Hey kids, guess what time it is!

**Doug Burke** · 10-22-2002, 11:30 AM

Originally posted by Ineti
Thank you, guys, for taking the time to do that. I hope the repetitive queries, questions, and rants don't scare you off completely.

Don't worry, that won't happen any time soon.

I know the wait can be frustrating. Remember, I have to wait for these things too. I want them just as much as the next guy (or girl). I just ask that people please be patient. The products will come out. It just takes a little longer some times.

**KillerWhale** · 10-22-2002, 11:34 AM

Narrator's Screen: Was done and sent to the printers quite some time ago. We have had no indication of the reason for the delay on their end, but it is something completely outside our control.

Limited Edition & Enterprise Sourcebook: Has been waiting on image approval from Paramount.

Starfleet Operations Manual: Should be at the printers as we speak.

Thanks a lot for the info! AFAIC, this update satisfies me fully... I just didn't know the products were at these stages (apart from the NS. Now who are these printers, so that we may send some squadrons of Liz'Hadar to get them to speed up the process?

).

**Dan Gurden** · 10-22-2002, 12:01 PM

Moderator Mode Engaged...

Styro, Liz... Do you remember the time that the insults got personal and S.John left these boards never to return. Leaving us short 1 author of the original LUG books.

Just thought its worth reminding you before you start increasing your bid on the great Decipher conspiracy. Everyone knows that the only conspiracies Decipher are involved in, are the cover-ups about Roswell and who REALLY shot Kennedy.

Take time to breath, and hopefully engage brains before pressing the Submit Reply, always good advice to re-read your posts and edit any unproven accusations, even if they are made in jest... huh?

Moderator Mode off...

As a personal aside, why did you want to get rid of the LUG books? With the application of imagination and just a little conversion they are still mostly useful, especially with the new releases running late...

And if they're not send them transatlantic. I'll take them.

**Ramage** · 10-22-2002, 01:17 PM

I think the basic problem here boils down to the fact that Decipher posted dates (well, months) of release for products.

If they had merely said, "Next up, GM Screen" or words to that effect there would be less hassle and frustration.

I would like to see some of these supplements (even though my game has died) and I would love to see them soon. I know as a consumer (and as someone whose business relies on Due Dates extensively) that a date missed gets frustrating and makes one wonder about future promised delivery dates.

So, I really would suggest that Decipher just say "Coming Soon" rather than "By January". That way no one gets all torqued when a specific date is passed over.

Hopefully this comes off as I meant it, as a polite suggestion.

**AllenS** · 10-22-2002, 01:25 PM

I agree...don't give release dates in the future until the books are actually shipping to the distributor and then give a date four weeks from when they ship. That way, no one can complain. And when they come out early, people can go "Wow, Decipher must be really on the ball!"

We'll get the books when we get the books. Don't make me stop this Internet and turn around!

Allen

**First of Two** · 10-22-2002, 01:55 PM

Narrator's Screen: Was done and sent to the printers quite some time ago. We have had no indication of the reason for the delay on their end, but it is something completely outside our control.

Limited Edition & Enterprise Sourcebook: Has been waiting on image approval from Paramount.

Starfleet Operations Manual: Should be at the printers as we speak.

Thanks a lot for the info! AFAIC, this update satisfies me fully...

I don't mean to be the Ultimate Party Pooper here, but...

from the Decipher messageboards... September 19th.

Progress Update ... Doug Burke ... 09.19-10:18
Just dropping a line on the progress of some of the more recent products.

Narrator's Screen: Still at the printers. No ETA at this time.

Limited Edition: Still awaiting final approval. Shooting for a holiday release.
Starfleet Ops Manual: Goes to the printer next week.

I'll try to keep you guys posted as I learn more.

Doug Burke
Net Rep

So basically, there's been absolutely no visible progress in the past month. No other projects have approached readiness, the printer hasn't explained to Dec the reason for the delay, (now in its... what, third month?)

Maybe it's just because I have no real experience in the world of business, but I have considerable difficulty imagining any corporation just sitting back and accepting a three month unexplained delay from a vendor manufacturing the entirety of its product line.

I'm not saying that there's any deliberate deception going on here, not at all. But the only time I've ever witnessed anything similar anywhere I've worked, it was because an employee was slacking off and covering for it by blaming constant "equpiment failures."

Even so, it's certainly not the doing of any of the Dec folks who post here, so let's not misdirect our frustrations toward these good men.

**StyroFoam Man** · 10-22-2002, 04:16 PM

This message has been removed on request by the
poster

**KillerWhale** · 10-22-2002, 04:18 PM

I have considerable difficulty imagining any corporation just sitting back and accepting a three month unexplained delay from a vendor manufacturing the entirety of its product line.

Same here. I think the suggestion of not posting precise dates is a good one - vast periods of time, hence no frustration. I recall there was exactly the same kind of problem with LUG... Published schedules that are failed to be met frustrate the customer, and I think this would happen in just every sector of the economy.

But hey, Dec did exactly that, adding wider ranges of dates. A wise decision I believe

**StyroFoam Man** · 10-22-2002, 04:50 PM

This message has been removed on request by the
poster

**Rizzen** · 10-22-2002, 07:02 PM

You know, the real funny thing is that Amazon.ca tells me that the Personal Log, Ops Manual, and StarShips can be ordered and will ship in 1-2 weeks. Which brings me to my point:

If possible, pre-order the Star Trek books from an on-line store. Once the 2 weeks period is up, the order is flagged at Amazon and their buyers start calling Decipher asking where the 20,000 copies of the book are. Decipher can try and use these numbers to pursuade Paramount to speed up their approval process. Heck, it will give Decipher an idea of how many people are waiting for this stuff.

Just my 5 cents worth.

Rizzen

**Lt. Dade** · 10-23-2002, 07:06 AM

Hey,

I'm as much of an impatient fanboy (no offense!) as anybody else. I've got other Star Trek screens to use in my games, and yet I'm giddily anticipating this handsome new one! Yeah, I want it now, but what am I gonna do?

So, anyway, the pre-order idea: it's a good one. I mean, especially in publishing, pre-orders from customers are always a good way to "be heard" in the production process. Pre-order through Amazon, pre-order through your local retailer, pre-order through Borders, whatever. It's one thing for us to talk about wanting the books here, it's quite another to promise your dollars with a pre-order.

By placing a pre-order, you're expressing/creating demand for the product. Talking about it here doesn't do it. You can influence your retailer, who will influence the distributor, who sends a fax to the publisher which can be waved at the printers while saying "hurry! They can't get enough of these GM screens in the Midwest!"

I don't have any idea what the hold up is on any of the forthcoming products, so don't think of this as a solution exactly. The fact is that pre-orders are not going to have much impact on a book that's already had some sort of production snag. Pre-ordering will take a little bit of time to have an impact on ordering and all that as distributors and retailers come to understand that fans aren't excited about just the Starfleet Officer's Manual but are instead excited about the whole game line.

If you pursue something like this, it helps to be polite and consistent. Don't demand books from your retailer (that doesn't work anyway), ask for them. If you're pretty sure you want most of the upcoming books in the Trek line, think about pre-ordering each of them when it's time. A single pre-order is an anomaly. Several pre-orders is a trend.

I'll go direct this sudden babbling energy of mine at something work-related now.

word,
Will

**Champions Guru** · 10-23-2002, 05:06 PM

TOOL TIME?

Sorry, just couldn’t help myself,

Da Guru

**RIsaacs** · 10-24-2002, 01:44 AM

Sending something to the printer isn't the same as telling the printer to actually print.

**Calcoran** · 10-24-2002, 02:52 AM

Oh, so you admitt it Ross! You sent the screen to the printer but you actually forgot to tell them to print it! So it's sitting idly at the printer's door while everyone is waiting for it! Damn!

(N.B.: This is a silly post

).

**RIsaacs** · 10-24-2002, 11:18 AM

>>Oh, so you admitt it Ross! You sent the screen to the printer but you actually forgot to tell them to print it!<<

Actually, I didn't do anything. I haven't worked for Decipher since August 5th.

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