Shadowrun . . . alas, it fades Options

[Union Jane]

So continues the gnashing of the teeth.

We're closing in one year since the sourebook's release date and still no GM screen to be had. The first adventure has yet to hit print. I don't really know what to say. I should think that FanPro would have had some kind of agenda for SR4, rather than hurrying to make last year's GenCon. A better plan would have been waiting until GenCon 2006 for a release, so that other products would be ready for publication immediately following. I expect such behaviour from my local D20 company, dodgy fellows that they are, but I have always held Shadowrun to a hire standard.

Perhaps that was my mistake.

[MYST1C]

[Daddy's Litt...]

Stiggysbaby in the US has what look like an Adventure.

[stevebugge]

I picked up a copy of "On the Run" at Gary's Games in North Seattle last Thursday. It is available, though it may be selling fast.

[BookWyrm]

O_O

I've got to check with my local supplier.

[Union Jane]

Alrighty then, I stand corrected. The first product in support of SR4 was released 9-10 months after the rulebook.

[Zolhex]

well I have the first adventure and I understand the gm screen is coming soon.

As for time SR4 was released in Aug. 2005 so that makes it 8 months right? and in the next 3 months they have plans to drop what 2 or 3 books on the market?

[Synner]

Actually due to various delays the printed version of SR4 only reached stores in late September/October 2005. So the first release was about 7-8 months (and three printings) after the core book (if you don't count the pdf release more than a month ago). People tend to forget that FanPro is a two guy outfit which runs two successful lines (SR and Battletech) and is developing a third (The Dark Eye). There's only so many projects that can be developed simultaneously.

Several of the core supplements are in advanced stages of development, but are being thoroughly checked and crosschecked for compatibility and streamlining to ensure minimal bloat and complete integration with the existing system. If they were less critical releases maybe FanPro would have already put them out the door, but these are the core books for the entire system and they need to be done right.

[stevebugge]

[Ancient History]

Hey, at least you can't complain that keeping current with SR4 puts a big dent in your wallet.

[frostPDP]

Take your time. Give us good products.

I still play SR3 but with some SR4 mods (Wireless Matrix and the Contacts system) but make more stuff better :) Bad grammar, I know.

[Daddy's Litt...]

[Eldritch]

[Snow_Fox]

It's worse than that. They abandoned 3rd ed. Those of us who won't switch are just going on with the stuff we have and no incentive to go to 4th ed. I mena really. I've got lots of books on magic, wheels, guns and tech ofr 3rd ed or just a basic book for 4th. hmmm, which gives me a richer world to play in?

[James McMurray]

There's no such thing as having a new edition without "abandoning" the old. Doing that would leave two Shadowrun lines competing with one another. The game has a hard enough time competing witht he rest of the world without a civil war int he print house.

[blakkie]

... posted twice for double the fun ...

[blakkie]

[Witness]

Feels to me like having fewer sourcebooks means having more room to play with the setting using your own imagination. That's a bad thing?

[fistandantilus4....]

not everyone wants to go through all the hassle, or appreciate the ideas given to them as tools to work with. Besides, you can always go off canon, or just run your game in an area not covered by a sourcebook. But at least with the book in front of you (or on the shelf) you have the option to use it or not. Without it, your option is simply... not.

[blakkie]

I would prefer the books in hand.

But not having them is working ok. Especially when you have none of them. The awkward part is to come when you have some but not all. Hopefully they'll be able to bring them out on a relatively fast schedule once they get them all squared with each other. Still though there is quite likely going to be a minimum full year between Street Magic and Unwired because marketing theory says you spread out your releases some so they don't compete with each other and don't up your costs by requiring a bigger delivery structure to handle near simultaneous product releases.

[Kremlin KOA]

However that theory falls down wiith something like RPG books
especially if R&D costs are low due to being primarily an edition change

releasing all the "Fatsplats" simultaneously would mean higher sales in the first 3-6 months followed by a faster drop to the trickle level expected from them in the long term

this initial cash injection could be used to reinvest into the production of more adventure and storyline books

meaning a faster growth cycle

That was how WOTC turned D&D around from a money loser to a huge cash cow

[blakkie]

I contend that WotC turned around D&D because they had the cash backing to spend comparatively enormous amounts on R&D, with the the freedom to playtest the living crap out of it to get it "right" according to a very well conceived marketing plan. Basically they had the size and the potential market size to make feasible a high quality product.....and then they made it.

D&D has traditionally been a 3 book to SR's 1 BBB, and effectively are one release. The 3e *books actually took a fair amount of time to come out.

[JongWK]

IIRC, some of the basic splatbooks for D&D 3E (like Song & Silence) sourcebook) came out almost 2 years after the core books were released.

[blakkie]

It was definately over a year but something less than 2. Was it GenCon 2000 that 3e came out at? S&S, i remember because i like my rogues, came out christmas 2001 and Masters of the Wild was after that in late winter/early spring 2002.

[SL James]