Digital to boxed version

[AndreasI]

First things first, I purchased the digital copy of the game and now I basically feel I should have picked the boxed game as I personally can see myself using the hard-copy manuals instead of using the digital version of the manuals. My mistake was thinking it would be easier to swap back and forth between manuals and game windows but current computer setup makes thi rather disruptive so printed versions would be handy. So, on to the questions:

I noticed there are a few games on this website that now allows upgrading from digital version to boxed version, is this something that is in the plans for World in Flames? Or are there another way of ordering the hard-copy manuals only?

[warspite1]

Sorry I do not know the answer to your question, but I am surprised that there hasn't been a torrent of people offering you their books for sale.

After this game was released, we were led to believe that a huge number of purchasers of the game were made to buy useless books they didn't want. Where are all these books?

[juntoalmar]

That's exactly what I thought. There were many (many) posts of people saying that they didn't want the books before there was a digital download only version available. So, there should be plenty of people wanting to sell them.

I got only the download version and I think I can work pretty decent with the PDF, but the books wouldn't hurt either.

[rkr1958]

I love my MWiF books. They're one of my most prized possessions.

[Numdydar]

Me too

[warspite1]

Well I'm guessing - despite the moaning from some - the feedback must have been positive - as Matrix did something similar for War in the West (albeit one volume).

Personally I love them and they sit proudly amongst my war library [:)].

[Joseignacio]

ORIGINAL: warspite1

Sorry I do not know the answer to your question, but I am surprised that there hasn't been a torrent of people offering you their books for sale.

After this game was released, we were led to believe that a huge number of purchasers of the game were made to buy useless books they didn't want. Where are all these books?

I just read this, so don't think there will not be a torrent of people... yet. Especially considering that for most buyers, the game is worth only to hold dust in a shelf.

In truth, I wouldn't send it because transport would make it prohibitive, plus we'd have to decide the price of the books, all together I don't think he'd be interested.

I cannot say which is the number of buyers who were "made to buy " the "useless books" (nobody ever called them so). However this may very well be due to the fact that most of the buyers /posters/forum members left the forum for good after months/years of waiting for the basic performance of the game (multiplayer), all the scenarios that were due, and not to speak of the AI version, which may come "when Kingdom come".

Maybe that's why, they couldn't see the post.

Of course, the hardest fanboys are more prone to stay in the forum forever, waiting, waiting... and of course those would love the books, as they would love anything in the game, be it a piece of sh*t wrapped in a leaf.

[warspite1]

ORIGINAL: Joseignacio

ORIGINAL: warspite1

Sorry I do not know the answer to your question, but I am surprised that there hasn't been a torrent of people offering you their books for sale.

After this game was released, we were led to believe that a huge number of purchasers of the game were made to buy useless books they didn't want. Where are all these books?

I just read this, so don't think there will not be a torrent of people... yet. Especially considering that for most buyers, the game is worth only to hold dust in a shelf.

In truth, I wouldn't send it because transport would make it prohibitive, plus we'd have to decide the price of the books, all together I don't think he'd be interested.

I cannot say which is the number of buyers who were "made to buy " the "useless books" (nobody ever called them so). However this may very well be due to the fact that most of the buyers /posters/forum members left the forum for good after months/years of waiting for the basic performance of the game (multiplayer), all the scenarios that were due, and not to speak of the AI version, which may come "when Kingdom come".

Maybe that's why, they couldn't see the post.

Of course, the hardest fanboys are more prone to stay in the forum forever, waiting, waiting... and of course those would love the books, as they would love anything in the game, be it a piece of sh*t wrapped in a leaf.

warspite1

I think you may have taken my comment a bit literally [;)]

But you may well be right - but that was not my recollection. Comments like this one suggest otherwise:

The opinions of worthless people are worthless.

When the game is offered without the books, we will see just how 'great' these people thought the books really are.

All I recall was an awful lot of bitterness - and that was largely because people had to pay for books they didn't want or need (pdf just as good). i.e. useless.

I fully take your point that a lot of people that would have bought the game (and took part in those slanging matches) have sadly long since left the forum - or at least left this game behind [:(].

[Orm]

It makes me sad to see foul language. [:(]

[Neilster]

ORIGINAL: Orm

It makes me sad to see foul language. [:(]

I wouldn't move to Australia then [;)]

Cheers, Neilster

[Joseignacio]

Warspite, I don't recall them having been called useless, but anyway I was not in all the threads. And as you mentioned some could have been somewhat close to calling them useless.

What I think, and I guess many other posters would believe, is that:

- The books were of a high quality in materials and content, but

- It was unnecessary to have them in this format. They could have been PDF perfectly well, as they are in other games. Of course a paper book would have been more comfortable, like Andreas says, but that would increase costs for transport. Paper rulebooks are dying with digitalization.

- Because of the size and weight (and maybe the delivery system), the cost of transport was outrageous, this could have been on purpose, not only the books were huge and heavy and could have easily been made in a leaflet format cheaper in printing but they also would have been a lot cheaper in transport. I am speaking here of maybe 30/40 dollars in "transport + taxes for the transport" of those goods.

I believe the reason for having these books in these format and with these travel costs is a kind of pact between Matrix, who I think couldn't explain easily to their general public (even though there are reasons for those who know the game development) a game costing 140$, and the wish of ADG that the computer version wouldn't cannibalize the board one, so the price needed to be higher.

This is the only sense I can rationalize of this editing policy.

[warspite1]

ORIGINAL: Joseignacio

Warspite, I don't recall them having been called useless, but anyway I was not in all the threads. And as you mentioned some could have been somewhat close to calling them useless.

What I think, and I guess many other posters would believe, is that:

- The books were of a high quality in materials and content, but

- It was unnecessary to have them in this format. They could have been PDF perfectly well, as they are in other games. Of course a paper book would have been more comfortable, like Andreas says, but that would increase costs for transport. Paper rulebooks are dying with digitalization.

- Because of the size and weight (and maybe the delivery system), the cost of transport was outrageous, this could have been on purpose, not only the books were huge and heavy and could have easily been made in a leaflet format cheaper in printing but they also would have been a lot cheaper in transport. I am speaking here of maybe 30/40 dollars in "transport + taxes for the transport" of those goods.

I believe the reason for having these books in these format and with these travel costs is a kind of pact between Matrix, who I think couldn't explain easily to their general public (even though there are reasons for those who know the game development) a game costing 140$, and the wish of ADG that the computer version wouldn't cannibalize the board one, so the price needed to be higher.

This is the only sense I can rationalize of this editing policy.

warspite1

Warspite, I don't recall them having been called useless, but anyway I was not in all the threads. And as you mentioned some could have been somewhat close to calling them useless.

Exactly - there was a range of comments with the central theme being that the books were an unnecessary, stupid idea. The extra cost of delivery being a particularly sore point.

- The books were of a high quality in materials and content

Agreed. They are items of beauty, glossy and with a superb hard cover. The 'weathered' look inside is an excellent idea that adds to their quality.

- It was unnecessary to have them in this format.

Were they necessary? Maybe not, but it was Matrix decision and I cannot believe that the idea has gone down that badly or why would they have repeated the idea with WitW?

They could have been PDF perfectly well, as they are in other games.

I'm sure they could have used pdf and if so then we would have known no better. But Matrix thought otherwise, and I'm glad they did!

Of course a paper book would have been more comfortable.....Paper rulebooks are dying with digitalization.

Exactly. For a boardgame recreation like this, constant reference to rules is so important and having these tomes to hand is most helpful. Apparently for the first time in ages, paper books have outsold digital. Let's hope that trend continues!!

Because of the size and weight (and maybe the delivery system), the cost of transport was outrageous

That depends on where you live and what your budget is etc. It was certainly unfortunate for some who paid more than others (iirc Europe was hit worse than the US for example). However, in the context of the game, game time spent playing and budget, the cost was well worth it many, many times over.

I believe the reason for having these books in these format

No idea if there is some 'hidden' reason. As far as I am aware Matrix thought this was a premium game and needed premium treatment. If that was the rationale then I say they were 100% spot on. As I say, it is perhaps interesting that WitW had similar treatment. The book seems to have gone down well with that gaming community.

[Orm]

The main reason for the high shipping cost in Europe was that the books had to be shipped from US. This because their 'agent' in EU had just closed.

[Twisted1]

Here is a picture of me when I first got the books!

[Centuur]

ORIGINAL: Twisted1

Here is a picture of me when I first got the books!

OMG! Did they get burned too?

[michaelbaldur]

as a betatester I off cause got the game for free, but I kinda miss having the books and map ..

maybe if i stop being a tester I will order the game

[ncc1701e]

If I am buying the boxed version now, are game manual books up to date? Between 2013 and 2015 and all the patches, does the content is still accurate?

Thanks

[Shannon V. OKeets]

ORIGINAL: ncc1701e

If I am buying the boxed version now, are game manual books up to date? Between 2013 and 2015 and all the patches, does the content is still accurate?

Thanks

Yes. I am only aware of one substantial omission in the manuals - and I forget what that was.[8|]

In one place the sequence of play was slightly altered from what is described in the printed books. But I doubt that many players are even aware of that change it was so inconsequential.

Basically, the game was in development for so long that I had the time to write the manuals years in advance and numerous people reviewed the text over a period of 2+ years before they went to print. So the written word in the manuals was and is solid.

EDIT: Oh! The omission was the definition of a Tertiary Supply Source, which is fairly obvious from context:
"A Tertiary Supply Source has the same preconditions as a Secondary Supply Source and although it is unable to trace directly to a Primary Supply Source, it can trace through a Secondary or Tertiary to a Primary Supply Source.

[Jagdtiger14]

I'll be buying this game as my Christmas present to me[:)]

Looking forward to the books. I'm also getting the maps.

[Courtenay]

ORIGINAL: ncc1701e

If I am buying the boxed version now, are game manual books up to date? Between 2013 and 2015 and all the patches, does the content is still accurate?

Thanks

One other change has been made: One stores build points after all powers have finished production, rather than after each power has finished production. However, the window that asks if you want to save build points when you finish production tells you about this change, so this is not a problem.

As Steve said, the manuals are stable. The point of MWiF was to reproduce WiF RAW 7, so the if there was a difference between what was in the manuals and what was coded, the code was changed to reflect the manuals.