20-03-2004 01:22									#1
	Good/bad news for future D&D CRPGs Tired of ads?

I just saw this on the Atari boards, about a week old now. Posted by "Grok" who is a public relations person for Atari :

quote: Thank you for taking my rather obvious bait! I expect to have an official announcement about the first title out in the next week or two. However, this is a console game and very unlike Temple, NWN, BG, etc. That said, it is absolutely fantastic -- so if you own a PS2 or Xbox you'll want ot keep an eye out for this one. We'll also be announcing a new D&D title in May. Solid developer but not a RPG. More details to come then. D&D Online -- this one has been announced and is being handled by the fine folks at Turbine. We'll be showing this game off for the first time in August of this year in Mexico! There are however, two tentative annoucements we're planning for E3 that should be very big and just what you folks are looking for. I'm a big RPG geek myself and I'm excited...so that tells you something. We've also got some new NWN stuff in the works that should be pretty cool. So, lots of D&D goodness in the future. Grok

He goes on :

quote: Some clarification: The non-RPG game is very much a D&D game...it's just not a RPG (role-playing game). If I tell you what it is, then I'll lessen the impact of the announcement when we make it. It will be PC only. As a franchise, D&D titles remain predominantly PC, but we are certainly trying to push more of them to console where it makes sense. We've certainly considered hack-n-slash titles like Diablo, but it's tough to compete with the king -- I still play it occasionally to this day. Not to mention, we're not terribly interested in developing "me too" products. We're working on new things for the already existing NWN and, of course...oh I better shut up. ;-) Grok

The page is here :
http://www.ataricommunity.com/forum...30&pagenumber=2

This looks like one to keep an eye open for, eh?

I'm a big fan of everything D&D related (Oh really Jamski ) so even though its Atari developing this, it could be worth watching out for.

BTW, is that you that posts on there sometimes Grumbold?

-Jam

	20-03-2004 02:00									#2
	Tired of ads?

I so so hope it's a war game in the style of Total War, with a D&D setting.

	20-03-2004 02:08									#3
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I hope its a TBS war game in a D&D setting. We shall soon see. This guy is the PR chap for Atari, so I very much doubt he's BSing us. What's more interesting is the promise of D&D titles to be shown at E3, that he, as a RPG man, is excited about.

-Jam

	20-03-2004 02:23									#4
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quote: This guy is the PR chap for Atari, so I very much doubt he's BSing us.

Why? Atari owns the D&D Franchise now, remember?

	20-03-2004 02:36									#5
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quote: This guy is the PR chap for Atari, so I very much doubt he's BSing us.

Isn't BS the job of a PR guy?

I am interested to see what the anouncement is though. A D&D TBS would be good news.

	20-03-2004 04:06									#6
	Got spare money?

quote: Originally posted by Imran Siddiqui Why? Atari owns the D&D Franchise now, remember?

Hasbro sold it? I wouldn't think Atari would have enough money to buy it from them.

	20-03-2004 04:36									#7
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According to both the Wizard's page and the Hasbro page, Hasbro still owns Wizards which still owns D&D.

Perhaps Atari has bought a licence to make D&D games?

	20-03-2004 04:48									#8
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Atari has exclusive rights to D&D PC (and console?) games, from what I remember.

	20-03-2004 05:09									#9
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Actually they have exlcusive rights to the name D&D and the logo and the setting. Strangely enough WotC/Hasbro licence the actual core rules seperately. I know that Bioware, SSI and Atari have permission to use D&D 3rd edition rules at the present time. Only Atari currently has the right to stick D&D on the box though.

Its a mad world.

-Jam

	20-03-2004 05:20									#10
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quote: Its a mad world.

Yeah... that's freaking strange as all Hell!

	20-03-2004 05:25									#11
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I wonder if that was an agreement WotC made before the Hasbro buyout. They would kinda fit their weird style.

	20-03-2004 07:31									#12
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It least they plan to have predominantly PC games still.

	20-03-2004 08:42									#13
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quote: Originally posted by gjramsey Isn't BS the job of a PR guy?

My thoughts exactly.

quote: Originally posted by gjramsey I am interested to see what the anouncement is though. A D&D TBS would be good news.

Master of Magic style, HoMM style, or Warlords style?

	20-03-2004 17:25									#14
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Any of the above gets from me. I think Warlords style with persistant heros would be good.

Of course, they want to show off WotC's new game-world-setting that's meant to be replacing the Forgotten Realms, so an empire building war game would demonstrate the new countries and factions pretty well.

-Jam

	20-03-2004 19:46									#15
	Got spare money?

If they made an updated smoother version of the Gorgon's Crown in the Forgetten Realms world that would be cool also.

	20-03-2004 19:54									#16
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Not going to happen. WotC have "closed shop" on the Forgotten Realms. No more book or game materials, no new licensces. They say its getting old.

-Jam

	20-03-2004 20:30									#17
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quote: Originally posted by Jamski Not going to happen. WotC have "closed shop" on the Forgotten Realms. No more book or game materials, no new licensces. They say its getting old. -Jam

	20-03-2004 20:36									#18
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Sounds like WotC.

	20-03-2004 20:58									#19
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Hmmm... I'll reserve judgement untill I see the new sourcebooks for whatever it is they decide to call it.

-Jam

	20-03-2004 21:45									#20
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quote: Originally posted by Jamski No more book or game materials, no new licensces. They say its getting old. -Jam

They're right. I was getting old. It seems the new world will be called Eberron. There's some info on WoTC's website:


http://www.wizards.com/default.asp?x=dnd/eberron

	20-03-2004 21:54									#21
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quote: How did you get started? Because of the scope of the Eberron Campaign Setting (and the fact that it will be reincarnated in novels, electronics games, and miniatures, as well as roleplaying games), it was first necessary collaborate with several people. We set up a meeting with myself, Bill Slavicsek (who channeled Keith Baker), Peter Archer, and our three concept artists: Steve Prescott, Dana Knutson, and Mark Tedine.

I think this quote from the Ebberon art director speaks for itself.

-Jam

	20-03-2004 22:00									#22
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Greyhawk was always my campaign setting of choice.

(hints at how long ago I played)

ACK!

	21-03-2004 06:41									#23
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quote: Master of Magic style, HoMM style, or Warlords style?

MoM style would be the best of the choices. Warlords would not be bad either, unless it was like the last version... HoMM II or III would be alright also.

	21-03-2004 07:50									#24
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quote: Originally posted by Jamski Not going to happen. WotC have "closed shop" on the Forgotten Realms. No more book or game materials, no new licensces. They say its getting old. -Jam

Geez good thing I gave up on learning more about the Forgotten Realms.

Of course that means ive basically given up any real interest in the fantasy genre other than LOTR. (i would still consider a good game, but as for looking into the backstory, forget it)

At least with history you books and other back story materials will always be available

	21-03-2004 12:21									#25
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I'm expecting it to be like the Sims

looks like all bad news to me. oh well.

	21-03-2004 15:26									#26
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Maybe it's a racing game set in a fantasy setting.

	21-03-2004 15:28									#27
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I've been reading up on the new D&D world. It looks pretty cool. Its kind of fantasy hi-tech, if that makes sense. I'm not talking guns and spaceships, but the equivalent of late 19th Century tech, powered by magic, not by steam or electricity. For example regular train services, powered by magic. Or a water-elemental in a box for washing the clothes.

Makes a change to the normal well-worn medieval+magic setting. This is more Indiana Jones.

-Jam

	21-03-2004 21:34									#28
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Like, Arcanum?

	21-03-2004 21:57									#29
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Steam punk D&D? Could be interesting....


(Yeah yeah, no steam. But it's the same sort of feel, I think)

	21-03-2004 22:38									#30
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Personally, "technology powered by magic" is an oxymoron. Magic is something people don't understand. Once it's understood, it ceases to be magic.

Just like what Arthur C. Clarke said, "Sufficiently advanced technology is indistinguishable from magic." Something like that.