Do we even need Decipher anymore?

[Ineti]

Originally posted by neurozombie
Which Decipher books actually are available now? Just the Players and Narrators guides? Those are the only two I have seen in the stores.

PG
NG
Starfleet Operations Manual
Starships
Creatures
Aliens

and the Narrator's screen are all currently available.

[Mac417]

Originally posted by neurozombie
Which Decipher books actually are available now? Just the Players and Narrators guides? Those are the only two I have seen in the stores.

Also available are the Narrator's Screen, the Starfleet Operations Manual, the Aliens book, the Starships book, and the Creatures book.

--mac

EDIT: Oops.

[D.S.McBride]

Not to sound like the town Doomcrier, but if - hypothetically, Ms Shaw - anyone out there was interested in getting the DecipherTrek books, I'd make it a point of doing so with all reasonable speed. A couple of posters on this site have confirmed that their gaming stores have begun shutting the gates on Decipher's RPG material, in anticipation of the lines being abandoned, and in my own area, some of the FLGSs have begun turning off the faucets as well.

Doubtless the current books - much like LUGTrek - will be available on-line for some time to come, but if anyone wants to avoid the hassle of on-line bidding, shipping and handling costs, etc., I'd pick 'em up before the official hammer from Decipher comes down.

[GandalfOfBorg]

[Don Mappin]

Originally posted by D.S.McBride
Doubtless the current books - much like LUGTrek - will be available on-line for some time to come, but if anyone wants to avoid the hassle of on-line bidding, shipping and handling costs, etc., I'd pick 'em up before the official hammer from Decipher comes down.

Or worse, pulped.

I'm just sayin...

[D.S.McBride]

Originally posted by Don Mappin
Or worse, pulped.

I'm just sayin...

Don: You're kidding. Your feeling on the situation is that it's verging on being that bad?

If so, maybe we should start lobbing the e-mails, ICQs and so ons back and forth, and get a chain of command in order so that we can start producing our own works. If the princes of this world have failed us, then it's time to create a think tank (virtual as it may be) and start forging our own world.

[GenesisWeapon]

Here's a question...

...why use Decipher at all? Do we really want to force people who use these proposed Netbooks to rely on material from a company that may be about to dump the entire line? Moreover, even if it stays afloat, do we want to pour money into their coffers?

I don't.

Why not reboot the entire thing, using a system from a strong company? Hero System springs to mind (only because I dislike both GURPS and *shudder* d20).

Edited to add: Another advantage of using an existing system -- when Decipher loses the RPG license, some enterprising folks might snap it up. If that's the case, they could take the Netbooks, license the gaming system they're based on, and just publish the things.

[Capt. Anderson]

This topic makes Capt. Anderson depressed. He enjoyed the CODA system so very much and he feels that a topic thread needs to be started and anyone who wishes to say something positive about Deciphers RPG line could post, then forward that copy of the thread to Decipher.

[varin]

I agree totally with many of you- I cannot understand why we cannot do this. With the talent here I think that it can be done.

I have the link to the Lost Books of Star Trek- it is below

http://www.well.com/user/sjroby/lostbooks.html

And the sheer work NOT DONE from LUG is amazing - I would literally PAY any PRICE for the Romulan book and the Bajoran ones as well- I just got the Way of D'era and it is fabulous.

I truly belive that those type of books with that sense of detail can be written by us.

[REG]

Originally posted by GenesisWeapon

Why not reboot the entire thing, using a system from a strong company? Hero System springs to mind (only because I dislike both GURPS and *shudder* d20).

Only if Steve Long is interested in publishing licensed products based on media entertainment properties. I'm trying to recall in the long history of Hero Game, have they ever published licensed products?

For some of us, we're fans of previous Trek-based rules system. I myself still play LUGTrek whenever I can.

Oh, and just to get your knickers in a knot, I've been trying to come up with a way to make a d20 version of Trek. Of course, if I do decide to distribute it, I have to make it a parody (fall under Fair Use, kinda like Hackmaster) sans the Paramount-owned trademarks.

Edited to add: Another advantage of using an existing system -- when Decipher loses the RPG license, some enterprising folks might snap it up. If that's the case, they could take the Netbooks, license the gaming system they're based on, and just publish the things.

That assumes Decipher will relinquish copyright of their CODA rules system for others to use. Or WotC will relinquish copyright of the acquired ICON rules system.

[Mac417]

Originally posted by Capt. Anderson
This topic makes Capt. Anderson depressed. He enjoyed the CODA system so very much and he feels that a topic thread needs to be started and anyone who wishes to say something positive about Deciphers RPG line could post, then forward that copy of the thread to Decipher.

I gotta go with the Captain here, guys. I'm so down for picking up the ball and running with it if Decipher drops the other shoe, but until they do, shouldn't we show our support for the game and the system, since that's what we're doing anyway?

--mac

[GenesisWeapon]

Originally posted by REG
Only if Steve Long is interested in publishing licensed products based on media entertainment properties. I'm trying to recall in the long history of Hero Game, have they ever published licensed products?

Nope. However, who says that Hero Games has to publish it? They're licensing the system out.

That assumes Decipher will relinquish copyright of their CODA rules system for others to use. Or WotC will relinquish copyright of the acquired ICON rules system.

No, it doesn't. What I'm suggesting is to dump both Decipher and LUG, since they'd represent just the kind of legal morass you're talking about. License another system, acquire the Trek license, and publish PDFs.

[Cigarman]

Sorry, but I have no sympathy for Decipher, whatsoever. As a gamer, I'm tired of standing on the gallows waiting for either the trapdoor to drop or a call from the Governer.

It is obvious that the only reason that Decipher hasn't officially dropped the ax is that they don't want to be stuck with a warehouse full of product. As long as they pretend the line is still alive, they can move their stuff to distributors. I'm not bashing them. It makes business sence. Profit is profit and they are in the business to make money. It just seems that they have forgoten where that money really comes from, consumers like us.

It is time to forget about Decipher and focus on supporting STRPG, no matter what the system.

As for which system(s) to put in the Netbooks, (ICON, CODA, D20, Hero, etc.) why not make the books system generic with addendums on the various systems for specific game mechanic information? That way, they are useful to the majority of players and GMs, regardless of system preference.

As a matter of fact, why repeat efforts already made? We have a lot of perfectly good LUGTrek material already published that could use CODA (and other system) addendum. Perhaps we should start there?

Decipher has dropped the ball, so let's grab it and run for a touchdown.

Cigarman

PS: As to the question of where my name, Cigarman, came from? I hate to disapoint any of you, but it is DEFINITELY NOT a Clinton reference. I just happen to like smoking cigars while cruising the net.

PSS: In which order of subject should we start our efforts. Personally, I'd like to see Mirror Universe (DS9 and Dark Mirror universes) and Klingons first. Opinions?

[Space_Cadet]

In all honesty, Decipher has released all that we need for a complete Star Trek role playing experience, but i am interested in Klingon sourcebook and perhaps the Solider and Diplomat sourcbook, as well as the Mirror Sourcebook.

If by any stretch of the imagination, Decipher decides to drop the liscense, I don' t think I 'll be purchasing another Trek Rpg with a different set of rules. I do believe the Coda system is a robust engine and the one thing that prevented me from going into LUG is that Coda Trek is era-agnostic. Not to mention the supposed decline of interest in Trek will make anyone think twice of carrying the liscence or top the quality that the developers did with Coda. But what do i know ..

my two cents

[REG]

Originally posted by GenesisWeapon

Nope. However, who says that Hero Games has to publish it? They're licensing the system out.

That's news to me. I mean other than Gold Rush Games that did San Angelo 1.5 and Dragon's Gate, who are acquiring the license to use Hero System?

No, it doesn't. What I'm suggesting is to dump both Decipher and LUG, since they'd represent just the kind of legal morass you're talking about. License another system, acquire the Trek license, and publish PDFs.

Whoa. Such animosity.

I dunno. If it's PDF. I may not purchase it. Don't have a plastic.

As for Yet Another New System with Yet Another New Company, some current gamers will be too pissed to buy yet another Star Trek game, while others are content with what we have (FASA, Icon, and CODA rulesets). And yet there are others that using different rules system for the Star Trek universe (for their own personal use -- I know of one group that are already using Hero System).