19 minutes ago, Vulcan646 said:

Oh boy. I'm going to need some popcorn while I watch this mess go down.

It's nice to see the results of the player story choice leading to devastating consequences for the Crane.

Yeah because nothing bad is coming for the Scorpion anytime soon.

27 minutes ago, Schmoozies said:

Yeah because nothing bad is coming for the Scorpion anytime soon.

That may very well be true but it's hearsay until we get confirmation, from the story team, of what the Scorpion's actions will do to the clan.

For now, I'm excited for the Crane civil war.

https://www.fantasyflightgames.com/en/news/2019/6/20/available-now-june-20/

The pack has been released. Now our long wait for more fiction will be compensated. I say:

LET THE HUNGER GAMES BEGIN!

56 minutes ago, 987654321 said:

https://www.fantasyflightgames.com/en/news/2019/6/20/available-now-june-20/

The pack has been released. Now our long wait for more fiction will be compensated. I say:

LET THE HUNGER GAMES BEGIN!

Got the pack. It lacks fiction, since it has the new rules on the insert.

In the twitch stream yesterday, Tyler said none of the packs come with fiction. They have gone to web only.

Yep, the reasoning provided by Tyler was for accessibility and flexibility...accessibility because by putting it online everyone can access it without having to buy the pack first, and flexibility so they could tell the story at a pace suited to the story itself rather than a forced month-to-month release tied to the packs.

IMHO given that the community ensures all new pack fictions are scanned and online within 24 hours of pack availability, and so far we're still waiting on a new story since The Last Stone Played...unless they hurry up and decide to release the stories on say, a weekly or biweekly basis starting in the next 2-3 weeks, both reasons are kinda weak and unsupported. The only actual change to be observed thus far is that not putting fiction in the packs means half as many stories as before.

These aren't weak and unsupported reasons, these are business minded reasons, and wathever community does is a bit irrelevant here from a business point of view.

As a business, the fact that they don't want to gate the story content behind a paying product is actually good.

As a business, the fact that fans scan and upload the stories has no weight in the balance because it's a community thing, not something officially endorsed by FFG.

It's actually ok they tolerated it so far, but that's still illegal diffusion of a content people got access to by paying. So instead of preventing people to upload scans of their paying content, they just go full web.

I am happy FFG kept the tradition of L5R stories, but we aren't owed them or are entitled to them. It's a welcome extra, and it breathes life in the setting, but what I pay FFG for when buying a pack is the cards in the pack.

If they feel it will make them more in control of their story to not be bound by scheduled fictions that are supposed to drop in specific months because of a strict schedule due to printing and production , it's their call. It will indeed make their storytelling more flexible. Specially now we are back in the 6 in 6 months.

Once again it's business oriented, not community expectations oriented.

Well, as I said, it's my opinion. The real business decision here, as I can see, is to save money by paying for less fiction to be written...the reasons given come across as the positive PR spin on that decision.

I don't have any nostalgic ties to old5r to be "happy they decided to continue a tradition", and some of us at least look forward to having the extra fiction in the card pack. It's not a make or break point as far as whether I'll continue supporting the game, but it does raise an eyebrow for me on how committed they are to supporting the game beyond churning out cards packs.

9 hours ago, Kaito Kikaze said:

The real business decision here, as I can see, is to save money by paying for less fiction to be written...

I would happily write L5R fictions for totally free. Just sayin'

On 6/22/2019 at 9:25 AM, Nitenman said:

Specially now we are back in the 6 in 6 months.

Wait. Does that mean the fictions will only be once a month?

If so,

NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO

1 hour ago, 987654321 said:

Wait. Does that mean the fictions will only be once a month?

If so,

NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO

Fictions are...whenever FFG decides to release one. Officially, one of the reasons they gave for removing fiction from the packs would be to set their own pace for the story rather than being fixed to monthly stories. So far, we've had the first of six announced Inheritance Cycle fictions, The Last Stone Played, which was released beginning of April. There hasn't been any news on when we can expect the next story at this point, or how quickly they will be released. Since the entire set of six stories only covers a 24-hour period in the timeline, they could release them at any pace they like. Then sometime next year (hopefully very early in the year) the next story arc will begin.

18 hours ago, Kaito Kikaze said:

Fictions are...whenever FFG decides to release one. Officially, one of the reasons they gave for removing fiction from the packs would be to set their own pace for the story rather than being fixed to monthly stories. So far, we've had the first of six announced Inheritance Cycle fictions, The Last Stone Played, which was released beginning of April. There hasn't been any news on when we can expect the next story at this point, or how quickly they will be released. Since the entire set of six stories only covers a 24-hour period in the timeline, they could release them at any pace they like. Then sometime next year (hopefully very early in the year) the next story arc will begin.

They are usually released on wednesdays.

On ‎6‎/‎22‎/‎2019 at 12:36 AM, KakitaKaori said:

In the twitch stream yesterday, Tyler said none of the packs come with fiction. They have gone to web only.

As someone who reads the novellas, and has DrivethruRPG on continuous refresh for new L5R RPG products, but doesn't play the LCG, I can only approve.

(I'm hoping we'll get something similar to Kyotei Castle for Gencon 2019)

And whilst I'm not sure I'm up for paying for the fictions individually given they're rarely half a dozen pages, short compilations (equivalents to The First Scroll ) is something I'd be prepared to buy as an Ebook.

Also:

I remember thinking at the time that the background to the Justice for Satsume promo art looked suspiciously like the two were charging towards one another.

It's a bugger if Agasha Sumiko's (and Doji Satsume's*) do-what-is-best-for-the-empire-yes-it-was-totally-natural-causes-now-stop-asking is going to do far more damage long term than a full account of the truth would have done.

* Yes, he's involved in the investigation of his own unexpected death. Long story.

There is a limited scenario available to play at Gen Con 2019, no word on what if any canon implications it may have, but neither did Kyotei Castle. Here's a link to the event description: https://www.gencon.com/events/151796

Also.....yeah. That artwork and text isn't ominous at all.

5 hours ago, Magnus Grendel said:

Also:

I remember thinking at the time that the background to the Justice for Satsume promo art looked suspiciously like the two were charging towards one another.

It's a bugger if Agasha Sumiko's (and Doji Satsume's*) do-what-is-best-for-the-empire-yes-it-was-totally-natural-causes-now-stop-asking is going to do far more damage long term than a full account of the truth would have done.

* Yes, he's involved in the investigation of his own unexpected death. Long story.

From what I've heard about their flavour text, and a couple of others elsewhere, it appears that Kuwanan is right for the wrong reason, and Hotaru is wrong for through no fault of her own. in fact, just like everything else that Hotaru is wrong about, it's probably her dad's fault.

Kuwanan with that hair looks like Hoturi. I find this detail eerie .

2 hours ago, Magnus Grendel said:

Also.....yeah. That artwork and text isn't ominous at all.

Bayushi Shoju is just so done with all this silliness.

1 hour ago, AtoMaki said:

Kuwanan with that hair looks like Hoturi. I find this detail eerie .

Possible False Kuwanan in the future? Don't let Kachiko near anything egg-shaped!

2 hours ago, AtoMaki said:

Kuwanan with that hair looks like Hoturi. I find this detail eerie .

It's one of the few cases where I would have prefered they's kept to old art. Bald Kuwanan and plain Toturi FTW.

6 hours ago, Mangod said:

Bayushi Shoju is just so done with all this silliness.

This.

There are two reasons he could be sat there - assuming that court protocol says a Regent sits on the throne when delivering 'in character' decisions. Which feels unlikely but isn't impossible. Still, the prince almost everyone in the Empire assumes is be becoming Emperor shouldn't need a Regent because he's an adult.

Reason number two is far, far worse.

8 hours ago, AtoMaki said:

Kuwanan with that hair looks like Hoturi. I find this detail eerie .

Rather appropriate, though.

8 hours ago, Tonbo Karasu said:

From what I've heard about their flavour text, and a couple of others elsewhere, it appears that Kuwanan is right for the wrong reason, and Hotaru is wrong for through no fault of her own. in fact, just like everything else that Hotaru is wrong about, it's probably her dad's fault.

The adventure Winter's Embrace introduces a few new factors to this mess.

The biggest is:

2 hours ago, Ultimatecalibur said:

The adventure Winter's Embrace introduces a few new factors to this mess.

The biggest is:

Miya Satoshi is the Kolat's Master Chrysanthemum

Wait seriously?

19 minutes ago, 987654321 said:

Wait seriously?

Yes, and given the nature of the character in the previous iteration of the game its not that far a leap.

15 hours ago, Suzume Chikahisa said:

It's one of the few cases where I would have prefered they's kept to old art. Bald Kuwanan and plain Toturi FTW.

I prefer bald Kuwanan. In old lore, Kuwanan kept his hair pretty short, but shaved it bald following Hoturi's death. So there is still the possibility. He's young yet...and things are getting worse.

45 minutes ago, Schmoozies said:

Yes, and given the nature of the character in the previous iteration of the game its not that far a leap.