I dunno what manuals you guys got back then, but I was always on the lookout for the comic books they used to distribute back then. I was always Lol! with them... but they actually did a good job of presenting the information in a format that worked with a lot of young enlisted... not to mention a few senior enlisted too!
Mongoose and Me
- Thread starter phavoc
- Start date
Egil Skallagrimsson
Mongoose
Somebody said:
:lol: :lol:
I, (paraphrasing Baldrick), was always very pleased at how easy those paper cards were to outwit in a combat situation.
Egil
Dave Chase
Mongoose
Private S.N.A.F.U. movies to teach you want to do and more about want NOT to do.
I remember reading the Supply updates with a drawing of a Sgt telling (comic book form) what to do and how to fill out forms.
Plus I did help write a P.O.I. for a MOS.
But Mongoose over all is doing an alright job. I do wish for fewer errors in the publications but at least they do correct them and still are publishing more material.
Dave Chase
I remember reading the Supply updates with a drawing of a Sgt telling (comic book form) what to do and how to fill out forms.
Plus I did help write a P.O.I. for a MOS.
But Mongoose over all is doing an alright job. I do wish for fewer errors in the publications but at least they do correct them and still are publishing more material.
Dave Chase
PrinceYyrkoon
Mongoose
Mongoose.
They have a business plan which I don't entirely agree with. They've got by, in part, by reprinting and 'updating', (hell, yeah), old material. They didn't take responsibility for the loss of the Conan licence, (Thief's Companion cover anyone? Or carelessly losing one of their best writers). They craftily avoid expense these days, (i.e., no cover art). They were really cheeky with that 'three versions of the Paranoia rulebook' scam. They bloat every system they publish and call it 'support'.
But, you know, I like their stuff. Some of it has been real quality despite all this. I get the feeling that they're fans first, and fans, I guess will make mistakes. Everyone makes mistakes. But Mongoose have always put them right as far as I'm concerned. My personal experience with them has always been first class. I can name several minor masterpieces, too, of their's without thinking too hard, OGL Steampunk, the three Infernum books, Dara Happa Stirs, Dragonewts, The Moon Sow campaign, the Conan rpg, Hawkmoon. The list goes on.
If, like me, you're not interested in the New Aginess of White Wolf, or rpg.net's flavour of the month, (Legends of Anglerre, Dresden Files, et al), Mongoose offers some great alternatives. You just have to take each publication on it's own merits. Like anything else, really.
They have a business plan which I don't entirely agree with. They've got by, in part, by reprinting and 'updating', (hell, yeah), old material. They didn't take responsibility for the loss of the Conan licence, (Thief's Companion cover anyone? Or carelessly losing one of their best writers). They craftily avoid expense these days, (i.e., no cover art). They were really cheeky with that 'three versions of the Paranoia rulebook' scam. They bloat every system they publish and call it 'support'.
But, you know, I like their stuff. Some of it has been real quality despite all this. I get the feeling that they're fans first, and fans, I guess will make mistakes. Everyone makes mistakes. But Mongoose have always put them right as far as I'm concerned. My personal experience with them has always been first class. I can name several minor masterpieces, too, of their's without thinking too hard, OGL Steampunk, the three Infernum books, Dara Happa Stirs, Dragonewts, The Moon Sow campaign, the Conan rpg, Hawkmoon. The list goes on.
If, like me, you're not interested in the New Aginess of White Wolf, or rpg.net's flavour of the month, (Legends of Anglerre, Dresden Files, et al), Mongoose offers some great alternatives. You just have to take each publication on it's own merits. Like anything else, really.
PrinceYyrkoon
Mongoose
Treebore said:
Well, maybe 'scam' is a llitle strong, but I was using the term in the 'scheme to maximise profits' sense.
So you have a licence where the core books don't sell too well, and supplements which sell even less. To publish three core books all with similar mechanics is a good way to increase revenue. They were nice books, however, so I'm not slagging off, just noting.
PrinceYyrkoon said:
A few things worth touching upon here...
1. Ignoring material that we are duty-bound to keep in print (such as the Paranoia Redux books next year, it is a very, very small part.
2. Not sure how anyone can 'take responsibility' over the absence of a licence.
3. Not sure we have lost a writer either. They are all still floating about somewhere...
4. Our best selling books have, almost without exception, lacked traditional cover art, starting with the Quintessentials. What you should be asking is why we use any cover art at all...
5. As Gareth picked you up on, there was no scam with the Paranoia rulebooks - or at least, it wasn't a very good scam, as we announced what we were doing and why long before we actually released the books.
That's all from Rumour Control!
msprange said:
That is exactly why I looked at it as something other than a scam. As is par for the course with you guys, you told us what you were doing and why, so I own the books because I decided I wanted to have them, not because any kind of scam was pulled on me. Scams are keeping facts hidden and pulling a fast one on people, Mongoose didn't come anywhere close to doing that.
PrinceYyrkoon
Mongoose
msprange said:
Thanks for your reply Matt. My post consisted of two halves with an addendum, so I think all of it should be considered for what it was. I'll take your points in order.
1. Updates and expansions of old material has been a feature, either a lesser feature or greater one, of the Mongoose catalogue, depending upon the timeframe. This isn't a bad thing. I don't have an issue with something like Infernum or OGL Steampunk featuring the SRD rules, it makes the gamebook complete in my opinion, something which the D20 version of Slaine could have done with actually. However, to say updating of classic material for main Mongoose lines such as Traveller and RQ is a 'very very small part' is perhaps missing the point that the ground work done in the past, forms a solid foundation for further invention. It's an economical use of what's gone before.
2. The licence isn't 'in absence', it has been revoked and issues of quality control were sited as part of the reason, unfortunately. However, I understand that licence owners can sometimes be tricky customers, so you have my sympathies in part. The Thiefs Companion cover must have been a factor though, however small, and the Khitai/Warriors Companion content was seen as a trend which lead to a dip in form in the line as a whole.
3. Your best writer, unfortunately, has moved on, this is bad news. Only Mongoose can say whether this could have been avoided, I can only comment that it is unfortunate.
4. Maybe those best sellers would have sold twice as much if they did have cover art. The perceived wisdom of the majority of publishers in the world can't be wrong, surely. I would hazard that the Quintessentials sold because of their proximity to the core D&D product line.
5. I clarified my use of the word 'scam' because of it's slightly unfortunate connotations. The Paranoia books are nice but it is my opinion, (for what it's worth, take it or leave it), that the new edition was unnecessary, and the Blue and Ultraviolet clearance material could have been released in supplement form, (like Extreme Paranoia for the previous edition). That is merely my opinion.
Having just dipped my toes into RQII when I said I wouldn't, I obviously like Mongoose output. I don't think what's gone before has been your best, and it would be disasterous for you if you thought it was. Improving the product is the only way forward and a difference of opinion amongst customers is surely beneficial to the aim.
Best,
PY
