Why no Dune RPG?

[Yellow Sign]

So why isn't there an official Dune RPG out there in the market place. Is the license too hard to get or the setting to difficult to do? Or is it something else?

Just curious.

YS

 

[ColonelHardisson]

Over the years, what I've heard is that the license is too expensive to obtain to make it worthwhile.

 

[Gothmog]

There was a Dune RPG put out about 6 or 7 years ago by Last Unicorn Games. I managed to snag a copy before the game died out, and it goes for $150-350 on Ebay or from various venders now.

If you're looking for something close to the Dune RPG, you can't do any better than Fading Suns. Its got all the major components of Dune (scheming noble houses, a sprawling empire, corruption, mysticism, all in a pseudo-dark ages space fantasy setting). Its a great game and VERY atmospheric. Best of all, Fading Suns rpg stuff is really cheap on Ebay. Be warned, the base system used with Fading Suns is a lemon, and the D20 version isn't a lot better. However, True 20 would be an ideal system for Fading Suns, and I'm definitely running a True 20 Fading Suns game in the not-too distant future.

 

[Glyfair]

Last Unicorn Games did develop one. When WotC acquired them they wanted to release a d20 version. However, they decided not to renew the license, for whatever reasons they had.

Instead, they released a very limited edition printing of the Dune RPG (using the ICON system of LU). There were only 3000 copies released. I stumbled on one for sale online and they were asking $300 for it.

 

[ColonelHardisson]

A number of issues ago, Dragon ran a brief (1 or 2 page) article on using Dune for a D&D game. Not much crunch, beyond stats for spice and a brief mention that sandworms could use the stats for a purple worm without the poison.

 

[(Psi)SeveredHead]

I figure it would run into the same difficulties as D20 Star Wars.

Star Wars movies came out recently, but the line still got transferred solely to the minis game. There hasn't been a Dune movie in years, and the books are kind of old. (Don't ask me about the Butlerian Jihad. *Shudder* )

I have to wonder if you could actually do Bene Gesserit under D20 rules. They're so powerful, they're practically superhuman. I'd hate to be the person starting as a "1st-level Sardaukar", too.

 

[Aeric]

Somebody (I want to say Mongoose) was slated to release a Dune RPG fairly recently, but the deal fell through. Not sure on what the details are on that.

 

[Plane Sailing]

Ironically WotC were working on Dune d20 at the same time as the original 3.0 PHB, and some people saw it at the GenCon prior to the release of the 3.0 PHB. I seem to recall that there were licensing issues which led to them abandoning it.

Ah well.

 

[MoogleEmpMog]

I figure it would run into the same difficulties as D20 Star Wars.

Star Wars movies came out recently, but the line still got transferred solely to the minis game. There hasn't been a Dune movie in years, and the books are kind of old. (Don't ask me about the Butlerian Jihad. *Shudder* )

I have to wonder if you could actually do Bene Gesserit under D20 rules. They're so powerful, they're practically superhuman. I'd hate to be the person starting as a "1st-level Sardaukar", too.

If you believe "d20 rules" mean "first level characters have to be pathetic farmboy losers," then, no, you couldn't.

You could do it with the Mutants & Masterminds or Spycraft concepts of "level," however.

 

[WayneLigon]

I've always wondered: what does one do in a Dune RPG? It's a wonderful book but I don't see a great deal there that translates as action-oriented daring-do save for some brief scenes. I could run something involving the Houses or something as a 'mini-series' but I can't see doing a sprawling campaign with it.