Calling the developers!

Le Noir Faineant · Post by **Le Noir Faineant** » Mon Jul 11, 2005 4:06 am

Hello,

Since some of you *responsibles* for the RL line frequently lurk on these boards, please help us fans out:

For it seems indeed that the RL line was dropped/put on hold/cancelled, however one would name it.

So, since there wasn't given an offcial statement by the company, what do you, Rucht, Steve, Jackie, Wayne, Claire, and the others know about this?

- After all, the last official info we fans got was that VRG to the Mists was scheduled for August!

Yours,

Rafael

Coan · Post by **Coan** » Mon Jul 11, 2005 5:04 am

What about Masque of the Jade Dragon? I thought that came out in November? That covers this year (a total of about 5 months).

Le Noir Faineant · Post by **Le Noir Faineant** » Mon Jul 11, 2005 5:12 am

Exactly!

But on the WW Ravenloft page: *no upcoming products*...

Jester of the FoS · Post by **Jester of the FoS** » Mon Jul 11, 2005 12:58 pm

Writers will not know, they're strictly write-for-pay and are not kept in the loop.
Developers might not know as the higher decisions are not necessarily told to them until the final decision is made, and even then they will not be allowed to discuss the matter until the official announcement.
Not that the Dev Team will appear here as every single time they show up they get verbally abused, harassed and are demanded answers from on a variety of topics.

And has been mentioned before the “no upcoming products” could very well be an oversight as Dark Tales and Disturbing Legends was missed a number of times. Let’s use a light touch on the speculation until we know for sure.

Le Noir Faineant · Post by **Le Noir Faineant** » Mon Jul 11, 2005 1:04 pm

Yeah, I know this has happened a couple of other times, but onthis particular occasion, I've some sad feeling about it...

Steve Miller · Post by **Steve Miller** » Mon Jul 11, 2005 1:18 pm

I have no idea what's going on, but one reason for no RL listings could be contract negotiations.

If the license was up for renewal, listings might have been held.

And even if there AREN'T any more official Ravenloft products ever again, the setting won't be dead until all of you stop coming around here and stop playing in the world.

Ultramyth · Post by **Ultramyth** » Mon Jul 11, 2005 4:22 pm

Maybe wizards is unhappy with White Wolf handling the setting and wishes to return to it? Or send it off to another publisher?

Drinnik Shoehorn · Post by **Drinnik Shoehorn** » Mon Jul 11, 2005 4:28 pm

Ultramyth wrote:Maybe wizards is unhappy with White Wolf handling the setting and wishes to return to it? Or send it off to another publisher?

Unlikely.

Mortepierre · Post by **Mortepierre** » Mon Jul 11, 2005 4:29 pm

Ultramyth wrote:Maybe wizards is unhappy with White Wolf handling the setting and wishes to return to it? Or send it off to another publisher?

Unlikely.

In the first case, WotC is going to release its own 'horror' book by the end of the year, kind of a generic treatment to what we have come to love about the RL setting. So, from that point of view, RL would be just 'competition'.

http://www.wizards.com/default.asp?x=pr ... /885227200

In the other case, I pity the 'another publisher' given there is going to be tremendous fan's pressure to 'stay the course' in regard to what has already been published (i.e. the S storyplot from the Gazetteer series)

Wiccy of the Fraternity · Mon Jul 11, 2005 5:25 pm

I certainly wouldn't like to be involved in "another company" if I had to take over the line. The task would be a nightmare unless you get all the former authors oinline again.

JinnTolser · Post by **JinnTolser** » Tue Jul 12, 2005 1:28 am

Ultramyth wrote:Maybe wizards is unhappy with White Wolf handling the setting and wishes to return to it? Or send it off to another publisher?

They seem to be phasing out what few older D&D worlds they did give official support to. So yeah, very unlikely.

Don Fernando · Post by **Don Fernando** » Tue Jul 12, 2005 4:03 am

Ultramyth wrote:Maybe wizards is unhappy with White Wolf handling the setting and wishes to return to it? Or send it off to another publisher?

Perhaps, many low quality books hurt the Product Line. Examples: Heroes of Light, Champions of Darkness, Masque of the Red Death. Not considering the Re edition of the Original Ravenloft Campaign Setting with another name: Ravenloft Player's Guide.
On the other hand, it should be a bad idea to give the line to another publisher. It will be like starting again from scratch.

Le Noir Faineant · Post by **Le Noir Faineant** » Tue Jul 12, 2005 5:06 am

Another theory would be that they indeed postpone it until everyone has bought Heroes of Terror, like Morte suggested.

In any case, not what I'd like to see.

Blackpaws · Post by **Blackpaws** » Tue Jul 12, 2005 6:10 am

Just curious for speculations' sake. Do you think Ravenloft still would have declined if TSR was never bought out by Wizards?

Don Fernando · Post by **Don Fernando** » Tue Jul 12, 2005 11:29 am

Blackpaws wrote:Just curious for speculations' sake. Do you think Ravenloft still would have declined if TSR was never bought out by Wizards?

I think not. When Wizards took over TSR, the Ravenloft Line was, IMO at its best. Back then you could see, there were many ideas developing, for years to come. Saddly Wizards let the Line go and stopped supporting more products.

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Calling the developers!

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