Is this game paralyzed by previous edition material bloat?
Specifically, do you think will we ever see any reproductions of Marienburg, Middenheim, or the outlying countries or is this stuff just out of print and out of reach for the vast majority of GMs?
jh
Out of print?
Yes.
Out of reach?
*shuffles feet nervously*
Eeer, no, not really so much.
It would be nice if FFG at least got all of the old stuff available on DrivethroughRPG in PDF format. I already got Thousand Thrones on there, but would like to get Marienburg, Sold Down the River, as well as several other products.
When the BI site was up, there was significant work done on expanding Marienburg (and FFG has purchased all the rights to all this stuff). I consider it to be the #1 place that should be developed after Nuln/wissenland, then Stirland being crucial for campaign development.
Marienburg has TONS of potential. You've got the wastelands and plus it's a major shipping port. I think one of the weaknesses of the current Imperial presentation is it's lack of workable campaign relationship to the rest of the game world.
jh
Romus said:
It would be nice if FFG at least got all of the old stuff available on DrivethroughRPG in PDF format. I already got Thousand Thrones on there, but would like to get Marienburg, Sold Down the River, as well as several other products.
Out of curiosity, what is the quality of the material that is released on drive thru rpg for the previous editions. Is it just a straight scan?
The ones I have purchased look great and allow you to copy and paste text. I have the Players Handbook, the Game Masters Guide, and Witches Song. And from before 3rd Edition I have Thousand Thrones. My only complaint is that Witches Song PDF drops a few graphics on my iPad, but is fine on the PC.
How are the 2e versions? Are they searchable text as well?
Emirikol said:
How are the 2e versions? Are they searchable text as well?
Yes you can search text on the Thousand Thrones pdf
The first edition had Middenheim and Marienburg done to great depth by GW or Hogshead, as well as countless other towns and villages done to lesser but still satisfying depth, accompanied by great and often very detailed maps.
The second edition had Middenheim and Talabheim done to a useful depth as part of GW products, as well as Marienburg done to an even greater depth on the Black Library website. Other places were covered where GW reprinted 1st edition stuff for 2nd edition.
The third edition has ropey descriptions of Ubersreik, Neues Emskrank and Stromdorf, generally accompanied by awful to just about OK maps.
Unfortunately the general level of fluff in all 3rd edition products suggests that this situation will not improve. We know that FFG can do it, you only have to look at the size and content of the 40K stuff to realise that. I think it is a conscious decision by FFG to not provide that level of detail in any of their WFRP products. The description of Karak Azgaraz in Black Fire Pass didn't even have any kind of map, showing either location or layout, for goodness sake. Considering this, I would think it highly unlikely that FFG will make any of the old 1st edition stuff available, simply because it will show up the thinness of their own products.
I think it will be up to the gamers themselves to provide the kind of detail that seems to be being looked for here. I would suggest anybody thinking of writing this kind of material should go to the Liber Fanatica website, where you will find a ready source of help for producing this kind of material.