Re: [OT] Fleet book (and intercontinental shipping)

On Fri, 22 May 1998, Jerry Han wrote:

> Ground Zero Games wrote:
> > The consignment of FB copies for US distribution is currently in the
middle
> > of the Big Pond, on a container ship bound for Seattle. 
> 
> Seattle?  No wonder it's taking so long, if they're going the long way

> around... (8-)
> > Seriously though, how/why are they being shipped by ship to Seattle?
 (If
> I can ask without the MIBs visiting me in the middle of the night.
(8-) )

Probably quicker and cheaper.  First off, Geo-hex is in Oregon so even
if
the shipment is off-loaded on the east coast it would have to be loaded
onto a train (or, more likely, a series of trains) which would take a
week
crossing the country.  Probably quicker to take a ship that's going
through Panama and delivered direct (IMHO, as I'm not THAT knowledgable
about the shipping industry).  Not to mention the potential week or so
the
container sits on the dock or railyard while waiting for a
train/customs/etc. 

Of course, it'd make the most sense if the product were shipped to
Portland, OR or California though there you're dealing with finding a
boat
going there for the lowest cost possible.  I'm sure there's people who
get paid to juggle ship/train/truck schedules to determine the best cost
to speed ratios for international commerce.

Personally, I don't mind the wait.  It's all part of gaming with another
country's product (even players of the Evil Empire's games have to wait
close to a month for new product).  For a small gaming company, things
are
actually moving pretty quickly.  When I was actively on ICE's Rolemaster
mailing list, there would be a bunch of complaints from country's
outside
North America who often waited 2-3 months (or longer) for new product.

A temporally displaced		Bill Nitsche (bnitsche@u.washington.edu)
	hobbit			Oceanography, University of Washington