We believe, Gary, we believe! *claps three times*
I'd just like to point out that this thread has the most gloriously acronym-filled title ever.
"Any ETA on the RotRL pdf?"
Outstanding :)
But this is just the initial report.
Senior Software Developer
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But my question is: shouldn't have Paizo as a company tried to manage the launch of their most important product to date a little bit better? I mean, most of us ex Dragon / Dungeon subscribers have been waiting for the release of Pathfinder since April, and they have had all this time to fix things in order to have a smooth start...
The truth is I've been pretty much coding non-stop since March to get all this stuff into place. Pathfinder subscriptions are very different from Dragon or Dungeon subscriptions. Then in response to customer feedback we added GameMastery Modules subscriptions. And the ability to combine them. Neither of those two features was really on my radar back in March. The ability to convert Dragon and Dungeon subscriptions. An entirely new watermarker. A complete rewrite of our shipping code due to new postal rates. Etc., etc.
Apart from taking a week or so to write the custom-PDF generating code for the Stonehenge Library, and an hour here and there to make some new avatars, all I've been doing is working on Pathfinder and module-related stuff.
"Hire someone!" you say? Heh. Well, turns out I'm the only one here who can evaluate resumes and interview potential developers. And anyone we hire will require extensive training on our ridiculously complicated codebase. So.... no time to select someone, no time to get them up to speed. As is evidenced by the fact that I'm not done yet.
Anyway. It's not really anybody's fault. We're really a small company in a small industry. We're doing the best we can. (And I like to think, that's pretty damn good.)
Anyway. It's not really anybody's fault. We're really a small company in a small industry. We're doing the best we can. (And I like to think, that's pretty damn good.)
And it is. Your efforts are most certainly appreciated, and it is quite clear from your daily updates that you guys are the best. Keep up the good work!!
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Our customers really are something special. You guys rock!
Right back at you. Every one of the Paizo peeps that I've been in contact with (even peripherally) have all been great. You are certainly no exception. Working in a job where most people don't care about doing their job correctly (or how that negatively impacts the other people at the job), I've come to truly respect those who do take their jobs seriously (I'm sure this is a sign of me getting old). And I agree with the others that you deserve a vacation (and/or pay rise) after this is all done. Hats off, Gary. :)
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Senior Software Developer
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When I go to open it with WinZip, I get a bunch of "The following invalid folder name was found in the archive" and it gives my a pathname. Additionally, there are about 11 more of these, but refer to PDF filenames (presumably in the invalid path).
I've fixed this and redeployed the new watermarker. Turns out the problem was in fact with the filenames in the .zip archive.
Re-personalize your file and it should open properly when you download it.
But my question is: shouldn't have Paizo as a company tried to manage the launch of their most important product to date a little bit better? I mean, most of us ex Dragon / Dungeon subscribers have been waiting for the release of Pathfinder since April, and they have had all this time to fix things in order to have a smooth start...I think part of the issue is due to some new stuff that came up after the announcement of the end of Dungeon and Dragon, and the first notice of Pathfinder and GameMastery modules. If I remember right, both the upgrade to monthly subscription option for GameMastery and the combined shipping of Pathfinder and GameMastery got added to Gary's list between then and now, due to lots of requests here on the boards.
I have to say, while I'm on the edge of my seat waiting for Pathfinder to ship, I can't really complain when the delay is due, at least in part, to Paizo's commitment to making its customers happy ;)
Yep, you can either take the approach of not promising anything and keeping everything secret but saying "Just wait and see what we have, it's cool!" OR being entirely open and in regular communication with customers asking "So, what do you want?"
One can make it easier to avoid changing requirements but for some reason doesn't always wind up with a good product. The other is trying to hit a moving target, but seems to make customers much happier.
Also, I forgot about the postal rate changes and having to account for those. So blame the federal government instead. I will now. ;)
When I go to open it with WinZip, I get a bunch of "The following invalid folder name was found in the archive" and it gives my a pathname. Additionally, there are about 11 more of these, but refer to PDF filenames (presumably in the invalid path).I've fixed this and redeployed the new watermarker. Turns out the problem was in fact with the filenames in the .zip archive.
Re-personalize your file and it should open properly when you download it.
Worked like a charm....THNAKS GARY!!!!
Now, once I get back from taking my daughter to the dentist, I can read it over...of course, she is only 8 and only has 3 adult teeth...I mean really, does she need to go that bad??? Nah, I better take her.... :)
Gary, Thanks again for your help, and all of the butt busting you do for the customers. Believe me, it doesn't go unnoticed!
I keep refreshing my watch on this thread, hoping.
Then I check my email - and see a paizo order # email! ...
.. then I remember I decided to add the GameMastery Module subscription while I was itching for Pathfinder...
{goes back to waiting patiently}
Downloading now!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Awesome Thanks Gary for getting it up and running.
'Zactly what I was bout to say, considering the issues with my order it is a pleasant surprise to be dling it now.
How did you get your downloads? My account page says I haven´t any new pdf to download. and my orders page says my pathfinder #1 is still pending. Are any of you experimenting this?
I am trying to be patient but I must say this is getting rather frustrating. Considering the fact that we were told this would ship and our access to the pdf would be available on Monday (8/13) and we are still waiting for this I think my frustration is quite understandable. It is sad when I have placed my support of this product by subscribing while RotRL was still in production and people who went to GenCon were able to purchase it before I even get access to the pdf. I feel that Paizo has not done a fabulous job supporting those who support them.
I have an IT background and understand that issues arise. However, it does little to comfort me when I continue to be told 'tomorrow'. Yet every day when I log into the boards there is another issue with the release of this product.
I think I have been a patient person and I will continue to wait for this product. Paizo consistently produces good product as I have purchased my share of copies of Dungeon and Dragon magazine from newstands. However I doubt I will consider the purchase of anything from Paizo before the item is available after this debacle.
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I am trying to be patient but I must say this is getting rather frustrating. Considering the fact that we were told this would ship and our access to the pdf would be available on Monday (8/13) and we are still waiting for this I think my frustration is quite understandable. It is sad when I have placed my support of this product by subscribing while RotRL was still in production and people who went to GenCon were able to purchase it before I even get access to the pdf. I feel that Paizo has not done a fabulous job supporting those who support them.
I have an IT background and understand that issues arise. However, it does little to comfort me when I continue to be told 'tomorrow'. Yet every day when I log into the boards there is another issue with the release of this product.
I think I have been a patient person and I will continue to wait for this product. Paizo consistently produces good product as I have purchased my share of copies of Dungeon and Dragon magazine from newstands. However I doubt I will consider the purchase of anything from Paizo before the item is available after this debacle.
I just got access to the email and access to the download within the last few minutes. Give your download section another check.
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How did you get your downloads? My account page says I haven�t any new pdf to download. and my orders page says my pathfinder #1 is still pending. Are any of you experimenting this?
If I remember right, the shipping label being printed for your order is what triggers the email and release of the PDF for you to download. If the labels are printing as we speak, people should be getting their emails over the next however long it takes them all to print.
I got home from work to find my shipment email from Paizo for this order and my PDFs waiting for me in my Downloads section.
Thanks, Gary!
( oh, and everybody else at paizo too )
Now: come to me, my (OGL) pretties ...
oh, thanks, grrtigger. I´m from Spain and after the problems we are suffering with our dragon and dungeon subscriptions I started to think something was going wrong with my pathfinder also. I will have to wait for it a little more.
Just got my e-mail about mine shipping out, and it had the download link for the PDF.
Although, the file unzipped out into a folder with 10 different files in it.
Is that normal?
Yes, this was mentioned in an earlier post. Perfectly normal.
That's funny.
Download just showed up in 'My Account". While this is great it still doesn't change my disappointment with this mess.
Oh well.
RPG Superstar 2013 Top 32
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That's funny.
Download just showed up in 'My Account". While this is great it still doesn't change my disappointment with this mess.
Oh well.
Mine also just showed up, only a few minutes ago. I can't wait to get home and download it! (Seven Swords of Sin showed up at the same time, too!)
That's funny.
Download just showed up in 'My Account". While this is great it still doesn't change my disappointment with this mess.
Oh well.
Oh come on, you sound like Roy.
http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0444.html
RPG Superstar 2011 Top 32
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I am trying to be patient but I must say this is getting rather frustrating. Considering the fact that we were told this would ship and our access to the pdf would be available on Monday (8/13) and we are still waiting for this I think my frustration is quite understandable. It is sad when I have placed my support of this product by subscribing while RotRL was still in production and people who went to GenCon were able to purchase it before I even get access to the pdf. I feel that Paizo has not done a fabulous job supporting those who support them.
I have an IT background and understand that issues arise. However, it does little to comfort me when I continue to be told 'tomorrow'. Yet every day when I log into the boards there is another issue with the release of this product.
I think I have been a patient person and I will continue to wait for this product. Paizo consistently produces good product as I have purchased my share of copies of Dungeon and Dragon magazine from newstands. However I doubt I will consider the purchase of anything from Paizo before the item is available after this debacle.
Then, as an IT person, you should know that new developments almost never go right the first time around.
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Download just showed up in 'My Account". While this is great it still doesn't change my disappointment with this mess.
I can understand being frustrated with waiting, but honestly I think Paizo staff have been doing their best to keep everybody up to date on what's been going on. Check out Gary's post above about all the extra stuff that got added to his list after the announcement of Pathfinder and GameMastery modules.
There was no monthly subscription to GameMastery modules when the line was announced - we asked for it, and they made it so. There was no combined shipping on Pathfinder and GameMastery modules when Pathfinder and GameMastery modules were announced - we asked for it, and they made it so.
And so on, and so on, and so on. I didn't much like the waiting either, but seriously - multiple Paizo staff members were actively participating here on the boards, including the guy actually working on building out all these extra features and even some of the staff away managing a booth at one of the biggest gaming conventions there is. Frankly, I'm just happy to finally have the darn thing.
And it looks awesome! I can't wait to dig in. So much for doing laundry tonight ...
Still haven't gotten mine. I don't mind waiting, but I had a question. My sidecart says:
"You have 1 item waiting to be shipped when Pathfinder #2—Rise of the Runelords Chapter 2: "The Skinsaw Murders" (OGL) arrives at our warehouse: • GameMastery Module D2: Seven Swords of Sin (OGL) Print Edition "
I remember seeing that there was a coding problem where it was showing one issue ahead of what it should be. Is that what this is? I will be getting Pathfinder #1 right?
W00T! HUZZAH! THIS IS SPARTAAAA!
=)
Thanks! Downloading now.
Yeeehaaa!
Now the fun begins!
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Chief Technical Officer
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We believe we've got all of the bugs worked out of the system, and fulfillment is proceeding as quickly as possible.
Fulfillment is broken into two categories: domestic and international.
Domestic shipping began with UPS shipments (of which there were only a few dozen). Then we went to folks who have charter Pathfinder subscriptions shipping with GameMastery Modules subscriptions—they're getting Pathfinder 1, Player's Guides, and Module D2. Right now, we're working on the biggest group, which is charter subscribers without Modules subscriptions—so folks who are getting Pathfinder 1 and the Player's Guide. After that, we'll do the folks who chose Pathfinder as their transition option, but haven't yet signed up for ongoing subscriptions—they're getting only Pathfinder 1. In each group, shipments are sorted by zone, with the ones that have to travel the furthest going out first. The whole process, we estimate, will take around 13 hours of printing, so it won't be finished tonight.
International shipments (including APO/FPO addresses) are a little trickier. While domestically, we can just print up a bunch of postage labels simultaneously, and then stick them on prepacked envelopes, international shipments all require customs forms, so we have to drop them into our standard fulfillment pipeline, which isn't as fast. So those will probably spread out over a few days as well.
We're expecting to learn from this, and will probably have some refinements for volume 2, but that's how it's working for volume 1.
You'll get access to the PDF when your volume ships from our warehouse. That definitely won't be today because I have yet to write the new remote watermarker code. (That's today's todo item!)
Will this be on a specified subpage or will access be made via email?
Wooooot!
*Impatiently watches the download bar creeping along...*
The parrot said "after GenCon," and here it is the next day, and everything's on its way. All is forgiven ;)
Thanks for the information Vic. And I already hoped I just could go to bed and wake up finding my Pathfinder PDF ready for download :(.
Well I suppose we all have to be patient.
And thank you Gary for keeping us informed about your progress over the last couple of days, weeks and months. Normally I would be upset about the delay, but given the fact that the whole Paizo staff does its best to keep all of us informed, I can cope with it pretty well :).
So given the fact that its 1:25 o'clock in Germany now, I will stop waiting for my PDF file and got to bed ;):
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Senior Software Developer
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Will this be on a specified subpage or will access be made via email?
You'll be notified by email, but access is through your My Downloads page.
International shipment person here. I received W1 yesterday by post but have had the PDF for ages - which is great. I absolutely love the system cos it means I get my stuff almost when everyone else does.
Is there a reason why you cant give me/us access to the PDF now even though it will take a few days to send it by snail mail? In my case I am going on a siteseeing trip in central Australia in 2 days time which means hours on planes and then hours and hours on buses between interesting sites (anyone who has done this will know what I mean). So I am keen to have some reading materail to devour.
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Chief Technical Officer
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Is there a reason why you cant give me/us access to the PDF now
It happens during the fulfillment process, right after we actually charge you for the order.
Obviously creating two separate processes to fulfill different parts of your order would not be very efficient, and creating a process to give you something before we charge you for it would also not be a clever idea on our part.
Believe me—we'll fulfill everybody's orders as quickly as we can!
International shipments (including APO/FPO addresses) are a little trickier. While domestically, we can just print up a bunch of postage labels simultaneously, and then stick them on prepacked envelopes, international shipments all require customs forms, so we have to drop them into our standard fulfillment pipeline, which isn't as fast. So those will probably spread out over a few days as well.
Having jumped on the bandwagon back in April, I'm more than a little frustrated to read this now, when I know those who went to GenCon have already got their copies, and those US subscribers are downloading their PDF's right now.
When I subscribed, I knew I'd be getting my hardcopy after everyone else, but the lure of subscribing was the PDF that I was sure I'd be getting at the same time as everyone else, and before non-subscribers.
And now this?
I was a programmer before I "retired", so I do understand how it works. My frustration doesn't stem so much from being told it's delayed because of bugs in the code, but from knowing that others are getting their non-subscriber copies and PDF's before me. Why in the world can't the PDF be released to me first?! I give you every authority to charge my card NOW, if that's the problem. I don't care when the hardcopy gets to me. It can wait till next year if it'll help you plan your shipments, but I want my PDF! The PDF is the only thing that's really useful to me anyway. The hardcopy will be more for collection than anything.
Deep breath.
Sorry for the rant, but when I've been waiting for weeks to start my new campaign and keep reading about others getting their issue...
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When I subscribed, I knew I'd be getting my hardcopy after everyone else, but the lure of subscribing was the PDF that I was sure I'd be getting at the same time as everyone else, and before non-subscribers.
And now this?
I was a programmer before I "retired", so I do understand how it works. My frustration doesn't stem so much from being told it's delayed because of bugs in the code, but from knowing that others are getting their non-subscriber copies and PDF's before me. Why in the world can't the PDF be released to me first?! I give you every authority to charge my card NOW, if that's the problem. I don't care when the hardcopy gets to me. It can wait till next year if it'll help you plan your shipments, but I want my PDF! The PDF is the only thing that's really useful to me anyway. The hardcopy will be more for collection than anything.
I can relate to that, I just got off work after a veeery long night at the office and was really hoping to finally get a look at my brand new Pathfinder PDF, but no dice...
Us Europeans seem to get the short end of the stick a lot, final Dungeon and Dragon has not yet arrived, GenCon attendees with too much spare time got their hard copy before charter subscribers even got their PDF, and now this... three kicks in the face just for being born on the wrong side of the pond...
[Note: I may be feeling a bit sorry for myself after working a 16 hour day and taking it out on Paizo]
Downloading the pdf as we speak . . . Gary, fantastic job . . . go take a vacation and don't come back until christmas . . . you deserve the time off my man.
And, as you leave, tell one of your flunkie's to answer my question. What happens if I suffer a hard drive crash and would need to download the pdf again? is this a one shot download, only available once? I'm sure this is something you guys have planned for, but simpleton that I am, I'm only just now realizing it.
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Senior Software Developer
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And, as you leave, tell one of your flunkie's to answer my question. What happens if I suffer a hard drive crash and would need to download the pdf again? is this a one shot download, only available once? I'm sure this is something you guys have planned for, but simpleton that I am, I'm only just now realizing it.
No worries. You can download it again if you need it. Unlike the iTunes music store....
And, as you leave, tell one of your flunkie's to answer my question. What happens if I suffer a hard drive crash and would need to download the pdf again? is this a one shot download, only available once? I'm sure this is something you guys have planned for, but simpleton that I am, I'm only just now realizing it.No worries. You can download it again if you need it. Unlike the iTunes music store....
Great . . . but what part of the bolded text did you not understand . . . Go . . get thee hence . . . Due to where he lives, I'd almost tell you to go visit Logue, . . . but I wouldn't wish that on anyone . . .
Since I am a charter subscriber, and a game mastery module subscriber, shouldn't I have received my PDF by now? I still an unable to download and am worried since it says that my GameMastery D2 is waiting on Pathfinder #2 to ship.
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Chief Technical Officer
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I give you every authority to charge my card NOW, if that's the problem.
Actually, that is kind of the problem, but from a different point of view. There are thousands upon thousands of you that have given us exactly that authority, and we can't fulfill them all simultaneously or instantaneously. You're in line along with all of the other subscribers, and we're fulfilling them in the order that will let us fulfill the most people fastest.
As for people getting print copies at Gen Con, well, while we had hoped to deliver subscriber PDFs and at least mail subscriber copies out before Gen Con, we had also long since planned for that show to be the debut of the print edition. And frankly, it's not just a plan—it's a business necessity. You might notice that our entire industry plans our product releases and our news releases around Gen Con, for many, many different reasons; if a product misses Gen Con, the opportunity cost could be the difference between a product's success and failure. (I can also tell you that Gen Con did not delay processing a single subscriber copy.)
If you want Pathfinder to succeed—and as subscribers, you've already said you do—then you need to support the fact that we made it as big a deal as we could in front of the largest possible audience at the most important event in the industry.
The bottom line is that we did our best to get these things done before Gen Con, and we missed by a little less than a week—but not through lack of effort. If you want to fault us for that, go right ahead, but we felt it was important to get it done right, not just get it done fast.
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Chief Technical Officer
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Since I am a charter subscriber, and a game mastery module subscriber, shouldn't I have received my PDF by now? I still an unable to download and am worried since it says that my GameMastery D2 is waiting on Pathfinder #2 to ship.
Clive,
I'm at home, and am unable to check your details, but assuming you're in the US, yes, as a Charter + Modules subscriber, you probably should have been processed by now. Have you checked to see if the PDFs are already in your assets?
If so, you might want to make sure you don't have an overactive spam filter somewhere.
If not, we'll check into it tomorrow morning to see what's up.
Is there a reason why you cant give me/us access to the PDF now
It happens during the fulfillment process, right after we actually charge you for the order.
Obviously creating two separate processes to fulfill different parts of your order would not be very efficient, and creating a process to give you something before we charge you for it would also not be a clever idea on our part.
Believe me—we'll fulfill everybody's orders as quickly as we can!
I believe you, I accept your explanation and appreciate the fact of an explanation- and the effort in getting the product out. I have always found the service and problem solving attitude of Paizo to be exemplary.