Message de Hegemonic Project sur bgg.
Dear fans,
We would like to give you an update on the situation and lay out what the next steps are going to be.
First of all we would like to thank you for your patience.
Following our last post here on this thread, we once again communicated with DPG to help solve the issue. Unfortunately, there was no reply to the last emails we sent them. Instead, from what we read here, they sent emails to the French customers claiming that they « do not have a contract allowing them to manufacture or distribute an update pack for the game ». We would like to note that the contract between the 2 companies remains valid to this day and we have urged them numerous times to distribute the packs currently in their possession since the translation is entirely their responsibility. On top of that, why would they order the Errata Packs if not to actually distribute them to the French customers?
Given the lack of communication from DPG and their unwillingness to take responsibility for what has occurred, we will proceed completely on our own from now on regarding the Errata Packs, trying to find the best solution for you and with full transparency on what will be going on.
Our top priority is for the owners of the French printing of Hegemony to get their hands on updated components as quickly as possible. To that end we are willing to order a new printing of Errata Packs and arrange for them to be shipped to everyone who has contacted us about it. However, this is also hindered, to a degree, by DPG’s lack of actions. In our last communication we specifically asked them whether we could use their files to reprint the Errata Packs. Unfortunately, as we mentioned above, they have not replied, adding another obstacle to this process.
This means that new files need to be made with a new translation. The existing Errata Packs, currently in the possession of DPG, included 27 cards, the 5 Player Aids and the 4 Rule Aids. Unfortunately, commissioning a new translation for all these components would:
a) take a lot of time before we are able to proceed with the production and
b) significantly increase the cost of this endeavor. Note that we are taking on the cost for all this even though we are not responsible for what caused it and we act solely out of interest for all the fans that have the wrong translation, and can’t enjoy the game as it was meant.
After careful deliberation, what we think is the best solution is to proceed with the production of just the cards that need correction. This makes the text that needs to be translated much smaller, and we expect to be able to finalize everything within only a few days. This will also make the physical volume of the Errata Packs much smaller, allowing us to airship them to our office as soon as they are produced (saving ~3 months it would take them to arrive at our warehouse by boat) so we can ship them to you afterwards. As for the player aids, they are available on DPG’s website and can easily be printed at home, if someone wants.
So, what are the exact steps moving forward?
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We need to identify which cards exactly will be included in the new Errata pack. From the responses in this thread, it is clear that there are even more cards that have problems (compared to what DPG posted on their website) so we will be compiling a list of what will be included. We already have an idea but anyone who can help us with this, providing such a list with all the cards that need correction, is more than welcome to do so.
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We need to commission someone to translate those cards into French. We think it would be better if the translation was made by someone who is already familiar with the game and can make sure that the new texts are properly translated. To that end, if any of you has any professional experience in English to French translation and would be willing to help with this project (with compensation of course), please contact us at info [at] hegemonicproject [dot] com.
After the above steps have been completed (expected time 1-2 weeks), we will post the new cards online for all of you to check. If they are approved, we will then proceed with their production. We will make sure to inform you of the time-schedule provided to us by the manufacturer and will be getting back to you with updates along the way. Based on our experience we expect this step to take approximately 2 months but this is just an estimation at this point.
As soon as they are ready, we will have them air-shipped to us and will start the process of sending them to you.
So, this is the plan for the upcoming period. Once again, we want to thank you for your patience and understanding. We have tried to be fully transparent on everything that has occurred and while we still believe that all this has happened due to no fault of our own, we are willing to help remedy the situation and ensure trust in our products, regardless of the partner through which you obtain them.
Finally, we would like to let DPG know that even at this point, they can still do the right thing and provide the Errata Packs in their possession to the French customers. There is absolutely nothing from our side holding them back from doing it and it will solve the issue much quicker than any other solution.
That’s all for now. We will be back soon, following the steps mentioned above.
Hegemonic Project Games
Ca c’est classe.