Why aren’t the rule verified before printing?

[PapaGeek]

The last two major discussions with our local group have both been related to the printed rules that come with the expansions which do not match what is being said on WikiCarPedia!


The printed rules that we just got with “Exp 4: The Tower” were printed with the Step 2. Placing a Meeple saying: “After placing a tile that has a tower foundation, you may perform one of the four following actions:" while WikiCarPedia was saying: “After placing your tile, you now have 4 actions to choose from: [1]” with footnote 1 saying:

Some printed ZMG rulebooks contain a different version of this sentence, including an additional restriction by mistake:

"After placing a tile with a tower foundation, you may perform one of the four following actions:[...]"
The original rules by HiG do not mention that these actions require a tile with a tower foundation.
This error was corrected in the PDF version of the rules.


Our previous problem with printed rules was for the placement of a dragon tile where the English rules said that the Dragon moved in step 1B and the Danish rules said that the Dragon moved in step 1A.  The latest Annotated Rules say: “A player who places a dragon tile may deploy a follower or move the fairy as usual. Then (before scoring) the game is interrupted—the dragon is on the move!” which clearly puts the dragon movement in step 2 after the meeple is placed or the fairy is moved.


So, my simple question is: Why aren’t the manufacturers of the games, in the US and Europe at least, required to have the rules verified before they print them and include them in the expansions that they are selling?

We buy the Expansions, start playing according to the rules that come with the expansion, then sometimes wonder why the rules are that way, so we check Wiki and find out we are playing with the wrong rules!  Some of the players want to continue what we were doing while other want to follow the actual rules!




Linkback: https://www.carcassonnecentral.com/community/index.php?topic=5789.0

[Meepledrone]

I can tell you that HiG proofread their rules thoroughly although, if any mistakes such as the dragon sequence persist, it is due to time contrains before sending them to print.

RGG and ZMG may do the same but I think that some details are lost in the translation process and they complete the gaps with a bit of imagination... to say the least.

This is not a new thing, RGG and ZMG messed up the rules of the fairy for years... That's why you may fins so many clarifications about Exp. 3 covering the discrepancies, especially in C1.

If you compare the German and the English rules for Big Box 6 you will find may odd divergences in unexpected places. Is this a bad translation or a creative take on the rules... We will never know, but I would say the translations were flawed so the final rules are tainted no matter the proofreading process.

I have commented this more than once, but I "love" this part of the English BB6 rules about the pig that reads:

If your pig is removed from the field, return it to your supply.

The same paragraph in the German rules, when translated into English, reads:

If your pig, due to removal of farmers (which is possible with some expansions), is left standing during the game in a field where none of your farmers are left, return it to your supply.

All this becomes very annoying when you come across many instances all over the rulebooks.

[Scott]

The English rules have always had issues. This is why the Complete Annotated Rules (now Wikicarpedia) were initially created. They are an English translation of the official German Rules, with footnotes for rule clarifications. I leave the RGG and ZMG rules in a box and never look at them. Wikicarpedia is the authoritative source.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[Decar]

Also the Wikicarpedia (WICA), is by no means the official canon of Carcassonne. My understanding of the license agreement that publishers have with HiG to distribute in other countries, is that they can essentially do what they like; whatever works for their region to promote the game.  If that means they use words that make sense to them and their understanding of the game then this is bound to happen eventually.  The WICA is probably the closest anyone will ever get though as it includes official clarifications on many many topics.

[kettlefish]

I did many correction readings for HiG the German rule books. Sometimes we got the rules on Friday evening with the explaination that on Monday morning the final document will go in print. That means for us proof readers - not much time for corrections.

Some examples:

CC2 - exp.3: That is the reason, why we didn't see the 1b instead of 2b for the dragon move. In the rules itself you can already read that there is a placement of a meeple or the fairy possible before the dragons move starts.

CC2 - exp.6: The river - the inn with the lake has a yellow roof - but it is an inn with the lake (1st exp.). You can read it in the rule.