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Author Topic: Frank Mentzer is launching a new project: Empyrea  (Read 41316 times)

Ulairi
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Frank Mentzer is launching a new project: Empyrea
« on: September 12, 2017, 07:27:10 PM »
Frank Mentzer, you all know who he is, is launching a new world for D&D and Fantasy Role Playing systems:
Quote

Greetings!

Let's start from scratch.

My name is Frank. A long time ago I worked for TSR and Gary Gygax, and I wrote some things.

Now it's 35 years later, and most tabletop hobby gamers don't know me. Many have never heard of me. There are a lot of great games out there, and it's hard to pick one. Thank you for your time and interest.

When I was Gary's Creative Aide, we talked about my Campaign. We decided to publish it, but Gary wanted it very distant, with no active connections to his continent. That's what he wanted so that's what I did. Earlier plans didn't materialize, so the time is now, sadly 9 years after my friend left us.

Empyrea is based on three premises: magic instead of Technology, a sentient but indifferent Planet who knows how everything can be in balance, and royals who place quality of life (for all) above unbalancing mass whims (like war and wealth).

These premises have far-reaching consequences, and I have spent decades extrapolating the results and applying them to an entire continental society. (I have over a thousand chatroom game logs, i.e. my laboratory.)

Our story is about Empyrea at its height. It is geographically constrained on all four sides, and Evil wants to spoil the party. But at the moment it's a comfortable Realm, the sort of world in which your current player characters have thrived. They'll find a second home in Empyrea.

We plan to release the core set by next Summer (Kickstarter in October). If it is well-received, we'll offer a whole line of supporting products. We're trying to make Empyrea available for various Fantasy RPG systems, and a science fiction interface for the offplanet setting. These are plans, but only the future will reveal the results.

SPOILERS: Additional sub-plots involve orcs trying to be civilized, dragons deciding not to be adventurer-fodder any longer, an undersea race of giant squid who actually rule the planetary ocean, a Lost World right next door, giants who may have an offplanet heritage, and Immortal beings who might just erase everything and start over.
But that's all in the background, and won't affect you... much.

Why will this take 9 months to produce? Because Loxley is assembling fantastic talents from all fields, but few are doing it full-time. You'll soon see 30 names. These tremendously talented people work with many companies. We just have to deal with the logistics.

Thanks again for your interest. More to come soon.
 
Frank


I invited Mr Mentzer to this forum and if he stops by I wanted a catch all thread for him. I'll be backing his project. One of my highlights has been gaming with him at GaryCon and Nexus Milwaukee.

Christopher Brady

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Frank Mentzer is launching a new project: Empyrea
« Reply #1 on: September 12, 2017, 08:37:18 PM »
I prefer my settings to be less adventure, and more 'travelogues'.  Still, depending on how it's done, this could be interesting.
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Doom

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Frank Mentzer is launching a new project: Empyrea
« Reply #2 on: September 13, 2017, 12:40:27 AM »
Well, I'd like to give him a chance of redemption for Cyborg Commando, so I reckon I'll chip in.
(taken during hurricane winds)

A nice education blog.

Shawn Driscoll

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Frank Mentzer is launching a new project: Empyrea
« Reply #3 on: September 13, 2017, 02:59:21 AM »
He has a huge fanbase. It doesn't matter what he does. If he posted a photo of him cutting his lawn, it would be like watching a god to most.

The Exploited.

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Frank Mentzer is launching a new project: Empyrea
« Reply #4 on: September 13, 2017, 08:12:36 AM »
Sounds pretty interesting...
 
But I've never been keen on the idea of Orcs being civilized. I like the sound of dragons not being fodder!
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Baulderstone

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Frank Mentzer is launching a new project: Empyrea
« Reply #5 on: September 13, 2017, 08:22:00 AM »
Quote from: The Exploited.;991997
Sounds pretty interesting...
 
But I've never been keen on the idea of Orcs being civilized. I like the sound of dragons not being fodder!

"Orcs being civilized" is simply turning the cliche on its head, which can be trite. "Orcs trying to be civilized" could entail interesting conflict, which might or might not be good based on the approach.

fearsomepirate
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Frank Mentzer is launching a new project: Empyrea
« Reply #6 on: September 13, 2017, 08:59:57 AM »
I've read a couple adventures he wrote for his setting. They're not bad. I wouldn't call them amazing, but as a fairly recent fan of D&D (really got going in the 4e era), there is a certain flavor to the modules of the 1980s that might seem pedestrian now if you gamed in that era, but is almost entirely absent from modern Paizo APs and WotC modules.
Every time I think the Forgotten Realms can't be a dumber setting, I get proven to be an unimaginative idiot.

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Frank Mentzer is launching a new project: Empyrea
« Reply #7 on: September 13, 2017, 09:19:59 AM »
Quote from: Baulderstone;991999
"Orcs being civilized" is simply turning the cliche on its head, which can be trite. "Orcs trying to be civilized" could entail interesting conflict, which might or might not be good based on the approach.

That's fair to say, mate... I'll have to see how it's done in the game and give it a chance. And it could be easily tweaked to taste if needed.
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Ulairi
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Frank Mentzer is launching a new project: Empyrea
« Reply #8 on: September 13, 2017, 09:41:01 AM »
Quote from: The Exploited.;992008
That's fair to say, mate... I'll have to see how it's done in the game and give it a chance. And it could be easily tweaked to taste if needed.

Yup. I was planning on running it as them going through the civilization process.

Willie the Duck

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Frank Mentzer is launching a new project: Empyrea
« Reply #9 on: September 13, 2017, 10:01:33 AM »
I'm of two minds about it.
I'll be joining the kickstarter. I did it for Bruce Heard's recent 'they-won't-let-me-do-a-Mystara-book,-so-here's-this' kickstarter. I'd better put my money where my mouth is for Frank. BECMI is "My" edition. Even when I'm not playing it, I'm playing it (currently can't get anyone to play an OSR game, but a feat-less 5e game works, it's just BECMI in my head).

That said, "I like what this guy did back in the 80s," and, "I think this guy has good game design instincts [yes, Cyborg Commando notwithstanding]" are a far stretch from, "I am going to like this guy's pre-made game world, even though I have a history of finding most pre-made worlds to be either bland or trying-to-hard-to-not-be-bland." So who knows. I have the luxury of being in a financial place in my life where I can buy something just to benefit the person making it. But I hope there's some really good material in it to mine.
« Last Edit: September 13, 2017, 11:49:39 AM by Willie the Duck »

Ratman_tf

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Frank Mentzer is launching a new project: Empyrea
« Reply #10 on: September 13, 2017, 11:23:07 AM »
Quote from: fearsomepirate;992006
I've read a couple adventures he wrote for his setting. They're not bad. I wouldn't call them amazing, but as a fairly recent fan of D&D (really got going in the 4e era), there is a certain flavor to the modules of the 1980s that might seem pedestrian now if you gamed in that era, but is almost entirely absent from modern Paizo APs and WotC modules.

Well that's a bit interesting. I'll probably pick it up and give it a looksee.
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Frank Mentzer is launching a new project: Empyrea
« Reply #11 on: September 13, 2017, 12:22:04 PM »
Quote from: Ratman_tf;992027
Well that's a bit interesting. I'll probably pick it up and give it a looksee.

Kask & Mentzer's stuff is published under the name Eldritch Enterprises. It is technically for "generic fantasy RPGs," but the monster stats are simply OD&D/AD&D stats converted to percentiles, and thus are simple to convert back.

http://www.rpgnow.com/browse/pub/4250/Eldritch-Enterprises
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Elfdart

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Frank Mentzer is launching a new project: Empyrea
« Reply #12 on: September 13, 2017, 06:51:18 PM »
Quote from: Shawn Driscoll;991974
He has a huge fanbase. It doesn't matter what he does. If he posted a photo of him cutting his lawn, it would be like watching a god to most.


He hasn't done much of anything interesting since he left TSR. On the other hand, watching him rage quit Dragonsfoot three times because posters won't kiss his ass is pure comedy gold!
Jesus Fucking Christ, is this guy honestly that goddamned stupid? He can't understand the plot of a Star Wars film? We're not talking about "Rashomon" here, for fuck's sake. The plot is as linear as they come. If anything, the film tries too hard to fill in all the gaps. This guy must be a flaming retard.  --Mike Wong on Red Letter Moron's review of The Phantom Menace

Dumarest

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Frank Mentzer is launching a new project: Empyrea
« Reply #13 on: September 13, 2017, 08:19:30 PM »
Quote from: Elfdart;992089
He hasn't done much of anything interesting since he left TSR. On the other hand, watching him rage quit Dragonsfoot three times because posters won't kiss his ass is pure comedy gold!

Is that what happened? I read the screen captures and couldn't tell what the fuss was about aside from "a minor prince" and the "village of Dragonfoot" and unity being more important than truth (or something).

Elfdart

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Frank Mentzer is launching a new project: Empyrea
« Reply #14 on: September 13, 2017, 11:11:18 PM »
Yeah, apparently there's some kind of bad blood going on between Mentzer and EOTB, because the latter (in previous threads) accused the former of pussifying D&D and being a reason TSR went belly up (which is funny since Mentzer left when Gygax did), as well as other kinds of passive-aggressive needling. Instead of laughing off such an idiotic claim or mocking EOTB or just ignoring him, Mentzer demanded the star treatment and when it wasn't given (to DF's credit*), took his ball and went home -now for the third time. If it wasn't so funny, I'd feel sad for Mentzer's Norma Desmond-like fantasy that he's a big shot who should be treated better than the lowly serfs.

*DF has issues of its own, namely that members of the K&K Klan have, with the consent of the proprietor, more or less taken over moderation duties. So, while K&Kers are free to attack other posters, any kind of lively response is twisted into being a "personal attack" and met with bans and threats of same. Similarly, when a K&Ker starts getting owned in a discussion, the bans come out, threads get locked, etc.
Jesus Fucking Christ, is this guy honestly that goddamned stupid? He can't understand the plot of a Star Wars film? We're not talking about "Rashomon" here, for fuck's sake. The plot is as linear as they come. If anything, the film tries too hard to fill in all the gaps. This guy must be a flaming retard.  --Mike Wong on Red Letter Moron's review of The Phantom Menace