I was reading through some old Warpstones to get some inspiration for the new WFRP 3 campaign I am planning and came across an old interview back from 2003 when James Wallis gave up the WFRP license and decided to close Hogshead publishing. A copy is linked below.

http://ogrecave.com/interviews/jameswallis2.shtml

What I found most interesting was he comments on the some of the fan reaction to what they published and the need for RPGs to "move".

That was a very interesting read. The man has some unique insights which ring true.

He also speaks very candidly, like a man who has nothing to lose and that makes me respect him but simultaneously feel kind of sorry for him. He sounds disappointed and somewhat bitter. I would never want to go through that kind of experience but I salute the guy for giving it his best shot.

I particularly agree about his views on the future of the hobby: RPGs need to move forward. Ordinary people, not just stereotypical geeks, could be drawn in. Kids in school should be playing RPGs again. This is a hobby that brings people together, turns their eyesockets away from a computer screen for a few hours and trains their imaginations, strategic skills, planning etc. It's a good, healthy, positive hobby that really deserves to be more popular and shouldn't just be for grognards and those who aren't daunted by huge, dusty tomes of rules. Again, the whole point of roleplaying is to be fun and bring people together . Therefore it should never be elitist. I can't stress enough how much I'm opposed to the elitism that's hurting our hobby.

Perhaps the gaming industry is like fresh water: it has to keep moving forward in an nice and energetic river and exploring new territory lest it become a smelly, unhealthy pool you really wouldn't want to drink from..

Sorry for ranting a bit there. I usually don't tend to do that

Ludlov Thadwin of Sevenpiecks said:

You make a good point on the eliteism issue. I have also noted that pretty much any forum debate about the pros and cons of any given system is often quick to turn to near flame war levels of intensity these days, which would put anyone off. RPGs - like any recreational activity - should be fun, and it really shouldn't matter how people play and GM as long as entertainment is forthcoming. I for one would be happy to play 3rd edition and give it a go, even if I don't feel like splashing out for it right now.

I remember Hogshead well. They released a couple of great WFRP 1st edition supplements that I picked up; including a Marienburg sourcebook and the Realms of Sorcery (which was supposed to have been released by GW about ten years previous). Also, the Violence rpg, which was at once a damning indictmant of some of the worst aspects of power gaming players could bring to the gaming table and a **** good read to boot (no, I never tried to actually run it). I only wish they had got round to publishing FRUP their planned spoof rpg. It sounded great...

Interesting read...thanks for posting.

I do think that the RPG genre could stand to break out of the elite/grognard business model a bit more and widen their audience. That doesn't mean the old-school games should go away completely, but there's just so much more potential for expanding the player base.

I think WFRP3 is a solid step in the right direction.

Very interesting thread indeed...

I have qouted what I think is the most important thing about the interview

"Having said that, I've been approached by a new American company that has an incredibly exciting idea for a wholly new type of interactive game, a completely new genre of gaming, and I think they've got the skills to make it work as a marketable property. I can't say anything more because I'm NDAed to the throat, but... man. It's very cool. I'm not sure if it's the philosopher's stone of games, but it's the closest thing I've seen to it."

This is undoubtly FFG he is referring to. Think of it, James Wallis and Hogshead where the last to produce warhammer rpg products before the license went back to Games Workshop. Shortly after he was approached by an american company. I don`t know when the interview was done (one of the negative things about the internet is that it can be hard to find out when something was published), but if it happened shortly after GW revoked its lisence, FFG could have been planning the 3rd edition for many years.

And I don`t mean to speculate about this in a negative way, I only mean that if they had years to design wfrp 3, than the game stand a big chance of being extremly well-made, with matured design mechanics, well founded and re-sculpted rpg principles.

do anyobody know if James Wallis had any hands in the new version?

Mal Reynolds said:

I don't think so. I spoke to JW a good while ago (that interview was from 2002!) and he tried to explain his concept to me in unspecific terms. I didn't really get what he was saying, but he was pretty excited about it, so I imagine that is the concept he chats about there.

monkeylite said:

Okay I see the flaw in my speculation, now knowing that the interview is from 2002, it can`t be FFG. but what was the american company he mentioned? Or was perhaps another game he was talking about?