Dea 1

[Krazy Kat]

On Fri, 11 Apr 1997 verruchter@menagerie.net wrote:

> IM> The last games they owned they made better (Ars Magics and Talislanta
> >I believe). They were just making too much $$$ on Magic and having too
> >much fun doing it.
>
> Yes but seriously, WHO was buying these products? I don't know a
> single person that bought them before or after the buyout.

I agree. I previously owned a retail business, and we got a bunch of Ars
Magica stuff in (on some faulty advice, as it turned out), and it sat
like a rock until it was discontinued, and then someone bought it because
they thought it would be collectable (obviously, i wasn't the only fool)
In a city where there are literally thousands of D&D players, I can't
think of more than 20 people that ever played Ars Magica.

I don't know why everyone is foretelling the end of the world because of
this buyout. This gets TSR out of a financial bind, and allows more
creative interaction between the two companies.

IMHO, people are opposed to this corporate merger because they dislike
MTG for some reason or annother.

- -Ken

[Paul Ming]

- ----------
> From: Krazy Kat
> To: birthright@MPGN.COM
> Subject: Re: [BIRTHRIGHT] - Dea 1
> Date: Friday, April 11, 1997 4:50 PM
>
>
>
> On Fri, 11 Apr 1997 verruchter@menagerie.net wrote:
>
> > IM> The last games they owned they made better (Ars Magics and
Talislanta
> > >I believe). They were just making too much $$$ on Magic and having
too
> > >much fun doing it.
> >
> > Yes but seriously, WHO was buying these products? I don't know a
> > single person that bought them before or after the buyout.
>
> I agree. I previously owned a retail business, and we got a bunch of Ars
> Magica stuff in (on some faulty advice, as it turned out), and it sat
> like a rock until it was discontinued, and then someone bought it because

> they thought it would be collectable (obviously, i wasn't the only fool)
> In a city where there are literally thousands of D&D players, I can't
> think of more than 20 people that ever played Ars Magica.

Strange....I work at a hobby store right now. In the last 3 months we
have sold exactly 6 things from TSR (which is about all we really
carry....too bad IMO. I like variety).
I know of at least 8 people who played Ars Magica....and at least 11
people who play Talislanta. Admittadly, the Ars Magica guys have put it on
hold as they are doing 'life stuff'; but the Talislanta troupe still play
it every now and then (they tend to switch games a lot----I am one of
them).

>
> I don't know why everyone is foretelling the end of the world because of
> this buyout. This gets TSR out of a financial bind, and allows more
> creative interaction between the two companies.
> IMHO, people are opposed to this corporate merger because they dislike
> MTG for some reason or annother.
> -Ken

I like WotC (and M:tG). I don't really play M:tG (it was fun, but I never
went nutso over it). I really don't think positive or negative about the
'merger'. It can go one of two ways: good or bad. I play 1st edition
AD&D, so I really don't care what happens to AD&D 2nd; I'm not buying
anything for it now (well, Birthright is the exception; BR is tres chic).
Now, if WotC 'cut all ties' to 2nd ed, went back to 1st ed (basically just
reprinted the PHB, DMG, MM1+2, FF, DDG, and compiled the WSG and DSG into
one book), I would be EXTATIC with joy! If they re-touched 1st (added the
2nd ed initiative system and a few other good things about 2nd), I would
prbably need to be resussitated. And if they actually got EGG, Lenard
Lokafka, Lawrence Schick, Dave Browne, Don Turnbull etc. back on the team;
and used some of the 'old artists' (Ottis, DIS&DAT, Dee, Elmore, Easly,
Parkinson), well, you might as well start planning my funeral---heart
attack and all that.

On a different note, I have been noticing a strange change in my
perception of 2nd ed. Now that TSR doesn't 'really own' AD&D 2nd ed., I
find myself more open to the changes. They don't seem to bug me *quite* as
much (but they still bug me enough...). Hmmmm.