(Mongoose) Babylon 5 RPG - Full Details!

[Mongoose_Matt]

Hi guys,

A few more answers;

1. The B5 website is being worked on and should be up soon (along with Armageddon 2089).

2. There have already been some B5 micromachines. . .

3. We do indeed have rules for technomages, which will be appearing in the 2nd supplement to the game. However, these will be of the nature that allow players and GMs to try the class out and do technomage 'cool' stuff. A little later on, technomages will be getting their own full-blown sourcebook with more secrets and little details (as well as rules!) than you could ever hope to wish for!

This, incidentally, has proven to be _the_ biggest problem with the main rulebook - trying to squeeze everything in! Right from the very start we decided that nothing would be skimped on and so, if we could not do it properly (as in the case with the technomage), we would not 'rush' it and just shoehorn material in. I am taking this licence very seriously, so everything will either be done properly and in as much detail as possible, or not at all. Suffice to say, the former option is the one we normally plump for

4. You do not need D&D to play B5 - you need the d20 rules. The decision to make the main d20 rulebook fantasy in nature was not my decision, I am afraid However, you really only need it for the fist part of character creation, level advancement and the occasional skill or feat (which, if you have been playing D&D, you will likely know off the top of your head). _Everything_ else you need is in the B5 rulebook. Everything.


I am actually a little behind schedule in writing the 4th supplement at the moment (Bad Matthew!), but I'll see if I can give you all a little tour of the main rulebook a little later on today or tomorrow. . .

 

[Gallowglass]

Ok, first Matt this must rate as one of the worst kept secrets _ever_ and you must have sailed remarkably close to the wind regarding whatever the legal restriction was on announcing this until now.

But many congratulations and a warning: mess this up and you will know fear, you will know pain. And then you will die... Serioulsy, please please don't mess this up!

As for using d20, well given what you need, surely you can do what T20 did an djust say "requires a core d20 book from WotC" and stick the xp table in _without_ explaining it...

 

[Winterthorn]

I Am Soooo Excited!

*calming down now*

One can imagine the big smile on my face when I first layed my eyes on this announcement (Saturday morning 9:00 EST). What wonderful news to wake up to!

I must also say "I knew it!" Or rather... We all "knew"

Matt, you mentioned in a post a few weeks past that you would also be willing to tell the tale as to why you had to keep quiet about this license for so long... If you've got the time, I'm really curious about the "story" behind the license acquistion.

I loved the series as it evolved on TV. I know Mongoose Publishing works hard to produce good d20 publications. If you folks at Mongoose are as keen and enthusiatic fans of B5 as I was, then I am confident you'll do a respectable job with the license. I'm looking forward to May 2003

Additionally, I'm curious to know if Giant in the Playground, a.k.a. Rich Burlew is involved with Mongoose Publishing regarding this new license? I ask because he initiated a wonderful thread at wizards.com last March 2002 on his own d20 homebrew interpretation of B5. It was well done. Rich also was one of 3 finalists in WotC's setting search. I think it would be cool is he was "onboard" with Mongoose in some capacity--the man has talent for RPG writing/design! (IHMO Fate is ironic though--it's quite possible you've never heard of him!)

All in all, I'll be sure to save some money for next May!

Well done Matt

-W.

 

[Mongoose_Matt]

Matt, you mentioned in a post a few weeks past that you would also be willing to tell the tale as to why you had to keep quiet about this license for so long... If you've got the time, I'm really curious about the "story" behind the license acquistion.

Well, Warner Brothers is a rather large organisation, and it does not help that we are in the UK, dealing with their UK office, when all the initial approvals took place in the US. Additionally, they changed their approval process halfway through our negotitations, which meant we had to begin once more at the very start

Additionally, I'm curious to know if Giant in the Playground, a.k.a. Rich Burlew is involved with Mongoose Publishing regarding this new license?

Oh, we have been in contact with Rich - ever since I saw his posts on the Wizards forums. He has had some influence and input over the main rulebook, and we are currently discussing his writing of the Narn Regime. . .

 

[Stad]

B5 Combat

3. The main rulebook actually uses a converted Dragonstar system as a basis for its space combat. However, you know us - we just can't leave anything alone So, Starfuries can pivot in space, Vorlons have adaptive armour, the Minbari are _frightening_ and there are all sorts of other bits and pieces that have made this feel very different to the DS you all know and love. However, I have been considering an advanced space combat game - it is not a priority as, at its core, this is not what a B5 RPG should be about, but it is on the cards. . .

I realise your using input from Agents of Gaming which is a great thing. If advanced rules for the game ever get published (for space combat), will they include the conversion system you had for B5Wars? Or Merge the 2 rule systems into one?

 

[Mongoose_Matt]

I really cannot answer that at the moment. It is my feeling that B5 Wars is way too complex for an RPG. Also, supporting a game system that is no longer on sale is problematic at best. However, if fans want to put together their own conversion system, we'll certainly consider putting the best ideas on our web site. And you never know where they may lead. . .

 

[bolen]

Will it use hit points or a varriation of the vitality/wound points that are in spycraft/ star wars ect ?

 

[Stad]

I really cannot answer that at the moment. It is my feeling that B5 Wars is way too complex for an RPG. Also, supporting a game system that is no longer on sale is problematic at best. However, if fans want to put together their own conversion system, we'll certainly consider putting the best ideas on our web site. And you never know where they may lead. . .

That is still awesome. I have heard the current group of B5Wars players look eagerly at adapting Diplomats and other character classes into large campaigns of theirs.

And I fully understand trying to represent 1 person on a ship or vessel of 10-2000 would be a headache.

Again I cannot wait and am looking forward to May for this release.

Will there be any sneak peaks posted?

 

[Mongoose_Matt]

Bolen: Hit points - kinda. This is one of the large changes to the system, though we have done so using a method that keeps the hit points we all know and love, using them in a slightly different manner to represent the sheer lethality of modern weapons in combat. Players are going to be ducking for cover a great deal

Stad: I am working up a chapter preview of the main rulebook at the moment. Should be posted in a few days.

 

[bolen]

Matt

I'd love you to use this as a jumping off point and to publish other Hard science fiction settings using the same rules.

By the way you said you were using the dragonstar rules. Is there a connection between mongoose and FFG (other then both being d20 publishers)?