Just recived my copies from Noble night.  Cool

On differences between Bottle City Standard Edition and Bottle City Limited Edition:

    As has been noted, both the SE and LE versions are now the same book. Notes in the module explain the map in several places. Naturally, the larger map is significantly more clear than the smaller version. The originally intended and specific differences of note are:

    Standard Edition: 500 serialized, signed and hand numbered copies. The number and signature are in indelible BLACK ink. The number is written immediately to the left of the /500 on the back cover in the signing area. Included in the package are the two parts of the map, in small, 8.5 x 11 pages.

    Limited Edition: 51 serialized editions. Each includes the very large map, on very thick paper. The large map and the back of the book are serialized from 1-51 in the upper left area of the white signature space, although in the lower right corner there is a blank /500. Additionally, the signature includes on both map and book the handwritten designation, RJK-1. The color used to sign, serialize and designate (RJK-1) both map and module is green. Additionally, each LE comes with (I believe 6?) printed sheets of the original notes, representing exactly what the content either Gary or Rob judged "____" levels from, back in the day. Thus, one can see how their own notes are often more extensive than theirs were, or less extensive, etc. It's a nice and historical comparison.

   I would like to note, that as one of the guys who was making maps back in the day, I have ALWAYS loved the eccentricity of those graphic representations we used and played with. While I like to think of myself as a perfectionist when it comes to putting down a set of lines, the originals I've handled, including entire map sets I did for modules never even published by TSR - such as the maps for the entire Xaene series, Geburrah, and Greyhawk castle - have always been like artwork to me. There's just something about a well worn map that has a unique character and content of its own. I personally know for a fact that when Rob decided to design the Limited Edition with a copy of the Bottle City map in full blown poster size, it was in part due to my comment that this is one of the BEST of the artifacts from back in the day.

    As we know, to some, having the actual map in their hands would seem just like holding a decrepit piece of worn paper that looks like pure JUNK. They'd wrinkle it up and toss it out without a glance. However, looking at its age - I mean, we add fake aging parchment effects to published maps nowdays, the aged edges on this map are real - and the wear and details and marks, make this map clearly a joy to possess in FULL BLOWN detail.

   Now, I know I've recently been controversial in this forum for defending a friend, but now I must defend the craft and the entire idea of our trade when I state in absolute terms - this map is an exquisite example of our roots and should engender a love in anyone with the least bit of appreciation for the real values, not just the collectible values, behind our game and its history.

   I really love that map!

   I would find it odd to be one of the few who hold that much respect for what it represents and is. But maybe that's just me as a graphics goon!

   Wait until you see the Stalk map I recently did. A few of you should get quite the chuckle if you try to imagine what I must have been working with as an original and how I must have winced all the while trying to get it to work as a black and white graphic!

I have personally made certain that all PPP orders * TO DATE * have been sent out. The vast majority of these are U.S. orders and should be received over the weekend. That includes orders that were received up to 3 days ago. Rob's Internet connection is down and being worked on by the AI Help Desk starting at that time. (Rob uses an old school modem, as DCAS may attest to! However, I have  finally convinced him to switch over to broadband.... Although he's holding off until May, which will be related to his future announcements on PPP's Web site, coming up soon.)

REFUNDS:

We ran out of CAS 1, so PPP is now out of both CAS 1 and CAS 2. That's a success!

We did send out as many as were left, but about half way through was when we ran out. We processed them by the dates on which the orders were made by the customers.

Rather than hold you all up on back order until it is reprinted, which is scheduled for sometime in May, some of you will receive your orders without CAS 1. Instead, you will find we enclosed a refund for the cover price + shipping charge. We apologize for the shortage, but it was a hot module.

Those looking for CAS 1 or CAS 2, in the meantime, are encouraged to look to Noble Knight Games, which may yet still have some copies. Or, naturally,  you could begin looking to the after market for those early collectible numbers! !! !! It is important, of course, to note that all future printings of CAS 1 and CAS 2 will remain entirely unserialized.

I believe, although not certain, that CAS 1's total number of serialized copies was 473. I do not know the number on CAS 2, Tower of Blood. I suspect that may have already been noted elsewhere.

I would like to thank everyone for their patience!

Eric,

Thanks for clearing up the LE/SE issues and most of all for being instrumental in finally getting this thing shipped. Way to step up to the plate!

Bombadil,

I'm glad to hear that the 2-piece maps line up! That's nothing short of a miracle. Hopefully it carried through to the entire stack of 500 maps.  

JoeDavis wrote:Well, I got mine today too.  But, since it was shipped in a soft envelope the postal delivery person STUFFED it in my mail box.  Now, my nice big map is nice and wrinkled.  I can't believe they didn't use a non-bendable shipping container! Or at least reinforce the stuff so it would not get bent.  Really, after all of this time this is really the last straw.

I saved mine before the mailman tried to stuff it into the box but it was still folded over and obviously bent in various ways during transit.  The module itself has about 8 or so spine creases now (some bigger than others) and the $100 map is pretty crinkled.  The map wasn't bagged and there was no cardboard in the envelope.

I don't even ship $10 items like this, let alone $150.  A lot more care would have been greatly appreciated.

I can appreciate that they finally got shipped out but really I would have waited an extra month for someone to cut out cardboard squares out of boxes to place inside the envelope.

bombadil wrote:In lieu of the module itself?

If it meant a mint map, I would probably take the cardboard in lieu of the module itself  - that I picked up for $17 from NK.  Try finding an uncreased one piece map for under $150.

Mars wrote:
If it meant a mint map, I would probably take the cardboard in lieu of the module itself  - that I picked up for $17 from NK.  Try finding an uncreased one piece map for under $150.

I getcha, dude.  Was just kidding.  

I suspect that there were VERY FEW of the LE Modules that have no spine creases and that few if any of the maps were received with no bends/creases.

I am sure that PPP's main interest was in getting the product into the customers hands as fast as possible.
And of course carefully packing them into secure packages would have taken FAR too long..................  

Not to mention blowing the profit margin............