AD&D 1e Reprint Thread

[Matthew]

I am still on the fence about buying these. The initial rush of enthusiasm after the release almost tipped me over, but the fact is I can buy the original books at Yellow Submarine if I really want, and for a pretty similar price. Next time I am there, it is going to be number crunching time.

[Nerelas]

I'm now officially off the fence about purchasing these--I'm won't be. After reading many of the reviews and posts about them, looking at photographs, etc. it now seems to me that these are inferior quality replicas. The paper is the cheap, thin, and glossy stuff WotC uses in all of its other hardcovers, the binding is glued, the artwork was reproduced carelessly and inadequately, and the cover design yawns "meh". Maybe I'll pick up a nice minty set of the originals on eBay for about the same cost (or less), but I refuse to encourage WotC in future endeavors such as this one.

[TRP]

Too bad, ya'll. The imperfections are minor, and by today's standards these are actually superior quality. So they make a nice addition to the 1e set. I wished they'd do the D&DG (never gonna happen) and UA.

Also, if you don't buy these, then you must hate Gary Gygax, because you will not be supporting his memorial fund.

[francisca]

I'm now officially off the fence about purchasing these--I'm won't be. After reading many of the reviews and posts about them, looking at photographs, etc. it now seems to me that these are inferior quality replicas. The paper is the cheap, thin, and glossy stuff WotC uses in all of its other hardcovers, the binding is glued, the artwork was reproduced carelessly and inadequately, and the cover design yawns "meh". Maybe I'll pick up a nice minty set of the originals on eBay for about the same cost (or less), but I refuse to encourage WotC in future endeavors such as this one.

Hey now......we don't allow dissent here.......you better fall back in step with the party line!!





just kidding.........

[Deogolf]

I wasn't going to get them at first, but then I stopped in a local gaming shop and I broke down and bought them.

This one's for you Gary!!

[Badmike]

Too bad, ya'll. The imperfections are minor, and by today's standards these are actually superior quality. So they make a nice addition to the 1e set. I wished they'd do the D&DG (never gonna happen) and UA.

Also, if you don't buy these, then you must hate Gary Gygax, because you will not be supporting his memorial fund.

The imperfections are barely noticeable and have been blown out of proportion by the "Wah wah wah look at me I hate everything" crowd. The NTRPG con bought 11 sets (that's right, SETS) and I hope so many are sold it embarrasses WOTC to no end as it outsells anything the have published for a decade. I hope this encourages future re-print endeavors and helps them eventually re-release a set of cleaned up PDFs. And I can't wait to use these babies at the table! Although I truly hope the very slightly darkened artwork of a snake on one page of the DMG doesn't derail the entire game, as it IS a major flaw and could lead to insanity, devil worship, and possible switching to 4E.

Mike B.

[Badmike]

So, my intent to purchase these had a crushing encounter with reality when I did the mental math and realized how much they would actually cost: approx. $128, including tax, for the full set of three...Couldn't escape the feeling that I'd be paying a pretty significant amount...for what is, bottom line, a pretty facsimile of something I already own the real version of (several copies, including near-mint copies).

That's where I'm at with these, too. I think they're cool, I applaud WotC for offering them, and I hope they sell ALL of them and demand is such that they decide to reprint them every once in a while. But for me, well, I'd like to have them but I just can't justify the purchase.

The con I went to this weekend (Texicon) had a complete set on one of the vendor tables for $100, and I bet you could have talked them down even more. And I bet more deals emerge on Ebay and Amazon as time goes on.

Mike B.

[MojoBob]

So, my intent to purchase these had a crushing encounter with reality when I did the mental math and realized how much they would actually cost: approx. $128, including tax, for the full set of three...Couldn't escape the feeling that I'd be paying a pretty significant amount...for what is, bottom line, a pretty facsimile of something I already own the real version of (several copies, including near-mint copies).

That's where I'm at with these, too. I think they're cool, I applaud WotC for offering them, and I hope they sell ALL of them and demand is such that they decide to reprint them every once in a while. But for me, well, I'd like to have them but I just can't justify the purchase.

Yep, that's me too. Not that I've never before spent more than I can really afford on something I don't really need, though. Fortunately for me, this time I'd have to actually work at spending the money, rather than being able to grab them on impulse, so it's much less likely to happen.

[Badmike]

This place online has all the books at a deep discount, you can get the complete set for about $80:

http://www.coolstuffinc.com/main_RPG.ph ... PremiumPHB

Mike B.

[Flambeaux]

Although I truly hope the very slightly darkened artwork of a snake on one page of the DMG doesn't derail the entire game, as it IS a major flaw and could lead to insanity, devil worship, and possible switching to 4E.

You say that like it's a bad thing, Mike. Whisky-Tango-Foxtrot?

[francisca]

Although I truly hope the very slightly darkened artwork of a snake on one page of the DMG doesn't derail the entire game, as it IS a major flaw and could lead to insanity, devil worship, and possible switching to 4E.

You say that like it's a bad thing, Mike. Whisky-Tango-Foxtrot?

well the first couple are ok, but 4e? SCARY!

[TRP]

It would be better if WoTC never reprinted the 1e MM, PHB and DMG. The lack of access to the original art, the decision to keep the price somewhat reasonable by using glued, rather than stitched, binding and the makeover of the covers ruined the project. If you can't infuse the market with Gygaxian gaming prose at $100 per book, then you should just let well enough alone. After all, the originals will be available at reasonable pricing on e-bay forever.


oops.lookslikeidepletedbystoresofhyperboleandsarcasm.timetoordermore.

[Deogolf]

So, my intent to purchase these had a crushing encounter with reality when I did the mental math and realized how much they would actually cost: approx. $128, including tax, for the full set of three. If I'd been able to actually peruse them and flip through the pages and feel the texture of the leatherette covers that might have pushed me over the edge, but just looking at the shrink-wrapped copies (one of each - not sure if that's all the store ordered or all that they have left) I couldn't bring myself to do it. Couldn't escape the feeling that I'd be paying a pretty significant amount (anything over $100 feels like "real money") for what is, bottom line, a pretty facsimile of something I already own the real version of (several copies, including near-mint copies). If they ever make these available at amazon with a nice, steep 25-30% discount I'll probably still buy them, but unless I, like, suddenly come into a bunch of extra $ by surprise, I can't see paying full MSRP (+ 9.75% CA sales tax) for them

Yeah, that is a big chunk of change for the books. I've got multiple copies of the "good ole boys"; but, I did it mostly for Gygax Fund. My wife will probably read me the riot act...

[vargr1105]

It would be better if WoTC never reprinted the 1e MM, PHB and DMG. The lack of access to the original art...

What do you mean? is the internal art of the reprints different?

[Chainsaw]

It would be better if WoTC never reprinted the 1e MM, PHB and DMG. The lack of access to the original art...

What do you mean? is the internal art of the reprints different?

Same art, but, throughout the entire book, the ink is a bit darker, so the detail in some images is lost.