Not Our Fault!

Thursday, June 10, 2010

For one reason or another, occasionally a mistake slips through into one of our printed products. I know that's a shock. I'll give you a moment to recompose yourself.

Fortunately—if you can ever call such things fortunate—they're not always our fault. From the time production files leave our tender care to the moment a fully realized book reaches your door, countless mysterious hands work and tinker in ways neither editor nor reader should dare interfere. Most of the time such mysterious forces rise and pass leaving behind no evidence at all. Sometimes not.

Pathfinder Adventure Path #35 includes one such instance of "not." Although it's too late to correct the thousands of books already sailing their way to our warehouses, we can preempt them.

Here's the deal, and I've probably already overplayed it: there's a map on page 33 of #35 that got "garbled" (you'll see when you get it). It's not unusable, but it's not pretty, and it's one of the most baffling snags we've ever seen, likely having to do with vicious data-gnawing file gremlins or other computer-age equivalents of "acts of God." Regardless: not pretty. So, hidden behind the spoiler below is the map as it should appear. It's of one of the final encounter areas of War of the River Kings, so I'd suggest all GM-fearing Kingmaker players NOT look.

Spoiler:
Cartography by Rob Lazzaretti

The volume is still awesome, with some really nasty new threats and particularly cool new rules for martially minded rulers. But we just wanted to fill everyone in as soon as we found out so there's no surprises and so you have everything you need to run the adventure as easily as possible right out of the book. We're totally sorry for the half-page mystery map you'll be seeing, but hope the version here prevents the snafus from slowing down your game.

Wes Schneider
Managing Editor

More Paizo Blog.
Tags: Kingmaker Maps Paizo Pathfinder Adventure Path Rob Lazzaretti Web Enhancement
Dark Archive

Oh come on ! That's one way to ruin all the fun !

We need a scapegoat NOW !

RPG Superstar 2011 Top 4

But...but....North is still not up on the map?!


Adventure Path Charter Subscriber; Pathfinder Starfinder Adventure Path, Starfinder Society Subscriber

I assume the PDF version of the book has been fixed?


The standard excuse for IT-related problems such as this are cosmic rays hitting the chip and switching a bit.

Paizo Employee Creative Director

Paul Ryan wrote:
I assume the PDF version of the book has been fixed?

Since it's a printer error, the PDF is fine; it never needed to be fixed in the first place. I do think we might have accidentally posted the wrong map to this blog, though. We'll get that straightened out tomorrow.

Dark Archive

James Jacobs wrote:
I do think we might have accidentally posted the wrong map to this blog, though.

Ho ho !

Activates finger of blame and greater head nod of disappointment

Great ! So can we blame Wes then ?

:)

Silver Crusade

Pathfinder Adventure Path, Starfinder Adventure Path Subscriber
James Jacobs wrote:
Paul Ryan wrote:
I assume the PDF version of the book has been fixed?
Since it's a printer error, the PDF is fine; it never needed to be fixed in the first place. I do think we might have accidentally posted the wrong map to this blog, though. We'll get that straightened out tomorrow.

A mistake in the correction? Ouch.


If I told them once, I told them a hundred times - there is no "257" colors.

Sovereign Court RPG Superstar 2009 Top 32, 2010 Top 8

LoreKeeper wrote:

If I told them once, I told them a hundred times - there is no "257" colors.

"Ah ha! just as I expected... thirty-two flavors."

Contributor, RPG Superstar 2009, RPG Superstar Judgernaut

I say we blame that Jason Nelson guy. Pathfinder #35 is his adventure, after all. ;-)

I'd also like to note that my adventure...Pathfinder #34...has seen no such mistakes cited (so far, knock on wood). So, take that, Nelson! Ha-ha! :-D

--Neil

Sczarni RPG Superstar 2014 Top 16

Considering that many of the people who will receive this book don't check the Paizo blog, I wonder if it would be a good idea to include some kind of a leaflet explaining the error and telling people where they can get the corrected map.


Or maybe have a note in the editorial for Pathfinder #36; most of the people who would run #35 would also purchase #36, I'd wager.

Shadow Lodge

I knew it!

Somebody just rolled a 17 on the GMG's missing "Who to Blame" table.


The trouble is, not all the subscribers frequent this website and may not see this. If including the map itself in the next issue takes up too much space, could you perhaps make a note in the editorial linking here?


James Jacobs wrote:
Paul Ryan wrote:
I assume the PDF version of the book has been fixed?
Since it's a printer error, the PDF is fine; it never needed to be fixed in the first place. I do think we might have accidentally posted the wrong map to this blog, though. We'll get that straightened out tomorrow.

Could we also have a wee bit bigger version of the corrected map? Pretty please? :)


MisterSlanky wrote:

I knew it!

Somebody just rolled a 17 on the GMG's missing "Who to Blame" table.

Could we please stop blaming and get to hit- ur, I mean, fixing, please?


Pathfinder Roleplaying Game Superscriber; Pathfinder Starfinder Roleplaying Game Subscriber

How could you possibly ever have an error in a print product!!!! LOL!! :)

I spent too much time in the book retail business to be surprised by anything. My favorite was there was , I think, a Star Trek book where a large number of a printing had a 64 page repeat in the middle and then continued 64 pages later.


FEAR THE POWER OF A DISGRUNTED PRE-PRESS EMPLOYEE!!! Specially a chinese one :)

Is very sad and frustrating when that happens, especially when the ones responsable for the error do not fix it.

Paizo Employee CEO

Kobold Cleaver wrote:
The trouble is, not all the subscribers frequent this website and may not see this. If including the map itself in the next issue takes up too much space, could you perhaps make a note in the editorial linking here?

The problem is that all of the Kingmaker volumes are already printed as is the first volume of Serpent's Skull, so there isn't any ability to add this to the next issue(s).

-Lisa


Sadly link

Blazej wrote:

... I feel pretty icky that a good number of people will only find out after they have bought the book.

With this and other recent printing hiccups, I am a bit concerned about this continuing with other products. If a page of the APG is missing, will it just be called good enough and sold anyway? If the covers of the Bestiary 2 are curved such that it can't lie flat, will it still be sold at full price?

I wouldn't have really thought that these would happen, but it is a bit worrying that the a printer can make this mistakes and still leave them to be passed on toward the customers

Scarab Sages

So... are these three maps connected?
I see the steps for the left side maps connecting them but how do they connect to the right side?
What is the original misprinting?

Sovereign Court RPG Superstar 2009 Top 32, 2010 Top 8

Lisa Stevens wrote:
Kobold Cleaver wrote:
The trouble is, not all the subscribers frequent this website and may not see this. If including the map itself in the next issue takes up too much space, could you perhaps make a note in the editorial linking here?

The problem is that all of the Kingmaker volumes are already printed as is the first volume of Serpent's Skull, so there isn't any ability to add this to the next issue(s).

-Lisa

Have your new intern go through each copy of #36 as it comes in and stick a post-it-note on the inside cover?

Shadow Lodge

Lisa Stevens wrote:

The problem is that all of the Kingmaker volumes are already printed as is the first volume of Serpent's Skull, so there isn't any ability to add this to the next issue(s).

-Lisa

As much as it pains me to ask since I've already expressed my feelings towards this product line but...

Will the AP Map Folios be working correctly?

Contributor

baron arem heshvaun wrote:

Great ! So can we blame Wes then ?

:)

Infuriate the overworked, short-tempered, and vengeful managing editor at your peril.

And everyone who got a sneak peek at two maps this morning instead of one can cry me a bloody river.

All should be in order momentarily.

Paizo Employee Creative Director

MisterSlanky wrote:
Lisa Stevens wrote:

The problem is that all of the Kingmaker volumes are already printed as is the first volume of Serpent's Skull, so there isn't any ability to add this to the next issue(s).

-Lisa

As much as it pains me to ask since I've already expressed my feelings towards this product line but...

Will the AP Map Folios be working correctly?

This is an isolated incident, as far as I can tell. There's no reason to think it'll extend to the map folio, especially since the misprinted map in question isn't going to be in the Kingmaker Map Folio anyway. That map folio is only poster maps of regions and cities from Kingmaker.

As for people who don't read the blog, when they get the adventure and see the misprinted map they'll have SOME idea that something funny is going on. If they seek out the internet, hopefully they'll find the corrected map. And while the misprint looks funny, it doesn't make the map unusable at all. You can still figure out what's going on in the misprinted image.

Contributor

fray wrote:
What is the original misprinting?

The is no misprinting. The colors are all weird like a photo negative and then part of the map is split and shifted so it doesn't line up correctly. It's too creative a @#$%up for us to have invented, though it is really something special to see for true connoisseurs of the unfortunate.

Paizo Employee Creative Director

fray wrote:

So... are these three maps connected?

I see the steps for the left side maps connecting them but how do they connect to the right side?
What is the original misprinting?

How the maps are connected is explained in the adventure. This blog post isn't about being a preview; it's about heading off and correcting an error as soon as we can.


Pathfinder Roleplaying Game Superscriber; Pathfinder Starfinder Adventure Path, Starfinder Roleplaying Game, Starfinder Society Subscriber

Two things:

1) You should probably send a bulk e-mail out with a link to the map for those that don't read the blog (costs nothing - so why not?)

2) Can you please provide a version of the map of suitable resolution so those inclined can print it out and stick it in their books over the faulty map?

Just my 2 cents,
~Q~


baron arem heshvaun wrote:


We need a scapegoat NOW !

Isn´t that in the intern´s job description? He did sign his contract with blood, right?

Grand Lodge

I just want to say that I think it is a great thing you guys are doing. Giving a heads up for something that does not meet your normal excellent level of quality.

Errors happen, we're all human (well, most of us anyway). So, let me just say thank you for such amazing products.

As for the snafu... stuff happens! (personally I think an elf got ahold of the file somewhere and mistook it for a shrubbery!)


F. Wesley Schneider wrote:

And everyone who got a sneak peek at two maps this morning instead of one can cry me a bloody river.

All should be in order momentarily.

Well, I still like Wes. Mistakes that are to my advantage are okay.

Paizo Employee Chief Technical Officer

F. Wesley Schneider wrote:
fray wrote:
What is the original misprinting?
The is no misprinting. The colors are all weird like a photo negative and then part of the map is split and shifted so it doesn't line up correctly. It's too creative a @#$%up for us to have invented, though it is really something special to see for true connoisseurs of the unfortunate.

I searched the web for an image that displays a similar type of corruption, and came up with this. (Please, let's not have any discussion of the folks pictured in that photo; there's no need for any bystanders to get hurt here.)

It's pretty clear that it's something that happened during the electronic transfer of files to the printer; they didn't catch it on their end, and we didn't catch it on the electronic proofs. And now that we know it's something that can happen, it's something both Paizo and our printer will be looking out for.

Paizo Employee Chief Technical Officer

Qualidar wrote:

Two things:

1) You should probably send a bulk e-mail out with a link to the map for those that don't read the blog (costs nothing - so why not?)

2) Can you please provide a version of the map of suitable resolution so those inclined can print it out and stick it in their books over the faulty map?

Just my 2 cents,
~Q~

1. Sending out an e-mail to the folks who purchased the book from us is a good idea; I'll wait until we begin shipping it, though. We are adding a link to the product description as we speak, though.

2. You can click the spoilered image to get a larger version.

Paizo Employee Chief Creative Officer, Publisher

Vic Wertz wrote:


It's pretty clear that it's something that happened during the electronic transfer of files to the printer; they didn't catch it on their end, and we didn't catch it on the electronic proofs. And now that we know it's something that can happen, it's something both Paizo and our printer will be looking out for.

This is pretty inside baseball, but it wasn't actually IN the electronic proofs, which is why the error is solely on the printer's side, and we have received a credit from them for their error.

It really honestly wasn't our fault! :)


James Jacobs wrote:
[the misprinted map in question isn't going to be in the Kingmaker Map Folio anyway.

Here's a thought: Why not get the printer to do a one-page sheet of the misprinted map in question, and then add it into the pack w/ the map folio?


Adventure Path Charter Subscriber; Pathfinder Starfinder Adventure Path, Starfinder Society Subscriber
F. Wesley Schneider wrote:
And everyone who got a sneak peek at two maps this morning instead of one can cry me a bloody river.

Why on *insert world of choice* would we be crying about getting an extra preview? You're more likely to find everyone who saw it drooling a river at the teaser. :-P

Dark Archive

Vic Wertz wrote:


I searched the web for an image that displays a similar type of corruption, and came up with this.

Interesting, I had a camera full of images once that were fine on camera, fine on PC, then did that on the dvd I burnt them to. Only found out long after I'd deleted the files from PC, and flown half way round world though.....

Never did find out why though...

Sovereign Court RPG Superstar 2009 Top 32, 2010 Top 8

Nevynxxx wrote:
Vic Wertz wrote:


I searched the web for an image that displays a similar type of corruption, and came up with this.

Interesting, I had a camera full of images once that were fine on camera, fine on PC, then did that on the dvd I burnt them to. Only found out long after I'd deleted the files from PC, and flown half way round world though.....

Never did find out why though...

My Torchwood soundtrack does something similar. DLed from Amazon fine, plays on my PC fine, plays on the flash drive fine, I copy the MP3s to DVD for work and Toshiko's Choice always is corrupted. I just figured it was copy protection of a sort.

Paizo Employee Creative Director

axegrrl wrote:
James Jacobs wrote:
[the misprinted map in question isn't going to be in the Kingmaker Map Folio anyway.
Here's a thought: Why not get the printer to do a one-page sheet of the misprinted map in question, and then add it into the pack w/ the map folio?

Because, frankly, the error's not crippling/huge enough to warrant such an enormous expense. And because the map folio only has poster maps, and it was sent to the printer over a month ago, so it's too late to add anything to it anyway.


Erik Mona wrote:

This is pretty inside baseball, but it wasn't actually IN the electronic proofs, which is why the error is solely on the printer's side, and we have received a credit from them for their error.

It really honestly wasn't our fault! :)

If there's one thing I've learned from working as a paperboy it's that it's always the printers' fault. (Or, really sucky weather, but I'm sure the printers can have something to do with that too, somehow.)


Hey, no big deal, paizo people. If people's worlds are suddenly thrown violently out of alignment by one error that's completely beyond your control.... then I can't help but wonder how they cope with the day to day things that come up.

Your products are top notch, hands down the best RPG stuff I've ever seen in my 19 years of DM'ing, and I hate to see you folks get beat up over minutiae... and I will in fact be buying a copy with the messed up map just because there are people out there who are tweaking out about it. Tell them you're pandering to the "Blackmer" crowd, who eats up strange little errors like this.

In short.... good job, don't sweat it, and keep it on trucking.


Pathfinder Adventure Path, Rulebook Subscriber
Matthew Morris wrote:
LoreKeeper wrote:

If I told them once, I told them a hundred times - there is no "257" colors.

"Ah ha! just as I expected... thirty-two flavors."

[channels Huntress from JLU] "So, what are you wearing?" [/channels Huntress from JLU]

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