LOTR RPG Press Release

[Hugh Casey]

This is a couple of days old, but I thought it would be of interest...

Looks like we're getting it after Gen Con.

NEWS RELEASE

DECIPHER® ROLEPLAYING GAMES STUDIO

253 granby street • norfolk, virginia 23510 - 1813
phone • 757.623.3600 • fax 757.623.3630
norfolk • denver • los angeles

For Immediate Release


DECIPHER UNVEILS THE LORD OF THE RINGS™ ROLEPLAYING GAME: YOUR WORLD. YOUR GAME.

(Norfolk, VA, July 22, 2002) - Touted the greatest and most popular book of the 20th century, The Lord of the RingsTM is an epic tale of good versus evil filled with extraordinary heroes, wondrous creatures, and dark armies of terror. With The Lord of the Rings Roleplaying Game, to be launched at Gen Con 2002, Decipher brings the epic adventure found in J.R.R. Tolkien’s best-selling novels - and adapted into the acclaimed hit movie - to players and fans around the globe.

Tolkien’s masterpiece has often been referred to as the gospel of the fantasy genre. For the gaming industry, it is where it all began. With the Core Book — the first of Decipher’s roleplaying products for The Lord of the Rings — gamers can enter Middle-earth to become heroes themselves and follow in the footsteps of the members of the Fellowship. From a reluctant hobbit like Frodo to a powerful wizard like Gandalf, players can create their own world through their very own original game.

Christian Moore, head of Decipher’s RPG Studio, stated, “By presenting a seamless integration of Tolkien’s core concepts into the system and gameplay, The Lord of the Rings RPG Core Book serves as a fascinating introduction for those who are unfamiliar with the world of RPGs or Middle-earth, yet still intrigues experienced gamers.”

The Lord of the Rings RPG—Two

The Core Book builds upon Decipher’s ‘Coda’ System, first introduced this year with its Star Trek RPG, by featuring a magic system that perfectly captures the flavor of Tolkien's Middle-earth. Using only six-sided dice, the Coda System makes task resolution simple and cinematic, allowing players to concentrate on character development. The player sections of the book contain detailed character creation guidelines covering everything from the mythic races (Dwarves, Elves, Hobbits and Humans) and heroic orders (Magicians, Rangers, Rogues and the like) to skills, traits, and personal equipment. The Narrator section of the Core Book presents the rules for gameplay, from story-building tools and tips to rules for resolving skill use, combat and magic. In addition, the book covers the creatures of the Shadow, ready-to-use villains and guidelines for creating antagonists.

This 304-page, full-color book is packed with images from the Academy Award-winning film. Beginning this August, it will be available for a suggested retail price of $39.95 at stores including Barnes & Noble, Waldenbooks, and Borders Books & Music, as well as comic book, game and hobby stores worldwide.

About Decipher Inc.

Founded in 1983 by Warren Holland, Decipher Inc. is a worldwide leader in the collectible card game industry and fan club industry. The company's Trading Card Game Studio produces Star Trek™ and The Lord of the Rings™ trading card games. Decipher's Fan Club Studio operates the official fan clubs for Star Trek™ and The Lord of the Rings™, which includes publishing official fan magazines and managing online stores. Decipher's RPG (roleplaying games) & Miniatures Studio is responsible for the creation of the all-new Star Trek™ roleplaying games and The Lord of the Rings™ roleplaying games. Decipher's Online Games Studio offers digital versions of its Star Trek™ and, soon, its The Lord of the Rings™ Trading Card Games. Decipher's Games Studio produces leading party, card, and board games such as How To Host A Murder®, How To Host A Teen Mystery®, Pente®, Scratchees,™ and more. Decipher's Boy Crazy!™ Studio markets the popular Boy Crazy!™ brand for girls which includes a magazine, web site at boycrazy.com, trading cards, and various publishing and licensing ventures.

Visit decipher.com for additional information.


About New Line Cinema

Founded in 1967, New Line Cinema is the entertainment industry’s leading independent producer and distributor of theatrical motion pictures. New Line licenses its films to ancillary markets including cable and broadcast television as well as to international venues. The company, which is a subsidiary of AOL Time Warner Inc., operates several divisions including in-house theatrical distribution, marketing, home video, television, acquisitions, production, licensing and merchandising units.
More information about New Line Cinema can be obtained at www.newline.com.

© 2002 New Line Productions, Inc. All Rights Reserved. TM The Saul Zaentz Company d/b/a Tolkien Enterprises under license to New Line Productions, Inc. All Rights Reserved. TM, ® & © 2002 Decipher.

[Phantom]

Can't wait! Did I miss the release date in the article?

[REG]

No actual date, per se. But the rulebook will go on sale in August to coincide with the video release of LOTR:FOTR.

If anything, Decipher should make try to get stocks of the rulebook out at the GenCon event. Of course, it would help to get a celebrity to promote the rulebook, like Frodo's Elijah Wood or Samwise's Sean Astin. (Aren't they used to be role-players?)

[CorpBoy]

Originally posted by Phantom
Can't wait! Did I miss the release date in the article?

I've seen it said on Decipher.com that it will debut at Gencon in August. I don't know if that means that it will be available everywhere at that time, but if you happen to be at Gencon...

[Dan Stack]

Just LotR, or did they get the rights to use Unfinished Tales, Simarillion, etc.?

[Calcoran]

As much as I'd like to see something for the Silmarillon, AFAIR Tolkien estates (or something) are very tight on that one, and I seem to recall someone from Dec saying there was no chance anything like this would see the light of day. Well, we'll just have to do it ourselves ...

[Phantom]

As J.R.R's estate is being rather tight on certain aspects of this franchise will this be a one or two shot wonder? Or are there plans to fully support it with "unofficial" information?

[REG]

Peter Jackson was able to get the movie rights to LOTR (and to some extent The Hobbit) through New Line Cinema which get the rights from Tolkien Enterprises.

The other J.R.R. Tolkien's works are governed by Tolkien Estate. So to make RPG material from beyond LOTR and the Hobbit requires an agreement with Tolkien Estate.

Decipher has two agreements: For their CCG, they got an agreement from New Line Cinema (the game will be based on the Peter Jackson movie). For RPG, they got an agreement straight from Tolkien Enterprises (the game will be based on the Trilogy and The Hobbit literary works).

[Phantom]

So then it will be fully supported with species books, location books (Minas Tairth and so forth), etc and not some of this one shot nonsense?

Anyone heard what they are planning beyond the corebook?

[Ineti]

Ask and you shall receive.

LOTR RPG Product List

[Don Mappin]

Originally posted by Phantom
So then it will be fully supported with species books, location books (Minas Tairth and so forth), etc and not some of this one shot nonsense?

Someone needs a hug!

[Kerlof]

((((((((((((((((((( ))))))))))))))))))))

Good enough?

[Phantom]

Originally posted by Don Mappin
Someone needs a hug!

FUNNY!

As to the upcoming products...cool. I am very content. Thanks.

[Troy_Of_Borg]

Some friends & I are going to Gen Gon. We all are planning to get the LOTR RPG book once we get there.

[REG]

If you haven't checked out Decipher's web site, do so. They got a couple of previews: a two-page character sheets (downoadable PDF file: 1.84 MB) and a two-page excerpt (actually one contains text, the other contains a scene from the movie where they found the door to Moria).

Well, don't stand there with your mouth open. Go! Go! Go!

http://www.decipher.com/lordoftherin...mplepages.html