WotC yanks the rug out

[M.L. Martin]

I wonder if something went horribly wrong with the initial print run. It would not only explain the sudden delay, but it would be traditional. Apparently, the original printing of the 1st Edition DMG had all sorts of problems as well.

 

[Matt James]

I had a couple PHBs marked for birthday gifts in the next two months.

So, yeah, it really bothers me.

Stinks that you won't get them in time for your pal's birthday. Still doesn't change the intent of my post in response to the OP.

 

[Whizbang Dustyboots]

They had a date. That date was April 17th.

In a year, no one will remember or care about the delay. An ugly product would be with us always.

 

[chriton227]

There's considerable difference between a few days, or even weeks, and three months.

I would be very surprised if WotC did their own printing, and whatever printer they use is probably not sitting idle waiting to run WotC print jobs on a moment's notice. A one week delay could easily delay things to the point where they have to wait a few months for another opening in the printer's schedule because they already have print runs scheduled for other products/companies, and the time required to set up the business relationship and squeeze into the schedule with another printer could be just as bad. Or if WotC has other print runs scheduled that they could cannibalize the scheduling, but someone would have to make the call whether it is worth a long delay on a niche/limited demand product or having moderate delays on two products, one of which may be in much higher demand.

 

[GameDaddy]

I wonder if something went horribly wrong with the initial print run. It would not only explain the sudden delay, but it would be traditional. Apparently, the original printing of the 1st Edition DMG had all sorts of problems as well.

With 3e, it wasn't just the DMG. Had my PHB replaced as well...

 

[GENEWEIGEL]

There is always going to be apologists for everything, especially everything that was run under the name "D&D" from the 1980's to the present, you can argue back and forth but the move towards the original formula is a good thing. It may not have the results right now but at the very least it will say to the browsing public:

"Hey maybe there was something good in the beginning before all the "TSR WORLDS' IPs" changed a mass appeal thing that could easily reflect reality (history, legends, folklore, etc.) into this processed "official kobolds" version that it has been for 30+ years..."

The way I see it, people are subliminally demanding the destruction of old school because they want it to not be a thing of nostalgia but a thing of the now.

This reminds me when I was challenged by a former TSR employee some time ago to shut my mouth because I wasn't at TSR and every apologist in "Apologist Town" waved their apologist flags high in the air and proclaimed "The Great Fan Beast Gene Weigel was beaten!", as they ran off and were never heard from again even though it didn't make any sense (because I never said that I worked at TSR ever), it didn't sink in back then that the whole "GYGAX D&D IS FOR YESTERDAY" movement was dead in the water but I think its almost forgotten these days. The same voices that once glibly derided Gygax's work on D&D are now some of his strongest proponents.

Everybody is starting to feel the appreciation more now than ever.

BRE-AULT! Hrrrrm, ahem, I meant... BREE-YARK!

 

[Dannyalcatraz]

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Reported

 

[Aberzanzorax]

I wonder if something went horribly wrong with the initial print run. It would not only explain the sudden delay, but it would be traditional. Apparently, the original printing of the 1st Edition DMG had all sorts of problems as well.

I'm no fan of WotC's style of overpromise and underdeliver in the past, and I can see how this could be annoying, but I honestly am not upset about it.

I remember the 4e books smudging (the first run of em). Their response was to tell us gamers had greasy hands (and then later admit to the smudging).


If this, or any other issue, made the printing run unusable, that'd be plenty of reason to push back the release until they got reprinted quality books.


I just wish they were a bit more forthcoming with their reasons. I'd think people would find it much more reasonable if their reason was "our outsourced printer screwed up, we're getting 'em printed again, this time correctly, sorry for the delay." than "uhh, we're still formatting em." which makes me think they don't make getting their books out on time a priority.

I mean, I imagine if they said that about insider not coming out way back when "the outsourced design team dropped the ball and we basically have to start at square one" there would have been much less (not none, of course, but less) rage than "they're delayed".


But, as I said, (and as someone who is planning on getting these), in this case, I'm not upset.

 

[Argyle King]

Out of curiosity, how much time does a company have to deliver when a pre-order is involved?

 

[Halivar]

This is totally non sequitor, but I just had such a eureka moment I couldn't contain myself. I always wondered why, for as long as thedungeondelver's been posting, he uses Century Gothic as his font.

Having become a proud new owner of a complete set of AD&D 1st Edition books, I can now see the grognard-homage to the ever-present Futura font TSR used in 1st edition rulebooks and adventures.

Hah! Well done.