To make that possible you could release a single smaller core rulebook with just the core rules and then have the Edge, Rebellion and Destiny stuff as separate sourcebooks. The problem there is development time VS return. To do that they'd basically have to shove everything out in pretty much one big bang. Which is expensive for our wallets and for theirs.

No, you'd just have to release the core rule book and the Edge of Empire book. You could still release the AoR and F+D books later and it would make no difference to those of us currently playing EoE. It's not exactly unprecedented - Players Guide and Dungeon Master's Handbook spring readily to mind. Imagine if for every D&D setting you had to buy the Players Handbook over again? Happy you would not be.

Or an alternate approach would be to release EotE as is and do AoR and F+D as supplements. More space for material you would then have. You'd lose on people having to buy the EotE stuff regardless, but who doesn't want Smugglers and Marauders in their game?

Regardless, the first case provides equivalent to what we have without the duplication and without any reason you'd have to release everything at once as you claimed.

Your first solution is perfectly viable I shall admit that.

However your second idea is stupid, the whole point is that anyone can buy either of the three books and still play. Forcing them to buy the EotE core rulebook is automatically forcing them to buy something they don't want.

However...let's admit it, FFGs current solution means more money for them which in turn is good for any big wigs who will happily say "Keep making your game.....Star.....Lores was it?" as opposed to the possibility of someone saying "Oh no...that Age of Rebellion Supplement isn't selling well, you have to stop printing it right now." This mitigates that a little, as I said, a company has to make money and in my opinion this is less duplicitous that most companies I have seen. Plus it's an awesome system that could last...who knows.

Your first solution is perfectly viable I shall admit that.

Good. Then that shoots down the nonsense about duplication being necessary.

However your second idea is stupid, the whole point is that anyone can buy either of the three books and still play. Forcing them to buy the EotE core rulebook is automatically forcing them to buy something they don't want.

It's not "stupid". It's predicated on the assumption that fewer people will be unhappy about purchasing 80 or so pages of races and careers they may or may not want out of a 300+ page book, then buying 200 pages of duplicated rules and background that they 100% certainly already have a copy of. A reasonable and assumption and not "stupid".

And even those figures are on the assumption that talents and races are not repeated in each book, which they may well be.

However...let's admit it, FFGs current solution means more money for them which in turn is good for any big wigs who will happily say "Keep making your game.....Star.....Lores was it?"

You realize that you can justify anything that increases the price with that argument, including just jacking the price up or reducing page content. Also, I suspect the people who run FFG are actually pretty familiar with the games industry.

as opposed to the possibility of someone saying "Oh no...that Age of Rebellion Supplement isn't selling well, you have to stop printing it right now." This mitigates that a little, as I said, a company has to make money and in my opinion this is less duplicitous that most companies I have seen. Plus it's an awesome system that could last...who knows.

To paraphrase the above: getting more money out of our pockets and into FFGs is good for the game, the game is good so you don't mind this practice and a bad thing is less bad if it doesn't pretend it's not a bad thing. The last one amusing as you've been arguing rationalizations why it isn't a bad thing.

I know people bemoan FFG a lot, but I actually think they can be reasonable. I know there is some people saying they're releasing a pointless GM screen for AoR, but they do include an adventure to run and considering the GM screen for EotE is perhaps the best pre-written adventure of all the adventures (excluding Beyond the Rim and The Jewel of Yavin), I think its okay. Besides...the company has to make money to continue making this stuff.

Wait a minute, was that aimed at me? You didn't quote anyone.

I wasn't bemoaning FFG. I love the company (I also buy X-Wing, Talisman, and Battlestar Galactica). I was just saying that I get the impression they're taking a bath in AoR beta books, and that I think they've tied the book into the GM kit materials as an incentive to move some more beta books while they can.

I love the EotE GM kit, and I've got the AoR one preordered.

That's it.

oh no no no no, I didn't aim that at you I. J. just a general statement my good man. I've seen many people make the arguments before and was being generic, no offense intended.

I love armchair game designers. Always fun to read. As already stated, you can not please everyone. FFG has been upfront about their plans from the beginning. If you have such a great issue with their design, vote in the best way possible, with your wallet. Unfortunately for those that do not like the format, they seem to be doing quite well with it. No way is perfect. WotC tried the core book followed by campaign books and did not fair well. Its not like FFG didn't do any research before they began this. And it looks like their research is paying off.

@ Knassarll, anything is bad if you relate it to business....anything can be made to look bad, no one will EVER be happy. There is no way you can make this product line and someone not have an issue with it. If they were shafting us with low quality books, maybe I'd be a little ticked off. Every FFG supplement, Betas included have been high quality, a good read, informative, maybe a bit of repeated info, however worded differently for additional clarification. Better than WotC did with their system and this is cheaper.

Yes I am aware you can justify any price increase with that...but sadly that's the cynical world we live in where the people who want the money sit at the top giving jobs to the people who want to make the art for as long as that art makes money. Far from an ideal world, but you play the hand your dealt.

There is always going to be some give and take in the situation. Not everything can be fresh and new each time and I feel that while your idea of the CRB if viable, I feel what they have right now is still equally viable.

I agree with what Merc says...no company goes out without thinking of possibilities. If they could have done what you suggested knasserll, they probably would have.

oh no no no no, I didn't aim that at you I. J. just a general statement my good man. I've seen many people make the arguments before and was being generic, no offense intended.

Awesome - no harm done mate, I was just confused because your post came right after mine!