Author Topic: New and Upcoming Releases Volume XII: Baker's Dozen (Read 226116 times)

captnmartin · « **Reply #1290 on:** 13 July 2018, 21:54:21 »

Quote from: Xotl on 13 July 2018, 21:41:19

With the new art, Tactical Operations will be the third printing, and TechManual will also be the third printing.
However, TechManual is potentially confusing, in that the last release before this one was PDF-only. It was the 3rd version of TM, and it was intended to be the basis for a new printing (which is why Drivethru probably lists that old one as the "third printing"), but it never actually went to the printer until now, when we added yet more errata and so made a new version. To sum up, this edition of TM with the new cover is the fourth TM release, but the third physical printing.

Ok, so do you need to go with the new cover art PDFs to get the most up to date version on drivethru, or do the old cover art versions also contain the latest and greatest info including errata? I ask because the page listing the edition, after the acknowledgements, shows different print versions for Total Warfare (4th vs 5th) and Tac Ops (Nothing vs 2nd). I ask because I prefer the Battlemaster/Uziel covers for TW and TacOps respectively, and I was wondering if those PDFs are updated with the newest information.

Xotl · « **Reply #1291 on:** 13 July 2018, 21:56:05 »

The updated variant cover art/new logo versions are also the new printings: they're one and the same. So if you have them, you have the new printings, and thus the latest errata.

Anything with the previous art is 100% an older (now out of date) printing.

Valkerie · « **Reply #1292 on:** 13 July 2018, 22:40:47 »

Got my updated version of TechManual from DriveThru just now. Thanks and liking the retro artwork, especially the Strat Ops cover. Love that one. :thumbsup: 8)

LightGuard · « **Reply #1293 on:** 13 July 2018, 23:14:37 »

Love the new covers, can't wait for the Strat Ops update too.

Will AtoW/InterOps/CampOps get the same treatment eventually?

Tymers Realm · « **Reply #1294 on:** 13 July 2018, 23:17:58 »

I also just d/l'ed the new TechManual. It's nice seeing the Tactical Handbook cover art used there.
The only thing I'm disappointed with is there's no bookmarks in the PDF I d/l'ed from DriveThruRPG. I believe I used the E-CAT version of the two files available.

Wrangler · « **Reply #1295 on:** 14 July 2018, 00:05:48 »

What is old is new again. :thumbsup:

captnmartin · « **Reply #1296 on:** 14 July 2018, 00:14:10 »

Quote from: Xotl on 13 July 2018, 21:56:05

Anything with the previous art is 100% an older (now out of date) printing.

Ok, just checked and you are correct.

Is there any chance we'll get the new text/errata inclusion with the old covers? (I like the Uziel/Battlemaster covers more then the old 80s ish art)

For example, Total Warfare lists the following files for download
(E-CAT35001_BattleTech_Total_Warfare.pdf)
(E-CAT35001V_Total_Warfare.pdf)

The 5001V has the new cover and the new errata (Atlas)
35001 is the old battlemaster cover, and 4th printing.

Might be confusing for people who don't read this thread, to know which version has the errata included in it.

Xotl · « **Reply #1297 on:** 14 July 2018, 00:19:17 »

There are no plans to re-release the new printing PDFs with the previous art. As these are coming out in print as well, have a print book with one cover but its associate PDF with two could easily create confusion.

captnmartin · « **Reply #1298 on:** 14 July 2018, 00:30:26 »

Fair enough. At least the old covers are still available.

mrbooth · « **Reply #1299 on:** 14 July 2018, 05:59:33 »

When are the emails for CGL store going out? Would like to see the new version but I bought my copies of the PDFs in original release so no clue if they are still in my order history.

PyreLight · « **Reply #1300 on:** 14 July 2018, 06:23:40 »

I love the vintage art, it's absolutely amazing.

Sellsword · « **Reply #1301 on:** 14 July 2018, 06:52:47 »

While not unexpected to see retro covers on the rest of the core rule books, I'm surprised at how much I actually dislike them. This seems to be an attempt to get the grognards, who have been keeping Battletech on life support, to buy the core books all over again while hoping that 20+ year old art will appeal to a new generation of players. I just don't think this round of artwork compares favorably to what Battletech's competitors are releasing. And certainly isn't up to the new standards set by the upcoming box sets.

Battletech: This is your grandfather's wargame is just not a good marketing strategy.

The new introductory box sets are a great example of combining the old with the new. The miniatures appear to be of comparable quality to competitor's releases. All the mech art/designs in the box set have been refined and updated to appeal to a new crowd but are still easily recognizable to old players. There seems to be enough change to entice new players while still pulling on the nostalgia heart strings of the old guard. I intent to buy at least one of each of the box sets but I just can't get behind this re-release of the core rule books even with the errata changes. Sorry CGL but I won't be buying the core books all over again.

Cubby · « **Reply #1302 on:** 14 July 2018, 08:03:04 »

Minor housekeeping note: I've updated the subject line of the stickied "New Release" post at the top of General Discussion to reflect that TechManual and Tactical Operations also now have new versions with updated errata.

Feel free to continue here if you like, for now. But as we roll out more announcements in the coming days on this thread, that other thread will be a good place to continue the discussions about the new core rulebook products without getting lost in the shuffle over here.

Quote from: LightGuard on 13 July 2018, 23:14:37

Will AtoW/InterOps/CampOps get the same treatment eventually?

Not known at this time. The focus at the moment is on getting Strategic Operations done, and of course there are many other projects across the BT line demanding attention. Interstellar Operations and Campaign Operations are both fairly new and still widely available, so I feel safe in saying that they're very low on the priority list.

Kitsune413 · « **Reply #1303 on:** 14 July 2018, 09:31:36 »

Stuff is coming out Cubby? :o

Fear Factory · « **Reply #1304 on:** 14 July 2018, 10:21:53 »

Quote from: Sellsword on 14 July 2018, 06:52:47

Battletech: This is your grandfather's wargame is just not a good marketing strategy.

This about sums up the franchise at this point. I was hoping the lawsuit was going to get us an updated reprint of the Succession Wars TRO with the rest of the nuseen.

If the old books were updated and organized in a way so they were easier to navigate, or if there was a reprint in the style of the Compendium with updated rules from TW, then I would buy them. "New old art" just screams "same old stuff" and isn't doing it for me anymore.

I'll be purchasing the new-old box sets. But like most, it'll be for the miniatures, because we all know the box set is the same thing that's been done since the 80's. Swapping 'mechs and lowering the miniature count isn't a change. Consistency used to mean something, but now it's starting to feel more like redundancy.

EDIT: But maybe I'm just grumpy because I haven't had my coffee yet... ugh.

Adrian Gideon · « **Reply #1305 on:** 14 July 2018, 10:47:39 »

Quote from: Sellsword on 14 July 2018, 06:52:47

The new introductory box sets are a great example of combining the old with the new. The miniatures appear to be of comparable quality to competitor's releases. All the mech art/designs in the box set have been refined and updated to appeal to a new crowd but are still easily recognizable to old players. There seems to be enough change to entice new players while still pulling on the nostalgia heart strings of the old guard.

Agreed. Almost completely.

abou · « **Reply #1306 on:** 14 July 2018, 10:57:10 »

No one is asking anyone to buy this because of a different cover. This is a new printing with errata. If you don't have a problem printing out errata sheets, using PDFs, or just your old books then there is no reason to buy these anyway.

I will because of the updates and that I don't have my own copies of Tech Manual and StratOps. But do you expect me to believe you would buy a new printing of the same book just because it had a new cover?

NeonKnight · « **Reply #1307 on:** 14 July 2018, 11:06:41 »

Quote from: abou on 14 July 2018, 10:57:10

No one is asking anyone to buy this because of a different cover. This is a new printing with errata. If you don't have a problem printing out errata sheets, using PDFs, or just your old books then there is no reason to buy these anyway.

I will because of the updates and that I don't have my own copies of Tech Manual and StratOps. But do you expect me to believe you would buy a new printing of the same book just because it had a new cover?

:-[ Yes....

Sellsword · « **Reply #1308 on:** 14 July 2018, 11:14:19 »

Quote from: abou on 14 July 2018, 10:57:10

No one is asking anyone to buy this because of a different cover. This is a new printing with errata. If you don't have a problem printing out errata sheets, using PDFs, or just your old books then there is no reason to buy these anyway.

I will because of the updates and that I don't have my own copies of Tech Manual and StratOps. But do you expect me to believe you would buy a new printing of the same book just because it had a new cover?

Then there was absolutely no reason to spend the time, effort and money changing the covers If they aren’t trying to entice me to buy something that I already have.

Kitsune413 · « **Reply #1309 on:** 14 July 2018, 11:39:09 »

Quote from: Adrian Gideon on 14 July 2018, 10:47:39

Agreed. Almost completely.

It's important that we get there too. Getting the art up to MWO style, etc. Makes a big difference. I got a new player into battletech recently. She likes the game alot. But I remember her looking at each of the plastic mechs from the old box set and she laughed at most of the desigjs. I don't feel differently. Some mechs like the Timber Wolf or the Atlas are pretty timeless. But plenty of others are just too aged to win over people who have seen fourty years of mech aesthetic progression.

Fear Factory · « **Reply #1310 on:** 14 July 2018, 12:00:08 »

Quote from: Kitsune413 on 14 July 2018, 11:39:09

It's important that we get there too. Getting the art up to MWO style, etc. Makes a big difference. I got a new player into battletech recently. She likes the game alot. But I remember her looking at each of the plastic mechs from the old box set and she laughed at most of the desigjs. I don't feel differently. Some mechs like the Timber Wolf or the Atlas are pretty timeless. But plenty of others are just too aged to win over people who have seen fourty years of mech aesthetic progression.

I also agree that the new box sets are a good start. Taking it further with a modern update of the plastics from 3rd edition and the last box (5th or 6th?) would be new and fresh. Hell, stick with piggy backing on the PC game and do a rules AND miniature update. It's not like there wasn't time to do that considering the PC game took over a year to make. Total missed opportunity. But no, reprinting old rules with eratta is obviously a better option.

Quote from: Sellsword on 14 July 2018, 11:14:19

Then there was absolutely no reason to spend the time, effort and money changing the covers If they aren’t trying to entice me to buy something that I already have.

And we'll hear about how it's hard to sell certain things, they're a small business, blah blah blah. These things remind me of how often PGI makes excuses about balancing MWO (which is a whole other topic that's been discussed over and over again).

Ugh. AND on the other hand, the more I think about it, I might buy the new prints. The last copy of TW I got was the first printing. But then I consider how much more I've played Alpha Strike in the last few years because the rules were something new and fresh. Alpha Strike Commander's Edition seems like a great idea and I'm totally buying that.

All of this coming from a guy who clings to his old 4th edition box.

abou · « **Reply #1311 on:** 14 July 2018, 12:43:17 »

Quote from: Sellsword on 14 July 2018, 11:14:19

Then there was absolutely no reason to spend the time, effort and money changing the covers If they aren’t trying to entice me to buy something that I already have.

It might have actually been less costly to use this art. That is something to consider as well.

Kitsune413 · « **Reply #1312 on:** 14 July 2018, 13:00:47 »

I get that there might be obsessive compulsive or anxiety disorders in play... but this reaction over a cover changing is a bit much.

I guess if you have all the other books and are trying to finish the picture the spines make it kind of makes sense.... but I think we're lucky alot of those core rulebooks are even being printed right now.

Scotty · « **Reply #1313 on:** 14 July 2018, 13:02:42 »

The new covers make it instantly recognizable whether a book is the updated version. As someone who plays a lot of Alpha Strike, the inside of that book changed significantly from 1st to 2nd printing, and it's been causing trouble for years at this point.

There have been enough major changes to the core books during their lifetime that having an easily differentiated cover is pretty necessary.

mrbooth · « **Reply #1314 on:** 14 July 2018, 13:38:32 »

Has anyone gotten the email from CGL about the updated products?

ColBosch · « **Reply #1315 on:** 14 July 2018, 13:38:43 »

I think the new boxed sets are far more important in today's market. I'm actually kind of surprised - and a bit concerned - that the core rulebooks are getting a new printing. It strikes me as a serious misread of what people are buying these days.

Valkerie · « **Reply #1316 on:** 14 July 2018, 13:59:27 »

Quote from: mrbooth on 14 July 2018, 13:38:32

Has anyone gotten the email from CGL about the updated products?

Yes, I got mine yesterday.

Sellsword · « **Reply #1317 on:** 14 July 2018, 14:04:36 »

Quote from: Scotty on 14 July 2018, 13:02:42

The new covers make it instantly recognizable whether a book is the updated version. As someone who plays a lot of Alpha Strike, the inside of that book changed significantly from 1st to 2nd printing, and it's been causing trouble for years at this point.

There have been enough major changes to the core books during their lifetime that having an easily differentiated cover is pretty necessary.

Couldn't they have just changed the font of the Battletech logo to the current version in order to differentiate between the printings instead of using retro art?

I actually don't have a problem with CGL changing the covers of the core rule books. I just don't like their use of existing retro art. If it works for other people that is fine but it doesn't work for me. I find it disappointing and I won't buy product for B-Tech anymore just because CGL has produced it or to keep the game afloat. In the "Year of Battletech" the best idea CGL can come up with is releasing the core rule book with 25+ year old artwork. It is very anticlimactic. Maybe I'm expecting too much out of CGL but I had high hopes with the redesigned box sets. This just feels like a step backward.

Sellsword · « **Reply #1318 on:** 14 July 2018, 14:06:14 »

Quote from: ColBosch on 14 July 2018, 13:38:43

I think the new boxed sets are far more important in today's market. I'm actually kind of surprised - and a bit concerned - that the core rulebooks are getting a new printing. It strikes me as a serious misread of what people are buying these days.

I agree 100% percent

ColBosch · « **Reply #1319 on:** 14 July 2018, 14:22:19 »

Quote from: Sellsword on 14 July 2018, 14:06:14

I agree 100% percent

Thanks, but I also think you're blowing the "new cover" thing way out of proportion.