Daystar West Rahasia Research and Discovery!
Post new topic Reply to topic Page 1 of 31, 2, 3
Author


Prolific Collector

Posts: 210
Joined: Nov 20, 2004
Last Visit: May 24, 2022
Location: Northeast

Post Posted: Sat Mar 19, 2005 10:09 am 
 

I recently was fortunate to acquire a second copy of Daystar West's Nightventures Rahasia, by the Hickmans.


Observation 1
When the two copies were next to each other, I immediately noticed that the two copies were diferent sizes!  Copy 1 checks in at 8.5 x 10 3/4 while Copy 2 measures 8.5 x 11.   :?:

Aside from this size difference, the copies appeared to be identical, with the trademark blue textured covers, black binding tape and staples underneath.

This size difference of course sent my mind spinning in all sorts of directions.  Did I have a forged copy, did I have one that was a printing anomaly?, did I have two different printings, what's up with the slightly shorter copy?, etc.  

Observation 2
Upon closer inspection, I identified another perhaps more significant difference between the two copies.  On the second page, where the dedication is, at the bottom Copy 1 reads:

RAHASIA
Copyright May 1979 by Daystar West Media Productions
P.O. Box 977
Orem, Utah 84057
ALL RIGHTS RESERVED

and Copy 2 reads:

RAHASIA
Copyright May 1979 by Daystar West Media Productions


ALL RIGHTS RESERVED

8O  :?:

This is the only observed content difference between the two copies within the text of the adventure.  After consulting with Frank and Scott on this, I sent emails to Kynan Connor and Tracy Hickman.

Kynan is listed on the Rahasia Acaeum information page as providing some initial details on this adventure.  Kynan verified his copy matches my Copy 2.

Tracy is reachable at The Bronze Canticles Village Forums and I received the following email from Tracy Hickman on his thoughts on this:

From: trhickman
To: a2jeff
Subject: Re:Daystar West Nightventures Rahasia Research
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
It has, indeed, been a while since we worked on those original adventures. I have a copy of them here.
As to your questions, there were several small printings of Rahasia. We were quite poor at the time and could only afford small print runs -- just enough to fill the orders when they came in.

The change in the copyright, no doubt, had to do with the P.O. Box we had in Orem for a short time. We set it up for our business but found that for our size it was more inconvenience than help. So we closed the PO Box and took the address off the copyright. That we failed to put a better address on afterward probably is indicative of our moving around quite a bit before finally making the journey east to Wisconsin and TSR.


Observation 3
A side note, both my copies and Kynan's copy have double sided printing on pages 7/8, 9/10, 11/12, 15/16 and 32/33.  This is different than what is posted on the Acaeum information page so this is another point of clarification/comparison.


From here it seems logical to expand the investigation to fellow Acaeum colleagues that might have a copy of Rahasia and see if the above characteristics are present in other copies.  I'd also welcome your thoughts and opinions on this exciting discovery!  I haven't done any research like this before on my rares but needless to say, it is exciting!   :P

  


Sage Collector

Posts: 2639
Joined: Jan 23, 2003
Last Visit: Jan 11, 2006

Post Posted: Sat Mar 19, 2005 10:12 am 
 

...trick is finding enough copies of such "rares" to be able to make those kinda "discoveries" ;)

Nice one! :D


And good "follow up" there, too. :)

"several small printings of Rahasia". Heh...

  


Grandstanding Collector
Acaeum Donor

Posts: 6455
Joined: Dec 13, 2004
Last Visit: Apr 20, 2023

Post Posted: Sat Mar 19, 2005 10:27 am 
 

a2jeff wrote:I recently was fortunate to acquire a second copy of Daystar West's Nightventures Rahasia, by the Hickmans.


A second copy? 8O I am just wonderng where you mave have bought that?  I hope it wasn't a recent fun find on EBay. :wink:


"He who fights with monsters might take care lest he thereby become a monster. And if you gaze for long into an abyss, the abyss gazes also into you." -Neitzche

  


Prolific Collector

Posts: 210
Joined: Nov 20, 2004
Last Visit: May 24, 2022
Location: Northeast

Post Posted: Sat Mar 19, 2005 10:34 am 
 

The second copy was Frank's he sold me on ebay a month or two back.  My first was bought on ebay last year from blackandred/Jason Lada.   :)

  


Sage Collector

Posts: 2639
Joined: Jan 23, 2003
Last Visit: Jan 11, 2006

Post Posted: Sat Mar 19, 2005 10:35 am 
 

bclarkie wrote:A second copy? 8O I am just wonderng where you mave have bought that? I hope it wasn't a recent fun find on EBay. :wink:

*g*. eBay ain't the be-all, and end-all.

Don't know 'bout Jeff, but I've picked up the majority of my recent "rares" off-eBay; from other online sources and various contacts.

  

User avatar

Grandstanding Collector

Posts: 5777
Joined: Jun 30, 2003
Last Visit: Mar 22, 2024
Location: Cow Hampshire, US

Post Posted: Sat Mar 19, 2005 10:36 am 
 

Jeff is most likely the sole owner of both printings. That rocks!


If you hit a Rowsdower, you get to keep it.

  


Sage Collector

Posts: 2639
Joined: Jan 23, 2003
Last Visit: Jan 11, 2006

Post Posted: Sat Mar 19, 2005 10:51 am 
 

Deadlord36 wrote:Jeff is most likely the sole owner of both printings. That rocks!

...or more than two printings?
(although possibly not as readily distinguishable, if there are no printer imprints?)

Definitely adds to the flavor, that! :D

  


Prolific Collector

Posts: 517
Joined: Oct 03, 2004
Last Visit: Nov 07, 2007
Location: windy south florida

Post Posted: Sat Mar 19, 2005 12:44 pm 
 

Excellent find Jeff, and nice work on the research :) . I don't have our copy in front of me and curiosity is killing me. I'll check later when I get over to the Hall. So as to your inquiry to Tracy a "True", "First" or "Early Printing" would have the P.O. Box address and subsequent prints would not. Do you guys feel this increases the value of the PO Box version and devalues one without? Opinions?

I'll also check our copy of Pharaoh and see if the P.O. Box address is there. Or not :roll: :?:


"Its either a wand to cast Bigby's Hand spells or a +3 backscratcher. We're not sure which."

  

User avatar

Grandstanding Collector
Acaeum Donor

Posts: 6993
Joined: Jan 03, 2005
Last Visit: Mar 29, 2024
Location: UK

Post Posted: Sat Mar 19, 2005 12:54 pm 
 

invincibleoverlord wrote:Do you guys feel this increases the value of the PO Box version and devalues one without? Opinions?

I'll also check our copy of Pharaoh and see if the P.O. Box address is there. Or not :roll: :?:

As with the PoVQ 1st Print with/without folder, I doubt that the P.O.Box address will have much effect on the value of the product. The perceived rarity is the same, and the demand remains high for them. Of course, if you have one with the P.O.Box address you could expoit the fact when listing it, but I doubt the majority of bidders would care. I'd just be happy to get my hands on one.


This week I've been mostly eating . . . The white ones with the little red flecks in them.

 WWW  

User avatar

Grandstanding Collector

Posts: 5777
Joined: Jun 30, 2003
Last Visit: Mar 22, 2024
Location: Cow Hampshire, US

Post Posted: Sat Mar 19, 2005 1:01 pm 
 

Oh no, please don't wake up the Alpha/Beta/Gamma printings demon. The DM's Guide is a wreck as it is. I'm sure there were only 2 different copies, unless Hickman decided to piss on the last 50 copies to create yet another printing variation.
So, how does it feel to be unique, Jeff?


If you hit a Rowsdower, you get to keep it.

  


Prolific Collector

Posts: 210
Joined: Nov 20, 2004
Last Visit: May 24, 2022
Location: Northeast

Post Posted: Sat Mar 19, 2005 3:44 pm 
 

I'm just glad to have noticed!!  I'm sure I wouldn't have compared each copy if the two copies were not different sizes...that's what got me started.

Yes, from Tracy's comments I think the printing with the P.O. would be the earlier printing.

invincibleoverlord wrote:
I'll also check our copy of Pharaoh and see if the P.O. Box address is there. Or not  

Good idea, I thought about that as well!

As to valuation, we should probably see what others that have a copy find out as that will help.   :lol:    Who else has one?

  


Prolific Collector

Posts: 210
Joined: Nov 20, 2004
Last Visit: May 24, 2022
Location: Northeast

Post Posted: Sun Mar 20, 2005 5:02 pm 
 

invincibleoverlord wrote:I'll check later when I get over to the Hall.

I'll also check our copy of Pharaoh and see if the P.O. Box address is there. Or not :roll: :?:


Hey Invincible, what did you find out in checking your copies?  :?:

  


Prolific Collector

Posts: 517
Joined: Oct 03, 2004
Last Visit: Nov 07, 2007
Location: windy south florida

Post Posted: Sun Mar 20, 2005 5:58 pm 
 

Jeff,

Well to add to the confusion.

Our Rahasia states:

Rahasia
Copyright May 1979
DayStar West Productions
All Rights Reserved

It measures 11" tall by 8 1/2" wide

Our Pharaoh states:

Pharaoh
Copyright May 1980 by Tracy and Laura Hickman
DayStar West Productions
834 E. 300 s. #7; Provo, Utah 84601
All Rights Reserved

It measures 11" tall by 8 1/2" wide

Let me bounce some initial thoughts off you guys.

First just off the bat from reading your return e-mail from Tracy "moving around a bit and deciding to drop the P.O. Box # as it was more trouble than help" wouldn't the same be said of this Utah address? So could that mean that our copy or Rahasia was put together after our Pharaoh? 8O Think about it, why would a book from May of 80 have a contact address, but a book from the same folks have a May of 79 without one unless it was made after May of 80, somtime after they decided to drop the contact address until "finally making the journey east to Wisconsin and TSR" .
Or maybe Pharaoh was made when they thought they were going to be stable at one address for a while? Maybe we should run it by Tracy?

Also the covers of both modules were printed on a press. Those deep black tones on the heavy stock paper could not be achieved on copiers of the era. So they most likely had the covers all printed at one time, and used them as needed. I'd ask about this as well.

Do you have any other thoughts guys?


"Its either a wand to cast Bigby's Hand spells or a +3 backscratcher. We're not sure which."

  


Prolific Collector

Posts: 210
Joined: Nov 20, 2004
Last Visit: May 24, 2022
Location: Northeast

Post Posted: Mon Mar 21, 2005 12:18 pm 
 

Wow, this definitely adds another dimension or two.  :!:

Is that the exact typing with upper and lower case?

If so, we now have three confirmed printings, and Pharaoh is another different one.

Did you check the double sided pages to see if they matched?


I agree about the covers...definitely professionally printed en mass most likely.



So I think the next step here is to seek out a few more owners on this, and perform a few more comparisons, and then I'll follow-up with Tracy on this a bit more to see if we can piece together a chronology.


Who else has a copy so I can email them and include them in the research??

  


Collector

Posts: 3
Joined: Mar 21, 2005
Last Visit: May 06, 2012
Location: Vancouver, WA

Post Posted: Mon Mar 21, 2005 8:15 pm 
 

Well now...

MY copy says: Copyright May 1979 by Daystar West Media Productions.

The doublesided printed pages are: 7/8, 9/10, 11/12, 15/16, 32/33.

I have had my copy for about 20 years and have never even read it much less played it. It has been sitting in a box with all of my Judge's Guild stuff for a long, long time. I had no idea it was worth anything. I am just glad it is in such excellent condition. :D[/i]

  


Sage Collector

Posts: 2639
Joined: Jan 23, 2003
Last Visit: Jan 11, 2006

Post Posted: Mon Mar 21, 2005 8:23 pm 
 

iattackthedarkness wrote:I have had my copy for about 20 years and have never even read it much less played it. It has been sitting in a box with all of my Judge's Guild stuff for a long, long time. I had no idea it was worth anything. I am just glad it is in such excellent condition. :D[/i]

*waves*. greetings! ^^
One R pre-pub and a Rahasia in an evening: not bad going for the board! :o

  


Prolific Collector
Acaeum Donor

Posts: 764
Joined: Feb 05, 2003
Last Visit: Dec 12, 2023

Post Posted: Tue Mar 22, 2005 12:35 am 
 

Howdy Jeff,


My copy of Rahasia (8.5" X 11" and has double sided printing on pages 7/8, 9/10, 11/12, 15/16 and 32/33) states:

********************************************
RAHASIA
Copyright May 1979 Daystar West Media Productions


ALL RIGHTS RESERVED
********************************************

My copy of Pharaoh (8.5" X 11") states:

********************************************
PHARAOH

Copyright May 1980 by Tracy and Laura Hickman
Daystar West Productions
834 E. 300 S. #7; Provo, Utah 84601


ALL RIGHTS RESERVED
********************************************

Italics, caps, and spacing are shown as they are in the modules.


Futures Bright,

Paul


The Collector's Trove The online auction house that features the collections of game designers and artists.

 WWW  


Prolific Collector
Acaeum Donor

Posts: 764
Joined: Feb 05, 2003
Last Visit: Dec 12, 2023

Post Posted: Tue Mar 22, 2005 12:41 am 
 

Howdy Jeff,


We should ask Tracy if they printed any copies of Rahasia before getting the P.O. Box. I'd guess no but it wouldn't hurt to ask.


Futures Bright,

Paul


The Collector's Trove The online auction house that features the collections of game designers and artists.

 WWW  
Next
Post new topic Reply to topic Page 1 of 31, 2, 3