Sorry for not responding sooner!
Originally posted by Ds Da Man
I just don't see how you could create Warcraft and not have rules for mass battle and kingdom running. Everything else is pretty simple conversions. I think simple rules and charts that correspond to the game cost would've been nice. You know, start with x-amount of GP, x-amount of lumber, you need x-amount of food. Then maybe cycle it on a 3-month cycle or some such. Oh well, CRY HAVOC will probably work close enough, then I'll just make some of my own. Thanks!
Impeesa addressed this matter somewhat, but I just want to add a couple of points. The
Warcraft RPG is not a direct simulation or translation of the RTS to a pen-and-paper roleplaying game. Think of it more as an adaptation. The focus is to create a viable D&D campaign world as opposed to a computer game sourcebook ... so to speak. Rules for kingdom/empire building are readily available in several D&D/d20 products and would suit a
Warcraft campaign extremely well.
Of course, this is not at all to say that you couldn't find ways to mimic the process of setting up base camps and towns as seen in the
Warcraft RTS, particularly through d20 rules. The books (so far) simply do not address this topic.
I'm hoping that we'll see a
Warcraft forum up soon on the S&SS site. That would be a great place to post house rules 'n such. (wink, wink, nudge, nudge)
Originally posted by Impeesa
Which reminds me - any solid release date on Atlas of Azeroth? I would kill (you think I'm joking..) for a proper comprehensive timeline and more cultural information on places like Lordaeron that no longer exist in the 'default setting' period.
Unfortunately, no solid release date yet on
Atlas of Azeroth, though I believe the current schedule is calling for Spring or Early Summer 2004. We're looking to make the
Atlas as comprehensive as possible, so places such as Lordaeron should receive ample coverage. (Just don't quote me on that ... yet.
) Think of the level of detail in
Scarred Lands Campaign Setting: Ghelspad, and you'll have an idea of what we're shooting for with the
Atlas.
Originally posted by MarauderX
After all I agree with Ds Da Man: Warcraft, being a RTS war game, how could you not have mass combat? But if the first book is more of a players manual, will there be a whole spin off for the WC series besides the WC MM?
I agree, too! If you already have
Cry Havoc from Malhavoc Press, then you can get going on mass combat in a
Warcraft right away -- though having the
Manual of Monsters would also help. You'll see a reprise of the
Cry Havoc unit combat rules in the
Alliance & Horde Compendium, which is in development right now.
The first book is, yes, much like a "players' manual." It establishes many of the basics for running a
Warcraft campaign: i.e., which core classes are used (including three new ones), which prestige classes are used (including several new ones), new feats, a history of Azeroth, a "gazetteer" chapter on important locations (for Kalimdor specifically), technological device rules (how to make stuff such as flying machines), new equipment, how spells/magic work, a bunch of new spells ... and so forth.
Once the six books are done, you should have pretty much everything necessary to run a
Warcraft campaign, from Theramore to the Twisting Nether (and beyond?).
A very special part of the process of making the
Warcraft RPG is the hands-on involvement of Blizzard's Chris Metzen and Bob Fitch, not to mention artists such as Samwise Didier. They love D&D over there at Blizzard, so it's a big thrill for them to be doing this.
Take care,
Mike
