrum_Ridcully]

It's either us or the half-orcs. Whose disgruntlement concerns you more?

I take gnawed on pages any time of the week over Explosive Runes and Sepia Snake Sigils on my books, thank you very much.

Gnomes are... scary.

 

[CharlesRyan]

Page 176 of the DMG: "See "Bonuses and Penalties" on page XX of the Player's Handbook"
Page 191 of the DMG: "Refer to page XX in Chapter 4 for details of different sorts of doors and portcullises"

Thanks!

For what its worth, Maggan has it exactly right. The D&D core books constitute a huge and immensely complex document; so long as deadlines exist, no document on that scale will ever be perfect.

As long as I've been in the publishing business, much of that as an editor, I've never, ever received a new book from the printer without discovering some sort of error within 10 minutes. (With my editor's eye, I frequently notice typos in other publishers' books as well--not just game books, but novels, nonfiction, childrens' books, and so on from publishers big and small.) The trick isn't one of attaining perfection, but of ensuring that only the most trivial of errors slip through your net. Missing a couple of page refs sucks--I'd be embarrassed if they were my responsibility--but in a document that contains literally hundreds of cross-references, it's amazing there are only two. (Much worse than a "page XX" would be a "page 65" that actually refers to the wrong page, and I'd be very surprised if there were any of those!)

I'd like to go on record with this: Kim Mohan is an editing god, and he has an incredible team. Anyone who finds fault with Kim's work simply has no appreciation of the scale and complexity of what he does!