Chris Pramas interview

[Tim Gray]

Some interesting stuff from back in August.

I've often said that I thought GR was a bit wrongfooted by the success of the True20 book, something they initially viewed as a small project to cater for a small body of vocal fans. Then they were stuck with a big success and no time programmed in to work on it, being already committed to stuff like Warhammer.

[Blue Devil]

Let's not forget that this was also coming off the heels of the Osseum debacle that likely hamstrung any efforts to get rolling more quickly with a True20 line. In that light, they've already done a remarkable job fostering the sytem. I have every confidence that GR will do right by True20 just as they did with M&M when it became evident what kind of success they were dealing. GR has a track record to back them up. Candidly, I wouldn't have entered Passages in a setting search by just about any other company.

[Nikchick]

Let's not forget that this was also coming off the heels of the Osseum debacle that likely hamstrung any efforts to get rolling more quickly with a True20 line. In that light, they've already done a remarkable job fostering the sytem. I have every confidence that GR will do right by True20 just as they did with M&M when it became evident what kind of success they were dealing. GR has a track record to back them up. Candidly, I wouldn't have entered Passages in a setting search by just about any other company.

Thanks, Blue Devil.

All we ever asked is that we be allowed to launch the freaking Blue Rose game line, since it spent two years in development, before people started banging pots and flinging around demands the we launch special projects for them mere weeks after getting the line off the ground. Our response would have been very similar had people reacted to the launch of Mutants & Masterminds with a hue and cry for us to strip it down and make it into a generic toolbox rules-set (or tailor it to be a giant robot game or something) within a week of it hitting stores.

We wanted to give the Blue Rose project all the support we could muster. Yes, Osseum screwed us to the wall at exactly that time. We paid to print and ship Blue Rose at the nadir of Osseum's existence; the year-long plans we had invested in to market and launch Blue Rose specifically to Romantic Fantasy readers who had never had an RPG pitched at them before were out the window. Because of Osseum's shenanigans, Green Ronin's book trade distribution was disrupted for an entire YEAR (because the book trade works so far in advance of release dates, 9 or even 12 months out), something which hurt us with our other literary licenses (Black Company, Thieves' World) that should have received much more care and attention in the book trade in the months on either side of Blue Rose's launch as well.

Shocking as it may be to some, we do actually know how to run our business. We're not sitting around stupidly, wondering what to do next, while geniuses on the internet call out in vain for us to see the light. We launched the game and within two weeks some people were calling for us to release all of our products under the True20 engine and then calling us names when we had the gall to suggest that we didn't intend to move our entire business plan exactly that fast... On April 7th, Nisarg suggested "How about making a forum to discuss specifically the application of True 20 system in other non-Aldea settings?" and within the day we'd done so, because it was a good idea regardless of the manner in which the message was delivered. I think we've been adequately responsive to balancing both the demands of our larger business with the desires of the True20 fans, especially considering the larger challenges the company has faced in the last 12 months.

[LeaderDesslok]

I get the feeling that True20 was kind of like PostIt for 3M, in the sense that nobody planned on making a non-permanent sticky glue at 3M. Nobody at Green Ronin initially thought of True20 as a stand-alone rules set, but it turned out to be a great thing in the end.

Right now I'm a die-hard Midnight DM (from Fantasy Flight Games, another great d20 outfit), so I never actually played the Blue Rose setting. However, I was attracted to it for the same reason I was attracted to Midnight: the setting was original and unique. The rules had nothing to do with my decision. The fact that they turned out so darned good was just icing on the cake.

Even without playing Blue Rose, there are a lot of great ideas to be mined from it. I don't understand how one can bash a setting that, without its creation, would never have spawned the clean, crisp taste of True20. Respect it for its boldness to venture into realms that had not yet been explored in gaming, even if you can't stomach the concepts yourself. I hate Ebberon, for example, but its done good things for Wizards, and that means a healthier industry overall.

And hey, its a Steve Kenson product; I haven't bought anything he had his fingers on that wasn't at least above average.

[Strand0]

Gee!
4th ED D&D in 2007 or 8?
Makes sense money-wise. Core books are always the best sellers.

That is the future...
... what about the past?

I have a friend who is running 3.5. Another runs 2nd ED AD&D. Then there is the ongoing 1st ED AD&D. (I've never played it it. Best my best friends have been in it for 20 years.)

Right now my feeling is that I'd never run D&D (of any kind). The "support" is too extensive to deside what to use.

True 20... that's the ticket.
So my point...
Gee!
4th ED D&D in 2007 or 8?

[Tim Gray]

??

[Strand0]

??

You're right Tim!

[Dragonspawn]

Well between this interview, and the sales figures over at RPGnow, I'd say True20 has a very bright future.

[Alazne]

Right now I'm a die-hard Midnight DM (from Fantasy Flight Games, another great d20 outfit), so I never actually played the Blue Rose setting. However, I was attracted to it for the same reason I was attracted to Midnight: the setting was original and unique. The rules had nothing to do with my decision. The fact that they turned out so darned good was just icing on the cake.

Odd...I actually dumped midnight because I found ffg to be a poor company, who seem to dump lines in the middle of their popularity (Dragonstar, Fireborn), and who let others attack people who might not have as rosy a view of their products. That, and I MUCH prefer The Black Company for that kind of setting. And I prefer the folks at GR, who have always been very professional (and nice!) to me.

And hey, its a Steve Kenson product; I haven't bought anything he had his fingers on that wasn't at least above average.

Now, on that, I have to agree with you. I even like M&M, and I'm not a fan of comics or superheroes (except Spiderman, but that's a WHOLE 'nother story!).

[Alazne]

I don't know if this ever got posted to this forum, I believe it didn't, its very fascinating.

Actually, I posted it back in August, when I went to Gen Con. You must have missed it, but then, that's not surprising. And, btw, I don't hate you, I have far more important things to do with my time. Pity would be a better word for it, when I actually bother to think about it.

[Dragonspawn]

Psst... hey Alazne

*points to the "Play Nice" warning posted as a sticky right atop the True20 forum.*

Lets keep conversation plesant and constructive. Thanks.

[Alazne]

Psst... hey Alazne

*points to the "Play Nice" warning posted as a sticky right atop the True20 forum.*

Lets keep conversation plesant and constructive. Thanks.

Hey, I smiled.

But yes, you're right. I shouldn't feed the trolls. Pregnant women have a tendancy to get a bit grumpy sometimes, I'm afraid.

[JongWK]

And now, for something completely different...

I must note that True 20's forum has, unsurprisingly, surpassed the one for Mythic Vistas.

[Nikchick]

And now, for something completely different...

I must note that True 20's forum has, unsurprisingly, surpassed the one for Mythic Vistas.

Since Mythic Vistas was a series of one-shot campaign settings that we began winding down as a product line a over a year ago, I'm sure you're correct.

I'm also sure it is a completely irrelevant observation. I would prefer if we did not continue to go around counting up posts in the various individual forums, as if it's some sort of competition. Please stop it.

Want to talk about True20 rules, how you're using them, how you'd like to see them used, what settings you think they'd be the best for? Go ahead, that's all on topic and useful to the readers of the forums. Keep counting posts if it amuses you, but keep it to yourself.

[JongWK]

And now, for something completely different...

I must note that True 20's forum has, unsurprisingly, surpassed the one for Mythic Vistas.

Since Mythic Vistas was a series of one-shot campaign settings that we began winding down as a product line a over a year ago, I'm sure you're correct.

Like I said, it's unsurprising.

I'm also sure it is a completely irrelevant observation. I would prefer if we did not continue to go around counting up posts in the various individual forums, as if it's some sort of competition. Please stop it.

Fine by me. While we're at it, I'd like to ask everyone else to stop taking cheap shots. *cough* That means you, Alazne. *cough*

[Nikchick]

*cough* That means you, Alazne. *cough*

That comeback is just as baiting and inappropriate as a direct personal attack. Dragonspawn already responded in a far more appropriate manner. Fair warning, JongWK: Do not succumb to the temptation to become "Nisarg part 2". Keep the posts on topic and keep the personal swipes off the boards.

[JongWK]

That comeback is just as baiting and inappropriate as a direct personal attack. Dragonspawn already responded in a far more appropriate manner.

Fair enough, I was only pointing at the post after Dragonspawn's, but I apologize if it was baiting or inappropiate.

[Spectral Knight]

Well from the sounds of that interview, it seems that they're really working on changing that now... and to assure their survivability beyond D&D 3.5

That's not actually a bad idea to consider. The 3.5/d20 bandwagon seems to be running out of steam, and there's more empty seats on it than there used to be. Many of the manufacturers who adapted their own games to d20 have dropped out completely, and many who haven't have pared down their offerings over the last couple of years. Many of the purely d20 and OGL original game lines are still going strong, but that's to be expected. Quite a few of those products are good settings in their own right. Even WotC has stopped supporting one of their biggest d20 licenses (Star Wars) and gone over to producing one more collectible game for it instead.

The (semi-) universal d20 boom seems to be winding down slowly, though hopefully it'll last long enough to give True 20 a nice hard shove further down the road to success.

[Dragonspawn]

Q: True 20 success in pdf form, maybe do Mutants & Masterminds in pdf? I know there's demand + sensitive issues . . .
A: Chris: True 20 experience solidified my desire not to put M&M in pdf.

Odd to read this in the interview ant then find a pdf of Mutants and Masterminds 2nd ed. available for download at Green Ronin's online store.

here:
http://www.greenronin.com/Merchant2/merchant.mvc?Screen=PROD&Store_Code=1001&Product_Code=grr2501e

Is this a mistake???

[SassyRonin]

Q: True 20 success in pdf form, maybe do Mutants & Masterminds in pdf? I know there's demand + sensitive issues . . .
A: Chris: True 20 experience solidified my desire not to put M&M in pdf.

Odd to read this in the interview ant then find a pdf of Mutants and Masterminds 2nd ed. available for download at Green Ronin's online store.

here:
http://www.greenronin.com/Merchant2/merchant.mvc?Screen=PROD&Store_Code=1001&Product_Code=grr2501e

Is this a mistake???

Someone had scanned the M&M 2e rulebook into PDF format and was giving it away illegally. At that point the decision was made to release an official PDF for sale, since it was clear we couldn't stop the pirating just by making it difficult.

[Dragonspawn]

I am very sorry to hear this.

It is unfortunate that your hand was forced due to piracy. Hopefully this will minimize the damage.