Conan Plans Unveiled - Deepest Apologies

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What hurts is figuring out your post. :D

Company makes good RPG product = may not do a good Conan.

Pinnacle & SW = great

Mongoose & RQ = great

SW & RQ = not necessarily a good Conan game

So by default:

Company produces bad RPG = just as good a chance as Good RPG product company to produce a good Conan game

Okay. I guess the field is wide open. May the best company win.

Nice insider info on the SK RPG and Vincent and Erick - I wondered what happened. Did you checkout the Solomon Kane Poker Chip Bennies? 8)
 
Hervé said:
Strangely, no one mentioned FFG yet...

If the Conan license abandons the current OGL game, I abandon future purchases as well.

Very bright answer...:roll:

This kind of sentence just shows the huge difference between the Conan fan and the D20 fan. I spit on D20 and bought nonetheless the complete range of the Mongoose Conan books. Maybe the fanboys should do the same before they criticize...

The real Howard fans around will be ready, whatever the next step will be.

I'll be there...

Hi Herve, glad to see you're still incapable of posting without A)slamming d20, B) making a personal attack, or C) doing both.

I realize I'm wasting my breath with you but:

1. I became a Conan fan because of Conan OGL. I bought Conan OGL b/c I wanted an engine for swords-n-sorcery gaming. I was so impressed with the RPG done by Mongoose and their obvious love of the source material that I went out and bought the REH Conan collections and the Dark Horse Conan graphic novels.

2. I would rather build upon my exisiting investment than purchase books that cover the same material but with a different rules system. Or am I supposed to believe that a RQ or SW Conan RPG won't release a Stygia supplement, an Aquilonia supplement, a Pictish Wilderness supplement, etc.? Maybe you're made of money, but I've got a family to support. Gaming is a hobby, and not an inexpensive one.

3. Once again your keen insight and abilities of critical analysis attempt to draw a division where there isn't one. By the insightful reasoning you've listed a person can be a fan of d20 games OR a fan of Conan but not both. Here's a newsflash Jack: nobody gave you the keys to the kingdom and I am a fan of both. I'm also curious if you would lump Vincent Darlage, Ian Sturrock, Matt, and the other Mongoose staffers who like the Conan RPG as Conan fans or d20 fans? Or do they get to like both and still be real Conan fans? Just trying to clear that up since I'm not as bright as you are.

4. I didn't criticize anything about Mongoose or CPI's business plans for the license or the RPG. I've consistently stated that there may be business reasons that would result in the end of the Conan OGL game or a switch to another system. It is not criticism to state that while I can understand a business decision that would not go my way, I have no need for a non-OGL product. That's my business decision.

5. You constantly label me a fanboy, yet in your post you make a personal attack against me, slam D20 games, and say that you'll continue to buy Conan material sight unseen. What if it sucks? There are plenty of people that think non-Howard Conan sucks (or at least some of it does). You're telling me a RPG publisher couldn't make a bad game. Just curious given the frequency you slam Conan OGL. Really, between your post and mine, who sounds more like the fanboy?

"Civilized men are more discourteous than savages because they know they can be impolite without having their skulls split, as a general thing."

You're way too civilized for my tastes, Herve.
 
Really?

I was trying to be polite and state that there are good games and game companies out there but that does not mean they will do Conan well.

Bennies? Really? After two years you are excited about bennies?

Dude.
 
TheTruthHurts said:
Really?

I was trying to be polite and state that there are good games and game companies out there but that does not mean they will do Conan well.

Bennies? Really? After two years you are excited about bennies?

Dude.

Your post was polite - I was just being honest that it is a somewhat jumbled & unique perspective since most people will want the company that produces their favorite rpg system to do Conan. You do bring up a good point but people are going to want their favorite system no matter what.

And I just think the SK bennies are cool - but I agree the game has not had any support.
 
Although I have reservations about the SW system (no more so than with most rpg stystems though to be fair) I did think the SK book was very good. Mainly because there was a whole campaign in it, giving a fair amount of extended play and a pretty comprehensive bestiary and generic npc list.

Given most rulebooks nowadays seem to struggle to include even a token adventure, it was a nice bonus.
 
As someone, who started to collect the conan D20 books recently (but was a gamer for long time)...im kind of shocked. Because whatever this news means, it propably means, there will be no new conan books at all until the licence situation is cleared. Wich is unfortunate for everyone..especialy the customer.

But one thing makes me wonder. What makes someone believe, that making a new line or new system under different publisher would make larger sales ? Sure, the upcomming movie may raise interest in the future..but i think the younger generation is more interested in display and keyboard, than pen and paper.

Thus im afraid, that some short-term economic speculations around the movie boom, like realising some new line, will be prefered over a long-term dedicated line. Wich is maybe good for milking the cow, but it surely isnt good for dedicated customers.

If there is anything im not happy about, is that its hard to come by older books, wich are out of stock and no reprints are going to be made. Sure the maps could have been nicer, the proof-reading better, but as im not native english speaking person, i miss half the typos anyway.

Im not going to argue about wich system is best for conan, i guess the best system is the one, you enjoy playing in. Cant say anything about SW, but a peek on RQ didnt impress me at all..*wears a flame-shield agains fanboys*.

But thats just my oppinition. Seeing this thread, it made me even register here :)
 
Yes, a change of license holder will not benefit existing customers enough to compensate for the detrimental effect of that change on those customers.
 
Theres a lot of points being bounced around in the last page or so. Maybe these need separate threads.

A few things;

Regardless of system talk, I think Pinnacle should be highly praised for their Solomon Kane book. It is beatiful and packed with campaign ideas, illos, etc., etc.. If they did a Conan book in the same way, that would be great. As Shane says, it wouldnt be followed by massive amounts of supplements and scenarios, so it would be very different from Mongooses Conan line. It is nice of him to support Mongoose at this time.

I suppose Jay was acting in the best interests of the Conan licence when he posted, but maybe it didnt show too much support for the idea that Mongoose would maintain the licence. I think this sounds an alarm, indicating that Mongoose Conan's days are numbered, and there wont be too much support over the next year. Even if Mongoose maintain a licence, it certainly WONT be D20 based.

Mongoose deserve praise at this point from everyone who came to the game because they loved the Conan stories, or got into the Conan stories because of the quality of the Mongoose game. No one is 'superior', regardless of how long they have been 'into Conan', or if they have no interest in the stories and just like the game.

I think D20 guys should maybe stop being a bit TOO sensitive about their chosen game system. It reminds me of a cornered animal. Its only a game for Chrissakes. The fact that Mongoose have done a good job with it is great, and the fact that Paizo have successfully repackaged it is pretty great too. It means there are one or two paper rpg companies that remain reasonably healthy. And that is a GOOD THING. I like the idea that the game I played to death when I was younger, is still here, in some form or another. D&D (D20), changed my life. I love it, though I can see its flaws.

Ive invested money in the Conan rpg, but nothing lasts forever. If a RQ version comes out, Ill be happy. If Mongoose maintain the licence and D20 (unlikely), I will be happy. If Pinnacle do a nice book, Ill be happy.

Whatever. Its all just part of the rpg scene. To say you definitely WONT buy this or that is a bit strange. You may very well see a gradual demise in the paper rpg scene pretty soon, and you may not have as much choice as you do now. SUPPORT THE HOBBY.

I think companies deserve support if they do a good job either with their own property or a licenced one. Savage Worlds isnt my flavour of the month, but Ive bought into it. Im not too keen on GURPS, but I have the books. Im not rich, but, to be honest, the hobby isnt a really expensive one. If you love any other hobby; fishing, music, dressing up in leather and going to parties, doing up motorbikes, clothes, etc., you will see that our hobby is pretty cheap by comparison. And probably the one with most longevity.

I love the hobby. I love the books. I love looking through an rpg book for the first time. I treasure my rpg stuff like nothing else. D20, RQ, SW, Ars Magica, Rolemaster, Space Master, Twilight 2000, Midnight D20, Stormbringer, GURPS, BRP, D&D, Pathfinder, etc., I love it all. (Except Warhammer, thats crap). Sadly, I dont get to play everything, but I do ok.

I couldnt care less WHAT system Conan turns into, if the job has been done well, Ill love it all the same. And, I for one, will buy it, so long as the writer loves what he does.
 
Azgulor wrote:
Hi Herve, glad to see you're still incapable of posting without A)slamming d20, B) making a personal attack, or C) doing both.

Hi Azgulor, you probably want to make people think that you never did any of the three things you mention above, that you’re too much a great person for that. But fortunately, the regular users of these boards know better about your slamming of other systems, your own personal attacks, not to speak of your “lynch the traitor” threads... If I don’t have the right attitude, then I’m not alone and again, you are judging me for the same flaws you got.

1. I became a Conan fan because of Conan OGL. I bought Conan OGL b/c I wanted an engine for swords-n-sorcery gaming. I was so impressed with the RPG done by Mongoose and their obvious love of the source material that I went out and bought the REH Conan collections and the Dark Horse Conan graphic novels.

Facts. No problem about this.

2. I would rather build upon my exisiting investment than purchase books that cover the same material but with a different rules system. Or am I supposed to believe that a RQ or SW Conan RPG won't release a Stygia supplement, an Aquilonia supplement, a Pictish Wilderness supplement, etc.? Maybe you're made of money, but I've got a family to support. Gaming is a hobby, and not an inexpensive one.

I also have a family to support, but I think RPGs don’t really belong to the « expansive hobby » category. They’re not giving them away, of course, but our hobby remains far more reasonable than for instance its video game “big brother”. In France a new console game costs about 70 Euros for about 10 hours of play, a MMO subscription costs between 10 and 15 Euros per month and so on… For an average 30 Euros you can use your RPG book for years…

As for releases under a new system, I could understand your position about regional books that would mostly be reprint with only a few statblocks changed, but what if they release a Turan sourcebook or a new campaign under the MRQ (or any non D20) license? Your “D20 or nothing” attitude doesn’t make sense for a Conan fan.

3. Once again your keen insight and abilities of critical analysis attempt to draw a division where there isn't one. By the insightful reasoning you've listed a person can be a fan of d20 games OR a fan of Conan but not both. Here's a newsflash Jack: nobody gave you the keys to the kingdom and I am a fan of both. I'm also curious if you would lump Vincent Darlage, Ian Sturrock, Matt, and the other Mongoose staffers who like the Conan RPG as Conan fans or d20 fans? Or do they get to like both and still be real Conan fans? Just trying to clear that up since I'm not as bright as you are.

I never said you couldn’t be a fan of both, but I was referring to the despotic attitude of some fanboys here, who all were, without a surprise, D20 lovers before they came to Conan. I don’t have any problems with people liking the system, and I’ve been sharing point of views on technical matters with them over the years on a regular basis.

You’re speaking of Vincent, Matt or Ian? Vincent himself admitted the D20 system wasn’t the best fit for Conan and that he would prefer another engine for the game. The people at Mongoose made D20 games when that system was in fashion, for obvious commercial reasons, but gradually dropped that engine over the years, with Slaine going MRQ, Judge Dredd going Traveller, the multi system planned for Conan and so on… Furthermore, none of them ever adopted the fanboy attitude!

The initial clash came from people like you (and a few others before you that share your attitude) that would pretend making the sacred law on these boards, telling people what they can say or not. A law they won’t apply to themselves, of course, because they are generally not the last to slam other systems like DD4 or MRQ or making direct personal attacks. Again you’re reproaching me your own behaviour…

Actually there are only a handful of people here who start a flamewar every time a word is said against their favourite system. This is what I call the fanboy attitude…

4. I didn't criticize anything about Mongoose or CPI's business plans for the license or the RPG.

I never said you did. But you were among the ones blackmailing them with “stay D20 or I quit” attitude.

I've consistently stated that there may be business reasons that would result in the end of the Conan OGL game or a switch to another system.

Did you? Sorry, I must have missed these posts. I especially like the “consistently” in your sentence…

It is not criticism to state that while I can understand a business decision that would not go my way, I have no need for a non-OGL product. That's my business decision.

I agree, but you really didn’t state it that way before, being a bit more… categorical.

5. You constantly label me a fanboy, yet in your post you make a personal attack against me, slam D20 games, and say that you'll continue to buy Conan material sight unseen. What if it sucks?

Again “make a personal attack against me, slam D20 games” is also exactly what you do (change D20 with another hated ruleset of your choice), so why don’t you try another refrain?

As for buying crappy Conan RPG material, I’ve done it by the past and probably will do it again. It is part of what I call “player’s responsibility”. If I want Mongoose to publish more books, I have to buy the ones they print first. That’s my way to support them.

I’ve been working in the industry for more than twenty years, some as a publisher. I know how much printing a RPG book costs and how uncertain you are to get your money back. If I stop buying them and that every sucker around do the same, then the game will simply die.

If I don’t like the books, I can still use the boards to speak my mind. This is why Mongoose created these boards in the first place: to get a feedback from their customers. There are a couple of books I would label as “poor” in the whole range, and I used this forum to say so, as I guess Mongoose are interested in what people are expecting from their products.

There are plenty of people that think non-Howard Conan sucks (or at least some of it does). You're telling me a RPG publisher couldn't make a bad game. Just curious given the frequency you slam Conan OGL.

Did I say that? I don’t think so.
I slam OGL, not Conan OGL. I‘ve always said that Mongoose was doing a great job on Conan. I’ve been criticizing the game system, not the overall quality of the books nor the company.

Really, between your post and mine, who sounds more like the fanboy?
Obviously, it is still you…


"Civilized men are more discourteous than savages because they know they can be impolite without having their skulls split, as a general thing."

You're way too civilized for my tastes, Herve.

You really don’t know me, then: you'll be surprised…
 
PrinceYyrkoon said:
I couldnt care less WHAT system Conan turns into, if the job has been done well, Ill love it all the same. And, I for one, will buy it, so long as the writer loves what he does.

I could somewhat agree with this, but my greatest concern is, that for the sake of milking the cow, some new publisher will get the licence, to create something like that D20 middle-earth stuff, wich appeared after the movies, and was horrible...at least for me. When i saw this thread i imagined a similar book with pictures from the new conan movie with some swallow informations added. Then after a years or so, forgotten and not expanded.

I think it would be great if there were many different types of rulebooks, so everyone is happy..but the background suplements were for all of them. Sure, you can say, that you can use D20 suplements with MRQ..but for the sake of some long-term line, i think one line is best.

I must ask, what will happen if conan will turn MRQ for example ? Will we see Pirate Isles MRQ, Shem MRQ etc ? Im not sure, that there is so many people wich would buy basicaly the same suplement with just some different rules on few pages. Sure the hardcore fans would do...but would they justify the printing costs ?
 
malric said:
I could somewhat agree with this, but my greatest concern is, that for the sake of milking the cow, some new publisher will get the licence, to create something like that D20 middle-earth stuff, wich appeared after the movies, and was horrible...at least for me.

I must ask, what will happen if conan will turn MRQ for example ? Will we see Pirate Isles MRQ, Shem MRQ etc ? Im not sure, that there is so many people wich would buy basicaly the same suplement with just some different rules on few pages. Sure the hardcore fans would do...but would they justify the printing costs ?

Well, if it did turn out like the Decipher LotR rpg, that would be cynical, not made with love.

I shouldnt imagine, if Mongoose DID hold on to the licence and produced a MRQ version of it, that we would see similar books just with different mechanics. That would be commercial suicide. No, I should think there would be a nice new rulebook, like the one they described, followed by supplements that would appeal to the long term D20 players perhaps.

Thing is, weve been told that its going to be up for grabs, indicating, maybe, that Mongoose have had their time with it. I should imagine it will go to someone else.

And, by Jays post, it seems that a Conan rpg wouldnt be allowed to be like Deciphers LotR, he assered that the rpg would have to be of a certain quality. And, if they have problems with some aspects of Mongooses attempts, they are hardly likely to accept a flimsy film tie-in.
 
I would like to believe that licence holders (in general) are more interested in customer satisfaction, than money. But sadly, the life has tought me otherwise.
 
malric said:
I would like to believe that licence holders (in general) are more interested in customer satisfaction, than money. But sadly, the life has tought me otherwise.

True, but making lots of money can never be the prime motivation for a paper rpg company!
 
The other main problem I see is that if it is a year 'til the Mongoose license expires, and it takes at least 9 months for an rpg company to get a book from concept to published (and I think that's conservative), it's getting on for two years before we'll see any new Conan. I can't imagine Mongoose will rush to produce anything in the next year when they know they'll quite likely lose the license.
 
Let’s not forget Conan failed as a rpg twice before Mongoose bought the license (three times if you count the AD&D modules). If a Conan rpg has any chance to shine and be commercially viable, it’s only because Mongoose proved it and none other, by their hard work and the release of 40+ books to sustain the line. If the Conan rpg license has any monetary value now, it’s because of the efforts Mongoose gave, not the other way around. To see it removed from them would be simply unfair. Not from a business point of view perhaps, but purely based on their achievements over the years.

I have an example in mind that is even Conan-related. In France, Marvel comics were at the time mainly being published by two companies, Aredit and Lug. They released several Conan albums, and the success was apparently deemed insufficient because the lines were discontinued. Came another publisher, named Mon Journal, which grabbed the Conan comics license when nobody wanted it. They released a monthly magazine, Super Conan, composed of Savage Sword of Conan tales and Conan the Barbarian adventures. Granted, the paper was of somewhat poor quality, but the strength of Super Conan was the interaction between the readers and the publisher. Many pages of the magazine were devoted to reader’s letters, and they even published fan art. Soon, another title was added, Super Conan Special, which featured the King Conan comics. Suddenly, one day, comes the last issue of Super Conan, not because of bad sales, but because Marvel pulled the plug, without explanation. It turned out that seeing the success of Super Conan, Lug bought back the license, and began publishing its own Conan monthly, which lasted only a fraction of the Mon Journal run. Lug, now named Semic, eventually lost the Marvel license entirely, that went to Panini comics, and they failed too with their own monthly Conan. To this day, every other try at publishing a monthly Conan magazine miserably failed.

So I strongly hope that the ultimate decision won’t be of the “higher-bidder wins” type only, but based on a real long-term project from passionate individuals. What a new company would do that Mongoose did not ? Whatever the decision, what remains is an impressive body of work that will be hard, if not impossible, to match, both in terms of quantity and quality.
 
Azgulor said:
Hervé said:
Strangely, no one mentioned FFG yet...

If the Conan license abandons the current OGL game, I abandon future purchases as well.

Very bright answer...:roll:

This kind of sentence just shows the huge difference between the Conan fan and the D20 fan. I spit on D20 and bought nonetheless the complete range of the Mongoose Conan books. Maybe the fanboys should do the same before they criticize...

The real Howard fans around will be ready, whatever the next step will be.

I'll be there...

Hi Herve, glad to see you're still incapable of posting without A)slamming d20, B) making a personal attack, or C) doing both.

I realize I'm wasting my breath with you but:

1. I became a Conan fan because of Conan OGL. I bought Conan OGL b/c I wanted an engine for swords-n-sorcery gaming. I was so impressed with the RPG done by Mongoose and their obvious love of the source material that I went out and bought the REH Conan collections and the Dark Horse Conan graphic novels.

2. I would rather build upon my exisiting investment than purchase books that cover the same material but with a different rules system. Or am I supposed to believe that a RQ or SW Conan RPG won't release a Stygia supplement, an Aquilonia supplement, a Pictish Wilderness supplement, etc.? Maybe you're made of money, but I've got a family to support. Gaming is a hobby, and not an inexpensive one.

3. Once again your keen insight and abilities of critical analysis attempt to draw a division where there isn't one. By the insightful reasoning you've listed a person can be a fan of d20 games OR a fan of Conan but not both. Here's a newsflash Jack: nobody gave you the keys to the kingdom and I am a fan of both. I'm also curious if you would lump Vincent Darlage, Ian Sturrock, Matt, and the other Mongoose staffers who like the Conan RPG as Conan fans or d20 fans? Or do they get to like both and still be real Conan fans? Just trying to clear that up since I'm not as bright as you are.

4. I didn't criticize anything about Mongoose or CPI's business plans for the license or the RPG. I've consistently stated that there may be business reasons that would result in the end of the Conan OGL game or a switch to another system. It is not criticism to state that while I can understand a business decision that would not go my way, I have no need for a non-OGL product. That's my business decision.

5. You constantly label me a fanboy, yet in your post you make a personal attack against me, slam D20 games, and say that you'll continue to buy Conan material sight unseen. What if it sucks? There are plenty of people that think non-Howard Conan sucks (or at least some of it does). You're telling me a RPG publisher couldn't make a bad game. Just curious given the frequency you slam Conan OGL. Really, between your post and mine, who sounds more like the fanboy?

"Civilized men are more discourteous than savages because they know they can be impolite without having their skulls split, as a general thing."

You're way too civilized for my tastes, Herve.

I have nothing against Hervè and those preferring Runequest, I will keep on playing Conan d20, and they'll do as they please in any case...
I'm just bored of those saying that d20 is the past while Runequest is the shiny perfect future for Conan.
And I hate this especially when they do not use market -related (or money-related) arguments demonstrating the wide appreciation (or lack of it) of a game.

...I know I'm feeding the flame and I'm sorry to say these things again against Hervè...
but Azgulor, that was a GREAT post!
(especially the quote)


You really express my same feelings, as I have expressed in all the past discussions: Love for Conan (although I loved Conan since I was a child, long before D&D), Love for D20, need of money to live, rpg is just a hobby, etc..
And I would add that I have no more time to learn (and make my players learn) new systems.


Vincent himself admitted the D20 system wasn’t the best fit for Conan and that he would prefer another engine for the game.
This is not true.
As far as I remember Vincent said (at least once) that combat in D20 recreates the Conan feeling much more than Runequest.
Please check:
http://www.mongoosepublishing.com/phpBB2/viewtopic.php?t=40892&postdays=0&postorder=asc&highlight=flame+darlage&start=15

Hervé said:
I also have a family to support, but I think RPGs don’t really belong to the « expansive hobby » category. They’re not giving them away, of course, but our hobby remains far more reasonable than for instance its video game “big brother”. In France a new console game costs about 70 Euros for about 10 hours of play, a MMO subscription costs between 10 and 15 Euros per month and so on… For an average 30 Euros you can use your RPG book for years…
Speak for yourself.
30 euros matter for me and my lifestyle.
 
LucaCherstich said:
30 euros matter for me and my lifestyle.

Er, I think the point was, in comparison to other hobbies, this one is pretty cheap, and if you cant afford to buy rpg books, then maybe you shouldnt buy them. No one is forcing you to. Stick to free downloads or something if its a matter of roleplaying or eating. :roll:

Its a fact that, if Mongoose were starting their Conan range now, it would have the MRQ engine. I dont know why people keep arguing about this. Its ridiculous. I see a lot of goading from both sides. Its starting to be f#@king boring.
 
Pascalahad

Great post.

It should remind everyone that, just because you have a kick-ass licence, it doesnt mean its going to be a kick-ass range, or successful, even. It takes HARD WORK to give something legs, things dont just happen.

The Mongoose Conan line is littered with good stuff and high points. Stuff that is great, regardless of system. (I think this is what Herve says too, he bought into the range ragardless of the system. People seem to constantly misunderstand his point and his humour...).

Lets hope whoever has it, does as well with it.

Still, theres lots of other games out there to play, we dont have to wait two years to see the next Conan, we can do something else in the meantime. Its not all doom and gloom. Sheesh, even the D20 guys can amuse themselves with Pathfinder, cant they?
 
I agree, while arguing the pros and cons of various systems is sometimes fun, the inevitable descent into flaming is frankly quite tedious.

Given that in fact no system is probably that snug a fit as it stands for Conan (including Mongoose d20), it might be worth considering what sort of system would be best. Not in terms of how RQ, or SW or d20 would be the best basis, or just facile remarks like 'easy to play' and 'fast flowing'... but what sort of mechanics would allow decent experience systems to allow good length campaigns; good gaming at high, medium and low levels of play; straightforward mechanics that nonetheless allowed plenty of flavour; and a system of character creation that allowed creation of well-rounded and varied pcs but also easy creation of generic npcs (and strong guidelines as to the what sort of ability levels generic npcs should be presumed to have - most games see a discrepancy between what is defined as 'average' in the rules and whta is presented as average or geneic npcs).
 
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