Pulp Cthulhu - what happened?!

[Ron]

Ok, like I said, it was two years ago so I forgot some of the specifics (Carl, help me out here. ) It was based on the traditional percentile system and I do remember that there was a complete vehicle/chase system that was really cool. I know there were a couple of core differences from the traditional Cthulhu rules. I think there were some expanded luck and combat rules.

System aside, the game was great - lots of props (including a book of Poe stories, complete with hidden map sewed into the backcover - I'm serious), cool character backgrounds, etc. It was run by William Jones, who is also the author (he had a co-GM as well but I forgot who it was).

The main thing I remember is that I really wanted the book after playing it. Besides campaign potential, it felt like the ultimate one-shot ruleset because it was easy to learn, fast to play, and surprisingly robust for what it allowed the players to do.

Very cool! Although this may not be well understood at EN World, I am very glad Chaosium dropped d20 and concentrated their efforts in tailoring BRP to do pulp properly.

 

[thedungeondelver]

I think the OP got it backwards:

Cthulhu pulps!

 

[JustinA]

Very cool! Although this may not be well understood at EN World, I am very glad Chaosium dropped d20 and concentrated their efforts in tailoring BRP to do pulp properly.

Here's how this went:

WotC: Look, we all love your stuff. We'd like to use the immense popularity of D&D to send you a massive number of new customers. How's that sound?

Chaoisum: you.

Whether you're a BRP fan or not, Chaosium dropped the ball. They control some of the best IP in the history of RPGs. All they had to do was sit down, stat it up for D20, and push it out rapidly to coincide with the release and marketing of CoC D20. I know for a fact that they had multiple freelancers knocking on their door and saying, "Hey, we'll do this work for you. We'll do it for you cheap."

In the end, all they managed was to push a couple of dual-statted products out the door. (Here's a news-flash to the industry: No one likes dual-statted products. There is absolutely no way to make a dual-statted product look attractive to anybody.)

I might have had more tolerance for them if they had simultaneously been releasing new product for BRP. But they weren't. This is a company which has rested on the laurels of its past success and apparently had its spirit broken by the Mythos CCG failure.

Now it looks like Chaosium is finally starting to push product out in a meaningful fashion. We'll see how the quality stands up compared to the classic stuff I've got sitting on my shelf.

 

[Michael Dean]

Released about two months ago...? And Chaosium doesn't publish Delta Green - that's Pagan Publishing all the way.

Do you know something I don't? Eos and Pagan don't seem to have it listed that you can buy it yet as far as I can tell, but my google-fu is weak. I saw a picture of the books being ready to be shipped but nothing about them being available so far. I hope I'm wrong.

 

[WayneLigon]

This is a company which has rested on the laurels of its past success and apparently had its spirit broken by the Mythos CCG failure.

As I understand it, the CCG failure broke more than just their spirit. They were very late to the game and almost went under because of it, as did many others when the CCG boom bottomed out. But I haven't heard hard evidence one way or another.

 

[Jim Hague]

Ahh, doing a bit of research - those who pre-ordered the book have it in hand, and Scott is running a lottery for other pre-order. The books are here in the States.

http://www.tccorp.com/home.html
http://forum.rpg.net/showthread.php?t=316400&page=8&highlight=here+the+hell+is+delta+green

 

[Vocenoctum]

Very cool! Although this may not be well understood at EN World, I am very glad Chaosium dropped d20 and concentrated their efforts in tailoring BRP to do pulp properly.

For myself, I didn't care much for the CoCd20 game, since it didn't blend much, but instead seemed half & half. I would have greatly liked a d20 CoC that was done differently, and I think if it had been done after Modern, it would have been a better product.

That said, I also like BRP and wish they'd at least come out with new stuff for that. The place books are so-so for me, and there are too many reprints.

 

[Kafkonia]

That said, I also like BRP and wish they'd at least come out with new stuff for that. The place books are so-so for me, and there are too many reprints.

Well, there's always the MULA monographs (a new Gastlight equipment one looks right up my alley for now) if you don't mind the fairly low-budget look they have.

I'd like a bit more era support: to see Cthulhu by Gaslight to be reprinted, Pulp Cthulhu to come out, some more coverage of the historical period that falls between Dark Ages and Gas Light, and maybe information for WWII, the 50s, and the 60s. That period -- covering the horrors of war, the Brave New World of atomic power and happy housewives, and psychedelics and civil unrest -- seems like it would be great fodder for material.

 

[Thorin Stoutfoot]

Whether you're a BRP fan or not, Chaosium dropped the ball. They control some of the best IP in the history of RPGs. All they had to do was sit down, stat it up for D20, and push it out rapidly to coincide with the release and marketing of CoC D20. I know for a fact that they had multiple freelancers knocking on their door and saying, "Hey, we'll do this work for you. We'll do it for you cheap."

Tell me about it. I wrote the entire Masks of Nyrlathotep d20 conversion, they sat on it, and then didn't put it out. At least they allowed me to release it on the 'net.

I was then supposed to help out on a supplement to Pulp Cthulhu, but nothing came out of it as well. I'd definitely think thrice before freelancing for them without a check up front.

 

[Vocenoctum]

Well, there's always the MULA monographs (a new Gastlight equipment one looks right up my alley for now) if you don't mind the fairly low-budget look they have.

I've never seen the monographs actually, I usually buy books from buy.com. I don't think they have the monographs.

Besides, Chaosium's not the best for letting folks know what they make.