Decipher and the Euro RPG Conventions 2003/4

[JonA]

I hope Doug/Jesse/anyone in the know about Decipher might read this. Not sure what forum this fits on but since it's a question directed at Decipher I guess this forum is as good a place as any. I've just read the following thread: http://forum.trek-rpg.net/showthread...&threadid=8356 and it sparked a concern in my tiny little brain.

I hope the freebie adventure book is released online (particularly for those fortunate/unfortunate enough not to live in the USA) although this does raise a concern for me.

Are Decipher planning to attend or have representation at any of the European Conventions in 2003/4?

I know Euro-Gencon has been and gone for 2003 and Decipher didn't attend (mind you of all the American companies only WotC is a regular attendee).

Roleplay isn't just a hobby for US alone. It's fairly popular in Europe and Asia. From a personal viewpoint Star Trek and LotR are also quite big in the UK.

It saddens me that many of the bigger gaming studios/companies skip out on conventions outside of the USA even though sales must be sizeable in Europe and Asia (given the number of foreign language versions of games there are).

[Doug Burke]

I know they'll be at Essen Spiel (sp?) at least...

[JonA]

Right. Better start learning my German then.

Shame really because Gencon UK is normally a right laugh once you've beaten your way through the hoards of WotC Worshipers salivating over their latest product of evil.

Oh and laughed hysterically at the CCG players in their urban combats and baseball caps whilst comparing acne sores.

Sighhhhh.

[otaku mike]

Originally posted by JonA
Roleplay isn't just a hobby for US alone. It's fairly popular in Europe and Asia.

In Asia? where? where? where? Out of Japan, maybe HK, Malaysia and Singapore, RPG is quite the unknown.

I live in Bangkok and no one really knows what is a real RPG here. The ones that think they know, either they believe it's something like Counter-strike, Final Fantasy or Ragnarok Online, or it is a bastardized version of Monopoly (worse, they sometimes think of Magic the Gathering).
And when I try to explain, they have a lot of difficulties to understand what is the fun about just imagining things, seated around a table (rare commodity here) for hours...

No, RPG in Asia is non-existent.

[JonA]

I believe that Roleplay is quite popular in Japan (although not actually been there to confirm it) and Hong Kong. Many games have been translated in Japanese (particular favourites are Talsorian Games Mekton, Gundam, Bubblegum Crisis etc). WFRP was translated as well. D20 is also available there.

When I went to Hong Kong a few years ago I found a couple of Game Shops who said there were numerous roleplay clubs throughout the city (and they meant RPGs, not the "other" form of roleplay involving buckets of soapy water and latex!)