Chief Technical Officer
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The Dragon Compendium, Volume 1, has been given a new release date: December 6, 2005. We expect to ship preorders starting November 28.
We have also posted a new sneak peak featuring a spread from the Monsters chapter.
-Vic.
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Man this really tweeks my melon! I already have a preorder placed with scifigenre.com. Bananas, crackers and nuts!
So if the preorders are delayed, that also means that the bookstores won't have it, right? What happened to push it back that far?
Okay, This is just pure speculation on my part. I live no where near the Paizo compound nor do I have any affiliation with the company except to trade bad puns, and buy stuff from them and occasionally try to sneak an adventure in to an issue Dungeon.
That said I have two theories.
A print run of the Compendium in the quantities I think Paizo will order takes about a month to print, trim, bind and package. So perhaps there was an error on the printer's end. Perhaps the binding glue, final trim, or some other error crept into production and got reproduced a thousand times. Perhaps there was an error in the loose proof copy. Lots of things can and do go wrong and sometimes it doesn't get caught until the very last quality check.
The other possibility is a deadline issue. If Paizo didn't have their final files ready, didn't fix every last detail on the final proof or even something as simple as not sign the okay form to go ahead with mass production the job could have been delayed. And let's not forget that WotC has its own approval process.
Printers run on tight schedules too, and many still live by the motto: "Poor planning on your part does not constitute an emergency on mine." So if Paizo missed a printer deadline the printer might have started another job. I imagine that for most large scale opperations (usually the only ones that do case, or hardbound books) most print runs are going to be larger than what Paizo produces (in overall terms of volume) hence no special treatment, and no force on earth can change a printer's deadline once he/she has made up their mind on one.
Hence there is no use complaining anymore. I still want the book regardless. Obviously I'm disappointed, but at least I don't live on the Gulf Coast.
Also I tend to believe it's a case of the former (since it took them so long to tell us). However it seems to me you boys and girls at Paizo are running yourselves ragged. Has there been any consideration of maybe getting a month or two ahead in the production schedule (perhaps though outsourcing or temp workers - I can think of a half-dozen people a click a way who would be willing and able - actually I'm only thinking of one right now ;). I realize from the marketing angle everything is a race, but still think of all the money you'll save on hair dye. Consider the opportunity to actually converse with and maybe even touch a member of the opposite (or perferred) sex. And what about plain old sleep?
Perhaps this has something to do with Paizo's need for an Isadora Duncan impersonat- err, um, graphic designer (different thread).
The News on December 22: "I'm sorry dear, but Christmas won't be here until early February (weather permitting)."
GGG
The Dragon Compendium, Volume 1, has been given a new release date: December 6, 2005. We expect to ship preorders starting November 28.
-Vic.
.
PS. Vic, Thanks for being the brave one, and letting us know.
GGG
waaaaaah...! ;)
ah, oh well, no biggie.
So how about a free PDF version of the Dragon Compendium as consolation for those of us who pre-ordered well before the shipping update announcement? I'm even willing to pay for a discounted version of a PDF in addition to keeping my pre-order.
I toally second the PDF. I'd be willing to pay extra.
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Chief Technical Officer
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The delay on the Dragon Compendium is entirely Paizo's fault - we didn't get the finished files to the printer until last week. Once we did, the printer inserted us into their schedule very promptly. Wizards was also really, really helpful in minimizing the delay by giving us an unbelievably speedy turnaround once we submitted it to them for approval.
We didn't announce the delay sooner because we didn't have a revised release date until the printer rescheduled us, and the only thing worse than saying "it's late" is saying "it's late and we don't know when it will come out." Once we had a firm date, we announced the delay within an hour.
-Vic.
.
The delay on the Dragon Compendium is entirely Paizo's fault - we didn't get the finished files to the printer until last week.
Even more reason to give us a PDF! :P
Aha, case solved! So much for my third theory about Steve Jackson's Grassy Gnoll....
Back and to the left,
GGG
Wondering.
Does this update null the ads and such in Dragon 337 saying that it's out now? :P
"We just recieved word that The Dragon Compendium Volume 1 has left Canada enroute to the U.S. and will reach paizo.com early next week (barring unforseen customs snafus). We priority-shipped enough copies to fill the preorders that we have so far, plus 60 extra copies to cover orders placed in the next few days. If you want to get your copy sent in time for Christmas, you'll need to place one of those next 60 orders; orders placed after those copies are reserved will have to wait for the large shipment due to arrive two weeks after the first. So roll for initiative and be the first in your gaming circle with this landmark book!" -Paizo Store
Very cool (and completely unexpected) news. No Christmas blues here.
GGG
Ah, preorders are shipped today! I wonder which one of us pre-orders will get it first and gloat? :D
Ah, preorders are shipped today! I wonder which one of us pre-orders will get it first and gloat? :D
Where did you see that preorders shipped today?
Ah, preorders are shipped today! I wonder which one of us pre-orders will get it first and gloat? :DWhere did you see that preorders shipped today?
Read the very first post of this thread. It's stated the preorders ship today. :)
Read the very first post of this thread. It's stated the preorders ship today. :)
I think I failed my spot check. :P
I guess I was still fixed on the December 6 date.
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Chief Technical Officer
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I've received word that the first shipment won't be arriving today or tomorrow, so we currently anticipate shipping preorders on Thursday or Friday. We still anticipate a 12/6 release date, though.
-Vic.
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I've just spoken with our Director of Operations - while we'll be working on fulfilling preorders on Thursday and Friday, those copies won't enter the postal system until Friday or Monday. Also, it seems likely that retailers won't have copies until closer to the 13th of December.
The reason for the additional week-long delay is that the press proofs we returned to the printer were held up in customs (the printer is in Canada), so they couldn't begin our press run at the scheduled time.
If it doesn't, I'm sad to say, you are doomed.
No, I BRING doom! ;p
Aww man, are you freaking kidding me? I was all expectant for it come next week sometime. Now I gotta wait two weeks. :(
At this rate, I think the preorders are just going to end up arrive as an Xmas present. LOL
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Chief Technical Officer
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I was all expectant for it come next week sometime.
If you live in the US, and selected USPS Priority shipping, you probably will get your preorder next week. If it's coming UPS, it still probably will, unless you live on the far reaches of the East Coast, in which case it'll be close.
-Vic.
.
If you live in the US, and selected USPS Priority shipping, you probably will get your preorder next week. If it's coming UPS, it still probably will, unless you live on the far reaches of the East Coast, in which case it'll be close.
-Vic.
.
Oh, cool. I live in the Midwest so sometime next week? Neat. :D