Keith Strohm's page

Very nice guys. One question: Is the artwork in the book new? I love the fact that it's full color. And you guys have some of the best artists around (Udon I'm looking at you).

Some of the artwork in the book is new--but as you mentioned, we have a number of highly talented artists at our disposal and we kept some of their original work as it appeared in the magazine.

Keith Strohm

Being a person that likes to support my local game store, I decided to grab up the hardcover from them. When I saw the preorder form here on Paizo, I downloaded it and took it to them so that I could order it. I thought they had done so, seems it is different than I thought.

Well, here we are a week after the release date, they still don't have my copy in and the store is saying that Alliance is temporarily out of stock. Now in all the places that I have lived in the Midwest (Currently I am in St. Louis), the distributor of choice in every game store has been Alliance. I have never really been impressed with them, though I admit they seem to be better now than 10 years ago.

Neo,

I can see how this situation must frustrate you. It's one that frustrates us, as well. We created the preorder downloads specifically so that we could support local game stores and provide them with guaranteed sales. Why a store wouldn't order a copy of a game that they have already sold is beyond me.

We called Alliance directly to ask about stock levels and the Shackled City book is available at all warehouses to all Alliance retailers. Our preorder shipping issues had no effect on distribution because the distributors received their products about a week before we did.

It could be a breakdown with the store's Alliance rep, or it could be a problem with the store itself--though it sounds to me like you've had some issues with the store before. If you want to email me privately at keith@paizo.com, I'd be happy to call the store and see if we can get to the bottom of the situation.

So what is a DM to do? I am in the middle of the 3rd module with it on order with them and a need to switch over to the hardcover. I don't want to cancel my order, I don't want to order online, but this incident with the store is another mark in a long, tarnish history of issues that seem to crop up.

What's a DM to do? If you absolutely need to make sure you have the book soon, I would recommend giving paizo.com a try. I admire your willingness and determination to support your local game store (which is why we created the preorder forms in the first place), I only wish that most game stores supported their customers as well in turn.

Healthy, high quality game stores are good for the industry, but making sure customers can get high quality products in their hands is good for the industry, as well. You can click on this link:

http://paizo.com/dungeon/products/books/v5748btpy7dx9

to get to the Shackled City order page if you decide to go that route. We generally have a one business day turnaround on those, so if you order on a Monday, we generally ship it out on Tuesday.

Again, if you would ilke me to talk to the store directly, just shoot me an email.

Keith Strohm
Chief Operating Officer
Paizo Publishing, LLC

Just as I expected this pre-order was a disaster. There is no excuse for stores to be getting the book before the majority of pre-order customers. Once you saw how fast you were getting pre-orders in last month you should have notified the printer that the first shipment of x copies goes to you first and no one else. This was my first pre-order purchase from you as well as my first purchase from your online store other than subscriptions. This will also be my last.

In regards to Paizo's shipping of Shackled City preorders, Brian (and others) have expressed legitimate frustration regarding the arrival of the book, and I wanted to take a few moments to respond officially.

Coordinating the shipping and delivery of product so that it is available through multiple channels at the same time is a fairly complex undertaking. Add in to that the vagaries of shipping delivery schedules (and the U.S. Post Office), and it becomes even trickier. That being said, many companies (both smaller and larger than Paizo) manage to do it with every release.

The fact of the matter is--we made a mistake. We underestimated the volume of pre-orders that would come in during the final weeks of pre-sale, and when those numbers came in higher than what we had quick-shipped to us, we relied on average shipping times from our vendor to arrive at the conclusion that we didn't need to quick ship any additional product. Based on our calculations, the remaining preorder products which were being regularly shipped should have arrived in time to get everyone's preorder out.

That didn't happen.

And believe me when I say that we were very frustrated in the office. We sent frantic emails and calls to our print vendor's shipping department, trying to track the progress of our shipment.

The bottom line is, however, that many preorders didn't reach customers on the release date. At Paizo, we strive to create high quality products and offer the best service that we can to our customers. We fell short of the service mark on the Shackled City Preorder and are deeply apologetic.

On a personal note, I understand that there may be some of you who won't preorder anything else from Paizo because of this situation. That kind of reponse makes complete sense given your experience with this pre-order. However, I would ask that you give Paizo another opportunity to deliver world class customer service. Looking back at the history of our company, one thing that we have committed to doing is learning from every success--and every failure. Now that we have analyzed the breakdown that occurred on the Shackled City Preorder, we will make sure that it doesn't happen again.

If you have any questions or comments, feel free to call me (425) 289-1344 or email me at keith@paizo.com. Once again, we apologize for the delay in getting our preorders out to everyone in time for yesterday's release.

Keith Strohm
Chief Operating Officer
Paizo Publishing, LLC

As far as gaming in the 21st century goes - this seems to be as close to a shared experience as we are likely to stumble upon.

Steel Wind,

We are definitely gratified that this has been your experience (and your analysis). Way back when we launched 3rd Edition, the Adventure Path Concept (starting with Sunless Citadel) was designed to do exactly what you described. For a variety of reasons, I'm not sure if it succeeded in all the ways we had hoped.

Here's to the continued success of the Age of Worms!

Keith Strohm
Chief Operating Officer
Paizo Publishing, LLC

I have one question about the GameMastery line that will severely affect my decision to buy. Are the minis made out of lead free metal?

You have me sold on everything else, but I cannot buy them if they contain any lead whatsoever. Suprisingly more and more minis companies are using lead nowadays, despite it's known health risks. I do not buy from these companies.

Thanks,
Bob Hradek

Bob,

The minis will be spun in Pewter, which is completely lead free!

Keith Strohm
Chief Operating Officer
Paizo Publishing, LLC

I have enjoyed them. However, if we have hit the end of them, I am just as good to wait for the book.

Thanks,

Neomorte

Neomorte,

We should have one more coming your way at the beginning of next week!

Keith Strohm
Chief Operating Officer
Paizo Publishing, LLC

I noticed something while re-reading the first design diary for the Shackled City HC. We are getting a poster map for Cauldron as it has never been seen before. Does that mean there will indeed be an "aftermath" map included in the book?

Additionally, will we see the maps in a downloadable format here on paizo.com after or near the release of the hardcover?

Thanks for your attention.

Neomorte

Neomorte,

There is definitely an aftermath map in the Shackled City Hardcover book, and it looks sweet!!

Keith Strohm
Chief Operating Officer
Paizo Publishing, LLC

I'm looking forward to purchasing the Shackled City adeventure path hardback when it coems out.

I can't however locate a UK store that actually sells Paizo products - Google basically directs me here. In principle I'm fine to buy online direct from this site if need be, but the shipping then comes in at $20 which seems quite steep when I've had Amazon Marketplace hardbacks shipped over for about $6. Delivery time to the UK is also an issue.

Can you advice of any stores in the UK that will carry this product? I'd prefer to support a local store when purchasing as good gaming shops can be quite thin on the ground. London, Cambridge or the south east area preferred - failing that a UK retailer who may be able to post at considerably lower cost.

Any/all help appreciated.

I'm not sure what store will carry the Shackled City Book, but I do know that Esdevium, a distributor in the UK, has ordered copies of the Shackled City. If the store you shop at uses Esdevium as a distributor, they can order the book and have it for you.

Keith Strohm
Chief Operating Officer
Paizo Publishing

Byron Zibeck wrote:

Neato!

I take it 7/27 is the ship date for preorders, correct?

Byron,

Preorders should ship out to arrive at a customer's home by 7/27. The 27th is also the on-sale date for retail stores as well.

Keith Strohm
Chief Operating Officer
Paizo Publishing, LLC

I may have spoken too soon. The latest update from our printers regarding the Shackled City Book puts it on schedule for in-store release of July 27th, but it is likely that we will receive copies too late to ship out to arrive exactly on the 27th for preorders.

Apologies for the earlier misinformation. We'll keep folks updated if anything changes. All of us here are exceptionaly excited at the impending release of this book.

Keith Strohm
Chief Operating Officer
Paizo Publishing, LLC

Neato!

I take it 7/27 is the ship date for preorders, correct?

Byron,

Preorders should ship out to arrive at a customer's home by 7/27. The 27th is also the on-sale date for retail stores as well.

Keith Strohm
Chief Operating Officer
Paizo Publishing, LLC

All,

In order to provide a higher level of customer service, Paizo has just hired a new Customer Service Representative. Our newest employee has just started this very afternoon, but will be diving in to make sure all customer service issues are handled swiftly and professionally.

We apologize if you have experienced a delay in customer service response. With our new hire, I expect that we will be back on track very shortly.

Thanks again,

Keith Strohm
Chief Operating Officer
Paizo Publishing, LLC

All,

Given our orders from the distribution channel, it is quite possible that the demand for the Shackled City Adventure Path book will outstrip what is available at retail, which means that there is a good chance you will not be able to get a copy of the Shackled City book from your local retailer when it releases.

We know many folks like to support their local game stores, and so we have made a downloadable pre-order form available to you. Just download the preorder form, fill it out, and give it to your local retailer. This insures that you will receive a copy of the book when it releases, and it helps your full line game store.

Download the preorder form as a
76KB PDF or 52KB .zip.

And make sure you spread the word. The last thing we want is hordes of fans frustrated because they can't get their Shackled City book right away. We will have copies in stock, but it could take some time to get those extra copies from our warehouse, to the distributors, and then to your retailer.

Thanks,

Keith Strohm
Chief Operating Officer
Paizo Publishing, LLC

All,

We here at Paizo are very excited about the release of our Dungeon Classics: Shackled City Adventure Path Campaign book. Like with many new products, it's possible that your local retailer may not have heard about the release and therefore hasn't ordered it from their distributor.

Many folks want to support their local full line game store, and one of the best ways to do that is to let them know that you are interested in buying a particular release. Generally, if a store knows that you are interested, they will order the product and make a sale.

One of the best ways to help insure that Paizo releases future compilation products is to pick up a copy of the book.

So, in an attempt to create a winning situation for everyone (paizo, retailers, and, most importantly, you), we're providing a full color flyer with details of the upcoming Dungeon and Dragon compilation products specifically for game store owners.

Nowadays, it's not simply enough to send in solicitations through our distributors, we also need our readers and fans who are interested in our products to let their retailers know about them. You can print out the flyer or send it to them via email. Either way, express your interest and help your retailer know that it will e worth his while to order the product for you.

You can take a look at and download the flyer at:

• Low resolution: 608KB
  PDF or 472KB .zip file
• High resolution: 10.6MB PDF or 10.5MB .zip file

In the very near future, Paizo will also be posting a printer-friendly pdf Pre-order Form for download. Folks interested in preordering one of our products can print out the form and take it in to their retailer.

I am very excited about the way the Dungeon Classics: Shackled City book is shaping up--and I'm confident that you all will be pleased wit it as well.

Good gaming,

Keith Strohm
Chief Operating Officer
Paizo Publishing, LLC

The Campaign workbook is a perfect book that will be easily portable (you should be able to carry it in one hand). It will have a leatherette cover.

Phew!! Thanks Erik....looks like my subconscious got the best of me there.

So its not a case-bound (hard-bound) book either, but more like a soft cover correct?

That's correct. It will have a soft, but sturdy, cover.

Will the campaign workbook be expandable, like a ringbinder?

Or is it a bound book?
Will it have some kind of artwork?

The Campaign workbook is a perfect book that will be easily portable (you should be able to carry it in one hand). It will have a leatherette cover.

Keith Strohm
Chief Operating Officer
Paizo Publishing, LLC

To All European Subscribers;

First off, let me offer you, without reservation, our sincere apologies regarding the problems you have been experiencing with your subscriptions. As Jeremy Walker mentioned in an earlier post, we have been working for several weeks to analyze and fix the issues that have plagued our European subscribers. In examining the breakdown in our subscription service, we discovered a number of areas where we simply dropped the ball.

Although it has taken us longer than we wanted, we have created processes to insure that such breaks in service do not happen again, and we will be working very hard to regain your trust in the coming weeks and months. As our way of letting you know how much we value your continued business, we will be providing those of you who experienced an interruption in service with a subscription extension. A letter detailing this extension will accompany a package containing any issues you may have missed.

Issue 119 of Dungeon will be sent out in the post to all international subscribers Friday, January 14th. All missed issues will be mailed out from the U.K. by the end of the day on Monday, January 17th.

Again, we apologize deeply for the problems you have experienced. Paizo is committed to providing you with magazines and quality customer service that enhance your game experience. It is clear we have not lived up to that commitment in the recent past. Please accept this note as our pledge to do so moving forward.

We are looking forward to a smoother 2005!

Keith Strohm
COO & Publisher
Paizo Publishing, LLC

The publication Dungeon #115 includes an article adventure claiming to be "Steel Shadows".

This claim is false and the title of the adventure, despite being identical to the 2003 Pisces All Media publication "Steel Shadows" has NOTHING TO DO WITH PISCES ALL MEDIA, other than the title and the identical subject matter.

This matter has been brought to the attention of Paizo Publishing, Wizards of the Coast and Hasbro.

--------------------------------------------------------------------------- -----

Jonathan,

Thanks for bringing your concerns to the attention of our CEO. It is Paizo Publishing, LLC's policy not to discuss any issues of a legal nature relating to our company or our products on our messageboards.

Any further responses will occur via email from the appropriate people at Paizo.

Keith Strohm
Chief Operating Officer
Paizo Publishing, LLC

Just a shameless plug to let you all know that I've got some Planescape Items up for Auction on E-Bay. My good friends Monte Cook and Bruce Cordell will also be happy to sign and personalize any items that they are credited for.

Thanks,

Keith F. Strohm

I subscribed at GenCon and was pleased to receive a duplicate issue in my goody bag so's I could cut out visual aids. And the free t-shirt was the clincher. Say, and I realize I might be laughed out of the Nerd Club for this one, but who's the dude with the big blue helmet on the Dungeon t-shirts they were giving away with subscriptions at GenCon?

And what does the "Gen" in GenCon stand for?

And who played Lumpy on <i>Leave it to Beaver</i>?

I'm glad that your Paizo gen Con experience was a good one! We hope you like the new format. I'm a bit exhausted from the past 3 days, but I wanted to pop on before I crashed to say hi.

To answer your questions:

1. The dude with the big blue helmet is none other than the infamous Warduke! He appeared on a recent cover of Dungeon magazine.

2. The "Gen" in Gen Con stands for Geneva...as in Lake Geneva, Wisconsin where TSR was based. Gen Con actually stands for Geneva Convention, hearkening back to its humble roots in Lake Geneva.

3. Lumpy was played by the actor Frank Bank, who also appeared as "Tiny" in the Westinghouse Playhouse series episode entitled "Ballet Oop."

Hope this info helps!

Keith Strohm
Chief Operating Officer
Paizo Publishing, LLC