Woe is Me! Shadowforce Archer Cancelled!

Psion · Mar 14, 2004

I might point out that there already IS an alternate setting book out for Spycraft -- the 60's book. Also, agency, just released, is aimed at giving the GC more tools to make their own setting.

Ranger REG · Mar 14, 2004

I thought it was just a time period sourcebook, so we can run our own homebrew setting in the 60's. At least Shadowforce Archer setting was unique.

Clint · Mar 14, 2004

Ranger REG said:
I thought it was just a time period sourcebook, so we can run our own homebrew setting in the 60's. At least Shadowforce Archer setting was unique.

You have two different thoughts running here.
1) The 60s is a campaign book with everything you need to run the popular espionage genres related to that period. This includes appropriate gear and espionage tactics of the time, new agent options and Agencies for the agents to be tied to, and tons of story ideas and threat ogranizations. There's not much homebrewing to be done if you run one of the six threat sequences in the back. It gives you just as much material to work with as Shadowforce Archer did for its world.
2) Every setting is unique.

-Clint

Ranger REG · Mar 14, 2004

Well, that's great for us gaming veterans, but a published setting is a good way to promote the rules-heavy Spycraft products, especially for newbies. After all, what's D&D without Greyhawk or Forgotten Realms?

talien · Mar 15, 2004

Psion said:
I might point out that there already IS an alternate setting book out for Spycraft -- the 60's book. Also, agency, just released, is aimed at giving the GC more tools to make their own setting.

Yet another shameless plug...

Combat Missions from Paradigm Concepts presents its own mini-universe that you can play in if you play all 15 combat missions. It should be out next month (I think?).

You can see more here: http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ISBN=1931374236/michaeltrescaA/

Combat Missions
Type: Role-Playing Game (D20 Adventure)
Cover Artist: Veronica Jones
Interior Artist: Jason Walton
Suggested Retail Price: $24.99
Format: Paperback
Pages: 96
Publisher: Paradigm Concepts
ISBN: 1931374236

Combat Missions is a collection of villains, independent operators, and criminal organizations for use with AEG's Spycraft system. The supplement is intended for use with the Spycraft game, providing a diversity of "generic" situations that can be dropped into any Spycraft game either as a single scenario or strung together as a master plot. The supplement interlocks with Paradigm's Most Wanted book, allowing the villains in Most Wanted to be used as the central villains of those missions.

Mission types range from drug busts to hostage rescues, guerilla ambushes to bank robberies. The overall tone of the scenarios is gritty, realistic, and global in scope, inspired by real-world events and cinematic plots. While the tone of the book should appeal to players of both the basic Spycraft game and the Shadowforce Archer campaign setting, players of the Spycraft game in particular will find Combat Missions very useful in its focus on real places and familiar situations.

trancejeremy · Mar 15, 2004

I have to wonder if the high price of SFA supplements was a factor. $25 for a 96 page book is what kept me away from it initially...(though when I finally got the setting book, it was way over the top for my taste as well...)

cignus_pfaccari · Mar 15, 2004

Clint said:
AEG is putting out more books for the core line, specifically on how to easily make your own campaign. Agency is showing up in stores right now, Mastermind follows soon after, and then Freelancers later this year. They also have a couple of military-organization books for later in the year, U.S Militaries and World Militaries.

I'm really looking forward to these books, as I run a custom game and the added support will really help.

Those sound nice, but I was really looking forward to the Guardians of the Whispering Knife and Company sourcebooks. And I don't even play!

Brad

IllusionaryLunch · Mar 15, 2004

As far as I can tell, Spycraft 2.0 is intended to be clearer, more collected version of the various rules, incorporating all the errata to date, and tidying up some of the crunchier class abilities. This is due out in 2005.

Along with this is rumours of a new setting to go along with it.

There are some other settings in the works, however. New Breed is bringing out the Tele-fantasy-esque Mission: Highly Improbable. I saw information a while back about plans for a GI Joe-esque setting book - Strike Force-7. And there is also Ascent Studios' Project X (and Y, and Z).

Stargate is made by the same people and remains powered by Spycraft.

The Spycraft CCG is due out soonish.

Although I am seriously going to miss the SFA world (you have no idea how much I was hanging out for Room 39 and the Russian Confederacy), I think that there will be more than enough Spycraft-y goodness for me to feast on in the coming years. The rules system absolutely rocks (and everyone who rants about D20M without looking at Spycraft has no idea what they are missing) and the forums are filled with interesting people.

So there you go.

Chingerspy · Mar 15, 2004

I too stood up and shouted YAY! when I heard about the Room39 book coming out - what UK Spycraft junkie wouldn't?

Now I prey they release what material they have in PDF or something - please, please, please...

Papercuts · Mar 15, 2004

Shameless plug time. For those of you who like the SFA setting, I just started posting a story hour based on my long-running SFA campaign here: http://www.enworld.org/forums/showthread.php?t=79542

Maybe that can satisfy your SFA jones.

I hope to have another update posted this week. We'll see if I can get past this illness.

tonystrongman said:
Now I prey they release what material they have in PDF or something - please, please, please...

Spycraft head Patrick Kapera says he plans to outline the direction of the campaign at a seminar he'll be hosting at GenCon.

Before I go any further I must say that I love Spycraft and the SFA setting. I love it more than just about any other RPG I've played. I'm very happy with the product AEG puts out. I'm sad to see this setting go. Very sad.

But...(you knew one was coming, right?)

As for your pdf wishes, don't hold your breath. AEG was criminally lax when it came to publishing the SFA interactive serials they openly advertised in their books.