>From: Joseph Cochran <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>
>
> >1. Is it reasonable to assume that new games based on bestselling
> >books or popular movies will be more marketable if they are based
> >on the "leading" gaming system, rather than on some completely
> >new gaming system?
>
> More marketable? Yes, it's another hook someone can use to
>sell the game. Measurably more sales? I doubt it. In any case of
>a popular mainstream IP, it's the IP that drives sales: the game
>system is secondary.
I agree, but if the IP drives sales, all the resolution system can do is
eliminate potential sales. If you use a "non-standard" system it drives
away people that would buy it that don't want to learn a new system ... It
also seems to make it *much* cheaper for the producer, because they don't
have to pay for months worth of game design and playtesting.
> More trouble for the licensee? You betcha. Licensors don't
>as a rule like the perception that their stuff is open. Now, all
>of us here on this list realize what "open gaming" means, but a
>licensee will have to go through the headache of convincing Big
>Studio's legal division.
Only the FIRST time...
> >For example, look at the buzz that conversion
> >of the "Star Wars" rpg to D20 would bring. Under OGL/D20 this
> >can be done completely without WotC's permission and without
> >paying them a dime.
>
> Just as an FYI: WotC is doing the Star Wars RPG now.
Of this I was aware but not of the details. Does anybody know the details
of whether Lucas paid WotC to do this and gets a percentage, or whether WotC
paid Lucas for the rights???
> >Done properly the IP of the successful story can easily be
> >protected. How about creating a company that specializes in
> >doing just this for successful fantasy authors and movie
> >producers - converting tham into role-playing games based on
> >D20?
>
> Dunno that it'd be worth it. Movie studios like nice
>high guarantees. Still, I'd be interested in watching it
>happen as long as it wasn't my money invested in the company.
>:)
I think we are watching it already with the Star Wars stuff...
> >2. Is it reasonable to assume that older games based on
> >popular books, stories, and movies could get a much wider
> >readership and a new lease on life if they are converted to
> >d20?
>
> IMO, no. While there are always those who will buy
>anything with the IP of their choice on it, by and large
>older games will get the "been there, done that" from gamers,
>who will be glad to use the books they've already got and
>run it under D20 in their own way.
Maybe so, but with the new "Lord of the Rings" movie currently in
production, I'll bet you could get a lot of mileage out of a D20 MERP game
about the time the first film is released... (oh, MERP= middle Earth Role
Playing).
> >3. Other games, such as Shadowrun, Cyberpunk, etc. might very
> >well see some marketing benefit from rewritten to be based on
> >a gaming system (d20) that was recognized as the market leader.
>
> First, you have to make the assumption that D20 will be
>recognized as a market leader.
If "D20 rules system" = "D&D rules system" there really is no question or
do you mean that people won't recognize it as such ??
All I have is my own limited experience on this, but ... I GM'ed Shadowrun
games for years - probably 20 campaigns in all. Love the story, love the
characters, but the action resolution system (while very detailed and
interesting) added a level of complexity and difficulty to the game that
presents a significant barrier to entry for a new player, particularly if
you were playing anything close to the rulebook. My solution to this was to
have two "levels" of game - in my "beginner" games, we would virtually
ignore the rules and modifiers - I would just figure out a number of dice
for the players to roll and a target number, and we would role play the
rest. This presented wonderful roleplaying opportunities. The second was
more of a "masters-level" game and was definitely for "rules geeks" and we
used ALL the Shadowrun rules and modifiers. This was challenging (many
lengthy "discussions" about interpretations) and fun BECAUSE we were rules
geeks - but the roleplaying aspect really tended to fade into the
background.
Now when the rules subtract from the roleplaying experience, you have one
indication that there are some problems with the system. About 2 years ago
it stopped being fun for me. The "system" itself is just too detailed
(therefore too complex). I haven't played since and I am disinterested to
the point where I unloaded my (40) Shadowrun books on e-bay a couple of
months ago.
Although I love the stories and the roleplaying potential I personally might
never play again and I sure won't buy a Shadowrun book again - but if they
rewrote it for d20 I most certainly would give it a shot...
> But even given that (for the moment), I seriously doubt
>that companies are going to be lining up to rewrite their games
>into other systems: usually house systems are popular within a
>company because it's their own IP, and that has more value. D20
>would have to be the messiah of all gaming systems for the sales
>of a translation to be worth it, I think.
This is the rub I guess. If I was one of the designers of the Shadowrun
system I would probably be pretty PO'd if someone suggested I should
re-write my whole game for D20. I think the phrase " ... and the horse you
rode in on ..." sums up the way I would react.
Faust
See the OGF FAQ <unofficial> at:
http://www.earth1066.com/D20FAQ.htm
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