FASA is back!, It got its hands on Earthdawn again, but what about SR? Options

[PiXeL01]

When I started with SR the second edition had just been released and FASA was a strong company who produced wonderful universes such as SR and battletech which I loved above all else. Then in the middle of SR3 they died.

Now it looks as if they are back in business.
Would you like them to return to the Shadowrun universe or are you happy with how things are now?

[Tanegar]

Can't vote. There is no, "They can't be more careless than Catalyst" option.

[PiXeL01]

Neutral answer added.
Please excuse my carelessness.

[Stahlseele]

I... I don't know how to react to this...

[Tanegar]

I wouldn't say that it doesn't matter. Overall, I'd be happy to see FASA reclaim the reins of Shadowrun; but I wouldn't necessarily expect it to be unmitigated awesome, either. Like I said, they'd have to work pretty hard to be worse than Catalyst, but they'd have to work pretty hard to be better, too. Catalyst's custodianship of the license, IMO, has been characterized above all by mediocrity.

[IridiosDZ]

I'm voting Yes. But I think I agree with the view that they would have to do some work. Mostly to bring it back. They really need to be careful to not over reach and fail.

[Ryu]

What´s the difference between the (current) FASA and Redbrick editions of Earthdawn? I know at least one person here will know.

[Wounded Ronin]

I don't think it will happen but hope that FASA makes 6th edition: The 80s Edition.

[Blade]

@Wounded Ronin: I actually think that Shadowrun needs to be split into three universes: Shadowrun 2035 (for those who want to play "contemporary technothriller with magic and ware"), Shadowrun 2050 (for those who want to play "80s cyberpunk") and Shadowrun 2070 (for those who prefer post-cyberpunk / early transhumanism).

They could share the same base rules, but each would have its own quirks so that both rules and settings could completely fit the expectations, and so that writers could write the Shadowrun they like. It would be better than having each writer trying to pull Shadowrun towards what he wants the game to be, and ending up with a weird mix that doesn't completely please anyone.

[Bigity]

What´s the difference between the (current) FASA and Redbrick editions of Earthdawn? I know at least one person here will know.

Honestly, not that much. Some of the steps are different die combinations to smooth out probability flow, and some mechanics have been changed to use the same systems as other things. Kind of like SR4 magicians.

Some skills changes, little stuff like that. The heart of the game is the same.

Honestly, I hope they do well, especially with ED, but the revised stuff is really 3rd edition wth errata. I don't know they can survive by putting out old material with slight tweaks - and I haven't seen a printed book yet, but I know the revised PDFs are built with tablet form factor specs - I'd hate to have a printed RPG book the size of a tablet.

[Grinder]

ED3R (R for Revised) lacks the stunning artwork and layout of ED3 - James/ nuFASA removed it to not pay Kathy Schad royaties any longer. James changed several minor things in the mechanics - exactly the things we didn't change or implemented when we designed ED3.

[Grinder]

As for FASA doing Shadowrun: keep in mind that the current FASA doesn't have much to do with the team who created Shadowrun and Earthdawn; it's mostly James Sutton and a few writers who so far don't have done much. Their ED3R version is crappy and ugly, their Earthfell-idea horrible, and their 1879-setting is still in the works (and doesn't seem to very interesting).

[Remnar]

@Wounded Ronin: I actually think that Shadowrun needs to be split into three universes: Shadowrun 2035 (for those who want to play "contemporary technothriller with magic and ware"), Shadowrun 2050 (for those who want to play "80s cyberpunk") and Shadowrun 2070 (for those who prefer post-cyberpunk / early transhumanism).

They could share the same base rules, but each would have its own quirks so that both rules and settings could completely fit the expectations, and so that writers could write the Shadowrun they like. It would be better than having each writer trying to pull Shadowrun towards what he wants the game to be, and ending up with a weird mix that doesn't completely please anyone.

That would be ideal for me. I'd have loved SR5 to be basic enough rules to support that. Kinda like Battletech where you can use the same basic rules to play in any era, and then releasing suppliments to actually support all the eras. I find that I have very little inclination to buy any of the new products after checking out the main rulebook, but I'd probably still buy something that took place in 2040-2060 as a small adventure or splat book. As it is I'm still buying occasional 2nd and 3rd ED books that I never had, or want to replace. So at least there's that.

[Ryu]

ED3R (R for Revised) lacks the stunning artwork and layout of ED3 - James/ nuFASA removed it to not pay Kathy Schad royaties any longer. James changed several minor things in the mechanics - exactly the things we didn't change or implemented when we designed ED3.

So I´ll keep mixing the Stunning Artwork version with 1st Edition. Thanks!

[Grinder]

You're welcome. (IMG:style_emoticons/default/smile.gif)

[binarywraith]

I'd love to see the SR rights out of Catalyst's hands, frankly. They clearly don't give a devil rat's ass about producing a quality product. But giving it back to FASA only really works if they get the folks who worked on SR back in the day again, or find replacements with enough love for the game to do the work right.

As opposed to half-assing every release and not bothering to edit a damn thing.

[Stahlseele]

i still say ther rights should go to the germans of Pegasus Spiele as the main holder.
FASA, i am not sure about, but if they can manage to get people like Ancient History and maybe Frank Trollman back on board, then yes, i would like them to have the rights.

[Grinder]

nuFASA is basically James and Dawn Sutton plus Andrew Ragland, Jeff Laubenstein, and Mark Stout. Don't get too excited, the Suttons as leading managers don't geht shit done. No hope for Shadowrun here.

[Adam]

Frankly, Catalyst has more in common with FASA Corporation than this new FASA Games has in common with FASA Corporation.

[CanRay]

Also, CGL has Bull! (IMG:style_emoticons/default/biggrin.gif)

[Bigity]

The new FASA Games, Inc has announced a 4th edition of ED today.

Also I think they are working on Earthfell, which has been described to me (by people other than FASA Games) as the Sixth World of ED - a few hundred years later.

[Stahlseele]

erm . . isn't shadowrun supposed to be the 6th world of earth dawn?
and why only some hundred years later if the previous ages were thousands of years apart?

[Bigity]

Well, so they aren't doing a game in modern times/near future but something a little later? - Don't know much about it yet, can't find an announcement of it, just forum talk.

And it was ED -> 5th -> SR, but only before the lines were separated (IMG:style_emoticons/default/smile.gif)

[Stahlseele]

No, ED was 4th, then came our time without magic as the 5th and then came Shadowrun as the 6th o.O
And if the ages are shortened by that much, it can't be in the single digit numbers anymore anyway . . .

[Bigity]

Isn't that what I just said? (IMG:style_emoticons/default/smile.gif)

But yea, the ages are thousands of years - at least in my understanding. ED was at the start of the 4th, but the mana levels stopped dropping.

Which makes me wonder how it would the 4th age, if 5th was the downcycle. Maybe ED is more properly at the end of the 4th.