Ebook version for FoG V2?

[batesmotel]

An interesting tidbit from the Slitherine press event in the list of new releases:

Field of Glory digital book version - Coming soon! Beta version will be viewed by press

Chris

[jacii]

Waiting with bated breath!

Electronic searches for us trying to learn the rules better - what a concept.

Jorge

[hazelbark]

This is the way army lists should be done too. It would allow fixes.

[philqw78]

It would also allow lots more people to beout of date with said 'fixes'

And are quick fixes a good idea. Most of the list fixes in V2 are dropped.

[marty]

Provokes so mant questions!

Will Beta testers (or anyone else apart from the press) get a look at the beta version?

How soon is soon?

Will the paper-book version be released at the same time?

Martin

[hazelbark]

It would also allow lots more people to beout of date with said 'fixes'

And are quick fixes a good idea. Most of the list fixes in V2 are dropped.

There are so many solutions, but being locked into the graven stone tablet approach creates problems like if you decide to adjust points.

I am not arguing for any particular list change, but they can be managed this way. Nor am I arguing for frequent changes. But the inability to change is a detriment.

[ethan]

I actually think ancients has gotten it wrong with frequent rules changes and glacially paced army list changes. There is actually a lot of interesting new archaeology and research going on and much more abundant abilities to access foreign language sources that mean our understanding of ancient armies is evolving faster than one might think.

But the inability to incorporate any of this in the army lists at anything like a reasonable pace IMO is discouraging. I know there is a history of pleading for army changes to suit someone's "pet" army but that can be handled by the author's having some control over the process AND some clear guidelines that avoid producing a super army.

This set-up also means that unintended army list problems (coughromanswarmcough) are very hard to undo. The pattern is that the rules get changed to fix army list problems which can create other problems...if we could change army lists at the same pace as rules it would make for a better game.

I think the future would be better served by a subscription model for something like and e-rules book and army lists. With some rolling updates to the rules, errata if nothing else and clarifications based on the FAQ and updating armies to reflect new research, etc.

[nikgaukroger]

I actually think ancients has gotten it wrong with frequent rules changes and glacially paced army list changes. There is actually a lot of interesting new archaeology and research going on and much more abundant abilities to access foreign language sources that mean our understanding of ancient armies is evolving faster than one might think.

I think you could probably have scheduled list updates every 6 months if Slitherine wanted to go that sort of route, amending a few lists each time (assuming amendments were needed, not every list would necessarily be covered).

[ethan]

I actually think ancients has gotten it wrong with frequent rules changes and glacially paced army list changes. There is actually a lot of interesting new archaeology and research going on and much more abundant abilities to access foreign language sources that mean our understanding of ancient armies is evolving faster than one might think.

I think you could probably have scheduled list updates every 6 months if Slitherine wanted to go that sort of route, amending a few lists each time (assuming amendments were needed, not every list would necessarily be covered).

^^This. You could keep it under control by putting a cap on actual revisions, no more than X armies a year (not counting errata) so that you eliminated massive flux. It would also create some mearningful discussion every six months or so...

[philqw78]

Would all this not make the real books worthless

[nikgaukroger]

Would all this not make the real books worthless

If you had, say, 10 lists randomly spread over the books revised every 6 months how long would it take for your books to become worthless?

[philqw78]

Would all this not make the real books worthless

If you had, say, 10 lists randomly spread over the books revised every 6 months how long would it take for your books to become worthless?

6 months

And there would be the books in the shops, already out of date after the first amendment and before they were sold.

[hazelbark]

Would all this not make the real books worthless

If you had, say, 10 lists randomly spread over the books revised every 6 months how long would it take for your books to become worthless?

I think it is easier short of a glaring cosmic error to issue the updates once a year. That way people can look at a calendar and be safe.

[ethan]

You could have a yearly FoG army update that you can buy electronically to update your electronic books or as a single physically printed volume.

[Strategos69]

The main problem of this issue is making money out of it more than any other problem, which can be solved more or less easily. And that is not a problem only about the lists and the game, but basically about how to sell books in the era of easy copying. It would be very hard to come with a solution here, but there are alternatives.

In fact, in game terms, the problem is that lists get frozen in time and they do not evolve whereas the rules do to accomodate, which is putting the world upside down. Given that the lists are fronzen, once you get tired of your army you have to switch to a new one. That is specially true with the really flat list with barely five troop types. Other armies with plently of options (or the winning ones) are more "gifted".

I think there is a concept problem. Lists pretend to be too detailed sometimes but they are detailed mostly for the ones where there is more interest or research. It would be wiser to look at this the other way round. You could have very generic lists as the officials to be printed without specific options (all those only permitted for certain period, for example). Then you can have update of lists for especific periods and produce new lists. These lists could be first published online and tested and once there is some certainty and sufficient number, then go for hard copies. This is a model that keeps players more attentive and can keep going with the same army but with different units depending on the period, theater, etc.

[IanB3406]

Not something my lgs would be happy about. I've always made a point of buying local instead of amazon...in the us they are usually where the games are played. Of course doesn't mean I won't buy an extra ecopy anyway. Force on Force is already available via osprey in this format.

Ian

[bahdahbum]

coming soon ...what is soon ???

[shadowdragon]

coming soon ...what is soon ???

http://www.urbandictionary.com/define.php?term=soon

[Gandamar]

Well this is a very complex subject, but from my perspective, I think this is possibly the best way to go. Not because of the updating possibility (which I think it's a big plus), but because of the wider potential customers. Here in Chile NO ONE sells FoG books (or any other historical wargame book or figures line, for that matter), so the very few that own a copy have been forced to resort to direct import (like Amazon, Book Depository or, in my case, Noble Knight), which, in most cases, duplicates the final price of the book due to shipping and customs taxes. With an e-book version we can have access to the book with no "extra payments". The role playing games market has embraced this format with a lot of success (see White Wolf, Mongoose and Catalyst Game Labs, for example), and Osprey itself has done pretty well with its own e-book line (I've bought quite a few myself, and have a LOT more wishlisted), so, IMHO, I think this is just a natural next step for the FoG line.

Now, regarding book updates, they don't need to be that frequent. Back to the RPG e-books example, I bought the Vampire Storyteller's Handbook back in June 2010, and it's been updated only once since then. Actually, most of the books I've bought there haven't been updated at all. It's just a "new" business model (which has been active for at least 10 years), which brings its advantages and disadvantages, just like everything new. I only hope this brings FoG to a whole new audience, it's just too good a game to be "confined" by the limitations of physical book distribution.

BTW, I still love my 1st ed. "dead tree" edition books

[bahdahbum]

Hopes it comes soon, whenever soon will be ... somexhere in 2013 ,