Canonfire!

Sat Jan 21, 2012 4:10 pm WotC is reprinting the 1e Core Books (PH, DMG, MM)!

I know that D&D Next (5e) is the big news this week, but it seems that folks missed this juicy tid-bit...

WotC is reprinting the 1e Core Books (PH, DMG, MM)! Some proceeds with go to support the Gygax Memorial Fund.

I am sure this is the target audience for this news...

Sat Jan 21, 2012 4:14 pm

I'll definitely get the Monster Manual reprint. I still have my original 1st ed. version of all three of those books, but the Monster Manual is all beat up and as a kid I very stupidly colored in a lot of the pictures rolleyes

It'd be nice to have a version with the original art that's not ruined by my childhood foolishness. Laughing

Sat Jan 21, 2012 4:31 pm

I am curious what the new book covers will look like. What is being shown appears to be what the first inner page will look like, as there are no book titles on the pic at all. As these books are 3 months out, it is safe to assume that they have arrived/soon will be arriving from the printers, and so the covers should be set. I want to see the covers before ordering.
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Sat Jan 21, 2012 5:18 pm

*sigh*

I may just have to get these even though I still have my 1e books within arms reach (even though I play 3.5).

Sat Jan 21, 2012 10:48 pm

You gotta love the Erol Otus art on these beauties ;)

Sun Jan 22, 2012 5:44 am

It's just going to be crazy on e-bay about 2 or 3 mo. after they sell out. I see the going for 3x's or 4x's the cover price.

Will I go out and buy the "new" 1e core book's, most likely. I think it's a way WotC to get into the OSR or any of the retro clones out their with out pulling the plug on the OGL. I could be wrong, but my scrying pool has lied to me before Laughing

Sun Jan 22, 2012 7:46 am

Sat Jan 28, 2012 12:05 am

I dunno... maybe if it's a take on the original covers. I like what they did w/ the PHB2 for 3.5

Sat Jan 28, 2012 11:52 pm

It would be nice to see a better take on the original covers(the monster manual in particular). That would pretty much seal it for me. Pics soon hopefully.

EDIT: ...and that didn't take long at all. Care of Morrus of ENWorld in the Seminar Transcript - Upcoming Products for 2012:

I like them well enough. Cool

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Sun Jan 29, 2012 4:55 pm

The new covers are a nice homage to the originals. It is interesting that the 'Advanced' part of the name is not on the cover. I wonder if this is a move toward uniting all the editions?
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Agape,

Julian<div><br /></div><div><br /></div>

Sun Jan 29, 2012 8:29 pm

Crud. Now I have to buy them all... :)

Sun Jan 29, 2012 9:29 pm

I might actually have to go out and buy these. Damn I really enjoy the original artwork on those covers. Kind of reminds me of how I learned the game. Dare I open the inside? Morrus probably has a preorder on those babies.

Later

Argon

Mon Jan 30, 2012 8:26 am Interesting

That wasn't what I expected for the cover art or for the name...but I didn't really know what to expect.

Now I wonder if they updated the manuals to correct errors that had existed in the last printings.

http://www.acaeum.com/library/errata_mm.html

http://www.acaeum.com/library/errata_phb.html

http://www.acaeum.com/library/errata_dmg.html

Thu Feb 02, 2012 8:43 pm

Pass. I have my old set of 1st ed books I used for years (all beat to hell) and the display copies I have in a shadow box hanging on my wall (picked up years later). I'll stick to the old covers for my show-off wall.

Sat Feb 04, 2012 1:35 pm Re: Interesting

Thu Feb 09, 2012 12:16 pm Editing and Publishing

Well, I expect that they won't edit the text but my opinion is that they should. As an editor of manuals, I can't justify releasing a new publication where I haven't fixed mistakes that I know are there. I understand that the current people may not even be aware that there are mistakes. I also figure they might not even have access to the last printing that was printed from which to make their scan.

According to http://www.acaeum.com/ddindexes/modpages/b1.html, the 8th printing of B2 (Silver Anniversary Collector's Edition) has art from 1st printing and text from 3rd printing. According to http://www.acaeum.com/ddindexes/setpages/basic.html, the Holmes Basic book used the 5th printing instead of the 7th. I can only hope that the differences between these printings was not text but something like font or placement of bar codes on cover.

Mon Feb 13, 2012 8:51 am

I am psyched about this anyway.

To be honest, since the release of 3.5, WotC has gradually and deliberately worsened its relationship to the fan base. At least that is my impression.

This looks like a nice step to make amends again. Smile

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"A Minstrel's Memory": PBPs & Other Games, since 2005.

Mon Feb 13, 2012 9:48 am

Mon Feb 13, 2012 9:56 am

I agree with you, and I think that it is a widely spread misconception that the problems that WotC had lately came from them essentially pissing of the oldschool crowd.

Rather than that, I'd say their problems are systemic, as I wrote in another, more in detail debate:

Mon Feb 13, 2012 9:59 am

While I like the fact they are reprinting 1e I will not be buying. Not because of any 'hatred' for WOTC but for the fact that I will not support the Gygax Memorial. I would much rather see Castle Zagyg finally be released than a statue.
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Agape,

Julian<div><br /></div><div><br /></div>

Mon Feb 13, 2012 10:56 am

Wed Aug 01, 2012 8:49 pm

Forgive the threadomancy but I think this is still the most appropriate thread to use without resorting to fashioning a new one:

I just ran an errand for my wife, and en route back home, stopped by the local gaming shop on a whim with purpose. An LO! and BEHOLD! there they ALL 3 were, in complete wrapping, the reprinted core books!

I merely glanced at them, and since they were wrapped, couldn't peruse any of them, of course.

My question to anyone reading this...did you buy any (or all) of them? Was it worth the money? Be honest. I still have my original books from the late 80's, and yes, they are a bit beaten up (my DMG is the worst for wear, but still fully functional). Is there anything new and different about these reprints? Or are they pretty much clones of the originals?

VERY curious,

Lanthorn

Wed Aug 01, 2012 9:22 pm

Lanthorn, the info on them said they're reprints, with the original interior artwork and contents. Besides the covers, if there is anything different I imagine they might have printed them on coated paper, like all the newer stuff, but haven't hear one way or the other.

Wed Aug 01, 2012 9:51 pm

Mortellan covered this on his blog Greyhawkery. Give it a visit here http://greyhawkery.blogspot.com/

Later

Argon

Wed Aug 01, 2012 9:55 pm

Thanks for the tip, Argon.

Anyone actually own a copy and open it up?

-Lanthorn, on the edge of his seat