| From: | Faux Pas <fauxpas@******.net> |
|---|---|
| Subject: | SR Almanac and Flash Points |
| Date: | Sat, 18 May 1996 19:16:26 -0500 |
Almanac idea we were kicking around a few weeks ago. He's taken the time
out of his busy schedule to send me back some replies to my questions and
has given me permission to repost his messages on this mailing list. The
Flash Points SB he mentions in his first letter is supposed to be something
like the NAGNA but touching on various trouble areas around the globe, such
as the divided city of Austin, more on the CZ in Chicago, that sort of thing.
First up is a repost of the first message I sent Mike asking him about the
Almanac. This includes a post from Tim Kerby.
>Mike,
>
>I've taken the liberty to forward you this message from the ShadowRN
mailing list. It's something we gamers (and fans) of Shadowrun have come up
with an idea for, and I think this letter sums up a product that most of us
want.
>
>The beginnings of this idea came about when someone asked "Hey, what's
happened since Sourcebook X came out?" Such as, what has the UCAS been
doing about Chicago's bug town epidemic since last fall? What about that
attempted coup of Washington, DC described in the novel _Just Compensation_?
What has been going on in the Tirs? And Australia? Is Maria Abernathy
still the City Manager of Dallas/Fort Worth [_Neo-A's Guide to North
America_, p 55]? Gamers want to know.
>
>>On Wed, 17 Apr 1996 00:17:52 -0700 (PDT) dhinkley wrote:
>>>I am not so sure....consider the following: an annual source book made
>>>up of the intergrated time line, short background articles that don't fit
in to
>>>planned source books, and some new toys (cars..after all there are new
>models every year, guns....never can have to many, cyber and bioware, and
>other simlar items). Further they could use new authors as most articles
would be relitivly short. And they could charge us $18 US for it.
>>
>>I think this is a great idea. Short of like a "World Almanac and Book
>>of Facts." I see it as a two part supplement, front section being
>>mostly fiction with our beloved shadowtalk sections, and the back
>>section new rules, items, spells, etc. How about the following
>>sections:
>>Politics and Government - covers wars, who's who in the world
>>goverments, elections, etc.
>>Sports and Entertainment - who's hot this year? Who won the Urban
>>Brawl tournament? Desert Wars?
>>Technology and Medical News - new cyberware, bioware, toys, and the
>>lastest medical miracles
>>Magic and Awakened Beings - what's new on the magic front? and just
>>what is that new critter that everyone is talking about?
>>Business and Industry - who's who in the corps, mergers, acquisitions,
>>buy-outs, etc. year end portfolios, and other business news.
>
>----
>
>And in related news, is there any word on the rumored Hot Spots of the
Sixth World sourcebook? Something that lets the GM know about what is going
on in Austin and other troubled spots of the SR world? Perhaps this can be
worked into the proposed Shadowrun Almanac: 2057 if you decide to do it.
>
And Mike's response:
>Your letter(s) bring up a problem with SR that we are planning on dealing
>with. I was brought aboard during thr "dark days" of SR - no in-house
>developer for over a year, no ideas for any new products, and a lack of
>focus. Many of the criticisms that you bring up are all part of the plan to
>"restore SR", but due to emergency nature of the line at the time I was
>brought my first priority was to get the line back on schedule. We have
>achieved that goal (although it's real sticky still)
>Out second priority after getting SR on schedule was to weave threads of
>plots (beginning, middle, ends, follow-ups, hints etc). This was not the
>philosophy before. So we were starting from point zero...we needed to take
>baby steps in order to fully implement the threads and then pull ideas,
>plots, individuals etc from older works. Hopefully, you will see us work
>these threads in sourcebooks, adventures, our web site, and novels. The old
>regime of SR was against "activation" I am very much for it.
>
>Can I ask a question? The almanac was an idea that was batted around here and
>is no longer on the scheudule (for some time now) how did you find out about
>it? The Flash Points concept is still a valid series of projects and the
>first will probably be coming out in 1997. Also, so everyone knows, place
>books don't usually sell that well, so that a follow up on just the place
>sourcebooks, would get the big thumbs down from the powers that be. Sorry.
>
>I hope this answers your questions...please feel free to e-mail me at any
>time with more questions.
>
>Mike Mulvihill
>Shadowrun Line Developer
>FASA
By "activation", I think Mike implies that he's able to introduce longer
storylines into the background of Shadowrun's Sixth World.
Another message from Mike:
>Sorry for the delay...
>
>My mail is been put on the back burner while I try to keep SR on time.
[Stuff snipped about the on-going ShadowRN t-shirt]
>Hopefully, after this emergency time I hope to join you on the mailing list.
>Mike Mulvihill
>Shadowrun Developer
>FASA
That's right, we may actually have an official FASA rep on the ShadowRN
mailing list sometime in the future! But Mike didn't say when he'd be able
to join the list - he is a busy guy, and there are an awful lot of messages
on this list.
The last message I just received:
>The problem with an almanac is the problem that all game lines end up
>having....
>a cool product idea vs. a usuable game product. That balance is the hardest
>thing to achieve. The problem with the almanac (looking at the ones done for
>other games) is that they tend to come off as novels in a different format
>and nearly useless as a game product. With only 8 products a year and no
>Accessories division (ie Shadowrun products that don't actually contribute to
>the universe) it's tough to commit to such a product on the potential that
>people might care what's happening in the Arctic. Now don't get me wrong. I
>would love to flesh out the entire SR Universe. But with at least 3/4 of the
>world not even hinted at in SR products, we aren't talking a sourcebook of
>simple proportions but a massive undertaking the size of which FASA has never
>attempted. While that is not an excuse, it is what the big wigs see.
>Hopefully, I can try and rectify this situation in various ways, via
>Shadowland in the Sourcebooks, Shadowland Magazine, the Web. The problem is
>that I am taking over a game line that fell ill and as much as I want it up
>and running and pushing it to the limit, I am still at the walking stage.
>While I also understand that the players have been playing the game for 5+
>years are demanding to open the world up (as do I, honest) things can only
>move so fast. I hope to flesh out the world of Shadowrun and continue keep it
>active, in order to do I will have to be creative and experimental 1997 will
>have a few of them (and I hope to be on the SR mailing list before that...I
>ain't lying). I am more than happy to communicate with anyone on the SR line
>and future products.
>
>Thanks for the opportunity to tell the fans what's going on -
>
>Mike Mulvihill
>Shadowrun Line Developer
>FASA
Any questions? Contact Mike Mulvihill at FASAMike@***.com but be
warned, it might take a few days for him to get back to you.
-Thomas Deeny
Cartoonist At Large
"The Pamela Anderson Lee movie _Barb Wire_ opened last week and didn't get
into the top ten movies that weekend. That just proves it. America is gay."
-Dennis Miller
