I remember Holmes Basic PDF being on the old D&D Classics branded store well before the change-over to DMs Guild branding - don't know what's happened since. That distinctive blue cover will never forget it.
Maybe contact OneBookShelf to see if they can ask Wizards to add a scan of it.......
Perhaps they feel as if it would muddy the water? They've released OD&D and now Rules Cyclopedia... maybe they feel like it'd be diluting the brand in some way...???
But I did just have the idea that maybe we should pitch this idea to Joseph Goodman as a potential part of the module re-release line... That deluxe sort of treatment would be pretty awesome. Imagine a hardcover reprint of Holmes that included all the variants, and behind the scenes stories and all that!
Funny thing is, Wizards released a version through OBS a loooong time ago and then yanked with all their other content in the dark days before DMs Guild came along. Assuming there are no copyright issues, they could in theory rerelease it any time. I would buy it again as PoD.
I want scans of all 3 printings of all 3 editions including the inserts that explained how to use the chits (and of course the chits themselves) and then PoD versions of the original printing and the third edition.
I've sent them a few emails, but I just get the standard canned response. Surely there must be more demand for Holmes than there is for Chainmail? Mind you, looking at the past releases, and the schedule of past releases, I suspect that someone is just randomly pulling stuff off a pile. ;-)
Michael Thomas I still think there is an approval process Wizards goes though re the POD titles - maybe a random list gets sent form OnTheShelf for a period and then just ok'd sporadically.
I have a PDF of Holmes, but its a mish-mash of versions, and in all honesty - not strictly legal. Either that or someone put it out for free on a site after DLing it from an official outlet (?) I just remember coming across a copy 10 or so years ago.
Richard Pilliard Jonathan Becker I doubt Blueholme is a consideration. The other clones haven't kept them from releasing the originals. If anything, they are leaving money on the table by not having the originals available.
Mark Hyde John Miller-Wells Thom Hall Robert Weber You guys are correct, there was a pdf back in the original set of pdfs for sale, before they went away for a few years. I didn't buy it then, but someone sent me a copy a few years ago so I could see it. As Robert mentions, it is a chimera - it has a Lizard Logo cover but the interior is a 3rd edition. That could be one reason they haven't just put it back up although to be honest I don't think their attention to detail is that great. More likely it was just the overall quality of the scan, which is so-so.
Possibly they haven't gotten a decent pdf of the book. Back when they were asking for new pdfs, I considered making one, but then the list was updated and Holmes Basic had been removed, so I assumed they had gotten one.
I would like to see the three main versions of Basic all released in pdf (Holmes, Moldvay and Mentzer)
ReplyDeleteMoldvay and Mentzer are already available in PDF, but not print yet
ReplyDeleteZach H Yes, and I would love to have Holmes as well to complete the trilogy! Sorry, just trying to reinforce your original statement.
ReplyDeleteI thought they were trying to make sure Blueholm was successful :)
ReplyDeleteI remember Holmes Basic PDF being on the old D&D Classics branded store well before the change-over to DMs Guild branding - don't know what's happened since. That distinctive blue cover will never forget it.
ReplyDeleteMaybe contact OneBookShelf to see if they can ask Wizards to add a scan of it.......
Actually, didn't WotC release it years ago for free? I believe that's whete I had gotten mine.
ReplyDeletePerhaps they feel as if it would muddy the water? They've released OD&D and now Rules Cyclopedia... maybe they feel like it'd be diluting the brand in some way...???
ReplyDeleteBut I did just have the idea that maybe we should pitch this idea to Joseph Goodman as a potential part of the module re-release line... That deluxe sort of treatment would be pretty awesome. Imagine a hardcover reprint of Holmes that included all the variants, and behind the scenes stories and all that!
Funny thing is, Wizards released a version through OBS a loooong time ago and then yanked with all their other content in the dark days before DMs Guild came along. Assuming there are no copyright issues, they could in theory rerelease it any time. I would buy it again as PoD.
ReplyDelete^^ That's what I thought they did.
ReplyDeleteI have the pdf from that time and wondered why it was not restored when they started selling rules cyclopedia and b/x a few years back.
ReplyDeleteThey missed the anniversary, so that can't be why they're holding it back...
ReplyDeleteI want scans of all 3 printings of all 3 editions including the inserts that explained how to use the chits (and of course the chits themselves) and then PoD versions of the original printing and the third edition.
ReplyDeleteI've sent them a few emails, but I just get the standard canned response. Surely there must be more demand for Holmes than there is for Chainmail? Mind you, looking at the past releases, and the schedule of past releases, I suspect that someone is just randomly pulling stuff off a pile. ;-)
ReplyDeleteMichael Thomas I still think there is an approval process Wizards goes though re the POD titles - maybe a random list gets sent form OnTheShelf for a period and then just ok'd sporadically.
ReplyDeleteI have a PDF of Holmes, but its a mish-mash of versions, and in all honesty - not strictly legal. Either that or someone put it out for free on a site after DLing it from an official outlet (?) I just remember coming across a copy 10 or so years ago.
ReplyDeleteI figured it was because we had Blueholm.
ReplyDeleteRichard Pilliard Jonathan Becker I doubt Blueholme is a consideration. The other clones haven't kept them from releasing the originals. If anything, they are leaving money on the table by not having the originals available.
ReplyDeleteGerald Williams The Sample Dungeon (only) was a free pdf years ago & still available here: wizards.com - www.wizards.com/dnd/files/Basic_1977.pdf
ReplyDeleteIt's nice they've left this up though the scan quality is quite poor.
Mark Hyde John Miller-Wells Thom Hall Robert Weber You guys are correct, there was a pdf back in the original set of pdfs for sale, before they went away for a few years. I didn't buy it then, but someone sent me a copy a few years ago so I could see it. As Robert mentions, it is a chimera - it has a Lizard Logo cover but the interior is a 3rd edition. That could be one reason they haven't just put it back up although to be honest I don't think their attention to detail is that great. More likely it was just the overall quality of the scan, which is so-so.
ReplyDeletePossibly they haven't gotten a decent pdf of the book. Back when they were asking for new pdfs, I considered making one, but then the list was updated and Holmes Basic had been removed, so I assumed they had gotten one.
ReplyDeleteThat's encouraging, Zach H, perhaps they already have a good scan and it's just a matter of time.
ReplyDeleteZach H Ah yes - hence the confusion on my part at least - I never got that specific PDF.
ReplyDeleteYou realise sharing copyrighted PDFs is not ok right?
ReplyDeleteMark Hyde Didn't think it was.
ReplyDeleteMark Hyde Didn't know that this was still under copyright, I know you can use the Dungeon TSR had it as a free download...
ReplyDeleteMark Tygart No worries. I think that might be right.
ReplyDelete