What if: FoS bought the ravenloft liscense?

[NykylaiHellray]

Yeah, pie in the sky, as wizards would charge a skilly amount to sell the liscense, if they were going to sell the liscense.

But its an interesting idea is it not?

I mean if a publishing company was made from the fans, for the fans, we could gurantee a version which would appeal to the original fanbase.

Of course to make it viable, you would have to make it have a way to appeal to new fans as well.

But yeah, what if?

[doctor-evil]

Wouldn't that be dandy.

There are plenty of open license books out there, being sold cheaply via DriveThru and other siutes. Presumably their fees aren't extortionate. Although they haven't purchased a "setting".

If WOTC aren't planning to do much with Ravenloft (or other popular settings like Dark Sun), surely getting them updated to 4th edition (for 'free') and producing more materials would encourage more players to subscribe to 4th ed?

Or perhaps arranging some sort of license deal might be possible that involved "revenue share" rather than a big upfront license fee, so that WOTC gets some profit that it would unlikely have got before, but FoS isn't put in the hole?

[Jester of the FoS]

Unlikely. WotC doesn't seem to want to hand out licenses anymore. It would also be a very large financial investment with no real return as we'd be working entirely electronically and very vulnerable to piracy.

On the other hand, WotC has hinted they might be releasing some settings online on Gleemax and through D&DInsider and I for one would be willing to work with the site to produce Ravenloft material, although they may just as easily keep it in-house.

[WolfKook]

Now you're scaring me, Nykylai... Who are you and what do you want with us?

I guess it would be very difficult to make us agree with all the details of the conversion. As such, we would probably end up with the members of the Fraternity (That is, Jöel, Dion, Rot, Jester, Wiccy... Hope I'm not forgettin' to mention any of them) doing the most part of the job, and the rest of us contributing with ideas.

In that parallel universe, I see a giant forum on 4E Conversion, with a lot of different threads and a lot of people contributing with ideas. Sadly, I can also see a lot of arguing over the most trivial details, as everyone would want to do things their own way. Not a bad thing per se, especially when people in this forum tend to be a lot more civilized than other people in other forums I have seen...

In the end, I think we would make a great job . It would take a while, but it would be better than anything coming from a publishing company (Though perhaps we would have to work a lot to get the level of rules-consistency WotC could get).

So, go ahead, Nykylai... Start hiring the artists, and let's get to work

[Jakob]

I guess it would be very difficult to make us agree with all the details of the conversion. As such, we would probably end up with the members of the Fraternity (That is, Jöel, Dion, Rot, Jester, Wiccy... Hope I'm not forgettin' to mention any of them) doing the most part of the job, and the rest of us contributing with ideas.

I think you forgot someone instrumental in the Ravenloft as we know it now... Mr. Mangrum (and some other Kargatane?) is known to lurk unseen on these boards...

Not a bad thing per se, especially when people in this forum tend to be a lot more civilized than other people in other forums I have seen...

The **** are you saying? Civilized my ***!


The problem would be making everybody agree on the Demiplane as it is meant to be presented: you can picture the "No demihuman" faction, the "Necropoli suxx" faction, the "Let's kill Strahd and make him a ghost vampire wouldn't that be cool" faction... Care to add some more?

EDIT: Oh, I'd love to work on the Scattered Lotus Achipelagus.

[JinnTolser]

Don't forget the "Soth never left" faction, the "let's kill Drakov" faction, the "Vecna and Kas were never in Ravenloft" faction...

Seriously though, I've had the thought before that it'd be cool if the FoS could get ahold of the RL license, but I can't even imagine how expensive it probably is.

[WolfKook]

I think you forgot someone instrumental in the Ravenloft as we know it now... Mr. Mangrum (and some other Kargatane?) is known to lurk unseen on these boards...

Yeap. Perhaps we would also count on their help, and though I would like it so, I don't think they would be interested in going again through the work of actually sitting down and making a new version of RL.

The **** are you saying? Civilized my ***!

Well... Most members, at least...

The problem would be making everybody agree on the Demiplane as it is meant to be presented: you can picture the "No demihuman" faction, the "Necropoli suxx" faction, the "Let's kill Strahd and make him a ghost vampire wouldn't that be cool" faction... Care to add some more?

Off course!!! The "Hazlik is gay" faction, the "Hiregaard as in Enemy Within" faction, the "Let's replace the ****** witches" faction, the "Kalidnay never existed" faction, the "Nosos is stupid" faction, the "Let's make the core bigger and crowded"... I like this game!

EDIT: Oh, I'd love to work on the Scattered Lotus Achipelagus.

That's another interesting thing: We would end up "officializing" the Scattered Lotus, the Golden Peninsula, the Plains of Lost Innocence... Would that be good, or would the setting get overcrowded?

I agree with Jinn in that it would be cool, and perhaps good for the setting in overall (Mr. Mangrum and team have already proven how good it could be for Ravenloft to get in the hands of people who actually know it and love it and want it to grow)... Well, dreaming is nice, after all...

(Though perhaps we aren't... I still think that Mr. Nykylai is up to something )

[Ail]

What do you mean by license? FoS paying to release official RL material? I never liked that idea, even in Kargatane times. Sure, the Kargatane were involved with Arthaus and they did a good job, but that also meant the end of the Kargatane as a fansite. So, if the FoS became official writers, sooner or later this site would die and they would become part of the commercial machine. No more simply fans, subject to editorial opinions, to the decisions of the company and therefore we'd the freedom we so much like in fansites.

I think that's a bad idea, I'm just sorry I can't justify it better at the moment.

Alex

[NykylaiHellray]

Now you're scaring me, Nykylai... Who are you and what do you want with us?

Lol, just a poor 21 year old art student with aspirations in being a fantasy author. =)

Though if wotc were not guarding there licenses, then maybe one day I could try and get a group together to purchase the licsense and release somthing....meh I can dream at least =).

Unless anyone here is willing to lend me a small fortune to tempt the liscense away from them lol XD

[Jakob]

The **** are you saying? Civilized my ***!

Well... Most members, at least...

Oh, me and my Invidi... Italian heart.

Off course!!! The "Hazlik is gay" faction, the "Hiregaard as in Enemy Within" faction, the "Let's replace the ****** witches" faction, the "Kalidnay never existed" faction, the "Nosos is stupid" faction, the "Let's make the core bigger and crowded"... I like this game!

Well, of course the "Let's make the Core small and claustrofobic", the "I want drow back" and the "Darkon is too high fantasy" factions are missing from our list.

[cure]

The **** are you saying? Civilized my ***!

Well... Most members, at least...

Oh, me and my Invidi... Italian heart.

Off course!!! The "Hazlik is gay" faction, the "Hiregaard as in Enemy Within" faction, the "Let's replace the ****** witches" faction, the "Kalidnay never existed" faction, the "Nosos is stupid" faction, the "Let's make the core bigger and crowded"... I like this game!

Well, of course the "Let's make the Core small and claustrofobic", the "I want drow back" and the "Darkon is too high fantasy" factions are missing from our list.

I would take our factions over WOTC's 'How do we market Dr Van Richten to god fearing football hooligans?" approach.

[HuManBing]

Apparently, the new Dr. Van Richten's jockstrap was so big, he left it out overnight when it rained, and a cow fell in it and drowned.

[Jason of the Fraternity]

As such, we would probably end up with the members of the Fraternity (That is, Jöel, Dion, Rot, Jester, Wiccy... Hope I'm not forgettin' to mention any of them) doing the most part of the job, and the rest of us contributing with ideas.

Actually, you forget Stephen (ScS), Nathan, myself (Jason), and most importantly Socko, who is the real mastermind around here.

[Socko]: Yes, dance for me my little puppets... Dance for me! Bwah-ha-ha!!!

What do you mean by license? FoS paying to release official RL material?

Plus, we'd have to raid our vault to finance such expenses. Fortunately, we could use the money that we're making off of all the netzines and netbooks that we releases. Oh, wait a minute...

[WolfKook]

As such, we would probably end up with the members of the Fraternity (That is, Jöel, Dion, Rot, Jester, Wiccy... Hope I'm not forgettin' to mention any of them) doing the most part of the job, and the rest of us contributing with ideas.

Actually, you forget Stephen (ScS), Nathan, myself (Jason), and most importantly Socko, who is the real mastermind around here.

Sorry! Sorry! Sorry! PLEASE DON'T PUNISH ME, O GREAT AND BENEVOLENT MASTERS!!!

(Stephen and Nathan have been very supportive to me... I'm very sorry to forget to mention them )

[Rotipher of the FoS]

Bad Socko! Down, boy!

Heel! Sit! Good sock, here's a tasty dust-bunny....



Heh. I think we can forgive you, WolfKook. (Although while we're at it, I'd rather be "Roti" for short than "Rot". )