New OOTS Board Game expansion and Deluxe Edition now available for pre-order

The Giant · 03-14-2011, 01:38 AM

Just a thread to let you guys know that the new expansion pack, The Shortening, is available for pre-order now, along with the Deluxe Edition reprint of the basic game (but with The Shortening added in). You can learn more about both games here.

Apegamer and I will be happy to answer any questions you may have about the game and the expansion.

Torrasque · 03-14-2011, 06:52 AM

Will the expansion contain anything for the normal length game? (new monsters/stichks/rooms etc.). Or will it only be content for the fast version?

Torrasque · 03-14-2011, 07:33 AM

Never mind, i found my answer in the "deluxe edition" information ... it doesnt say while only reading about the expansion though :)

ref · 03-14-2011, 09:13 AM

Is The Shortening also only at ookodook, like the new book, or will it reach the stores?

mathewt · 03-14-2011, 10:52 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by ref

Is The Shortening also only at ookodook, like the new book, or will it reach the stores?

According to the pages on Ookoodook, the standalone Shortening is an exclusive, but the Deluxe edition of the game, which includes the original game and the Shortening, is not an exclusive.

The Giant · 03-14-2011, 04:12 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Torrasque

Will the expansion contain anything for the normal length game? (new monsters/stichks/rooms etc.). Or will it only be content for the fast version?

Almost everything in the set can be used for both the full game or the fast game. The only thing that is fast-game-only are the cards used with the Wandering Xykon rule variant, which comprise less than 10 of the cards in the set. Other than that, there are 36 new shticks, 49 new battle cards (a mixture of monsters and Screw This! cards), 12 new Loot cards, and a Backstory deck of 48 cards. And the Backstories can be used in either the full game or the timed-game variant (or even with the Wandering Xykon variant).

Many of the cards are designed to speed up play not by changing the rules but by adding features that attack some of the ways that the game can slow down, such as huge rooms of monsters all supporting one another. So now, there's a new Screw This! card that lets you freeze the number of monsters in the room instead of adding more, and there are several abilities that let you attack a monster further down in the stack instead of the top one.

Quote:

Originally Posted by ref

Is The Shortening also only at ookodook, like the new book, or will it reach the stores?

Yes, the standalone deck for The Shortening is Ookoodook-exclusive, mostly because we wanted existing game-owners to be able to buy just the expansion but it would have been far too expensive for them if we had to price it to take into account the retailer's cut. We thought it would be better to offer it through the website for those people who already owned the game, but those who didn't could buy the whole thing together as a package at their local store.

Mir · 03-15-2011, 07:00 AM

Does the expansion provide options for a more cooperative Belkar?

Mr. Snuggles · 03-15-2011, 07:05 AM

When's the Linear Guild expansion set going to be here?

WalkingTarget · 03-18-2011, 01:37 AM

I don't have a problem with ordering from the website if it's the only option, but will the expansion (and/or the new book) be available at the hypothetical Gen Con booth? Too early to say?

Just curious.

Glacialis · 03-18-2011, 06:30 AM

Will this be available at GenCon? I spent...uh...$$$ at GenCon 2009 buying the game plus all the books out at the time, and I'd be happy to do so again. :D

The Giant · 03-18-2011, 10:21 AM

The expansion will almost certainly be at GenCon. If it were to sell out, I'm sure APE would reprint it right away.

For the book, it's too early to tell whether or not I'll be able to print extra beyond what people pre-order, and whether any extra that I do print lasts until August. It could go either way right now.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Mir

Does the expansion provide options for a more cooperative Belkar?

Not really. It's still Belkar, after all. None of his new cards specifically encourage cooperation. The best I can say is that none of them really encourage screwing other players, either. They are mostly focused on helping him fight monsters.

But it comes down to the fact that if you're in the mood to play cooperatively, Belkar shouldn't be your first choice of characters.

Unregistered · 03-20-2011, 11:45 AM

Will the expansion pack include FAQ and/or Errata for the base game?

Also, will the Deluxe version differ from the original package, besides having the expansion in it and a new cover? E.g., corrected manual, a new introduction comic or something like that.

The Giant · 03-22-2011, 06:49 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Unregistered

Will the expansion pack include FAQ and/or Errata for the base game?

No, but the Errata/FAQ can still be downloaded from this link. We didn't reprint it and stick it in The Shortening box, though, if that's what you're asking.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Unregistered

Also, will the Deluxe version differ from the original package, besides having the expansion in it and a new cover? E.g., corrected manual, a new introduction comic or something like that.

My understanding is that all known Errata has been incorporated into the cards and manual. Other than that, the inclusion of The Shortening box, and a new outer box design, the Deluxe is unchanged from the original set. I think the existing Errata/FAQ document is still included in the Deluxe, though, because the FAQ questions are still valid.

Bottom line is, if you have the original set and you have the Errata sheet, there's not much reason to preorder the Deluxe Edition (instead of just The Shortening) unless your players have been getting into fisticuffs over the Errata not being printed on the cards. Just order The Shortening.

Unregistered · 03-23-2011, 07:35 AM

Thanks, that's exactly what I wanted to know.

Thattaman · 05-01-2011, 04:20 PM

In the game, there is a card named 'The Dragon from the Front of the Box', and it is exactly what it says, the blue dragon that is shown in the scene on the front of the box. However, I notice that the Deluxe Edition shows Team Evil/Linear Guild fighting a GOLD DRAGON, so will the image on the card change as well?

(Boring question I know, but I was curious.)

The Giant · 05-29-2011, 06:14 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Thattaman

In the game, there is a card named 'The Dragon from the Front of the Box', and it is exactly what it says, the blue dragon that is shown in the scene on the front of the box. However, I notice that the Deluxe Edition shows Team Evil/Linear Guild fighting a GOLD DRAGON, so will the image on the card change as well?

(Boring question I know, but I was curious.)

I really wanted to do this, but we tryed to avoid adding any completely new cards to the basic set.

Spider76 · 05-31-2011, 09:33 AM

Any estimation regarding the release of the expansion ?

apegamer · 06-26-2011, 08:46 PM

The games will leave the printer this week. It will take 30-40 days to arrive in our warehouse and they will ship as soon as we get them.

Kevin

Ember_Glow · 08-15-2011, 09:32 AM

But watch out—if you don't get to Michael soon enough, he may come looking for you!
[Josh Cronin]

So what is wondering xykon