rolenta Posted August 20, 2002 Share Posted August 20, 2002 I've begun working on a second edition of ABC To The VCS, after receiving letters from several people looking for the first edition. Chris Cavanaugh has agreed to edit the book and Michael Thomasson will supply the cover. The book will be similar to the original in text but will also include b&w screen shots for each game, and will cover all of the information that was in the first book, along with all of the prototypes and homebrews that have been discovered/released since 1995. My question here is how much interest in there in the book? The first edition was photocopied so I could more or less print them in batches of 50 or so as demand warranted. The second edition will be professional printed and I'm trying to determine exactly how many copies to print. One thousand copies of Phoenix 3 were printed. ABC To The VCS' print run will not be anywhere near there. Also, I cannot determine a price per copy until the book is completed. Also, is there anything that anyone wants in the book that was missing from the first edition? Thanks for your help! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
slapdash Posted August 20, 2002 Share Posted August 20, 2002 Well, the collector's urge in me dictates that I'd probably want one... Any idea on a page count? I assume it will be a fair amount bigger than version one. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rolenta Posted August 20, 2002 Author Share Posted August 20, 2002 So far, only chapter one has been redone and that came out to 10 pages. This includes a ten-point font and 23 screen shots (I have not yet added any new games). The same text took up 6 pages in the first edition. At this ratio the new book will have approximately 260 pages. The over-all size of the book will be 8 x 5.5, or the same dimensions as the first two editions of Phoenix. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Phosphor Dot Fossils Posted August 20, 2002 Share Posted August 20, 2002 Hi Leonard, I'd be interested in a copy, and I even missed out on the first edition. But I've always heard good things about it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chris++ Posted August 20, 2002 Share Posted August 20, 2002 Leonard, Adam had the first edition, so I read it pretty thoroughly. You can certainly count me in, if you're looking for advance orders. CF Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Snider-man Posted August 20, 2002 Share Posted August 20, 2002 Leonard, a coupla years ago when I started getting back into the 2600, I remember sending you an e-mail, looking for this. You let me know that you were mulling around a re-release. Consider me interested. Let me know if I can help out with any of the layout/editing chores. Even the TOC would be fun to proof. Sniderman Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
+Atari_Warlord Posted August 20, 2002 Share Posted August 20, 2002 I'll definitely buy one. Unfortunately I never had the original, so I can't give any feedback. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Turnspike Posted August 20, 2002 Share Posted August 20, 2002 I would be interested. It sounds like the first edition was recieved well enough. My 100th Post! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rick Weis Posted August 20, 2002 Share Posted August 20, 2002 Hi Leonard, please add my name to your pre-order list! Take Care, Rick Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
liquid_sky Posted August 20, 2002 Share Posted August 20, 2002 ever since I heard of the first ABC to the VCS I have been wanting to give it a read, a second edition would allow me to do so. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NoahsMyBro Posted August 20, 2002 Share Posted August 20, 2002 Never saw the first, but I'd definitely be interested in a re-released copy. Obviously whether or not I could get one would depend on price. If it stays under $15 I'd definitely get one. As it hits $20 or $25, I'd have to think about it. I'd still want one, but I don't know if I could justify the purchase as it increases in price. I did buy Phoenix 3rd Ed for $25, though, so you never know.... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Scott Stilphen Posted August 20, 2002 Share Posted August 20, 2002 Count me in for a copy. One thing I'd like to see is the games listed in alphabetical order, instead of by categories. Just easier to find games that way. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bangles66 Posted August 20, 2002 Share Posted August 20, 2002 Have the first edition. LOVE IT. Will DEFINETLLY want the 2nd edition. Add me to the list. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rolenta Posted August 20, 2002 Author Share Posted August 20, 2002 Count me in for a copy. One thing I'd like to see is the games listed in alphabetical order, instead of by categories. Just easier to find games that way. Well that was the whole point of ABC To The VCS, arranging the games in order by category. And of course, there's always the index in the back of the book which is in alphabetical order. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chris++ Posted August 20, 2002 Share Posted August 20, 2002 Is Cavanaugh good at editing grammar and punctuation? (PLEASE don't take that the wrong way -- I highly respect the books you've written and all the research you've done, and you're an excellent writer; and when we met at World of Atari '98, you were really nice and didn't act arrogant like some certain 'zine people...) I only ask because a revised edition of ABC to the VCS, with all known 2600 games, could easily become a definitive resource for all collectors. It could quickly graduate from being a mere curio to being a valuable resource; Via word of mouth, you could wind up getting orders from everyone who visits AA, just for starters. I find the alphabetical organization much more convenient than the way the DP Collector's Guide is arranged, for instance (Atari titles, then third-party, then foreign titles, etc. etc.) CF again Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NE146 Posted August 20, 2002 Share Posted August 20, 2002 I'd be interested. sure Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tempest Posted August 20, 2002 Share Posted August 20, 2002 I posted in the other one, but I'll post again. Count me in. Tempest Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
munkyxtc Posted August 20, 2002 Share Posted August 20, 2002 Mark me down for a copy Dave "M" Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Atari2600Lives Posted August 20, 2002 Share Posted August 20, 2002 I'll buy one for sure. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rolenta Posted August 20, 2002 Author Share Posted August 20, 2002 Obviously whether or not I could get one would depend on price. If it stays under $15 I'd definitely get one. As it hits $20 or $25, I'd have to think about it. Price is determined by several factors, most importantly the number of pages per copy, and the number of copies printed. It is more economical per copy to print 1000 copies than it is to print 200 or 300. This of course affects the cover price. On the other hand, I don't believe this book warrants 1000 (or even 500) copies. After printing, books have to be marked up. Bookstores need to get their 30% off cover price and distributors call for 55% below cover price. And because of laws against unfair competition, I am not allowed to charge lower than cover price to the general public (unless I'm marking the book down for clearance). I do not intend to sell ABC To The VCS through stores so the cover price will not be marked up. The book will carry the Rolenta Press imprint but most likely will not have an ISBN. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
minorleagueguy Posted August 21, 2002 Share Posted August 21, 2002 I also would buy one, as I missed out on the 1st. one!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Wiffer Posted August 21, 2002 Share Posted August 21, 2002 I would like to get one also. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Big_Mo Posted August 21, 2002 Share Posted August 21, 2002 I'd buy! WHen I read it the first time I cauight some errors, both typographical and (a few) factual. I assume you'd want to be alerted to those? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rolenta Posted August 21, 2002 Author Share Posted August 21, 2002 I'd buy! WHen I read it the first time I cauight some errors, both typographical and (a few) factual. I assume you'd want to be alerted to those? Definitely!!!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CosmicJoke Posted August 21, 2002 Share Posted August 21, 2002 I will also pick up a copy when it is published. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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