Ring maker cycle in Q2?

By Noccus, in The Lord of the Rings: The Card Game

The 1st until the 3rd AP are supposed to be expected in Q2.

So says the almighty upcoming page.

Q2 starts next week, and the 1st AP is still in concept status?

That means: printer + boat ride + shipping = 3 months minimum.

For the 1st pack that is. AP 2 & 3 will not make it to the stores in Q2.

Don't expect the cycle to start before late Q2 (June) or Q3 people....

Remember that previous cycle didn't started selling until all the advanture packs were announced. And gap between announcements is around 1 month, and we have 3 packs yet to be revealed.

Sound like it is going to be a long wait. The first AP is still in the concept phase!

I wonder if the developers wait to see players response to the deluxe expansion and see if the following scenarios need to be tweaked in difficult or whatever.

It's well past the concept stage if you believe all of the leaks. Also, FFG has said they build the deluxe expansion and all of the packs at the same time. So while I'm not thinking I'll be seeing expansion 1 next week, I still think we'll see it Q2.

In my opinion, they realized they pushed the envelope too far with Heirs and went scrambling back to the drawing board to reduce the difficulty for the expansion packs. I don't think that's the case here.

It's well past concept. I'd be surprised if Caleb & Co. were not neck deep in the NEXT cycle's design. You need to think pretty far ahead with this kind of game.

The question I have is: how do they organize the playtesting to make sure they have only the cards they want in the decks for each test? How much of that testing is done on computers vs. real cards? Designing while refining while blogging based on a past status of the game sounds like a pretty overwhelming task.

The entire cycle is designed at one time. I don't know where people are getting the idea that the first adventure pack is still in the "concept phase" but that is not true. As for the delay in shipping new product, that has never happened in the entire history of FFG. /sarcasm

To be fair, delays are often caused by issues with the printers and/or other manufacturing concerns that exist entirely out of the designers' hands.

The entire cycle is designed at one time. I don't know where people are getting the idea that the first adventure pack is still in the "concept phase" but that is not true.

It is listed by FFG as "in development". This does mean that design (or at least tweaking) of the Ringmaker APs is still ongoing. In the past we have seen changes to cards made after sets have been previewed (eg Legacy of Numenor).

it's also worth noting that the first AP's status has not been updated since January. this doesn't mean it's not being printed, or what have you - just that FFG (for whatever reason) hasn't updated the page.

i'd not worry about this yet.

Edited by Dain Ironfoot

The entire cycle is designed at one time. I don't know where people are getting the idea that the first adventure pack is still in the "concept phase" but that is not true. As for the delay in shipping new product, that has never happened in the entire history of FFG. /sarcasm

To be fair, delays are often caused by issues with the printers and/or other manufacturing concerns that exist entirely out of the designers' hands.

http://www.fantasyflightgames.com/edge_upcoming.asp

Bottom of the page. The little computer icon next to the AP mean still in development.

Maybe they are past this phase, but I have followed this progression before and it's usually pretty accurate. Although VoI was on the boat for months.

My completely unscientific guess is late May for Dunland Trap.

it's also worth noting that the first AP's status has not been updated since January. this doesn't mean it's not being printed, or what have you - just that FFG (for whatever reason) hasn't updated the page.

i'd not worry about this yet.

I do hope you're right Matt.

Tho Tracker1 already stated it, the upcoming page normally is pretty accurate.

And as Dan stated, it is nothing new that there is a delay.

So I'm expecting June, at the earliest.

I might use proxies for the first time ever...... really don't want to wait till like June for Rumil, Close Call and Naith Guide... plus they might not all be in Dunland trap anyway..

Probably my biggest issue with this game is the wait in between releases, Voice of Isengard was SUCH a ridiculous wait and now even though we have spoilers for the first three packs of the ring maker cycle we aren't likely to see the first till around June =(

I know it takes time, and with how much we all clearly love this game the last thing you'd want is for a product to be rushed or released before proper testing but man.... too long =(

REALLY hope that at least Dunland trap comes out mid to late May at the latest instead of June

Probably my biggest issue with this game is the wait in between releases, Voice of Isengard was SUCH a ridiculous wait and now even though we have spoilers for the first three packs of the ring maker cycle we aren't likely to see the first till around June =(

was it really that long?

the morgul vale was released on 11/15/13 and the voice of isenguard was 2/21/14 - so 3 months (or so).

return to mirkwood was 11/23/11 and khazad-dum was 1/6/12 - so 2 months (or so).

shadow and flame was 8/8/12 and heirs of numenor was 11/26/12 - so 3 months (or so).

there was no longer a wait for VoI after the previous cycles last AP than the previous.

as for Deluxe Release and then first AP:

KD: 1/16/12 1st AP: 3/1/12 (3 months)

HoN: 11/26/12: 1st AP: 5/9/13 (6 months)

So, who knows with our current cycle.

Well firstly I live in Australia and had to wait an additional 2 weeks after it hit stores for it to be at my local store. Also I got into this game right before morgul vale was released so dont have any other wait to compare it to, all I know is it was one annoying wait for me for VOI....

6 months between HoN and stewards fear is a percent example of what i was saying... 6 freaking months???? That's just way too long.

6 months between HoN and stewards fear is a percent example of what i was saying... 6 freaking months???? That's just way too long.

there were saga expansions released between the two however - it wasn't 6 months without any product whatsoever.

Edited by Dain Ironfoot

My gut tells me we will get Dunland Trap in the middle of May. And my gut never leads me wrong, except when it leads me to McDonald's at 2:00 in the morning for a sausage mcgriddle...

6 months between HoN and stewards fear is a percent example of what i was saying... 6 freaking months???? That's just way too long.

there were saga expansions released between the two however - it wasn't 6 months without any product whatsoever.

Ahhhhh.... right ok, this definitely changes things then. Look you make good points I just don't want to wait so long for Dunland Trap and The Road Darkens really.... :P

Super excited for both and there aren't many quests I own that I haven't played so I'm itching for new quests and player cards

Edited by PsychoRocka

Hmm there is preorder on ebay for Dunland thrap. They say product come in 2 weeks.

For the past couple of years we have received the following each year:

1 Deluxe expansion

6 Cycle packs

1 Saga expansion

1 Print on Demand pack (from GenCon)

N Nightmare packs

I don't see that changing this year. Now that's actually 12 new quests per year, and we haven't been receiving 12 nightmare packs per year, but it appears that the pace is picking up, so that's good. Anyway, while the pacing could be better, it probably is all I can really handle. For example, I don't think I've really played VOI enough yet to appreciate all of the nuances.

Hmm there is preorder on ebay for Dunland thrap. They say product come in 2 weeks.

Don't tell me you're that gullible....

Sorry to break it to you.....But they do that to reel in your order.