Why no index is new WotC books? *Update: Received "official" answer... kinda...*

[reveal]

I love indexes in books. It makes it very easy to look up information on specific topics. I've noticed that the latest WotC books, Complete Adventurer, Sharn: City of Towers, etc, have no indeces. Keith Baker is actually releasing hand-made indeces on his personal site.

So why none in the new books? Lazy editing? Not cost effective? I don't get it.

*Update*

Well... I got an answer...

Tony -

It was a design choice made by the Designers. I have no information on why the
designers choose certain formats for our products. Thank you for your input I
will pass along you dissatisfaction at not having Indexes in the newer WotC
Books.

Zephreum Aristotle
Games Support
Wizards of the Coast
1-800-324-6496

"There is no true Freedom without Discipline."


-----Original Message-----
Sent: Tuesday, February 01, 2005 5:22 PM
To: Wizards Customer Service
Subject: Product feedback - Dungeons & Dragons/Forgotten Realms/Eberron
Feedback


Product feedback - Dungeons & Dragons/Forgotten Realms/Eberron Feedback
From: Tony

I have noticed in the newest WotC books, Complete *, Sharn:City of Towers, etc,
there are no indeces. I find indeces extremely helpful. Why was it decided not
to include them in new books?
Sent to: custserv@wizards.com

 

[Crothian]

either do I, i think indexes are important in most if not all RPG books and have been unhappy with some books that have none.

 

[IronWolf]

I have no idea why they started dropping indexes, but I sure do miss them. Indexes make it so much easier to find what you are looking for, a table of contents just doesn't cut it as they are way too general. When a rulebook/sourcebook is of any significant size at all they should include an index.

 

[Buttercup]

Yet another example of why WotC products are increasingly missing the mark for me.

 

[MerricB]

Books like the "Complete" series really don't need an index as the table of contents lists pretty much everything anyway. Ditto for the Monster Manuals.

In the case of Sharn: City of Towers, or any other setting book, they really need an index!

Cheers!

 

[Greylock]

I miss indexes, and cross-indexing. At the very least, the Core books should have cross indices.

 

[Psion]

If they put "See previous page" for the special abilities of the sample NPCs in the complete books, they would have more than enough room for an index.

 

[Dark Psion]

Here is a link to Keith Baker's site;
http://www.bossythecow.com/

Check out the tattoos. Those are die hard Eberron fans.

 

[reveal]

So does anyone have any theories as to why they're not in the new books? Seems like it's just lazy to me.

 

[Crothian]

I imagine someone came up with the idea to start leaving them out to save money or something and for the most part no one really seemed to care so they kept doing it.