A Request To MMP

[Honza]

With all the talk about how MMP manage their time in regard to their production of games, I have a suggestion which I'd like to propose to MMP.

This suggestion is in no way meant to be detrimental to anyone; it is really just an idea which I am throwing up. Please take this idea as a proposal of what I think *could* happen and NOT *should* happen - because at the end of the day I don't know enough to be objective in my opinions.

It really is simply that I know there is a backlog of ASL stuff/products that need to be released or even re-released; such as COB, WOA plus various HASL's etc. So how about MMP putting aside 1 Year of their time in which they concentrate almost exclusively on ASL products to clear the backlog.

I don't know how possible that would be in terms of all the other projects MMP are working on; i.e. whether it is realistic to SET ASIDE the other products for 1 Year to concentrate on ASL.

The benefit would be that the pressure from the ASL community would ease off, the backlog of ASL products could be moved forward and sorted out AND MMP would have completed a series of products that they have an almost gurranteed market for in us ASL players who want new/re-releases.

A Year of MMP's concentration specifically on ASL could be enough to clear this 'Jam' of products for ASL - for which there is a high demand. And after this 1 Year MMP could go back to their procedure of producing multiple gaming lines at the same time.

This year need not be NEXT year; it could be 2009 or 2010. Just a year in the near future for bringing up to date the ASL line of products.

What do you think?

Regards,

Jan.

 

[Cherper]

Not going to happen and not a good idea. ASL is a part of the business, but the other product lines are just as much if not more of the business. The recent releases that have won awards show that to ignore these designs would be bad, these designers would go to other companies.

 

[Cherper]

To add to my response, if you have followed the discussion on CSW, these other games are more or less delivered complete and MMP doesn't have to spend a lot of time developing them. The ASL stuff is completely under the supervision of the MMP guys. That is where the bottleneck is, not because of the other games.

 

[ecz]

To add to my response, if you have followed the discussion on CSW, these other games are more or less delivered complete and MMP doesn't have to spend a lot of time developing them. The ASL stuff is completely under the supervision of the MMP guys. That is where the bottleneck is, not because of the other games.

and exactly what kind of supervision needs a mere reprint of an existing product?

 

[Cherper]

I can't speak to the reprint issue. It may be that all of the errata is going to be corrected? I don't know why some of the straight reprints take so long, but the cost of them might be prohibitive if they can't be combined with other items.

 

[kdalton]

and exactly what kind of supervision needs a mere reprint of an existing product?

Considerable, in the case of the many of the reprints, because they are rebuilds from scratch.

 

[Roadtogundagai]

Considerable, in the case of the many of the reprints, because they are rebuilds from scratch.

Hi Keith,

I am trying to get my head around the reprint issues - for COB/WOA (and when the time comes - CDG/YANKS/GH) this is totally understandable, as is often stated the original artwork from AH is not in a useable form.

But this should not apply to DB3 and the Italian components of HL? These have already been printed under MMP, I think. And also FKAC - this has been unavailable for some time now as an MMP reprint. Artwork/layout should not be an issue for FKAC?

Not a criticism - there's plenty of that elsewhere on the forums - more curious about the issues involved in a reprint where MMP has already done the hard yards (rebuilt artwork from scratch / layout ... etc).

Regards,

Tony.

 

[kdalton]

Hi Keith,

I am trying to get my head around the reprint issues - for COB/WOA (and when the time comes - CDG/YANKS/GH) this is totally understandable, as is often stated the original artwork from AH is not in a useable form.

But this should not apply to DB3 and the Italian components of HL? These have already been printed under MMP, I think. And also FKAC - this has been unavailable for some time now as an MMP reprint. Artwork/layout should not be an issue for FKAC?

Not a criticism - there's plenty of that elsewhere on the forums - more curious about the issues involved in a reprint where MMP has already done the hard yards (rebuilt artwork from scratch / layout ... etc).

Regards,

Tony.

DB3 - Stuff from DB 2 we have, we're moving Last Hurrah content there, and that we DON"T have. So that's had to be laid out, along with redrawing all the boards digitally.

HL - Italians we have, but HL will now include the the desert components, so that's layout of boards and overlays, Chapter F etc. So that's layout.

FKAC - we have the stuff from the first printing minus the boards, if (and I have no idea if we are doing this, just a supposition on my part) we kill the two boards already included in BV3, we still have two boards to lay out.

Sense a common theme? This is why the board pack will give us a big leg up on reprints.

 

[kdalton]

Hi Keith,

I am trying to get my head around the reprint issues - for COB/WOA (and when the time comes - CDG/YANKS/GH) this is totally understandable, as is often stated the original artwork from AH is not in a useable form.

But this should not apply to DB3 and the Italian components of HL? These have already been printed under MMP, I think. And also FKAC - this has been unavailable for some time now as an MMP reprint. Artwork/layout should not be an issue for FKAC?

Not a criticism - there's plenty of that elsewhere on the forums - more curious about the issues involved in a reprint where MMP has already done the hard yards (rebuilt artwork from scratch / layout ... etc).

Regards,

Tony.

DB3 - Stuff from DB 2 we have, we're moving Last Hurrah content there, and that we DON"T have. So that's had to be laid out, along with redrawing all the boards digitally.

HL - Italians we have, but HL will now include the the desert components, so that's layout of boards and overlays, Chapter F etc. So that's layout.

FKAC - we have the stuff from the first printing minus the boards, if (and I have no idea if we are doing this, just a supposition on my part) we kill the two boards already included in BV3, we still have two boards to lay out.

Sense a common theme? This is why the board pack will give us a big leg up on reprints.

The artist has just about finished the art, now we have to lay it on a hex grid, see if it matches up, and send it out for proofing to make sure we don't have any Board 42-style issues.

 

[Roadtogundagai]

DB3 - Stuff from DB 2 we have, we're moving Last Hurrah content there, and that we DON"T have. So that's had to be laid out, along with redrawing all the boards digitally.

HL - Italians we have, but HL will now include the the desert components, so that's layout of boards and overlays, Chapter F etc. So that's layout.

FKAC - we have the stuff from the first printing minus the boards, if (and I have no idea if we are doing this, just a supposition on my part) we kill the two boards already included in BV3, we still have two boards to lay out.

Sense a common theme? This is why the board pack will give us a big leg up on reprints.

The artist has just about finished the art, now we have to lay it on a hex grid, see if it matches up, and send it out for proofing to make sure we don't have any Board 42-style issues.

Thanks Keith - appreciate the info

 

[alanp]

Yeah, Keith, thanks for the information!

 

[kdalton]

Info so important I posted it twice.

 

[David Reinking]

Info so important I posted it twice.

Thank you, thank you, Mr. Dalton...

 

[Honza]

So the answer is NO! then? :clown:

Actually I take your point - it would not speed things up much anyway & you would lose custom from other game designers: is that the situation pretty much?

 

[rglesing@indot.]

I don't see how taking a year to do only ASL will change anything for MMP. As soon as they finish releasing all that is currently in the pipeline, and it is snapped up by players, then we are back to persons crying "When is the NEXT reprint coming? or the NEXT Action Pack? or NEXT Journal?" It will never really stop as long as MMP is in the business of producing ASL. So, sit back and enjoy the (leisurely) ride! :yummy:

 

[byouse]

I don't see how taking a year to do only ASL will change anything for MMP. As soon as they finish releasing all that is currently in the pipeline, and it is snapped up by players, then we are back to persons crying "When is the NEXT reprint coming? or the NEXT Action Pack? or NEXT Journal?" It will never really stop as long as MMP is in the business of producing ASL.

I used to cling to the belief this was not true but clearly it is with at least a small subset of vocal posters.

BTW, Keith was right, we want the board set out next so that all the reprints fall into line with their boards already either done or a simple call to the printer saying print x thousand. I can only dream of how nice that'll make our lives.

 

[Portal]

Brian,

Would you prefer there was no customer interest in your company's products?

 

[jwb3]

Brian,

Would you prefer there was no customer interest in your company's products?

Geez, Portal, can't there be an option C somewhere in between? :crosseye:


John

 

[BobO]

Geez, Portal, can't there be an option C somewhere in between? :crosseye:


John

But C doesn't fall between A and B

 

[Portal]

John,

I agree with you. But this is the Real World. Your customers are either too interested, or not interested at all. :laugh: