IMHO L5R is all about story. I know FF can make a set of game rules and have them work well. If they do nothing more with story involvement then a kit with a few promos and once a year one player helps make a card like the other CCG I don't think this will really be L5R at all. Players driving where the story goes is so very important for the world. I hope they take a very long hard look in to what made L5R such a great game that lasted 20 years in the first place.

That being said I hope they go old school and let us do time of the original 7 thunders.

i wouldn't get your hopes up as far as the timeline reset goes. the product blurb mentions the Colonies, so it sounds like they're keeping the existing storyline.

that said, i agree with you. L5R made its fanbase as the interactive storyline game. it would be a shame for that part of the game to die.

If the interactive story line goes away, then count me out.

Yeah, interactive story is like, the most important thing in this game.

Yeah, interactive story is like, the most important thing in this game.

Gameplay should be the most important thing in any game. The story (interactive or otherwise) is marketing.

I'd just as soon FFG kept their focus on the gameplay, and story was limited to art and some flavor text, as is the case for their other games.

Obviously I don't have to go to the website and read it, or whatever. But until they produce tie-in novels (and for me personally, probably not even if that happens), the game is what I'm actually buying, so I hope FFG keeps its eye on the ball.

The interactive storyline is what set L5R apart from all the other cardgames, and I believe it's what made so many loyal players so invested in the game over the years during its ups and downs. I really hope it remains a factor for L5R in its new reincarnation.

Yeah, interactive story is like, the most important thing in this game.

Gameplay should be the most important thing in any game. The story (interactive or otherwise) is marketing.

I'd just as soon FFG kept their focus on the gameplay, and story was limited to art and some flavor text, as is the case for their other games.

Obviously I don't have to go to the website and read it, or whatever. But until they produce tie-in novels (and for me personally, probably not even if that happens), the game is what I'm actually buying, so I hope FFG keeps its eye on the ball.

Yes and no.

L5R has always been a game about interactive storytelling.

It's been the incentive since the inception of the game, and a major part of the reason it survived for as long as it did.

If you chuck out the Story, we might as well pucker up and play some Scrabble (or another one of the games that is published by FFG)

Yeah, interactive story is like, the most important thing in this game.

Gameplay should be the most important thing in any game. The story (interactive or otherwise) is marketing.

I'd just as soon FFG kept their focus on the gameplay, and story was limited to art and some flavor text, as is the case for their other games.

Obviously I don't have to go to the website and read it, or whatever. But until they produce tie-in novels (and for me personally, probably not even if that happens), the game is what I'm actually buying, so I hope FFG keeps its eye on the ball.

The thing is, while mechanics are important, the story interactivity is what makes [or made] L5R unique. Ya, it is a marketing ploy, but it is one that has been shown to work. If you just want mechanics, then there are a good many games out there. If you want to be part of the world in a meaningful way, you play L5R. It is what brought people into the game, many people to my understanding, and dropping it would likely drive people away.

Yeah, interactive story is like, the most important thing in this game.

Gameplay should be the most important thing in any game. The story (interactive or otherwise) is marketing.

I'd just as soon FFG kept their focus on the gameplay, and story was limited to art and some flavor text, as is the case for their other games.

Obviously I don't have to go to the website and read it, or whatever. But until they produce tie-in novels (and for me personally, probably not even if that happens), the game is what I'm actually buying, so I hope FFG keeps its eye on the ball.

I'm just going to say that one of the absolute core reasons that this game has had such a long lasting impact, and has been played for so long, is the story interactivity.

Original mechanics, and balanced gameplay, that's easily found. But the feeling of stepping into a Kotei, the camaraderie of players talking about their clan, the costuming, and the UTZ! BONZAI! as the tournament starts?

That's magic. And it's the -story- that's really brought us all together.

And I have faith in FFG in terms of Theme and Gameplay. They're really good stewards in that regard. But I've never seen them tackle something like -this- where the Lore and Story are as important as the rules. So I'm hoping they have some plans there

So how many people got put out of a job (if any) when they FFG gained the IP?

The thing is, while mechanics are important, the story interactivity is what makes [or made] L5R unique. Ya, it is a marketing ploy, but it is one that has been shown to work. If you just want mechanics, then there are a good many games out there. If you want to be part of the world in a meaningful way, you play L5R. It is what brought people into the game, many people to my understanding, and dropping it would likely drive people away.

It works on some people, sure. It -- and community behaviors that spring from it -- drives others away. And there's no guarantee that it works better than any number of other marketing strategies. FFG's *dwarfed* AEG in terms of success, And neither company touches Magic; neither rely on story to sell their games. I'm reasonably certain that any evidence either one of us might present will be anecdotal, at any rate.

That said, I don't just want mechanics. I want *these* mechanics, or something close (as mentioned elsewhere, I'd like to see some revisions).

There are also other games that offer (or have offered) varying degrees of interactivity. L5R isn't unique in that respect, and even the degree of interactivity AEG offered varied wildly over its 20 years of life.

Like I said, if FFG's doing tie-in novels or fiction anthologies? Go crazy. If i'm buying a game, I expect them to put their focus on making that game the best it can be. Everything else is secondary.

I agree the interactivity between the players and the story have always been a key element to the L5R brand. What can you say followers of samurai drama love their traditions lol

However, he has a valid point. How often has bad story been because of an unbalanced clan sweeping wins before an errata came in to "adjust" things? Most recently Mantis, then Vrane were the issue resulting in major screw jobs.

That being said I hope they go old school and let us do time of the original 7 thunders.

YES.
THIS.

it has been 20 years since we have seen these iconic characters and the story of their fight against the ulitmate evil.

I would love a hard reboot ala Star Trek...and create a few chances for players to affect the story/future sets. Say 3-4 a year. One at Gencon...one at the FFGcenter and one on each coast.

create a few chances for players to affect the story/future sets. Say 3-4 a year. One at Gencon...one at the FFGcenter and one on each coast.

So Euro, South American, and Asia/Pacific players don't get to make any difference at all?

To address the topic more properly, I don't particularly mind what they do in terms of starting points, as long as they don't just annul the existing history. People worked to get particular results in, and the depth and richness that has been created is vital to the setting's appeal (at least to me).

i wouldn't get your hopes up as far as the timeline reset goes. the product blurb mentions the Colonies, so it sounds like they're keeping the existing storyline.

that said, i agree with you. L5R made its fanbase as the interactive storyline game. it would be a shame for that part of the game to die.

They didn't quite say they were keeping the story at all either. Colonies are relevant to current players but not relevant to future stories. I seriously doubt the promise of Onyx Edition will be carried forward.

That being said I hope they go old school and let us do time of the original 7 thunders.

YES.

THIS.

it has been 20 years since we have seen these iconic characters and the story of their fight against the ulitmate evil.

I would love a hard reboot ala Star Trek...and create a few chances for players to affect the story/future sets. Say 3-4 a year. One at Gencon...one at the FFGcenter and one on each coast.

Me hope not. As great as that be, we just be jumping ship from current story. Even FFG stated they continue current story line.

This is the primary concern for me. I have no doubt that FFG can make a mechanical game, most of the LDGs I have played are solid. But How do they plan to integrate the active story. No LCG has an active story that can be manipulated by the player base, and this is new area for them; If they choose to keep it.

I also think the current OP system does not fit L5R when it comes to tournaments.

I also think the current OP system does not fit L5R when it comes to tournaments.

In what respect, aside from eliminating storyline prizes (if they do)? I'm only sorta vaguely familiar with the current L5R tournament structure.

I don't like the current storyline with the colonies and all that. I will be happy if they return to the world of Rokugan only.

And I feel like there actually is too much interaction between the game and the story. I find that it hurts the flow of the story. I agree that the players should either because they are players or based on tournament results make a real decision from time to time. It adds interactivity and I find it great. But as it were, it became too much, really too much.

Through play a we can influence a story, to be surrounded by other people trying to do the same thing for their own reasons we become part of something greater then ourselves,for something other then just a win but a chance to influence the story arc of a game, that is unique to L5R. Game mechanics are important but even more so is the chance to influence ones game which then makes it more then just a game and with that comes an emotional investment to a game's history,lore,clans and people. Again something unique to the L5R CCG now LCG. L5R was not a novel first or a movies first nor was it a RPG or table top. It started out as a CCG with a story to tell. Sigh....

The quality of the game will, ultimately, be the biggest key to the game's success. However, the interactive storyline element of the game has always been its defining feature. Buying L5R and ditching the interactive storyline element would be like buying Star Wars and then not making any Darth Vader cards - sure, you can do it, but it's kind of missing the point. I would anticipate the nature of the interaction changing (and there being less of it), but not going away.

It will be interesting to see if they embrace the 'THIS IS YOUR ROKUGAN' [a complete reboot, prolly with some sort of time jump], or they go the opposite way and retell the L5R story with different mechanics.

I for one really hope they take the first path because the previous iteration L5R was more like an MMO-RPG-CCG. It was set up great to allow the players to tell the stories they wanted told.

I have always loved the story of L5R and that the community can influence events. Sometime they might be minor like what clan gets a minor artifact and other times it can be huge like what major personality is killed or becomes a legendary hero. I have also liked that while some are into the RPG and others are into the CCG we could all feel like we were part of a greater whole. I believe that is part of what makes L5R unique.

As to the OPs original question I am not worried about FFG handling story from a narrative point as much of the fluff from their other games have been awesome and enjoyable. How they handle the interactive points is a greater question but I suspect that from the post many of the staff at FFG are fans themselves and FFG has been good about fan input, I think they might relish an opportunity to collaborate with fans in a way they haven't been able to do previously.

Now..when are the Crab taking over the Empire and dealing with those pesky Spider once and for all?