UnderWorld re-launch

[GMSkarka]

In 2002, the UnderWorld RPG, first published by Synister Creative Systems in 2000, will be re-launched by my creator-owned venture, Adamant Entertainment.

The 2nd Edition (which we've been calling UW2 around the office) will feature the original material (revised, corrected and upgraded), plus the material originally intended for inclusion in the first supplement, DownBelow, plus scads of new stuff...all wrapped up in a big, juicy hardcover.

To that end, we're giving UW a new Official Forum, here on the Forge.  Welcome to it.  Ask questions, make comments, tell me I'm an ass, stir up some shite, make my day.

Gareth-Michael Skarka
Adamant Entertainment

[joshua neff]

Gareth--

Good to hear. Good to hear that you're rereleasing it (with more stuff) & that you're keeping it creator-owned & published (yeah, like you'd do it any other way).

Question: is it going to look the same? That is, will you be using the same layout, the same artwork, the same chapter sequence, the same fiction? Or will it look completely different? (Personally, I push for different. For one thing, I thought half the art in the first edition was fantastic & the other half was kind of blah. But more importantly, a new look would distinguish the 2nd from the 1st, and Adamant from Synister.)

[GMSkarka]

Question: is it going to look the same? That is, will you be using the same layout, the same artwork, the same chapter sequence, the same fiction? Or will it look completely different? (Personally, I push for different. For one thing, I thought half the art in the first edition was fantastic & the other half was kind of blah. But more importantly, a new look would distinguish the 2nd from the 1st, and Adamant from Synister.)

It's going to be different.  Similar layout (I'll keep the "street" look, but I'll be doing a LOT of things differently), some of the same artwork (I will be ditching those pieces which I didn't approve in the first place),& the same fiction (although, with the expansion, there will be a lot more NEW stuff, too....after all, we're talking a book that's probably going to be twice the size).  

Different chapter sequence, though.  We're integrating the stuff that was going to appear in DownBelow, so that means additional stuff mixed in with the old.

This is definitely going to stand out as a new product...for one thing, I'd like to be elligible for the Origins Awards, so I have to make sure that it gets in under the following guideline: "at least 50% of the fictional or support material contained in the game is new to that edition and this new fictional or support material makes up at least 35% of the published material in the new edition."   Right now, I'm shooting for at least that.

(yeah, I know...Origins Awards are nothin' but a tool of the Man.  Sue me...I like the acknowledgement  :)  )

GMS

[Bailywolf]

Fantastic news!

Occasionaly I've fished for news over at rpg.net on UW... one of my favorite indie games.  Glad to see it here.  The community here at the Forge is top-flight.  



Quick re-launch question from A system monkey


Have you made any changes/refinements to the UW mechanics themselves?  I understand the design goal was to create a system wich could work equaly well for LARP gaming as for tabletop... is this still a major design consideration, or have you centered in more on one or the other mode of gaming?




Look forward to hearing all the UW2 buzz.

[Adam]

Sweet to see this :-)

I'll try to post a coherent review of the book contents when I get back home - I'm currently on vacation, which basically means movies, concerts, and net-access from a PC with a wierd keyboard ;)

I seem to remember that the actual organization of the books contents was pretty good in my mind; it followed the "World -> Basic Mechanics -> Characters -> Advanced Mechanics" model that I prefer. [I seem to have talked about this organization scheme a /lot/ lately...]

[GMSkarka]

Have you made any changes/refinements to the UW mechanics themselves?  I understand the design goal was to create a system wich could work equaly well for LARP gaming as for tabletop... is this still a major design consideration, or have you centered in more on one or the other mode of gaming?

The focus will still remain on the tabletop/LARP joint usability.  

That said, though....we will be making refinements all over the place.  We've got new systems that were intended for the first supplement that will be included in UW2, which will add depth to the rules as well as the setting.

I'm also currently working through a refinement of the combat system, addressing concerns that I've heard expressed on the UW email list, and other places.

GMS

[Jason L Blair]

Great to hear, Gareth. Welcome to the Forge. Looking forward to UW2. Any idea of a release date?

[Matt Machell]

Good to hear Underworld is getting a new edition, I really enjoyed the orginal. My only bugbear with it was the seemingly random use of fonts (That's just a personal taste thing though).

Good luck with it.


Matt

[wyrdlyng]

My only bugbear with it was the seemingly random use of fonts (That's just a personal taste thing though).

I have to agree with Matt's comment. My main problem with UW was difficulty in reading it. I hope the new edition will be easier on the eyes. Other than that I'm looking forward to its return.

[Noel]

In 2002, the UnderWorld RPG, first published by Synister Creative Systems in 2000, will be re-launched by my creator-owned venture, Adamant Entertainment.

This is great! When do you expect it to be available?

[GMSkarka]

This is great! When do you expect it to be available?

We haven't set the release date yet (we want to get a better idea of how long it's going to take us to finish the new material and design the new look), but for right now I'm shooting for Fall 2002.

GMS

[GMSkarka]

This is great! When do you expect it to be available?

We haven't set the release date yet (we want to get a better idea of how long it's going to take us to finish the new material and design the new look), but for right now I'm shooting for Fall 2002.

GMS

[ReverendCuster187]

hmm... so whats happening with underworld? i love this game, got really excited when i heard there was a new edition, totally forgot about it, come back and... nothing. so, as the wise men said, wassup?

[GMSkarka]

No current plans for a second edition.   It just sort of faded out.  I couldn't really get worked up about stepping backward into something that I've already done--I'm more interested in looking ahead.

Plus, with the release of the god-awful movie using the title UNDERWORLD, If I was to do anything with it, it would have to be pretty much relaunched from the ground up with a new title and new branding, etc.

GMS

[GMSkarka]

No current plans for a second edition.   It just sort of faded out.  I couldn't really get worked up about stepping backward into something that I've already done--I'm more interested in looking ahead.

Plus, with the release of the god-awful movie using the title UNDERWORLD, If I was to do anything with it, it would have to be pretty much relaunched from the ground up with a new title and new branding, etc.

GMS