Hi:
Just wanted to say it's great that the gamesters can take care of stuff like this in a time of need. The local store's response to the shipping question was not really shocking to me.
Back last Fall when I first came aboard with MMP, I ran the short-lived rulebook-BV retail locator listing. Very few retailers contacted chose to participate, and those who did immediately sold out of both items.
Wizards of the Coast was the only chain participating, and their buyer provided the intitial listing, but after the ones listed sold out (and trust me, one ASLer called every WOTC store listed looking for the RB and came up empty), the program kind of petered out. With the massive upheaval at Wizards of the Coast, it was no wonder and not our contact's fault. The whole chain was in the midst of reorganizing and downsizing. Some of the rulebooks coming to surface now may have been sitting in a now-closed warehouse or something.
The rulebook reprint is next in line, but we do them as we can fit them into our print and financial schedules. Reprints are costly, we incur those costs up front, and we really don't see a return until far down the line.
On the marketing side, we've sent postcards, contacted retailers, and promo'd that rulebook all over the net, and we have a grand total of 367 preorders (at this time) after almost a year. Obviously, many of the first run 2nd Edition rulebooks obviously went to grognards wanting to upgrade from ASL 85 to ASL 2000.
We view the new starter packs as an easy and cheaper way to pique the interest of prospective players than plopping down almost $100 to get into the game. You play the starter pack, like what you see, then make the investment. Hopefully, we're right. :wink: Get'em hooked, then sell'em the book.
BTW, here's a list of the retailers that have preordered the rulebook with us. If you know a store in your area doesn't carry or that used to carry ASL and doesn't anymore, let me know by PM and I will contact it. If you don't have a store in you area, by all means use our secure ordering (although I sense I am preaching to the choir here).
Days of Knights Newark, Delaware
Esdevium England
Fantasy En'counter Germany
Fine Games Portland, Oregon
Game HQ Inc Oklahoma City, OK
Games Plus Mt. Prospect, IL
histofig.com Littre, France
Hobbycraft Alaska
HomerGames Homer, IL
Jedko Games Australia
Key's Games and Hobbies Silvis, IL
Le Valet D'Coeur Montreal, Canada
Mindsports Calgary, Canada
Noble Knight Games Janesville, WI
Second Chance Games Seacombe, Merseyside, UK
The Gamer's Armory North Carolina
Thanks to these retailers and distributors for ordering with MMP! Thanks to all you indivudual customers that ordered with MMP!
