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Neither Patrick nor I have squat to do with Decipher's financial situation. Glad you bought the books, though. I hope you like them. I think they're pretty nifty. I 'borrowed' one of my office's black and white printers and churned out the Mirror Universe book. Glad I didn't have to pay for that toner. :D
Hello,
These E-Books are not products I plan to buy.
First I don't have a personnal access to a printer (only a sneaky use of the one at work).
Second, binding is a true problem for me as I am gamemastering at friends' homes most of the time. Binding must be good.
Using a plastic spine to hold a (personnal) printed document, the thing broke in two at the third trip.
Usually, I am more interested by good binding for core, mechanic, products, like Player/GM Guides and source/setting books can be of lower binding quality.
I can use a source/setting book at home, writing notes for my adventure then move to GM it only carrying the mechanics (so hardcover for core systems, softcover for expansions/setting).
So, setting E-books could qualify, like Worlds.
However, it is Star Trek.
When I am at home to prepare an adventure, I can browse some excellent websites to have informations and details to complete my knowledge about the ST universe. That's what I actually always do with Star Trek.
On one hand, Decipher setting products (be they E-books or not, indeed) are a compilation of ideas, details and information.
On the other hand, websites offer a broader selection of topics, even if sometimes fragmented.
Both have advantages and disadvantages. One is compiled data, the other requires more work but can return more profit... or waste of time.
Actually, to me, setting books are in direct competition with the public Star Trek universe detailed over internet.
Game mechanics, I can figure them myself. What I needed, and have, is a core system.
Reading a pdf E-book is no different to me than reading a website. It can be better, or worse. Depends of the personnal taste.
Reading an actual book is different. I can carry an actual book during my train trips, when in the subway. I can have it when on vacation, during holidays. I can carry it to my game session and hand it to the players even if there is no computer around.
Having a setting, actual, book for Star Trek still interests me, as I could carry it with me. But if I have to be at home to read it (a pdf), I can also read websites about Star Trek.
I suppose I am currently at the very opposite end of the target customer base for pdf sales.
Things may change, later, who knows. If I can finally end with a printed pdf able to sustain my regular trips, for a moderate to low cost (as the cost to print and bind falls on my shoulders)...
(in fact, it's the opposite that is going to happen as I may not have any access at all to a printer by summer).
Thanks for reading,
Pierre
Just weighing in with my opinion, with no intention for discounting those of others.
But considering I use my laptop for a GM screen anyway, the eBook format doesn't bother me that much. In fact, it's kind of a nice thing. I may very well be selling off my hardcopy books assuming nothing happens to derail the re-releases of the existing volumes.
Although I prefer real books & hard copies to read & use when GMing, I still buy e-books if that's all that's available. I'm willing to pay more money for the real book though.
I have bought the Worlds ebook. I plan to buy the Mirror Universe ebook & most of the upcoming ebooks by Decipher. I'll eventually probably have most if not all printed & bound. And I'll probably save copies on CD as well.
I don't have a laptop, but even if I did, I doubt I would use if for gaming. I'm just old school that way, I guess.
What I would like to see though is more Star Trek adventues. Decipher hasn't made enough of them. I understand more will soon be available on their website but I haven't seen them yet.
Are the books on the list you posted at the beginning of the thread shown in the timely order in which they will be released?
Or could we sort of have a "wish poll" on which book we'd like to see first?
Best of my knowledge, that's the order they've got planned. I've been wrong before, though. Wouldn't be the first time.
I know that it's not yours to decide, but wouldn't it be better to publish some new books and than upgrade some classics?Quote:
Originally Posted by PGoodman13
Oh don't dispair, that happens to the best of us :pQuote:
Originally Posted by PGoodman13
Well, yeah, but that would make sense. Remember who we're talking about here.Quote:
Originally Posted by Cut
Quote:
Originally Posted by PGoodman13
:eek: Oh my, I didn't think. *shakesHeadInApology*
Even with PDFs these guys can not get out any product.
Biggest complaint from anyone I know playing Star Trek: Last Unicorn and Decipher can not get the books out in a reasonable manner. These are PDFs, so there is another issue than their old paper publishing excuse.
Saying that complaint now this:
Book of Worlds :) YESSSSSSSSSSSSSS!!!!
Mirror Universe... :confused: not my thing.
Book of Worlds, I am content with what I have. I planning a Table Top game that leads into the Klingon Civil War (*holds fist angerly at the Klingon Book Delayed again*) I was hoping the PDFs would be popping out once a month like everyone else.
I really wanted to run a game taking place during the Klingon Civil War and other border skermishes with the Romulans (have my ICON Romulan Books good enough for me. My FASA Klingon is WAAAAAAY out of date). I'll wait for a bit, but Decipher disappoints, this is what hurt their publishing RPGs.
None of my friends wanted to get into the game for over a year delay on some books. No real support from the website of Decipher etc.
Whatever is delaying them, they need to fix it. I thought Klingon was ready to go along time ago. Redesigning the PG/Narrators/Starfleet Books great! But let's get some of the product out we have been waiting for.
If Klingon came out, let's be realistic, people would be grabbing that hand over fist. My friends in the Star Trek clubs would buy them instantly since they feel as I do the RPG have more canon in it than many of the books.
Ok I want my Klingons so I can screw with my players for along time, Civil war leads to some Klingons not liking them then the breaking of the Treaty of Alliance, Starfleet/Klingon War then the Dominion War.
I have ran ICON & CODA like CODA best, so I hope this system lasts, so far these books are being published by Decipher in PDF form because we are such die-hard fans, but we fans can only do so much.
Ok I might be bitched about my rambling, not meaning too, but I really want to have more books than 6 Published Books by Decipher and 2 PDFs.
Are there any news you are allowed to share?
The first anouncements said that the revised Player's Guide would be released in early 2006. I've always been a little bit sceptical towards that statement, considering the number of revisions that had to be made. Nontheless, now it is almost April and there is no sign of a soon release. Why the delay? The book should be ready by now.
And it definitely could be ready by now, if somebody had actually been constantly working on it in the last couple of weeks.
Reading over what I have just written, I've decided to check out what Kieran Yanner has been doing lately. Apparently other things:
http://www.kieranyanner.comHas Decipher screwed up once again and lost their line manager to their competitors? :mad:Quote:
In the past two months, I've made the transition from employee to full time freelance - and its certainly been a wild ride. Currently I'm working with Wizards of the Coast on a new D&D supplement, WizKids on their HorrorClix line, Radical Entertainment/Vivendi Universal Games on conceptual art and Spacetime Studios on conceptual art. I've also just finished up work with The Upper Deck Company and Atlas Games.
I still hope that someone in the Decipher office has mercy and sees to it that the line continues. Of course, IMHO they should be releasing Klingons as soon as possible, since this one will sell better than water in the Sahara. But who am I to question the infinite wisdom of Decipher's leaders. http://forum.trek-rpg.net/images/icons/icon14.gif
Nope. Also almost no news that I'm not allowed to share. I'm in the same black hole that we've all been in for a while now. I did the writing I was asked to do, edited the stuff I had at hand, and then things just...stopped. Emails have gone unanswered (though lately, considering my email server, some of them might not have gotten through; I've had several people recently ask me for documents I know I sent them once already, so I'm in the process of resending a lot of things).Quote:
Originally Posted by Ergi
I knew he'd taken some time off to do some freelance stuff, but I was asked not to talk about it at the time. Now that he's talking about it, I don't see the point in keeping quiet about that any longer. I wasn't aware that he'd completely given up on Decipher, but it doesn't surprise me all that much. Artists have to eat, too.Quote:
Reading over what I have just written, I've decided to check out what Kieran Yanner has been doing lately. Apparently other things:
Looks that way, but I have no real answers.Quote:
Has Decipher screwed up once again and lost their line manager to their competitors? :mad:
The fact that Blood and Honor would sell a great many copies has been mentioned to them, and will be again shortly.Quote:
I still hope that someone in the Decipher office has mercy and sees to it that the line continues. Of course, IMHO they should be releasing Klingons as soon as possible, since this one will sell better than water in the Sahara. But who am I to question the infinite wisdom of Decipher's leaders. http://forum.trek-rpg.net/images/icons/icon14.gif
What I would like to know is, why doesn't Paramount simply give the license to someone else? Someone like Wizards of the Coast or White Wolf Studios. Someone who will actually release books for it.
Granted I don't want to see a D20 version of star trek. The last thing I want to be a level 12 Picard :D
But in all seriousness, Decipher seems to be just screwing the license over and not releasing anything. They bitch they aren't making any money, well maybe that's because they don't release any books, and even when they do, the print run is so incredibly small it doesn't matter.
So who is working on the production of products (if anyone)?Quote:
Originally Posted by PGoodman13
No idea. If I get a response, I'll let you know.Quote:
Originally Posted by GandalfOfBorg