Poll: What TSR RPG Should Be Revivified by Wizards?

[LordEntrails]

My understanding is that a huge problem with WotC running ANY new games of any kind, and why they basically stick to D&D and M:tG, is that WotC is a subsidiary of Hasbro, and Hasbro thinks entirely in terms of "brands", and a "brand" MUST make a certain amount of money each year to be allowed to operate, and the standard that Hasbro has for a successful "brand" is so high that the only things in the whole industry that could meet that standard are M:tG and D&D. Games that would be massive smash hits for any other company in the industry and would be highly profitable, would be seen as unimportant and too small to save by Hasbro.

If this is true, from a business perspective it is totally reasonable.

A company has $100 to invest in a brand. Do they invest that in a Brand A which is projected to make $50 / year for 10 years. Or do they Invest it in Brand B which is going to make $25/year for 5 years?

If the RPG community wants "stuff" (Brand B), then the members of that community need to spend more money in the market. As has been said over and over again, Gaming is a tiny fraction of the entertainment market, and RPGS are a tiny fraction of the gaming market. Until the RPG market becomes more profitable (it is growing) it is not going to get the influx of professional/licensed products.

(This issue is of course complicated by the availability of quality fan content and relatively inexpensive to produce and purchase third party content.)

 

[LuisCarlos17f]

The brand isn't only the books. It's also the media, teleseries, books, comics, some movie, and videogames. But these need time and money.

Spelljammer is the best way to sell D&D version of other Hasbro franchises, and Ravenloft for horror action-live productions for young adults by Enternaiment One.

 

[LordEntrails]

The brand isn't only the books. It's also the media, teleseries, books, comics, some movie, and videogames. But these need time and money.

Spelljammer is the best way to sell D&D version of other Hasbro franchises, and Ravenloft for horror action-live productions for young adults by Enternaiment One.

Perhaps. though if Hasbro can invest $100 dollars in Spelljammer and make $200, but can invest $100 in Nerf and make $300, or $100 in Transformers and make $1000, which one should they invest in?

Not until RPGers are willing to spend money on D&D like they are willing to spend money on the Transformers will we see the expansion we RPGers would like.

edit: It is a MUCH more complex issue than just that. But it is a simple and accurate way of evaluating the situation at a gross level.

 

[LuisCarlos17f]

But now the plans for the brands, franchises and IPs are multimedia projects.

Now if the fandom market is ready or willing to buy D&D then there is a open door for other genres using a close system.

 

[teitan]

I said Star Frontiers but I really mean Star*Drive. Redoing Star Frontiers as a D&D engine game would be aces in my book but I prefer Star*Drive as a setting. Alternity was a good system but I’d rather not have a rehash. Star*Drive could be a great competitor for Starfinder (a great game in its own right), a more hard space opera to their hard science fantasy. 5e is easy to mod for other genres. Easier than 3e was in my opinion. All the evidence I need for that is Super Quest Saga and Doom Eternal from Critical Role.

I also said Marvel but only because there needs to be a Marvel game that isn’t some fancy schmancy game like Saga orthat weird diceless one. Just a meat and potatoes chuck some dice Masters of Evil bashing goodness.

and Gamma World.

 

[LuisCarlos17f]

A new edition of Gamma World is possible to try some new ideas and to test the reaction by the fandom. And antropomorphic animal PCs are perfect to sell toys. This setting isn't like standard d20 Future because here you have to save ammo and high-tech really expensive. People could fight for a 4D-printers (machines what can produce more machines).

Marvel and DC have got a really rich mythology to be not used by the fandom, but I have said some times the d20 system isn't ready yet for superheroes, the power balance is broken, but the things are different in an alternate setting where there is some reason ordinary humans can defeat metahumans (for example blessing by the totem spirits or the fae lords from the dream kingdoms), and then an alien can be a bulletproof skin but being hurt by a masked archer's arrow, because this with her costume is a living legend, and then give special "gifts". Maybe the first step should be a remake, or a spiritual successor, of Red Steel/Savage Coast with repeating firearms, mutants with firearms, and some bullteproof magic defenses.

 

[atanakar]

I said Star Frontiers but I really mean Star*Drive. Redoing Star Frontiers as a D&D engine game would be aces in my book but I prefer Star*Drive as a setting. Alternity was a good system but I’d rather not have a rehash. Star*Drive could be a great competitor for Starfinder (a great game in its own right), a more hard space opera to their hard science fantasy. 5e is easy to mod for other genres. Easier than 3e was in my opinion. All the evidence I need for that is Super Quest Saga and Doom Eternal from Critical Role.

I also said Marvel but only because there needs to be a Marvel game that isn’t some fancy schmancy game like Saga orthat weird diceless one. Just a meat and potatoes chuck some dice Masters of Evil bashing goodness.

and Gamma World.

A d20 version of Star Frontiers exists :

https://starfrontiers.us/files/Star_Frontiers_Core01.pdf

 

[teitan]

A d20 version of Star Frontiers exists :

https://starfrontiers.us/files/Star_Frontiers_Core01.pdf

I see, but I prefer a brick and mortar store purchase. I also don’t think the classic D20 chassis is quite there for a good Star Frontiers or Star*Drive game. I love Starfinder for example but the items by level rules are clunky for sci Fi or science fantasy. 5e provides a better chassis for such a game. I’ll look over the pdf though, thank you for sharing!

 

[LordEntrails]

A d20 version of Star Frontiers exists :

https://starfrontiers.us/files/Star_Frontiers_Core01.pdf

There also is a 5E fan adaptation of StarFrontiers I've seen a few times. (Same author, two formats/presentations)

https://frontierexplorer.org/data/FrontierExplorer011.pdf

Star Frontiers / D&D 5e Conversion Part 1 - Tribality

Part 1 | Part 2 | Part 3 | Part 4 | Part 5 Okay. There are three role playing games that I liked back in the ’80s from TSR: Dungeons & Dragons, Star Frontiers and Top Secret. With the new release of D&D 5th edition, I am excited. I’ve been playing for months now. And now I am reflecting on...

www.tribality.com

 

[atanakar]

There also is a 5E fan adaptation of StarFrontiers I've seen a few times. (Same author, two formats/presentations)

https://frontierexplorer.org/data/FrontierExplorer011.pdf

Star Frontiers / D&D 5e Conversion Part 1 - Tribality

Part 1 | Part 2 | Part 3 | Part 4 | Part 5 Okay. There are three role playing games that I liked back in the ’80s from TSR: Dungeons & Dragons, Star Frontiers and Top Secret. With the new release of D&D 5th edition, I am excited. I’ve been playing for months now. And now I am reflecting on...

www.tribality.com

Do we have a 5e style character sheet for this conversion somewhere?