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Thread: News about Relaunch
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04-10-1998, 05:26 PM #1Ed StarkGuest
News about Relaunch
Hello, folks. I have some not great, but not really bad news. It concerns
the new BIRTHRIGHT hardcover and the relaunch of the line. Here's the press
release we're sending out to retailers and distributors. It's going out
now, and I didn't want any of you to hear of it third-hand:
BIRTHRIGHT® Campaign Relaunch Delayed
The planned relaunch of the BIRTHRIGHT® Campaign has been delayed from this
summer until next year to allow the product to take advantage of an
exciting new format.
“We think that the BIRTHRIGHT setting and rules variations are exceedingly
cool and add a new dimension to the AD&D® game,” said TSR Product Group
Director Bill Slavicsek. He credits the re-design team with hitting upon
the unique relaunch plan. “The new format opens up all kinds of
possibilities,” he said.
Moving the relaunch to the 1999 schedule year will allow for additional
development and assure that the product’s quality and presentation are of
the highest standard, Slavicsek said. “I want to make sure we do it right,
so I've given the team the time they need.”
So, what is this new format? Stay tuned to this column for details as
development continues. Until the new product ships sometime next summer,
the original BIRTHRIGHT Campaign boxed set will remain in print.
I can give you a few clues about the nature of the delay and the new
format, but only within certain parameters. Here's what I've got so far:
Bill Slavicsek, one of our best designers and, later, brand managers, took
over the reigns of the TSR division of Wizards of the Coast late last year.
One of his mandates was to review the product release schedule and make
sure that (1) everything we were going to do was going to go over well in
the marketplace and (2) all his designers and editors would have enough
time to do everything WELL and RIGHT.
Well, as you know, BR has not had the sales figures we would've wanted for
the last year or so, and the relaunch was directed and boosting those
numbers. Bill was behind the idea (in fact, he contributed heavily to the
ideas for the relaunch--if you remember, he wrote some of the first product
for the BR line).
However, when Bill looked at the task in front of us (the relaunching of a
premiere line) and the staff involved (myself, on staff, and Carrie Bebris,
as a freelancer, and that was about it after the move), he just couldn't
see how we could do an A+ job with the time and resources we
had--especially with so many other big projects (such as ALTERNITY,
STAR*DRIVE, and a few others) launching around the same time.
Bill also questioned us about the value of some of the first projects we
had planned for right after the relaunch and made us think about how new
players would react to the SHADOW WORLD arc right off the bat. He argued,
and I think rightly, that even though you, our fans, would like the
material, any new fans we attracted with the relaunch would be very confused.
So, rather than release only a couple of products this year or go ahead
with a less-than-stellar relaunch (I, Carrie, and Bill all think the HC
would've been good, but the marketing support wouldn't have been what we
wanted), we put it on delayed status. Thomas Reid, the brand manager for
the AD&D line, will be helping to direct the relaunch for 1999 (meaning it
will get A+ attention from the AD&D core as well as the BR team) and we
hope this really kicks things off well.
In the meantime, I have talked to Dave Gross and Chris Perkins about DRAGON
and DUNGEON material for BR. I personally have written a few new articles
for DRAGON, and Chris is soliciting BR material for DUNGEON. Even the RPGA
and POLYEDRON are behind keeping BR material in people's minds--the RPGA is
still releasing HOGUNMARK as a special promotion and has contracted Sean
Reynolds to write BR material for the magazine.
I am currently lobbying the book department to let us release FALCON & THE
WOLF (Rich's novel) online, and I want to publish at least some of the
SHADOW WORLD material I've written online. I am, currently, working on an
ALTERNITY project, but I will keep up with the BR mailing list and continue
to help shepherd the relaunch along.
Ed Stark
Game Designer, Wizards of the Coast/TSR Division
Asst. Brand Manager
TSR Website: http://www.tsrinc.com
also: http://www.tsr.com
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04-10-1998, 05:35 PM #2James RuhlandGuest
News about Relaunch
1st: thanks for your conciencious post, keeping us updated.
2nd: see below for questions (2).
>
> Hello, folks. I have some not great, but not really bad news. It concerns
> the new BIRTHRIGHT hardcover and the relaunch of the line. Here's the
press
> release we're sending out to retailers and distributors. It's going out
> now, and I didn't want any of you to hear of it third-hand:
>
>
Mildly upset about the delay (was *really* looking forward to all this
stuff, but I do want it done well [the usual high BR standards], so if more
time is what is needed, I will *sigh* and wait.) Queries:
1) From what it sounds like, not just the Hardcover, but the entire BR
product release for this year (I.E. the Cold Rider stuff, Regents, et al)
are delayed. Is my interpretation correct, or am I just overreacting?
2) Awhile back you asked us all for rule modification/changes/et al ideas,
and we gave some. I donno if anyone wants to re-open that can of worms
again, but with the additional time, would you have the inclination to pick
our (sometimes creative. . .sometimes not so hot) brains again?
I don't have any specific suggestions that I can think of right now
(except perhaps a clarification of the Contest-then-Invest rules), but
others might.
Again, thanks for telling us. Now I have to go pout. ::G::
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04-10-1998, 07:01 PM #3DKEvermoreGuest
News about Relaunch
I'm very angry.
Ted Stark is saying there will be no new releases for Birthright for close to
another year and a half except for a few scraps of material that *might* get
put on the internet. TSR, it is my opinion that if you wait a year and half
to put out new stuff neither I nor people I know in this area will be willing
to shell out for a line that'll just be unsupported again.
Tomorrow, I am supposed to run a Birthright game for CyCON (Of Varks and
Winter Witches by Sean Reynolds, RPGA). What am I supposed to tell the
players? This is really the greatest game setting TSR has made, but that they
don't back it? That's ridiculous!! Why would they want to get involved with
it then? The boxed set is not available. Supplies of vital campaign
expansion appear to be nearly exhausted, at lest in my area. I'll be surprise
if anyone show up at the gaming table tomorrow at this rate. In reference to
sales of material put out last fall, you have to admit nobody's going to buy
expansion material for a game they don't have and can't get core rules for.
Heck, I've purchased nearly everything ever published for this game, and I
doubt that I'm willing to stick with a setting that ranks so low on TSR's
scale. It's all I've been running or willing to run for nearly 3 years, and I
have to say that TSR's decision disappoints me in the extreme.
A "new format"? I don't care about formats. I'd like to see the material.
I'm not interested in how pretty my books are, I want them to be useful when I
need them to be useful.
Mr. Stark, I know you are not responsible for the decision at TSR, but if you
have any influence at all please don't let Birthright go the way of
Shatterzone, another really great idea that I believe you worked on (and seems
quite similar to Stardrive...).
Yours in gaming,
- -Dustin Evermore
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04-10-1998, 07:03 PM #4Jim CooperGuest
News about Relaunch
Ed Stark wrote:
>
> Hello, folks. I have some not great, but not really bad news. It concerns
> the new BIRTHRIGHT hardcover and the relaunch of the line.
Uh-oh. :(
> The planned relaunch of the BIRTHRIGHT® Campaign has been delayed from this
> summer until next year
KYAIIIIIAAAAAAAAHHHH!!!! NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!!!! ARGGH!!!
><
>
> I can give you a few clues about the nature of the delay and the new
> format, but only within certain parameters. Here's what I've got so far:
>>> Bill also questioned us about the value of some of the first projects we
> had planned for right after the relaunch and made us think about how new
> players would react to the SHADOW WORLD arc right off the bat. He argued,
> and I think rightly, that even though you, our fans, would like the
> material, any new fans we attracted with the relaunch would be very confused. ><
Hmmm ... I'm not sure I understand your guys' thinking on this one. I
know that when I first got the Birthright Boxed Set several years ago, I
would have killed to get ANYTHING detailing the Shadow World. Isn't the
Shadow World sorta a fundamental cornerstone of the BIRTHRIGHT setting?
It is, IMHO, a large part of the Cerilian Gods history and events that
lead to bloodlines et. al. Not only that, but of an entire PC race -
Halflings.
I guess you guys were really planning some funky new stuff to add to the
original material ...
><
> So, rather than release only a couple of products this year or go ahead
> with a less-than-stellar relaunch (I, Carrie, and Bill all think the HC
> would've been good, but the marketing support wouldn't have been what we
> wanted), we put it on delayed status. Thomas Reid, the brand manager for
> the AD&D line, will be helping to direct the relaunch for 1999 (meaning it
> will get A+ attention from the AD&D core as well as the BR team) and we
> hope this really kicks things off well.
Ok, one burning question ... does this mean that there will be NO new
products for Birthright released this year (or just the HC)? None of
the Shadow World stuff will be released?
Darren ('Oh please, oh please, let SOMETHING come out this year.')
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04-10-1998, 07:07 PM #5TOMMY.ASHTON@ASU.EdGuest
News about Relaunch
What a way to ruin the weekend.
I wish they would at least release the Book of Regency.
But thanks for caring Mr. Stark, it is nice to know about it first.
T
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04-10-1998, 07:34 PM #6James RuhlandGuest
News about Relaunch
>
> I wish they would at least release the Book of Regency.
>
I'd second, third, and fourth the above (I am: me, myself, and I, so I get
three votes). As to the below, I think you may be taking it rather. .
.hard. Also, though the release mentioned "new format" several times, I
think a careful reading of what Mr. Stark wrote indicates that it's not
just a glossy new cover they're working on, but working on making sure the
material is of the highest calabre.
Does that mean I *want* to wait another year-plus? Absolutely not.
However, I'm not prepaired to go postal about it. At least not yet. . . . .
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04-10-1998, 08:10 PM #7MemnochGuest
News about Relaunch
I appreciate the information Ed. Thanks for Being Honest about it. There
are several Questions that come up, regardless... 1) Is the Book of Regency
still slated for release. I would assume that it still is, due to it being
formatted on the original BR rules and not with the Relaunch.
2) What about the upcoming Shadow World material? Any pending due dates
on this one.
Any more information would be Appreciated
Memnoch
P.S. Possibly you could incorporate the random nobility ranks ala Oriental
Adventures in the new format... At least I think it would correct an
extremely large gap in the Original rules as far as Noble Scions go.
- -----Original Message-----
From: Ed Stark
To: birthright@MPGN.COM
Date: Saturday, April 11, 1998 2:39 AM
Subject: RE: [BIRTHRIGHT] - News about Relaunch
>At 06:12 PM 4/10/98 UT, you wrote:
>>Hmmm, Well that's not so good.
>>I just hope that this "delay" is not the prelude to the end of Birthright
>and
>>that it actually is just a delay.
>
>I understand your concern. If this were a "delay" and not a delay, I would
>have either said something to indicate that or I would've said something
>completely different.
>
>Believe me, I've spent way too much time and effort on this line and gotten
>too much excellent feedback from the people on this list to lie to you
>about BR's future. I will give you as up-to-date information as I can and I
>will NOT try to deceive you. That's the best I can do.
>
>
>Ed Stark
>Game Designer, Wizards of the Coast/TSR Division
>Asst. Brand Manager
>TSR Website: http://www.tsrinc.com
>also: http://www.tsr.com
>************************************************* **************************
>>'unsubscribe birthright' as the body of the message.
>
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04-10-1998, 10:00 PM #8Ryan B. CaveneyGuest
News about Relaunch
Dear Mr. Stark,
Thank you very much for being up front with us.
> The planned relaunch of the BIRTHRIGHT® Campaign has been delayed from this
> summer until next year to allow the product to take advantage of an
> exciting new format.
Please tell me this is not the Saga system, or anything like it.
I have played and enjoyed a few sessions of gaming in the new Dragonlance
setting with the Saga rules, but I far prefer the existing AD&D system.
My request is this: if the "format" change you promise has anything to do
with variant (i.e. non-2nd-Ed.-AD&D) rules or resolution systems, please
either reconsider or, if irrevocably committed to a new system, publish
all new material with all statistics printed in both old and new systems.
> Bill also questioned us about the value of some of the first projects we
> had planned for right after the relaunch and made us think about how new
> players would react to the SHADOW WORLD arc right off the bat. He argued,
> and I think rightly, that even though you, our fans, would like the
> material, any new fans we attracted with the relaunch would be very confused.
Actually, I agree. On the other hand, the other new release, the
_Book of Regency_, should definitely be the first BIRTHRIGHT supplement
published after the relaunch, particularly as it is designed to advise new
rulers.
Sincerely,
Ryan Caveney
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04-10-1998, 10:17 PM #9Samuel WeissGuest
News about Relaunch
< snipped DKEvermore's complaints about the delay>
Gee dude, I am an old time time Greyhawker. I have three things to tell you:
1. Deal with it. It happens, At least it isn't canceled.
2. We aren't going to be hit with stuff like Puppets, gargoyles, and the
works of Rose Estes for BR. Have to be thankful for that.
3. Even if they did cancel it, that hasn't stopped people from being nuts
about Greyhawk. And while it would annoy the heck out of me, (and seriously
lower my view of WoTC) if they did cancel, it won't stop me from enjoying
what I do have now.
Which all comes back to point 1. If you really want to do some good for the
setting, praise it beyond belief at the Con. Get a bunch of RPGA memebers
hot about it, and let them send in their "requests" that the line stay
active to WoTC/TSR. That will work to keep BR alive. But complaining, and
threatening to neevr play again sure as heck won't.
And worse case, if they do cancel it, then we really start whining until
they relaunch it to shut us up. But I doubt that will be needed.
Samwise
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04-11-1998, 12:20 AM #10James RuhlandGuest
News about Relaunch
Hmmmn. . .our reaction may be getting Ed down. I hope the TSR folks look
at it this way: at least your announcement wasn't greeted with a massive
wave of apathetic indiference. *G*
>
> Ed Stark wrote:
>
> > Hello, folks. I have some not great, but not really bad news.
>
> I dunno, from the what was written below, it sounds like there will be NO
NEW
> BIRTHRIGHT RELEASES UNTIL 1999, that sounds like bad news to me, I have
been
> waiting very patiently for new material, and have been somewhat
disappointed.
> Nothing new for BR until 1999 sounds like BAD news to me.
>
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