Something about Vision
Sunday, February 17th, 2008Let’s talk about Vision.
It’s funny. When I decided I wanted to write about my vision for the game, I noticed that the avatar I had been using on the forums all this time, was called Vision:
Was that some form of premonition? Who knows.
In the past two weeks I have been setting a lot of things in motion - and tried to get as much information out to you as possible. One thing that has been criticized the most in Warlord in those recent months and years is lack of guidance and vision. This is what I strive to provide.
The mission
Where Legends of the Five Rings is the story line game, the dauntingly complex strategy game set in a fantasy asian environment that rewards long-term clan loyalty, there Warlord is the high fantasy RPG card game, that combines familiar (for D&D® players that is) entry level mechanics with surprisingly deep strategy options and rewards long-term loyalty to the game itself.
The story
Up until the very much delayed Warlords of the Accordlands RPG came out the potentially rich lore of Warlord never was allowed to play much of a role. This was done partially in the knowledge that it was the unique mechanics and the challenge system that made Warlord fans want to play the game, and partially the understanding that you needed to draw a distinct line between the two most successful Alderac properties.
I would never be able to copy the great work John and Todd are doing with L5R - the intricacies of the story of Rokugan and the logistical nightmare of doing story prizes are beyond our resources even if I wanted to. What I want instead is that the story behind the game mirrors what is happening on the cards and in the game world and cries “This is the D&D® game and your Warlords and named characters are the player characters and important NPCs in this world”.
Even with the great guys who have been writing those stories (and who have been coming up with cool names and flavor texts all the time) on their own time we can’t cover it all. Therefore we won’t try to tell all the story. No RPG ever does, either. We’ll pick iconic characters and tell their stories. So you can follow what is happening in “real time”. Once that is done we’ll give you some of the side stories if time permits or leave them to your imagination. We’ll see.
The game
Richard already wrote his first blog about this and I can only be happy to have all these experienced players and designers who make up the Design Team.
Roleplaying for me is hanging on to the dragon’s scales by your finger nails with you driving your flaming sword through its eyeballs while dangling in front of its maw filled with a sea of armor-piercing teeth. That’s the spirit Warlord captures so well - giving you a comeback chance, pitching Warlords against each other where every strike counts.
That’s what I want the Design Team and playtesters to aim for - a game environment that offers multiple strategies where you can have one nailbiter after the other.
The events
Despite its reincarnation as a Customizable Card Game I feel that Warlord’s appeal is strengthened by the innovative challenge system and our gaming events. With GenCon and KoHIT at the top of the food chain we have lots of established TOs and the Dragon Lord runners that deeply care about the game and want to provide fellow Warlord players with the same great experience that they would like to have when going to somebody else’s events. These are the guys I want to provide a framework and support for.
The prizes will be set accordingly - even though you’d have to trust me and us to come up with something appropriately cool.
The community
This is what everything boils down to: Without a great network of players who do not only love the game or hunt the prizes (as players of other games often are wont to do), but enjoy just being with each other, Warlord would have succumbed to the economic realities of product life cycle theory. I have faith in you as the community - on both sides of the Atlantic Ocean. Otherwise I wouldn’t have had the courage to pitch my proposal to John (and more importantly to my wife ;-)). Face it: Taking a dead collectible card game and looking at republishing it usually is a losing proposition. It’s a high risk venture on a level that is far beyond trivial.
With this in mind I am about to launch the new and improved Warlord fan club - the Ordo Phoenicis Ascendentis - to help publish the game and give those of you caring deeply about the game a chance to be closer to the creation of it (and be recognized as such a supporter).
I will put my energy into strengthening the global Warlord community and make it a worthwhile alternative in a world of electronic entertainment. I will do my best in being accessible, in listening to you and making the best game of Warlord we can. I probably will aggravate somebody in the long-run, but if I need to do that and in exchange ninety-nine others can continue to share their favorite pasttime, then that’s what I am willing to do.
I realize not everybody will be able to come to either GenCon or KoHIT - but to those who make it: I am looking forward to meeting you - and share the fun with you.
