In my not so humble opinion...

I think that if FFG had radically overhauled the game instead of just a smaller revision / fix, I would balk less at getting a whole new copy but the short time frame between the BL and the FFG version  and the smaller changes (than say 2nd to 3rd edition or 3rd to 4th) makes me reticent to buy a whole new version and I appreciate at least the upgrade kit albeit incomplete. So there is a price difference of $40 but that's a whole new different game and I would rather buy (again like Talisman, I have multiple versions) the new version of Cosmic Encounter and the upgrade for Talisman than a single copy of Talisman that means my old BL is retired to gather dust. We still pull out 2nd and 3rd edition now and again but with a whole new 4th edition, there would be no reason to ever use any of the BL stuff, I don't see any second hand market need for it

I appreciate the upgrade kit and the board fixes may need a little bit of work but FFG could have easily said screw it, this replaces everything and who cares for the core fans who already bought the BL version. With the onslaught of games they are throwing out in Dec, I'm feeling slightly more generous towards them so may pick up a few more things as well..

The Doctor

I expect to pick up my upgrade pack day after tomorrow, if nobody else has reported on what they got in theirs I'll drop in. I'm not surprised we're not getting a new board with the upgrade pack at the price they're selling it--the board probably costs more to manufacture than the rest of the game.

Some stickers for the updated board spaces would be nice if they were good quality stickers. Ones with a fabric backing, frex. Having the correct wording off to the side isn't nearly as nice, IMO. Players are looking at the board when they play. They read it, and they start getting ideas right away. It really breaks game flow up when you have to stop and go, "No, that space is errata'd. Here's what it's supposed to say." Then you get into the "If I'd known that, I wouldn't have gone there!"

If you play all the time with all your players, then it's easy enough to say "tough noogies, you shoulda known." But if you have people who don't play all the time it gets disruptive.

I'll probably end up putting stickers on my board if there aren't any in the upgrade box just to avoid these problems. If I have to make my own I'll try to make them as good looking as I can, but a pro print job would be nicer.

I have a 5-6 player expansion of a board game by another company that included stickers to use on their board and they turned out fantastic. The stickers were made of heavy plastic and are reusable for when you are not playing the expansion. Sorta like a high quality, sticky Colorform.

I am disappointed that the upgrade does not bring the board up to the current rules, but I still bought the upgrade and pre-ordered the expansion.

I want to see a sticker set made, and maybe mail in your UPC from the upgrade box to get it.

OR

Give us a PDF of the changed areas, so we can make a photo paper printout (much easier for FFG).

Well, I'm sure you could easily make up something given the high quality of the board space pictures they posted in the article...

I tend to really geek out with every game I play...

I couldn't wait, must have game board updated for club gaming night tonight...

The .jpgs from the article just happen to be exact size to print out for the board! I used Paint and with some fiddling you can get all 5 board areas on one page of sticker paper.

Also, the upgrade set does have rules for most of the board changes on the instruction sheet included.

Hopefully by next week the miniatures will all be painted, then just need to wait for the expansion.