Wizards of the Coast/Kenzer & Company License Agreements Expiring

[Mark Plemmons]

I'm not sure what you're saying here. What do you mean by "100% of every product"? Will Kalamar products in general change tone to reflect HackMaster's sensibilities?

You sound to me like you're a little paranoid that HM will somehow influence Kalamar to be a humorous setting. Keep in mind that HM4E was required to have a certain level of humor, due to the licensing agreements. HM5E will not have Gummi Fiend monsters, for example.

You'll be able to use the Kingdoms of Kalamar setting regardless of what fantasy game system you play. However, HackMaster rulebooks will contain lots of good KOK info that you'll be missing out on (or may need to convert) if you're not playing HM5E. However, it's still too early for me to say publicly what rules/flavor will appear in what core books/supplements/setting books.

I'm willing to give it a chance. In the meantime, could you explain why Kalamar is a good fit for HackMaster? Please try to be specific. What elements of Kalamar made the HM design team say that setting was perfect for HackMaster?

We think the KOK setting is perfect for any fantasy game. The rules don't have to influence the setting. [By the way, if you read the World of Aldrazar (HM4E setting, also known as Garweeze Wurld) PDF, you'll see that it's no more 'humorous' than KOK. ]

We chose the Kingdoms of Kalamar setting because we love it, and because it's a proven track record and over a dozen years of effort and material behind it.

Also, remember that the HM design team is the same as the KOK design team (and the Aces & Eights design team). The KOK setting isn't getting handed off to a bunch of guys who can only think in one mindset.

And will Greyhack ever see the light of day? I'm guessing not, now that the license with WotC has expired.

Nope, no Greyhack.

 

[Whizbang Dustyboots]

Hmmm, I love me some gnomes and kobolds, but my campaign is well underway at this point, and one of the primary villains so far is a decidedly female kobold priestess of Tiamat. While I definitely get the logic behind the reproduction cycle spelled out for Kalamar kobolds, it's a bit late to change things for me.

(Not to mention that one player later created a gay male kobold druid as a player character, currently appearing in my Story Hour. I know, I have interesting players.)

 

[Jolly_Blackburn]

I have a question. . . as Kalamar actually existed prior to D&D 3x (I owned the old 2e box set), will it continue to exist after the license agreements expire, albeit without the D&D logo on the cover?

Absolutely. We have BIG plans for Kalamar. The end of the D&D license will have no impact on those plans.

 

[DaveMage]

Kenzer and Co. have released a few Kingdoms of Kalamar products without the D&D logo to test the waters, so I imagine they will continue to do so...

Which ones?

The only one I know if the Map Folio.

 

[Falstaff]

Aces & Eights has been out for weeks now. It seems to have sold well at the game shops I've been to, judging how quickly the stacks of copies disappeared.

I have one thing to say:

ACES & EIGHTS

ROCKS!

 

[theemrys]

Which ones?

The only one I know if the Map Folio.

A quick list (and I'm sure someone will correct me if I'm wrong:

By the Sword
Goods and Gear
Salt & Seadogs (rerelease)
Svimohzia: the Ancient Isle
Treasure Trove of Maps
All PDF Modules
Player's Guide to the Soveriegn Lands (Like KPG but 3.5)

 

[Falstaff]

Question:

With Kalamar becoming the default setting for HackMaster, when will we see the Knights of the Dinner Table switching their campaigns to Kalamar from Garweeze Wurld?

 

[Minicol]

Definitely. We have sold a LOT of Kalamar product the last seven years.
Nobody complaining here. And we've built a respectiable customer base.

While it would be nice if everyone appreciated our efforts the line has done well by us.

So it's all good.

Well I am glad to hear that; I will certainly keep buying as much as my budget allows.

 

[ColonelHardisson]

You sound to me like you're a little paranoid that HM will somehow influence Kalamar to be a humorous setting. Keep in mind that HM4E was required to have a certain level of humor, due to the licensing agreements. HM5E will not have Gummi Fiend monsters, for example.

Given that I've been a staunch defender of HM's parody and satire right from the start, no, I'm not "paranoid" that it'll be included. I'm "paranoid" that you guys will cave and get rid of it altogether.

 

[ColonelHardisson]

[By the way, if you read the World of Aldrazar (HM4E setting, also known as Garweeze Wurld) PDF, you'll see that it's no more 'humorous' than KOK. ]

Uh, yeah, I not only have read it, I OWN both pdfs, and feel Aldrazar is a much better fit because, umm, let's see...oh yeah, it's the setting used in the comic, upon which the game is based.

Y'know, I've been a constant champion of HM right from the start. I've bought all the books (I didn't have to get them from a giveaway), and have been consistently positive about the game. It'd be nice to have my opinions taken into account rather than dismissed as paranoid or hostile. They're not. I LIKE HM. Always have. Never kvetched about the humor. LIKED the humor. I don't want it downplayed or taken away. I also think the setting that's been used in the comic for so long, and which is referred to quite a bit in the 4e books, shouldn't be discarded.