Over in a thread on RPG.net Angus_A mentioned that the new licensed game they're going to announce was one that had been seen in at least 4 of the following formats...
movie
television
comic
tabletop rpg
video game
Any guesses? Dune, Star Trek and LotR seemed to be the main guesses on big purple. They're part of Rebellion Group now, so Alien vs. Predator is another possibility.
Quote from: Angus_A on RPG.netI'm sure the license we're announcing in the next couple of weeks will probably generate a bit of flame warring
Many of the 2010 games coming out from publishers won't have been announced as yet. The big GenCon releases will probably be announced around the time of GTS around March/April (giving that distributors require a four month solicitation period) so anything announced so far will either be due for release up to April/May, be overdue projects, or something the publisher has anniounced early for whatever reason.
For us, we're announcing "License X" in the next couple of weeks because we're kicking off playtesting and regardless of NDAs someone will tell a friend who will tell a friend who will post it to RPGNet or some other forum, so we're going to announce it early. Saying that the first product will be due towards the end of the year anyway, so it's not like Doctor Who which we announced a few months after signing and then everyone had to wait two years for the game to be designed, playtested, etc before seeing the light of day. We learnt this time round and, even though we've had this license since the summer of '08, kept our mouths shut about it during the writing, development and initial inhouse playtest phases.
I'd expect to see a lot more announcements about this years batch of new games to start appearing in a couple of months time. Personally I can't wiat... especially for The Dresden Files RPG.
Hmm, after rereading that original post, the part about the Flame Warring would seem to point towards something like Star Trek or LotR as opposed to AVP or Dune.
I know as im part of the playtest...cant say any more though coz of the NDA but since there planning to announce it soon you wont have to wait long :)
Quote from: Broken-Serenity;355077I know as im part of the playtest...cant say any more though coz of the NDA but since there planning to announce it soon you wont have to wait long :)
Good. I'm glad they've actually got something to announce, rather than Mongooses lame ongoing 'holy grail' publicity drive.
Same here, it wouldnt surprise me if the mongoose holy grail was the same thing that cubicle 7 are planning to release, it would explain why they never bothered to actually announce it way back when.
It isn't the same license as Mongoose's 'Holy Grail'.
Quote from: jdurall;355085It isn't the same license as Mongoose's 'Holy Grail'.
How do you know? Do you know what Cubicle 7 is going to do?
In case you have some reason that doesn't allow you to speak, if you say "I know" I'll believe you.
Quote from: jdurall;355085It isn't the same license as Mongoose's 'Holy Grail'.
That would imply that you know both what the Holy Grail was (and that in fact it does/did exist at some point and was not just a bullshit publicity stunt that went wrong), and that you know what this C7 license is.
So, spill the beans.
RPGPundit
Quote from: jdurall;355085It isn't the same license as Mongoose's 'Holy Grail'.
This is correct and there will be no spilling of beans, the announcement is coming soon as mentioned before.
And yes I do know of both of them.
Quote from: RPGPundit;355098That would imply that you know both what the Holy Grail was (and that in fact it does/did exist at some point and was not just a bullshit publicity stunt that went wrong), and that you know what this C7 license is.
Mongoose's 'Holy Grail' was never announced properly... it was just an offhanded reference that got picked up on.
It was also mentioned far, far, far in advance of the formation of Cubicle 7.
I am not sure what "happened" with the Holy Grail and Mongoose, but if it does ever materialize, it will be extremely welcome at my game table.
Quote from: Roger Calver;355107This is correct and there will be no spilling of beans, the announcement is coming soon as mentioned before.
And yes I do know of both of them.
I wasn't planning on spilling any beans.
Just wanted to make sure folks knew that there is a difference between what you guys were are doing and what Mongoose is/was up to.
Quote from: jdurall;355112I wasn't planning on spilling any beans.
Just wanted to make sure folks knew that there is a difference between what you guys were are doing and what Mongoose is/was up to.
Yep, I understand :)
Piffle. Beans must be spilled (spilt?); this I command.
Besides, we all know its either going to be the license for Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles or the Cubicle 7 boys managed to wrest the Star Wars license from WOTC's cold, clammy grip after defeating them in a no-holds barred cage match.
One of the two.
Quote from: One Horse Town;355078Good. I'm glad they've actually got something to announce, rather than Mongooses lame ongoing 'holy grail' publicity drive.
Mongoose does get a lot of criticism... some of it deservedly so.
However, the ongoing fuss about the 'Holy Grail' is clearly something they've never tried to cultivate and have done everything they can to quash. Whenever Matt Sprange replies to posts about it, you can tell he's wishing it had never been mentioned publicly.
If I recall correctly, it was only mentioned in brief, once, and has been brought up every handful of months.
Quote from: jdurall;355120If I recall correctly, it was only mentioned in brief, once, and has been brought up every handful of months.
If you count doing exactly what Angus did in the thread on RPGnet, ie mention it and then enjoy the ensuing guessing games and engage in them - then yes, maybe you are correct. Although i seem to recal differently way back in the germination stage.
C7 have done the right thing. Do the work, then string people along for a little bit - not string people along before the work has started (maybe never to start).
Cubicle 7 has licensed Don't Spill the Beans (http://www.boardgamegeek.com/boardgame/5015/dont-spill-the-beans) for an RPG?
I think there's some Forge game that uses Jenga... so it makes some kind a sense I guess.
Quote from: jdurall;355120Whenever Matt Sprange replies to posts about it, you can tell he's wishing it had never been mentioned publicly.
I think it's the "Holy Grail" part. And the mystery. If they'd announced that they were doing a licensed product and basically what said product was, but were having trouble getting it to market, people wouldn't have blinked. But when it's the "Holy Grail" you can't get to market...
Seanchai
Quote from: One Horse Town;355122C7 have done the right thing. Do the work, then string people along for a little bit - not string people along before the work has started (maybe never to start).
As Angus said before we learned a lot of lessons from Doctor Who.
This time were taking a different approach as you say.
I'm a'scared. I don't like it when RPG companies produce games from licensed IPs. It tends to turn out badly for the company...
Seanchai
Its always a risk be it a license or not, were happy with Doctor Who so all good ;)
Quote from: One Horse Town;355122C7 have done the right thing. Do the work, then string people along for a little bit - not string people along before the work has started (maybe never to start).
This.
I do know what the license is and I will now spill the beans.
It's the Official Poke Pat Robertson In The Eye With A Sharp Stick Roleplaying Game!
Allen
O'fer fucks sake allensh! why did u have to go and ruin the surprise for? :)
Oooooo! Star Trek! And it'll be as pretty as the Dr. Who set too!
Quote from: Danger;355165Oooooo! Star Trek! And it'll be as pretty as the Dr. Who set too!
That would be cool now that the franchise has been somewhat cleansed.
But can we allow foreigners to work on it?
Quote from: Nicephorus;355167But can we allow foreigners to work on it?
We'll offer an exchange. The Brits get to do
Star Trek if the BBC agrees to cast an American as the 12th Doctor. :)
!i!
Quote from: Nicephorus;355167That would be cool now that the franchise has been somewhat cleansed.
But can we allow foreigners to work on it?
Of course! IDIC and all of that.
it's a licenced fantasy game not scifi so not sure star trek works plus the rights would probably be way outta most rpg companies price ranges.
When does Conan come up for grabs?
I thought that Mongoose is losing the license. A Fate-powered version might stir-up some flames on the internet as predicted and Conan has also been a movie, a comic, a video game and a television show (if you count cartoons).
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Conan_the_Adventurer_%28TV_series%29
Quote from: Settembrini;355177http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Conan_the_Adventurer_%28TV_series%29
I missed that one and it looks like I should be glad I did.
Quote from: Broken-Serenity;355173it's a licenced fantasy game not scifi so not sure star trek works plus the rights would probably be way outta most rpg companies price ranges.
So it's fantasy?
Qué será? Che sarà?
Quote from: Tipsy;355175A Fate-powered version might stir-up some flames on the internet as predicted
Why Fate? Did anybody say the system would be Fate? I hope not.
If they wouldnt let mongoose make a runequest version of conan why would they let cubicle 7 make a fate version?
Whatever will be, will be!
Indeed.
The future´s not ours to see!
Well as long as we're taking shots in the dark. Who owns the rights to LotR? Could that be the new shiny?
Quote from: Broken-Serenity;355187If they wouldnt let mongoose make a runequest version of conan why would they let cubicle 7 make a fate version?
So you admit it's Conan, huh?! :pundit: :D
What will be, will be!
I know what the licence is im part of the playtesting...im not gonna say more though your gonna have to wait for the announcement from the cubicle 7 guys in the next couple weeks :)
Quote from: Broken-Serenity;355201I know what the licence is im part of the playtesting...im not gonna say more though your gonna have to wait for the announcement from the cubicle 7 guys in the next couple weeks :)
I was half joking, half hoping you'd break and say what it is :p
We'll have to wait, but I'm glad you said something (fantasy), that'll give us something to make guesses about.
Blah, blah, blah.
Ah, I thought the Fantasy playtest that was up there for a while was for Anglerre.
So the new IP that's going to cause some flamewarring is Fantasy, and has appeared in at least 4 out of the following formats: movie, tv, comic, rpg, video game.
Does anything else fit besides LotR, Conan, Narnia or Harry Potter?
Man, I hope it's not Fate-powered LotR or Conan, that would be really disappointing.
Quote from: CRKrueger;355207Man, I hope it's not Fate-powered LotR or Conan, that would be really disappointing.
Indeed.
Quote from: CRKrueger;355207So the new IP that's going to cause some flamewarring is Fantasy, and has appeared in at least 4 out of the following formats: movie, tv, comic, rpg, video game.
Does anything else fit besides LotR, Conan, Narnia or Harry Potter?
Willow has been a film, a novel (actually, a series), an RPG, a comic book, a videogame, and was (in 2005) being developed for a television series.
Just pointing that out.
Xena has been a TV series, comic, RPG, and video game.
The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy has been a TV series, video game, comic, and movie.
And should be a RPG.
!i!
I'd wonder if it is Weird Wars related...
Quote from: jdurall;355210Willow has been a film, a novel (actually, a series), an RPG, a comic book, a videogame, and was (in 2005) being developed for a television series.
Willow! (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uK9GPTY3dM8)
Quote from: CRKrueger;355207Ah, I thought the Fantasy playtest that was up there for a while was for Anglerre.
So the new IP that's going to cause some flamewarring is Fantasy, and has appeared in at least 4 out of the following formats: movie, tv, comic, rpg, video game.
offhand some possibles:
Avatar: The Last Airbender
Discworld
Elfquest
He-Man and the Masters of the Universe (sadly Thundarr doesn't count unless I'm missing some products)
The Legend of Zelda (and maybe several other video games series)
The Odyssey (other myths and legends such as the Argonauts, King Arthur, Robin Hood, Sinbad, etc. would count here too)
Record of Lodoss War (and any number of Japanese or Korean franchises, typically these spawn adaptations in 5+ media)
Wakfu and W.I.T.C.H get honorary mentions from me. The first is rather obscure with no released English dub yet and both don't have 4 adaptations.
I'd like Avatar, though I've been able to run this off the cuff using Heroquest. A lot of the others are rather old, have been done before or are public domain.
Quote from: Seanchai;355134I'm a'scared. I don't like it when RPG companies produce games from licensed IPs. It tends to turn out badly for the company...
Seanchai
This is true...even when the game is GREAT it tends to have nasty consequences.
Howard the Duck (granted, outside of the movie and comic books I don't think Howard et al has seen any other exposure to the wide, wide world but I could be wrong here).
The last time a publisher gave us this "you'll neeever guess it!" bullshit, the announcement was for Dragon Age. Whoop-de-fucking-doo.
The DA previews look cool, mind you, but it wasn't something that made gamers spring up and say 'OMFG! I've been waiting for this moment my whole life!"
Quote from: Tommy Brownell;355258This is true...even when the game is GREAT it tends to have nasty consequences.
Off the top of my head:
- d6 Star Wars sold for more than a decade, and as a d20-based game it's sold for almost as long
- Buffy is often regarded as one of the perfect licensed games
- Call of Cthulhu began as a licensed game and only Cthulhu knows how many Cthulhu-based games there are now
- MERP was a successful game for more than a decade.
- Decipher's The Lord of the Rings and Star Trek games sold well... Decipher's problem was embezzlement
- Amber was a licensed game
- Robotech and Teenage Ninja Mutant Turtles did all right by Palladium
- Mongoose sold a hell of a lot of Conan, maybe less so of Judge Dredd and B5
- Stormbringer and Elric! did well enough to warrant seven (including the d20 and the Mongoose) editions for two companies
- Solomon Kane is a licensed game
- Mouse Guard is a licensed game
Just pointing out that licenses aren't always a bad thing.
Quote from: jdurall;355289Off the top of my head:
- d6 Star Wars sold for more than a decade, and as a d20-based game it's sold for almost as long
Didn't West End Games end up losing the license?
Quote from: jdurall;355289- Buffy is often regarded as one of the perfect licensed games
Yes, but didn't the license holder start screwing around with them at the end?
Quote from: jdurall;355289- MERP was a successful game for more than a decade.
Didn't ICE also have problems with the folks who held the IP?
Quote from: jdurall;355289- Mongoose sold a hell of a lot of Conan, maybe less so of Judge Dredd and B5
Mongoose lost the Conan license though.
Quote from: jdurall;355289Just pointing out that licenses aren't always a bad thing.
No, but I do think they carry more risk than bringing your own IP to market.
Seanchai
Quote from: Seanchai;355361Didn't West End Games end up losing the license?
After 12 years of success, multiple printings and editions, and 80+ products on the shelves. All things end. A 12-year run with a licensed IP is
phenomenal.
Quote from: Seanchai;355361Yes, but didn't the license holder start screwing around with them at the end?
I don't know, though I've heard rumors. However, I suspect that George V would probably re-up the license in a heartbeat. He brought it up a while ago on the Eden forums.
Quote from: Seanchai;355361Didn't ICE also have problems with the folks who held the IP?
After 15 years, the license holder decided to start enforcing all of the conditions to the license that ICE had broken. ICE had used material outside the scope of the license (such as from the
Silmarillion) and had published a "choose your own adventure" series of books that fell outside what they were allowed. It ended badly with the license being revoked, but after a tremendously successful run with multiple editions and 50+ products. By any stretch of the imagination, a successful line of licensed products.
Quote from: Seanchai;355361Mongoose lost the Conan license though.
After two editions and about 50 products in the last six years. That's a good run by any stretch.
Also, I forgot to mention the phenomenal success MWP has had with
Serenity. Their BSG and
Supernatural games sold well, too.
Quote from: Seanchai;355361No, but I do think they carry more risk than bringing your own IP to market.
Absolutely. Though the statement I was replying to was "tends to have nasty consequences" which is demonstrably false.
WEG also lost Star Wars due to mismanagement of the company, not revenue. If the management hadn't been idiots and blown all their profits investing in Italian shoes, they could still be here today.
And if this license is indeed fantasy, then I already have no interest. I can't think of a single fantasy universe I really give a flying fuck about seeing in an RPG. Fantasy RP isn't about pre-written settings as far as I'm concerned.
Quote from: jdurall;355376Absolutely. Though the statement I was replying to was "tends to have nasty consequences" which is demonstrably false.
But they did. They may not have had nasty consequences
right away, but many had problems with the license holder at some point. Moreover, who knows what wrangling went on behind the scenes. We've heard some of the woes - I can only imagine there were headaches we didn't hear about.
Seanchai
I'm going to make an educated guess:
(http://i28.photobucket.com/albums/c220/rvilliers/Humor/rubikd20.jpg)
Quote from: Seanchai;355611But they did. They may not have had nasty consequences right away, but many had problems with the license holder at some point. Moreover, who knows what wrangling went on behind the scenes. We've heard some of the woes - I can only imagine there were headaches we didn't hear about.
Seanchai
What I find most interesting is that one of the biggest licensing misfires I have personally seen, White Wolf and the Street Fighter RPG - which wasn't the commercial or critical success of many of the above - had no apparent long term effect on the publishing company. Capcom dicked them on the license, White Wolf shrugged it off and endured...entirely, I'm sure, on the strength of their own IP.
We don't really need another Fantasy RPG.
In fact, the genre needs a 10 year ban on any new game coming out.
There are almost more Fantasy RPGs than there are WW2 hex n chit boardgames. Its been so done to fucking death I cannot believe it.
So with hope this "Fantasy" RPG isn't on the usual D&D/Tolkien Fantasy level.
Because if it is, it'll probably bomb like the rest of them.
Quote from: JongWK;355630I'm going to make an educated guess:
(http://i28.photobucket.com/albums/c220/rvilliers/Humor/rubikd20.jpg)
If we were yet in the middle of the d20 boom, I would believe you, without hesitation.
Quote from: Captain Rufus;355674We don't really need another Fantasy RPG.
We don't need any RPG, we play them because we like them.
QuoteIn fact, the genre needs a 10 year ban on any new game coming out.
We should ban your favorite game instead.
QuoteThere are almost more Fantasy RPGs than there are WW2 hex n chit boardgames. Its been so done to fucking death I cannot believe it.
For a good reason. That's what people want.
QuoteSo with hope this "Fantasy" RPG isn't on the usual D&D/Tolkien Fantasy level.
Because if it is, it'll probably bomb like the rest of them.
Compared to D&D, all RPGs bomb. And I could cite a few such games that were pretty successful (if you don't compare them to D&D, that is), like Hackmaster and Rolemaster.
Quote from: Captain Rufus;355674We don't really need another Fantasy RPG.
...
There are almost more Fantasy RPGs than there are WW2 hex n chit boardgames. Its been so done to fucking death I cannot believe it.
I'm inclined to agree. Reading the various "homebrew" threads that crop up, I get the impression that the returns are diminishing rapidly and people are sick of trying to choose from a range of near-identical settings.
I don't really enjoy this chain yanking. Either announce it or don't. That holy grial malarkey was a huge farce. No good comes from silly stuff like this as you only set yourself up for failure. Nothing ever lives up to the expectations.
They're waiting for the final nod from the company that owns the licence atm so cant make an official announcement just yet.
Quote from: Hairfoot;355714Reading the various "homebrew" threads that crop up, I get the impression that the returns are diminishing rapidly and people are sick of trying to choose from a range of near-identical settings.
People have been making homebrew fantasy RPGs since the rules for
Chainmail were published.
It's only with the internet that people get to share them widely.
Quote from: Ghost Whistler;355792I don't really enjoy this chain yanking. Either announce it or don't. That holy grial malarkey was a huge farce. No good comes from silly stuff like this as you only set yourself up for failure. Nothing ever lives up to the expectations.
Reminds me of Eden Studios teasing a new license, but they REALLY backfired when they did the "We've got Sin City" April Fool's Joke...then a couple of weeks later announced City of Heroes was the actual license. A good number of people, myself included, were more than a little disappointed.
Quote from: Broken-Serenity;355816They're waiting for the final nod from the company that owns the licence atm so cant make an official announcement just yet.
So they don't even have the license? This is why allowing rumour to go around is not smart.
They have the licence they just need final permission to tell the world what it is, they dont want to annoucne it before its been playtested abit more is my guess since last time it took ages from announcing the dr who licence to actually getting it out there and this game is planned for release alot faster(they've had the rights to the licence for awhile now they said on the c7 forums and other places).
Quote from: Ghost Whistler;356085So they don't even have the license? This is why allowing rumour to go around is not smart.
We've had the license for quite some time now (summer 2008) but we're waiting for approval on the press release (legal department making sure all the copyrights and registered trademarks are ticked off and in the right places, etc).
Being a holiday in the States today means we won't hear anything back until tomorrow at the earliest.
As soon as we get the all-clear to announce we certainly will be :)
Best wishes,
Angus Abranson
Cubicle 7 Entertainment Ltd
//www.cubicle7.co.uk
Publishers of SLA Industries, Victoriana, Starblazer Adventures, QIN:
The Warring States and the Doctor Who Roleplaying Game
oxxxx[====================>
I imagine I'll get excited (maybe, depending on what it is) if/when it's announced. Right now I'm good.
Great to see you here, Angus!
Quote from: One Horse Town;356131Great to see you here, Angus!
Yeah now I have to watch what I say with the boss around ;)
Quote from: Angus_A;356118We've had the license for quite some time now (summer 2008) but we're waiting for approval on the press release (legal department making sure all the copyrights and registered trademarks are ticked off and in the right places, etc).
Being a holiday in the States today means we won't hear anything back until tomorrow at the earliest.
As soon as we get the all-clear to announce we certainly will be :)
Best wishes,
Angus Abranson
Cubicle 7 Entertainment Ltd
//www.cubicle7.co.uk
Publishers of SLA Industries, Victoriana, Starblazer Adventures, QIN:
The Warring States and the Doctor Who Roleplaying Game
oxxxx[====================>
Welcome to theRPGsite!
Feel free to choose us to be the first website to break the announcement!
RPGPundit
Quote from: RPGPundit;356204Feel free to choose us to be the first website to break the announcement!
That'd be the quite the "feather in the cap," so to speak!
Go, go Team Pundit! And "Hooray," for Cubicle 7! Make me give you more money, I dare you!
Quote from: Claudius;355692We don't need any RPG, we play them because we like them.
We should ban your favorite game instead.
For a good reason. That's what people want.
Compared to D&D, all RPGs bomb. And I could cite a few such games that were pretty successful (if you don't compare them to D&D, that is), like Hackmaster and Rolemaster.
Hackmaster and Rolemaster are POPULAR?
Coulda fooled me.
But really. We have enough D&D like Fantasy RPGs out there. Its too crowded of a marketplace that mostly only wants to play D&D because it says D&D on the cover anyhow. (See A. Maw for example.)
The term "Fantasy Heartbreaker" exists for a reason.
(And if you want to put a ban on my favorite RPG, I think the Call of Cthulhu fanbase would have issues with ya holmes!)
The reason I don't want C7 doing one of these, especially with a pricey license is that they seem to be GOOD PEOPLE and TALENTED if the Doctor Who reviews are anything to go by.
I don't want to see them endangered by putting out a product nobody will really buy. Cubicle 7 deserves to stay with us and I wish them well. Doing a genre that's BEYOND crowded and is a niche of a niche within a niche doesn't exactly seem the greatest thing to do. **
When even LotR, Discworld, Stormbringer, Conan, and Wheel of Time's sales were at BEST "Make a small profit",* what Sword & Sorcery Fantasy IP could possibly be worth the risk and the market that generally wants ALL D&D ALL THE TIME outside of us weirdoes on the Internet?
Sure I would probably buy a good Dragon Quest, Final Fantasy, or Ultima tabletop RPG but I can fully admit I am in the minority there, and of those 3 only Final Fantasy would have a global appeal, and probably cost more than any sane RPG company could afford?
* RPG companies don't exactly tout their sales unless its mad money, and most playerbases keep playing the same games anyhow. And by same game I mean in print D&D or the White Wolf LARP crowd.
** Though if they are getting some popular UK license and going the boxed game at more than gameshop route in the UK they look to be taking with Doctor Who they might do ok overall. Might not matter for RPGs worldwide, but if it at least makes a small profit its not HURTING them. And I would be ok with that.
Quote from: Danger;356208That'd be the quite the "feather in the cap," so to speak!
"TheRPGsite: feather capping and lawn crapping since, what, two thousand and something?"
Quote from: Angus_A;356118Being a holiday in the States today means we won't hear anything back until tomorrow at the earliest.
So it's an American held IP....
It narrows things down, but not by much.
DC. BI went tits up and did nothing with it...
Pfft. Street Sharks the RPG.
It'll be JAWSOME!!!
The license announcement is coming tomorrow.
Shall I start holding my breath, then?
!i!
Quote from: Captain Rufus;356213Hackmaster and Rolemaster are POPULAR?
Coulda fooled me.
Notice I wrote were, not are. Rolemaster was pretty popular, but its time is gone.
QuoteBut really. We have enough D&D like Fantasy RPGs out there. Its too crowded of a marketplace that mostly only wants to play D&D because it says D&D on the cover anyhow. (See A. Maw for example.)
Yes, the market is too crowded. Not just the fantasy market, but the RPG market in general. That's my point.
Regarding Abyssal Maw, I guess the reason why he plays D&D is because he likes it, don't you think?
QuoteThe term "Fantasy Heartbreaker" exists for a reason.
Yes, because Ron Edwards coined it. If he said the sky is blue, I would check it just in case. So whatever.
Quote(And if you want to put a ban on my favorite RPG, I think the Call of Cthulhu fanbase would have issues with ya holmes!)
It was a joke, I wouldn't ban any RPG, even those I don't like. Unlike you, who said that new fantasy RPGs should be banned. Fuck that!! If you don't want any new fantasy RPG, don't buy it, but let us people who want them to buy them if we wish so.
QuoteThe reason I don't want C7 doing one of these, especially with a pricey license is that they seem to be GOOD PEOPLE and TALENTED if the Doctor Who reviews are anything to go by.
I don't want to see them endangered by putting out a product nobody will really buy. Cubicle 7 deserves to stay with us and I wish them well. Doing a genre that's BEYOND crowded and is a niche of a niche within a niche doesn't exactly seem the greatest thing to do. **
Putting a new RPG in the market is ALWAYS A RISK, whether it's fantasy or not. You seem to assume that a fantasy RPG, due to the abundance of fantasy RPGs, has less chances of success than a non fantasy RPG. Well, your assumption is wrong. In fact, fantasy is the favorite genre of gamers, or why do you think there are so many fantasy RPGs?
I'll repeat it again: Putting a new RPG in the market is ALWAYS A RISK, whether it's fantasy or not.
QuoteWhen even LotR, Discworld, Stormbringer, Conan, and Wheel of Time's sales were at BEST "Make a small profit",* what Sword & Sorcery Fantasy IP could possibly be worth the risk and the market that generally wants ALL D&D ALL THE TIME outside of us weirdoes on the Internet?
What? LotR, Stormbringer and Conan sold very well, very well in RPG terms, of course. Compared to D&D and maybe Vampire in its heyday, every single RPG was a failure.
And you can be sure that those people who only want D&D all the time, won't buy nor play any other RPG, whether it's fantasy or not. They don't care for Doctor Who, they already have D&D. Publishing Doctor Who was as risky as publishing the fantasy RPG they're going to announce today.
Quote from: Claudius;356476Regarding Abyssal Maw, I guess the reason why he plays D&D is because he likes it, don't you think?
He sure does seem to be awfully concerned at times with pointing out how he's a "mainstream" RPG player and people who don't play D&D aren't.
Quote from: jdurall;356424The license announcement is coming tomorrow.
My money is on some sort of UK scifi license. Perhaps Gerry Anderson in nature.
Quote from: Tommy Brownell;356480He sure does seem to be awfully concerned at times with pointing out how he's a "mainstream" RPG player and people who don't play D&D aren't.
Or rather, those who don't play 4th edition D&D aren't.
Quote from: Tommy Brownell;356480He sure does seem to be awfully concerned at times with pointing out how he's a "mainstream" RPG player and people who don't play D&D aren't.
Well, in terms of market share, he's technically correct. Every game that isn't D&D is a relative drop in the bucket.
Quote from: jdurall;356424The license announcement is coming tomorrow.
So, where is it?
RPGPundit
Quote from: RPGPundit;356501So, where is it?
RPGPundit
Considering the time differnece between the US and the UK, i'd expect something after 3pm GMT.
Quote from: Tommy Brownell;356480He sure does seem to be awfully concerned at times with pointing out how he's a "mainstream" RPG player and people who don't play D&D aren't.
If people around here shat regularly on my favorite RPG like they do on his, I'd say worse things than he does.
Quote from: Claudius;356520If people around here shat regularly on my favorite RPG like they do on his, I'd say worse things than he does.
Oh boo fucking hoo. It's only his "favorite" RPG because it's the current edition and the one he thinks sells the most. He's more interested in following the heard than any qualities of the game itself. If somehow word came out tomorrow that Pathfinder, or Vampire, or fucking Vince Baker's Burning Poopchutes, was suddenly the most popular best selling RPG on the market, he'd switch gears in an instant and be telling us all how horrible we are for not playing that, and how horrible 4e is along with every other game but the one he thinks is currently the big market mover.
He doesn't give a shit about games, he's just a mindless fucking fanboy drone with a big mouth and a rather lackadaisical attitude towards truth or integrity.
Quote from: J Arcane;356521He doesn't give a shit about games, he's just a mindless fucking fanboy drone with a big mouth and a rather lackadaisical attitude towards truth or integrity.
There is no thread which cannot be converted into a screed about 4e and those who like it. But remember: 4e fans are the obsessive ones.
Quote from: Thanlis;356522There is no thread which cannot be converted into a screed about 4e and those who like it. But remember: 4e fans are the obsessive ones.
Wah wah wah. I spoke of Abyssal Maw, making an observation that's been a known element since before the damn thing was even released.
And once again some fucking idiot with no backstory on the situation assumes I'm making a general statement so he can play the fucking martyr.
Please, shut the fuck up if you don't have the decency to at least take my posts as referring to what they are, instead of as some great slam against your entire kind.
Quote from: J Arcane;356524Wah wah wah. I spoke of Abyssal Maw, making an observation that's been a known element since before the damn thing was even released.
And once again some fucking idiot with no backstory on the situation assumes I'm making a general statement so he can play the fucking martyr.
Please, shut the fuck up if you don't have the decency to at least take my posts as referring to what they are, instead of as some great slam against your entire kind.
It's not all about you, sweetlips. Try and pay attention to the thread if you're going to whine piteously about backstory.
QuoteBut really. We have enough D&D like Fantasy RPGs out there. Its too crowded of a marketplace that mostly only wants to play D&D because it says D&D on the cover anyhow. (See A. Maw for example.)
Maybe they meant fantasy in a more mainstream sense instead of in an rpg sense.
My money is on The L Word. Or possibly The Tudors or since they're British.
**Cough**: http://www.cubicle-7.com/ (http://www.cubicle-7.com/)
So Lord of the Rings - again!
Quote from: Hodgson;356543**Cough**: http://www.cubicle-7.com/ (http://www.cubicle-7.com/)
Holy crap! I thought it was going to be Conan or Lord of the Rings. This is one of the most important licenses.
I'm eager to see what is going to be their treatment of Lord of the Rings, despite its defects I think Decipher did a great work with Lord of the Rings Coda.
That's a big license. I'm curious how they'll approach it. It can be harder to do something that has been done twice before. It could really pay off though.
Quote from: Thanlis;356522There is no thread which cannot be converted into a screed about 4e and those who like it. But remember: 4e fans are the obsessive ones.
Exactly what I thought. Bitching about D&D4 has become the substitute of bitching about rpg.net. This is pathetic, and kind of sad.
So a LotR RPG designed by the people who designed an FFG boardgame.
Ok, Angus was right, that is definitely going to be flamewar territory. The only way the flames could be bigger was if FFG was doing it. :D
Quote from: Hodgson;356543**Cough**: http://www.cubicle-7.com/ (http://www.cubicle-7.com/)
Cool. I'll be curious to see what they do with it.
Seanchai
Quote from: J Arcane;356521Oh boo fucking hoo. It's only his "favorite" RPG because it's the current edition and the one he thinks sells the most.
Abyssal Maw, you bastard, you lied to me! I thought you played D&D4 because you liked it! :pundit::p
QuoteHe's more interested in following the heard than any qualities of the game itself. If somehow word came out tomorrow that Pathfinder, or Vampire, or fucking Vince Baker's Burning Poopchutes, was suddenly the most popular best selling RPG on the market, he'd switch gears in an instant and be telling us all how horrible we are for not playing that, and how horrible 4e is along with every other game but the one he thinks is currently the big market mover.
He doesn't give a shit about games, he's just a mindless fucking fanboy drone with a big mouth and a rather lackadaisical attitude towards truth or integrity.
Something should be done about it, we should call the RPG police.
I'm looking forward to reading more about this!
I remember buying MERP and initially being really excited... but the rules weren't my thing, and it just never got me very excited about running it compared to D&D.
I'm curious to hear about things like:
* Minis-Yes, Minis-Optional, or Minis-No
* Rules Heavy or Rules Light
* Examples of Campaigns that don't involve playing the Fellowship
It's time to listen to some Summoning (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hUhEsuwp6g8)!
Quote from: Nicephorus;356553That's a big license. I'm curious how they'll approach it. It can be harder to do something that has been done twice before. It could really pay off though.
Yes, the shadow of MERP and Lord of the Rings Coda will always be there, and it will be compared to them.
Something that surprised me, is that the author of the game is an Italian guy, Francesco Nepitello.
Quote from: Darran;356548So Lord of the Rings - again!
No kidding. There are almost as many
Lord of the Rings games now as there are Gloranthan RPGs. ;)
!i!
Another thing I noticed, the name of the game is The One Ring: The Lord of the Rings RPG.
Quote from: Stuart;356560I'm curious to hear about things like:
* Minis-Yes, Minis-Optional, or Minis-No
* Rules Heavy or Rules Light
* Examples of Campaigns that don't involve playing the Fellowship
This. I am excited as well but I would very much love to hear about some of the general design choices.
Quote from: Ian Absentia;356574No kidding. There are almost as many Lord of the Rings games now as there are Gloranthan RPGs. ;)
!i!
Ya, I can't get real excited about this yet. I'll keep playing other games til more info comes out then I'll see if I'm excited.
Quote from: Claudius;356566Something that surprised me, is that the author of the game is an Italian guy, Francesco Nepitello.
From the press release:
"Francesco and Marco are the designers of other immersive board game titles like
Marvel Super Heroes and
Age of Conan, but started their game-designing careers creating
Lex Arcana,
the most successful and popular fantasy role-playing game published in Italy."
Now I'd like to know more about that game...
Quote from: Dirk Remmecke;356593From the press release:
"Francesco and Marco are the designers of other immersive board game titles like Marvel Super Heroes and Age of Conan, but started their game-designing careers creating Lex Arcana, the most successful and popular fantasy role-playing game published in Italy."
Now I'd like to know more about that game...
From the Italian Language Wikipedia, Transalted by Google;
QuoteLex Arcana
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia.
Jump to: navigation, search
Lex Arcana is a role playing game published in 1993 by Dal Negro and designed by Leo Colovini, Dario de Toffoli, Marco Maggi and Francesco Nepitello.
The stories on which is built the adventure is set in the fifth century, in a world where the Roman Empire was never divided, nor apparently gives signs of slowing down. Indeed, political power is being fully renovated, thanks to the magic arts and aging.
Contents [hide]
1 The different history of Rome
2 The Emperor Teodomiro and Lex Arcana
3 gameplay
3.1 virtutes
3.2 Peritiæ
The different history of Rome [edit]
The entire history of Rome is reviewed since its foundation: Romulus, first king-augur, established the Pax Deorum or covenant to which all Roman emperors knew to enjoy the favor of the Gods. He also decided to establish the College of Christmas, a council of wise acquaint magical art of divination. The achievements obtained from Rome as a kingdom, republic and empire as finally constituted, together with ten times the capacity and economic power, political and military, also a long and careful study of the performance and the attainment of knowledge is magical.
Octavian Augustus, emperor and then Pontifex Maximus, the knowledge gathered in the Codex Augusteus, the first real test of magic divination. A century and a half after the Great Adriano, based on responses oracle particularly bad, took a decisive turn to the policy of the empire, ordering a halt expansion and the study of divination, the construction of massive defenses on the boundaries of lands controlled by Rome (including the Hadrian's Wall) and the writing of the Codex Hadrianeus, a further and more extensive compendium on magic imperial conclusion of research on the mosaic of knowledge to which his predecessors had worked for more than a millennium.
The succeeding centuries of relative peace and minimal changes to the design of the borders of Rome, were characterized dall'agiatezza and social gains from a review of the concept of slavery and a furoreggiante economic development, largely aided by their security roads and streets marine empire. The ruling class, the cives Romans, adopted a religious cult and magic official yet modeled on Roman mythology and based on the grace of the gods, but in the multitude of ethnicities and cultures that Empire covers and protects most religions were recognized and accepted, such as Judaism, Christianity, Mithraism, Zoroastrianism and a series of minor cults.
Since the Edict of Milan and Thessaloniki have never taken place, the number of years was that of ancient Rome, namely ab urbe condita (from the founding of the city, ie from 753 BC).
Emperor Teodomiro and the Lex Arcana [edit]
After nearly three centuries of peace, the conditions of internal stability, however, underwent a change, and the omens began to be progressively more sinister. In 1229 a.U.c. (476 AD, the year of the true fall of the Western Roman) Emperor Teodomiro spoke for the first time in the Senate of a dark plan that threatened the existence of the Empire, and which manifested itself in wondrous events or awakening legends of strange creatures along or across borders, at a time when even the good wishes they knew more than any explanation or remedy. Were times when the magic of Rome was not clearly more universal repository of all knowledge, and then reopen the search was urgent. It was thus decided upon a series of measures: the completion of the canal of Corinth, the complete restructuring of the huge port of Teredon (modern Basra on the Persian Gulf) and the promulgation of the Lex Arcana, which sanctioned the return of the cohort Praetorians (evolution and expansion of the elite Praetorian Guard as the Army) to the task of guarding the scholars of magic. In this, it was decided to impose the Cohors Auxiliaria Arcana, a specialized body on missions here and across the border to investigate, detect and possibly destroy all forms of magical activity not permitted or potentially dangerous not only for life neighbor, but also and especially for the independence and soundness of the state. The legionaries of the CAA acting in small groups where each member is trained in a specific area of action (magic, exploration, diplomatic, military or scientific) and is dedicated to a tutelary deity (in this order: Apollo, Diana, Mercury, Mars and Minerva) which extend prayers to convince the favor.
Dynamic game [edit]
The players are divided into five classes.
Augur - specializing in the use of magic arts, is dedicated to providing valuable information about the group playing events in the past, present and future, mainly thanks to the art of divination. It is also responsible for interpreting the will and the favor of the gods through strange apparitions and the sacrifice of animals just driven.
Diplomatic - leading personalities and equivalent "ground" dell'àugure, the diplomat is someone who knows how to move in the teeming old city, looking for information, contacts, weapons. It is his prerogative also the use of words to thank the outstanding personalities who meet on a mission, or justify the actions of the group in front of superiors.
Explorer - wild personality and a skilled hunter, the explorer is camouflaged in the dense vegetation to succeed usually dirty blood of its prey, or smeared medicinal herbs and fleshy fruits swept up in the most hidden in the forest.
Warrior - thug par excellence, the warrior comes from the regions bordering on the borders of the Empire more turbulent, and works to protect the group from the snares, as experienced in the use of all weapons.
Wise - a little 'doctor, a little' engineer, a little 'philosopher. The wise never seems to quench their thirst for knowledge. An expert in geology, medicine and metallurgy, the wise prepare ointments and poisons or traps in the forest to sow panic among the followers.
The virtutes (fixed characteristics) of the characters are determined on the basis of province of birth, which is chosen in agreement with the demiurge, the name of the master for Lex Arcana. Give a number of virtutes (determined randomly with the throwing of dice), the player calculates and distributes the points of peritiæ (specialty training) employees from the life and history of the character, about which there is greater freedom of choice.
Virtutes [edit]
Vigor - physique.
Coördinatie - agility and ability to perform multiple operations simultaneously.
Ingenium - creativity and powers of deduction.
Auctoritas - the ability to convince with the sole vocal expression.
Ratio - reasoning ability, and resistance to magical illusions.
Sensibilitas - visual perception, auditory, tactile.
Peritiæ [edit]
De Bello - handle weapons, use them effectively in combat.
De Corpore - quality of physical training to run, jump, dodge.
De Natura - hunting small animals, hiding in vegetation, recognize plants and fungi, bearings.
De Magia - scrutinize the will of the gods, to know past, present and future through divination.
De Scientia - recognize minerals and substances, build traps, break open, to heal wounds, repair weapons and armor.
De Societate - understanding spoken foreign blend into the crowd, steal, look for contacts.
Unlike most RPGs, the player's score is not a base point from which the passing of a specific transaction, but a ceiling: the use of a peritia assumes that he threw dice for a maximum of its value, and not from it.
For example, if a player is trying to read the sortes (sticks painted or carved bone used to obtain an auspicious or ominous response to a specific application) with a shot of difficulty 6 (to read them correctly will make at least 6 on a roll of dice), using his De Magia at 12, he will pull his nuts for a maximum score of De Magia, then a twelve-sided die with two or three dice dice six from four, to be chosen. Any person, however, as part of Cohors Arcana, you have tools like the shot of Fate (repetition of a shot up) to overcome its natural limit in the performance of certain actions that, in some respects, may not be his own .
Quote from: Thorn Drumheller;356588Ya, I can't get real excited about this yet. I'll keep playing other games til more info comes out then I'll see if I'm excited.
Ironically, this reply is precisely the reaction I had to C7's previous license release,
Doctor Who. I'm very comfortable with previous
Doctor Who RPGs, and I'm even playing it with an adaptation of a different game system, so I was indifferent to the new release. But, let's face it, these new releases are not intended for us established gamers with vast libraries -- they're intended primarily for new gamers, or at least gamers new to these licensed properties. I acknowledge that C7 is not writing games to capture my patronage, and I wish them all the best.
!i!
Quote from: Dirk Remmecke;356593Lex Arcana, the most successful and popular fantasy role-playing game published in Italy."
Now I'd like to know more about that game...
I heard about it, it's an RPG about the Roman Empire but with magic or something. If you know Italian or another romance language, there's an article about Lex Arcana (http://it.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lex_Arcana) in Wikipedia.
EDIT: Scooped!
Well, I enjored the WotR boardgame when I tried it; don't remember what might be broken about it. I'd be most interested in whether this game takes advantage of the newb-attraction of the licence to make something that's truly beginner-friendly.
The other interesting bit: if this won't be BRP, what will be? A while back I thought that Mongoose's difficulties with the Conan license might be because of WotC. Maybe not.
Quote from: Elliot Wilen;356618Well, I enjored the WotR boardgame when I tried it; don't remember what might be broken about it. I'd be most interested in whether this game takes advantage of the newb-attraction of the licence to make something that's truly beginner-friendly.
The other interesting bit: if this won't be BRP, what will be? A while back I thought that Mongoose's difficulties with the Conan license might be because of WotC. Maybe not.
It's a completely new system that has been developed for Middle Earth and Tolkiens works.
The system is currently still in playtest so I can't talk about it at present.
Sorry,
Angus Abranson
Cubicle 7 Entertainment Ltd
//www.cubicle7.co.uk
Publishers of SLA Industries, Victoriana, Starblazer Adventures, QIN:
The Warring States and the Doctor Who Roleplaying Game
oxxxx[====================>
Quote from: Elliot Wilen;356618The other interesting bit: if this won't be BRP, what will be? A while back I thought that Mongoose's difficulties with the Conan license might be because of WotC. Maybe not.
Hee! That would be a twist of fate to warm my heart.
!i!
I thought the war of the ring was a good game (apart from the outlying regions whose units were way too distant to get involved).
The marvel game, not so much.
Quite how these products translate to designing a game based, presumably, on the only license available (ie not the complete middle earth) I don't know. It's not really a product i'd buy, but as a scholar of these things i'm curious as to how it develops.
Quote from: ICFTI;356493Well, in terms of market share, he's technically correct. Every game that isn't D&D is a relative drop in the bucket.
1. "Mainstream" role-player. Practically an oxymoron.
2. Who, aside from him, really gives a flip about whether or not their geekiness is validated by being "mainstream"?
And not, I'm not saying he doesn't have fun. I hope to God that he is, or he's drawing a steady paycheck from it. Otherwise, it sounds desperately like wanting to be part of the "cool kids".
Quote from: Angus_A;356619It's a completely new system that has been developed for Middle Earth and Tolkiens works.
The system is currently still in playtest so I can't talk about it at present.
Sorry, I was typing in a hurry. Ian gets my point, which is that you had a press release a while back in which you stated you had plans to use BRP for a license. "Cubicle 7 have also signed a license for the BASIC ROLEPLAYING system which is being used to developed a brand new game based upon the works of a popular award-winning author which we will announcing later in the year."
In light of news that Mongoose has been prevented from releasing a Runequest Conan, the thought came to mind that perhaps you'd be doing a BRP Conan. But looking at the quote, I think "award-winning" rules that out.
In any case, good luck with both games.
Quote from: Elliot Wilen;356706Sorry, I was typing in a hurry. Ian gets my point, which is that you had a press release a while back in which you stated you had plans to use BRP for a license. "Cubicle 7 have also signed a license for the BASIC ROLEPLAYING system which is being used to developed a brand new game based upon the works of a popular award-winning author which we will announcing later in the year."
In light of news that Mongoose has been prevented from releasing a Runequest Conan, the thought came to mind that perhaps you'd be doing a BRP Conan. But looking at the quote, I think "award-winning" rules that out.
In any case, good luck with both games.
Cheers. The license we're using BRP with should be announced in the next couple of months. The series it's based on is an award-winning series, but isn't neccessarily a particularly well-known series. Certainly the author is better know for writing another genre to the one we've picked up to do.
Best wishes,
Angus
You tease!
RPGPundit
Quote from: RPGPundit;356756You tease!
RPGPundit
Hahahahahahahahahaha!
Quote from: Angus_A;356752Cheers. The license we're using BRP with should be announced in the next couple of months. The series it's based on is an award-winning series, but isn't neccessarily a particularly well-known series. Certainly the author is better know for writing another genre to the one we've picked up to do.
Best wishes,
Angus
Can you at least tell us what kind of series, Novel or Comic? That way we can keep the wild speculation more focused. :D
Quote from: CRKrueger;356777Can you at least tell us what kind of series, Novel or Comic? That way we can keep the wild speculation more focused. :D
Maybe it's a TV series... :O
-clash