http://www.fraternityofshadows.com/forum/viewtopic.php?t=1902
regarding whether Ravenloft could return to WotC. I'd love to see your comments on this.
Be carefull: this is pure wishful thinking from my part - I haven't the slightest internal information on anything similar.
I hope WW keeps it.
On a side note, WotC has its hands full dealing with 3 settings as it is (GH as the 'core' which is getting more and more neglected, FR and EB) so adding RL would only worsen the situation. I am fully against the very idea!
Everytime a new edition comes out, people gets ******. Doesnt matter if its White Wolf, Steve Jackson, WOTC, Games Workshop or whatnot.
I have no problem with new editions. I like the new WoD (except from some implementation issues, aka Vampire rules). I don't like the ridiculous way WW tried to convince us that "suddenly" they decided to stop Dark Ages line, while one month earlier they were saying that it will continue.
Well, WW at least gave us the Gazetteers which was something people had been begging for years when the setting was still under the control of TSR/WotC. Just for that I am ready to forgive them a lot.
And now they stopped them. Suddenly. No end of the S story. They just stopped them.
"Daddy, what happened with S after she sacrificed the baby?"
"Sales went down, kid."
- I mean, the company has yet to recover from the *brutal* Scarred Lands disaster. In about three years, they released about 40 products, detailed two entire continents and started a novel line, WITHOUT ANY FINANCIAL SUCCESS compared to what other d20 companies earn with their books; even TLG made a better deal... And so, I don't want them to drop RL too!
So, you might understand why I am quite happy that they are slowing down the line a bit. As I said before on the FoS boards, as much as I liked the newer RL products, their use for gaming (except the core books perhaps) was very limited for me personally.*They were good to read, but honestly, I am just a student and I can't afford to buy about 18 products for full price and then let them rot in my bookshelf.*
Fast releases were the reason behind TSR's bankrupt - Because, except for devoted fans and collectors, most of the material is interesting, but too expensive and utterly useless for roleplaying.
I mean, I am currently running different settings, with one campaign in Darkon. When this campaign is finished (in about 6 months, or so think) I might as well run another one there, or in Barovia, or eventually use the Nightmare Lands Box I own, which still is mainly unused.
What wil be my use for a dozen of Gazs, if I don't have the time to play with them? *We all like the new material, but since there's still much 2e stuff around and games tend to take a long time, I just can't believe we are really IN NEED of more QUICK releases.*
Nuff' said!
And now they stopped them. Suddenly. No end of the S story. They just stopped them.
"Daddy, what happened with S after she sacrificed the baby?"
"Sales went down, kid."
They aren't stopped. They are 'on hold'. The Dark Duo stated Gaz6 would be released in 2006. Not too long to wait considering how long we waited for the first 5. And given it's the Core that matters the most, even if they didn't publish them anymore, we would already have more than enough for years of adventures.
Note that I am not saying I don't want to see other Gazetteers. On the contrary! I can't wait to see the one about Souragne or Nidala. But I can live with what I have so far.
Besides, I doubt this happened because of what S did to the baby. Rather, the Dark Duo explained repeatedly that it was because WW had a different opinion about how to develop the S plotline in regard to what the Kargatanes had imagined. That's all.
The Dark Duo stated Gaz6 would be released in 2006.
Rather, the Dark Duo explained repeatedly that it was because WW had a different opinion about how to develop the S plotline in regard to what the Kargatanes had imagined. That's all.
I believe your recollection of both of these points is somewhat skewed.
Do correct me then John.
On the first, I don't believe the developers have made any certain claims that the Gazetteers will return.
On the latter, the developers didn't have "a different opinion about how to develop the S plotline." Due to the oversights of their predecessor, they didn't even know the plotline (or anything else not yet explicitly spelled out in the series to date) until GenCon 2003 (very shortly before the final breakaway), when I, along with Andrew Wyatt and Chris Nichols, spelled it out in broad brushstrokes for them over some Chinese food.
Fast releases were the reason behind TSR's bankrupt - Because, except for devoted fans and collectors, most of the material is interesting, but too expensive and utterly useless for roleplaying.
I mean, I am currently running different settings, with one campaign in Darkon. When this campaign is finished (in about 6 months, or so think) I might as well run another one there, or in Barovia, or eventually use the Nightmare Lands Box I own, which still is mainly unused.
What wil be my use for a dozen of Gazs, if I don't have the time to play with them? *We all like the new material, but since there's still much 2e stuff around and games tend to take a long time, I just can't believe we are really IN NEED of more QUICK releases.*
Well, according to me, 3 softback releases are two little - in fact it means that you'll buy about 2 books per year. I have managed to use in my huge campaign(s) ALL the gazetteers and almost ALL core domains. So, yes, I need more gazetteers. And I buy them as novels, too.
18 releases are too many, but 5 work well with me. Anyway...
On the first, I don't believe the developers have made any certain claims that the Gazetteers will return.
On the latter, the developers didn't have "a different opinion about how to develop the S plotline." Due to the oversights of their predecessor, they didn't even know the plotline (or anything else not yet explicitly spelled out in the series to date) until GenCon 2003 (very shortly before the final breakaway), when I, along with Andrew Wyatt and Chris Nichols, spelled it out in broad brushstrokes for them over some Chinese food.
These and other posts above are interesting. Would you like to move this discussion in fraternity of shadows, to avoid writing twice the same things and to gather all data together? I think this will help.
On the first, I don't believe the developers have made any certain claims that the Gazetteers will return.
I thought they had. Of course, it wasn't a solemn promise but nothing is in this business, so..
On the latter, the developers didn't have "a different opinion about how to develop the S plotline." Due to the oversights of their predecessor, they didn't even know the plotline (or anything else not yet explicitly spelled out in the series to date) until GenCon 2003 (very shortly before the final breakaway), when I, along with Andrew Wyatt and Chris Nichols, spelled it out in broad brushstrokes for them over some Chinese food.
Ah, good to know. That's a different version from what I had heard. Sounds more realistic than the other too, knowing WW
Well, according to me, 3 softback releases are two little - in fact it means that you'll buy about 2 books per year. I have managed to use in my huge campaign(s) ALL the gazetteers and almost ALL core domains. So, yes, I need more gazetteers. And I buy them as novels, too.
18 releases are too many, but 5 work well with me. Anyway...
No prob from my part - I'd really like to see more useful material. Particularly the Gaz concerning the RL oceans would capture my attention... Honestly, I can't really see the *worth* for gaming in the announced products, except maybe MotJD... While I have far enough material for my current home campaign, I think it is a pity... However, if they keep their promise and advance slowly but steadily, I am quite happy as well...
Are you still involved in the RL project, John?
Not for nearly a year and a half now.
Would you like to move this discussion in fraternity of shadows, to avoid writing twice the same things and to gather all data together? I think this will help.
Honestly, I've gone over all of this before, and it really does no good to wade back into it.
On the first, I don't believe the developers have made any certain claims that the Gazetteers will return.
Nearest I can find on a search of these boards:
On 11-18-04: "The Gazetteers are taking a rest for 2005. We wanted to complete the Core realms, and we did that. We want to do the rest of the Gazetteers, covering the Seas and Clusters, in the future."
John's right, it doesn't seem like Gaz's in 2006 were ever guaranteed. While "taking a rest for 2005" can be interpreted that way, it could very well be "taking a rest for 2005... and 2006... and 2007... "
I, along with Andrew Wyatt and Chris Nichols, spelled it out in broad brushstrokes for them over some Chinese food.
Oh, to be a fly on the wall in that conversation.
Oh, to be a fly on the wall in that conversation.
The exact same thing crossed my mind when I read John's post
Not for nearly a year and a half now.
Are you still in the RPG business, then? -I mean, I am not one who kisses your feet just because you are a RL Icon, but I must say that I liked you earlier works a lot and would like to know if there's something more coming in the future. ;)
Indeed, the more we talk about it, there more it seems that the future of RL is rather *dark*...
But, on the other hand... If they're really going to stop/freeze the line, I am just ging to start to collect the older stuff... :fight!: RL will never die!!!
Are you still in the RPG business, then?
For all intents and purposes, no. The Star Munchkin RPG was my last published RPG project. I've donated some work to a charity project and have some little offers I'm thinking about -- I'll talk more about them if they actually happen. Really I'm just barely keeping a toe in the water, which at this point is about as involved with the industry as I want to get.
Thank you for the info! I am looking forward to that new projects! :DI know Steve Millar has supplemented his income through security work (he commented once on how he was working on that and looked out the window to see the mist rising on the surrounding area in a perfect Ravenloft moment), so I'm curious.
As someone who has ambitions of writing in some capacity in the future call it research... How will I be supporting my family between books Mr. Mangrum?
I mean... I think every DM has certain ambition to become writer in some way... and be it only by writing for a web page or a magazine...
But really, if this isn't WAY TOO personal, how do you manage to get along? Was writing for you only a part-time job at the beginning etc. *A TON OF NOOB QUESTIONS ABOUT A LIFE AS A WRITER*
Oh, as a note, if you get the History Channel, watch the Conquest of America series that airs March 28-29. I might momentarily turn up onscreen in the Henry Hudson episode.
Let's just say that you *set sail for new horizons*... :D
In any case, you want to make us understand that you're doing quite fine, even without being a writer anymore, don't you?
That is very cool!Serious for true, John?
We just held the premiere screening tonight, and it turns out I'm actually all over the place in the middle segments. Look for the extra in the blue coat.