 And if it fails?, What happens if SR4 flops? |
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 Apr 19 2005, 03:24 AM
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#1
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Neophyte Runner  Group: Members Posts: 2,001 Joined: 26-February 02 From: Michigan Member No.: 1,514  |
So as I was reading the Are you Switching? thread I had a thought, and a not so pleasant one at that. What happens if SR4 falls flat on its face? Does the good people at Shadowrun close up shop? Do they jus loose their asses and hope to build on the game and make it better, and draw a fanbase?
In that same vein has this happened before? Has FASA, or Fan Pro, or whomever just had to eat their shorts on a book? This isn't meant to say the game is bad or it will fail, it's just idle curiosity. |
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Apr 19 2005, 03:59 AM
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#2
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Chrome to the Core Group: Dumpshocked Posts: 3,152 Joined: 14-October 03 From: ::1 Member No.: 5,715 |
It won't fail, as there are enough people that will buy it if only for the world material that it contains. Those people will then strip and reverse-engineer what FanPro did to make it usable in SR3 and continue with that system.
And you can bet there will be plenty of websites with that sort of reverse-engineered source. I already know one or two people, personally, that are going to do it no matter if they like the new system or not. |
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Apr 19 2005, 05:39 AM
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#3
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Manus Celer Dei Group: Dumpshocked Posts: 17,006 Joined: 30-December 02 From: Boston Member No.: 3,802 |
If it fails, there are three possibilities I could see:
1) Dive back to 3rd ed. 2) FanPro goes under or drops SR/loses license (latter more likely), WizKids licenses to someone else. 3) FanPro goes under or drops SR/loses license (again, latter more likely), WizKids decides not to relicense Shadowrun at this time. #3 is very likely the worst of these options, though #2 has the potential to be very bad (or very good) as well. ~J |
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Apr 19 2005, 07:29 AM
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#4
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Great, I'm a Dragon... Group: Retired Admins Posts: 6,699 Joined: 8-October 03 From: North Germany Member No.: 5,698 |
Hmmm... FanPro/ Wizkids is after all still a company which wants to earn money with their products. So when sr4 doesn't sell, what can they do? Change it and try to cover new buyers and if that fails simpoly drop the game.
But i guess that won't happen. |
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Apr 19 2005, 07:43 AM
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#5
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Freelance Elf Group: Dumpshocked Posts: 7,324 Joined: 30-September 04 From: Texas Member No.: 6,714 |
Ritual suicide is the only answer !!
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Apr 19 2005, 07:48 AM
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#6
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Moving Target Group: Members Posts: 527 Joined: 26-February 02 Member No.: 1,118 |
I offer my service as a second. If you are about to dishonor yourself by not spilling your own guts, I'm more than willing to decapitate you. I'm just that sort of guy.
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Apr 19 2005, 12:23 PM
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#7
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It's for winners Group: Dumpshocked Posts: 523 Joined: 8-February 05 From: Wiltshire with da shooty stuff Member No.: 7,067 |
Erm..... ditto, if SR 4 is really bad i will just go back to playing on SR3 rules! torz x :P |
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Apr 19 2005, 12:31 PM
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#8
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The King In Yellow Group: Dumpshocked Posts: 6,922 Joined: 26-February 05 From: JWD Member No.: 7,121 |
Other than that, you can always use Kage's 3rd revised rules set. But I realise seppuku is a much more honourable way. A man's gotta do what a man's gotta do, eh? ;) |
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Apr 19 2005, 12:34 PM
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#9
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It's for winners Group: Dumpshocked Posts: 523 Joined: 8-February 05 From: Wiltshire with da shooty stuff Member No.: 7,067 |
hehehehe there will be much moaning and grinding of teeth! ;)
torz x |
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Apr 19 2005, 01:01 PM
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#10
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Manus Celer Dei Group: Dumpshocked Posts: 17,006 Joined: 30-December 02 From: Boston Member No.: 3,802 |
I meant for FanPro, not us :P ~J |
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Apr 19 2005, 01:20 PM
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#11
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Dragon Group: Members Posts: 4,718 Joined: 14-September 02 Member No.: 3,263 |
That's there problem, not ours. ;) In a sense what we do is relavent to what Fanpro does. Where "we" is the all inclusive we of the current SR customer base. The question is rather open-ended as there are degrees of failure. Fanpro is likely investing a significant amount into SR4 development. Even if initial sales are slow they may have planned for that and will try to push through anyway, hoping that once they get a few more whiz books out it will pull at least the current SR3 customer base along. Books like Street Magic, which is already planned. In any event I can't see a "flop" catostrophic enough that Fanpro reverts to SR3 material. If they lose their investment in SR4 anywhere close enough to that it's door closing time. What happens to Shadowrun at that point is in the details of the Wizkid/Fanpro contract. But given that the line of Shadowrun 3 books is mostly filled, I doubt that anyone would try risk significant money in SR product production for a long, long time. |
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Apr 19 2005, 01:44 PM
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#12
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Manus Celer Dei Group: Dumpshocked Posts: 17,006 Joined: 30-December 02 From: Boston Member No.: 3,802 |
Considering how big Das Schwarze Auge appears to be, I can't really see FanPro going under due to this. Losing or dropping the license seems much more plausible.
~J |
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Apr 19 2005, 01:54 PM
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#13
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Moving Target Group: Members Posts: 468 Joined: 17-March 05 Member No.: 7,185 |
I think realistically the core rulebook will probably sell pretty well the question is whether there will be enough interest to support a new round of sourcebooks and rule extensions.
While core rulebook sales are great a good business model requires sustained sales thus the near omnipresent release of additional gaming materials. |
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Apr 19 2005, 02:23 PM
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#14
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Dragon Group: Members Posts: 4,718 Joined: 14-September 02 Member No.: 3,263 |
Is that actually the same company? Or is that a german parent company that wholy owns FanPro (Fantasy Production LLC)? I always thought the later. If it is a parent company Fanpro going out of business it's doors closing would be Fantasy Productions closing a division that is losing money. |
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Apr 19 2005, 04:37 PM
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#15
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Shooting Target Group: Members Posts: 1,754 Joined: 9-July 04 From: Modesto, CA Member No.: 6,465 |
FanPro will re-introduce SR3 as "Shadowrun Classic: Limited edition", bring back the Skull-logo, grounding, spell locks and allow Karma to buy anything. |
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Apr 19 2005, 05:03 PM
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#16
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Manus Celer Dei Group: Dumpshocked Posts: 17,006 Joined: 30-December 02 From: Boston Member No.: 3,802 |
Master Shake will be appointed line developer.
~J |
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Apr 19 2005, 05:28 PM
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#17
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The King In Yellow Group: Dumpshocked Posts: 6,922 Joined: 26-February 05 From: JWD Member No.: 7,121 |
:D :grinbig: :rotfl: :grinbig: :biggrin: |
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Apr 19 2005, 09:13 PM
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#18
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Moving Target Group: Members Posts: 179 Joined: 26-February 02 Member No.: 381 |
Wouldn't be all too bad. Or Kategenshi is offered a license to publish the SR3R system as separate line of Shadowrun alongside SR4, much like Earthdawn. |
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Apr 19 2005, 09:33 PM
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#19
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Shooting Target Group: Members Posts: 1,754 Joined: 9-July 04 From: Modesto, CA Member No.: 6,465 |
I was poking fun at Coca-Cola's great idea for "New Coke". :D |
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Apr 19 2005, 09:34 PM
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#20
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Moving Target Group: Members Posts: 152 Joined: 26-February 02 Member No.: 2,074 |
New Coke. You remember New Coke? Also known as "Essence of Yuck"? Some genius working for the Coca Cola Company though back in the eighties that it would be cool to tool around with the coke formula and sell a "new and improved" Coke. After the product failed miserably (partly because it tasted like... words fail me), they went back to selling good old classic coke. The genius in question now does guest appearances in webcomics, and the company is still doing fine.
So if SR4 should indeed fail (I won't bet on it), then chances are we will still be able to get our good old classic SR3 fix somehow. As for the game designers and QA team... :D EDIT: Damn you, Grinder! *shakes his fist* |
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Apr 19 2005, 11:03 PM
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#21
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Moving Target Group: Members Posts: 675 Joined: 26-February 02 From: Seattle Member No.: 2,034 |
Somehow I doubt that fanpro can be meaningfully compared with coca-cola.
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Apr 19 2005, 11:10 PM
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#22
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Shooting Target Group: Members Posts: 1,754 Joined: 9-July 04 From: Modesto, CA Member No.: 6,465 |
Why not? FanPro is taking what many consider a great game and deciding to "make it better". Better than what? The whole notion still strikes me as odd considering the core system has remained mostly unchanged (with exceptions) since SR1. Again, it's all speculation until we are holding SR4 in our hands. |
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Apr 19 2005, 11:53 PM
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#23
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Moving Target Group: Members Posts: 675 Joined: 26-February 02 From: Seattle Member No.: 2,034 |
Mainly the billions and billions of dollars and perhaps worlds most recognized brand. |
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Apr 19 2005, 11:56 PM
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#24
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Shooting Target Group: Members Posts: 1,754 Joined: 9-July 04 From: Modesto, CA Member No.: 6,465 |
Admittedly the same dollar amounts might not be invloved, but the concept of replacing a standard with a new offering still stands.
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Apr 20 2005, 12:23 AM
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#25
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Manus Celer Dei Group: Dumpshocked Posts: 17,006 Joined: 30-December 02 From: Boston Member No.: 3,802 |
The concept of recovering from a dramatic failure does not necessarily apply to both.
~J |
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