How much longer will any of this input actually have any bearing on the Beta?

[Timespike]

Paizo's gotta be getting pretty close to the time where they'll have to shoot the PRPRG Beta off to the printer. How much time does that leave in the alpha playtest? I realize that a lot of the layout & design work is probably already at least partially done, but if Paizo's going to have copies of the PRPG beta at Gencon in August, isn't time a-tickin'?

EdiT: this shouldn't be seen as a shameless way of putting pressure on Paizo to get the next few alpha releases out sooner or anything. I would never do such a thing. ;)

[SirUrza]

I would guess it doesn't have to go to the printers until 2-3 weeks before GenCon.. so there's plenty of time to continue to make changes.

[Mark Moreland]

Since they seem to be editing all the alpha releases together for each new release, in theory once all three have been released, they will have a rough draft of what will become the Beta document. I am sure there will be plenty of time to make edits and updates between Alpha 3 and Beta, and their work on it now (possibly why it's taking longer than we eager fans would like) will make it easier for them to implement our suggestions for the Beta release.

[BM]

This raises is a interesting question. If there is a change of a rule during the Beta, How would that change be handled?

[Fake Healer]

BM wrote:

This raises is a interesting question. If there is a change of a rule during the Beta, How would that change be handled?

Probably with an update or rules clarification type document. Probably similar to what WotC does to their supposedly 'finished' products.

This is all just my assumption.

[BM]

I figured something like that, but that diminishes the value of a print book of the Beta.

Unless there was a way to replace pages.

[Andrew Betts]

BM wrote:

I figured something like that, but that diminishes the value of a print book of the Beta.

Unless there was a way to replace pages.

True, but it is a beta. And any beta that is the same when finished must have been bloody brilliant when it was released. It's going to change, it's the nature of the game.

[BM]

I not referring to the value of the print beta as a product, but rather the value of a reference. There is no point in buying or paying for a print copy of the beta unless there is a way to include rule updates. Using the old rules doesn't help the beta.

What I was thinking was that Paizo is going to release a soft cover book of the Beta rules. I figure Paizo, being a publisher, would get discounts to print the book. Paizo has indicated that the book will more or less be the cost of them to print the book. Since they can get the book printed cheaper than I can, I was planning to buy the book from them. However, if there is no easy way to include updates short of carrying an errata sheet/book, it discourages me from buying the book. Since that puts me back to printing it myself(errata) or using my laptop.

The best solution would be to have a binder containing the rules, and when errata is made, have a copy of the pages(s) effected made, and print those out, and replace the old pages with the new.

I know that the world does not run at my or anyone's convenience but it would be nice to know how this will work/be addressed.

[KaeYoss]

BM wrote:

I figured something like that, but that diminishes the value of a print book of the Beta.

Unless there was a way to replace pages.

Happens with wizards' stuff all the time. And they say it's a final version, don't give out free pdfs, and charge final version money.

But I'd say that at that point, the changes will become less severe and frequent - mostly fine-tuning, since the biggest flaws will have been found and dealt with during alpha.

[Epic Meepo]

BM wrote:

What I was thinking was that Paizo is going to release a soft cover book of the Beta rules... Paizo has indicated that the book will more or less be the cost of them to print the book... However, if there is no easy way to include updates short of carrying an errata sheet/book, it discourages me from buying the book

Technically, Paizo isn't releasing a Beta book. They're releasing a Beta pdf, but they're offering to let you pay to use their printers instead of printing it yourself if you want a hard copy. The hard copy isn't the actual product; the pdf is.

(That's also why they aren't in a hurry to get the Beta off to the printers before Gen Con; the part about printing it out is secondary to just having it available in electronic form. As they said, they'll print it in book form at cost, so they aren't making any profit by selling it as a book. That's just an added option they wanted to make available to their customers, should anyone be interested.)

[tallforadwarf]

Epic Meepo wrote:

should anyone be interested.)

I know I am - that book'll be a piece of history! I was actually thinking of buying two....

:)

tfad