Best of JTAS vol 1 available on e23

[Malenfant]

This one kinda snuck through (at least, I didn't notice it before), but the Best of JTAS volume 1 is now available as a PDF on e23 from this link. The preview there has the table of contents, there's a lot of good early JTAS Online articles there. Now if only they'd release more volumes with later articles...

 

[hirch duckfinder]

shouldn't thnis be promoted in lone star?

 

[Flynn]

It's actually a misnomer. The name implies it's an e-reprint of the old JTAS publication of the same name, but it's really the best of SJGames' e-zine JTAS articles from 2000.

Just an FYI,
Flynn

 

[Malenfant]

yeah, it's actually from JTAS Online, not the old JTAS magazine. It was in the works as a print publication for ages, but what I heard was that it didn't get published because the 'best of Pyramid' books didn't sell that well. I guess they're hoping that an electronic version would be more worthwhile/profitable. I hope so, because I'd like to see later articles reprinted and made more accessible somehow too.

I think Loren's always hinted that GURPS Traveller has done well, but things like this make me wonder.

 

[daryen]

While GURPS Traveller has done well for SJG over its run, it would appear it is currently on the edge of viability.

Andrew Hackard has specifically stated this in the JTAS message boards, and has directly implied this multiple times on the public SJG boards.

I am not saying this to rumor monger or hurt SJG. Quite the contrary, I would like to see GURPS Traveller continue. This is simply what I have seen their own employees state. (I know Mr. Hackard no longer works at SJG, but he was an employee when he made the viability statement on the JTAS boards.)

 

[Malenfant]

Oh, that I know. I forget if it was JFZ or Andrew that said that future GT releases and renewing up the license again depended on how well Interstellar Wars sells when it comes out.

Still, ISTR somebody high up saying that JTAS Online took a while to break even.

 

[kafka47]

Loren or other knowledgable source. Does that mean that the plan for dead tree version of Best of (SJG) JTAS has been scrapped or adopt a wait & see strategy?

In terms of GT, they have sort of run out of steam but I think it is more because more work was devoted to perfecting GURPS (with their new edition & all) along with thinking what lines should be integrated into the new system plus weighing the duds or successes. GT, I think they count as one of their successes but maybe their WW2 line is running out of steam or Transhuman Space. I know this is Traveller board but when you go to your local FLGS what has the longest shelf life or the shortest. Here in Toronto, they don't stock much of GT but when it goes it goes quick. Whereas, Transhuman Space tends to linger. WW2 is popular but not as much as certain Genre books (eg. G:Space or G:Fantasy). The RPG market is very a fickle place. So large projects like Interstellar Wars have to be set out and marketed well in advance unless they know the numbers...say 15000 buyers for the average GT product in a given year.

So if we want something we have begin advocating for it. For me, the future for pen & paper RPGs lies in less rules and more background as everyone is merging toward hybridization of rules and in the not to distant future allow machines to do the grunt work of churning out mechanics. But, maybe that is just an old timer talking or the specific nature of the Toronto market.

 

[clementk]

Originally posted by Malenfant:
I forget if it was JFZ or Andrew that said that future GT releases and renewing up the license again depended on how well Interstellar Wars sells when it comes out.

I hope IW does well. I was in the playtest but didn't get to really participate due to other matters. I do like the setting concept: not so far in the future, Terrans aren't Loonies, and the Vilani are wearing a lot more grey.

[general response]
As for JTAS vol. 1 I may pick it up eventually just to have easier to read / print out versions of those articles. Hope they can including the BESM conversion in a future volume tho at this point my Tri-stat fu is good enough I can likely just make my own.

e23 doesn't exclude future GT products at the moment *I believe* and there's JTAS of course.

IMO the best bet for getting a print version of JTAS vol. 1 + would be to purchase the e23 version and send SJG a nice polite email voicing your support and hopes for a print version.

 

[Anthony]

I don't think SJG has said anything official, nor that they are very likely to (SJ Games doesn't like to discuss internal business decisions publicly), but this thread on the SJ Games forums might be instructive.