http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zfm9aa4YXIs

Seanchai

Quote from: Seanchai;274231http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zfm9aa4YXIs

Seanchai

I don't suppose anyone can give a summary to those of us who are behind corporate firewalls that block youtube...

Quote from: jgants;274232I don't suppose anyone can give a summary to those of us who are behind corporate firewalls that block youtube...

From the introduction:

QuoteI am Eric Gibson, owner and publisher of West End Games.  Thank you for joining me for what hopefully will be the first of many video updates to let you know what is going on and what plans we have for West End Games.

Topics were the introduction of video updates; that he isn't planning on selling and will be bringing out new products.  His priorities:

(1) Septimus refunds.  In early 2008, Septimus was cancelled.  Refunds are finally going out via PayPal.  

(2) Open D6 will be spun off into its own company and site.  The system is being modified to be as customizable as possible.  Stock will be publicly offered, so that fans can buy shares and get votes to control the company.  

He also stated the policy that he won't mention any products that they have coming until they are ready to hit the market.

Quote from: jhkim;274245From the introduction:
 

Topics were the introduction of video updates; that he isn't planning on selling and will be bringing out new products.  His priorities:

(1) Septimus refunds.  In early 2008, Septimus was cancelled.  Refunds are finally going out via PayPal.  

(2) Open D6 will be spun off into its own company and site.  The system is being modified to be as customizable as possible.  Stock will be publicly offered, so that fans can buy shares and get votes to control the company.  

He also stated the policy that he won't mention any products that they have coming until they are ready to hit the market.

So the strange tale of WEG continues, I guess.  It'll be interesting to see if Gibson has finally found a way to turn things around, or if he's finally snapped and is this is all some strange delusion.

It's Eric Gibson giving the YouTube version of FDR's fireside chat.  

Here's the highlights:

• Eric is not selling West End Games.  
• Eric has big plans.  
• Eric believes WEG still has fans.
• Almost everyone has been refunded from the Septimus debacle.
• An outside company is doing Open D6.
• WEG will be an Open D6 licensee.
• Some blah-blah about downloading a customized version of Open D6
• Open D6 will be a website with social networking of D6 fans and a wiki
• "Open D6 will be owned by you" - fans can buy stock and voting rights
• Eric scratches his head repeatedly
• Eric says WEG will be putting out new games, but he will not mention the new game until the new game are ready to hit the market.
• Eric hopes he did not embarrass himself too much with his video.

I hope this is able to come together, while not a perfect system D6 is too good to disappear.

Um, what would the point be of having a separate company with stock etc. for an Open System. Just put it all up as a free SRD, it really isn't that hard.

Quote from: Daztur;274313Um, what would the point be of having a separate company with stock etc. for an Open System. Just put it all up as a free SRD, it really isn't that hard.

I wish he would do that. I so want to a) convert Nebuleon and b) convert Roma. However, unfortunately, there was talk at one point of having an "approval" committee to approve settings/companies/ideas. I hope it was just talk.

Quote from: Daztur;274313Um, what would the point be of having a separate company with stock etc. for an Open System. Just put it all up as a free SRD, it really isn't that hard.

I think the intent is that OpenD6 will not be just a trivial dump of prior D6 rules.  He wants there to be active development of it, with people creating extensions, modifications, and different variants of the rules.  

He will presumably create a 1.0 version of the rules, but development after that point may not be under his control.  

By selling stock in the OpenD6 company, he is letting the people who buy in determine the future of that as a core system -- rather than just leaving it as something for him to hand down to everyone else.  So say a dozen fans buy enough stock to have a controlling interest.  Then they can vote in what the open system will be like.  Whether that is a good idea can certainly be debated, but I think that's the intent.

He looks like a complete dork.  His mannerisms and eye-rolling and lip smacking all strike me as someone who isn't socialized enough to be in mixed company, much less run a company of any kind.

RPGPundit

I like the concept of the D6 System being customizable to the individual gamer by downloading components that you like.  It sounds like a real toolkit approach.  However, the talk about a D6 System company, buying votes, and how it would be structured was a glimpse of D6 Open's future failure.

Quote from: Drohem;274389I like the concept of the D6 System being customizable to the individual gamer by downloading components that you like.  It sounds like a real toolkit approach.  However, the talk about a D6 System company, buying votes, and how it would be structured was a glimpse of D6 Open's future failure.

Well, the very fact Eric Gibson is in charge kind of points in that direction.  By his very own admissions in the past, absolutely nothing he's done (at least, on the RPG side) since he's bought the business has done anything but bleed money.

Quote from: jgants;274420Well, the very fact Eric Gibson is in charge kind of points in that direction.  By his very own admissions in the past, absolutely nothing he's done (at least, on the RPG side) since he's bought the business has done anything but bleed money.

I know, I know.  I don't like being negative, especially for something that hasn't even been developed yet.  I like to be positive and see the world from a glass-half-full perspective.  I would really like to see D6 Open succeed; I like the D6 System- it's flexible, universal, and rules-light.  However, in all reality, I can see this D6 Open fan owned-and-operated corporation not succeeding.

Quote from: Drohem;274428However, in all reality, I can see this D6 Open fan owned-and-operated corporation not succeeding.

I've been resisting the urge to go negative as well, but, any situation where you have a handful (or more!) of non-businessmen who can't physically sit down at the same table together and look each other in the eye when discussing business is practically begging for trouble.

!i!