Traveller Little Black Books

[marksolino]

The first Mongoose Traveller Little Black Books is scheduled to release in May. It's a reprint of Mercenary. Will this (and future Little Black Book reprints of previously-published books) have all the up-to-date errata incorporated?

 

[AndrewW]

The first Mongoose Traveller Little Black Books is scheduled to release in May. It's a reprint of Mercenary. Will this (and future Little Black Book reprints of previously-published books) have all the up-to-date errata incorporated?

Well, the first labeled as such. There's already Traveller: Pocket Edition.

 

[BP]

...Will this (and future Little Black Book reprints of previously-published books) have all the up-to-date errata incorporated?

Matt Sprange has indicated as much - see the sticky (here) seeking our input into additional errata!

 

[DigitalMage]

I would like a LBB of Spinward Marches, any likelihood of that?

 

[Bygoneyrs]

Sorry but WHY the sudden interest in the LBBs, I would rather see more new products thant reprinted reformated versions of books we already have out in print.

Penn

 

[BP]

The interest has been there all along.

Recently, Matt mentioned the reprints will (also?) come in LBB format - hence the increased posts.

If the new ones are anything like the pocket core - no significant resources are being wasted - they just basically resized the printout and trimmed the footnotes. Nothing that should have taken content creators time.

The digest sized are a bit easier on table and book shelf space.

At first, I thought the smaller print in the digest size wasn't so good - till I saw the unscaled version in the regular size - its much harder on my old eyes with its overly bold weight against the bright white background, than the time, but clear smaller font. YMMV

 

[DigitalMage]

Sorry but WHY the sudden interest in the LBBs

For me I have a thing for digest sized books - as evidenced in my gaming bag of goodness

 

[lastbesthope]

So long as they remember to keep the footnotes in this time, Pocket Main Book suffered from lack of footnotes.

LBH

 

[BP]

Looking forward to the pocket HG edition - I like the lighter text in the core better - but, I do hope the deckplans are done clearly (raster is created by the RIP creating the film/master or printouts rather than beforehand).

 

[Bygoneyrs]

Well if they plan to offer the LBB at the same time that they offer the normally sized resource books...Ok. I fear though that they might put to much time and stock in doing these books which for me anyway are a extra fluff that I do not need. Why would one want to have a complete resource and then have a second book that was missing some items just because it is smaller in size? The past is gone or done my friends, the LBB were incomplete and these new ones will sadly be lessor than the larger books. Also I don't agree with the comment the larger books take up more space on the table, come on they all stack just nicely one ontop of another. At least I am organized at DM/GMing after going it for like 30-34 yrs now, if I need more room...I set up a card table next to me at the foot of my own dinning room table that I have all my DM/GM screen, notes, gaming resources, dice and figures on so I have full view of the center of the table and the gamming board and 5-7 players.

It is nice that folks want these LBBs but I don't want to see our monthly output of products limited because they want to also push out these LBBs too. I would rather see their time spent on new books and resource materials for the game.

Just my 2 cents is all.

Penn

 

[DigitalMage]

Why would one want to have a complete resource and then have a second book that was missing some items just because it is smaller in size? The past is gone or done my friends, the LBB were incomplete and these new ones will sadly be lessor than the larger books.

Who is to say the LBB will be missing some information? Yes the Pocket Rulebook missed the footnotes, but I hope Mongoose learned from this and the LBBs will be as complete as the full sized version.

would rather see their time spent on new books and resource materials for the game

For some people, producing LBBs would actually increase the books they could actually use in a game - where the GM travels to a game, half size LBBs mean she could theoretically bring twice as many books to the game. There is no point buying new books if you can't use them!

 

[GamerDude]

Sorry but WHY the sudden interest in the LBBs

For me I have a thing for digest sized books - as evidenced in my gaming bag of goodness

Hey Digital, That's a great bag, where did you get the pages for the cardboard heroes minis? I'd love to get a bunch for me.

 

[Bygoneyrs]

Sorry guys I meant no offense, I count myself as extremely lucky that my wife and kids put up with my Wednsday night gaming group. Not having to travel is great, my books are always just a walk to my library away!

Penn

 

[BP]

No worries! I don't think anyone took offense - I certainly didn't! Your concern about resources is valid (and hopefully addressed) and the Pocket Core edition did have editing shortcomings.

Personnally I much prefer the digest size - notably it works better in the throne room (less chance of water damage)

But its not an absolute must have - and I could print a PDF in that size after all (although they are not available as quickly and its a pain/added cost).

I believe that the digest size is actually more profitable for Mongoose overall - and the smaller size is more comfortable when walking around reading or when spreading multiple books out on a gaming table when one isn't fortunate enough to have enough space (which is often when offsite at a friends or a gaming club).

 

[DigitalMage]

Sorry but WHY the sudden interest in the LBBs

For me I have a thing for digest sized books - as evidenced in my gaming bag of goodness

Hey Digital, That's a great bag, where did you get the pages for the cardboard heroes minis? I'd love to get a bunch for me.

The paper minis are stored in A5 Small Coin Album Refills from WH Smithbound together with some treasury tags

For a full inventory of the bag check out this threadon UK Roleplayers.

 

[Bygoneyrs]

Well I for one don't want to see Mongoose decide to "ONLY" release the LBB format...I for one would stop buying the products then and I have bought Traveller stuff for 32+ yrs now. I read it is "More Profitable" for Mongoose and "Fear" that is what is being talked about behind the sceens here guys. The all mighty profit margine strikes again. If Mongoose wants to print both versions that is on them, but I at least just want the larger printed format for my gaming laibray ONLY!

Penn

 

[BP]

... I have bought Traveller stuff for 32+ yrs now. ...

Uhm, didn't most of the original books besides 0-3 only came in that size (till the classic reprints).

I don't think anything I've seen officially said only the pocket size would be printed - as you pointed out earlier these are reprints, albiet with errata. IIRC stores prefer larger sizes for shelf marketing reasons - and Mongoose charges less for the pocket editions - so its not all about profit.

Offering in a pocket size provides options - for both Mongoose and the consumer. I for one, would buy Mercenary in pocket size (lower price, preferred format, updated) - I won't in the larger size. I bought HG in the larger size (because that is what I am more interested in). If it comes out in the smaller size I will buy it again! I would not if it comes in the cumbersome, hard on the eyes, larger size.

Matt did state errata would be available seperately, I believe, in response to a query by LastBestHope...

 

[DigitalMage]

Well I for one don't want to see Mongoose decide to "ONLY" release the LBB format...I for one would stop buying the products then

Now this I can understand, however I would hope that this fear is unfounded, people still seem to like large size books overall (they stay open easier) as evidenced by it being the most common format in the industry.

 

[Bygoneyrs]

Maybe I am "over-reacting" with the LBB issue, but I have been around alot in the Gaming Industry and seen far to much...when a company hints at something and states "It is Cheaper and makes more profit" it always works out to be the Writing on the Wall. First it starts out making smaller LBB format of some of the past books already printed, and followed by making both a 8.5 x 11 and LBB versions of each new book, till they then state do to this or that and the all mighty profit margin, we will just offer only in LBB and .pdf format. Mark my words...I give it 2 yrs and they will be doing that. I said it first publically. If I'm wrong, then I'm wrong BUT if it comes to pass I will remind EVERYONE that I pointed it out<g>!

Penn

 

[MongooseMatt]

when a company hints at something and states "It is Cheaper and makes more profit" it always works out to be the Writing on the Wall.

Except we have not hinted or stated anything of the sort. . .