Mongoose's Cyberpunk? Details anyone?

[Dread0395]

Just saw this on Gaming Report, anyone from Mongoose want to give up the ghost on more details? Any support from Rtalsorian at all or going for generic CP?

Eric the Dread0395
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D20 Cyberpunk

Price: $39.95
Size: 256 pages, 8 1/4 " x 10 5/8", full colour
Cover: Laminated hardback colour cover
Cover artist: Anne Stokes
Interior art: Ralph Horsley
Author: August Hahn

The first of a new set of Core Rulebooks from Mongoose Publishing, D20 Cyberpunk is a complete system requiring no other rulebook for full use. Detailing the Cyberpunk genre in explicit detail, everything from character creation and combat, to infiltrating the Web and copious amounts of Cyberware is covered, providing players and Games Masters with an infinite range of options for their characters and scenarios. Take the role of a hacker or enforcer and carve your niche both on the streets and in the virtual world.

An all new Core Rulebook from Mongoose Publishing, produced as a full colour hardback and covering one of science fiction’s most popular genres, is guaranteed to be a hit among gamers. Written by veteran writer August Hahn (Armageddon 2089 and Babylon 5), D20 Cyberpunk is the definitive guide to this style of roleplaying and contains everything players and Games Masters alike need to run entire campaigns.

 

[Ranger REG]

I believe that R. Talsorian product it titled Cyberpunk 2020. (Or is it 2020 Cyberpunk?)

I honestly don't know if Mongoose got the right to bring R.Talsorian games to d20 but I'm wildly guessing they won't. I believe they're doing their own brand of the cyberpunk genre.

P.S. How many cyberpunk genre products currently available in the RPG market? Besides R. Talsorian product and the upcoming Mongoose product, what are the other ones?

 

[Wulf Ratbane]

It's an interesting release for several reasons...

Cyberpunk is a trademark of R. Talsorian. It's actually registered trademark, I believe.

The term "Core Rulebook" cannot be used in conjunction with the d20 License.

The d20 License specifically requires that the book state explicitly that it DOES require the use of a WOTC core rulebook (either the Player's Handbook, DMG, or d20 Modern or some combination thereof).

Frankly I don't know what they are doing in that release. Maybe they are pushing the boundaries of a press release like Clark Peterson did-- just after Valterra's interesting press release regarding the BoEF...?

I would be impressed if that were the case, but I think it is more likely we will see some rapid backpedalling (especially regarding the Cyberpunk trademark, unless they intend to challenge that as well).

Wulf

 

[Cergorach]

Cyberpunk is a trademark of R. Talsorian. It's actually registered trademark, I believe.

Now THAT i find strange. Cyberpunk is the name of a movement, it's like trademarking, Rave, or Techno. Next thing you know someone is trademarking God...

The book is called D20 Cyberpunk, i also thought that you couldn't use the D20 name in a title of a product, on the otherhand Talsorian does not own the trademark "D20 Cyberpunk"...

Btw, any release date for this product?

 

[Wulf Ratbane]

Now THAT i find strange. Cyberpunk is the name of a movement, it's like trademarking, Rave, or Techno. Next thing you know someone is trademarking God...

I had thought much the same-- didn't William Gibson coin the term (if not clearly the genre)?

It may appear to apply only to the logo itself; I am not a trademark attorney-- can't say for sure. Here's the publicly available info:

Typed Drawing
Word Mark: CYBERPUNK
Goods and Services: IC 028. US 022. G & S: GAMES OF A ROLEPLAYING GENRE.
FIRST USE: 19880815.
FIRST USE IN COMMERCE: 19880815
Mark Drawing Code: (1) TYPED DRAWING
Serial Number: 73817122
Filing Date: August 3, 1989
Published for Opposition: December 12, 1989
Registration Number: 1613055
Registration Date: September 11, 1990
Owner: (REGISTRANT) R. TALSORIAN GAMES INC.
Type of Mark: TRADEMARK
Renewal: 1ST RENEWAL 20010503
Live/Dead Indicator: LIVE

 

[Wulf Ratbane]

P.S. How many cyberpunk genre products currently available in the RPG market? Besides R. Talsorian product and the upcoming Mongoose product, what are the other ones?

I guess that depends on whether you count SHADOWRUN, and furthermore whether you consider it to be "on the market" or not.

Shadowrun is a great setting hampered by bad rules... but definitely one of my favorite games. I've played Cyberpunk 2020 and found it just too... sterile. I dunno...


Wulf

 

[Greatwyrm]

Other cyberpunk games? Well here are the ones I know of:

Cyperpunk 2020 - R. Talsorian

Shadowrun - FanPro/WhizKids?

CyberHero - HERO Games

CyberSpace - I.C.E.

GURPS Cyberpunk - Steve Jackson Games

[Digital Burn] - a d20 cyberpunk book by a company who's name I can't remember

There's also another cyberpunk game out there I can't remembe the name of. It's both a pen-and-paper game and LARP rules.

[edit] - My apologies to the folks who wrote Digital Burn. Not only did I forget the name of the company, but got the name of the book wrong too.

 

[tensen]

P.S. How many cyberpunk genre products currently available in the RPG market? Besides R. Talsorian product and the upcoming Mongoose product, what are the other ones? [/B]

In the d20 world.

Digital Burn, Living Room Games
Cyber Style, from Dark Quest Games

 

[Ranger REG]

The book is called D20 Cyberpunk, i also thought that you couldn't use the D20 name in a title of a product, on the otherhand Talsorian does not own the trademark "D20 Cyberpunk"...

I know of several publishers that are in technical violation, if there is any (d20 -- in association to the rules system -- is not a registered trademark yet but a trademark nonetheless), Dream Pod 9 have released a product titled, d20 Mecha Compendium. It is a supporting product for Guardians of Order's upcoming d20 Mecha product, who is also releasing BESM: d20 System, Centauri Knight d20. Current GOO product include Silver Age Sentinel: d20 Edition.

Then there is Holistic Design that offers their Real-Life Roleplaying product line that includes: Afghanistan: d20 (available now), Somalia: d20 (available now?), and upcoming Colombia: d20.

 

[Ranger REG]

It may appear to apply only to the logo itself; I am not a trademark attorney-- can't say for sure. Here's the publicly available info:

Typed Drawing
Word Mark: CYBERPUNK
Goods and Services: IC 028. US 022. G & S: GAMES OF A ROLEPLAYING GENRE.
FIRST USE: 19880815.
FIRST USE IN COMMERCE: 19880815
Mark Drawing Code: (1) TYPED DRAWING
Serial Number: 73817122
Filing Date: August 3, 1989
Published for Opposition: December 12, 1989
Registration Number: 1613055
Registration Date: September 11, 1990
Owner: (REGISTRANT) R. TALSORIAN GAMES INC.
Type of Mark: TRADEMARK
Renewal: 1ST RENEWAL 20010503
Live/Dead Indicator: LIVE

It appears that they claim the trademark as a "(1) Typed Drawing." Anyone want to elaborate that?

BTW, I also checked TESS for "d20" trademark and found a non-gaming company own it, while Wizards owned and registered trademarks for "d20 System" and "d20 Modern." The "d20 System" trademark page even displayed the logo.