The Future of Freeport

[Pramas]

So we've spent a lot of time internally discussing the future of Freeport. We only have 21 copies of the Freeport hardback left and its 3.0 rules are out of date in any case. The question then is what to do to replace that as a new Freeport core book.

Now we could just do a 3.5 update of the existing book but I've been thinking I'd like to move the setting forward a bit and resolve the succession crisis. How would you all feel if we did a 2nd edition of Freeport that advanced the timeline, say, 5 years? This would give us a chance to tidy up loose ends, provide a stable base for products moving forward, and of course get the setting properly 3.5 updated.

Another option would be make it a stand-alone game using the True 20 or a different 3.5 variant. My feeling is that most of you use Freeport in your D&D games, so making Freeport it's own game wouldn't be so attractive. But I figured it'd be better to ask than assume. So...

If you had to choose then, what would you prefer?
1) A 2nd edition Freeport book that was revised and expanded but kept to the current timeline.
2) As above, but with the advancement of the timeline by 5 years.
3) A True 20 Freeport RPG (True 20 being the rules engine of our Blue Rose game, fyi).
4) A Freeport RPG that was a unique variant of D&D 3.5 (similar in concept to Malhavoc's Arcana Unearthed)

Let the Captains' Council commence...

[Banesfinger]

I am a bit torn:

I would normally say option #2 (d20 rules (3.5E) with advancement 5 years), however:

I just love the True 20 system, and option #3 would give me (DM) a great opportunity to 'convert' our current campaign's d20 rules engine over to True20.

As for Option #1, my group has already undergone many of your current Freeport adventures, so a 3.5 update option is less appealing.

I cannot rule out Option #4 so quickly, since Green Ronin has been so brilliant at coming up with RPG engines like True20 and MM, that I would be very interested what kind of treatment (rules engine) you could come up with for our favorite pirate city!
However, you will be very hard-pressed to come up with a better system (IMHO) for a 'pirate setting' than True20 or the Warhammer RPG2 engines!

[Crothian]

I'd like to see number 3.

[Pramas]

I'd like to see number 3.

I'm shocked, shocked I say.

[trancejeremy]

I would like to see #2.

Though I would also like to see Freeport made more serious again, like the original 3 modules. Lose the "God Squad" and the cop from New York and all the Nintendo video game characters and add an actual thieves' guild to the city.

[Mouseferatu]

Hmm...

I'd go for somewhere between 1 and 2, myself. I like the idea of moving the setting forward, but I wouldn't mind seeing occasional (or even frequent) sidebars along the lines of "If you're still playing Freeport in its original state, ignore the changes to X and Y, and make additional changes to A and B as follows..."

It's extra work, I know, but I think it would produce the best and most widely useful product that way.

While I like a lot about the True20 system, I think making Freeport into that system would be a mistake. It's still one of the iconic tihrd-party D20/D&D systems, and my experience suggests that most people use it as such. On a practical level, making it True20 makes it useful to fewer people. On a marketing level, I can't help but feel that you'd lose far more customers than you'd gain through such a move.

Obviously, I have no hard facts to back any of that up, but it's what instinct and (what I feel to be) logical reasoning would suggest.

Now, an online conversion for using Freeport in True20 might not be a bad idea, but again, we're getting into the "Lots of extra work" ballpark there.

So, my vote: Option 2, with sidebars and suggestions for leaning toward Option 1.

[Brother Shatterstone]

I'd like to see number 3.

Ditto.

[BryonD]

Option 2

[The Antra]

Ahoy!

Although I did some artwork for the Freeport line of books, I am going to state my opinion solely as a Freeport-addicted gamer!

I´d go with Option 2 (update to 3.5 but with 5 years of advancement).

Actually, it would be SO COOL to have a high-level adventure (for those who played the trilogy and Black Sails) resolving the sucession issue, and THEN come up with the update and the time advancement.

Is that too much to ask?

Just my two cents!

All the best,
Marcio Fiorito
P.S.: Oh, and I wouldn´t mind doing art for that too! (Better go start bugging Hal now...).

[Qualidar]

#2, for sure.

~Qualidar~

[Undeaddan]

I'd have to say I'm with the Vampire Mouse. I'd like to see a compromise between 1 & 2.

I am very opposed the options 3 & 4. I would most likely not buy either.

[Steel_Wind]

Option #2, mo debly.

[X-Marks!]

I could live with either 1 or 2. I definitely wouldn't buy 3 or 4 ... and would just keep using my old products and do any upgrade work myself. I say if you're going to the hassle of upgrading, I can see you should probably add new artwork/content/updates to the setting/timeline. Also, I'd like to see your other World of Freeport lands added to the base product (like the kinds found in the psionic/Egyptian settings for example).

[LeaderDesslok]

As much as I love the True20 rules, I gotta go with option #2 on this.

[Kevyspice]

Another vote for a blend of options 1 and 2.

[zibeck]

Option two, yar.

[vortex]

I believe option 2 makes most sense.

I don't think anyone would buy a 2nd edition if they already had the first just for the 3.5 update, unless ther is new content and maybe a scenario or two. I think if you look at what chaosium has done with republishing their old CoC compaign modules, they add some new stuff, update the rules and people want to buy them.

I don't know much about the True20 stuff, but if Freeport has sold reasonably well for DnD, why change it? For me DnD is a flavourless system that needs a campaign setting. Freeport got in first and hence has a strong association with the ruleset - I suspect changing that would be a mistake. That dosn't mean you can't add in a bunch of rules to to make Freeport special.

Lastly, I think the campaign setting will only sell if there are supporting adventures. After all, if you weren't a lazy DM, you'd make up your own setting to begin with

[JoeCrow]

Another vote for Option #2. The Succession Mega-Adventure would be pretty cool, too. And a True20 conversion doc wouldn't go amiss. Neither would a sandwich, at that. Roast beef, with honey mustard and chopped garlic, on a pita roll...

Hm. Maybe I'm too hungry to be posting right now.

[Duncan Haldane]

I would have to say option 2.

I'm not that concerned myself about converting from 3 to 3.5 on the fly. Simply reprinting the current hardcover without a reasonable amount of new material wouldn't offer much to me.

Option 3 & 4 - I would be far less likely to actually purchase.

Option 2 is the only one I would be likely to support.

Thanks,

Duncan Haldane

[vortex]

...just one more idea.
What about pirate ships? Many its done elswhere and not needed, but a few pages devoted to piratical ship combat and boarding action.

[Morrow]

Option 2.

I'm a little surprised at the enthusiasm for an adventure revolving around the succession crisis. I would have expected that a lot of campaigns would have advanced to a point by now where their DMs have had to come up with their own solution.

Morrow

[johnsemlak]

Option #2.

I wouldn't be against conversion notes for a different system, but I'd like D&D 3.5 to be the default.

[neg]

As a long time lurker of Freeport material and admirer from afar, this whole topic is very welcome to me and my gaming group right now.

We are debating game options and are looking at what is down the road that would prove to be of interest to all. As a result I would vote for:

Option #2

Taking the existing Freeport World, wrapping up some loose ends, and advancing it 5 years in a 3.5 edition format is VERY appealing to me. It would stand as a good new entry point for GM's and players into the world and provide an opportunity for Green Ronin to tap into new players who know about the setting, but have yet to pick it up. For all intents and purposes it is a re-launch that can be marketed powerfully I believe and would prove to be very successful.

Just my opinion, either way I am sure the result will be welcome and of quality.

Best-

-neg

[Epiphanis]

I also vote for option 2.

I'd also like to point out that Freeport products have been moving away from "Drag-and-Drop" any-campaign adaptability and towards a Freeport-centric world setting. Note the expanded mythos behind Harrimast and Yarash and the background material in Creatures of Freeport. (Not mentioning the inclusion of other GR product assumptions like green present-tense talking orcs and Chiang tiger men).

As the current body of canon is not exactly as uber-adaptable as it was originally intended to be anyway, I think it appropriate to provide a whole-world setting with maps, named deities, etc. It needn't be a fullblown world gazeteer (you can always do that later if there is sufficient demand) but perhaps a chapter's worth of background would be good. I would point to Monte Cook's "Ghostwalk" as a good model for what I'm talking about.

[Crothian]

I'd like to see number 3.

I'm shocked, shocked I say.

What can I say? I really like the True20 system and would love to see it used for something that is practically the polar oppoaite of Blue Rose.

But I can also see I'm being heavily outvoted by the second option.