Downloadable "Living Rules"

[Mike Nagel]

Is there any chance that ADB will make a full set of FC rules available for download? I know that an announcement has been made that a new set is being prepped for purchase, but what bugs me with this is what will happen when new rules are introduced. We'll be back in the same boat and have to purchase yet another set of rules to keep everything consolidated.

A starter set of rules have already been made available. Why not do the same for the full rules as a service to players? Many other game companies are already doing this with "Living Rules" that allow players to be kept up to date.

One of the things that turned me off from SFB was the introduction of rules in a form I did not have, and when sitting down to play, getting blasted by someone who had the most recent set because they were familiar with new rules.

I don't see that making the full rules available to download will cause any major hardship to ADB, particularly as the components still need to be purchased. If anything it may help via clear support for the community and let those wary of purchase to see that FC is not nearly as complex as SFB.

Thanks!

[mjwest]

I don't see that making the full rules available to download will cause any major hardship to ADB, particularly as the components still need to be purchased. If anything it may help via clear support for the community and let those wary of purchase to see that FC is not nearly as complex as SFB.

Anyone who wants to see the complexity of FC can easily download the First Missions PDF and check it out that way.

ADB's position is that providing the FC rules in electronic form is tantamount to killing the product. Doing so means that the game is dead because there are no more sales after a very short period of time. They have been in this industry for over 25 years, and have investigated this issue thoroughly. For ADB, and for its business model, they cannot afford to do this.

[Dal Downing]

Never Mind MJW showed up and I just deleted my comments.

But I will bring up one point I was typing. If, you are worried about wiether or not you have all the current Rule Changes or Errata, for the current revision Rulebook, You should check out the Consolidated Rule Update List or CRUL in the Rule Section of this Forum. It is as close to a Living Document Errata Sheet as your going to find and I belive it is reviewd and/or updated at least once a month right after the Communique is released.

[Mike]

It's interesting that with Federation Commander, the concept is almost entirely reversed.

The rules really are the main part of the game. They have provided so many free "ship cards" via Communique that just about any published scenario can be played with them. And if someone has an old SFB set, the counters will work for FedComm, too.

By adding new empires and expanding the rules set to include their systems and weapons, they create a desire in players to purchase materials for the new empires and increase their sales.

[Mike Nagel]

Thanks for the quick feedback. I see your point in re the simplicity of building a copy of FC relatively inexpensively if the rules were made available on-line. I hadn't really considered the simplicity of the components when I posted.

Here's another thought:

Has ADB considered using a software update model? In other words, upon purchase of one of the larger "base" modules, you'd get an authorization code that you could use to download a full version of the rules.

Just throwing ideas out there ...

[Steve Cole]

We have considered it but haven't gone there (yet).

Given the number of things on my "to do" list I wouldn't hold my breath.

[Mike Nagel]

Thanks Steve!

FWIW, I feel your pain ...

[toastie]

I think the problem is that once the rules are in an electronic form, someone will post them somewhere and then the cat is out of the bag - there's no way to pull them back. Given that it has been pointed out that the majority of Fed Commander material is downloadable except the rules, ADB would be potentially killing themselves off. And although I would love to get the rules in electronic form, I'd rather not have ADB risk their livelihood.

[Starfury]

I think the problem is that once the rules are in an electronic form, someone will post them somewhere and then the cat is out of the bag - there's no way to pull them back. Given that it has been pointed out that the majority of Fed Commander material is downloadable except the rules, ADB would be potentially killing themselves off. And although I would love to get the rules in electronic form, I'd rather not have ADB risk their livelihood.

Some games offer rule downloads...but that's because they're only part of the game and you need the map/cards/miniatures/other bits to play. FC you really only need the rules and ship cards to play, many ship cards are available for free download; maps/minis are not needed (but make the game better.)

I don't have a problem buying game stuff as needed; I'd rather spend my discretionary dollars on games/game supplies than other things.

[Mike]

There's probably a way around just about anything.

If you really wanted the rules in electronic form, you could either type them all yourself or perhaps scan them via OCR and get them in text form. A little editing and you'd have what you wanted. Then each time the CRUL is updated, just add the changes to your main file.

Or, wait for version #5...

[Steve Cole]

Revision 5 comes out on 6 April.

[atomic]

How long after the release fo the Rev 5 rules will it be before they are included in a packaged product? I would like to buy a copy of Romulan Border to get the ship cards, maps, etc. but I want to make sure I get the revised ruleset.

[Steve Cole]

Plan is for all of the products to have new rulebooks Rev5 as of 6 April.