I was expecting the new version of a tabletop role-playing game (TTRPG) to come in today, but because of the holiday shipping schedule, it won't be available for pick-up until tomorrow. If it even comes in. Now, some may be asking "Why didn't you order it through your book store?" Good question. The short answer is that the publisher stopped dealing with my distributor at the start of the year. The long answer is very complicated and starts back in the mid-90s. I was still suffering through my major panic attack/anxiety outbreak, when I decided to try new things. One was an RPG system. I had heard about it for a few years, and I finally broke down and starting buying some of the books before actually playing with other people (that part still hasn't happened, either in real life or online). The system was reaching the height of its popularity. While the individual lines shared the same 'universe,' as it was, the various games didn't always interact precisely. While the main rules and a few systems were the same, others were not, to the point where the games couldn't really be played together. Sure, you could try, but something had to suffer so that the games would work, either one game had to change a fundamental rule or an important aspect of the metaplot would have to be ignored. Not much fun, but it could be done. One of the reasons I decided to open a book store, when forced to start a business, was so I could get my books easier, and cheaper, than going through my local gaming store. While they had a fairly good selection back then, they also had a spotty record of remembering all of my orders. The fact that my main distributor at the start didn't work with that publisher forced some change, but I was still able to use a secondary distributor to get my books. In 2003, the publisher realized that the games were not going to be able to work together, supplements were starting to just be updates on older material, and the hanging metaplot of overarching destruction needed to be dealt with. Therefore, they decided to end all of their game lines the following year. This really affected me, as I found this out a few months after I had lost about 75% of my books in a flood. While I was able to get most of the core books and a few supplements, the thought of never being able to ever get full replacements weighed heavily on my. Even the promise of a new, updated system barely helped. This was also coupled with the publisher being bought out by a Scandinavian video game company (Iceland, I believe). Well, the new game lines were still carried by my secondary distributor, as well as the new primary distributor I had to switch to when my original one went out of business. This worked well for a few years, until some shipping hiccups began starting. It was harder to get any books from my distributors, as well as having not a single order come in from the gaming store. Turns out that the publisher was getting ready to switch to a print on demand (POD0 model, with the possibility of downloadable PDFs. They were also sold to another video game company (Iceland, again). Since I didn't own a computer back then, this meant I was no longer able to get any more books. As such, I basically lost interest in gaming. I would occasionally look some news up online, but I barely followed such things anymore. That's why I would miss out on the great deals on special anniversary editions of the original game line, featuring bonus deals on PDFs of older supplements and the possibility of new material as well. I got my computer just after the last of the first anniversary editions Kickstarters had ended, so I missed out on everything that I would have liked the most to get. However, I was able to purchase and download the PDFs of the new material. (I couldn't afford the costs of getting physical copies.). Since then, I have participated in the Kickstarters for some new projects, getting some of the new PDFs as bonuses. I was even able to get some older material as well for a discount. Not as much as I would've liked, but a few things I would like. I also found out that the original company was dissolved when it was purchased by a third Scandinavian video game company (country of origin unknown). All of this new material was created by a new company created by some of the staff of the original company. They still had to get permission from the current holders of the intellectual property (IP) though, for each new supplement, as well as the extras featuring older material. Well, the video game company saw that there was a market for this material. So, they got a European TTRPG company to create a new version of the most popular game line, using the sensibilities that the company could use to cross-promote the IP in other formats. This RPG company did so, to mixed results. Many fans were thrilled that there was a new edition coming out, but they were sort of turned off by the many, many changes in the rules, systems, and even plotting. This confusion was increased when an early version of a supplement was sent out featuring material a little bit too politically incorrect to stand. Changes were made, but the company would soon loose the license. Meanwhile, the video game company was forcing changes in some of the new material being made for the anniversary editions for the second company. The second company would wind up making a few supplements for the new edition, to a much better received following. However, they were not offered the license to take over the new edition of this game, or any others. No, the video game company first went with one other RPG publisher, only to go with a second one for various reasons. Things got a little dicey, when plans for the second game line's new edition got delayed for a different, less popular one. This new edition sped through very fast. This is the book I expected to get in today. Early reviews from those who bought the early PDF suggest that it will not follow the original's basic design at all. While it's not too bad, I fear it might not be that great either. At least early criticism got the cover image changed to something a little better. Anyway, for some reason, the RPG company has stopped doing business with my distributor. This includes the reprinting of works made by the second company rebranded under the RPG's banner. At least I was able to get one last supplement before it happened. Again, reviews suggest that the book fell just a little short of being really good and reflective of what a sizable portion of the fanbase wanted. As such, I was lucky enough to be able to order this book from my local gaming store. I don't know if they will receive it, but we'll see. I'm not up to ordering directly from that company just yet, or trying to start having my store deal with them directly either. Quality issues aside, I'm just glad I get to return to the things that helped me get through some hard times.
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