The Expanded CRPG Book is out!

[Feyd Rautha]

How many print versions are there and will there be more? Will it be localised to minor European languages (including mine) so that my kids can read it?

 

[felipepepe]

How many print versions are there and will there be more? Will it be localised to minor European languages (including mine) so that my kids can read it?

There's only two print versions - the original release in 2019 and the Expanded Edition, that's been on sale since last year. I have no plans of making a new version, seems honestly impossible to add the past 5 years of RPGs without adding like 100 more pages.

As for other languages, this has been a struggle... the book is just too big, the Chinese translation is two years late on their publishing plan. Several European publishers approached me, but so far there's nothing concrete that I can announce.

 

[Jonathan "Zee Nekomimi]

we need a book on the best soap houses in the tokyo area, please start working on it.

 

[Agesilaus]

How many print versions are there and will there be more? Will it be localised to minor European languages (including mine) so that my kids can read it?

There's only two print versions - the original release in 2019 and the Expanded Edition, that's been on sale since last year. I have no plans of making a new version, seems honestly impossible to add the past 5 years of RPGs without adding like 100 more pages.

As for other languages, this has been a struggle... the book is just too big, the Chinese translation is two years late on their publishing plan. Several European publishers approached me, but so far there's nothing concrete that I can announce.

Where can we get the Expanded Edition in print? I only see the original version in print. Even following the link on the website, it just takes me to Bitmap Books and they say it's not released yet ("Available from: 11 Nov 2024").

I have the original version but would like to pick up the expanded one. I noticed it had at least one of my favourite games included that the original left out: Crescent Hawk's Inception.

 

[Kev Inkline]

The Expanded version has been published in print already. Many people, including me, have it on their shelf next to the original.

 

[Agesilaus]

The Expanded version has been published in print already. Many people, including me, have it on their shelf next to the original.

Yeah and where can we get it, or are you suggesting I break into your house and take it from your shelf?

 

[Eirinjas]

The Expanded version has been published in print already. Many people, including me, have it on their shelf next to the original.

Yeah and where can we get it, or are you suggesting I break into your house and take it from your shelf?

https://www.bitmapbooks.com/collect...g-book-a-guide-to-computer-role-playing-games

 

[TalesfromtheCrypt]

It says coming soon though, felipepepe are there reprints planned?

Not asking for myself because I have the original version's collectors edition and the extended version on my shelf already

 

[Eirinjas]

It says coming soon though, felipepepe are there reprints planned?

Not asking for myself because I have the original version's collectors edition and the extended version on my shelf already

Available from: 11 Nov 2024

 

[Lucumo]

we need a book on the best soap houses in the tokyo area, please start working on it.

You mean soaplands?

 

[Jonathan "Zee Nekomimi]

soup house, soap land, soap tiddies...

 

[Kev Inkline]

The Expanded version has been published in print already. Many people, including me, have it on their shelf next to the original.

Yeah and where can we get it, or are you suggesting I break into your house and take it from your shelf?

Ok, I read "When can we get", not "where can we get", so my bad.

But as per your question, if you manage to find my house and break in, you're free to help yourself to my copy, and I'll even make you some coffee to go to keep your warm on your way home from grade B Hyperborea where I reside.

 

[mindx2]

How many print versions are there and will there be more? Will it be localised to minor European languages (including mine) so that my kids can read it?

There's only two print versions - the original release in 2019 and the Expanded Edition, that's been on sale since last year. I have no plans of making a new version, seems honestly impossible to add the past 5 years of RPGs without adding like 100 more pages.

As for other languages, this has been a struggle... the book is just too big, the Chinese translation is two years late on their publishing plan. Several European publishers approached me, but so far there's nothing concrete that I can announce.

Instead of continually adding onto this book have you thought of a something like "Volume II" (separate book with games still not in vol. I)) or "cRPG Book: The Modern Era" (limited to said 5-10 years past)?

 

[Caim]

How many print versions are there and will there be more? Will it be localised to minor European languages (including mine) so that my kids can read it?

There's only two print versions - the original release in 2019 and the Expanded Edition, that's been on sale since last year. I have no plans of making a new version, seems honestly impossible to add the past 5 years of RPGs without adding like 100 more pages.

As for other languages, this has been a struggle... the book is just too big, the Chinese translation is two years late on their publishing plan. Several European publishers approached me, but so far there's nothing concrete that I can announce.

Instead of continually adding onto this book have you thought of a something like "Volume II" (separate book with games still not in vol. I)) or "cRPG Book: The Modern Era" (limited to said 5-10 years past)?

Pussy. Just keep adding pages as the printings continue until it looks like this:

CRPGs are often massive, unwieldy and hard to navigate, so why should the definitive book on them not be?

 

[felipepepe]

Instead of continually adding onto this book have you thought of a something like "Volume II" (separate book with games still not in vol. I)) or "cRPG Book: The Modern Era" (limited to said 5-10 years past)?

It's hard to cover recent history without distance and hindsight. Putting out reviews for recent games just makes it a review book, which is not the goal. For example, A LOT of people asked me to do 2020 to also add Cyberpunk, but all CP2077 reviews from before Phantom Liberty are mostly useless now.

Also, IMHO the core defining feature of the past 5 years has been an explosion in game releases & a fragmentation of the audiences. Sure, Baldur's Gate III is a no-brainer, but there's like 30 other RPGs in 2023 alone that are extremely important to some people & niches and worthless to others. No one outside the Codex cared for Caves of Lore or Colony Ship, but no one here cared for Octopath Traveller 2, Diablo 4, Hogwarts Legacy, World of Horror, Sea of Stars, Lies of P, Starfield, Fate/Samurai Remnant, Wartales, Tale of Immortal, etc...

 

[Konjad]

Instead of continually adding onto this book have you thought of a something like "Volume II" (separate book with games still not in vol. I)) or "cRPG Book: The Modern Era" (limited to said 5-10 years past)?

It's hard to cover recent history without distance and hindsight. Putting out reviews for recent games just makes it a review book, which is not the goal. For example, A LOT of people asked me to do 2020 to also add Cyberpunk, but all CP2077 reviews from before Phantom Liberty are mostly useless now.

Also, IMHO the core defining feature of the past 5 years has been an explosion in game releases & a fragmentation of the audiences. Sure, Baldur's Gate III is a no-brainer, but there's like 30 other RPGs in 2023 alone that are extremely important to some people & niches and worthless to others. No one outside the Codex cared for Caves of Lore or Colony Ship, but no one here cared for Octopath Traveller 2, Diablo 4, Hogwarts Legacy, World of Horror, Sea of Stars, Lies of P, Starfield, Fate/Samurai Remnant, Wartales, Tale of Immortal, etc...

Moreover you can easily find info about any and all new cRPGs (literally just browse Steam and find even the most unplayable garbage there was), whereas info about these old classics (even early 2000s) can be more difficult to come by if you don't know what you're looking for.

 

[Zariusz]

How many print versions are there and will there be more? Will it be localised to minor European languages (including mine) so that my kids can read it?

There's only two print versions - the original release in 2019 and the Expanded Edition, that's been on sale since last year. I have no plans of making a new version, seems honestly impossible to add the past 5 years of RPGs without adding like 100 more pages.

As for other languages, this has been a struggle... the book is just too big, the Chinese translation is two years late on their publishing plan. Several European publishers approached me, but so far there's nothing concrete that I can announce.

Instead of continually adding onto this book have you thought of a something like "Volume II" (separate book with games still not in vol. I)) or "cRPG Book: The Modern Era" (limited to said 5-10 years past)?

Pussy. Just keep adding pages as the printings continue until it looks like this:

CRPGs are often massive, unwieldy and hard to navigate, so why should the definitive book on them not be?

The real RPG Codex




Maybe for future releases there could be separate volumes for 80s, 90s, 00s etc. Of course such fragmentation would be very fucking time consuming but i think this could be a future proof decision. With each year the amount of new RPGs increases and addition of missing old titles would also bloat the book, with separation you could actually finish certain volumes in sane sizes and move to other ones since nothing new will be added to for example 90s RPGs, not to mention there would be more space for segments for each title and of course for more RPGs in general. I guess in the end this would look like one of those old Encyclopaedias that take entire shelves. The negative of this, besides the obvious amount of work, is that the narration of general RPG development could suffer and be less visible i guess.

 

[Konjad]

How many print versions are there and will there be more? Will it be localised to minor European languages (including mine) so that my kids can read it?

There's only two print versions - the original release in 2019 and the Expanded Edition, that's been on sale since last year. I have no plans of making a new version, seems honestly impossible to add the past 5 years of RPGs without adding like 100 more pages.

As for other languages, this has been a struggle... the book is just too big, the Chinese translation is two years late on their publishing plan. Several European publishers approached me, but so far there's nothing concrete that I can announce.

Instead of continually adding onto this book have you thought of a something like "Volume II" (separate book with games still not in vol. I)) or "cRPG Book: The Modern Era" (limited to said 5-10 years past)?

Pussy. Just keep adding pages as the printings continue until it looks like this:

CRPGs are often massive, unwieldy and hard to navigate, so why should the definitive book on them not be?

The real RPG Codex

that's just the RUS-UKR thread at best

Maybe for future releases there could be separate volumes for 80s, 90s, 00s etc. Of course such fragmentation would be very fucking time consuming but i think this could be a future proof decision. With each year the amount of new RPGs increases and addition of missing old titles would also bloat the book, with separation you could actually finish certain volumes in sane sizes and move to other ones since nothing new will be added to for example 90s RPGs, not to mention there would be more space for segments for each title and of course for more RPGs in general. I guess in the end this would look like one of those old Encyclopaedias that take entire shelves. The negative of this, besides the obvious amount of work, is that the narration of general RPG development could suffer and be less visible i guess.

he already said the book is done and has no will to work on expanding it (mostly because "expanded expanded crpg book" sounds silly)

 

[Zarniwoop]

Instead of continually adding onto this book have you thought of a something like "Volume II" (separate book with games still not in vol. I)) or "cRPG Book: The Modern Era" (limited to said 5-10 years past)?

It's hard to cover recent history without distance and hindsight. Putting out reviews for recent games just makes it a review book, which is not the goal. For example, A LOT of people asked me to do 2020 to also add Cyberpunk, but all CP2077 reviews from before Phantom Liberty are mostly useless now.

Good point, you need to wait until a game is actually finished.