Twilight: 2000 4E: An Interview With Free League

Free League’s Twilight: 2000 crowdfunding project is lighting up the RPG section of Kickstarter. Having shot past its initial goal, it continues to unlock a stack of stretch goals building out the core RPG boxed set. I’ve spoken with Tomas Härenstam, CEO of Free League Publishing, several times before (here, here, and here), and wanted to get his take on their latest project. Because this campaign combines a known property with the Year Zero Engine (YZE), we discuss how this game helps to expand the YZE while bringing back a classic.

EGG EMBRY (EGG): As always, it’s good to talk to you. This time around, we’re discussing Twilight: 2000 Fourth Edition. For fans that don’t know, what is Twilight: 2000?
TOMAS HÄRENSTAM (TOMAS): Twilight: 2000 is a classic RPG released by Game Designers’ Workshop in 1984, set in the immediate aftermath of World War III in the year 2000. Back then, of course, it depicted an apocalyptic future scenario of the Cold War turning hot – in our upcoming edition, it’s alternate history.

EGG: By the by, congratulations on all of the 2020 ENnie Award wins as well as the UK Expo Awards! This was another banner year of awards for Free League Publishing. Add to that the announcement that you’re taking over the Middle-earth RPG license and the debut of the Tales From the Loop series based on Simon Stålenhag's artwork on Amazon Prime [read RPG creator’s thoughts on the series here] , there’s been a big spotlight on Free League. With Free League’s profile, what made Twilight: 2000 Fourth Edition the right project to pursue now?
TOMAS: Thank you! Actually, we have been working on Twilight: 2000 for over two years. It’s really a passion project for me personally. As for the company profile, I think Twilight: 2000 will make a good addition to our range of sandboxy and survival-focused games like Mutant: Year Zero and Forbidden Lands.

EGG: The fourth edition of the game is coming to Kickstarter. It’ll be a boxed set, correct?
TOMAS: Yes indeed, it will be a boxed set filled with books, maps, counters, dice, and more!

EGG: You’re using “a ‘hexcrawling’ system established in the post-apocalyptic Mutant: Year Zero and survival fantasy Forbidden Lands RPGs (both Silver ENnie winners for Best Rules, in 2015 and 2019), developing it further to fit the gritty world of Twilight: 2000.” Will this use a variant of the Year Zero Engine?
TOMAS: Yes, but Twilight: 2000 will use an alternative version of the rules that uses only two dice for most rolls, as opposed to the dice pools of other YZE games.

EGG: As an 80s RPG, Twilight: 2000 had a crunchy system. The internet [of negative things] has “asked” if the new version will have enough crunch. As the lead of the design team, what level of crunch are you aiming for?
TOMAS: Twilight: 2000 will be the crunchiest YZE game yet, for sure – but without getting bogged down in details. We aim for game rules that give an authentic feel to combat and survival, but less granular and detailed than earlier editions. That’s the balance we’re looking for.

EGG: The game takes place in Poland and you’re adding a Swedish setting. As the game is localized to different languages, do you foresee other localized settings being added?
TOMAS: Hopefully yes! Additional settings will almost certainly come along, and we also hope to see a lot of great community content – via our community content program Free League Workshop – in this area as well.

EGG: What do you think fans of Twilight: 2000 will be most excited to see in the crowdfunding campaign?
TOMAS: Hm, hard to say – but I definitely feel that there are many players out there who have an emotional bond to the franchise and are happy to see it return. We will do our utmost not to disappoint them.

EGG: You’re working with EN World alum, Angus Abanson (Amargosa Press), Game Designers’ Workshop, Polish RPG publisher Black Monk Games, and Far Future Enterprises on Twilight: 2000. How are you finding working with a squad of publishers?
TOMAS: It’s been great! Marc Miller from GDW and Far Future Enterprises manages the license and has been great to work with. Angus will be the lead editor, and Black Monk will help us make sure we get the Polish setting right.

EGG: Switching gears, can you share a few words about the Middle-earth RPGs. How is that license progressing, are you close to making any announcements or reveals?
TOMAS: Soon, stay tuned during the fall!

EGG: At the same time I’m sending you these questions, I have questions out to Mattias Johnsson Haake and Jacob Rodgers about Free League’s Symbaroum RPG for Dungeons & Dragons Fifth Edition. As you’re moving into Adventures in Middle-earth for 5e, are there any discussions about moving additional Free League properties such as Forbidden Lands to 5e?
TOMAS: No concrete such plans at present, but you never know.

EGG: How has the pandemic impacted Free League’s 2020 plans? Not to be trite, but have you found any wins during the quarantine and difficulties?
TOMAS: Our distribution has been hit pretty hard, it’s been hard to get games out. Both our UK and US warehouses shutdown completely for a while. They are up and running now, but still operating on limited capacity with causes delays. Another result of the pandemic is that we have increased our focus on virtual platforms. The Tales From the Loop Starter Set was recently released on Roll20, and more games are coming soon to Roll20 and Fantasy Grounds.

EGG: During the TFtL series you offered the Tales From the Loop Boxed Set and Tales From the Loop – The Board Game. How has the response been for each?
TOMAS: Very nice! The RPG Starter Set is sold out and we’re printing more. The board game is still in development of course and will be released next year, it’s looking really good!

EGG: Tomas, as always, I want to thank you for your time. Where can fans learn more about your work?
TOMAS: Thank you! You can find us on Facebook or our website.

Twilight: 2000 – Roleplaying in the WWIII That Never Was from Free League Publishing

• End Date: Thu, September 3 2020 3:00 PM EDT.
• “A classic tabletop RPG returns in a new retro-apocalyptic edition, from the makers of the ALIEN RPG and Forbidden Lands.”

Egg Embry participates in the OneBookShelf Affiliate Program and is an Amazon Associate. These programs provide advertising fees by linking to DriveThruRPG and Amazon.

 

[dragoner]

Considering that Marc's on the dev team, I severely doubt there will be any such jingoism in the current edition. As for various GM's? Those who would do that now would have done that under 1E.
I genuinely think you're being paranoid on this score. (Paranoid meaning an unreasonable fear, not of need unfounded.)

Hopefully maybe it is an unreasoning fear, at the same time, we will see.

 

[Ulfgeir]

If I remember correctly, the US troops were written to be much better than other troops back in the day. Hope this changes. Will be interesting to see what they make with the partially Swedish setting. Back then we actually had a military. It was not enough to stop a full-scale invasion, but it was supposed to make such an endeavour costly, and take time. We are slowly rebuilding our military, though we will never be at the level we had in the late 50s/early 60s when we had the 4rth strongest airforce in the world,

Reminds me, that I really need to finish the SF-scenario I was writing, that was based on a real life cold war experience. The U-137 incident, or Whiskey on the rocks, as it was also know.

 

[aramis erak]

If I remember correctly, the US troops were written to be much better than other troops back in the day.

The US gets 1 level 2 basic skill, 4 level 1's, and 4 level 0 skills.
The Soviets get 2 level 2 basic skill, 3 level 1's, and 2 Level 0's, but also have a second native language. (Only some US do.)
Note that the game also overlooked that almost all Europeans learn some English. (Heck, most of the Nordic and Low Countries folk speak better formal English than half my teachers.)

Soviet basic was listed in 2.2 as:
Small Arms: 2, Unarmed Martial Arts: 1. Swimming: 1, Thrown Weapon: 1, Autogun: 0, Grenade Launcher: 0

US Army was listed in 2.2 as:
Armed Martial Arts: 0, Autogun: 0, Grenade Launcher: 0, Ground Vehicle (Wheeled): 1, Small Arms (Rifle): 2, Swimming: 1, Tac Missile: 0, Thrown Weapon: 1, Unarmed Martial Arts: 1

the Marines and Airforce use the same basic as the US. So, no, not significantly worse. Basic proficiency in armed martial arts and tac missiles,, and skill in driving.