Ok, now I'm confused. At the LGS yesterday I was talking with someone who was adamant they had read/understood the new hardcovers to definitely allow players to bypass most of the 'bits' currently in the game (tracking recharges through a card or something on the table and tokens, easier tracking monster actions/etc and so forth).

Having read through the announcements/diaries I kept scratching my head. I thought that the books did provide some additional tips on running games and alternate styles for things like story mode but the materials needed currently would still be needed (i.e. the hardcovers would be the rules and compiled card lists with some minor/style optional rules included).

Can anyone set me straight?

Ok, it look's like this. Player's Guide And Game Master's Guide are the two books that with the Vaults will be a new optional version of the core set. In the books You will have no new content, so if You have the core set you don't need them. In those books there will be more examples of play and all the content from cards it tables. Plus those book will come with a new alternative Character Sheet (it should be on the last page so You must print it on Your own - like in the 1st edition). Also those books will show an alternative way of play without cards and tokens but you will have to write it all down (the way I see it - You will have to have it all on you cahracter sheet or use the book al the time). The book will cover all the material for Players and GM's to the Signs of Faith, so you will have all careers, talents, maybe actions to but I'm not sure in one book (in GM Guide will will find Corruption and Disease rules). So this is an alternative version of the core set.

If then You will want to buy the cards You can buy Players Vaults and Game Masters Vault (but You will not get only the cards form the core set).

All the future expansions (adventures and sourcebook alike) will come updated but still in old format so - one box full of components (cards, tokens, stand ups ect.) and a with a book inside. - those are JL words from the Small But Vocious Seminar.

The only book that will have new content is Creatures Guide. it will have a lot of background informations and stats for new and old monsters. And Creatures Vault will have all the new cards like: new action cards for monsters and Creature cards. Also it will contain updated monsters/creatres to Signs of Faith, so all creatures from the core set, Winds of magic, Signs of faith and all adventures will get cards. So it's really worth to buy it.

This is how I understood all the info that Jay shared with us. I hope this helped.

PS. I almost forgot, and according to my FLGS we will see all this in november 2010. So I will keep my fingers cross for that.

FFGfan hits all the right points with his comment. No new content will be released just a streamlining of the Rules and the Index that was sorely lacking from the core set. These books are going to be great for reference and to have several sets of rules around the table. With the creatures guide/vault many Gm's woes will be addressed with the updated format, making it easier to design and run encounters. Really I believe that these Guides are just an ironing out of the kinks, but they are not need if you own the Core Set. And yes the Guides will offer an alternative style of component free play, but who wants that, the components make the game unique among RPG's.!

Hope that helps