We’ve got two announcements which we think are over the top cool (and that’s from our over the top coolness already!).
Catalyst Game Labs Publishes “Beta Release PDF” of A Time of War
Catalyst Game Labs is pleased to announce the Beta release of the fifth core BattleTech rulebook: A Time of War: The BattleTech RPG.
“BattleTech has an amazing community,” said Randall N. Bills, Managing Developer. “Their attention to detail is phenomenal, enabling us to publish better books at every step. That dedication to helping create the highest quality books deserves attention.”
With that in mind we’re formalizing the process, releasing A Time of War: The BattleTech RPG in a “Beta Release” PDF (players will notice there’s no index yet, for example). We’ve started a thread on the www.classicbattletech.com forums at http://www.classicbattletech.com/forums/index.php/topic,58066.0.html. Until the 15h of October [end of day, PST] we’ll be watching the thread to see what problems the community discovers. At that point we’ll address those issues that need work and the book will ship to the printers. Keep in mind, though, that there’s a difference between “error/broken” and “don’t like it that way” when it comes to the rules; the prior is what well be addressing, not the latter.
To help thank players for all they’ve done over the years–and for the help in ensuring the highest quality RPG for BattleTech–we’d like to invite all players to submit adventure seeds for potential publication. Once you’ve bought and downloaded the PDF, take a look at pages 347-348. You’ll notice two adventure seeds there and then most of a blank page waiting to be filled with a few more dynamic adventure seeds. Anyone interested in getting an adventure seed published should generate a seed using the two in the PDF as a format guide and posting them to the thread we’ve started on the www.classicbattletech.com forums at http://www.classicbattletech.com/forums/index.php/topic,58067.0.html (when you post your seeds, please include your name as you wish it to potentially appear in the book if yours is accepted). Catalyst will review those adventure seeds they find most unique and fitting and will publish two or three in the book (tweaking and editing as appropriate to fit our publication style).
In order to ensure maximum exposure, Catalyst Game Labs is releasing the PDF at $10 for a limited time. Once a street date for the book is determined (i.e. it’s in our warehouse), Catalyst Game Labs will release the final version of the PDF, with the price returning to the standard price of $25. Anyone that previously purchased the PDF at $10 will automatically receive a free upgrade to the final PDF.
Purchase the PDF:
– BattleCorps
– DriveThruRPG
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I would purchase this product, even as a $10 PDF, but I can’t stand the idea of the Jihad. It’s wrong, it’s stupid, it’s a really bad way to go. The Clans, in ’92, were bad enough, but Stackpole and Coleman made them at least somewhat livable… this Jihad makes NO sense, and I can’t have any part of it, and frankly, as an “old timer” of this game, I feel betrayed that this is the direction it would go, especially since it’s a blatant path to MechWarrior: Dark Age, which is NOT BattleTech.
Think your responce is a bit off topic maybe? 🙂
Uhh, no, actually, I don’t. A friend of mine was at GenCon, and noted the displeasure and hostility against the Jihad. I’ve been on forums across the WWW and, 9 times out of 10, people talking about the Jihad are dismayed. Since A Time of War is centered on the Jihad, that makes my responSe relevant.
It doesn’t take much work to run a 3025 campaign with this RPG. Not much at all. If you are a GM, all you need to do is to keep a careful eye on the type of characters your players are creating and help keep them in the era. Yes. there are things you need to adjust, but that happens anyways.
But Dark Age IS Battletech, and unfortunately (or fortunately depending on who you are) something that all of us do have to live with. That was the understanding from the rebirth of Classic Battle Tech from the beginning, that the Battletech and MW:DA storylines would have to merge after this line’s run per the Battletech license holders.
Am I completely accurate? I don’t know for sure, I’m not someone who works for Catalyst, but the comments on the Classic Battletech forums shows that there isn’t anything they can do about it, being tied down by what WizKids chose to do to MW:DA, and bound by the licensing agreement that WizKids gave them initially.
Does it suck? Depends on who you are. I for one think it’s interesting, but I tend to play right around the coming of the clans, if not earlier. The new tech is cute and cool looking, but there’s less strategy to me when you really don’t have to worry about certain things. That’s my opinion, and I don’t make anyone play by it (unless I’m the one running the campaign 😉 )
Is there anything you can do about it? No. I don’t think there’s even anything that Catalyst can do about it really, judging by the comments I’ve seen from their people.
WARNING: [rant] But holy crap am I tired of seeing people complain about it, and then attempt to drive new players away because of it. I remember the same outrage from the Clans when they were introduced, and there wasn’t anything anyone could do then, but now, they’re a major part of the game, and, wait for it, people don’t care any more! We all have an opinion, and I know we all have a right to express it, but holy hell, make your point, and let the rest of us move on, not slam the new players in every comment made.[/rant]
Personal opinion on the Jihad: If people like it, great! More money for Battletech means more product which means more people to play a great game with. I can usually get them to play a little older, or I play with older mechs in a newer setting, which is why I don’t care so much about it.
tl;dr: Yes it sucks for you but not everyone. There’s not a darn thing anyone can do about. Please, move on and get over it and quit trying to get the new players to quit. The book is actually pretty well written, and the beta option is a fantastic deal.
I have purchased, downloaded and am reading through! I love it so far.
And for what it’s worth, I am a new player directly as a result of the Jihad storyline. It got me into the game, and I love it. 🙂
I’m certain you do… being new.
wath’s tath?