RQ 3e - Avalon Hill or Games Workshop?

[DreadDomain]

1 minute ago, SDLeary said:

An absolute bargain compared to what I found on Abe's Books. Everyone look, you'll get a real laugh!

SDLeary

At least it is only $75 shipping.... 

[Atgxtg]

23 hours ago, Rick Meints said:

In the UK, there is no Value Added Tax (VAT) on books, but there is on boxed games. In the 80s VAT was 15%. Importing the boxed set from the USA (where it was printed) was just too expensive, so Games Workshop opted to produce the game line as hardcover books.

That sounds vaguaely familar. I recall being told the reasons why back in the 80s when GW stuff was starting to catch on (especially their miniatures). It's llike the whole world conspired against RPG boxed sets. 

23 hours ago, Rick Meints said:

 

 

If you bought the three core RQ3 books done by GW (Standard, Advanced, and Monsters) you actually got more content than the RQ3 deluxe rulebook, not a trimmed down version.

But you had to buy three different books to do it. Cost wise, I'm not sure if that would be a better deal that the AH boxed set or not.I think with the VAT, import costs, and rates of exchange US RPGs were something like twice as expensive in the UK. If someone in the US bought the RQ3 boxed set, Vikings, and Griffin Mountain Island in the US they'd get more content, too. 

Still, it was the 80s and that must have seemed like the best approach at the time. 

[Rick Meints]

1 hour ago, Atgxtg said:

But you had to buy three different books to do it. Cost wise, I'm not sure if that would be a better deal that the AH boxed set or not.I think with the VAT, import costs, and rates of exchange US RPGs were something like twice as expensive in the UK. If someone in the US bought the RQ3 boxed set, Vikings, and Griffin Island in the US they'd get more content, too.

The GW hardcover RQ3 books cost about 10 quid each, so the three of them to get all the rules and monsters would have been 30 quid, as opposed to the AH Deluxe boxed set which was over 40 quid. Vikings was never done as a GW hardcover. The AH boxed set of Griffin Island came with a bigger poster map, but the GW hardcover had a color poster map, although somewhat smaller. The GW version had more content than the AH version of Griffin island. The AH boxed set for Land of Ninja, only one advantage over the GW hardcover book, that being the B&W poster map. In short, none of the GW books had less content than the AH boxed set equivalents if you set aside the map differences. As I said, the GW hardcovers had slightly more content in them, or the same content.

[Ian Absentia]

18 hours ago, SDLeary said:

An absolute bargain compared to what I found on Abe's Books. Everyone look, you'll get a real laugh!

Given the following description...

"Item is in good condition. Some moderate creases and wear. This item may not come with CDs or additional parts including access codes for textbooks. This may not have a dust jacket. Might be an ex-library copy and contain writing/highlighting. Photos are stock pictures and not of the actual item."

...I'm not convinced they actually know what they're selling, or it's worth the month's rent they're asking for it.

!i!

[SDLeary]

5 hours ago, Ian Absentia said:

Given the following description...

"Item is in good condition. Some moderate creases and wear. This item may not come with CDs or additional parts including access codes for textbooks. This may not have a dust jacket. Might be an ex-library copy and contain writing/highlighting. Photos are stock pictures and not of the actual item."

...I'm not convinced they actually know what they're selling, or it's worth the month's rent they're asking for it.

!i!

That, combined with the fact that it's listed as a hardcover, and later in the description lists box contents.

On the other hand, other than the first two sentences of your quote, the rest does look a bit like a standard disclaimer.

SDLeary

Edited November 6, 2021 by SDLeary

[soltakss]

I wasn't aware of the complete RQ3 softback book until way after it was published. Then I found it in a games store and bought it immediately.

It works far better as a single book than as multiple booklets or a Basic/Advanced combination.

Edited November 6, 2021 by soltakss

[PhilHibbs]

I've got a deluxe box in pretty good condition for its age (if anyone wants to give me $1,500 for it, I'd consider it, but it can be had for £40 on Ebay), three copies of Advanced RuneQuest hardback, and I think I have two complete softbacks, one of which may still be in the shrink. I've not unpacked that box yet though and I can't remember. It's been boxed up in storage for a while.

Edited November 7, 2021 by PhilHibbs

[Ian Absentia]

I'm still trying to track down the copy of the AH Player's box that I gave to my nephew way back when.  Almost a complete game, but a really neat package.

!i!

Edited November 7, 2021 by Ian Absentia

[Zenith Comics Presents...]

So I clearly want to get the boxed set or the softback it seems.

Thanks for the info everyone. 🙂