Subject: MYSTARA-L Digest - 2 Aug 2004 to 3 Aug 2004 (#2004-156) From: Automatic digest processor Date: 04/08/2004, 17:00 To: Recipients of MYSTARA-L digests Reply-to: Mystara RPG Discussion There are 5 messages totalling 226 lines in this issue. Topics of the day: 1. Isle of Dread "Backdrop" in Dungeon 114 (Sept 2004) (2) 2. Mystara licence, HackMaster and Dragon 114 (2) 3. WWM vs DoD (long) ******************************************************************** The Other Worlds Homepage: http://www.wizards.com/dnd/OtherWorlds.asp The Mystara Homepage: http://www.dnd.starflung.com/ To unsubscribe, send email to LISTSERV@ORACLE.WIZARDS.COM with UNSUB MYSTARA-L in the body of the message. ---------------------------------------------------------------------- Date: Tue, 3 Aug 2004 04:29:27 -0700 From: Ray Allen Subject: Re: Isle of Dread "Backdrop" in Dungeon 114 (Sept 2004) Without having it in front of me here at work, AIR, the map doesn't have the encounter areas from X1. This is because the adventure that is in Dungeon #114 isn't a rewrite of X1. It's brand spanking new. :) There was, according to Erik Mona over on the WotC message boards (...and he should know!), a sidebar about Mystara but it was cut because of space constraints of the magazine. As for the license thingy.... I would guess that WotC, which owns all of TSR's IP, would be able to license Paizo to do the Isle of Dread too. Think of it this way, IBM licensed several other manufacturers(HP, Dell, Gateway) to make PC Clones. WotC could do the same. --Ray. --- "N. M." wrote: > A few things though; does the map detail all the > encounters and locations, > like X1. > > And is there a mention of Mystara anywhere in the > entire article? If not, I > think that's a great shame. > > Finally, I thought Mystara was now under licence for > Kenzer & Company's > HackMaster? If so, how come WotC are still using the > licence? ===== If you have to choose between books and computers, there's no doubt which you should choose. You should choose books. --Bill Gates of Microsoft ---------------------------------------------- Geek Code: GLS$ d- s:+ a C++ UL++++ P? L++ E---- W++ N+ o-- K- w--- O? M- V-- PS+++ PE Y PGP- t+ 5-- X+++ R++ tv-- b++ DI- D---- G-- e+++ h--- r+++ y+++ ---------------------------------------------- Don't tell me the RIAA are a bunch of hypocritical, dishonest bastards! Now I have nothing left to believe in. (www.slashdot.org) __________________________________ Do you Yahoo!? New and Improved Yahoo! Mail - 100MB free storage! http://promotions.yahoo.com/new_mail ------------------------------ Date: Tue, 3 Aug 2004 15:38:39 +0100 From: "N. M." Subject: Re: Mystara licence, HackMaster and Dragon 114 << > "N. M." wrote: Finally, I thought Mystara was now under licence for Kenzer & Company's HackMaster? If so, how come WotC are still using the licence? >> << "Andrew Theisen" wrote: I'm no lawyer, but here's my understanding of how licensing works: The owners of the property (in this case, WotC) license/lease out the property to others for their usage (in this case, Kenzer & Co.). WotC still owns the property, and can use it as they wish, however they allow K&C to use it as well. Sort of how George Lucas licenses the Star Wars property to toy lines, book lines, etc., yet still retains the rights and can make the films himself. >> Yeah, I sort of understand that part about licencing. But what you have here is something quite unlike anything I've ever seen. It's not that Kenzer & Co are licenced to produce a film, or other work. They're licenced to produce RPG related material. WotC's Dragon 114 article is also RPG related material. I suppose it's not unlike when Atlas Games were licenced to produce adventures for RTG's Cyberpunk 2.0.2.0., or Myrmidon Press producing World Books for Palladium Books' RIFTS. But it does make me wonder; what if a d20 publisher approached WotC for the Mystara licence then? Couldn't Mystara be remade in the style of Sword & Sorcery's Ravenloft? And why haven't more publishers gotten into licencing old campaign settings, surely it's a golden egg in relative terms? I mean, Planescape d20, how could that not sell? Maybe it's a matter of time. Can a strong demand be resisted? Even WotC couldn't resist Dragonlance, they didn't even licence it out. Very interesting connotations. Thanks, Neil ------------------ N. M. n.e.marsden@btinternet.com Backup 101563.52@talk21.com ------------------------------ Date: Tue, 3 Aug 2004 09:43:08 -0500 From: Eric Anondson Subject: Re: Isle of Dread "Backdrop" in Dungeon 114 (Sept 2004) On Aug 3, 2004, at 1:08 AM, Andrew Theisen wrote: > So, in essence, K&C has licensed the rights to publish Mystara in > certain forms, but WotC still owns the rights to the property and can > do what they wish with it. And as I recall, Kenzer is forbidden from publishing any of the old TSR setting material they licensed with D20 rules. D20-ization of TSR properties are reserved for WotC to do with as they will, be it licensing to someone else, or doing it themselves. Kenzer is left to do things with the old settings in -other- rule systems, which is why HackWurld was HackMaster, and not D20. I seem to recall that Kenzer was also prevented from just republishing the old rules whole cloth, but that giving the rules a comic parody "update" was ok. Regards, Eric Anondson ------------------------------ Date: Tue, 3 Aug 2004 13:38:47 -0500 From: James Mishler Subject: Re: Mystara licence, HackMaster and Dragon 114 Neil scribbled: <> Actually, more like a rotten egg rather than a golden, though only just turned, and not yet a totally stinky mess. Calling the D20 market "soft" right now would be an understatement. "Mostly dead" is far more apropos. When at the beginning a second-tier company could comfortably count on selling 10 to 20 thousand units opn a top product, now they are lucky to sell three to five thousand units! Monte Cook's Arcana Unearthed was the last hurrah, really. There are various reasons for what happened, but they are not germane to the issue. Yes, WotC would probably license out Mystara, Dark Sun, and what have you to other companies, as they licensed Gamma World and Ravenloft to White Wolf (Kenzer & Company and its rights is a whole different issue). But with the market the way it is, a company would be lucky to make enough to pay the licensing fee, let alone printing, writing, art, editing, and other costs. Maybe a couple years down the road, if the economy improves (if). But untiul then, unless you want to turn a large fortune into a small fortune, I'd stay away from that kind of situation... James ------------------------------ Date: Tue, 3 Aug 2004 12:58:45 -0700 From: The Stalker Subject: Re: WWM vs DoD (long) On Mon, 2 Aug 2004 18:38:32 -0700, Andrew Theisen wrote: > The Stalker wrote: A lesser problem is that of point 7 above, which explains how people who > magically lived beyond their livespans died, Eriadna among them. (snip) > > Not to mention virtually the entire d'Ambreville clan, as well as many Glantrians... > Naturally. However, in nations like Glantri, Alphatia, or Thyatis, the problem is not so great, since there are more than enough experienced wizards around to cast the necessary wishes to bring people back. It's a real problem in places like Karameikos, where Gaz1 tells us that 8th and 9th level spells are completely unknown. > >> Besides, if the idea is to kill Eriadna, (snip) > > Or maybe have her be slain by Zandor... hmm, regicide anyone? :) > Perhaps. Especially when you consider Eriadna's actual age. Now, I know that WotI was written for OD&D rules, and I cannot say whether there are any rules for natural lifespans in those rules. However, if you look in the AD&D 2e rules, humans live for 90+2d20 years. According to PWA1, Eriadna was born in AC 920, meaning that she wasn't even 90 by the end of the war, so it would seem that removing her magically extended age would not be enough to finish her off (unless you rule that this constitutes a System Shock that she then doesn't survive. Then again, there are no such rules in OD&D, IIRC). Unsurprisingly I like my own solution better ;) > As for the discrepancies of the WWM and the Sinking of Alphatia, I think it simply must be chalked up to being overlooked during the editing process, but your solution seems to be very viable as presented here. > Thank you. - The Stalker ------------------------------ End of MYSTARA-L Digest - 2 Aug 2004 to 3 Aug 2004 (#2004-156) **************************************************************