Playtest Hardcopy and Finished Product Binding Quality


Prerelease Discussion

Liberty's Edge

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I know that there is only so much you guys can do to ensure that the Binding on the Hardcovers are going to hold up, but we all know, there have been some pretty serious issues (Which I'm SURE cost the company BIG $$) with the binding quality of the last few big Hardcovers.

Have you switched printer/binder partner companies, shouted down their throats, or otherwise addressed this kind of quality issue in relation to the Playtest book?

After the entire first run of Starfinder was botched (Collectors edition included) and reprints being sent out, Paizo has done a GREAT job of "making it right" but I cannot fathom how the Purple Golem could EVER hope to reprint or replace these Hardcover Playtest books since I believe there is only 1 Print-Run planned for the product.

I'd considered buying the PF2 PTRulebook but after some really disappointing print qualities I decided it wasn't worth risking my money on it should it run afoul of binding problems.


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What's the point of this post?

There was only one printing of the Playtest Rules Book. Done and gone.

They won't reprint, no matter what the quality. The playtest will be over before they'd get everything re-shipped.

Liberty's Edge

CrystalSeas wrote:

What's the point of this post?

There was only one printing of the Playtest Rules Book. Done and gone.

They won't reprint, no matter what the quality. The playtest will be over before they'd get everything re-shipped.

I'm primarily curious if steps were taken to ensure their printer has Quality Control figured out for large Hardcovers. The very reason I did not buy a Playtest Book was because I didn't want to buy it as a collectable that I'd be afraid to open or actually use at the table.

You're right though I guess, only time will tell since they're off the printer now.


My Starfinder Core Book is still holding together marvelously -- not all of them were botched, just a LARGE, LARGE portion. :)

It's also the reason I sprung for the Softcover when I purchased; for some weird reason I've had better luck with Paizo on those.


My Starfinder Special Edition Core Rulebook is also holding up well.

But with their experience with those problems, I find it difficult to believe that they were unconcerned and didn't make any effort to find solutions before producing the PF2 Playtest.

Sovereign Court

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Pathfinder Starfinder Society Subscriber
Themetricsystem wrote:
CrystalSeas wrote:

What's the point of this post?

There was only one printing of the Playtest Rules Book. Done and gone.

They won't reprint, no matter what the quality. The playtest will be over before they'd get everything re-shipped.

I'm primarily curious if steps were taken to ensure their printer has Quality Control figured out for large Hardcovers. The very reason I did not buy a Playtest Book was because I didn't want to buy it as a collectable that I'd be afraid to open or actually use at the table.

You're right though I guess, only time will tell since they're off the printer now.

Hopefully, back from the printer by now...

But I do recall they used a different printing company for the playtest. I think it was a Canadian company to allow more time for tweaks by saving shipping time.

Liberty's Edge

I will likely rarely open my special edition playtest CRB. It is more of a collectible for me than a RPG tool

I will use the pdf for the latter

Silver Crusade

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They used a completely different printer for the playtest in order to have a faster turn-around time. These were printed somewhere in North America instead of Asia.

We have no idea what the quality will be like.

Shadow Lodge

Both the front and back covers fell off my PF1 book I get so many wierd looks when I pull out this big floppy book at games, I really hope they get that worked out by the time PF2 goes to print


They changed the binding method after the first couple of printings of the CRB. If you have a first or second printing they have worked out that issue.

If it’s a more recent printing you can always get a replacement should a book come poorly bound. The procedure is to take it back to your place of purchase (who then notionally pass it back up the line to distributor, Paizo and ultimately printer - though I’m betting it never gets past the first step).

I’d love it if they moved to stitched in binding rather than glue, but I doubt the complaints over the necessary price increase would be worth the trouble.

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