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When was the Outdoor Survival listing removed from the LBBs?
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Alzrius
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Post Posted: Fri Nov 17, 2017 1:17 pm 
 

So I've recently picked up a copy of the 2013 Premium Reprint of the White Box, and I noticed something: in the Men & Magic booklet, in the "Recommended Equipment" section, there's no listing for Outdoor Survival.

To be clear, what you see is what appears in the picture on this blog post (scroll down), but the text between "Dungeons & Dragons (you have it!)" and "Dice" has been deleted, and the indentation moved up between those lines so that there's no obvious blank space.

My question is, was this done in one of the later printings of the White Box, or is this part of the alterations made for the Premium Reprint? Insofar as I'm aware, there's nothing in the print listings suggesting that text was removed, so I'm hoping someone here can fill me in.
  

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MadCatUSA
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Post Posted: Fri Nov 17, 2017 2:01 pm 
 

Alzrius wrote in When was the Outdoor Survival listing removed from the LBBs?:So I've recently picked up a copy of the 2013 Premium Reprint of the White Box, and I noticed something: in the Men & Magic booklet, in the "Recommended Equipment" section, there's no listing for Outdoor Survival.

To be clear, what you see is what appears in the picture on this blog post (scroll down), but the text between "Dungeons & Dragons (you have it!)" and "Dice" has been deleted, and the indentation moved up between those lines so that there's no obvious blank space.

My question is, was this done in one of the later printings of the White Box, or is this part of the alterations made for the Premium Reprint? Insofar as I'm aware, there's nothing in the print listings suggesting that text was removed, so I'm hoping someone here can fill me in.


At a guess, I'd say that because the Outdoor Survival book is outside of WoTC copyright and the address given is probably no longer in business, they removed the reference to avoid a deluge of emails and letters from confused idjits who can't figure out why they can't order a book that is 30 years out of print. Just a guess though.  :)  :roll:
  

sauromatian
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Post Posted: Fri Nov 17, 2017 2:04 pm 
 

My copy is probably one of the later printings (bought new in 1987), & it does have the OS listing with the AH address.

MadCatUSA wrote in When was the Outdoor Survival listing removed from the LBBs?: the Outdoor Survival book is outside of WoTC copyright


Who does own it now? Hasbro owns both WotC & AH, but has the OS copyright passed to someone else? It's basic rules mechanic is pretty fun*, & I've always hoped to see it adapted into a D&D boardgame.

* You must use all movement points with each move, effectively simulating being lost despite being able to see the board.



The blog discusses the OS board as if it became part of Greyhawk's geography (which is how I've always interpreted the ancient texts describing early D&D games), but the book Playing at the World maintains that it was only used to represent bits of random, unexplored wilderness.
  

Zenopus
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Post Posted: Sat Nov 18, 2017 12:41 am 
 

In this ODD74 thread, Gronan seems to say it was used both as "generic wilderness" and specifically as the area around Greyhawk: Implications of the tables on setting | Original D&D Discussion

gronanofsimmerya wrote:Not a bad article.  One thing to make clear, though, is that we were in no way limited to the area of ONE Outdoor Survival map; you could keep going in any direction.  The OS map was simply the "generic terrain map" for any section of outdoors.


gronanofsimmerya wrote:Gary absolutely used the Outdoor Survival map for wilderness adventures.  Greyhawk was near the center of the left edge, I don't have the map in front of me.


Zenopus Archives website & blog: Exploring the Underworld of Holmes Basic D&D. Holmes Ref: Reference Sheets for Holmes Basic Referees, also compatible with OD&D plus the Greyhawk supplement
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sauromatian
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Post Posted: Sat Nov 18, 2017 12:13 pm 
 

Zenopus wrote in When was the Outdoor Survival listing removed from the LBBs?: both as "generic wilderness" and specifically as the area around Greyhawk


In my OD&D campaign, I explained to the players that their characters live in a fractal world, which is why the same OS terrain could represent different areas. According to Wikipedia, the term "fractal" was coined in 1975. Coincidence?
  
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