Update on the Ravenloft Board Game

[Isabella]

You'd never get anyone here to agree to be the editor, and I don't think the world can take 400+ page sourcebooks.

[Don Fernando]

WOW not the kind of response I expected!

True and valid points nevertheless. however I think that if Wikipedia works with millions of contributors every day, surely something smaller can work and better, I might add.
It is true that it will require some level of organization, and of course we have to learn from others mistakes (Kargatane)

Still, I really think that the community can really do a wonderful job, without going into complete and utter chaos (and oblivion after that).

The mists cloud our future...

[Gonzoron of the FoS]

No one's saying that great stuff can't come out of the fan community. I think anyone who's seen the Kargatane and Frat netbooks and assorted other websites can see that the fans can and do come up with some great quality stuff. But large groups of fans can be like herding cats. I'm not sure if by "The Frat" you meant the core Frat of Joel, Nathan, Rotipher, Jester, DeepShadow, ScS, and myself, or the denizens of the Frat message board at large.

If the former, I can't speak for the others, but it certainly would be a dream for me, but the reality of is probably something I wouldn't be prepared to handle. It's one thing to volunteer the occasional idea on a message board or a netbook, but quite another to meet deadlines and churn out official books that need to be of sufficiently high caliber to carry the Ravenloft name. Personally, I know I'm not up to the task, creatively, financially, or in time required to devote to it. Heck, I'm really just the web admin around here, anyway. I'm sure some of the others would jump at the chance, and do a darn fine job with it.

If the latter, see above comment on herding cats. the age old debates of "how big is ravenloft" and "how modern is ravenloft" and "how much like standard D&D is ravenloft" and "which domains should get booted out or radically redesigned" would rage for weeks, I'm sure, before even the core rulebook could be started. (The Ravenloft Reanimated project had a promising start in this, but seems to have petered out recently.)


So, I didn't mean to poo-poo the idea. It's a pleasant fantasy, for sure. But the Kargatane saw first hand how fantasy meets reality when they became the official 3e writers and if the small glimpses we got into the process are any indication of the full brunt of it, I for one am happy to leave that to the pros.

[Don Fernando]

No one's saying that great stuff can't come out of the fan community. I think anyone who's seen the Kargatane and Frat netbooks and assorted other websites can see that the fans can and do come up with some great quality stuff. But large groups of fans can be like herding cats. I'm not sure if by "The Frat" you meant the core Frat of Joel, Nathan, Rotipher, Jester, DeepShadow, ScS, and myself, or the denizens of the Frat message board at large.

If the former, I can't speak for the others, but it certainly would be a dream for me, but the reality of is probably something I wouldn't be prepared to handle. It's one thing to volunteer the occasional idea on a message board or a netbook, but quite another to meet deadlines and churn out official books that need to be of sufficiently high caliber to carry the Ravenloft name. Personally, I know I'm not up to the task, creatively, financially, or in time required to devote to it. Heck, I'm really just the web admin around here, anyway. I'm sure some of the others would jump at the chance, and do a darn fine job with it.

If the latter, see above comment on herding cats. the age old debates of "how big is ravenloft" and "how modern is ravenloft" and "how much like standard D&D is ravenloft" and "which domains should get booted out or radically redesigned" would rage for weeks, I'm sure, before even the core rulebook could be started. (The Ravenloft Reanimated project had a promising start in this, but seems to have petered out recently.)


So, I didn't mean to poo-poo the idea. It's a pleasant fantasy, for sure. But the Kargatane saw first hand how fantasy meets reality when they became the official 3e writers and if the small glimpses we got into the process are any indication of the full brunt of it, I for one am happy to leave that to the pros.

Well, I didn't mean to say it would be easy to do a Core Rulebook, or a complete remake of the Setting. It sure is a huge responsibility and demands efforts accordingly. If Ravenloft is to endure the test of time it will eventually need a remake or else it will die away as a classic that was popular on the late 20th century. But as a project manager I understand that taking new risks is always scary and is met with resistance.

Sure pros are really needed to do this kind of work; I for once cannot even write a Christmas Card . But that doesn't mean that our contribution, (by ours I mean every person that belongs to the RL Online Community not only The Fraternity) can be ignored. This is what happened to the Kargatane, and 3rd Ed RL.

I see your point and agree with it all the way, it is a huge responsibility. This is a huge burden for the next person that takes the Flag to 4th Ed. However, I believe that this community and others on the net are the ones keeping the game alive, and as such we can and are helping. Hence our efforts with the netbooks and Mistipedia, which are invaluable contributions to the Setting.

I was't trying to rally votes to send a letter to WotC and buy the rights for 4th Ed. (at least not yet , just kidding of course), I was only stating that our contributions are worth the dream that of one day we (the Comumunity) could rewrite RL's history, if the Mists allow it. But as you so eloquently put it, it is only a pleasant fantasy.

[Lost Heretic]

Will the Fraternity host a board game section on their website?

[Le Noir Faineant]

*Disregard, this was concerning an April Fool's joke I had planned, but I just checked my schedule and found out that I would be unavailable for April 1st.

So, no, I am not currently employed by WotC for no RL or related product.*

DANGIT!!!

[Gonzoron of the FoS]

Will the Fraternity host a board game section on their website?

What's there to host? It's Ravenloft... any discussion of it would likely be here in the General Forum...,

[Gonzoron of the FoS]

I see your point and agree with it all the way, it is a huge responsibility. This is a huge burden for the next person that takes the Flag to 4th Ed. However, I believe that this community and others on the net are the ones keeping the game alive, and as such we can and are helping. Hence our efforts with the netbooks and Mistipedia, which are invaluable contributions to the Setting.

Absolutely, and I think I speak for everyone here when I say that you can count on the Frat and the community at large to keep the setting alive, through netbooks, projects like Mistipedia, and just playing the game.

I just have no delusions that it's "our turn" to follow in the once in a lifetime path the Kargatane took from fans to netbook publishers to official website to professional authors (and back to fans.)

[Gonzoron of the FoS]

And we've got a pic of the components!
http://www.boardgamegeek.com/image/7134 ... board-game



Kind of what I expected, but looking a bit on the "cheap" side, unfortunatly...

[Lost Heretic]

Kind of what I expected, but looking a bit on the "cheap" side, unfortunatly...

How does it look cheap? The cardstock seems decently thick and the interlocking tiles look decent.

[Jester of the FoS]

Kind of what I expected, but looking a bit on the "cheap" side, unfortunatly...

How does it look cheap? The cardstock seems decently thick and the interlocking tiles look decent.

Agreed, the minis look comparable to Zombies!!! but the tiles look much thicker.

[Le Noir Faineant]

BTW, I got an email a few days ago that my preorder had been delayed until the beginning of October. - So, this is D&D's Halloween product? Nothing to say against it...

[Lost Heretic]

Agreed, the minis look comparable to Zombies!!! but the tiles look much thicker.

I can't tell much about the detail from that photo, but I just hope they aren't that crap soft plastic they make Zombies/DnD/Heroclix out of.

[steveflam]

Kind of what I expected, but looking a bit on the "cheap" side, unfortunatly...

How does it look cheap? The cardstock seems decently thick and the interlocking tiles look decent.

Agreed, the minis look comparable to Zombies!!! but the tiles look much thicker.

As in the Zombies Boardgame? Cool! Someone else who likes boardgames besides lil ole me!

Touch of Evil and all its expansions are awesome!

[Gonzoron of the FoS]

As in the Zombies Boardgame? Cool! Someone else who likes boardgames besides lil ole me!

Tarlyn, buddy, you have no idea...
http://boardgamegeek.com/collection/user/gonzoron


As for the cheap comment, I guess it's hard to pin down the gut feeling, but the board tiles and and cards look very generic. The minis look like they came right out of Descent. Descent is not a cheap game, mind you, but the point is, if not for the box and rules being the pic, I'd have no idea this was a Ravenloft game. Was hoping for something a bit more atmospheric, like Arkham Horror or Betrayal at House on the Hill (which is getting a reprint soon, BTW. woohoo!)