Earthdawn: Fourth Edition coming in 2014

Discussion on the Earthdawn game line, errata, and feedback not related to playing or GMing.
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Earthdawn: Fourth Edition coming in 2014

Postby FASA Games Admin » Fri Dec 13, 2013 4:03 pm

FASA Games is pleased to announce Earthdawn: Fourth Edition, coming in 2014.

For the past twenty years, Earthdawn has built a loyal fan base as an original and engrossing fantasy gaming experience. As the game enters its third decade, we are taking the opportunity to update the game, revisiting the core systems to find a balance between the game’s legacy and more recent developments in game design.

We are also taking this opportunity to advance the game’s timeline. Earthdawn: Fourth Edition will be set about five years after the end of the Second Theran War. The Therans have largely been driven from the province of Barsaive. Throal has narrowly avoided civil war and has turned inward. The Denairastas clan continue their plans to dominate the province. And the Horrors, as always, lurk in the darker places, feeding on the pain, fear, and uncertainty the war left in its wake. More than ever, the world needs heroes.

In preparation for the release of the Player’s Guide and Gamemaster’s Guide—currently slated for Summer 2014 release—plans are under way for a Kickstarter campaign in early 2014 to fund the printing and new artwork for the core books.

Development is also under way on new, original sourcebooks -- the first in nearly five years. Currently in the works are books about the city of Travar, a closer look at the Passions and their Questors, and the elven nations outside Barsaive.

More information about upcoming releases, the Kickstarter campaign, and teasers about some of the changes in store for Earthdawn: Fourth Edition, can be found on the Earthdawn Developer’s Blog at http://www.fasagames.com.

http://www.fasagames.com/news/?post_id= ... ng-in-2014

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Re: Earthdawn: Fourth Edition coming in 2014

Postby Nahor » Sat Dec 14, 2013 12:22 am

Thank you for the announcement and the follow-up blog post. It encourages me. I eagerly await more information.


I would like to say I'm sad I missed the open writer's call. I've been super busy at work and without a group to play with I've only been coming here occasionally to get news on the game. I totally would have applied. :( I'd love to know if there is room for any more talent or if you'll be doing a future call.

Thanks again.

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Re: Earthdawn: Fourth Edition coming in 2014

Postby Mataxes » Sat Dec 14, 2013 9:10 am

Quick note to add: It hasn't been quite as long since original material as I had thought. The Cathay books were released in 2010/2011. Since I don't have them in hardcopy, and haven't read them, I didn't think to fact check my publication dates for ED3.

It's still been a couple of years, but not five.
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Re: Earthdawn: Fourth Edition coming in 2014

Postby Stormcrow » Wed Dec 18, 2013 9:20 am

Hi,

I've not been to this forum much for a while for various reasons but I made a fairly lengthy post over at the EDCompendium sight about this topic. by the time I had finished it, I realised I really wanted the new development team to read it so I am re posting it here. Please take this for what it is meant to be, a frank but respectful message from a long time supporter of redbrick and earthdawn. It's not meant to be negative as I am feeling quite positive at this development despite myself. I am not trying and don't pretend to speak for anyone else nor am I in any way interested in assigning blame when I have no place to. I am not demanding to be heard or wishing to force these opinions on other people. What I am is someone who has purchased everything Earthdawn-related for the past 20ish years bar the revised editions and a GM who has been running a single campaign for the last 10 or so years of that time. I would like to give you as the development team the opportunity to gain an insight into why one person stopped supporting you and what I need to see if I were to resume my support. Thank you to those who do consider what I have to say.

"I've been thinking a lot about this since I saw the announcement. Like most of you I think I've settled on cautiously optimistic. I recognised Mataxes and have always found his online presence to be respectful, open and intelligent. He seems to be continuing that trend with his posts since the announcement and that encourages me. There does happen to be a lot of things that I would like to see rules changes for. Airship combat and questor powers come to mind and there does need to be some streamlining. Creating and running high level npcs is insanely difficult at Warden level on.

Since the split of the development team, my interest in FASA and the game generally has dampened a great deal. We've avoided getting into the negativity of other forums here and I'm glad for that so I'm being very careful not to get into that now. However, I think it is fair to say that I have not liked the direction of RB/ FASA since Dammi et al. left.

Earthdawn has been my favourite game since I first picked it up 20? years ago and I will continue to play it. For me to continue to support it however I'd need to be assured of three things.

1. That there is have an open forum where developers communicate honestly with us and supporters can be listened to without fear of reprisals as long as they are respectful.

2. That they will now focus on new material so that I don't feel obliged to buy an updated sourcebook for a fourth time so that I may continue to support them.

3. That the development team treat each other with respect and give each other their due.

I have not been convinced of these things for quite a while which is why I withdrew my support and did not buy the revised edition. It encourages me that all of these things seem to be starting to be addressed but I will need more information to be completely convinced. In particular, I think James Sutton did make the right decision to resign at this point. That is not meant to be a criticism of him but regardless of what happened, he was at the helm when IMO an excellent company turned into a very bad one. That in a very literal sense makes him responsible regardless of actual culpability. I personally don't think I would have supported this new venture if he were at the helm again.

Essentially, what I'm trying to say in a nutshell is I think this could be a very good thing, I just want to be a little more convinced that this truly is a different company with people with different priorities to the one that emerged after the development team's split. If I am I would not only be comfortable supporting them again but I will even take the risk and fund the kickstarter. I think they may be being slightly too opitmistic by starting that in January though as I'm not sure I will be convinced by then."

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Re: Earthdawn: Fourth Edition coming in 2014

Postby Nahor » Wed Dec 18, 2013 4:58 pm

Stormcrow,


Wow! Your post echoes everything I've been feeling about RB/FASA Games for the last few years. I mean to the letter.

Mataxes, one thing I think many people would like to see, especially after wading through the 13 pages on RPG.net, the posts here, and on the ED Comopendium, as well as my own desires is this:

1. A more transparent and communicative staff with the customers. RB used to be very transparent in the beginning in terms of updates and what not. Catalyst is very communicative, has a great online presence, and gets involved with the fans. I realize that FASA Games is probably not a full-time gig for any on staff, but this is something that needs to be a priority. One of the most off putting things over the last few years is the lack of transparency, customer involvement, and just plain dickish-ness when it came to any customer giving open criticism. The anonymity of the internet being what it is, I can see how attending to the latter might be hard, but nevertheless, it still needs to be present. Ignore, answer, address, rebuke, whatever but deal with it.

2. Update us! Many want to know what's going on, even if it's as insignificant as designing tables. It lets us know progress is being done. I don't care if you post on the FB page you had an epiphany about ABC story/mechanic/creature while in the shower and now have a full chapter on it. Let us know! To go along with this, I think a preview and an updated timeline, as suggested on RPG.net, will go a long way to "include" us in the progress. This point goes hand in hand with being more transparent. Utilize the social networking tools that have flooded us and let us know, without giving everything away, what's up!

3. Game wise: Don't divorce yourself from the old content entirely. While releasing new books, after 4e has been established, I think it would be a missed opportunity to not update the old materials. The original 1e and original 3e books that you are still allowed to republish ought to be if the 4e update is a huge one. Avoid what happened before with constant "updated" reprints and instead maybe sprinkle them in as needed. Not everyone has the resources to scour for the old books or the time to update stats and what not.

Additionally, many have said that mid-circle gaming is kind of crap. You either steam roll over things or get your butt handed to you by others. We do need adventures for circles 7-12 I think and possibly even the final three circles.

Other than that, I can only assume that streamlining will be done, blah blah blah, but for me 1 and 2 are what I would like the most while the new material is being made.

Also can you guys look into Tapatalk for the messageboards? It's a great app that lets me link into online communities to read the boards without having to use the mobile site.

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Re: Earthdawn: Fourth Edition coming in 2014

Postby Mataxes » Wed Dec 18, 2013 7:51 pm

Thank you for the feedback, it is certainly appreciated. I want to address some of the questions and issues raised in the last couple of posts.

I certainly intend to be as open as I can with regard to the game, and I certainly don't intend to stifle criticism -- provided it is presented in a constructive, mostly polite manner. The discussions that I have been following over the last few days since the announcement of ED4 has shown me that everybody has different aspects of the game that they like, or think need improvement, or need exploration. Sometimes the wishes of different fans are incompatible!

I want the understanding to be that I am as much of a fan of the game as anybody. While I certainly can't please everybody 100%, I will be working to make the best game I can, and will do my best to provide the reasoning behind the decisions I make when I can. (Even if that reasoning is sometimes, "I thought it would be cool.")

I haven't been as vocal over the last several weeks because I've been sitting on the ED4 announcement. Since that genhis is out of the birth sack, I can start talking about it! Over the course of the next few months, I intend to have a weekly blog post here (posting on Fridays) giving some previews and insight into what ED4 will have. I will probably scatter smaller tidbits on the Facebook & G+ pages as well, and may even haul my twitter account out of mothballs to get some social media love out that way as well.

Keep in mind though, that time I spend posting to message boards, and facebook, and twitter, etc, is time I am not spending working on the books. It's a tough balance, and there is still a lot of work to do. If you want the books out on time, I need to spend time on them!

Game wise, I don't intend to divorce myself from old content entirely -- but by the same token, I really don't want to see yet another version of the Throal book, or the Serpent River book. We may revisit these iconic places at some point, but not right out of the gate. I'd rather see new stuff get out the door.

In terms or respect for the development team, I certainly hope that carries forward. The first original books on the slate are both books that started development back in ED3. I think that trying to get these books into print after all the work that has already been put into them is a good thing, and an important gesture that represents my commitment to letting the past be the past, and trying to move forward as best I can.

I hope that answers people's questions for now. Back to work for me!
Josh Harrison --
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Re: Earthdawn: Fourth Edition coming in 2014

Postby etherial » Wed Dec 18, 2013 9:37 pm


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Re: Earthdawn: Fourth Edition coming in 2014

Postby EDChronicler » Thu Dec 19, 2013 2:33 am

I can only say, that I have a personal vested interest as well as a dedicated love for Earthdawn, that I will put my trust and faith behind Mataxes.

As far as the past goes, Earthdawn has had its many ups and downs. But look at the dedicated people that have been with us over the years. And yes, we've lost our fair share of people to battles against horrors that we cannot fathom, but there are still many good and dedicated people here.

EDC

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Re: Earthdawn: Fourth Edition coming in 2014

Postby Slimcreeper » Thu Dec 19, 2013 8:20 am

Oh! I know that FASA is not a software company and all that, but making a character is an hour-long exercise, especially by hand. Some of us weirdoes do that sort of thing for fun, but for bringing new players and characters into the game a character generator available right off the bat would be great - also for building NPCs. Maybe there is someone in the community with the appropriate skills that could be brought into the loop early to have something ready to go.

Also - there is a massive amount of information on Earthdawn in the books - much of which is out of print. Maybe the fan community could build a wiki compiling some of the great world building that has happened over the past couple decades. I'm running a game now with 2 people that have never heard of Earthdawn and another who has never heard of Shadowrun (she's more of a card player). Even my FLGS owner wasn't familiar with ED. We've got to increase awareness to bring new ED to the masses.

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Re: Earthdawn: Fourth Edition coming in 2014

Postby Jaracove » Thu Dec 19, 2013 10:16 am

One of the biggest problems with Earthdawn, was for the most part, pcs in a party weren't able to take a crap without the janitor recognising their faces/famedom due to their exploits. Whilst this is in reality, what would happen, and whilst on the page it looks cool; "Hey, I'm famous!" in play, it's stifling and a pain in the brain.

And yes, something needs to be done about the black hole of nothingness from 7-11 circles


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