I know it's only January 2nd, but I'm wondering when we'll see a Release Schedule for 2013.

-Eager Fan of The One Ring.

There's a little bit here:

http://cohorsarcana.blogspot.com/

I would really like something like this too. Given it is accurate of course.

While we're on the subject, I sure hope we hear something about Rivendell (TBC) & the other releases that carry the game beyond Wilderland. They have been ominously silent for months about Rivendell - only one or two snippets.

I've read the blog post from Francesco. It's awesome, and it made me more excited for those two books but it's not an official release schedule.

This is all we have to go on:

The Darkening of Mirkwood - Winter 2012

Heart of the Wild -- Winter 2012

Rivendell (title TBC) - Autumn


Since it's 2013 and The Darkening of Mirkwood and Heart of the Wild are late, I'd love to have an official comment on when we can expect them. Winter, 2013? Spring 2013?

And are we looking at Autumn 2013 for Rivendell (Title TBC)?

Perhaps there are other supplements in the pipeline they might tease us with? I'm not complaining, just eager to spend my cold hard cash on more TOR products.

Yeah me too. I am ready to throw my wallet on the screen when I see the 2013 schedule I also want to order a new set of dice so eager to get a new book on the store to get them in the same shipment.

Well, call me cynical, but I would not hold my breath. TOR has been beset with delays since it released. But don't think I don't like this game, I adore it. I've just come to the grim realization that I may be on social security before we see any books that deal with anything other than wilderland (that includes Rivendell...)

Makes me madder than a nest of Beorn's bumblebees.

That's quite common with a lot of games and a lot of editors.
My policy is now simple :I don't wait for books. I buy them when they're out, but I make no difference between a book planed in six months or a book planed in two years.

But I'm not mad.
Given how small the RPG industry is, I can see how a game can be late with legitimate reasons. It's just something to accept with a smile.

"I know it's only January 2nd, but I'm wondering when we'll see a Release Schedule for 2013. "

Given the unnecessary flaming C7 took over the the 2012 release schedule I hope they don't come out with one this year. Because what would the use be? All people will do is complain.

But sometimes, the squeaky wheel gets the grease.

That being said, We're 18 months into TOR's life and we've received two additions to the game. I believe that if this were any other license, other than ME and enjoying the support of its rabid fans (myself included), the game would have folded by now.

And, like others have mentioned earlier, I will be the one of the first to throw my wallet through my computer screen to buy more TOR.

MOR TOR!

The more accurate question is, what's the use of a release schedule if they don't follow it.

I agree with your conclusion (don't give dates until you're almost sure you'll keeping it), but not with the reasons.

These titles are not yet late. "Winter 2012" in the publishing world begins December 21, 2012 and goes through March 19, 2013.

It is very likely that both of these will be available for Pre-Order during this time frame.

I am not asking for dates. Nor am I complaining or trying to instigate unrest here in regards to past delays. I understand full well, delays happen. Sometimes beyond the control of Cubicle 7. The 2012 release schedule did not provide specific dates. So the "don't give dates" comment seems off to my ear.

Just wondering (because I am excited) if Heart of the Wild and Darkening of Mirkwood are expected this winter or spring. And where the other releases are in the pipeline (Rivendell...).

Keeping in mind this totally reasonable disclaimer:

*Shipping can sometimes be subject to delays causing the two-month release windows.We’ll keep you up-to-date on the schedule as we confirm more titles. The books will be available for pre-order as soon as they are approved and go to print.

I wouldn't say "very likely" but it's definitely true that they aren't late until winter is actually over. I would also say that it would probably be wiser to give progress reports rather than release schedules in the future. i.e. how close to done is Heart of the Wild? Is it completely written and illustrated, and they're just wading through red tape to get it published? Still in the editing phase? I'd appreciate updates like that.

"That being said, We're 18 months into TOR's life and we've received two additions to the game. "

And if TOR was the only title that C7 was working on I would agree, but it isn't. They have as much a responsibility to the Laundry, Qin, Yggdrasill, Dr. Who, Primeval, etc. fans as they do to you guys.

Thank you BBarlow! I did not know that. I just assumed Winter 2012 meant in 2012. Hopefully we'll have a two month window soon!

The Darkening of Mirkwood was supposed to be published in August 2012.
Rivendell was supposed to be published in Autumn 2012.
( http://cubicle7.clicdev.com/f/index.php?tr...showtopic=3014# )

So it's already been delayed once.

Ouch

That's not the customers' problem, that's Cubicle 7's problem.

And if C7 wants to support this many product lines, then they need to have the staff on board to support them adequately. As someone else has said: this is not the customer's problem but that of C7.

It seems to me that C7 are bringing on more and more product lines without the ability to support the ones that they already have. Not only have the already existing TOR sourcebooks been delayed more than once, but also the sourcebooks that will expand the areas available for play (i.e. Eriador, Rohan, Gondor). The other lines that C7 support have also been subject to multiple delays in releases. Personally, I think that we customers have cause to complain.

The "when it's ready" mentality is frustrating. As a customer, I expect the lines I want to play to be supported adequately and for announced sourcebooks to be completed on time and to quality. It is up to C7 to deliver that, or to stop announcing sourcebooks in the pipeline before they are ready for release - though this would lead to the suspicion that the lines were not being developed.

Personally, I don't think that C7 should take on any more product lines until they have the support for existing lines under control. To bring the work load under control may require them to retire certain product lines.

This!

Well, my point of view is that The One Ring products are not delayed. Cubicle 7 always give us wrong dates, that's all, and then they say "it's on translation", "it's on layout", "it's on print". I've seen some books in pre-order for years (Qin: The Art of War, for example).

You can't even apply a single rule like "add 6-8 months to their calendar", because intervals are unpredictible. So, I asume those products doesn't exist until they are released.

Hi All,
I'll put this in another thread, but it seems appropriate to start here.

Apologies for my complete absence here, as your TOR information conduit, for the last 5 weeks or so. During Dragonmeet it transpired I was suffering from appendicitis, and on the Tuesday after the event was rushed into hospital. Keyhole surgery proved insufficient, and rolling a Gandalf rune on his attack roll, the surgeon opened me right up.

This has meant a lengthy, frustrating convalescence, which is still on-going. As a result I haven't been able to keep up with things here, and of course it has delayed my workload, and thus some of our products, along with communication here. All apologies. If I could have avoided it I certainly would have!

We're putting together more information about the future release schedule over the coming days, and will update with as accurate information as we can as soon as possible.

It is probably also worth mentioning that there are currently no changes planned to what we have already spoken about - so Heart of the Wild, Darkening of Mirkwood and Rivendell are all still very much in production.

Starblazer 2nd Edition, anyone?... no-one?... no?

I play other games while hoping to buy more for this one.

/wolf

Sad to hear that. I hope you will recover fast in no time. Make sure the doctor also rolls a Gandalf in his Healing roll.

Happy New Year, John !
I hope you'll get well soon.

And please, do not take the criticisms (mine at least) harshly.
I love Cubicle 7's books (bought Primeval and Shadows over Scotland two days ago) and especially the TOR line. I'm sure you're working hard on the books (writing and drawing is terribly time-consuming).
Cubicle 7 is one of my favorite english RPG editors.

However, there's definitly a weakness with the release schedule (and not only with TOR, as far as I know).

Thanks for the info and i wish you good health.

Your last sentence sounds a little negative - at least in my mind.
Because i'm a naturally pessimistic human being, but does that mean after the three mentioned product there are no further plans?

TOR has a long future planned, and as one of our very best selling, most popular games we are deeply committed to it. As mentioned we are putting together more information for you about future releases, and the actions we have put in place to minimise future delays over the coming days.

Thanks for the well wishes! Right, I really have to get back to catching up!

Thank you for the update, Jon! And very sorry to hear about your appendicitis. Please rest up as best you can and get better soon!

Happy New Year!

Yes, get better soon, Jon. Your health comes first, so get better first and we look forward to seeing more when you get a chance to catch up!

Hope you are back on your feet real soon, Jon.

"That's not the customers' problem, that's Cubicle 7's problem."

Wow! That has to be the most negative comment I've heard in a while.

"And if C7 wants to support this many product lines, then they need to have the staff on board to support them adequately. As someone else has said: this is not the customer's problem but that of C7. "

Maybe you'd prefer that C7 was more like GW? Personally, I am alright with waiting a little longer for a C7 publication because I know that the quality will be there and it won't be a rushed piece of crap like many other companies put out just to keep the customer base happy. Keep up the great work, guys! You won't hear any complaints from me.

Hope you're feeling better soon Jon.

A quick note for everyone on all of the delays (which also frustrate me):

A while back, C7 posted that the Heart of the Wild & the Darkening of Mirkwood are scheduled for release in First Quarter 2013 (January-March).

They haven't mentioned anything else on ToR other than the whole "We're working on it" theme.

If they announce their future releases at some point (per Jon's post), let's hope that they discuss Rivendell (TBC) & at least one or two supplements to cover Eriador or realms beyond Wilderland for the game this year.

Currently I would have loved to get a sourcebook on the Misty Mountains. It should be out there before we leave the Rhovanion if you ask me.

Get well soon Jon, you guys does a great work.

And all of you guys out there...there was only one company that put out their books in time and that was TSR...and the one that does it now is WOC...so please stop whining

/Khamul

Perhaps the more friendly question to the staff regarding the line would be;

Where do they see TOR in the coming quarters? Gives the idea of what is coming, without having to draw hard lines as to release dates.

I'd rather see them apply some project management and come up with a list, by quarter, of what can be expected across the product lines. The next 3 to 6 months should be concrete. Either already at the printers or about to be sent. The latter half of this year should be stuff that is completed and now to go through edit and layout - to go to printers in the next 3 to 6 months. From an outside observer, it looks as though there's around a 2 month lead on printing.

The next 12 months should be locked or close to it. The next 12 months would be stuff still being written but due this year. With the information available to them, C7 (and I mean Dom here) should be able to come up with a plan and, from that, be able to produce a realistic list of releases for the year by quarter. If the product plan lies on the edge of a quarter, shift it to the next one on the release schedule.

To me, this is basic running of a business and what I expect from C7 as s customer.

I suppose they could contract out seven to nine more writers, meet every production schedule, get a 3% return on investment and go tits up in 14 months or less.

Or they could just... keep on doing what they are doing for the next twenty years.


I'm in no hurry.

My point is that, if they don't have something in hand now it's unlikely to be coming out this year - due to editing, layout, printing and distribution schedules. There looks, to me, to be a 2 month lead on printing (based on notifications on the board when this has been happening). There's then around a 4 week to 6 week distribution window (where product gets shipped to the US warehouse, then on to the UK warehouse). That's the next 3 months right there. If a product hasn't already gone to the printers, it won't be Q1 2013. The stuff that is about to go to the printers is Q2 2013. The stuff that has been edited and going to layout this quarter is the Q3 2013. Stuff that is still to be edited is unlikely to be before Q4 2013.

Cubicle 7 have been around for a while now. They're no longer a start-up and we, as customers, should be able to expect the benefits of a mature business - experience. They have a number of product lines and they need to take things to the next level. They need to transition to running the schedule as a mature business. Retailers and customers should be able to know what is coming up. From the retailer perspective, so that they can plan cash flow for stock purchasing for a product that is likely to be popular.

I'm not saying that they should hire more people. I'm saying that, with the people they have got, what can be realistically be delivered this year. This is basic project management and stakeholder communication.

... and no one takes into account the lengthy and more importantly unpredictable time it takes to get things cleared by the owners of the Middle Earth licence?

Seriously guys this can take months and things that you expect to get cleared without a thought suddenly can be difficult.

I think Cubicle 7 do an amazing job to work with so many great licenced properties and continually deliver incredibly high quality products. Sure I'd love to have that new campaign here right now but I'd rather wait to get something great!

My problem is not that it takes months.
Good things take time to do, and TOR is great.

The problem is that the schedules released are wildly unreliable.
Writing takes time, layout take time, validation takes time, printing take time. We're aware of that. But so is Cubicle 7. So it doesn't really explain the delays.

For me even the delays are not a problem. Delays are normal if you have to get approval from a license holder. But it is the total silence that is unnerving to me. Why are they not giving small development reports? I would be so thankful if they would sometimes give us even small news. Each small news would be a source of happiness for me, seing that we come closer to a release. But in the past it was from "we will release product XY, nobody knows when" to "please pre-order now". And nothing in between.