RPG and Games based on DUNE: A Sad Future.


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Lisan Al-Gaib
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RPG and Games based on DUNE: A Sad Future.

Post by Lisan Al-Gaib »

Re-posting the discussion in a new thread:
Tleilax Master B wrote: Nevertheless, I disagree with the idea of just "ignoring" the McDune, because you CAN"T and still have dune discussions. This is my point. Its infiltrated just about all Dune conversations like maggots on a corpse. Which ruins the conversation for me. One of the most interesting things about discussing the Duniverse is putting together all the little pieces of the puzzle, scattered throughout the books, to fill in the gaps. Now these hacks are filling it in for us, with pieces that don't fucking fit! If my miniscule little part in this drama causes JUST ONE DUNE FAN to reject the "new canon" and refuse to read them--then I consider that a victory.....
I entirely agree with MTB.

I will rise a point now that I find related to what MTB said but maybe it's not the most important. It annoys me always when I think about all types of products that can be made using the Dune Universe:

I like to play RPG, and I would love to play a nice PC game based on Duniverse. However I'm very concerned that all my taste for these things can be destroyed by the new books. I wouldn't like to buy a RPG book set in Duniverse with a lot of mention of BG telekinetic power, House Vernius, Onmius, Eramus, robo-piloted shuttle, Ultra-spices,...That wouldn't be the universe I like, wouldn't be the book I expected to buy. And the same would happen to PC games.

Do you see what is the problem? They are contamination the Duniverse with concepts, characters and plots that will never be disassociated from the FH's universe that I want! When I would play some game about the Jihad of Muad'dib I will have to I find myself dealing with characters like Marie Fenring! For me thats the end of Duniverse in RPG and games products...Unhappily, they don't even started.....
The singular multiplicity of this universe draws my deepest attention. It is a thing of ultimate beauty.

-- The Stolen Journals

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Lisan Al-Gaib
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Post by Lisan Al-Gaib »

The Dukester wrote:
Lisan Al-Gaib wrote: For me thats the end of Duniverse in RPG and games products...Unhappily, they don't even started.....
Not to mention that KKA and Whatsisface took an active role in killing off the Dune RPG from Last Unicorn/Wizards of the Coast.

I could go off on this for pages, but this site tells the story pretty well:

http://www.rpg.net/reviews/archive/11/11518.phtml

(The only good part? It's highly collectible. And I gots one. :wink: )
The singular multiplicity of this universe draws my deepest attention. It is a thing of ultimate beauty.

-- The Stolen Journals

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Lisan Al-Gaib
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Post by Lisan Al-Gaib »

TheDukester wrote:
Lisan Al-Gaib wrote:For me thats the end of Duniverse in RPG and games products...Unhappily, they don't even started.....
Not to mention that KKA and Whatsisface took an active role in killing off the Dune RPG from Last Unicorn/Wizards of the Coast.

I could go off on this for pages, but this site tells the story pretty well:

http://www.rpg.net/reviews/archive/11/11518.phtml

(The only good part? It's highly collectible. And I gots one. :wink:)
I knew about that, but I didn't know about the whole story behind, thanks.

I have the Chronicles of Imperium in PDF format, but I expect to buy it when I have the money for it.

I know they will try to re-launch Dune in the games and RPG, however it's too late to wait for purity on it.
The singular multiplicity of this universe draws my deepest attention. It is a thing of ultimate beauty.

-- The Stolen Journals

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Lisan Al-Gaib
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Post by Lisan Al-Gaib »

"They hoped, at some point, to release a d20 version of DUNE, and such is indicated in the book's title page. However, at some point the license expired and they decided not to take the trouble of renewing it. (Either there was trouble with the Herbert Estate, or the license became more expensive in light of the commercial success of the miniseries and the incipient prequel novels by Brian Herbert and Kevin J. Anderson, which have sold well despite some emphatically negative (and in this case profane) reviews. Or they were just dumb.) The news that there would not be a d20 DUNE contributed further to the notoriety and collectibility of the ICON version, which remains the only DUNE RPG in existence (indeed, there have been no gaming tie-ins of any kind with DUNE since this whole hubbub.)
[...]
Almost. On the credits page we see proper billing given to the designers, the developers of the ICON system, and of course the editors- Brian Herbert and Kevin J. Anderson. When I first noticed this, I said to myself, "well, that explains it," but of course it does no such thing. If you're not familiar with licensed RPGs, just bear in mind that the creators of the property in question generally do not edit the games based on them. George Lucas does not claim developing credit on any incarnation of the STAR WARS RPG, nor is Joss Whedon listed as the editor for the BUFFY game. There are two major reasons for this. The first is that people like this are very busy; the second is that they are not game designers, and most likely have no clue how to put an RPG book together. They know nothing of balanced mechanics and rules terminology. So for Herbert and Anderson to take this credit (in addition to a credit as Creative Consultants) raises questions. Is it mere title-hogging, or a misunderstanding of how game books are put together, or does it suggest they were looking over the designers' shoulders even more intrusively than the average licensor, perhaps then explaining why WotC declined to renew the agreement? Did they, out of all the license holders in all the world, actually know how to edit a rulebook? Or was it just a typo? We may never know.
[...]
Then again, maybe the Estate wanted the emphasis to be on the new-on-shelves prequel books, and pushed for that focus just a bit too hard. Never rule anything out when it comes to licenses and the behavior of the people who own them. "


Now I will loose all the respect I tried to keep (even after being banned by the DN forum). Read it very well, Byron:

FUCK YOU, HLP!

How could they lost their contract with the Wizard of the Coast??? Are they so much really stupid???How could they lost their chance to release Dune in the d20 system (the most played RPG system in the world, very famous here in Brazil too)???

I'm felling sickness.
The singular multiplicity of this universe draws my deepest attention. It is a thing of ultimate beauty.

-- The Stolen Journals

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Laphtiya
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Post by Laphtiya »

I've always wanted to make a forum based RPG based on the Dune universe. I've made some before, and I was working on a Zombie based mmo rpg untill I lost the files and notes (they'll turn up in a locked box with a key 20 years from now :wink: ). However with all RPG's you need a story and I've never thought I could pull together a good enough plot for the players to follow.

It is completely different than writing fan fiction, and unless I had help I really doubt that I could get it done.

Some examples of what I've done in the past:

http://www.vegeta.pwp.blueyonder.co.uk/rpg/
This one ended up dying because it simply got too big and I couldn't manage the game well enough. I tried to get moderators but they simply abused their power and the game ended up with a bunch of cheaters and the good and dedicated fans had a major discussion with me and we decided that the RPG had transformed into something else and we didn't like how it felt so we left it.


http://www.vegeta.pwp.blueyonder.co.uk/Transformers/
Didn't really plan on this game taking off, but I created it because I wanted too :wink:
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DuneFishUK
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Post by DuneFishUK »

The HLP really dropped the ball with their game licenses. They seem totally incapable of supporting anything that isn't prequel-centric (The new film only happened because they were pitching the Prequels <yawn>).
Laphtiya wrote:I've always wanted to make a forum based RPG based on the Dune universe.
I've played in some very very good forum-based rpgs over the past few years. Most of them based around the Houses of the Landsraad concept (Great Houses, duels, kanly, espionage, trade, alliances, etc) but also a couple less successful (but still good) ones based on the jihad years. It was all pretty tight knit, pretty much the same people every time. Although the GMs did script some storyline elements, most of the intrigue was player-driven. Player-Houses sat on the CHOAM Directorate, chaired the Landsraad High Council, arbitrated (IC) disputes and so-forth. The rules did tend to get a little bit complex as the games evolved and sometimes it did feel like a War of Accountants rather than a War of Assassins... but they were still brilliant... :D

Ah.. happy days (not one going on atm :cry: )


I've got plans to set up a something a bit different in the not too distant future: a strategic diplomatic RPG based around the Battle for Naraj... as soon as I can tie down a campaign map and some rules :)

Image
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- http://www.kullwahad.com" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false; - http://dunefont.kullwahad.com" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false; -
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EsperandoAGodot
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Post by EsperandoAGodot »

Laphtiya: I'm starting up a Dune free form, forum RPG on the Star Wars fansite. I'm not sure what the policy is on advertising here, but please, PM me for the info. Anyone else who's interested can do so, too. We're hoping to make it rather epic, and there's been a good deal of interest.

As for the d20 game - I was looking for ward to the sourcebooks. Imagine: expanding the Dune Universe with books based on FH's work rather than nebulous "notes." Criminy.[/b]
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EsperandoAGodot
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Post by EsperandoAGodot »

Just saying, but...the RP has launched. We can use some filling out of House Wallach's family tree, not to mention House Harkonnen's cast. Multiple characters are allowed at this early date.

Link's in my signature.

Yeah, I pimp my product.
DUNE - Chronicles of the Imperium
A free-form, forum based RPG
http://boards.theforce.net/non_star_war ... 346/p1/?11
Launched and ready to fire.
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