Industry News
and Press Releases

by Bill Brierton



Guild of Blades to represent Inner City Games and Fractal Dimensions in all markets outside the USA.

We are proud to announce that we will be representing the sales of the entire Lr~ner City Games Designs and Fractual Dimensions product lines to all distributors and wholesalers outside the United States. We hope that this joint representation will make it easier for our distributor's world wide to order, Guild of Blades, LrIner City Games Designs and Fractal Dimensions products.

Inner City Games Designs is the publisher of the popular Fuzzy Heroes game line, an introductory miniature's game for all ages. Some of their most recent items include the Character Dossiers set and forthcoming Wolfinan Adventure Series. Fractal Dimensions are the publishers of the popular Fractal Spectrum, a quarterly gaming magazine renown for its excellent articles, industry news coverage and Gamelets. Fractal Dimensions has just also released Breeders: the Assault, the first of a line of affordable mini games (Gamelets). Forthcoming from Fractal Dimensions in the near future will be the SORD role playing line.

Any distnbutors and wholesalers outside the United States looking to order or attain farther information on the Lrtner City Games Designs or Fractal Dimension products should contact:

Guild of Blades Publishing Group
c/o Ryan Johnson
2002 E. Kalamazoo
Lansing, MI 48912, USA
Phone Number: 1-(517)-267-1409 or 1-(517)-371-4909
e-mail: stinger@guildofblades.com
Web: http://www.guildofblades.com.

For direct communications with the staff at Inner City Games Designs or Fractal Dimensions call, write or e-mail to:
Inner City Games Designs
P.O. Box 345
Grayslake, IL 60030, USA
Phone: Marketing: 1-(847)-336-0790
Production: 1 -(847)-356-7484
e-mail :FUZHero@aol. com.

Fractal Dimensions
17-29 Main St., Suite 316
Cortland, NY 13045
Phone: Marketing: 1-(607)-753-9246
e-mail: fractal@fractal.mandarin.org

The Dragon Lovers in High Dudgeon

The goblins and wizards in the imaginary world of David Nicholson and his club have been banished. For three hours every Friday night, the 25 members - who ranged in age from adults down to 12-year-olds such as Nicholson's son Michael met to play boardgarnes such as Dungeons and Dragons. But now, Northarnptonshire County Council has stopped the clubs activities as part of a crackdown on fantasy and role-playing games because the council claims they could encourage violence. Mr. Nicholson's Nene Valley Role-Play and Fantasy Wargame Society at Moor Road Youth Centre in Rushden, was banned from county council premises pending an inquiry.

Mr. Nicholson said he was completely flabbergasted. "The games we play are pure fantasy. They are certainly a lot less violent than some of the current computer games. It is harmless fun." "It just encourages you to use your imagination. There is also an element of art and craft. We spend hours painting the figures and scenery." However, David Atkinson, director of youth services for Northamptonshire, said that the tide was turning against pastimes that encourage violence. He went on to add "There is a national debate in the youth service about the suitability of certain activities. We are erring on the side of caution. " We have a duty of care to the young people who use our facilities in the case of role-playing games. I am sure 99 per cent of them are harmless, but it is the other one per cent we have to worry about.

Editors Note: While this happened in England, could it happen here? Probably but the First Amendment does guarantee the Freedom oś Speech which is nn~r constant threat by those who "wish to protect the youth and the nation..

Icahn Loses Marvel

In a move that was anticipated by all parties, U.S. District Judge Roderick McKelvie ordered the appointment of a trustee for bankrupt Marvel Entertainment. This appointment was encouraged by the secured creditors led by Chase Manhatten Bank, and opposed by current Marvel stockholders, led by financier Carl Icahn. The trustee will be assuming responsibility for all Marvel's operations on Tuesday, December 16th. Effective that date, the current Marvel Board of Directors will be dissolved. It has been reported, however, that the existing Marvel management team will stay in place at least until the trustee has the opportunity to evaluate the situation.

The effect of this change is to greatly weaken the position of existing Marvel stockholders, and to strengthen the position of the secured creditors. Essentially, the stockholders are now in the unfortunate position of potentially having their entire investment wiped out. This may explain why Marvel's stock hit an all-time low of $1 per share during the past week.

Meanwhile, the secured creditors are not in the position of having a neutral party control of Marvel. They wished for this to occur because they believed that Icahn's team was hindering their ability to maximize recovery of the $812 million dollars owed to the by Marvel. One issue that was not addressed by the court was the case of the opposing reorganization plans offered by the Icahn group, and Toy Biz, Inc. Nor was there any ruling on the allegations of mismanagement and fraud raised by Icahn in a flurry of recent lawsuits against Toy Biz Inc., Toy Biz controlling stockholders Avi Arad, Issac Perlmutter, Chase Manhattan Bank, and former owner Ronald Perelman. It was interesting to note, however, that an attorney representing Perelman was reported to be present at the hearing.

One line of reasoning that has been put forth in analyzing the current situation is that Perelman may have just closed the trap on Icahn. Earlier this year Icahn wrestled control of Marvel from Perelman by purchasing bonds issued by Perelman that has his 80% stock ownership as collateral. Those bonds went into default when Marvel could no longer spin off enough cash to Perelman for him to make interest payments on the bonds. Icahn purchased the approximately $800 million in bonds at the steeply discounted price of $200 million, and then demanded that Perelman turn over the 80% of Marvel's stock that collateralized the bonds.

After a bitter court battle, Perelman was forced to give Icahn his stock. Icahn now finds himself in the position of losing control of Marvel, and potentially having his entire investment, and the investments of his associates, wiped out. Ronald Perelman, on the other hand, could regain control of Marvel by offering a superior reorganization plan to the new trustee. This assumes, however, that Perelman can exceed the amounts being offered in the present reorganization plans offered by Toy Bix, Icahn and any other potential nval plans. The only heanng now scheduled was for January 30th, at which time Judge McKelvie will rule on the merits of the Toy Biz plan.

Game Verse Welcomes Steve Stone's ™ as its newest RPG Game Channel

GarneVerse Inc. Proudly announces the addition of Steve Stone's Zero ™ Role Playing games as a channel in the GameVerse network. Zero is an engaging, action oriented science fiction game that places the player into the challenging position of fighting against a powerful authoritarian structure in the name of individuality. Like the other GameVerse games, Zero will be played through the internet, making the possibilities for the locations of its gaming groups unlimited.

The premise of the game is based upon a futuristic "hive" society of cybernetically altered human beings, all of whom are telepathically linked together. The players in the game however, have been severed from this network and must adapt to a variety of challenging situations. The game master for a Zero game invents situations of mystery and adventure for the other players to explore through the course of the game.

The result is an interactive Science Fiction adventure in which the game-playing participants actually decide what the heroes do, guiding them from decision to decision. After a player make a decision for their character, they roll dice to determine the effectiveness of the decision they have made. Based on the outcome of the dice roll, the game master will determine the outcome and the next challenge for that player. For the purposes of the game, the dice rolling and other manual actions are automated by software, increasing the involvement for all players regardless of their location.

The central theme in Zero is individuality in the face of massive conformity as the players make their way through detailed threats, challenges and adventures, working toward exacting their revenge on the hive's leader, Queen Zero. The players must decide such routine and crucial issues such as whether to decipher an ancient song posted above a long-forgotten door or whether to teleport out of the path of a falling piece of machinery. When a player- character encounters a member of the hive, they are not only confronting the communal mind from which they have been severed, but are also encountering every consciousness within the society, including that of the leader, Queen Zero. She is a daunting foe- as queen mother of all the other minds that are part of the whole she represents. She commands all denizens of the hive at will, and possesses god-like powers over the other hive members.

The adventure is limited only to the game master, as Steve Stone's Zero ™ rulebook offers enough scenarios, suggestions and lush, imaginative worldscapes to keep the gaming adventure and fun going on for weeks. To see Steve Stone's striking new fantasy games, or any of the GameVerse network's other interactive role-playing games, point you latest-generation web browser to GameVerse at http://www.gameverse.net, starting February 1st.

Fractal Dimensions is shipping their first gamelet product entitled Breeders: The Assault

Breeders: The Assault is a game of tactical science fiction combat taking place sometime in the next century, where instellar travel is lengthy but common process, and a militant alien race, known as the Bre'kada, have been discovered. Each player assumes the role of either a Terran force or a force of alien Breeders. Players will have an individual goal to accomplish defined by the scenario or campaign being played. Components include 13" x 10" game map, 189 full color counters, 12 page rule booklet, and 1 Quick Reference Sheet. Breeders: The Assault retails for $8.95. For mail orders-please include 80 cents, NY residents include 8% sales tax. The address for Fractal Dimensions is: 17-29 Main Street, Suite 316, Cortland NY 13045. The stock number for Breeders: The Assault is #2000.

Gaming Companies not showing for GenCon

During this month a number of gaming companies including several leaders in the role-playing industry announced that they will be boycotting this years GenCon. As of this issue the following gaming companies have stated that they will not make an appearance at GenCon, they are, Steve Jackson Games, Palladium, R. Talsorian, Outpost Games, Tri Tac Systems, DreamPod 9 and RPGNet. Most companies stated that the price increase was a major factor in this decision. According to Steve Jackson of Steve Jackson games "The main difficulty has to do with WoTC's pricing policies. Some prices increased more than 50%!"

Several changes were made to the pricing of the dealer booths for this year's GenCon. In addition to a substantial increase in prices, Andon Unlimited did away with the tiered pricing scale of the past. In previous years their were three price levels, with more favorable locations costing more money. For 1998 there is only one level and it has a significant increase over the highest tier from last year.

While the price of a dealer's booth was a major concern for the companies which will not be attending, they were quick to point out that this is not an indication of economic problems. Steve Jackson commented "We have been unsubtly warned by WoTC employees that any company that doesn't come to GenCon will be seen by the gamers to be in its last legs." He went on to say "These companies need to get the word out: we're staying away because we choose to not because we're dead."

In a press release from Kevin Siembieda of Palladium Books, he stated: "I can not speak for any RPG company other than my own, but the reasons Palladium will not be attending are:

    1. 1997 attendance was dramatically down from previous years and I suspect it will be down in 1998.

    2. I, personally, don't have confidence that Andon can run a good show the size of GenCon, even with reduced attendance.

    3. Gen Con will be held at a new convention site. A site currently under construction and scheduled (if on time) to open it's doors only a few weeks before Gen Con. I personally don't have confidence that the "new" convention center will be completed and running at 100% by Gen Con. In fact, I wouldn't be suprised if Gen Con ended up in the old location.

    4. I find Andon's "Grandfather" policy offensive, especially when a dozen companies get booths assigned to them before Palladium and the majority of other exhibitors even get our Exhibitor Packages (their booth assignments and name are actually printed on the floor plan sent to us). Palladium's been attending Gen Con since 1982! How Grandfathered do you have to be?

    5. The dramatic price increase was the last straw. Yes, a company the size of Palladium can easily afford the $1700 increase (up 35.4% from last year) for the island booth we normally take. However, we are deeply concerned by what the price increase does to the rest of the role-playing game community. I believe it hurts it.

A handfull of small RPG companies have already told me they won't be attending. I suspect many more small and start-up companies will not be able to attend, because $950 is too costly for them, so gamers will be missing out on new products, cutting edge stuff, and games that might be the next big thing."

Jackson indicated that Steve Jackson Games has been asked to sponsor events, in spite of the fact that the company will not be attending the convention. The reasoning given was that game masters and players should not be made aware of the "business" side of the industry.

Jackson disagreed. "We can not accede to that request," Jackson said. "We will not and we will tell you why. Much as WotC might like to have its business practices remain unexamined, we feel that the state of the hobby is everybody's business. "

Pierre Ouellette president of Dream Pod 9 added, "It seems to be a common (and mistaken) belief that every games manufacturer should have to go Gen Con to maintain some kind of facade and pretend that everything's all nght; that if you're at Gen Con, you're a real gaming company; if not you don't exist." (Editors note: Tell this to the IRS.)

He went on to add, "This "social club" mentality is extremely harmful and hardly worth the resources it requires. The card game craze had greatly reduced the money available to other gaming companies (RPG and wargames alike), and giving that money to the very company which is at the source of the problem seems like nonsense. A change in attitude is vital at this point, and by not attending GenCon (and telling everybody why we're not going), we want to be a part of those who tell the rest that we don't exist for Gen Con but rather the reverse: without all of us, there is not Gen Con."

WotC CEO Peter Adkinson was asked to comment on this situation, and gave a rather brief reply. "GenCon was not a profitable show for TSR; in fact, they lost money on it. We are simply trying to get it to at least the break-even level. The gaming companies who are avoiding GenCon would prefer that we put all of the financial burden on the gamers by charging them a higher ticket price, or that WotC basically subsidize the entire industry by running the show at a loss. Neither of these alternatives are acceptable."

In further reading of the press releases from the above companies, most of the releases did hint that they would be viewed as in financial difficulty. Whether or not this was actually said by any employee of WotC is unknown. What effect these companies not showing at GenCon will have to wait until August.

Editors Note: I'll try to keep everybody posted on any further developments. It will be interesting to see what develops down the road and at Gen Con. I'd also would like to thank Tim Gleason of WebRPG for his contributions to this article.

Update in White Knight #7: Andon Feels GenCon Changes Not Significant

Steve Jackson Games, Palladium, R Talsorian, Outpost Games, Tri Tac Systems, Dream Pod 9 and RPGNet are copyrighted by their respective companies. Mention of these names and their products is no intention of infringement on current or future copyrights.

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© Copyright 1998 by Pegasus-Unicorn Productions

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