Re: [piecepack] Second vs. First Edition piecepacks

["Karol" <karol@...>]

Thank you Ron, one note - both sets are hand-stamped (by me infact).  The
stamps we had made for our art are much nicer than the ones we bought at the
store.

We strive to make quality games, we listen to the comments we get and we are
working on solutions - typically we don't publically discuss what we are
working on until it is done.

If you are having trouble w/ 2nd Edition boxes this might help- tiles go in
first, in a 2 x 3 x 4 tiles high grid, the coins must go side-up - in a row
of two (2 rows of one) between the box and tiles and between the dice and
box (with 2 flat along the bottom next to the dice), pawns go on top of the
dice and the 2 flat coins. Rulebook on top of the coins and rubberband the
lid on. The growing thickness of the rulebook makes the box a tighter fit
than it was at first.

We will be updating our webpages and hopefully adding some cool features in
the near future. I am interested to hear of any ideas folks might have for
either of the sites, particularly things you might like to see on the
www.piecepack.org site - Dave's idea about having the rules translated is
something that I think will help piecepack go global.

Thanks for reading! and HAPPY NEW YEAR!!!

Karol MMB
Mesomorph Games
www.mesomorph.com



----- Original Message -----
From: "Ron Hale-Evans" <rwhe@...>
To: "piecepack mailing list" <piecepack@yahoogroups.com>
Sent: Sunday, December 30, 2001 2:26 PM
Subject: [piecepack] Second vs. First Edition piecepacks


> I own a first edition piecepack from Mesomorph Games.  My game group
> owns a second edition, currently on loan to one of our other players
> (hi, Kisa!).  I have seen and handled both extensively, so I feel I
> have some basis for a comparison of the first and second editions.
> However, remember that Mesomorph piecepacks are handmade in small
> production runs, so your mileage may vary.
>
> There seems to be a common misconception that the only difference
> between the first and second editions of the piecepack is the
> rulebook, which has more games in the second edition.  This is not the
> case.  Here are the main differences:
>
> 1. The art.  Because of copyright issues with the artist for the
>    piecepack icons in the first edition, Mesomorph decided to play it
>    safe and design their own art for the second edition.  To my mind,
>    this is a happy change.  The old art, which came from rubber
>    stamps, was old-fashioned and syrupy (a smiling, cherubic Sun on
>    the Ace, that sort of thing).  The new art is much cleaner, more
>    abstract, and ultimately more attractive IMHO.  It also seems to be
>    silkscreened on rather than rubber-stamped on, making for a more
>    professional appearance.  If you have a second edition rulebook but
>    no other second edition components, you can see what the icons look
>    like on the cover of the book.
>
> 2. The texture.  The first edition was somewhat over-varnished,
>    leading to a sticky, "goopy" texture, especially on the tiles, but
>    also on the coins.  The new set has just the right amount of
>    varnish, and a smooth, sanded feel that is very pleasant.
>
> 3. Colour-bleeding.  This is crucial.  In my first-edition set, the
>    over-varnishing and rubber-stamping led to some bleeding of the
>    suit colours from the suit side of the coins to the number side,
>    making it apparent what suit a coin was even when the number side
>    was face-up.  The effect is subtle in most cases, but if you were
>    playing piecepack games for money, you wouldn't want to use my
>    first-edition set; it would be like playing with marked cards.
>    Fortunately, this effect is completely absent in my group's
>    second-edition set.
>
> 4. The box.  The first-edition box is a plastic box evidently designed
>    to hold baseball cards.  It is hard and has sharp edges, but is
>    very compact.  Some people complained that it is too small to
>    contain all the pieces.  With some practice, I can actually fit all
>    my piecepack components into it.  Mesomorph promised the
>    second-edition box would be easier to fit the components into, but
>    I actually have a harder time with it; maybe it's just lack of
>    practice.  In any case, the new box is wider, taller, and flatter,
>    and is generally more attractive, with coloured labels on both
>    front and back.  It is made of cardboard, so you will not bark your
>    hands on this box, as you might have with the first edition.
>
> Overall, the second edition is a big improvement, IMHO.  Even if you
> have a first-edition set, if you have some holiday money burning a
> hole in your pocket, you might want to order a second edition.  I know
> I intend to order one for myself as soon as I get my financial act
> together.  But don't feel you got a bad bargain if you have a first
> edition.  You can use a first edition with a second edition without
> confusing the pieces, and the first edition may be worth a nice sum
> down the road; can you imagine owning a copy of the first deck of
> cards?
>
> Disclaimer: Although I feel I have gotten to know the folks at
> Mesomorph games somewhat through extensive email correspondence, this
> is an independent, unpaid evaluation.
>
> Ron H-E
>
> --
>          Ron Hale-Evans ... rwhe@... & rwhe@...
>            Center for Ludic Synergy, Seattle Cosmic Game Night,
> Kennexions Glass Bead Game &  Positive Revolution FAQ:
http://www.ludism.org/
> Home page & Hexagram-8 I Ching Mailing List:
http://www.apocalypse.org/~rwhe/
>     == You meet the most interesting people when you're a solipsist. ==
>
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