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  1. #1
    Martijn Buijs
    Guest

    Birthright promo poster

    Hi there. I posted earlier on the promo poster TSR is going to make for
    the revised edition of Birthright. The key to this sentence is PROMO. My
    first suggestions, while cool for all of us BR vet's (heraldry, Imperial
    family tree etc), are not the best promo material, I guess.

    What we need is something that if you didn't know Birthright yet, and
    you
    saw it, you would go: 'Wow, what is this campaign? Where can I see/buy
    more
    about it?'. We all discussed how much we wanted Birthright to survive -
    getting new buyers should do the trick. So, it should give prospective
    players a glimpse of the Birthright world that will want them to buy the
    new campaign hardcover.
    Of course, it would also be very nice if this poster had something
    that would be interesting for long-time fans of BR, making them want
    to buy the HC once it is out even though they have the boxed set
    (I will, for one!)

    When BR was first released, the BR conspectus, with the map of Cerilia
    and
    stories about the races and history. Boo boo there was the slogan: 'BR -
    wargame with roleplaying'. TSR has seen its error there, and with the HC
    the emphasis will be put on the legendary, epic side of Cerilia and the
    Birthright world.
    I liked the conspectus a lot, aside from the slogan. It shows BR's
    strengths:
    the detailed history (three small maps of Cerilia: 0 HC, 973 HC, 1524
    HC)
    the different human races and cultures (five pictures and short
    monologue
    by the depicted person). And above all, it looked BEAUTIFUL, like the
    box-
    ed set itself and the first three campaign expansions (Rjurik, Khinasi,
    Brechtur). While the contents of King of the Giantdowns, the Book of
    Priest-
    craft and Tribes of the Heartless Wastes were great as ever if not
    better,
    I so much yearn for the beauty of those books. Compare BoP to BoM, or
    even
    more extreme, Tribes to the expansion for Brechtur... its just darn ugly
    in comparison. Especially the black and white maps in Tribes and the way
    the two booklets were in the soft cover put me down a bit. I understand
    that finance has dictated these changes and the BR team would love to
    see
    it as their first BR supplements were. But I just don't see BR selling
    much
    if the new products, esp the hardcover and the new promo poster, will
    look
    like Tribes (great cover painting, though. These guys look like some
    Black
    Metal band from Norway...). But I digress. Back to the promo poster.

    The promo poster would be best if it showed all of BR's strengths, had
    some-
    thing for long-time players and would also be very catchy and arouse
    people's
    interest in BR. So, what are BR's strong points?

    - A detailed history
    - Different human cultures
    - Low magic -> magic that is there is very powerful and special
    - Different and very interesting nonhuman races
    - Bloodlines
    - Rule a country, mighty church, guild, or magical domain
    - lots of others you out there will think up

    We should really capitalize on these points. I think it would be a good
    idea to use the illustrations of the five human subraces on the B&W
    side,
    as they are already B&W. The short story on the conspectus could also be
    used, dropped in favour of a bit more lengthy discussion of that race,
    or a combination of the two.
    The full-color side should have a broad rim around it with bold blazons
    of the different noble families of Anuire (B&W heraldry really sucks).
    The name of the family and, if possible, their war cry could be on a
    small banner beneath it. Perhaps less shields with heraldry, but next to
    each shield a short description (like the human races in the conspectus)
    would be even better.
    The center part of the full-color side should be the most important
    thing
    on the poster, as this will catch the eye immediately. The different
    races
    of Cerilia are on the B&W side, the bloodlines concept is represented by
    the heraldry, so that leaves us with history and attitude to magic.
    Combined,
    these two mean legend and mystery (just think about it). So what would
    re-
    present that best? I think a detailed look at Anuire would be great.
    This
    map should not have any province borders on it, but it should have all
    sorts
    of interesting things: battlefields, cities, roads perhaps (no trade
    routes
    though), adventure sites, ruins, etc. with notes and scribblings about
    rumours of treasure, legends of mighty kings and noble knights,
    mysteries
    of magic arcane and terrifying and the like. Some of these might be
    true,
    others might not, but they will make an interesting introduction to BR,
    while at the same time they provide us long-time players with adventure
    hooks. And the heraldry will also be quite useful to us.

    For those of you asking for a map with all province borders to use
    in your game for tracking the realms of your players: If you did not
    know of BR, would such a featureless and bare map make you buy BR?

    Conclusion: A (sketchy) map of Anuire, without province borders and too
    time- and campaign-bound info (trade routes, holdings etc)
    but with tons of interesting stuff on it to convey the
    epic feel of Birthright, and surrounding this map the her-
    aldry of the most important realms and persons of Anuire,
    with a description next to it. (For the full-color side)

    Introduction to the human, demihuman and humanoid races and
    cultures of Cerilia (like in the conspectus) (for the B&W side)
    Wait, that leaves quite some room... perhaps there is room
    for that family tree of the Roeles still...

    So, what do think?
    Martijn, or Loren I of Aerenwe in the Anuirean Challenge

  2. #2
    prtr02@scorpion.nspco.co
    Guest

    Birthright promo poster

    >
    > Conclusion: A (sketchy) map of Anuire, without province borders and too
    > time- and campaign-bound info (trade routes, holdings etc)
    > but with tons of interesting stuff on it to convey the
    > epic feel of Birthright, and surrounding this map the her-
    > aldry of the most important realms and persons of Anuire,
    > with a description next to it. (For the full-color side)
    >
    > Introduction to the human, demihuman and humanoid races and
    > cultures of Cerilia (like in the conspectus) (for the B&W side)
    > Wait, that leaves quite some room... perhaps there is room
    > for that family tree of the Roeles still...
    >
    > So, what do think?

    Good ideas, except for Anuire- snore. I find just about anywhere else on the
    continent more interesting.

    I think if I were new to BR, maps wouldn't catch my eye as much as art. It
    wouldn't be very useful to me, but I'm willing to sacrifice that to get new
    BR junkies.

    Either:

    One big huge picture of ???? (Mt. Diesmarr, Old Grumpy, the Gods, Hero-Kings
    vs. impossible odds.....)

    A collage of little pictures, with map as faded background, Elves standing vigil
    in Tuer or the Seilwode, Brechts sailing the Great Bay, Rjuven fighting Blood
    Skull raiders in the area of the Highlands, etc..

    Either way, keep the heraldric border idea.

    If you go with the collage, the back is taken up explaining it. Same picture,
    but with text explaining what the newbie sees on the other side *Tangent thought*one little picture would have to be investiture*

    The big picture would allow for something more useful to us vets. Any of the
    many fine ideas already presented would be fine.

    Sorry to jump ship gang, or reverse what I previously posted, but I think Loren of Aerenwe is right. PROMO is the key work here. I think art would promote
    better than maps/stats/prose.

    Randax

  3. #3
    Jan
    Guest

    Birthright promo poster

    >Sorry to jump ship gang, or reverse what I previously posted, but I think
    Loren of Aerenwe is right. PROMO is the key work here. I think art would
    promote
    >better than maps/stats/prose.
    >

    I have to totally agree with this. I think that we want to catch the
    eye of the unplanning customer (basically what I was until I became I BRist)
    who walks into the store, looks in his pocket, sees how much he can buy, and
    goes there and picks out the best looking stuff.

    If the art is good enough to grab the campaign loyal customers then
    we have really got it made. We are competing not only with other RPGs but
    also with other AD&D worlds. If we can steal the sales away from them then
    we can bring BR up to the level of attention which is its birthright (sorry,
    couldn't help it :)

    However, I don't really think that the BW side is the one that will
    real in the customers. If that is so then we can make a compromise between
    old and new and put the new guy magnets on the outside and the old guys
    promo on the inside. How about it guys?

    Bearcat
    lcgm@elogica.com.br
    Come visit Bearcat's Birthright Homepage at:
    http://www.geocities.com/Area51/Cavern/6204

  4. #4
    James Ruhland
    Guest

    Birthright promo poster

    >
    > A collage of little pictures, with map as faded background, Elves
    standing vigil
    > in Tuer or the Seilwode, Brechts sailing the Great Bay, Rjuven fighting
    Blood
    > Skull raiders in the area of the Highlands, etc..
    >
    > Either way, keep the heraldric border idea.
    >
    This is cool, including the snipped part; you could have the map faded into
    the backround (kind of like the covers of the old Mystara Gazeteers; I
    always liked thouse, thought they conveyed the "feel" of the domain they
    covered very well). An epic, collage-poster like this is IMO the best idea
    mentioned; would be a great promo. Also, done well, would be a great thing
    to put up on the wall (I.E. not "useful" game-wise, except in the same
    since that all good art is inspiring).

  5. #5
    gandalf
    Guest

    Birthright promo poster

    >I think if I were new to BR, maps wouldn't catch my eye as much as art. It
    >wouldn't be very useful to me, but I'm willing to sacrifice that to get new
    >BR junkies.
    >
    >Either:
    >
    >One big huge picture of ???? (Mt. Diesmarr, Old Grumpy, the Gods,
    Hero-Kings
    >vs. impossible odds.....)
    >
    >A collage of little pictures, with map as faded background, Elves standing
    vigil
    >in Tuer or the Seilwode, Brechts sailing the Great Bay, Rjuven fighting
    Blood
    >Skull raiders in the area of the Highlands, etc..
    >
    >Either way, keep the heraldric border idea.
    >
    >If you go with the collage, the back is taken up explaining it. Same
    picture,
    >but with text explaining what the newbie sees on the other side *Tangent
    thought*one little picture would have to be investiture*
    >
    >The big picture would allow for something more useful to us vets. Any of
    the
    >many fine ideas already presented would be fine.
    >
    >Sorry to jump ship gang, or reverse what I previously posted, but I think
    Loren of Aerenwe is right. PROMO is the key work here. I think art would
    promote
    >better than maps/stats/prose.
    >
    >Randax


    I tend to agree. I also remember the Dark Sun Revised Edition promo poster -
    The world didn't do much good afterwards, but i think the poster was great.

    In one side, it had a big map of Athas. At several places, the map was blown
    up, and there one could read small interesting details about that particular
    place, along with pictures of monsters, characters and the such.

    Likewise, we could have a map, (though not a very useful one), with pictures
    superimposed, and maybe heraldry in the edges. Remember, it's there to sell.

  6. #6
    Geniver
    Guest

    Birthright promo poster

    And now for something completely different - again!

    Birthright already has an item to attract new gamers. It's the
    Birthright computer game! You might want to think of an item you can
    mail to all the registered users of the game to interest them in real
    role playing.

    Alternatively, you could send a promo item to all the "winners" of the
    computer game to interest them in "the next level of play".

    Why do people play computer games? One reason: they can't find real
    opponents!
    How about this for a promotional item: A directory of Birthright gaming
    groups? How about a large foldout world map with a dot for every gaming
    group on the front, and a legend listing every gaming group on the back?

    I don't know that it has to be useful. It might be cool just to see your
    group "on the map". Add a little artwork around the side, some monsters
    in the ocean, ect.

    I guess if you want to make it useful, you could create a web database
    that would let people search for groups in their area, or something....

  7. #7
    RazeDaemon@aol.co
    Guest

    Birthright promo poster

    >How about this for a promotional item: A directory of Birthright gaming
    >groups? How about a large foldout world map with a dot for every gaming
    >group on the front, and a legend listing every gaming group on the back?

    >I don't know that it has to be useful. It might be cool just to see your
    >group "on the map". Add a little artwork around the side, some monsters
    >in the ocean, ect.

    >I guess if you want to make it useful, you could create a web database
    >that would let people search for groups in their area, or something....

    Speaking of that, is there any Houston area BR players out there? Myself and
    a friend are looking to join a group as our old one has disbanded because of
    college and such :(. . . Poor us... Somebody help.

    Raze


    - - That's what they all say... They all say "d'oh"...

    - Chief Wiggum

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