D&D 4E Mongoose and 4e?

[Whizbang Dustyboots]

Well... not until the OTU setting book is released and maybe even Starship Troopers ... then distract them all you want.

Just teasing, Matt.

Are they doing a single OTU book, or more than one?

And if they're doing other settings, I really, really, really want them to stat up the Aliens universe, even if it's just a tiny little paperback. Enough screwing around with half-measures already: Nuke 'em from orbit; it's the only way to be sure.

 

[Melan]

I can see Mongoose wait until the dust settles, and establish their pocket core books line as a small but profitable evergreen product line for the disaffected 3.5 fans and their new recruits.

 

[Brennin Magalus]

I can see Mongoose wait until the dust settles, and establish their pocket core books line as a small but profitable evergreen product line for the disaffected 3.5 fans and their new recruits.

If their Quintessential line is any indication, then please no. That would be akin to Battlefield Earth 2.

 

[dmccoy1693]

Are they doing a single OTU book, or more than one?

While I don't know for sure, I am reasonably certain that they're going to do a core OTU book followed by a series of supplements detailing other parts.

And if they're doing other settings, I really, really, really want them to stat up the Aliens universe, even if it's just a tiny little paperback. Enough screwing around with half-measures already: Nuke 'em from orbit; it's the only way to be sure.

They haven't announced a licence for that. However they are doing Starship Troopers, Judge Dredd, and Strontium Dog.

 

[TerraDave]

Imaro: They jumped off that band wagon, at what (in hindsight) looks like just the right time.

If the 4thed launch goes well, I wouldn't be surprised if they started to do 4e-d20 stuff for a while. Since that would make money. And they seem to be good at that.

 

[Imaro]

Imaro: They jumped off that band wagon, at what (in hindsight) looks like just the right time.

I would say almost jumped off that bandwagon. As I said in my earlier post Conan 2nd edition is still d20 (though on their boards alot of customers asked for it as a Runequest setting). I wouldn't be surprised if this doesn't sell as well as they expected it to just because 4e was announced. In the end this is a big risk when you base the majority of your products on another company's game. I think companies like Green Ronin(True20) and Mongoose(Runequest) realized this at a certain point.

If the 4thed launch goes well, I wouldn't be surprised if they started to do 4e-d20 stuff for a while. Since that would make money. And they seem to be good at that.

I could totally see them doing this, the difference between them and such companies as Paizo and Necromancer Games who really are kind of beholden to WotC for sales, is that when the newness of 4e slows down (or a new edition is announced) they continue to have customers who are loyal to their other brands. Thus they can better weather the inevitable dry spells of d20 publishing. All IMHO of course.

 

[MoogleEmpMog]

I would say almost jumped off that bandwagon. As I said in my earlier post Conan 2nd edition is still d20 (though on their boards alot of customers asked for it as a Runequest setting). I wouldn't be surprised if this doesn't sell as well as they expected it to just because 4e was announced. In the end this is a big risk when you base the majority of your products on another company's game. I think companies like Green Ronin(True20) and Mongoose(Runequest) realized this at a certain point.

Conan is OGL, not d20. The differences between Conan and D&D 3.5 are subtler than between True20 and D&D 3.5, but they're definitely there. You can't port directly between the systems the way you could with, say, d20 Modern or Grim Tales, although conversion is a lot easier than with True20.

I don't really think Conan 2e will end up harder hit by D&D 4e than it would have if it had been a RuneQuest release. The blow was much more to the Conan 2e reveal's visibility and marketing, not to the system itself. No more, at least, than 4e will be a blow to other d20-derived incompatible systems like True20.

I could totally see them doing this, the difference between them and such companies as Paizo and Necromancer Games who really are kind of beholden to WotC for sales, is that when the newness of 4e slows down (or a new edition is announced) they continue to have customers who are loyal to their other brands. Thus they can better weather the inevitable dry spells of d20 publishing. All IMHO of course.

Agreed. Mongoose is in a much better position than a pure d20 company would be - even a better position than, say, Green Ronin. True20 and Mutants and Masterminds are still tied to some extent to the d20 system, whereas lines like RuneQuest, Traveler and the Mongoose minis games are completely independent.

About the only other company with that kind of security, albeit on a smaller scale, is Privateer Press, for whom the d20 material is basically a hobby next to the runaway success of their minis game.