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Alternate 4th Rulebook

Posted: Fri Aug 11, 2017 8:39 pm
by SavageDreamLord
Today I opened:
A $7.95 4th Edition starter box
An $8.95 4th Edition starter box
An Alternate 4th Edition starter box

After comparing the packaging and contents, I found that the Alternate 4th Edition box had an update rulebook.
The Garfield Games logo and trademark was missing from the front, back, and credits.
The advertisement for the Pocket Player's Guide showed the second edition.
Some text was updated and/or kerned differently, such as the address on the inside cover.
The stock is different in color, texture, and probably weight.

Both versions of standard 4th edition starters that I opened today had the old style books. I went through my old rulebooks and found that all of them were also the old version. I am tempted to say that the new version is exclusive to Alternate 4th, but my sample size of a dozen books is too small. Can anyone confirm or deny this?

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Re: Alternate 4th Rulebook

Posted: Mon Aug 14, 2017 8:58 am
by dragsamou
Hi

This is a copy/Paste of the examination of the Alternate Fourth Edition Rule Book Versus a regular one by Tav:
cataclysm80 wrote:Ok, I've been wanting to compare these for months, and finally got around to it.
Here's the results...
Regular 4th on the Left
Alternate 4th on the Right
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cataclysm80 wrote: Next I got out the black light.
With the black light, there is a noticeable color difference in person, though it's difficult to get the camera to pick it up.
In person, the Alt 4th booklet has an orange hue, similar to the way MTG Rivals card backs appear under black light.
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cataclysm80 wrote: Again, Regular 4th on the Left
Alternate 4th on the Right
(The vertical alignment of the bottom line of text here is the same on both booklets. They only look different due to the way one was cut. There is bound to be some cutting variation with booklets, just like off center cards.)
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cataclysm80 wrote:The difference under black light is more noticeable on the back, and also on other light colored surfaces.
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cataclysm80 wrote: Regular 4th on the Top
Alternate 4th on the Bottom
The Alt 4th booklet does not have the Garfield Games logo.
I'm not sure if there are multiple variations of regular 4th booklets. If so, there could also be regular 4th booklets without the Garfield Games logo.
Duelist prices are the same in both booklets.
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cataclysm80 wrote: The black light can be used to identify booklets in the same way that it's used for identifying cards.
(If the other booklets in the background don't appear as bright, it's because they're inside a 9 pocket binder page instead of directly in the light.)
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cataclysm80 wrote: Again, Regular 4th on the Top
Alternate 4th on the Bottom
They have different advertising for the Pocket Players Guide.
Again, IF there are multiple variations of the regular 4th booklet, it's possible that the newer advertisement could be found in it.
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cataclysm80 wrote: Again, Regular 4th on the Left
Alternate 4th on the Right
This is inside the front cover.
The words appear to be the same, but the line breaks are in different places.
Again, the Alternate 4th booklet does not have the Garfield Games logo.

I'm not sure whether a regular 4th booklet without the Garfield Games logo exists.
There could be more than one version of regular 4th booklet, but there is likely only one version of Alt 4th booklet.
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cataclysm80 wrote: Again, Regular 4th on Top
Alternate 4th on Bottom
The bottom line here on the Alternate 4th booklet has added ", U.S.A", and that addition resulted in a different font size for the line.

I'm pretty confident that even if multiple variations of regular 4th edition booklets existed, None of them would say USA like the Alternate 4th booklet does.
This makes identification pretty straightforward. No black light required.
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cataclysm80 wrote: Again, Regular 4th on Top
Alternate 4th on Bottom

Different Printer Liaisons.
I bet those guys know some interesting things that they aren't allowed to talk about. :)

Additionally, on the right side, the Alternate 4th booklet has again removed the text reference to Garfield Games.
The capitalization of Wizards of the Coast is also different in one spot.
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cataclysm80 wrote: The booklets both have the same number of pages, and each numbered page seems to contain identical information in each booklet.
Even the line breaks and image locations are the same from what I could tell.

This Regular 4th edition booklet is one that I opened myself back when 4th edition was still the newest core set available. It's been stored in this same 9 pocket binder page since then.
Unfortunately, I don't recall what retail price was printed on the deck box that this booklet came from.

This Alternate 4th edition booklet was in a starter deck opened by Henry Waldron. He opened a lot of them and sent this one to me with the deck box it came in.

Re: Alternate 4th Rulebook

Posted: Mon Aug 14, 2017 9:20 am
by dragsamou
SavageDreamLord wrote:
Fri Aug 11, 2017 8:39 pm
Today I opened:
A $7.95 4th Edition starter box
An $8.95 4th Edition starter box
An Alternate 4th Edition starter box

I am tempted to say that the new version is exclusive to Alternate 4th, but my sample size of a dozen books is too small. Can anyone confirm or deny this?
Yes, the Alternate Fourth version of the rule book is unique. What I was wondering if that there was a difference between the regular $7.95 and the regular $8.95, but looks like they are the same according to your comment. I can't help as I only own Foreign version (which are all different, but that's another story).

Re: Alternate 4th Rulebook

Posted: Sun Aug 20, 2017 9:36 pm
by Neuron
The standard 4th Edition booklet exists with a dashed line on the cover leaf inside and without. I'd be interested whether this correlates with the different pricings.

Re: Alternate 4th Rulebook

Posted: Mon Aug 21, 2017 12:00 pm
by dragsamou
Neuron wrote:
Sun Aug 20, 2017 9:36 pm
The standard 4th Edition booklet exists with a dashed line on the cover leaf inside and without. I'd be interested whether this correlates with the different pricings.
Hi Ron

Do you have any scans, to check what you talk about ?

Re: Alternate 4th Rulebook

Posted: Tue Aug 22, 2017 8:37 pm
by Neuron
dragsamou wrote:
Mon Aug 21, 2017 12:00 pm
Neuron wrote:
Sun Aug 20, 2017 9:36 pm
The standard 4th Edition booklet exists with a dashed line on the cover leaf inside and without. I'd be interested whether this correlates with the different pricings.
Hi Ron

Do you have any scans, to check what you talk about ?
Of course:

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Re: Alternate 4th Rulebook

Posted: Sun Oct 22, 2017 7:51 pm
by cataclysm80
Thanks for posting my info here Alexis.
I've been away from this forum for a while, and now it's time to see what I've missed. :-D

Re: Alternate 4th Rulebook

Posted: Tue Oct 24, 2017 7:14 pm
by Neuron
Neuron wrote:
Sun Aug 20, 2017 9:36 pm
The standard 4th Edition booklet exists with a dashed line on the cover leaf inside and without. I'd be interested whether this correlates with the different pricings.
Does anyone have opened 4th Edition starters with the original rule book inside to check?

Re: Alternate 4th Rulebook

Posted: Mon Oct 30, 2017 2:12 am
by BillBo
Neuron wrote:
Tue Oct 24, 2017 7:14 pm
Does anyone have opened 4th Edition starters with the original rule book inside to check?
I did. My rules book is w/o the dashed line and is from a $8.95 starter. (I respond since others might be interested as well.)