Dark Horse to publish artwork on the worlds of FFG... except L5R?

By Mon no Oni, in Legend of the Five Rings: The Card Game

2 hours ago, Mon no Oni said:

https://www.newsarama.com/49657-dark-horse-to-publish-arkham-horror-keyforge-android-universe-tabletop-game-art-books.html?fbclid=IwAR1m9uHCSy5hoMFb01wpD6eob205As3nJMHXrKkjlXvRnCo_T5bEIfn0iyY

I hope it's just an accidental omission. It makes no sense that Keyforge, with only 3 sets out merits an artbook, but L5R with 20 years worth of iconic art, doesnt.

Its odd they specifically call out the fact that its the 3 properties by specific number rather then just mentioning it as including those universes. Makes me think L5R isn't being included.

Could have something to do with terms of the deal when they bought the games that they have the rights to use come older artwork themselves but not license it out to third parties.

11 hours ago, Mon no Oni said:

I hope it's just an accidental omission. It makes no sense that Keyforge, with only 3 sets out merits an artbook, but L5R with 20 years worth of iconic art, doesnt.

FFG only owns some of the original L5R art work, basically only thr stuff AEG owned. Alot of it still remains in control of tje artists.

I think even some of current new FFG L5R art has artist contracts involved as well, makes creating art books less of an interest because of divided profits.

8 hours ago, Schmoozies said:

Could have something to do with terms of the deal when they bought the games that they have the rights to use come older artwork themselves but not license it out to third parties.

Yeah, that as well.

@NathaninVic The article points out exactly why those three were chosen, and L5R wasn’t, their top sellers.
Arkham, Android & Keyforge have setting most can get into and card names are much easier for westerners to pronounce.

L5R will generally just attract weeaboo’s and anyone with enough interest in Japanese culture, which is niche. And while GoT’s has funky names their still generally pronounceable to westerners. L5R names and words can be gratingly annoying for then to pronounce.

21 hours ago, Hyperjayman said:

@NathaninVic The article points out exactly why those three were chosen, and L5R wasn’t, their top sellers.
Arkham , Android & Keyforge have setting most can get into and card names are much easier for westerners to pronounce.

L5R will generally just attract weeaboo’s and anyone with enough interest in Japanese culture, which is niche. And while GoT’s has funky names their still generally pronounceable to westerners. L5R names and words can be gratingly annoying for then to pronounce.

:D :D :D :D :D :D Yeah, sure....

It's very annoying to pronounce Asako Kenji but Shub Niggurath or Nyarlathotep are easy.

Edited by Daigotsu Arashi
9 hours ago, Hyperjayman said:

@NathaninVic The article points out exactly why those three were chosen, and L5R wasn’t, their top sellers.
Arkham, Android & Keyforge have setting most can get into and card names are much easier for westerners to pronounce.

L5R will generally just attract weeaboo’s and anyone with enough interest in Japanese culture, which is niche. And while GoT’s has funky names their still generally pronounceable to westerners. L5R names and words can be gratingly annoying for then to pronounce.

Just because FFG/Asmodee states that as a reason does not mean that it is the actual reason. I put very little faith in any honesty and truth in their statements.

I still strongly feel its more of a rights of art licensing and royalties. Why isn't LotR up there, it surely sells as well or better than other lines, but alot of the artists (the good ones) get a big cut and then there is the IP being a Tolkien Estate holding, not to mention Star Wars which has a ton of new art via FFG that would be awesome in a book. All comes down to what they own and not being willing to split any profits.

Alot of the artists that I see making L5R art are creators I've got a very strong feeling negotiated properly when selling to FFG/Asmodee.

And Japanese-esque names being difficult to pronounce, I have to say bull$&@£ to that. It is one of the easiest to pronounce languages on the planet due to it being highly phonetic and having very few weird rules for pronunciation or emphasis. Everyday English speakers have more pedantic arguments on how to pronounce something, names included in English then fumbling around with a Japanese name. It is a very straight forward language, unlike English. I don't know what the Westerners are like were you live, but I can walk up to any geezer and show him ten words in Japanese and ten in English and there will always be more of an issue with correctly speaking some of the words in English over Japanese.

Just as Daigotsu Arashi states regarding anything Lovecraft related. Tsathoggua Yog-sothoth al-Hazred to to Togashi, Akodo, Toturi.

Edited by NathaninVic
10 hours ago, NathaninVic said:

And Japanese-esque names being difficult to pronounce, I have to say bull$&@£ to that. It is one of the easiest to pronounce languages on the planet due to it being highly phonetic and having very few weird rules for pronunciation or emphasis.

Get off your soapbox *******. Just because you feel it’s easy doesn’t overturn numerous articles, studies and consensus polls of english speakers on which languages are difficult to learn. But hey you must have a better understanding of a huge consensus of people because you think you do.

15 minutes ago, Hyperjayman said:

Get off your soapbox *******. Just because you feel it’s easy doesn’t overturn numerous articles, studies and consensus polls of english speakers on which languages are difficult to learn. But hey you must have a better understanding of a huge consensus of people because you think you do.

There is a difference between learning a language and pronouncing specific words presented in English letters. Japanesse is "difficult" to learn because of their sentence structure and kanji. But actual pronunciation is actually very straightforward.

4 hours ago, Hyperjayman said:

Get off your soapbox *******. Just because you feel it’s easy doesn’t overturn numerous articles, studies and consensus polls of english speakers on which languages are difficult to learn. But hey you must have a better understanding of a huge consensus of people because you think you do.

I'd love to see those numerous articles. Having a degree in Linguistics and Communications helps me come to such an understanding.

While Japanese is rated a Category 4 Language on the FSI scale that is a total measure of multiple factors, mostly the three main writing systems, onyomi and kunyomi interpretations (etc) needing to learn Keigo, the culture of the language is far more involved.

When looking at it strictly from a "can I pronounce said word" it is quite direct for English speakers when compared to many other languages (including the ones we have greater historical links to). No genders, no articles, no alternative/additional vowels, no crazy diphthongs, no tonal rules.

If your interested (and anyone else) here is a nice little write up that breaks down the functional differences between English and Japanese and compares them. It shows why its a much steeper curve for Japanese speakers to learn and pronounce English and why English speakers have a much easier time learning and pronouncing it (again, sans all the extra baggage mentioned above) :

https://pdfs.semanticscholar.org/51a7/bd61197cef0d8fce6d66185d2038c1dcf97e.pdf

The only stand out issue English speakers may run into is voiceless fricatives, but that doesn't come up very much in names and nouns. Maybe long/short vowels, but again not a huge thing in names.

But I digress, this was just a topic about why L5R was left out of the art book shindig. Apologies for detouring the OP.

Edited by NathaninVic
Link added
4 hours ago, Schmoozies said:

There is a difference between learning a language and pronouncing specific words presented in English letters. Japanesse is "difficult" to learn because of their sentence structure and kanji. But actual pronunciation is actually very straightforward.

Exactly.

Especially once you dive a bit deeper into the written language and the history of the kanji.

Another wee digression, There is a really fun set of videos NativLang did on it.

I think anyone running a L5R rpg game could get a kick out of it, it anyone into learning about the language itself.

Edited by NathaninVic
Links added