Any chance a 3rd Ed. ASLRB will be published?

jrv

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That does not have the javascript (nor css), so I can't comment on why you are having trouble. The anchor tags seem to work when I recreate the directory structure. Are you inserting that on every page?

JR
 
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jrv

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On further experimentation, the TOC is also provided by the reader. Instead of including your own, in calibre you go to tools, table of contents, edit table of contents. Add entries here and they appear in the reader's TOC.

The principle behind an epub is that it should work without javascript. Javascript can be used to enhance an epub with interactivity, but it should not be crippled if javascript does not work.

JR
 

Philippe D.

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I have not made any serious testing, but I was under the impression that ereader software (or at least that on my ereader - a Kobo) isn't all that great when dealing with internal links and navigating a document that isn't meant to be read linearly - like the ASLRB.

Typically, you need to be able to follow internal links, and quite often, to be able to go back to the part of the document that you were reading previously - what I referred to as "navigation". Then you need quick access to a table of contents that will let you go to any part of the document.

My experience is that reading software that is designed for use on a laptop or desktop computer is often much better for this, than whatever comes with your standard ereader - and the software quality, or at least this kind of feature, is very rarely used as a selling argument by ereader manufacturers.
 

jrv

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I have not made any serious testing, but I was under the impression that ereader software (or at least that on my ereader - a Kobo) isn't all that great when dealing with internal links and navigating a document that isn't meant to be read linearly - like the ASLRB.

Typically, you need to be able to follow internal links, and quite often, to be able to go back to the part of the document that you were reading previously - what I referred to as "navigation". Then you need quick access to a table of contents that will let you go to any part of the document.

My experience is that reading software that is designed for use on a laptop or desktop computer is often much better for this, than whatever comes with your standard ereader - and the software quality, or at least this kind of feature, is very rarely used as a selling argument by ereader manufacturers.

I just tried calibre. It has a TOC that is outside of the flow and has a tree-like structure, allowing navigation to arbitrary points in the document. In calibre the TOC is always available although it can be hidden. From what Vinny showed above, he only has links to chapters, but it was trivial to add links under links so that, for instance, terrain might be broken down into "general point rules," "open ground", and so on. calibre has a "back" button, just like you'd find in a browser. It seems like it will work through anchor tags. It does not work through javascript changes of the location property, but I already said that was somehow not connecting to the epub reader. The copy of calibre is on a desktop, and it is the only software and device I have tested. Other devices and/or software may have different behavior.

addition: I also tested my test file on a tablet (galaxy tab S2) using cool reader. It dislikes very much the SVG, javascript and buttons I was playing with, but navigation through links, back button & TOC seemed ok. It may very well depend on the device and the reader.

JR
 

Vinnie

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My attempt allowed thinks to individual paragraphs (a brief A/A.html#A1.2 etc.). I just needed to remove the "slide out menu" functions I use inn the html and app.
 

jrv

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I just needed to remove the "slide out menu" functions I use inn the html and app.
I assumed you were using that with some javascript, but you didn't include enough information to tell which. Javascript for links & toc, etc, would be redundant with the epub functionality. I am sure it could be made to work (at least in some epub readers), but it would be unnecessary work. I also found that if I added "id" attributes on the paragraph and other tags, calibre would use those ids for its linking & table of contents. That will make maintenance easier, so I recommend setting your own ids.

JR
 

Vinnie

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That's precisely what I did.ended up with something like this.

<a href="javascript:void(0)" class="closebtn" onclick="closeInd()">×</a>

<table>
<tr><th id="bordered"> <a href="0/Ind.html#A">A</a></th><th id="bordered"><a href="0/Ind.html#N">N</a></th></tr>
<tr><th id="bordered"> <a href="0/Ind.html#B">B</a></th><th id="bordered"><a href="0/Ind.html#O">O</a></th></tr>
<tr><th id="bordered"><a href="0/Ind.html#C">C</a></th><th id="bordered"><a href="0/Ind.html#P">P</a> </th></tr>
<tr><th id="bordered"><a href="0/Ind.html#D">D</a></th><th id="bordered"><a href="0/Ind.html#Q">Q</a> </th></tr>
<tr><th id="bordered"><a href="0/Ind.html#E">E</a></th><th id="bordered"><a href="0/Ind.html#R">R</a></th></tr>
<tr><th id="bordered"><a href="0/Ind.html#F">F</a></th><th id="bordered"><a href="0/Ind.html#S">S</a></th></tr>
<tr><th id="bordered"><a href="0/Ind.html#G">G</a></th><th id="bordered"><a href="0/Ind.html#T">T</a></th></tr>
<tr><th id="bordered"><a href="0/Ind.html#H">H</a></th><th id="bordered"><a href="0/Ind.html#U">U</a></th></tr>
<tr><th id="bordered"><a href="0/Ind.html#I">I</a></th><th id="bordered"><a href="0/Ind.html#V">V</a></th></tr>
<tr><th id="bordered"><a href="0/Ind.html#J">J</a></th><th id="bordered"><a href="0/Ind.html#W">W</a></th></tr>
<tr><th id="bordered"><a href="0/Ind.html#K">K</a></th><th id="bordered"><a href="0/Ind.html#X">X</a></th></tr>
<tr><th id="bordered"><a href="0/Ind.html#L">L</a></th><th id="bordered"><a href="0/Ind.html#Y">Y</a></th></tr>
<tr><th id="bordered"><a href="0/Ind.html#M">M</a></th><th id="bordered"><a href="0/Ind.html#Z">Z</a> </th></tr>
</table>
</div>

<span id="ind" style="font-size:30px;cursor:pointer" onclick="openInd()"><img src="Symbol/Index.gif"> </span>

<script src="../javascript.js">
</script>

<title>Section A</title>
<link rel="stylesheet" href="A4.css">


<body style="background-image:url(AP44.png)">

<h1 style="text-align: center;">TABLE OF CONTENTS</h1>


<p>
<table class="center" id="hover">
<tr><th colspan="2" style="background-color:#EFA58C">A. <a href="A/A.html">INFANTRY & BASIC GAME RULES</a></th></tr>
<tr>
<td>1. <a href="A/A.html#A1">Personnel Counters</a> </td><td>15. <a href="A/A.html#A15">Heat of Battle</a> </td></tr>
<tr>
<td>2. <a href="A/A.html#A2">The Mapboard</a> </td><td>16. <a href="A/A.html#A16">Battlefield Integrity</a> </td></tr>
<tr>
<td>3. <a href="A/A.html#A3">Basic Sequence of Play</a> </td><td>17. <a href="A/A.html#A17">Wounds</a> </td></tr>
<tr>
<td>4. <a href="A/A.html#A4">Infantry Movement</a> </td><td>18. <a href="A/A.html#A18">Field Promotions</a> </td></tr>
 

daniel zucker

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I've made my ibook using word. hyper links & footnotes easy peasy; next I'm going to learn how to make giffs to illustrate some of the rules that involve movement and fire
 

Rock SgtDan

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There's a tennis court at Kohima too. Given that they are spread across all theaters, I'm surprised the need hasn't been see sooner. Tennis courts now!

Perhaps if tennis rules were added, we could have peacetime scenarios too: "The Battle of the Baselines," "Lob One Over," "Break Point."
JR
Love All.
Need to distinguish clay from grass, and they have different responses to weather (mud, inherent LOS when not mown...)...
 

larrymarak

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Unlikely. There is a law of diminishing returns this point. The editing of a 3rd edition takes time away from creating new modules, as does investing time in producing new editions of the Avalon Hill master releases. MMP bears the burden of being the sole producer of the rules set, which means they are competing against only their own company when they do new editions of the rules or the classic sets. Financially their best move would be to concentrate on producing new material, including new rules as needed on 3 ring punched sheets with their releases, and possibly marketing nationality sets sold separately.
 

hongkongwargamer

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Unlikely. There is a law of diminishing returns this point. The editing of a 3rd edition takes time away from creating new modules, as does investing time in producing new editions of the Avalon Hill master releases. MMP bears the burden of being the sole producer of the rules set, which means they are competing against only their own company when they do new editions of the rules or the classic sets. Financially their best move would be to concentrate on producing new material, including new rules as needed on 3 ring punched sheets with their releases, and possibly marketing nationality sets sold separately.
Returns wise, more people will (have to) buy a 3rd edition RB than a new module.
 

Philippe D.

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Returns wise, more people will (have to) buy a 3rd edition RB than a new module.
I'm not sure I would buy just a paper 3rd edition (I probably would, though it might depend on how much change it included); what I'd immediately grab would be a 3rd edition RB that was coupled with an e-RB subscription.

But at least one complete edition of the rulebook needs to be available (and the pocket RB isn't complete in this regard, unfortunately; or Beyond Valor should include the missing parts, as in the chapter dividers and Russian-German Chapter H). Its absence is an obstacle to new players getting into the game.
 

MichalS

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Unlikely. There is a law of diminishing returns this point. The editing of a 3rd edition takes time away from creating new modules, as does investing time in producing new editions of the Avalon Hill master releases. MMP bears the burden of being the sole producer of the rules set, which means they are competing against only their own company when they do new editions of the rules or the classic sets. Financially their best move would be to concentrate on producing new material, including new rules as needed on 3 ring punched sheets with their releases, and possibly marketing nationality sets sold separately.
If MMP wants to survive, it must be aware of the demographic shifts in their customer base and related economic potentials. I have the impression that lots of new people are picking up Starter Kits. MMP needs to decide whether it wants to make it easier for these people to enter the hobby in full or whether to cater to core customers. Having said that, I am not certain to what extent a new edition of the RB, unless accompanied by an e-RB, would make a difference in respect to any of these two strategies.

From a beginner's point of view, tracking all the errata is mildly annoying - but the challenge of mastering the core rules, including finding relevant rules during play, overshadows this by far. An e-RB might certainly enable entry. The consensus, however, seems to be that the main entry barrier is the unavailability of older published material. This does not concern only the modules, mind you - the fact that almost all of the published Journals, APs or WOs are OOP (or for example that you cannot order single map boards for many of the otherwise unplayable scenarios you get in the core modules) makes it quite problematic to get deeper into the game after the first plunge of purchasing BV+RB, especially in comparison with other games and hobbies.
 

hongkongwargamer

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If MMP wants to survive, it must be aware of the demographic shifts in their customer base and related economic potentials. I have the impression that lots of new people are picking up Starter Kits. MMP needs to decide whether it wants to make it easier for these people to enter the hobby in full or whether to cater to core customers. Having said that, I am not certain to what extent a new edition of the RB, unless accompanied by an e-RB, would make a difference in respect to any of these two strategies.

From a beginner's point of view, tracking all the errata is mildly annoying - but the challenge of mastering the core rules, including finding relevant rules during play, overshadows this by far. An e-RB might certainly enable entry. The consensus, however, seems to be that the main entry barrier is the unavailability of older published material. This does not concern only the modules, mind you - the fact that almost all of the published Journals, APs or WOs are OOP (or for example that you cannot order single map boards for many of the otherwise unplayable scenarios you get in the core modules) makes it quite problematic to get deeper into the game after the first plunge of purchasing BV+RB, especially in comparison with other games and hobbies.

Do you know for sure that MMP wants to “survive”?

There’s a start and an end to all businesses, from ice cream stands to NYSE listed companies.

Perhaps it’s not so bad just to have fun and call it quits when it’s time.
 

hongkongwargamer

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I don't want this to turn into a long, drawn out thread. I hear rumor that MMP is working on an eASLRB. It was super-great in 2000 when MMP printed the 2nd ed. ASLRB 15 years later, with errata, etc. Now that it's been 18 years, is there any chance a 3rd ed. paper ASLRB is in the works--with incorporated errata, updated pages from out-of-print modules, and whatever?

I think the Pocket ASLRB comes close, but still lots of errata and pages out there. I'm not a fan of an eASLRB (or other "reference" eBooks) 'cause you cannot flip around to what you want quickly enough. The Pocket ASLRB is really cool but I'd like a full size ASLRB (or two!)

Anyway...just wondering. I couldn't find any recent thread talking about such, so pardon me if I've missed an obvious answer somewhere.

Thanks MMP! Keep up the good, er, GREAT work!
Well, It is a long drawn out thread now with the usual & pedestrian business advice for MMP.
 
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larrymarak

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Doesn't matter what any of us opine until we know what MMP's obligation to Hasbro is. Are they required to keep some version of the RB in print?
 

hongkongwargamer

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Doesn't matter what any of us opine until we know what MMP's obligation to Hasbro is. Are they required to keep some version of the RB in print?
Perhaps if you PM or email Perry, he will let you in on the details concerning their private contract agreement with Hasbro?
 
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