grodog wrote:For folks outside of North America, there's a thread on ENWorld for folks to voice their desires @ http://www.enworld.org/forum/general-rp ... d-off.html

Shipping, people. Shipping.

Do folks really think that WotC is going to go through the expense to ship, say for example, 2 copies to FLGSs in Japan?

There is no reason not to distribute throughout the distribution chain. It works very cheaply and very well for them for all their existing product lines. If WotC have decided that this is to be available to US buyers only, it is either because they have copyright concerns selling this in other countries, or they believe the US buyer deserves to be treated differently from the rest of the market.

I can't see copyright of the original manuals being an issue, as D&D and FRPs appear to be considered by many as a US invention, I can see WotC wanting to recognise this and honour it by recognising the US D&D player as somewhat different to the rest of the international market. I very much doubt that WotC will be up front about their decision. It's not something you'd want to talk about if you thought you'd damage your customer base by being candid with them.

SimperingToad wrote:Shipping, people. Shipping.

Do folks really think that WotC is going to go through the expense to ship, say for example, 2 copies to FLGSs in Japan?

That's irrelevant. When a shop in London buys 12 copies of the 4E PHB, WotC don't pack them and post them from the US. They come from the printers through the warehousing around the world to the distributors in the UK and then get shipped to London from a warehouse somewhere in the south of England. It is no different for any number of books and for any title from any of the major publishers who feed into the distribution chain. These books aren't manufactured in the US, and huge chunks of the stock from the major US publishers that lands in the European markets never enters or passes through the US at all.

mbassoc2003 wrote:That's irrelevant. When a shop in London buys 12 copies of the 4E PHB, WotC don't pack them and post them from the US. They come from the printers through the warehousing around the world to the distributors in the UK and then get shipped to London from a warehouse somewhere in the south of England. It is no different for any number of books and for any title from any of the major publishers who feed into the distribution chain. These books aren't manufactured in the US, and huge chunks of the stock from the major US publishers that lands in the European markets never enters or passes through the US at all.

It may be relevant in this case, since we're not talking bulk rates on perhaps tens of thousands going through the regular distribution chain, but rather on what may likely be a few thousand of each at best (I doubt hundreds). Cheaper than the alternatives, but the cost will still be greater than I suspect they would like to bear for a comparitively small run. I'm actually wondering if they intend to print out-of-country at all for this one. It wouldn't make sense to single out Canada as the only other country if regular distribution channels were being used. We'll see how it panned out once they are printed.

A thought occurrs though, that this is aimed at the FLGS for a reason. Not to keep them open for the sake of keeping them open, but they realise that they get a lot of publicity at local shops where events are held, and without that, they lose a fair portion of impulse sales. It's a win-win situation to promote the shops.

How do FLGSs in other parts of the world compare with those in N.A. with in-store gaming? Do most non-US stores have in-shop gaming?

 I hate when I overthink things.   In what language are these being printed? American English. Where is the largest market of American English publications? *rhetorical question*

If they do well here, maybe then we'll see other areas of the world with reprints in the native lingo.

SimperingToad wrote:PDT_Armataz_01_02  I hate when I overthink things.   In what language are these being printed? American English. Where is the largest market of American English publications? *rhetorical question*

If they do well here, maybe then we'll see other areas of the world with reprints in the native lingo.

I don't think the British will have much trouble figuring out that colour and armour are the same things as color and armor.

FormCritic wrote:
I don't think the British will have much trouble figuring out that colour and armour are the same things as color and armor.

They are..??

mbassoc2003 wrote:So THAT'S what Armor Class  means.  
Ash, did you realise when they talk about a locked trunk, it apparently means some sort of locked boots?!

Even Americans can't agree on this sort of thing...

My wife (from the southern part of the Eastern Shore of the Chesapeake) refers to the glove compartment of a vehicle as the "car pocket". I s#!t you not.

mbassoc2003 wrote:So THAT'S what Armor Class  means.  
Ash, did you realise when they talk about a locked trunk, it apparently means some sort of locked boots?!

Locked boots?  How do you put them on if you don't have a key?

FormCritic wrote:
Locked boots?  How do you put them on if you don't have a key?

Boots of chasing? chasting? I don't know?