Company News Bethesda to Fallout PnP: Cease and desist

[Amasius]

As much as I dislike Bethesda, but I think this time Interplay/Herve fucked it up again - one way or another, we'll see.

 

[aries202]

This probably means that Bethsoft also uses the D&D rules, not the GURPS, for Fallout 3.

How? Please explain your thinking here.

I feared this was going to be happen, when Bethsoft did buy the Fallout IP. Next thing that's going to happen is that all modding communities alsoi get a 'cease & desist' letter, since Fallout's IP now is controlled totally by Bethesda.

I don't think so. But it shows how power does corrupt. They sell a few million games and all of a sudden they think they're EA and have to act like assholes.

As for the d20 rules, isn't that the core of the combat mechanics in D&D games, both in tabletop & in crpgs?? And if Bethesda is using these D&D rules in Fallout 3, then people who might by buying the d20 PnP game will be comparing the Bethsoft's FO3 game and decide that the d20 PnP game might be the better. Of course, this could also happen without Bethsoft's FO using the D&D rules.

 

[mathboy]

Wasn't the Fallout PnP going to suck?

 

[Amasius]

Wasn't the Fallout PnP going to suck?

Looking at the artwork yes, definitely.

 

[Elwro]

I think the artwork sucked. But iirc the content was OK.

 

[Amasius]

Well, I've followed the drama at DAC and Gluttoncreepers own forum a bit and they didn't handled it very professional.

 

[aries202]

Just imagine if they started to shut down fan projects e.g. Fan Made Fallout.

Can they do it?

Yes, I think they can do it. But I don't think they will do it. I base this mainly on Bethsoft/Zenimax's actions in the past regarding fan mode mods for the TES games. I have seen mods, which I have guess must have altered deeply the source code, the scripts, or some core element of gameplay, like Morrowind Comes Alive, or one of the companions mod for both Morrowind or Oblivion.

I think Bethsoft/Zenimax only cares if a company or a person actually tries to make money of either a fan mode mod for the TES series or tries to sell a PnP game for Fallout without their permission, since Bethsoft now owns the IP. (and wasn't the Pnp Fallout game designated to be released last year, in november or in december??)

 

[Elwro]

First book: this June.

 

[Avin]

Thanks god. It's pure nonsense to make a FO D20 game.

FO = GURPS or nothing.

 

[Ratty]

Thank God... or should I say, thank Todd. For the first time ever, BethSoft did something right in regard to Fallout. That FO d20 was going to be a fucking abomination. Everything about the project, down to the most basic premise, betrayed ignorance and ineptitude on a level unseen since Digital Mayhem treated us to that binary abortion FO:BOS.

 

[Sol Invictus]

The RPG was gonna be pretty terrible anyway. There's no big loss in this. With any luck, Bethesda will take Blizzard's route with the Warcraft franchise and churn out a proper PNP game out of Fallout.

 

[Slith]

Just imagine if they started to shut down fan projects e.g. Fan Made Fallout.

Can they do it?

Yes, they can. Microsoft has already done the same with a number of fan-made halo games/mods. Most notable was the Halo mod for C&C Generals. Which got a Cease and Desist letter just prior to the announcement of Halo Wars by Ensemble Studios.

Why would Bethesda tell these guys to stop making a Fallout PnP game? Probably because they smell money.

 

[kingcomrade]

Ugh, what buttfuckers.

 

[DarkUnderlord]

Didn't the PnP suck anyway?

 

[Thrym]

Not that there is, but if Bethesda had a shred of honesty, they wouldn't be so worried about their precious IP being ruined. They're so afraid for their little product that they can't even understand that there is no bad publicity. Not that it truly matters, they'll make their killing whether they quash this PnP game or not. But it is pathetic to see them squirming to shut something like that down, if they believed they could make a worthwhile product at all, they wouldn't be attempting to shut down all other avenues of interpretation.

 

[Section8]

How... unsurprising. Curious to hear more though.

 

[luckyb0y]

Thanks god. It's pure nonsense to make a FO D20 game.

FO = GURPS or nothing.

How come?

 

[Lumpy]

Maybe it would have sucked. So what? Do you really think that ruining the project they had been working on for 3 years was the right thing to do? Would that book being available on shelves have hurt you in any way?

And yeah, one thread was moved because it had nothing to do with Fallout 3. Let's see what they do about this one:
http://www.bethsoft.com/bgsforums/index ... 93300&st=0

 

[Araanor]

I'm not shedding any tears for Fallout PnP but Bethesda could've told them off from the start instead of making them waste three years.

 

[Kingston]

I'm not shedding any tears for Fallout PnP but Bethesda could've told them off from the start instead of making them waste three years.

Yes, because three years ago they owned the IP.

... oh wait ...

 

[Lumpy]

On the other hand, Glutton Creeper have been no less scumbaggy than Bethesda. They supposedly threatened to sue and stopped a fan-made Fallout PnP project.
That doesn't excuse Bethesda in any way. Thing is, they're both the same kind of company. Sucks for Glutton Creeper to be the least powerful of them.

 

[The Idiot]

I'm not shedding any tears for Fallout PnP but Bethesda could've told them off from the start instead of making them waste three years.

More like one year.

 

[Shoelip]

Maybe it would have sucked. So what? Do you really think that ruining the project they had been working on for 3 years was the right thing to do? Would that book being available on shelves have hurt you in any way?

And yeah, one thread was moved because it had nothing to do with Fallout 3. Let's see what they do about this one:
http://www.bethsoft.com/bgsforums/index ... 93300&st=0

They locked it with a link to the other thread.

Guess they didn't like the poll results.

 

[aries202]

The plot continues to thickens. According to a post on some forum (sorry, I have forgotten where I've seen this) GCG did not get the license to make a PnP game from Interplay before last year (2006).

Why Bethesda & Zenimax didn't react then, is a bit of a puzzle to me, though??

 

[mathboy]

I think this topic proves pretty much why nobody listens to the Fallout fans.

Instead of focusing on a few important issues, that you might reasonably be able to change, you knee-jerkedly start bitching about everything that is done by your enemy. Even when it's the getting rid of a fucked up abomination.

This is what you say when a Fallout PnP is started (which I kind of agree with):

That's part of the problem with this from a business stand point. If you're going to make a Fallout PnP commercial product for any other reason than quick-buck license whoring, then you should make the system itself as close to the original CRPG as possible so players can gel with the tie in product from either side of the equation. If one uses one system and the other uses another, completely different system, then you have the problem of the same setting with two completely different sets of rules.

It's as dumb of an idea as if Interplay had decided Baldur's Gate needed to use SPECIAL.

It's amazing, that even with all the claimed circle-jerk sessions of teamwork, they're still this clueless of the art styles. Except for Vault Boy, and that doesn't take much effort at all, in particular the one with one leg melting while the other is perfectly fine while standing IN the toxic waste. BRILLIANT! Rolling Eyes

The equipment designs are from a "WTF?!" period of styling, clearly indicative of the artist's dilligent study of linework on local glassware, in particular mirrors. The placement of these items in advertisements, in particular the Metal Gear style idiocy, matches the crackheaded "intro" GluttonCreeper tossed out a bit ago as a "sample" of their work. Said intro, along with a laughable cover piece and a sample of how they skullfucked the traits into munchkinfesting garbage to indicate that they were similarly clueless about the rules as well as the setting, was universally mocked even by the fanficers from AOL.

Too bad the "artist" didn't recognize the two free loading screens that put the comic style into clear perspective, yet I suppose most of these kids think you mean wrestling when you tell them "EC Comics style".

The common excuse that GCG pulls out is that the released work is "unedited"...well, they've got until Dec (more like Jan), which is when Herve wants it released.

Unfortunately for them, they have an editor that kept bugging me to do their job for them (Eronarn), until I publicly pointed out that they are the editor, they can bother to learn about the setting and other material in context, or simply stop pretending to be doing a job as an editor. Or pay me for me doing their work for them (which, of course, they were far from willing to do, given how low-budget this shit is).

Having played only Fallout 2 once doesn't quite cut it. I think after GCG posted some idiocy about their moderator (spoQn), and their moderator even showed up for a moment at DAC (the GC forums moderator had never seen the DAC forum until recently, and yet supposedly "found" the GC forums as the second registrant), but has since been absent from the spammed GC forums.

And when it's closed down:

The irony of Bethesda trying to prevent a Fallout based pen&paper RPG just spits in your face, doesn't it?

What.The.Fuck.

The devil has a name. Bethesda.

Great job, guys.