Slashdot Mirror

An anonymous reader writes "WizKids Games (makers of the HeroClix games) is suing Wizards of the Coast (makers of Magic: the Gathering), seeking judgment that their Pirates game does not infringe on a recently granted patent. From the article: '[T]he suit claims that WOTC contacted WizKids via a letter in May 2004 concerning the filing of the patent, and that WOTC asserted that WizKids Pirates game fell squarely within many of the proposed claims of the pending patent application. WOTC warned that when the patent [was] issued, WOTC would have the right to sue WizKids for an injunction and damages. WOTC threatened that it would take legal action against WizKids if or when a patent was allowed if WizKids did not cease and desist selling its Pirates game.' The suit asks the judge to declare that the Pirates game does not infringe and seek to stop Wizards of the Coast from pursuing any legal action. The patent in question is for a 'Constructible Strategy Game,' where players build models from punch-out cards sold in booster packs. The Pirates game seems to fit the patent description perfectly."

Syberghost writes "Kenneth Hite's annual 'State of the Industry' report has been released in his online column Out of the Box for gamer news site http://www.gamingreport.com. Among other interesting bits; Margaret Weis Productions is the sixth-largest RPG maker, on the sales of their sole RPG product line, the Serenity RPG. Sales overall were down, again; the RPG industry as a whole isn't doing well." Sad but not surprising.

Syberghost writes "Kenneth Hite's annual 'State of the Industry' report has been released in his online column Out of the Box for gamer news site http://www.gamingreport.com. Among other interesting bits; Margaret Weis Productions is the sixth-largest RPG maker, on the sales of their sole RPG product line, the Serenity RPG. Sales overall were down, again; the RPG industry as a whole isn't doing well." Sad but not surprising.

Klytus writes "GamingReport.com reports that Upper Deck is working with Blizzard Entertainment to release a Collectible Card Game of everyone's favorite MMORPG, World of Warcraft. From the sound of it the cards may also have an impact on your online gameplay as well."

Klytus writes "GamingReport.com has news on Penny Arcade's new Collectable Card Game. The CCG is being produced by a division of UK based Games Workshop, Sabertooth Games, makers of the Lord of the Rings Miniatures game. From the article: 'Designed and illustrated by Penny Arcade's Gabe and Tycho, this set of cards was inspired by the hijinks of their legendary web comic. Everything from the Divx to Tycho's Really Big Word is included in this set of cards, allowing players to reenact the epic battle of Gabe and Tycho.'"

Gamingreport.com has the list of this year's Origins Awards winners. Best RPG went to Ars Magica: 5th Edition by Atlas, Best RPG Supplement went to The Eberron Campaign Setting by WotC, and Best Board Game went to Ticket To Ride by Days of Wonder.

Despite rumblings of a new Dungeons and Dragons cartoon, the first Wizards of the Coast setting that will see production as a television show is apparently Urban Arcana. UA is one of the canned settings offered by Wizards of the Coast in its d20 Modern roleplaying game. Despite this announcement, it's not going to be in front of your eyes for some time. From the article: "...the Sci-Fi Channel and Fox Television Studios are developing a television series based on the Hasbro/Wizards of the Coast D20 MODERN campaign suppliment URBAN ARCANA for the '06-'07 season."

Among the many announcements made at the GAMA Trade show this week, one of the most exciting is the revelation that Shadowrun 4.0 is on the horizon, to be released at this year's Gen Con game fair. Other news includes a World of Warcraft board game, an "Ultimate" version of Rifts, the Production Schedule for Dungeons and Dragons for 2005, a City of Heroes Table-Top RPG, and a 10th Anniversary Settlers of Catan edition. From the Shadowrun Website: "The core mechanics are completely revised to be simpler and more streamlined for quicker, easier and more consistent play. Matrix 2.0! An all-new level of wireless "augmented reality" overlays the real world, unleashing hackers to be mobile digital wizards."

Among the many announcements made at the GAMA Trade show this week, one of the most exciting is the revelation that Shadowrun 4.0 is on the horizon, to be released at this year's Gen Con game fair. Other news includes a World of Warcraft board game, an "Ultimate" version of Rifts, the Production Schedule for Dungeons and Dragons for 2005, a City of Heroes Table-Top RPG, and a 10th Anniversary Settlers of Catan edition. From the Shadowrun Website: "The core mechanics are completely revised to be simpler and more streamlined for quicker, easier and more consistent play. Matrix 2.0! An all-new level of wireless "augmented reality" overlays the real world, unleashing hackers to be mobile digital wizards."

Among the many announcements made at the GAMA Trade show this week, one of the most exciting is the revelation that Shadowrun 4.0 is on the horizon, to be released at this year's Gen Con game fair. Other news includes a World of Warcraft board game, an "Ultimate" version of Rifts, the Production Schedule for Dungeons and Dragons for 2005, a City of Heroes Table-Top RPG, and a 10th Anniversary Settlers of Catan edition. From the Shadowrun Website: "The core mechanics are completely revised to be simpler and more streamlined for quicker, easier and more consistent play. Matrix 2.0! An all-new level of wireless "augmented reality" overlays the real world, unleashing hackers to be mobile digital wizards."

Among the many announcements made at the GAMA Trade show this week, one of the most exciting is the revelation that Shadowrun 4.0 is on the horizon, to be released at this year's Gen Con game fair. Other news includes a World of Warcraft board game, an "Ultimate" version of Rifts, the Production Schedule for Dungeons and Dragons for 2005, a City of Heroes Table-Top RPG, and a 10th Anniversary Settlers of Catan edition. From the Shadowrun Website: "The core mechanics are completely revised to be simpler and more streamlined for quicker, easier and more consistent play. Matrix 2.0! An all-new level of wireless "augmented reality" overlays the real world, unleashing hackers to be mobile digital wizards."

Klytus writes "Peter Adkison, former CEO of Wizards of the Coast, Inc., and current president of Gen Con, LLC, recently announced the pending release of a new collectible poker chip game." From the article: "Each chip has 0 to 6 clout points. Players have to make a stack 15 chips while not spending more than a set amount of Clout on the stack. Players take turns throwing the chips into the play area and depending on how they hit the table the individual effects of each chip occur. Chips have stats, abilities and powers that affect game play."

Klytus writes "Peter Adkison, former CEO of Wizards of the Coast, Inc., and current president of Gen Con, LLC, recently announced the pending release of a new collectible poker chip game." From the article: "Each chip has 0 to 6 clout points. Players have to make a stack 15 chips while not spending more than a set amount of Clout on the stack. Players take turns throwing the chips into the play area and depending on how they hit the table the individual effects of each chip occur. Chips have stats, abilities and powers that affect game play."

Klytus writes "Following the release of the original Star Wars trilogy on DVD comes news of a new DVD to hit store shelves early next year. GamingReport.com has details on a Star Wars: Trivial Pursuit DVD game for release in 2005. Details on if this DVD is to have new or enhanced scenes is unclear. Also up on deck is a Star Wars Risk variant based on what sounds like the new film."

Klytus writes "Following the release of the original Star Wars trilogy on DVD comes news of a new DVD to hit store shelves early next year. GamingReport.com has details on a Star Wars: Trivial Pursuit DVD game for release in 2005. Details on if this DVD is to have new or enhanced scenes is unclear. Also up on deck is a Star Wars Risk variant based on what sounds like the new film."

Klytus writes "Following the release of the original Star Wars trilogy on DVD comes news of a new DVD to hit store shelves early next year. GamingReport.com has details on a Star Wars: Trivial Pursuit DVD game for release in 2005. Details on if this DVD is to have new or enhanced scenes is unclear. Also up on deck is a Star Wars Risk variant based on what sounds like the new film."

Klytus writes "GamingReport.com has posted news that Microsoft plans a preview for all Gen Con attendees of their new online, web-based version of the popular board game "Settlers of Catan". Originally announced back in February, this will be the first look at Microsoft's version of Catan, which will 'debut this winter exclusively at MSN Games', and will offer attendees playable demos and unveiling of the CatanOnline website."

Klytus writes "GamingReport.com has posted news that Microsoft plans a preview for all Gen Con attendees of their new online, web-based version of the popular board game "Settlers of Catan". Originally announced back in February, this will be the first look at Microsoft's version of Catan, which will 'debut this winter exclusively at MSN Games', and will offer attendees playable demos and unveiling of the CatanOnline website."

Thanks to Gaming Report for its coverage of Fantasy Flight Games' announcement of Doom: The Board Game at the GAMA Trade Show. According to the info sheet reprinted in the story: "Doom: The Board Game will include scores of sculpted plastic miniatures, specialized oversized dice, board piece for players to make their own custom maps, and enough weapons to drive back the legions of Hell." Fantasy Flight are also responsible for the previously discussed Warcraft board game, and this new Doom board game, which "incorporates graphics and themes from the upcoming Doom 3", is apparently "scheduled for an October release and is to retail for $39.95." GamingReport also has a number of other stories on new products being launched at GAMA.

Thanks to Gaming Report for its coverage of Fantasy Flight Games' announcement of Doom: The Board Game at the GAMA Trade Show. According to the info sheet reprinted in the story: "Doom: The Board Game will include scores of sculpted plastic miniatures, specialized oversized dice, board piece for players to make their own custom maps, and enough weapons to drive back the legions of Hell." Fantasy Flight are also responsible for the previously discussed Warcraft board game, and this new Doom board game, which "incorporates graphics and themes from the upcoming Doom 3", is apparently "scheduled for an October release and is to retail for $39.95." GamingReport also has a number of other stories on new products being launched at GAMA.

Grizzletooth writes "According to GamingReport, at the GAMA tradeshow in Las Vegas today, Steve Jackson Games announced they will release the 4th edition of the GURPS pen-and-paper role playing game. The Steve Jackson Games site has updated its official GURPS page to reflect this announcement." For those not in the know, the GURPS FAQ page explains: "GURPS is the 'Generic Universal RolePlaying System.' It starts with simple rules, and builds up to as much optional detail as you like. The basic rules system is designed to be playable in any background: fantasy or historical; past, present, or future."

Klytus writes "According to a press release posted at GamingReport.com, Catan GmbH and Mayfair Games have made a deal with Microsoft for the creation of the 'Catan Online Game', based on the popular Settlers of Catan board game. From the post: 'Available on Microsoft's Premium Game Service, the Catan Online Game will be accessible via both the MSN Zone and MSN Messenger. There will be multi-player online and download variants, each with rich graphics and a sophisticated AI.' Now we can play Catan endlessly through MSN." This deal is in addition to Capcom's various versions of Catan for console and PC in Japan.

Klytus writes "GamingReport.com is reporting on the events Wizards of the Coast has planned for this summer's 30th Anniversary of Dungeons & Dragons. Amongst the events is a 'World D&D Game Day.' There are also plans for a large coffee table book on the 30 years of D&D."

Klytus writes "GamingReport.com is reporting on the events Wizards of the Coast has planned for this summer's 30th Anniversary of Dungeons & Dragons. Amongst the events is a 'World D&D Game Day.' There are also plans for a large coffee table book on the 30 years of D&D."

Thanks to OgreCave for its article pointing out that Wizards Of The Coast, the Hasbro gaming division best known for the Magic: The Gathering CCG, is now trying a collectible charm-bracelet game called Star Sisterz. Apparently, the game "combines the popular beaded trinkets with truth-or-dare-style questions on cards" in order to target the difficult-to-reach female demographic, and "girls might be charged with going to the mall with their clothes on inside-out or reading a page from their diary aloud to all of their friends - how embarrassing!" The official site has more information on this 'game', although OgreCave notes the more interactive Duel Masters CCG, the current Japanese collectible card game of choice, will launch around the same time, with comics, videogames, action figures, and a TV show on Toonami/Cartoon Network all contributing to the Pokemon/Yu-Gi-Oh styled media blitz.

Klytus writes "As seen at GamingReport.com: 'A disturbance in the force seems set to take hold next summer, as news of Wizards of the Coast's plans to release their Star Wars Collectible Miniatures Game has surfaced. To debut August of 2004, the first set is to include prepainted figures from the classic era of The Star Wars Saga (episodes IV, V, VI).' Now I have to make room amongst my SW action figures..." There's more info and some packaging shots on a messageboard thread at the Creation Matrix gaming site.

travail_jgd writes "Wizards of the Coast, the makers of Dungeons and Dragons and the owners of the popular d20 license, have made some changes that are very unpopular in the RPG community. The new clauses allows WotC to censor d20-branded books with sexual, excessively violent, or other questionable content by revoking the book's d20 license: 'Wizards of the Coast may terminate this License immediately... if it deems, in its sole discretion, that your use of the Licensed Articles does not meet the above standards.' (The full listing can be found in a 12 KB RTF file.) Needless to say, people aren't happy. BTW, Wizard's own 'Book of Vile Darkness' violates most of the new rules." There are further details about this change, which only affects "any work carrying the d20 logo", over at GamingReport.com.

Thanks to an anonymous reader for pointing out that Fantasy Flight Games have announced a boardgame version of the seminal Warcraft videogames. Fantasy Flight are particularly known for their Lord Of The Rings and Dragonball Z licensed boardgames, as well as the Game Of Thrones CCG and the Legends & Lairs and Dragonstar lines for the d20 System. Gameplay details and artwork aren't yet forthcoming, but the press release claims the boardgame of the classic RTS series, due in time for Xmas 2003, will feature "..innovative designs [that] will portray the real-time strategy element of the computer games and make time itself a resource."

Abies writes "During last year or so, quite a lot of people were fired from WotC - current owners of the D&D line. A few days ago, _most_ of big names out there had to quit - including Skip Williams and Jeff Grubb. Official WotC press info, Enworld news about that and a Monte Cook thread contain some more detailed info. Do you think it will spell an end to D&D ? After something which seemed to be a ressurection of old-time RPG, Hasbro seems to kill the biggest RPG company out there. Will OGL and the D20 license be enough to preserve the genre ?"