PDA

View Full Version : WotC Reprinting AD&D!



Matthew
2012-01-19, 05:39 AM
Check it out:

http://www.wizards.com/ContentResources/Wizards/Sales/Solicitations/2012_04_17_dd_1stED_Solicitation_en_US.pdf

http://www.wizards.com/dnd/Product.aspx?x=dnd/products/dndacc/02390000

http://www.wizards.com/dnd/Product.aspx?x=dnd/products/dndacc/02390000

http://www.wizards.com/dnd/Product.aspx?x=dnd/products/dndacc/02400000

Collector's editions, but still pretty great. :smallbiggrin:

kpenguin
2012-01-19, 05:53 AM
That's AMAZING.

Release date in April? Must find local gaming supplier...

Dumbledore lives
2012-01-19, 05:57 AM
This is awesome, now if only they'd reprint all the other ones.

NikitaDarkstar
2012-01-19, 07:07 AM
.... Oh darn it... Time to start saving! (What? I'm a student, and WotC's books are almost as expensive as my friggin text-books. XD)

Delvin Darkwood
2012-01-19, 07:13 AM
Yes! By the great will of gygax yes!

Granted i already have all the manuals... but hey, a second copy cant hurt can it?

Kurald Galain
2012-01-19, 07:44 AM
They're building a statue for Gygax? Okay, that's pretty cool :smallbiggrin:

Matthew
2012-01-19, 07:46 AM
Oh yeah, that statue has been planned for a few years, and it is cool to see WotC reaching out like this.

Morghen
2012-01-19, 07:49 AM
That really is pretty cool.



Except for the whole $45/book thing.

Matthew
2012-01-19, 07:54 AM
Yeah, it is expensive, but then they are "premium quality", so maybe it will be worth it. I am not planning on laying down the dollars myself right now, but maybe I will feel inclined when we get to April.

hamlet
2012-01-19, 07:57 AM
For those of us behind content filters that don't like WOTC website . . . which version of AD&D is it? I'm presuming 1e, but I'm guessing that maybe they're doing Unearthed Arcana in there as well?

Either this is really cool, and maybe a first positive step by WOTC to reach back out to those gamers it told to bugger off a few years ago, or it's the world's unfunniest, longest April Fool's Joke ever.

I'm not quite sure which I believe.

Matthew
2012-01-19, 07:59 AM
Just the 1977-9 PHB, DMG and MM.

Totally Guy
2012-01-19, 08:20 AM
Do you think they'll incorporate any eratta? :smalltongue:

Yora
2012-01-19, 08:26 AM
I think this is bait for the old school fans. In April you get them visits WotCs website and buy their books again, so by the end of the year you have their attention to consider 5th Edition.

hamlet
2012-01-19, 08:36 AM
Just the 1977-9 PHB, DMG and MM.

Not bad then. I'll certainly consider it.


I think this is bait for the old school fans. In April you get them visits WotCs website and buy their books again, so by the end of the year you have their attention to consider 5th Edition.

Almost certainly. But it's reasonable bait rather than smacking people around like last time. It's a little more postive.

Matthew
2012-01-19, 08:44 AM
Do you think they'll incorporate any eratta? :smalltongue:

Good question! There actually was errata released back in 1980 that was never incorporated.

Totally Guy
2012-01-19, 08:53 AM
Good question! There actually was errata released back in 1980 that was never incorporated.

Oh, cool, I didn't think errata happened back then.

Lapak
2012-01-19, 09:07 AM
Awesome. My PHB is held together with tape and good will at the moment; having a 'playing' copy so I can keep that one on the shelf would be wonderful.

Kurald Galain
2012-01-19, 09:08 AM
Hm, it wouldn't surprise me if WOTC ends up claiming that 5E will be fully compatible with 1E (for a definition of "compatible" that not everybody agrees with, of course).

Grinner
2012-01-19, 09:10 AM
From wizards.com: Your purchase of this monumental book helps support the Gygax Memorial Fund—established to immortalize the “Father of Roleplaying Games” with a memorial statue in Lake Geneva, WI.

Kickass idea.

Matthew
2012-01-19, 09:13 AM
Oh, cool, I didn't think errata happened back then.

Yeah, they used to publish it in Dragon; check it out:

PHB Errata (http://www.acaeum.com/library/errata_phb.html)
DMG Errata (http://www.acaeum.com/library/errata_dmg.html)
MM Errata (http://www.acaeum.com/library/errata_mm.html)



Hm, it wouldn't surprise me if WOTC ends up claiming that 5E will be fully compatible with 1E (for a definition of "compatible" that not everybody agrees with, of course).

My thinking is that the emphasis is going to be on transporting characters between editions.

Lifeson
2012-01-19, 09:16 AM
If 5E will be compatible with other editions of D&D, I think it'll be as compatible as Pathfinder to 3.5 is, maybe a little less. It'll mesh up until you try to do something that isn't just whacking something.


BACK ON TOPIC: As much as I like the idea of WotC publishing their history, I gotta wonder how long this will be available for and what the aftereffects are going to be.

Yora
2012-01-19, 09:21 AM
Hm, it wouldn't surprise me if WOTC ends up claiming that 5E will be fully compatible with 1E (for a definition of "compatible" that not everybody agrees with, of course).

Monte Cook will make that claim. Six hours later, Mike Mearls will explain that this isn't really the case.

Tyndmyr
2012-01-19, 09:27 AM
Check it out:

http://www.wizards.com/ContentResources/Wizards/Sales/Solicitations/2012_04_17_dd_1stED_Solicitation_en_US.pdf

http://www.wizards.com/dnd/Product.aspx?x=dnd/products/dndacc/02390000

http://www.wizards.com/dnd/Product.aspx?x=dnd/products/dndacc/02390000

http://www.wizards.com/dnd/Product.aspx?x=dnd/products/dndacc/02400000

Collector's editions, but still pretty great. :smallbiggrin:

This is...genius. It's exactly what I've been saying they should do. Also, I'm buying them all.

Anxe
2012-01-19, 09:39 AM
What if it is an April Fools joke? :smalleek:

Maerok
2012-01-19, 09:42 AM
They're going to call it fifth edition. :smalltongue:

Howler Dagger
2012-01-19, 09:43 AM
What if it is an April Fools joke? :smalleek:

What if it isn't even April 1st yet?

hamlet
2012-01-19, 09:43 AM
Actually, I think they'd make a fair profit if they, eventually, reprinted more of the 1e line with incorporated erratta. Throw up the MM2, FF, UA, and a couple others, and people will grab them up, especially if part of the money is said to be going to a decent cause.

gkathellar
2012-01-19, 11:54 AM
Yay, I guess! I'm too young to have played 1E, so I guess I'll pick it up, see what the fuss is about and how it compares to 2E.


What if it is an April Fools joke? :smalleek:

Yeah, I hate it when I get notified of an April Fools joke 72 days early, and then I have to wait a whole 16 days after April Fools for the joke to actually happen! That's really just the worst.

hamlet
2012-01-19, 12:12 PM
Yay, I guess! I'm too young to have played 1E, so I guess I'll pick it up, see what the fuss is about and how it compares to 2E.


Virtually identical except for some minor tweeks.

TheArsenal
2012-01-19, 12:24 PM
Weird. I have a 1989 Reprint right in my hands. Does anybody know who made it? Whats TSR?

Matthew
2012-01-19, 12:28 PM
Weird. I have a 1989 Reprint right in my hands. Does anybody know who made it? Whats TSR?

TSR (Tactical Studies Rules) is the company that produced D&D 1974-1998, when they were bought out by WotC. There were some first edition books reprinted in 1989, but that was also when they published second edition. For your reference:

https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-LYm7SvcFzo0/TjWSJaZYSZI/AAAAAAAAA7o/xK5CCTuOHa8/s160/1974%252520Cover.jpg https://lh4.googleusercontent.com/-JuquuqMr9sU/TjWSJaxJb3I/AAAAAAAAA7s/GTwnFlFwllc/s160/1974%252520Men%252520%252526%252520Magic.jpg https://lh5.googleusercontent.com/-GVrwJMdKP3c/TjWSJUwuHxI/AAAAAAAAA7k/3Gc9cZwFqT4/s160/1974%252520Monsters%252520%252526%252520Treasures. jpg https://lh4.googleusercontent.com/-F8-HA2BORe8/TjWSJ6bTmBI/AAAAAAAAA7w/8btA5FjdTXM/s160/1974%252520Wilderness%252520%252526%252520Underwor ld.jpg

https://lh4.googleusercontent.com/-hWdyTTnFpwA/TgnwAIR-BDI/AAAAAAAAAPY/KR8BCmbnwr8/s160/001.jpg https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-yq8R_WpsXfA/TgnwBVAo2qI/AAAAAAAAAPg/AzUwlo2zFQg/s160/002.jpg https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-0X9yMnvhlIU/TgnwDaNgzaI/AAAAAAAAAPk/53u7BvCeKio/s160/003.jpg https://lh5.googleusercontent.com/-DG2aobZgpeo/TgnwEwwwxcI/AAAAAAAAAPo/wPu7v1ykcDY/s160/004.jpg https://lh4.googleusercontent.com/-G1bWKlMdE8U/TgnwGY6h6CI/AAAAAAAAAPs/ARoI9JBTBjM/s160/005.jpg https://lh4.googleusercontent.com/-dkhvY-XtbAc/TgnwIhWkm_I/AAAAAAAAAPw/GADfy3XQJ-E/s160/006.jpg

https://lh6.googleusercontent.com/-3tzkscIH3GY/TgobM68sLrI/AAAAAAAAASc/kEO9uuuiaGw/s160/1980%252520Basic.jpg https://lh4.googleusercontent.com/-tlt65TXawdc/TgobNqKfWcI/AAAAAAAAASo/HwaloAebgGI/s160/1980%252520Expert.jpg

https://lh6.googleusercontent.com/-y3jH1bVSCjU/TgobNFDX-fI/AAAAAAAAASk/q-NlLgBm2Sc/s160/1983%252520Basic.jpg https://lh6.googleusercontent.com/-sEI_RfeJdno/TgobNXfSWnI/AAAAAAAAASs/sOI6881XhYU/s160/1983%252520Expert.jpg https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-Kv-jji-O_ws/TgobN_IpeAI/AAAAAAAAASw/XVkMiamFyXo/s160/1984%252520Companion.jpg https://lh5.googleusercontent.com/-vyd2qoKgDck/TgobOeu5JLI/AAAAAAAAAS4/ycatRD1OZjY/s160/1985%252520Masters.jpg https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-HMcgmQYH9BM/TgobOElc_tI/AAAAAAAAAS0/MDJkGAzDoUQ/s160/1986%252520Immortals.jpg https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-XYe9rQo_1WU/TgobOWebshI/AAAAAAAAAS8/YGg8Ylkb9AY/s160/1991%252520Cyclopedia.jpg

https://lh5.googleusercontent.com/-QaE-Qwoom-0/TgnwJ4vIYqI/AAAAAAAAAP0/CHh8xuKCYuI/s160/007.jpg https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-fRNS3FOfHSQ/TgnwLidf-4I/AAAAAAAAAP4/Tm3E4ykC0VQ/s160/008.jpg https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-PJNKpj2ONFI/TgnwMmFD_DI/AAAAAAAAAP8/d2tampFOmlY/s160/009.jpg https://lh6.googleusercontent.com/-3reOwYknA5w/TgnwN_xh5SI/AAAAAAAAAQA/ptHxcLNyipI/s160/010.jpg https://lh4.googleusercontent.com/-ufoG9mxzGjU/TgnwPKBalFI/AAAAAAAAAQE/Po2r_hGkIsA/s160/011.jpg https://lh4.googleusercontent.com/-j7l1RKlpC7o/TgnwQeR1c1I/AAAAAAAAAQI/QL_pnEbzne4/s160/012.jpg

(They are reprinting the second line of books with new covers, the last three being already recovered versions of the first three).

Yora
2012-01-19, 12:40 PM
Which edition is the third row?

TheArsenal
2012-01-19, 12:41 PM
Ah, Ive got the third to last book.

Matthew
2012-01-19, 12:45 PM
Which edition is the third row?

That is the Modlvay/Cook/Marsh edit of Dungeons & Dragons, lasted something like 1980-2 before being replaced by the Mentzer edit which is in the next row and extended the game up to level 36.

DrBurr
2012-01-19, 12:46 PM
Sounds pretty cool, I've never played anything pre-3e so I'll probably pick up a copy at least for nerd bragging rights, now to convince my group to play a game as deadly and unforgiving as Old-School D&D is suppose to be

Matthew
2012-01-19, 12:52 PM
Ah, Ive got the third to last book.

Ah, hah! :smallbiggrin:



Sounds pretty cool, I've never played anything pre-3e so I'll probably pick up a copy at least for nerd bragging rights, now to convince my group to play a game as deadly and unforgiving as Old-School D&D is suppose to be.

If you want to do some reading ahead of time, I recommend downloading the Open System version of AD&D: OSRIC (hhttp://www.knights-n-knaves.com/osric/), and if you are in need of free adventures Dragonsfoot (http://www.dragonsfoot.org/) is the place to go.

hamlet
2012-01-19, 01:12 PM
Ah, hah! :smallbiggrin:


If you want to do some reading ahead of time, I recommend downloading the Open System version of AD&D: OSRIC (hhttp://www.knights-n-knaves.com/osric/), and if you are in need of free adventures Dragonsfoot (http://www.dragonsfoot.org/) is the place to go.

Also also, Adventures Dark and Deep which is, for the time being, free as well. AD&D with a lot of stuff from Dragon Magazine added in. Very good and currently entering its 2nd year of open playtest.

Morty
2012-01-19, 01:19 PM
This is cool. I'm positively surprised by WoTC. But man, I can't ever keep the pre-3.0 editions of D&D straight. :smalltongue: I guess I got into the hobby too late.

Yora
2012-01-19, 01:32 PM
It isn't actually that difficult, once you've figured it out.

hamlet
2012-01-19, 01:53 PM
Indeed.

The wikipedia article on D&D editions is quite good all in all. Quite comprehensive and clear on the subject.

Morty
2012-01-19, 02:09 PM
It does manage to cut through the confusion to break it down, yes. If the books reprinted are 1st edition AD&D, it means that among other things there's no THAC0 and Illusionists are a separate class, if I understand it right.

hamlet
2012-01-19, 02:17 PM
It does manage to cut through the confusion to break it down, yes. If the books reprinted are 1st edition AD&D, it means that among other things there's no THAC0 and Illusionists are a separate class, if I understand it right.

Correct on the second part, semi-correct on the first.

THAC0 did, in fact, exist in 1st edition AD&D. It was in the back of the DMG as a monster stat. However, it played virtually no part in the actual mechanics at the time as to hit rolls were resolved via a chart in the DMG or on the back of the DM Screen. To hit numbers were not strictly linear, so a chart was, in fact, neccessary some of the time.

Matthew
2012-01-19, 02:17 PM
It does manage to cut through the confusion to break it down, yes. If the books reprinted are 1st edition AD&D, it means that among other things there's no THAC0 and Illusionists are a separate class, if I understand it right.

Ha, ha; you wish it were so simple. :smallbiggrin:

THAC0 does actually feature in the first edition DMG in the appendix it is listed for all the monsters, and totally unexplained other than to say it is what they need to hit armour class 0. Useful, eh?

There are basically four classes in AD&D (the monk is a special case), and illusionists are a subclass of magic-user. In second edition all the subclasses got promoted to classes and then "grouped" under super-classes (warrior, wizard, rogue, priest). You are right, though, that the illusionist is much more distinct in the first edition than second edition, as he has his own spell list for one thing.

[edit] Damn, hamlet beat me to it! :biggrin:

hamlet
2012-01-19, 02:20 PM
Holy smokes!:smalleek:I beat Matthew!

Awesome.:smallcool:

This requires a new icon for IBM: In Before Matthew.:smalltongue:

Morty
2012-01-19, 02:30 PM
I see. Thanks for clearing it up. I'm unlikely to buy those unless they reach Poland somehow, but it's good to know anyway.

Kurgan
2012-01-19, 02:46 PM
Huh, this sounds awesome. If I have the money come release, I might just pick up some of them.

gkathellar
2012-01-19, 02:57 PM
TSR (Tactical Studies Rules) is the company that produced D&D 1974-1998, when they were bought out by WotC.

Just for the sake of anyone who doesn't know the history, reads this and thinks that WotC must obviously be evil in this arrangement: TSR was failing commercially when it was bought out.

EccentricCircle
2012-01-19, 02:59 PM
Anyone know what they mean by: "as a hobby channel exclusive in North America."? Will we be able to get them in Europe?
Also, I really like the post with all the book covers in the correct sequence. i've been looking for such a chart for a while, as i'm interested in getting some of the older books, but wasn't sure what was compatable with what.

Matthew
2012-01-19, 03:00 PM
Just for the sake of anyone who doesn't know the history, reads this and thinks that WotC must obviously be evil in this arrangement: TSR was failing commercially when it was bought out.

Yes, badly and producing a lot of drek. Of course, it did not help that WotC was killing the adventure game market with Magic the Gathering, at least that is how I remember it going down in our local area. It is fair to say, though, that WotC "saved D&D", in that they released third edition to almost universal acclaim and made it available to all through the OGL and D20 SRD. :smallbiggrin:



Anyone know what they mean by: "as a hobby channel exclusive in North America."? Will we be able to get them in Europe?

Not through normal channels by the sounds of things, though I bet you can order them via some store or other (Noble Knight Games is usually a good one).



Also, I really like the post with all the book covers in the correct sequence. I've been looking for such a chart for a while, as I'm interested in getting some of the older books, but wasn't sure what was compatible with what.

To be honest they are all compatible to one degree or another, but AD&D/1E and AD&D/2E are 99% structurally identical, as is B/X to BECMI. You might be interested in this thread as well, which shows their relationships to the simulacrum games and modules: Publishers & Products (http://www.dragonsfoot.org/forums/viewtopic.php?f=48&t=51024).

hamlet
2012-01-19, 03:05 PM
Anyone know what they mean by: "as a hobby channel exclusive in North America."? Will we be able to get them in Europe?
Also, I really like the post with all the book covers in the correct sequence. i've been looking for such a chart for a while, as i'm interested in getting some of the older books, but wasn't sure what was compatable with what.

Largely a moot question pre-3.x as those editions were largely interchangeable with only minor cosmetic changes. You could run module B1 (designed for WhiteBox D&D, the first D&D) in 2nd edition AD&D with almost no changes other than perhaps looking up what differences there were in hit points and monster quirks and XP charts.

Ravens_cry
2012-01-19, 03:26 PM
You know, I am ambivalent about this. I have quite a few books 1st edition AD&D books thanks to gifting from friends: The PHB, DMG, Fiend Folio, MM 1 & 2, Wilderness Survival Guide, but never played.
I just worry this might have the same problem as 2nd edition, two many pots, not enough rain. Sure, the fans say they want this, but will they actually buy it?

tyckspoon
2012-01-19, 03:44 PM
I just worry this might have the same problem as 2nd edition, two many pots, not enough rain. Sure, the fans say they want this, but will they actually buy it?

As a one-off special, playing on people's nostalgia, desire to have a (hopefully) better-constructed copy of their books, and possibly prominently tagged with 'portions of the proceeds of these books go to the Gary Gygax Memorial Fund'? Yeah, I think they'll do alright. They're not trying to resurrect the entire 1E line or anything.

Tyndmyr
2012-01-19, 03:55 PM
You know, I am ambivalent about this. I have quite a few books 1st edition AD&D books thanks to gifting from friends: The PHB, DMG, Fiend Folio, MM 1 & 2, Wilderness Survival Guide, but never played.
I just worry this might have the same problem as 2nd edition, two many pots, not enough rain. Sure, the fans say they want this, but will they actually buy it?

God, yes. I will buy every single one the instant they hit the shelves. They will go on my giant bookshelves of gaming goodness, right next to the legacy copies. Gaming history, special addition, giant statue to a notable gaming figure, what's not to like? These are basically all fantastic things.

EccentricCircle
2012-01-19, 05:33 PM
To be honest they are all compatible to one degree or another, but AD&D/1E and AD&D/2E are 99% structurally identical, as is B/X to BECMI. You might be interested in this thread as well, which shows their relationships to the simulacrum games and modules: Publishers & Products (http://www.dragonsfoot.org/forums/viewtopic.php?f=48&t=51024).

Thats useful to know.

TheArsenal
2012-01-19, 05:34 PM
Ah, hah! :smallbiggrin:


Is it better? Is it worse? I NEED TO KNOOOOOOOOW!:smallbiggrin:

Ravens_cry
2012-01-19, 05:41 PM
As a one-off special, playing on people's nostalgia, desire to have a (hopefully) better-constructed copy of their books, and possibly prominently tagged with 'portions of the proceeds of these books go to the Gary Gygax Memorial Fund'? Yeah, I think they'll do alright. They're not trying to resurrect the entire 1E line or anything.
Oh, OK then. Well, that's better and worse for me. It's better because it avoids the issue I raised.
On the other hand, I really don't need those books.
I already HAVE the books, the actual books. Gygax and company already got their money for them.
I've never played it as it is.
I can't really see any excuse to do this for me personally, good cause or no.

erikun
2012-01-19, 06:11 PM
Hmm, I seem to recall mentioning how smart it would be for Wizards to re-produce older D&D editions, both for sales and to drum up goodwill towards the company. Also, to provoke possible interest and exposure to the potential 5th edition - I'm guessing that we'll be seeing the preliminary material for 5e right around when this stuff gets released.

Of course, I had assumed making downloadable PDFs and providing them through DDI along with promotional material, not producing $115 worth of books. :smalleek: I most certainly won't be spending that, as I could get five new systems (or the core three for the new edition) for that price.

Also, I'm thinking that Wizards' decision to not call the next edition "Dungeons & Dragons 5th edition" probably relates to this somewhat. I don't think that people buying these books would be interested in anything along those lines, but titling the new system as something like "Advanced Dungeons & Dragons Revision" and sticking a one-page flier in the back might attract some positive attention. Or at least, little negative attention.

Matthew
2012-01-19, 07:34 PM
Is it better? Is it worse? I NEED TO KNOOOOOOOOW!:smallbiggrin:

Well... it is probably my least favourite version, admittedly, but then that is because I came in with the version immediately preceding it. The text is the same, but the art is different. One or the other of the first edition versions of the PHB are worth owning in addition to the second edition version, but they amount to more or less the same thing.

Cieyrin
2012-01-19, 07:59 PM
God, yes. I will buy every single one the instant they hit the shelves. They will go on my giant bookshelves of gaming goodness, right next to the legacy copies. Gaming history, special addition, giant statue to a notable gaming figure, what's not to like? These are basically all fantastic things.

My only schtick about it is what about Dave Arneson? D&D was co-created, it wasn't all Gary. They've both passed on to their Outer Plane of choice. Gygax got most of the hype like the recent passing of Steve Jobs, yet we don't get to hear about the other co-creator. Where's the Arneson Memorial? :smallannoyed:

Balain
2012-01-19, 08:22 PM
$45! When I picked up my copy of the DMG it cost me $15 and that was expensive compared to the $10 I paid for the PHB. Lol oh well I will more than likely pick them up.

kaomera
2012-01-19, 08:42 PM
Which edition is the third row?
The BEST edition. :smallbiggrin:

Also: totally buying these when they come out. Not sure if I will just buy the one copy to keep on the shelf (and to support the Memorial Fund) or if I'll buy a second set to use and actually retire my current 1e play set.

Nepenthe
2012-01-19, 08:50 PM
I have no intention of ever playing this, but I will still buy all of it just to send a message to WotC. The message being that gamers want older editions to be available. Is WotC preying on gamers like me? Probably. Doesn't really change much though. The end result is the same now matter how selfish their motivations. On the other hand, knowing that I'm being taken advantage of doesn't exactly endear me to the company.

Tl;Dr
it's a sound business decision, but the community outreach aspect of it might backfire.

The Dark Fiddler
2012-01-19, 08:52 PM
I've been idly considering getting 1e books for quite a while now, so this is absolutely perfect!

But... gah, $45 a pop... I don't have that kind of spending cash...

But, on the other hand, the idea of a Gary Gygax statue is too hilariously awesome to not get at least one of the books... is Player's Handbook the best choice if I can only get one?

Matthew
2012-01-19, 08:55 PM
Yes, probably. Most of the rules are in the DMG, but the PHB contains all the information for generating characters, spell descriptions and a general overview of game play. The DMG, though, is often considered the most interesting to read.

Also, check this out: Gygax Memorial Fund Interview (http://www.wizards.com/dnd/Article.aspx?x=dnd%2F4news%2Fgygaxmemorial)

megahobbit
2012-01-19, 08:56 PM
This is so awosome. Im not buying them cause i still own the original books. But this gives me an excuse to make my buddys buy the books for an ad&d campiegn.

Lapak
2012-01-19, 09:16 PM
$45! When I picked up my copy of the DMG it cost me $15 and that was expensive compared to the $10 I paid for the PHB. Lol oh well I will more than likely pick them up.Adjusted for inflation from the late 70s, it's pretty close to the same price.

Aron Times
2012-01-19, 09:25 PM
Gygax statue? That alone makes the price worth it. Unfortunately, I don't have that kind of cash lying around.

The-Mage-King
2012-01-19, 11:08 PM
WotC has regained a mediocum of my respect, with this and the announcment of the playtest for 5E.

Not much, but enough that they'll be getting $125 out of me this April.

Grac
2012-01-20, 12:59 AM
I believe this is one of those moments for WotC that Tropes used to refer to as 'Cue Cullen'.

I know I am certainly rejoicing!

Yora
2012-01-20, 06:55 AM
WotC has regained a mediocum of my respect, with this and the announcment of the playtest for 5E.

Not much, but enough that they'll be getting $125 out of me this April.
Doesn't matter, the plan worked. They don't want your $125 now, they want your love and attention later.

Grac
2012-01-20, 07:26 AM
Doesn't matter, the plan worked. They don't want your $125 now, they want your love and attention later.

Good plan is good. That's the thing about this: It may just be a cynical ploy to get the fans to like them again, but that doesn't matter because actually re-printing the 1e books is something worthy of that goal.

Matthew
2012-01-20, 08:06 AM
Good plan is good. That's the thing about this: It may just be a cynical ploy to get the fans to like them again, but that doesn't matter because actually re-printing the 1e books is something worthy of that goal.

Exactly. It is win/win.

JadedDM
2012-01-20, 08:09 AM
So WotC is now done with mocking D&D's older editions and the players who still play them?

Huh.

Guess they're actually serious about that whole 'reuniting the fractured fanbase' thing.

Good to know. If they re-release 2E books, I might look into that. My copies are getting a tad...worn. *picks up DMG, several pages drop out; quickly stuffs the pages back in*

Tyndmyr
2012-01-20, 09:21 AM
My only schtick about it is what about Dave Arneson? D&D was co-created, it wasn't all Gary. They've both passed on to their Outer Plane of choice. Gygax got most of the hype like the recent passing of Steve Jobs, yet we don't get to hear about the other co-creator. Where's the Arneson Memorial? :smallannoyed:

Yeah, I do wish he got more time in the spotlight. Honestly, I'm not generally a fan of Gygax's preferred style of DMing, and feel like the influences of a lot of other folks is what kept it from dying as a niche hobby...that said, I'll take whatever notoriety for the hobby I can.

Lifeson
2012-01-20, 11:01 AM
My only schtick about it is what about Dave Arneson? D&D was co-created, it wasn't all Gary. They've both passed on to their Outer Plane of choice. Gygax got most of the hype like the recent passing of Steve Jobs, yet we don't get to hear about the other co-creator. Where's the Arneson Memorial? :smallannoyed:

Not to mention we have him to thank about a lot of the good game-making decisions, even if most of the silly monsters in the MM are his as well.

I personally like Arneson's contributions over Gygax's, but it's not like the hype-train about Gary's anything new. :smalltongue: There's always that one guy at the front who gets all the credit from the layman.

Cieyrin
2012-01-20, 11:17 AM
Not to mention we have him to thank about a lot of the good game-making decisions, even if most of the silly monsters in the MM are his as well.

I personally like Arneson's contributions over Gygax's, but it's not like the hype-train about Gary's anything new. :smalltongue: There's always that one guy at the front who gets all the credit from the layman.

Indeed. :smallannoyed:

Yora
2012-01-20, 11:24 AM
Gaygax may not have been the greatest developer or writer, but he did make a very good marketer.

Just like George Lucas didn't had much to do with what made star wars great, but he did keep the show running.

TheArsenal
2012-01-20, 11:54 AM
Its the beard. If you have a beard it will soak up all the credit.

Prime32
2012-01-20, 03:07 PM
Its the beard. If you have a beard it will soak up all the credit.
http://fanboycreative.co.uk/blog1/images/stan-lee-steve-ditko.jpg
Any form of facial hair works really. (http://themegaphone.wordpress.com/2007/09/18/did-stan-lee-or-steve-ditko-create-marvel-superhero-spiderman/)

Ravens_cry
2012-01-20, 03:08 PM
'Nuff said!

GungHo
2012-01-20, 03:36 PM
That is the Modlvay/Cook/Marsh edit of Dungeons & Dragons, lasted something like 1980-2 before being replaced by the Mentzer edit which is in the next row and extended the game up to level 36.
How about a re-release of the Cyclopedia? And this time put the damn Immortals rules in it.


Just for the sake of anyone who doesn't know the history, reads this and thinks that WotC must obviously be evil in this arrangement: TSR was failing commercially when it was bought out.
Not really an "ing" there. They were trussed up and ready for slaughter. They were either going to be bought out or they were going to have to eat their desks.

TheArsenal
2012-01-20, 04:08 PM
Moustaches of authority everybody, moustaches of authority. :smallfrown:

0Megabyte
2012-01-20, 04:45 PM
Yeah, reprint the Rules Cyclopedia too, (along with the Wrath of the Immortals book for it) and you'd have pretty much everything covered!

As soon as I saw this thread, I texted my friend, who owns the first edition books. It's safe to say that he and I will proooobably both buy copies. A pity they don't have Unearthed Arcana on the list...

kyoryu
2012-01-20, 04:56 PM
God, yes. I will buy every single one the instant they hit the shelves. They will go on my giant bookshelves of gaming goodness, right next to the legacy copies. Gaming history, special addition, giant statue to a notable gaming figure, what's not to like? These are basically all fantastic things.

This. I'm pretty excited about this.

El Dorado
2012-01-20, 06:23 PM
The cover for the reprints is very cool.

Matthew
2012-01-20, 06:27 PM
Have they released them?

El Dorado
2012-01-20, 07:36 PM
D'oh! I thought the placeholder art in the OP was the actual cover art. /fail

Yora
2012-01-20, 08:27 PM
Question: Who of the people geting all exited is younger than 35? :smallamused:

The Dark Fiddler
2012-01-20, 09:07 PM
Question: Who of the people geting all exited is younger than 35? :smallamused:

Guilty. Is this a bad thing? :smallconfused:

Lapak
2012-01-20, 10:07 PM
Question: Who of the people geting all exited is younger than 35? :smallamused:I'm 33, and I'm pretty excited about it.

Crow
2012-01-20, 10:22 PM
I followed that OSRIC link and gave it a go.

I have to say, it was a helluva lot more fun than any 3rd or 4e games I have been in lately. It is weird, because I can't pinpoint what it was that made it seem so fun. It was magical :)

Whatever wotc does for the next edition, I hope that they can identify that magic better than I can, and capture it for 5e.

Cieyrin
2012-01-20, 11:04 PM
Question: Who of the people geting all exited is younger than 35? :smallamused:

I started with this edition when I was 4 in 1990, I think I'm entitled to excitement. :smalltongue:
https://lh6.googleusercontent.com/-y3jH1bVSCjU/TgobNFDX-fI/AAAAAAAAASk/q-NlLgBm2Sc/s160/1983%252520Basic.jpg

The-Mage-King
2012-01-20, 11:37 PM
Question: Who of the people geting all exited is younger than 35? :smallamused:

...Guilty, at 20 years old. The fact that AD&D requires insane amounts of character sheets calls to me...

kyoryu
2012-01-21, 12:01 AM
I've been idly considering getting 1e books for quite a while now, so this is absolutely perfect!

But... gah, $45 a pop... I don't have that kind of spending cash...

But, on the other hand, the idea of a Gary Gygax statue is too hilariously awesome to not get at least one of the books... is Player's Handbook the best choice if I can only get one?

DMG. The DMG has a ton of other useful roleplaying like stuff and worldbuilding stuff that's applicable to any game.

IMHO, of course.

turkishproverb
2012-01-21, 04:48 AM
Good luck to them. I've already got the three, so I don't know if I'll be getting these, but it's tempting.

Good to see them doing it though.


Question: Who of the people geting all exited is younger than 35? :smallamused:

ME! :smallbiggrin::smallsmile::smallamused:

Starshade
2012-01-21, 06:45 AM
Wow! If they where to make a set of FR or an Planescape book, or Spelljammer, or some set of campagin setting books in the same series, I'd be even more great. :D
Ps: Im also under that age.

Yora
2012-01-21, 08:01 AM
I assumed the people who would buy it were mostly those who played it as teens.
At first I wanted to ask under 40. :smallbiggrin:

Matthew
2012-01-21, 10:28 AM
Hey, I am only thirty-three, and barely twenty-seven when I joined this forum. :smallbiggrin:



I followed that OSRIC link and gave it a go.

I have to say, it was a helluva lot more fun than any 3rd or 4e games I have been in lately. It is weird, because I can't pinpoint what it was that made it seem so fun. It was magical :)

Excellente!

hamlet
2012-01-21, 11:59 AM
Only 30 years old. Well, OK, 31 in a month.

But seriously, that's not old! At least, I hope it's not.

Yora
2012-01-21, 12:27 PM
I am getting 28 myself and when I started 3rd Edition was just getting released. I only assumed most people who would buy the books had them back in the 80s.

Riverdance
2012-01-21, 12:31 PM
This is awesome but they're ridiculously expensive. I can get the originals on amazon or ebay for half as much (albeit well used).

spaceLem
2012-01-21, 07:51 PM
Question: Who of the people geting all exited is younger than 35? :smallamused:

30, and yes (I squeed when I got my 1e PHB, which is just older than me). I'd love to get hold of the rest.

Sadly I'm in the UK, so I'm not sure if we'll be invited to the party :'(

Manateee
2012-01-21, 09:16 PM
I think I'm missing something.

Why I get excited to pay $120 for this now, when OSRIC is getting its own supplements and most of the WotC staff is probably working on 5e?

ken-do-nim
2012-01-21, 09:35 PM
I started with this edition when I was 4 in 1990, I think I'm entitled to excitement. :smalltongue:
https://lh6.googleusercontent.com/-y3jH1bVSCjU/TgobNFDX-fI/AAAAAAAAASk/q-NlLgBm2Sc/s160/1983%252520Basic.jpg

That's really young to start. My daughter is 6 and definitely not ready.

SiuiS
2012-01-22, 12:38 AM
Turning 26 in about 5 hours, and I cut my teeth on what my cousin could remember of 1st/2nd AD&D gestalt rules on a camping trip. I started back when monks and rangers had 2 hitdice each at first level; when Rangers were broken and had both divine and arcane casting; when getting hit while casting basically meant "you wasted your turn, made yourself a target, and are severely damaged to boot".

I feel somewhat like a sucker for knowing how eagerly I will snap these up XD

kaomera
2012-01-22, 01:09 AM
This is awesome but they're ridiculously expensive. I can get the originals on amazon or ebay for half as much (albeit well used).
Not to pick on you Riverdance, as others have expressed this opinion as well, but the price is not at all ridiculous. Hardbound books this size in smaller print runs just cost that much. I totally support anyone who would rather pick up used copies or retro-clones for a fraction of the cost, but this is in support of the Gygax Memorial Fund and I have absolutely no reservations about saying that I think that it's great for these to be available for gamers who want to spend the money on them (myself included).

I'm also seeing a lot of excitement (not really here on GitP, but elsewhere) as to ''what this portends for future re-releases'', which I think is a bit of wishful thinking. Maybe it's not - maybe WotC will eventually decide to open the floodgates and let all of the older edition stuff back out into the marketplace in one form or another. But I think it's really premature (and asking for disappointment) at this point to expect that based on this one-off limited release.

turkishproverb
2012-01-22, 02:55 AM
That reminds me, is it part of the profit, or all the profit, or the whole price that goes to the memorial fund?

Link to the Gary Gygax Memorial Fund (http://www.gygaxmemorialfund.com/), By the Way.

deuxhero
2012-01-22, 03:22 AM
Now get them to release PDFs of the entire back catalog.

The Dark Fiddler
2012-01-22, 07:29 AM
That reminds me, is it part of the profit, or all the profit, or the whole price that goes to the memorial fund?

Link to the Gary Gygax Memorial Fund (http://www.gygaxmemorialfund.com/), By the Way.

I can't possibly imagine them not taking a big enough cut to, at the very least, cover their costs.

TheMeMan
2012-01-22, 08:28 AM
I'm also seeing a lot of excitement (not really here on GitP, but elsewhere) as to ''what this portends for future re-releases'', which I think is a bit of wishful thinking. Maybe it's not - maybe WotC will eventually decide to open the floodgates and let all of the older edition stuff back out into the marketplace in one form or another. But I think it's really premature (and asking for disappointment) at this point to expect that based on this one-off limited release.

Well, it would bode well if this venture does sell massively. Not a sure bet, by any stretch, but with sales of 4e being rather low(From what I hear), and a rather large base that has yet to move to the new edition(And 5e still being a ways off), it would be profitable, I imagine.

Hell, I'm seriously considering buying these books, and I've never actually played 1st Ed. Everything I've heard is that it'd be a sound investment, and I could easily get some friends in on it. And really, the cost is not that high.

Cieyrin
2012-01-22, 02:45 PM
That's really young to start. My daughter is 6 and definitely not ready.

Let's put it this way, my dad started with the initial release of the White Box, part of the reason my parents met is because they both played and I grew up playing the game threw various incarnations. I've inherited most of my dad's stuff, including lot of handwritten campaign notes and world maps, as well as classic adventures and old Dragon and Dungeon magazines. I'm also rather mathematically inclined to begin with, so it's simply a matter of I understood how to roll dice, I could talk and had a vivid imagination, all you really need to play D&D Basic. I may have needed help here and there early on making a character but I could provide everything else. It was very much a regular family event, like how other families would play board or videogames or read to their children (which we also did). So yes, I may have started early but I had all the help I needed.

I still have fond memories of the starter dungeon in which you're a fighter going into a hill dungeon to defeat Bargle, the evil wizard. :smallwink:

SiuiS
2012-01-22, 05:16 PM
That reminds me, is it part of the profit, or all the profit, or the whole price that goes to the memorial fund?

Link to the Gary Gygax Memorial Fund (http://www.gygaxmemorialfund.com/), By the Way.

I imagine they were going to make a donation to the fund anyway, that being a tax write-off. By tying the amount to book sales, they double their virtual profits; at $45 a book they not only cover printing and shipping costs (and reformatting and the like) making a profit on sales, they also benefit from making the donation without any shareholders or whatnot having to worry about the money being a waste, because they can claim they only donated money from the profits of a particular item designed for that purpose.

So off the books, I don't think there is a penny for penny correlation. I mean, as far as the statue goes, what happens if they sell enough of the books to pay for it, and then some?


Let's put it this way, my dad started with the initial release of the White Box, part of the reason my parents met is because they both played and I grew up playing the game threw various incarnations. I've inherited most of my dad's stuff, including lot of handwritten campaign notes and world maps, as well as classic adventures and old Dragon and Dungeon magazines. I'm also rather mathematically inclined to begin with, so it's simply a matter of I understood how to roll dice, I could talk and had a vivid imagination, all you really need to play D&D Basic. I may have needed help here and there early on making a character but I could provide everything else. It was very much a regular family event, like how other families would play board or videogames or read to their children (which we also did). So yes, I may have started early but I had all the help I needed.

I still have fond memories of the starter dungeon in which you're a fighter going into a hill dungeon to defeat Bargle, the evil wizard. :smallwink:

The glory days! I also found most of the Moldvay set in a dumpster at an apartment as wee'n. To this day, I still have gloriously terrible dreams where I buy a new house and find an abandoned room, complete with D&D books I didn't even know existed. It's wrenching when I wake up and they aren't there, though.

Prime32
2012-01-22, 05:34 PM
when Rangers were broken and had both divine and arcane castingThis is why Final Fantasy characters are the way they are. :smalltongue:

Agrippa
2012-01-22, 06:23 PM
This is why Final Fantasy characters are the way they are. :smalltongue:

Um, can you explain this to me? I just don't quite understand what you mean.

kaomera
2012-01-22, 07:38 PM
Well, it would bode well if this venture does sell massively. Not a sure bet, by any stretch, but with sales of 4e being rather low(From what I hear), and a rather large base that has yet to move to the new edition(And 5e still being a ways off), it would be profitable, I imagine.
How are you defining ''sell massively''? WotC has done this kind of limited-premium release before (various Magic specialty sets, D&D Minis Beholders and Dragons sets), and they are designed to sell out of the product immediately. As such, there is no room for ''great sales''. WotC expects to sell all of the available units (to distributors or retailers, depending on how they release it) as soon as the product is launched, anything else will be a failure, and they can't actually sell more product than they are going to produce.

There is room for some kind of massive demand to push them to print more later. If retailers / distributors are coming to WotC and saying that they have a ton of extra potential customers, it could be possible. But I think it's very unlikely; the whole strategy of this release is to simply push product directly from production to sale, with as little wait as possible, to realize a per-determined profit expectation. They aren't (yet) selling these books with the hopes that they will drive further sales of 1e products...

I think the best hope may be the release of DRM-secured digital editions. That would tend to minimize WotC's outlay, but perhaps not enough, and I'd assume they are still skittish about the problems they had (from their perspective) with pdf sales.

SiuiS
2012-01-22, 08:46 PM
Um, can you explain this to me? I just don't quite understand what you mean.

Well, I said Rangers were broken and they referenced final fantasy characters, who are notorious on the magic from for being split into white (divine) and black (offensive arcane) casting.

It is a nonissue though, as by the time a ranger achieved double magic he was high enough level to be running a kingdom, not adventuring.

xyzchyx
2012-01-22, 08:52 PM
$45! When I picked up my copy of the DMG it cost me $15 and that was expensive compared to the $10 I paid for the PHB. Lol oh well I will more than likely pick them up.Allowing for inflation since 1980, that's actually quite reasonable. The DMG's original cover price was $15, iirc, and according to this website (http://www.usinflationcalculator.com/), that would be worth $40.95 in 2011 US dollars. Considering on top of it all that these books are being printed for charity, all of these books are actually very reasonably priced.

Yora
2012-01-23, 07:02 AM
Not sure if building a statue is charity.

ken-do-nim
2012-01-23, 07:14 AM
Not sure if building a statue is charity.

I'm sure Gary would have much preferred that all the games and books he'd written stay in print as a way to memorialize him.

Kurald Galain
2012-01-23, 07:42 AM
Not sure if building a statue is charity.

It should be an animatronic statue that plays D&D with you.

xyzchyx
2012-01-23, 09:19 AM
The Gygax Memorial Fund *IS* a charity, which is what WotC is supporting through purchases of these books. The current phase of the fund is focused on the building of a statue. See here (http://gygaxmemorialfund.com/).

Tyndmyr
2012-01-23, 09:43 AM
Yeah, I'm still in my twenties. Didn't start playing till 2nd ed. That said, it's still history, and still fascinating. I love collecting good gaming systems as a general rule, the rest is icing on the cake.

Yora
2012-01-23, 09:53 AM
The Gygax Memorial Fund *IS* a charity, which is what WotC is supporting through purchases of these books. The current phase of the fund is focused on the building of a statue. See here (http://gygaxmemorialfund.com/).

But are they doing any charitable work?

xyzchyx
2012-01-23, 11:08 AM
But are they doing any charitable work?As they are not doing this for profit, then by definition, yes.

Their mission is fairly focused... to commemorate the memory and work of Gary Gygax, the individual who is one of, if not not the most significant founder of modern roleplaying games.

tyckspoon
2012-01-24, 07:55 AM
As they are not doing this for profit, then by definition, yes.


Charity: Done for the aid of persons/creatures/causes that are in need of assistance.

Not-for-profit: Not done with the intent of making people richer.

Not the same thing- charity is the most common reason for not-for-profit work, but being one does not necessitate the other. Building a memorial statue may be a non-profit activity, but if that's the only goal of it it's not a charitable one.

JadedDM
2012-01-24, 09:36 AM
But are they doing any charitable work?

As far as I can tell, they're just building the statue. Whether they do anything beyond that, is yet to be known.

SiuiS
2012-01-25, 02:15 AM
Charity: Done for the aid of persons/creatures/causes that are in need of assistance.

Not-for-profit: Not done with the intent of making people richer.

Not the same thing- charity is the most common reason for not-for-profit work, but being one does not necessitate the other. Building a memorial statue may be a non-profit activity, but if that's the only goal of it it's not a charitable one.

The point being that donating to a non-profit group allows one to write off the donation as charity on one's taxes.

Wizards of the Coast is going to sell all of their books, guaranteed, to retail vendors. They will be able to totally pay off the printing costs, possibly turn a profit, and count the expenses as a boon on taxes. That was where I was going.