Green Ronin to publish DragonFist!

[Henrix]

It seems like Green Ronin finally has been able to buy the rights to DragonFist, something that has been in the works for a while!
(Read the press release.)

And they plan to publish an OGL/D20 version of it summer '03!

(For those of you who missed it, DragonFist is a game designed by Chris Pramas while working at WotC, but it never got published, other than as a free PDF, mainly, I understand, due to the fact that it was sort-of AD&D 2e and 3E was fast approaching.

Despite the fact that it was never really published, it got nominated for an Origins award.)

 

[Ruland]

That's good news! As much as I like Rokugan, it's time that more elements of Chinese mythology and tradition come to shine in RPGs. I like these flying swordsmen and these whirling ladies with their devastating blows - as long as they don't hit me! The strong Japanese flavor was the one thing that disappointed me with Oriental Adventures, a book that should have been more generic.

 

[Ruland]

And I hope Green Ronin or some publisher will support Dragonfist with adventure and campaign material. One good inspiration are the novels about Judge Dee by Dutch diplomat and author (former ambassador to China) Robert van Gulik, and another the traditional Chinese tale about the rebels of the Liang Shan Mountains. Do check these out!

 

[Alzrius]

It's going to be great to see that game in print! I downloaded it back when it was first made available, and loved it the moment I read it, for more than one reason (it was highly compatible with 2e AD&D, which was unheard of at the time, not to mention it just read great).

It's interesting that it's being released under the Open Game License and not the d20 License. I'm not even going to pretend that I understand all that much of the intricacies at work on those things, but from what I do know (and please correct me if Im wrong), that means that they can do things with the game that the d20 License would otherwise forbid them, such as writing character creation rules.

I'm ambivalent about them not being able to use anything from OA, since that book isn't at all open content yet. On one hand, it'll be nice to get away from the style in OA to a more wuxia-oriented campaign in Dragon Fist, but on the other hand, we'll probably see something of an "overlap" in some areas, and people who would want to mix the two together will still need to have their cipy of OA when integrating it into DF.

Still, its going to be damn good having that game back!

 

[MEG Hal]

Once again congrats Chris and I am glad that you finally got that back, I know it is a personal triumph! Enjoy!

 

[Sir Osis of Liver]

This is truely great news, i guess this explains Chris's hiaku a couple weeks ago!

This calls for a torrent of smilies!

 

[Nikchick]

Ah, I see EN World came back up while I was asleep! It was killing me not to be able to post the news here!

Yes, we're quite happy about the transfer of Dragon Fist to Green Ronin. Many thanks to Anthony Valterra for helping us see this process through to an actual conclusion! (It had been "in the works" for over two years, stalled with the legal department, until Anthony came along.)

Nicole

 

[Wulf Ratbane]

Congrats Chris... Just thinking about how you must feel to have your creative work back in your hands, it makes me smile...


Wulf

 

[Pagan priest]

How compatable will it be with Oriental Adventures?

 

[Ranger REG]

Despite the fact that it was never really published, it got nominated for an Origins award.

In this Electronic Age, does it have to be in-print to be considered as "published"?

Monte Cook of Malhavoc Press and Jim Butler of Bastion Press would beg to differ with you.

Nevertheless, I am looking forward to the new incarnation of Dragon Fist and how it will mesh with OA rules for my own games.