john-john@mindspring.co
01-30-1999, 05:13 AM
This topic reminds me of something I went through a couple years ago. Now to
start, I mean no offense but I am looking at history here. I dont think a
letter writing campaign in and of itself is going to help much=( I have been
around the TSR message boards and their web sites a long time. I have seen
one campaign setting brought back from the "dead", "no plans for products in
the forseeable future" &/or "temporarily discontinued"
That setting was greyhawk.
After that setting had the plug pulled a lot went on between the consumers
and TSR. By and large the world of greyhawk fans were ignored by the powers
that be on the ol America online message board and many people there ignored
TSR (I aint trying to blame anyone just telling what I am remembering).
There were letter writing campaigns, protests, revolts a call in campaign if
I remember right etc etc.
What finally got GH brought back? (this is speculation on my part). 1) fan
support. There were a lot of posters going merrily on without any official
involvment. The GH message board often had more posts (and quality posts at
that) then the FR message board or Darksun or any other setting at that
time. I think this attracted the attention of several TSR folks who began to
take notice and watched for ideas etc.
2. Also falls under fan support. There were chats through various chat
programs and this brought a lot of fans together (many chat programs work
regardless of whatever ISP or what have you). This allowed more people to
get together share ideas and the setting grew through this.
On top of this there was a semi offical fan club formed and they began doing
a lot of orignial stuff..
3. People stressed the originality of the setting. GH wasn't/isnt a clone of
FR. They showed a need for it in that the setting attracted its own fans,
fans that wouldn't or weren't satisfied with any other setting at that time
(GH is a swords and sorcery type setting as opposed to a high magic type
setting which is FR. This is not to slam any setting or say any settings bad
just that different people have different tastes.).
So, anyway, I think to see BR brought back is going to require more then a
letter writing campaign=( I think we could all learn alot by looking at
other settings that were brought back and what went into bringing em back (I
think GH is the only line thats been discontinued and brought back?). Its
going to take fan support, proof to TSR that the setting will have a fan
base, that there is a need for the setting in that its unique and not just a
clone of another setting and it will help if the attention of some TSR
designers or powers that be could be brought to the setting.
Of course I will still send mail to TSR requesting the setting be brought
back...=)
>Date: Fri, 29 Jan 1999 22:40:38 -0500
>From: Olesens
>Subject: Re: [BIRTHRIGHT] - Those Letters to TSR...
>
>- --------------52AC599C032154151D101803
>Content-Type: text/plain; charset=us-ascii
>Content-Transfer-Encoding: 7bit
>
>So is everyone up for sending some snail mail to TSR telling them how much
we
>like BR and what could make it better? I suggest we put the BR Netlogo
>somewhere on the envelope and on the letter itself. I am currently
iquiring as
>to the address we should send these letters to, I should have an answer by
>Tuesday or Wednesday.
>
>Is eveyone willing to do this? And willing to tell any BR lovers that are
not
>on the list about it? We need more than three letters if we are going to
get
>noticed.
>
>- -Andrew
start, I mean no offense but I am looking at history here. I dont think a
letter writing campaign in and of itself is going to help much=( I have been
around the TSR message boards and their web sites a long time. I have seen
one campaign setting brought back from the "dead", "no plans for products in
the forseeable future" &/or "temporarily discontinued"
That setting was greyhawk.
After that setting had the plug pulled a lot went on between the consumers
and TSR. By and large the world of greyhawk fans were ignored by the powers
that be on the ol America online message board and many people there ignored
TSR (I aint trying to blame anyone just telling what I am remembering).
There were letter writing campaigns, protests, revolts a call in campaign if
I remember right etc etc.
What finally got GH brought back? (this is speculation on my part). 1) fan
support. There were a lot of posters going merrily on without any official
involvment. The GH message board often had more posts (and quality posts at
that) then the FR message board or Darksun or any other setting at that
time. I think this attracted the attention of several TSR folks who began to
take notice and watched for ideas etc.
2. Also falls under fan support. There were chats through various chat
programs and this brought a lot of fans together (many chat programs work
regardless of whatever ISP or what have you). This allowed more people to
get together share ideas and the setting grew through this.
On top of this there was a semi offical fan club formed and they began doing
a lot of orignial stuff..
3. People stressed the originality of the setting. GH wasn't/isnt a clone of
FR. They showed a need for it in that the setting attracted its own fans,
fans that wouldn't or weren't satisfied with any other setting at that time
(GH is a swords and sorcery type setting as opposed to a high magic type
setting which is FR. This is not to slam any setting or say any settings bad
just that different people have different tastes.).
So, anyway, I think to see BR brought back is going to require more then a
letter writing campaign=( I think we could all learn alot by looking at
other settings that were brought back and what went into bringing em back (I
think GH is the only line thats been discontinued and brought back?). Its
going to take fan support, proof to TSR that the setting will have a fan
base, that there is a need for the setting in that its unique and not just a
clone of another setting and it will help if the attention of some TSR
designers or powers that be could be brought to the setting.
Of course I will still send mail to TSR requesting the setting be brought
back...=)
>Date: Fri, 29 Jan 1999 22:40:38 -0500
>From: Olesens
>Subject: Re: [BIRTHRIGHT] - Those Letters to TSR...
>
>- --------------52AC599C032154151D101803
>Content-Type: text/plain; charset=us-ascii
>Content-Transfer-Encoding: 7bit
>
>So is everyone up for sending some snail mail to TSR telling them how much
we
>like BR and what could make it better? I suggest we put the BR Netlogo
>somewhere on the envelope and on the letter itself. I am currently
iquiring as
>to the address we should send these letters to, I should have an answer by
>Tuesday or Wednesday.
>
>Is eveyone willing to do this? And willing to tell any BR lovers that are
not
>on the list about it? We need more than three letters if we are going to
get
>noticed.
>
>- -Andrew