Topic: Genre Settings

[RandalThor]

That's funny, I would say what has gotten pervasive is the looks of anime, computer games, and Warhammer. Which is to say grossly oversized weapons and shoulder pads, monsters with hunch-backed posture, and women with no pants. I like a realistic look myself but find it rare.

Yeah, that is out there too, but since I generally stay away from that stuff like it is the Ebola Virus, I don't see it much. (Though I am down for some Exalted, which has a definite anime-flair - even if I like to make that more high-fantasy than anime, as well.)

[ironmaul]

If there would be new genre settings I think the human-interest factor would be most important for the new RM. People need something that they can get attached to in the characters. Several succesful competing products come to mind. That and good art is what would sell it.

(Emphasis, mine.)

I have been saying that for years now - and, sorry, but most of the new art in HARP is not to my liking. I know they are probably very expensive, but Brom, the guys who did much of the art for the D&D 3E Monster Manual, and the classic AD&D artist Willingham would go a long way to making the products awesome. Also, the guy(s) who did the maps for the older Shadow World products like The Cloudlords of Tanara, especially if you keep the high-fantasy look from those days, I much prefer to get away from the "middle-ages, only with magic & monsters" look that has crept into modern fantasy. (And by "crept", I mean taken over almost completely.)

Of course, for genre settings, the art should compliment the genre. For example: A genre setting of Ancient Greece should have art that is reminiscent of the art of ancient Greece.

I hope I'm not in your category of dislike Randal.
The hard fact that guys like Brom and other high profile illustrators would not touch ICE with a ten foot pole due to others(and themselves) being dealt by former administrators. Most illustrators know each other and communicate on who are good to work for and who are not, this is a fact I know.  The only way for high profile illustrators to to reconsider ICE is to re-establish communications.
I think Greg Manchess would be a better choice of illustrator for a steampunk theme IMO. Brom is more towards dark fantasy/fairytale etc.

[intothatdarkness]

The hard fact that guys like Brom and other high profile illustrators would not touch ICE with a ten foot pole due to others(and themselves) being dealt by former administrators. Most illustrators know each other and communicate on who are good to work for and who are not, this is a fact I know.  The only way for high profile illustrators to to reconsider ICE is to re-establish communications.
I think Greg Manchess would be a better choice of illustrator for a steampunk theme IMO. Brom is more towards dark fantasy/fairytale etc.

There are likely authors who feel the same way, too. There's much history that needs to be worked through.

[Cory Magel]

It will help that the newest ICE (Guild Companion Publications) is actually owned/being run by the authors who were being mistreated by the previous version(s) of ICE.  There's a reason you never saw the Channeling Companion republished (well, legally) until recently.  As slightly distasteful as an approach as it may seem pointing this out would probably help in recruiting talent.

However, I'm not sure extremely popular artists are going to jump at the chance considering that much larger companies are going to be a more lucrative source of commissions.

[ironmaul]

It will help that the newest ICE (Guild Companion Publications) is actually owned/being run by the authors who were being mistreated by the previous version(s) of ICE.  There's a reason you never saw the Channeling Companion republished (well, legally) until recently.  As slightly distasteful as an approach as it may seem pointing this out would probably help in recruiting talent.

Although GCP is run by those that have been mistreated, unless the "Under New Management" sign is displayed it will still remain as status quo. That's why I mentioned about re-communicating with the industry because who really knows.

However, I'm not sure extremely popular artists are going to jump at the chance considering that much larger companies are going to be a more lucrative source of commissions.

Mate, you'd be surprised. Most high profile illustrators will work for anyone that has good business/contract ethics and pays fairly. There has has been a lot of talk lately that these "large companies" are treating there artists with contempt.
So yes, there is definite chance that high profile authors/illustrators would work with ICE, of course this would mean that ICE products will become more expensive...is that what fans will sacrifice I wonder?

[RandalThor]

I hope I'm not in your category of dislike Randal.

I don't know which ones you did, but I can tell you I prefer the more realistic art, no abstract for me, thank you very much.

[ironmaul]

I hope I'm not in your category of dislike Randal.

I don't know which ones you did, but I can tell you I prefer the more realistic art, no abstract for me, thank you very much.

I do the realistic stuff and I don't care much for abstract myself either.

[Nortti]

Realistic art depicting characters that are central to a setting and immediately give that RM feel to a would-be customer. Thats what would be needed to make it viable in business sense.

[GrumpyOldFart]

I hope I'm not in your category of dislike Randal.

I don't know which ones you did, but I can tell you I prefer the more realistic art, no abstract for me, thank you very much.

Click the first link in his sig, it will take you to several examples, many of which are things you will find in the new HARP books. Certainly it should be enough for you to recognize his style.

[NicholasHMCaldwell]

Artwork appreciation is very much in the eye of the beholder. I don't know what is meant by abstract art in the context of HARP books as I don't think any of our artists were asked to produce any abstract pieces. I am happy to listen to what people think worked and what didn't in terms of art, and to hear about the sort of things you all would like us to illustrate. I am a firm believer that the artwork should illustrate our books and be useful in helping to inspire the gaming imagination;  it isn't just there to break up the text and fill whitespace.  I also don't like seeing the same fillers reused again and again.

In terms of big-name artists, they do come with big price tags and also busy schedules. We have talked to some but not yet been able to negotiate a full deal. We are not Wizards of the Coast or White Wolf, however, and doing whole books at that level of art as opposed to a cover simply isn't going to be practical. Their production run volumes are in a whole different league to us - so they can price the final result at a price gamers can still afford.

As for writers and artists being hesitant to work with the ICE brands because of how they or others have been treated by Old ICE or Mjolnir,  that is true. I do have conversations with freelancers where I need to explain how GCP is different and how I have my own experiences of good companies and bad companies.

Best wishes,
Nicholas

[GrumpyOldFart]

I have no idea how WotC treats their authors or artists... but I'd be hesitant to work for them because of my perception of how they treat their fans.

White Wolf.... no idea, don't know enough about them to have any opinion.

[PhillipAEllis]

I apologise for my silence.

I have an idea for a well-trodden genre that I'm hoping to work on, as a freely available supplement for RMSS/RMFRP. Yes, it's a "Cthulhu Companion"... (is it noticeable that I am a massive Lovecraft nerd?). Anyway, if I do get the go ahead as a fan production, I am aiming at basing it firmly on Lovecraft's texts, rather than on those of later authors, since Lovecraft's fiction is in the public domain.

This leads me to my next question: what do you think of genre books based on works in the public domain?

[markc]

 If the work is in the public domain it really depends on the books, ideas, etc of the author or even artist.
MDC

[jdale]

Well-trodden could be good or bad. What setting are you thinking? I have not seen much for the Cthulhu mythos in a fantasy setting. And once you have a core that handles stats, GMs can go raiding the Call of Cthulhu books for scenarios. At one point I was running a game using GURPS Cthulhupunk and I did that, mostly looking at the CoC modern books. (Although I ended up mostly using Dreamlands elements.)

(Plus, it totally justifies buying this for the figures: http://www.kickstarter.com/projects/1816687860/cthulhu-wars/?ref=kicktraq )

[VladD]

Some nice figures there!

But I was wondering if the Cthulhu Companion is going to have mythos also from Lovecraft's contemporaries as well? Those should be in the public domain, such as  Ambrose Bierce, Robert W. Chambers, Clark Ashton Smith, Robert E. Howard, Robert Bloch, Frank Belknap Long, en Henry Kuttner.
It would be really nice to be able to present a Cthulhu mythos as it was meant.

[Warl]

Though this is a closed poll... I would have voted Just yes. I would Buy a Setting material that I was interested in without there really being any other support for it. But the setting material would need to be Complete with statistical information Not just fluff.

I have all of the Prior settings for RM2... Arabian Nights, Vikings, Sea Law, at rapier's point, Mythic Egypt, etc.
One thing I found Lacking in a lot of them was Statistical data: Races modifiers, Cultural Weapons and gear etc. For me, I can "create" the setting just fine without a Setting book needed for most things just by doing a wiki search or Getting Published books about that setting. Such stuff already exists for settings like Hyboria For a Conan Adventure. Sure it's Nice to have it in a Published game resource... but without the Technical Information, it is all jsut fluff that I can get else where, more than likely without spending any money, though it might take me slightly more effort.

I am currently going to work on a Halo setting for use with Rolemaster/Spacemaster rules. For this I am going to have to do a lot of Leg work creating the Tech and Stats for the setting. Thats What I like to see in setting Material.....

AS for Supported works, Adventures are nice for Gms who want to use them, though I tend to run my own work, But I love Pre made maps useable for the settings. Mythic Egypt Did the Best of them in providing this type of work.

Generic Maps suitable to the setting are also a Nice addition to any setting... even if a supplementary product.

[PhillipAEllis]

But I was wondering if the Cthulhu Companion is going to have mythos also from Lovecraft's contemporaries as well? Those should be in the public domain, such as  Ambrose Bierce, Robert W. Chambers, Clark Ashton Smith, Robert E. Howard, Robert Bloch, Frank Belknap Long, en Henry Kuttner.
It would be really nice to be able to present a Cthulhu mythos as it was meant.

I know the following authors' work is in the public domain: Bierce, Chambers, Howard
I know the following isn't: Smith, Howard, Bloch, Long, Kuttner

Essentially, for the Cthulhu Companion I would be using what Lovecraft had used, so a fair slab of their contributions will be included.

[Thom @ ICE]

You listed Howard on both lists...

[PhillipAEllis]

Shows I often don't think, doesn't it!

I meant to list Howard only in the "isn't" column only but went off half-cocked as usual

[mac]

the poll is closed, but I thought i'd toss in a post anyways!

yes. I would buy several genre settings for HARP and HARP SCIFI.
for scifi, i'd like to see:
1. post apocalyptic setting, like fallout. 
2. cyberpunk2020 type setting
3. an industrial revolution type setting, like the "league of extraordinary gentlemen".
4. how about a horror/lovecraft. delta green style sourcebook?
5. or finally, and imperial galactic type setting spanning the universe. a star wars/star trek type setting would be too much to hope for. for example, I really enjoyed the sector books in traveler. 

for HARP fantasy?
1. I really like terry's SHADOW WORLD setting.

I would spend money on settings provided that:
1. they were supported with adventures, world regions, or galactic sector settings(like traveler was).
2. the books came in hardcover. I am a collector(sucker!  ) for anything hardcover.

as an "oldschool gamer" I will probably just create my own campaigns right now(I just bought the new core rulebooks), and hope for something better from ICE for the future.