TSRCarrie@aol.com wrote:

> In a message dated 97-08-22 23:07:38 EDT, you write:
>
> Is it possible to get additional war card boxes, like the one in
> >the main BR boxed set?
>
> Don't count on it. TSR is supposed to stop Birthright production this
> year
> on Birthright, and no war card boxes are scheduled. >>
>
> This is incorrect. Birthright will still be produced next year; in
> fact, Ted
> Stark and I are both in the middle of designing products scheduled for
>
> release in 1998. Next year will see, among other things, an adventure
> of epic
> proportions and the unveiling of the Shadow World.

The Shadow World ideas sounded cool from what I heard of the online
seminar. Just don't make the mistake of making a small product line for
BR for next year. I found that putting out the small line for dark sun
last year really killed it. There was no variety. There were two
products I REALLY didn't want, and two I liked and bought (I believe it
was that ratio). Lots of variety means choice, and IMHO, choice is a
good thing. I'm hoping more detail of the world as a roleplaying
setting (dungeons, a monstrous compendium, books about some
organizations etc I think would be good ideas) will happen. I think BR
is an excellently designed world, but so far some stuff seems a little
vague. I believe that one thing that scares off people that might try
birthright is that it seems very complex (it is, but only until you get
used to it).

> It is true, however, that this is a critical year for Birthright and
> that the
> new management at Wizards will be watching BR sales figures very
> closely to
> determine its future. The worst thing you can do is start tolling BR's
> death
> knell early, because it will scare people away from buying it. The
> *best*
> thing you can do (and I hope all of you will) is to not only purchase
> BR
> products yourself, but to talk up BR to every player and retailer you
> know,
> at every opportunity you have, so that more people will discover what
> a great
> game it is. A grassroots movement can really make a difference.

I don't understand why some of TSR's worlds still do so well. Some
like the Forgotten Realms are just way too over powered and almost
childish (it's almost like "Disney D&D). I'm really frustrated with
this constant flow of products coming out adding more and more powers to
major NPCs, characters etc (in FR), and seeing good product lines (like
Dark Sun, Birthright, and Planescape) suffer.

Paul L.