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Full Version: Catalyst Game Labs bring Classic BattleTech, Shadowrun, and MechWarrior novels back to bookstores
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Adam
Lake Stevens, Washington (June 24, 2008) - Catalyst Game Labs (An InMediaRes Productions, LLC company) announces the return of novels for Classic BattleTech, MechWarrior, and Shadowrun. The re-launch of these perennial lines will include an amazing selection of authors—including New York Times’ Bestselling Author Michael A. Stackpole.

"The triumphant return of three of the most seminal adventure gaming book lines heralds a great next step for all the brands," David M. Stansel-Garner, Operations Manager for Catalyst Game Labs said. "We're really excited to bring these novels back to thousands of eager fans who have been waiting patiently for their return."

"An estimated 25 million people having played a game or read a novel set in the BattleTech Universe since its inception almost 25 years ago," Stansel-Garner continued. "Throughout that time BattleTech alone has inspired over a dozen video games, a cartoon, a collectible card game, a collectible miniatures game and several toy lines. Additionally, it has amassed one of the largest fictional universes in the sci-fi genre, with over 170 gaming products and almost 100 full-length novels (with much of that translated into over a dozen languages world-wide). Tie that together with the hundreds of thousands of copies of Shadowrun's 120 game sourcebooks, video games, and 50 novels (also translated into numerous foreign markets)… we have a lot of eager fans chomping at the bit for these new books."

Bestselling author and owner of InMediaRes Loren Coleman will return to pen more novels in the Classic BattleTech line. "In 1994 I read through the Warrior trilogy in a single weekend. I've been a devoted fan ever since. I expect to feel much the same way as I pick up the new storyline installments. Working with top writers on a compelling storyline is one of my greatest joys as a writer. Coming back to it now—and with Mike back on board as well—it's like our favorite park has just been reopened. I'll bring the green army men. He'll supply the fireworks."

Look for the first MechWarrior novel, A Bonfire of Worlds by Steven Mohan, Jr. in November 2008, followed by the first Classic BattleTech novel, Shadows of Faith by Loren L. Coleman in December. The first of the all-new Shadowrun novels will appear in January, 2009.

About Catalyst Game Labs Catalyst Game Labs is dedicated to producing high quality gaming products that mesh sophisticated game mechanics with dynamic universes, presented in a form that allows both beginning players and long-time veterans to easily pick up our games. Catalyst Game Labs is an imprint of InMediaRes Productions, LLC, which specializes in electronic publishing of professional fiction. This allows Catalyst to participate in a synergy that melds printed gaming product with all the benefits of an electronic interface and community, creating a whole-package experience for any type of player. For additional information, visit www.catalystgamelabs.com.

About WizKids, Inc. A wholly owned subsidiary of the Topps Company, WizKids is a Seattle-based game developer and publisher dedicated to creating tabletop games driven by imagination. Its HeroClix® and Pirates brands are among the most successful games on the market today, with over one hundred million miniature game figures sold worldwide. For additional information, visit www.wizkidsgames.com.
Caine Hazen
and there was much rejoicing (yeah)
Drogos
I'm just looking forward to more novels set in 2070. Also, shoot Kellan Colt and her ilk in the face, because they are uninteresting...save for Lothan. I love.gif me some Lothan.
Jrayjoker
Great! Now I have to get more permission from the wife to spend money.
Drogos
You got 5 months biggrin.gif
Jrayjoker
QUOTE (Drogos @ Jun 27 2008, 06:59 AM) *
You got 5 months biggrin.gif



OK, I'll set up a change jar on the dresser and see of she lets me use it for books...
Mattily
Yay

Five months...It'll make a nice Christmas prezzie for hubby...pre-read of course!!!


smile.gif

Ryu
Good news!

Is Classic Battletech forced to maintain continuity with MW:Dark Ages?
CanRay
*Bounces for joy like a hyperactive 3-year old on a sugar binge*
Adam
QUOTE (Ryu @ Jun 27 2008, 10:04 AM) *
Is Classic Battletech forced to maintain continuity with MW:Dark Ages?

They are the same universe, different eras.
Stahlseele
will there finally be more from the clan founders part?
we've been waiting for ages! . .
oh and please, no more of those german novels yes? ._.
Nightwalker450
QUOTE (Jrayjoker @ Jun 27 2008, 08:03 AM) *
OK, I'll set up a change jar on the dresser and see of she lets me use it for books...


Thats where all my gaming supplies come from. That and can returns from gaming days.
Mattily
Wonder if I can convince him that it's a household essential....

Adam
For serious, do you people [in general] have to justify the purchase of a $10-ish book to your partner, every single time? I'm not asking this from my "I work in the gaming business, not the gaming hobby" position, but ... seriously? I earn my money, I have a leisure budget, and I spend that leisure budget on whatever I want, just as my gal pal spends her leisure budget, and tough nuts if we don't like what each other is spending money on -- it's our own money for our own leisure!
apollo124
When I read the title on this thread, the first thing I said was "WooHoo!" Of course, I have been watching "The Simpsons" all morning with my nephew, but still WOOHOO!.
read.gif love.gif grinbig.gif grinbig.gif grinbig.gif love.gif read.gif love.gif read.gif
JesterX
Woooot! Let's party!

I just hope that they will be based on the current timeline and will be better than the series released for the crappy Shadowrun Action figure game...!

QUOTE (Adam @ Jun 27 2008, 12:02 PM) *
For serious, do you people [in general] have to justify the purchase of a $10-ish book to your partner, every single time? I'm not asking this from my "I work in the gaming business, not the gaming hobby" position, but ... seriously? I earn my money, I have a leisure budget, and I spend that leisure budget on whatever I want, just as my gal pal spends her leisure budget, and tough nuts if we don't like what each other is spending money on -- it's our own money for our own leisure!


When I was in college... I had to. But now, I don't ^_^
Mattily
Nah...not usually

but I might have to justify it to both of us after spending bucket loads on books over the last month or so and on upcoming rpg releases, and 'Orrid Offspring about to start school.

I'm a housewife. I'm dependant on hubby's money and a small allowance I get from the government for disability problems. So in general I don't have to justify small expenditure, but at the moment we're feeling slightly poor.

In five months time things should be better.
Adam
QUOTE (JesterX @ Jun 27 2008, 12:08 PM) *
I just hope that they will be based on the current timeline and will be better than the series released for the crappy Shadowrun Action figure game...!

They'll be set in 2070+, unless we decide to specifically go back and deal with an historical event or events.
Mattily
Will they give us any ideas about what happened in the Tir? Or is that not decided yet?
Adam
I can't speak to the plots of any Shadowrun titles yet. Sorry!
JesterX
QUOTE (Adam @ Jun 27 2008, 12:15 PM) *
They'll be set in 2070+, unless we decide to specifically go back and deal with an historical event or events.


Do you think that there is a chance that you guys eventually plan a novel about the SCIRE events, Deus Reboot, the second crash, Novatech going public and stuff like that?
CanRay
Even as a Flashback, that would be cool.

Like a 'Runner waking up in a cold sweat from a bad dream, remembering how (s)he got AIPS, and had a part of an AI in his/her head.

Also good for a flashback to the Renraku Shutdown!
Synner667
Yay to having Mr Stackpole back in the writing seat !!
WhiteWolf
WOOT!!! I'm definitely looking forward to some novels!

I don't suppose there is any chance we could get the older Shadowrun novels (from first edition) in PDF format? I would just like to add that I am very pleased with the way Catalyst has grabbed the Shadowrun bull by the horns and really put forth some good material. Thank you. biggrin.gif

QUOTE (Drogos @ Jun 27 2008, 06:41 AM) *
I'm just looking forward to more novels set in 2070. Also, shoot Kellan Colt and her ilk in the face, because they are uninteresting...save for Lothan. I love.gif me some Lothan.


Please, no more books by Stephen Kenson. While the first book was ok with a descent story line the rest lacked a lot of story and information. I will admit Lothan was somewhat interesting and the hacker woman as well, but the others were lacking in personality. I do think he is a lot better then Ed Greenwood who tends to jump around from sub-plot to sub-plot so much you begin to wonder if the man thought the story out first. If Mr. Kenson were to spend more time flushing out the characters and plot I would be willing to change my opinion. Oh well it is always easier to be a critic. cool.gif

Anyone that is interested in the Shadowrun books that have already been published click on the spoiler to reveal a list of them with links.
[ Spoiler ]


If anyone knows how to change the background color and link colors please let me know. The colors in the spoiler are aweful!
Zolhex
I got one one question the press release says 50 novels?????? I am pretty sure I have them all and I only have 47. Any thoughts to this?
CanRay
QUOTE (Synner667 @ Jun 27 2008, 01:38 PM) *
Yay to having Mr Stackpole back in the writing seat !!

I really want to see what Wolf and Dr. Raven are doing in 2070!
WhiteWolf
QUOTE (Casazil @ Jun 27 2008, 01:35 PM) *
I got one one question the press release says 50 novels?????? I am pretty sure I have them all and I only have 47. Any thoughts to this?


You are missing 3? biggrin.gif

wobble.gif + spin.gif = twirl.gif
nezumi
Wow, rereleasing ALL the novels? Are there any plans to release anything beyond the novels? I know there are some old game books I'd love to get into. Definitely good news though.

A general question, I picked up some mechwarrior books secondhand and was surprised at how... juvenile they seemed. I mean I really thought they were written for pre-teens or something. Did I just pick a bad one, or are they all written like that? I couldn't get past the first ten pages.

Oh, and to answer Adam's question, we just bought a house. We have no money. Yes, I generally tell my wife when I'm buying anything unusual. She generally tells me to go for it. In a couple years once our finances have stabilized and my kids are going to private school I'll... probably have to keep doing that. But I understand eventually they leave college and stop being a drain on my finances, so THEN I won't have to confirm anything when I buy all the books my old, liver-spotted heart desires.
CanRay
Probably they'll release all the old game books on PDF. Cheap, easy to do, and good profit margin!

And I just thought of something... I know M$ currently holds the CURRENT video game rights to Shadowrun...

How about the three OLD Shadowrun games? Will we see them come out again on Modern Platforms/PC? Hell, all three would fit on one DVD!
MYST1C
QUOTE (CanRay @ Jun 27 2008, 10:56 PM) *
How about the three OLD Shadowrun games?

The SNES game got me hooked on SR - I'd read a review in some games mag and thought that scifi-meets-fantasy world sounded cool. Bought it, played it, loved it (and still do).
Then I stumbled, by chance, over the first Secrets of Power novel - I hadn't known there were SR novels. And then, a few weeks later, I found out that some other kids from my school were actually playing that P&P RPG advertised in the back of the novel...
CanRay
I first found Shadowplay by Nigel Findley. Then found 2XS by the same. Then the SNES game.

Hooked hooked hooked.
knasser
QUOTE (Adam @ Jun 27 2008, 05:02 PM) *
For serious, do you people [in general] have to justify the purchase of a $10-ish book to your partner, every single time? I'm not asking this from my "I work in the gaming business, not the gaming hobby" position, but ... seriously? I earn my money, I have a leisure budget, and I spend that leisure budget on whatever I want, just as my gal pal spends her leisure budget, and tough nuts if we don't like what each other is spending money on -- it's our own money for our own leisure!


I've known couples who've bought cars and got mortgages without consulting their partner. Some people just live in a different world. I don't have to justify anything I buy but then I don't actually buy much. Clothes, paintings, and food. That's pretty much all my physical purchases - I'm pretty simple.
Tiger Eyes
QUOTE (Adam @ Jun 27 2008, 12:02 PM) *
For serious, do you people [in general] have to justify the purchase of a $10-ish book to your partner, every single time? I'm not asking this from my "I work in the gaming business, not the gaming hobby" position, but ... seriously? I earn my money, I have a leisure budget, and I spend that leisure budget on whatever I want, just as my gal pal spends her leisure budget, and tough nuts if we don't like what each other is spending money on -- it's our own money for our own leisure!


I don't justify anything to my darling husband, nor do I spend my leisure money on books. I simply leave him detailed note with ISBN number, title, nearby bookstores, and a few suggestions on just how happy I'll be after reading said book. wink.gif

Of course, how he chooses to spend his leisure money is, of course, completely and totally up to him. grinbig.gif
Adam
QUOTE (nezumi @ Jun 27 2008, 04:26 PM) *
Wow, rereleasing ALL the novels?

Whoah. We didn't say this. We haven't said anything about this at all. We certainly aren't bringing them all back in print. Some sort of electronic format? Maybe. There will probably be some "test" releases in that vein.
Adam
QUOTE (CanRay @ Jun 27 2008, 04:56 PM) *
How about the three OLD Shadowrun games? Will we see them come out again on Modern Platforms/PC? Hell, all three would fit on one DVD!

That's way out of the scope of anything we do. I'd love to see the Genesis and SNES games hit the Virtual Console on the Wii, but I suspect getting that licensing done is not easy.
MJBurrage
Repeating a previous question... How many Shadowrun books have there been?

I thought I had them all, and I have 46. The first series had 40 titles (with a 41st title written but unpublished). The second series had 6 titles (tied to the action figures).

There is a complete list at Wikipedia: List of Shadowrun Books - Novels

So what are the missing 4 titles?
Crank
They were just rounding up. I can't think of a single one that's not on that list.
CanRay
QUOTE (Adam @ Jun 27 2008, 07:50 PM) *
Whoah. We didn't say this. We haven't said anything about this at all. We certainly aren't bringing them all back in print. Some sort of electronic format? Maybe. There will probably be some "test" releases in that vein.

I'd be happy with electronic format. I've got a few I missed, and some that went missing in a few moves.

QUOTE (Adam @ Jun 27 2008, 07:52 PM) *
That's way out of the scope of anything we do. I'd love to see the Genesis and SNES games hit the Virtual Console on the Wii, but I suspect getting that licensing done is not easy.

frown.gif frown.gif frown.gif
Adam
Bear in mind that there are also original Shadowrun novels in German that would count towards -- and over -- that 50.
apollo124
QUOTE (WhiteWolf @ Jun 27 2008, 02:27 PM) *
I would just like to add that I am very pleased with the way Catalyst has grabbed the Shadowrun bull by the horns and really put forth some good material. Thank you. biggrin.gif


Yes, by all means, let's grab Bull by the horns! biggrin.gif devil.gif rotfl.gif rotfl.gif rotfl.gif
MJBurrage
QUOTE (Adam @ Jun 27 2008, 09:50 PM) *
Bear in mind that there are also original Shadowrun novels in German that would count towards -- and over -- that 50.
Any chance of getting text files for the German novels? I for one would be interested in how readable they are through something like Babelfish. Do they have versions of Babelfish that could be given a list of custom translations for the key Sixth World terms? If it made the plot followable, I would be willing to pay a reasonable amount per book.
MYST1C
QUOTE (MJBurrage @ Jun 28 2008, 08:35 AM) *
Any chance of getting text files for the German novels?

As the SR novels are still in print here in Germany I doubt FanPro and Heyne (the publishers) will give out the contents for free...
walkir
Plus, there are new ones coming out...

As I understand it, the right to publish novels is the only thing Fanpro Germany has kept from SR (it's that way at TDE and I only found novels on their website), so it would be extra difficult.

On the other hand, some authors might want to sell some of their SR novels in the states. (Especially Markus Heitz, I think. At a convention he mentioned he wants to publish his books about dwarfes (no, not SR) in the USA, so he might want some other books of him over there...)
But I think the rights to publish those books are in the hands of fanpro germany.
the_dunner
QUOTE (Casazil @ Jun 27 2008, 03:35 PM) *
I got one one question the press release says 50 novels?????? I am pretty sure I have them all and I only have 47. Any thoughts to this?

FASA/Roc released 40. WizKids/Roc released 6. Then, there were about 30 that were released in Germany that were never translated to English. So, I suspect the 50 is a bit of rounding. smile.gif
Stahlseele
QUOTE (MYST1C @ Jun 28 2008, 10:48 AM) *
As the SR novels are still in print here in Germany I doubt FanPro and Heyne (the publishers) will give out the contents for free...

right now it seems they are only rereleasing novels allready out there . . i have two novels allready which i have bought twice on accident(4 books) due to the text on the back and the cover being different as well as the title . . and the size and setting of the text within . . but when i compared, they are exactly the same text-wise. .
also: including the double bought books i have right now 81 books of the shadowrun novel series . . and i have one or two lent to my buddies as far as i remember . .
Audious
QUOTE (MJBurrage @ Jun 28 2008, 01:35 AM) *
Any chance of getting text files for the German novels? I for one would be interested in how readable they are through something like Babelfish. Do they have versions of Babelfish that could be given a list of custom translations for the key Sixth World terms? If it made the plot followable, I would be willing to pay a reasonable amount per book.


German grammar and word usage is much different than English, it would be very choppy and tough to read if you just translated it all through Babelfish.
Rotbart van Dainig
And, honestly, it's not really worth the trouble.
Stahlseele
at least, not the last publiches once . . maybe the older novels, but the new ones are pretty much a waste of good paper and ink . .
WhiteWolf
QUOTE (Adam @ Jun 27 2008, 07:50 PM) *
Some sort of electronic format? Maybe. There will probably be some "test" releases in that vein.


From the mouth of Austin Powers, "Yeah Baby! Yeah."
Hocus Pocus
finally one of my favorite genera has new novels coming out. bring on the blood and gut, pointless violence, and sex! woot
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