[X] My Assistant

[Zolhex]

So there are now 5 threads on CGL and whats happening Jeez!

However this thread seems to have become a topic for EP rather than CGL so seeing as alot of people are going off topic I shall take this time to point people at a fairly new game I played at Megacon check it out it pretty cool.

Alpha Omega

[Dread Moores]

So there are now 5 threads on CGL and whats happening Jeez!

However this thread seems to have become a topic for EP rather than CGL so seeing as alot of people are going off topic I shall take this time to point people at a fairly new game I played at Megacon check it out it pretty cool.

Alpha Omega

Alpha Omega isn't exactly brand new. The corebook was released by in 2008. It's a beautiful book, a beautiful setting, and a relatively awful ruleset. Interesting mechanic, but really, really overcomplicated.

[Lithium]

Hang on, isn't Alpha Omega the name of one of the first roleplaying games ever?

*thinks Metamorphsis Alpha Omega*

Set on a ship floating through the stars, run automatically by a AI gone mad and with a population onboard nuked by radiation and mutated?

Players had to ascend the various levels of the ship with different environments and find a way to unlock the AI of the ship?

Or am I just thinking crazy talk now?

[Grexul]

I believe it was Metamorphosis Alpha, no Omega.


Grexul

[virgileso]

Has there been any further news regarding the situation? From what I've seen here so far, CGL's loss of the Shadowrun license seems a guarantee; in which case, anybody know of a company that's likely to buy the rights from Topps, or even a group that will form a new company to do so?

[kzt]

Yeah, not paying and/or lying about royalties has a long and dishonorable tradition in the RPG industry. But that doesn't mean that Topps will tolerate it.

[Pepsi Jedi]

Not trying to be funny in the least, but blatant embezzlement to the tune of 100s of 1000s of dollars ((in cash or product)) seems to be a growing trend in the industry as well.

[Stahlseele]

Ahh, if you mean because I got suspended over there, that got lifted on Thursday. Apparently a bunch of folks pleaded my case (unknown to me, I was perfectly willing to cope with a one month suspension), and since I've been on there for 8 years, have over 5000 posts, have never caused any problems before, and apparently my comments were pretty mild, so they cut me some slack and reduced it down to a week and a half. (IMG:style_emoticons/default/smile.gif)

Bull

Ah, okay, good to hear that ^^

[kzt]

Not trying to be funny in the least, but blatant embezzlement to the tune of 100s of 1000s of dollars ((in cash or product)) seems to be a growing trend in the industry as well.

A friend who has seen companies rise and fall in the gaming industry for years told me yesterday that financial mismanagement is (in his opinion) the leading cause of game company failures. Including his own crash and burn. In his case he blames insanity on his part, but 'mysteriously missing funds' is a significant amount of the rest of the industry failures.

[Cergorach]

Topps isn't well known to pay on time either and has been sued before because of it, so maybe that doesn't bother Topps as much as we would assume:
http://www.courthousenews.com/2009/08/28/N..._Autographs.htm

As for Topps knowing about what's going on, it really depends on how well Topps is run. My experience is that certain, rather important things, can be quickly overlooked due to miscommunication or just plain ignorance (not knowing that the information you have in your hands is important to someone in the company). There's a lot of information that someone in the company might know, just not all the folks that need that information.

[Larsine]

I believe it was Metamorphosis Alpha, no Omega.


Grexul

Which was later turned into a setting fro the Amazing Engine RPG, called Metamorphosis Alpha to Omega


Lars

[Lithium]

Whilst we are doing some threadjacking re: Metamorphosis: Alpha, here is the Wiki entry http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Metamorphosis_Alpha

I remember reading an old magazine which had a review of the original game, and later bought the Amazing Engine version.

Never got into the later editions.

[virgileso]

As for Topps knowing about what's going on, it really depends on how well Topps is run. My experience is that certain, rather important things, can be quickly overlooked due to miscommunication or just plain ignorance (not knowing that the information you have in your hands is important to someone in the company). There's a lot of information that someone in the company might know, just not all the folks that need that information.

I'm hoping that Frank's efforts to shine light on the scandal caused a chain of events to let Topps be better informed of the circumstances; even better, result in the new company knowing who they can and cannot trust when/if they rehire old CGL employees.

Also, because of the sheer volume of this thread's off-topic-ness, which books are now on hold until this legal fiasco is over? And when will CGL lose its license again? I'm not wholly familiar on the time frame, but it matters to me because I'm not buying e-books until I'm certain Catalyst isn't getting any of the profit.

[Cardul]

Also, because of the sheer volume of this thread's off-topic-ness, which books are now on hold until this legal fiasco is over? And when will CGL lose its license again? I'm not wholly familiar on the time frame, but it matters to me because I'm not buying e-books until I'm certain Catalyst isn't getting any of the profit.

And, if CGL does not lose the license? Because, until we see something official announced, nothing has been decided.
Additionally, if CGL *DOES* lose the license, mot likely what will happen is: New company will not keep those books
in any way, shape, or form(unless it is founded by people who were already involved in Shadowrun, which is unlikely),
and the sellers of those pdf's would no longer be able to sell them, since the company that made them no-longer has
the license or permission to sell them.

[Demonseed Elite]

And, if CGL does not lose the license? Because, until we see something official announced, nothing has been decided.
Additionally, if CGL *DOES* lose the license, mot likely what will happen is: New company will not keep those books
in any way, shape, or form(unless it is founded by people who were already involved in Shadowrun, which is unlikely),
and the sellers of those pdf's would no longer be able to sell them, since the company that made them no-longer has
the license or permission to sell them.

This is all speculation at this point, because who can predict these things, but what you said isn't necessarily true. As far as I'm aware of the situation, when FanPro ended and Catalyst took over, part of the arrangement was Catalyst bought FanPro's existing stock, including books that were in development. They stamped a Catalyst logo on them and out they went to the distributors. Adam or Rob Boyle would know more about this than I would, but there were a couple of books I wrote under the FanPro establishment that later came out as Catalyst books.

Again, we can't say that is what would happen in this hypothetical case, because no one knows. But either outcome is a possibility.

[JM Hardy]

Has there been any further news regarding the situation? From what I've seen here so far, CGL's loss of the Shadowrun license seems a guarantee; in which case, anybody know of a company that's likely to buy the rights from Topps, or even a group that will form a new company to do so?

Again, I'd ask people to refrain from speculation. Nothing is guaranteed in this situation. CGL management has had various discussions with Topps management; once there is some kind of outcome from those discussions, I'll be sure to tell people here.

Also, I hope to have an updated list of what books are not available later today.

Jason H.

[Dread Moores]

I thought it was pretty well established that Topps knows what's going on. Unless I'm misremembering from previous threads, the Randall letter indicated they were informed by CGL management. Additionally, I thought some of the uhh...less happy freelancer crowd had commented on providing a different opinion to Topps. Why would we be thinking they aren't aware at this point?

[Grinder]

That's not the point: Jason was referring to "CGL's loss of the Shadowrun license seems a guarantee". And I haven't seen any fact that confirms this.

[Dread Moores]

That's not the point: Jason was referring to "CGL's loss of the Shadowrun license seems a guarantee". And I haven't seen any fact that confirms this.

Agreed. I haven't seen anything that guarantees either side of that equation yet. I highly doubt anybody will until after the decision is made. My post was referring more towards virgileso and Cergorach. Sorry, I should have quoted. (IMG:style_emoticons/default/smile.gif)

[Adam]

This is all speculation at this point, because who can predict these things, but what you said isn't necessarily true. As far as I'm aware of the situation, when FanPro ended and Catalyst took over, part of the arrangement was Catalyst bought FanPro's existing stock, including books that were in development.

Catalyst didn't acquire FanPro's physical stock, actually.

[Mr. Man]

And when will CGL lose its license again? I'm not wholly familiar on the time frame, but it matters to me because I'm not buying e-books until I'm certain Catalyst isn't getting any of the profit.

The SR and BT license comes up for renewal May 16th.

[nezumi]

Let me ask, supposing I bought an SR3 pdf. Who would the money go to? Catalyst didn't write any of the SR3 material. Would the money go wholly to Wizkids? Would it go wholly to Catalyst? Or is this all secret? Would buying pdfs help the people who put in the hard work, compared to buying them as used books?

[Adam]

Let me ask, supposing I bought an SR3 pdf. Who would the money go to? Catalyst didn't write any of the SR3 material. Would the money go wholly to Wizkids? Would it go wholly to Catalyst? Or is this all secret? Would buying pdfs help the people who put in the hard work, compared to buying them as used books?

Catalyst. Regardless of who originally published Shadowrun material, Catalyst is the publisher of it currently.

[Demonseed Elite]

Catalyst didn't acquire FanPro's physical stock, actually.

Okay, thanks, I wasn't sure. But they did take over books in development, correct?

[Adam]

Okay, thanks, I wasn't sure. But they did take over books in development, correct?

Yup.