Interview with Scott Matthews of Fluid Entertainment

[Vpenman]

I don't know how things are setup between WotC and Fluid, but I know for the Core Rules programs, it was Evermore's responsibility to create the patches. Our contract required us to not only develop the code, but to fix any bugs in it.

Evermore did not receive any additional compensation for any patches it did. That includes not only bug fixes, but adding features -- upto and including the creation of the Necromancers handbook download.

Such features were obviously an extra we decided to provide for our own reasons. But the bug fixes -- that was just part of the overall deal and written into the contract along with the compensation we were getting for the complete package. That kind of deal is and was the norm for software development in my experience.

We were contractually required to fix bugs either promptly or within a reasonable amount of time. Again, that was just part of the deal.

Of course Fluid's contract might be different. I have not seen it.

Victor

 

[Ds Da Man]

Boy, I'd pay good money for a "leak" of that wonderful sounding mapper!

 

[reiella]

If I recall correctly, the Mapper was a variant of the mapper used by WorldEd in Arcanum, so you can still get your hands on it sorta by purchasing Arcanum. It's a decent enough mapper (it's part of the mod section), although the downside is it isn't really possible to save it as a normal graphics file or print it :x (you can take screenshots to reconstruct it I imagine).

 

[Vpenman]

There were a couple of things I found confusing in the interview and I've decided to ask about them.

First, it is stated:

"Interview conducted by Eric Noah (September 2002)..."

One of the questions was:

"Now that E-Tools is nearly out the door, do you anticipate being allowed to "speak for yourself" a bit more, or do you think you'll be expected to continue to speak through WotC's PR people?"

To me, at least, that sounds like this question was asked before E-Tools was released.

Also, Matthew is quoted as stating:

"...Let's see, Bill Dugan (then VP of Software at WotC), came to me in January of 2000 and said, "We <I>really</I> need to put a character generator into the PH when it ships this summer. I need it done by May 8th, 2000. Can you do it?"...

"...My relationship was (and still is) really strong with Bill (he's over at Sierra now). We didn't even sign that contract until July of 2000 - two months after the Char Gen shipped! It was all based on the trust between us. That contract signing included the Master Tools work. "

Later on, Noah is quoted as asking:

"When and under what circumstances did you start to get a feeling that maybe the ultimate goal -- a very complete D&D utility program complete with mapper, encounter manager, etc. -- might not see the light of day as originally planned?"

To which Matthew is quoted as replying:

"I would say it was right around the time Hasbro purchased WotC. Major change is in the woodwork anytime a company is acquired by another."

However, Hasbro purchased WotC in September of 1999, months before the dates attributed to Matthew as to when he was approached for Master Tools (or even CharGen).

Any clarification will be appreciated.

thanks,

Victor

 

[Sm!rk]

There were a couple of things I found confusing in the interview and I've decided to ask about them.

To me, at least, that sounds like this question was asked before E-Tools was released.

I believe it was, over on FLuids boards it was talked about before GenCon and that was before etools was out. Fluid said something to the effect that they wouldn't finish the interview until etools was out in the hands of the public.

"I would say it was right around the time Hasbro purchased WotC. Major change is in the woodwork anytime a company is acquired by another."

However, Hasbro purchased WotC in September of 1999, months before the dates attributed to Matthew as to when he was approached for Master Tools (or even CharGen).

Didn't notice that but sounds like BS to me.

Only thing I remember was from way back when Jim Bishop was the producer and posted weekly updates, was when he left. Also when Hasbro sold their interactive computer game rights to Infrogrames. Both of those events happens around the same time, the latter was no doubt the cause of the former, but at that time things were bound to change, loss of producer, loss of certain rights. There was a lot of dicussion on WotC boards at that time. This is likely the time things were changed, and either Scott is lying on purpose for some nefarious reason, or lying accidentally.

 

[Chaz]

Things that make me go, Hmmmm.

 

[Therigwin]

Hasbro and WOTC

As I recall, Hasbro did buy them, but stated that they were a sub company. They didn't touch WOTC but let them run themselves with the President of WOTC become a VP at Hasbro.

It wasn't until after the Pokemon boom began to die off that Hasbro stepped in and began to re-arrange things.

This is at least my take on things and what I followed over at mtgnews.com during the purchase of WOTC. I was real concerned during that time that Magic was going to be worse off.

So maybe there is some actual validity to Scott's statements about Hasbro.

But either way, some questions are yet to be answered - most importantly, when is the patch going to be released from beta to public? Have they started the beta test of the patch? And if I was thanked along with the other guys at the bottom of the interview, why didn't that group get to beta test the patch ?

 

[Ranger REG]

Well, much to my chagrin (I'm anti-TCG) Magic is still going strong and probably holding their end of the company's operation. D&D core products holds the other end.

 

[Therigwin]

<Snickers>
You think D&D is holding up the other end?

Ok, lets look at some basics -
Magic pack cost $3.50 Deck cost $8 to $10.

Each card is collectable. Some are harder to get. They release a new expansion every 4 months. They change the tournment format every year. Constant need for existing players (addicts) to buy more cards.

2nd, they have packs at my Meijer's (Local Walmart Superstore type of store). So while I am buying milk and bread, there in the checkout, just grab a booster pack.

I think Magic far outshines D&D sales.
My group of gamers play both. Ask them how much they have spent on D&D (Oh about $30 total ever, maybe per person, not counting me the DM) vs Magic? My group spends an average of $15 a month per person on Magic. The only thing that make it somewhat balance out is that I spend money on all the additional things like eTools, splat books as they come out, but money going into Magic still is greater than my 1 D&D product a month. But the funniest thing is that with Magic, you must buy from Wizards, with D&D, you only need to buy the 3 core books, then you can go to whatever other source.

While I am sure D&D does bring in much revenue for them, Magic is still the bread and butter of Wizards.

Be glad for that, because it was what put them in place to buy D&D from TSR in the first place and give us 3rd Edition.

 

[Ranger REG]

Oh, I'm glad for the debut of 3rd edition as most D&D gamers are ... back in 2000. Nowadays, those gamers prefer that Hasbro give up D&D and sell it to former Wizards founder Peter Adkison. Hasbro can keep Magic and whatever Pokemon TCG remaining, if that is still selling well.