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4th Dimension printings
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TheMilford
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Post Posted: Mon Dec 22, 2008 12:16 pm 
 

Hey guys,

I'm trying to figure something out here...

I'm selling a copy of 4th Dimension on the 'Bay right now. I have two version of this. I noted on another thread mention of two different game-boards; one a laminated chipboard type and the other the standard and much better "bound" type board.

the copy I'm listing has the cheaper laminated type. So, I decided to open my minty copy (the shrink was coming off anyway ;) ) to see what it was... And it has the regular style board.

Image

The only other difference I could tell is that they have different color boxes too. The laminated version's box is much more purple and the minty one has a lighter more blue box. (but it's hard to see here in these pics)

Image

the back of both boxes depicts the regular style game board...

Which came first?
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Mars
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Post Posted: Mon Dec 22, 2008 5:34 pm 
 

My guess would be the laminated map board came first.  I am a bit surprised that there are 2 different versions - i.e. they sold enough of the first version to print up another batch.
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Post Posted: Mon Dec 22, 2008 5:50 pm 
 

Could check Dragon #22 to see if it says anything in the mention of the game.

ShaneG.


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TheMilford
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Post Posted: Mon Dec 22, 2008 10:40 pm 
 

Mars wrote:My guess would be the laminated map board came first.  I am a bit surprised that there are 2 different versions - i.e. they sold enough of the first version to print up another batch.


That's what I would think too except as I said above: the back of both boxes depict the regular bound-style game board. Which leads me to believe that maybe they ran out of boards and just made a small run of the cheap ones later.. or maybe before they got the real boards in they made a batch of the cheap ones to make a street/release date...

I just wish there was somebody to ask this stuff. I wish I could find out the people that were in the production coordination department at TSR. I would love to pick thier brains... since I did coordination for record label's CD and vinyl production for 5+ years I understand the printing and production techniques and find this stuff interesting.
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copycat
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Post Posted: Mon Dec 22, 2008 11:21 pm 
 

According to boardgamegeek, there was a version of this game prior to TSR publishing it, self-released by J. A. Ball & Co. My thinking is that the less professional appearing one (ie, the laminated) is a hold-over from the prior stock which may have been outright purchased in order to make it easier to publish -- basically, an official Frankenstein.


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TheMilford
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Post Posted: Tue Dec 23, 2008 12:05 am 
 

serleran wrote:According to boardgamegeek, there was a version of this game prior to TSR publishing it, self-released by J. A. Ball & Co. My thinking is that the less professional appearing one (ie, the laminated) is a hold-over from the prior stock which may have been outright purchased in order to make it easier to publish -- basically, an official Frankenstein.


The laminated one's printed "slick" is identical, TSR wizard logo and all, so It was definitely printed by TSR...
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TheMilford
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Post Posted: Mon Oct 26, 2009 5:04 pm 
 

I just opened one of the 5 sealed copies I just picked up... I had a hunch.

One of the 5 weighed a little over 10oz. and the other 4 weighed a little over 9oz.

I check my opened copy with the thicker "bound" gameboard and it weighed closer to 10oz (no shrink so it was a little lighter)

So I opend one of the 9oz. sets to see if it in fact had the cheaper laminated board, which it did.

Also, the lighter games with the laminated boards tend to have more purple covers while the heavier bound sets have the slightly more blue covers.

Also, all of the lighter ones have the box bottom inserted upside down FWIW.

My guess in the cheaper ones came later... the more purple boxes look just a tad newer in condition and print while the bluer ones were a tad more shop-worn. TSR probably had decided to cut corners to keep the game in print but to still keep it in the catalog... maybe to make use of the license till it lapsed or whatever.

Woud be great to get some insight on this one.


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TheMilford
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Post Posted: Mon Oct 26, 2009 5:07 pm 
 

Also just noticed.

The instructions on my recently opened thicker-board set are a little more yellowed and printed on slightly thicker paper... the white game pieces are slightly more yellowed as well.


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