...we'll actually see the Starships book this year?
Considering I still haven't seen the Narrator's Screen in my local game store, the Decipher store (where ya'd think it would show up first...), or anyplace other than some joint called stiggybaby.
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...we'll actually see the Starships book this year?
Considering I still haven't seen the Narrator's Screen in my local game store, the Decipher store (where ya'd think it would show up first...), or anyplace other than some joint called stiggybaby.
Amazon still says the NS "Will be released" in January.
But I trust the guys who tell us they have them.
Decipher's store page seems to be down atm.. maybe they are finally getting around to updating it? There's a "Narrator's Toolkit," but it has the picture of the LUG Narrator's toolkit, and looks nothing like the scans of the NS.
They do not speak of the NS on the message boards, except to say that it has shipped.
Here's something that I HOPE is an old, uncorrected typo...
Amazon lists the Starfleet Operations Manual, which Decipher slates as being the next book, due out this month, as...
Due AUGUST 2003.
Although they do have the Starships book as being due in March, just like Decipher says.
I got mine from my local comic shop today, arrived last Friday
I suggest if you have one you deal with order thru your comic shop. Diamond Distributors will ship it
Nah...not bothering. Already scanned the tables I use most and put together a screen for my laptop. I figure they get one last shot at my business with the Starship book; between the wait for the screens for the two games, the complete lack of marketing, and their inability to get up to speed on their webstore, Decipher's pretty much lost my business. I've lost any faith in the company to get product out regularly enough for their RPG division to survive.Quote:
Originally posted by Karg
I suggest if you have one you deal with order thru your comic shop.
Don't want to pour more money down the drain on game systems that won't be adequately supported. Happened with a bunch of games over the last few years, so now I buy the core stuff -- if it looks good -- and that's about it. I can pull together the background stuff for myself.
I have bought my NS this Tuesday, and so I can definitely say it has been released. Strange it seems to reach Paris (located in the country where Star Trek is unknown) so quickly.
So far Decipher seems to be sticking with their planning (more or less). I'm waiting for the StarFleet Ops book then the Starship book, maybe the Aliens book, then I'll quietly stop scanning for Decipher products (save when I happen to visit my LGS).
Unless they start to stick to schedule and really give information on it (and pigs would fly, too...)
You got it already, C5?! :eek: Where in Paris, capital of the Backward-Country-For-All-Things-Trek? ;) At Descartes?
I didn't want to wait so I ordered mine from Amazon... And still no news...
Yep, it seems the Jeux Descartes stores in Paris manage to get everything one or two weeks after it's released in the US. Quite convenient I must say :cool:
...unless you live in Rennes ;)
Thanks for the info. I canceled my order at Amazon and placed one at Noble Knight games... They just got it in.
My thought exactly.Quote:
I figure they get one last shot at my business with the Starship book; between the wait for the screens for the two games, the complete lack of marketing, and their inability to get up to speed on their webstore, Decipher's pretty much lost my business. I've lost any faith in the company to get product out regularly enough for their RPG division to survive.
But wait Qerlin, that would make us ingrate children, impatiently whining for products to come... I know someone's bound to say it.
Where I work, I had one or two customers complain about a DVD they've ordered and which, after 2 months, wasn't in yet. We have absolutely no control over our orders at the distributor. So we could have accused them of being whiners, blame it on the printe... er, the distributor (in our case ...), tell'em to grow up and shut up ... and lose their business right there. Because you know, if you don't make the effort to keep your customers, you'll lose them to competition. So instead of bitching your own customers (which is not a good idea, according to the marketing 101 class I took) and making excuses we took various measures to redress the sitiation (ie looking for alternate distributors, rebates on late orders, etc)
now, let's not forget we were "semi-burned" by LUG... and a lot of people don't want that to happen with Decipher (I'm saying "semi" because a lot of the LUG supplement can easily be converted to the CODA system, which means that the Vulcan book you bought is far from being useless... well except perhaps because of continuity issues because of Enterprise but that was in no way LUG's fault.)
I'm thinking along pretty much the same lines... :(
Nice fishing from under that bridge but no nibbles?Quote:
Originally posted by Snake_Plissken
But wait Qerlin, that would make us ingrate children, impatiently whining for products to come... I know someone's bound to say it.
What you choose to buy or not buy and from what companies is your business--no one else's. I'm sure Decipher appreciates "one last chance" to earn your business.
Y'know. I think I am going to stop studying release schedules...
I seem to remember, at some time in the distant past, a time when I would walk into a shop. Browse the produce (whether it was Books, CDs, Videos (no DVD that long ago ;) ) or RPG products, something would catch my eye and I would have a few quid spare... And so I made my purchase happily and went home with something new, something unexpected, and a pleasant treat for myself...
These days I seem to have the release dates of novels, DVDs, CDs and RPG products, and I will be there tuting when its not out on the shelf In My Time!
heaven forbid a delay at the printers, distributors or shelf-stakers if I cant have my product this instant, I will spend my hard-earned elsewhere... So There.
But its all so stressful.
And I need WAYYYYYY less stress in my life. So I think I will stop looking at realease dates, especially with a leisure activity within a leisure activity, after all, its not like ownership of ANY of this stuff is a matter of life or death, or going to cease world suffering, or anything really important at the end of the day, its all just for amusment, why should I seek stress within 'my time'...
So this weekend, I will go out, take a good long browse through the bookshelf in the shop. Pick an author I always meant to try, and then... Go and sit down with a nice cup of coffee and start reading... I can almost feel the relaxation from here. Just imagine how good it will feel. Why not join me in spirit?
Not looking for, reading and believing release schedules is the best policy. No company sticks to them, but I do believe Dec must be approaching a record for delayed product.
Couldn't really care less for any of the upcoming ST releases, but I do want Fell Beasts & Wonderous Items for LotRs.
I find this all rather confusing.
We've all watched God-knows how many hours of Star Trek. We can all recite lengthy pieces of dialog, quote the plot from an episode by name, and identify an episode within 15 seconds of watching it.
Why do people's games hinge on the necessity of having books?
I've been in several long-term Icon and Coda games and never have we felt constrained or bound by what has or has not been published. "Starships" isn't out yet? No problem, make a Sovereign within a few minutes. A player wants to play a Tellarite--here ya go, made our own Template. Needed a Narrator's Screen for our game? Doug made his own!
At this point these threads are kind of ludicrous. The impression I'm getting is that people really just want to blame someone for something. In this case Decipher and their release schedule is an easy target.
I've seen the Operations Manual and I wrote Starships. They're both good books. They're both written by people who love Star Trek and role-playing. The books actually exist and it's good material. I mean, Christ, I think that have more of a legitimate reason to be upset that Starships isn't out than any of you; I wrote the damn thing! :D Not buying it because you're holding a grudge against Decipher just seems petty.
Talk of "one last time to earn my business" or threats to stop buying product really just baffle me. Well, unless you want to stop seeing any more Trek products and provide Decipher with ammunition that RPGs aren't profitable, then I suppose you're on the right track.
In the end, it's all up to you, I suppose. That's why fan-resources like TrekRPGNet are nice to have--while waiting for product you have access to your peers to help make your games better. Seems like instead of watching the calendar and making snide comments on Decipher's management our time would be better spent playing the game and helping each other out.
At least, that's my opinion but I could be wrong.
Before saying anything: I may misunderstand your words, forgive me if it's the case... I'm not a native speaker after all :)Quote:
What you choose to buy or not buy and from what companies is your business--no one else's.
I just wanted to say I personnally believe that when a company releases a schedule, then gives very scarce explanations concerning delays, they must not be surprised at some resentment that may create.
I do believe as well that it's totally the company's business to see that the customers do buy the products. Companies have to build customer faith through service, quality and communication, I really don't think it's the other way round. Customers make companies (especially game companies) live, after all.
No offense intended in all this - I'm just stating My Own Personal View Of The Editing Business.
:)
I totally agree with you.Quote:
Originally posted by KillerWhale
No offense intended in all this - I'm just stating My Own Personal View Of The Editing Business.
However, how Decipher does (or does not) conduct business is only tangentially related to my point above. When the books come out--they come out. Otherwise, game on. Talk of threats and whatnot doesn't serve any constructive purpose.
Well, not unless you work at a distributor or can put together a 3,000 person petition/ban. :)
Unfortunately, it's a lose-lose situation for Decipher. If they decide to say to hell with release schedules, and never have one ever again, there will be players coming out of the woodwork complaining about how Decipher doesn't reveal their publication plans or plans for the lines to their customers, and that must mean they're not working on anything or they've lost the license or they're holding onto new product and not releasing it and laughing at us blah blah blah blah blah.Quote:
Originally posted by KillerWhale
I just wanted to say I personnally believe that when a company releases a schedule, then gives very scarce explanations concerning delays, they must not be surprised at some resentment that may create.
Give these people a break. Decipher has been in the RPG business less than a year and has released eight RPG products between its two lines. All the evidence I can see on the table and a peek now and then behind the scenes suggests to me that whatever issues struck the lines earlier are being ironed out and that we have a whole bunch of kick-ass products coming around the bend.
Remember, people whine more on the internet than anywhere else...it's the anonymity of sitting behind a computer screen, I'm sure...
Y'know, Ineti, there's always the third option...
Release a schedule you actually intend to meet, try to meet it, and if you can't, tell people why in a prompt and timely manner, and revise your schedule to reflect the delay.
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