Rantings of an Insomniac Mechadrake.
May. 31st, 2005 04:51 am![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
lbd_nytetraynIt's crazy the stuff that can keep one up at night.
Some people worry about bills, or loved ones, or the state of the world.
Me?
I find myself tonight thinking about action figures. And cartoons. And other licensed goodness.
Not that I don't worry about the other stuff, of course.
But tomorrow, after a week of nothing(largely due to being bedridden with that virus, or staring at the computer screen reading and posting stupid links in my LJ), I'm going to reply to Jazwares' Jesse, and hopefully get some things straightened out.
And personally, I hope to get to find a way to put more input into the figures. I think I might even be able to lessen costs without hurting quality in some cases. Who knows, it may even improve them.
That is, if they listen.
Things have changed quite a bit since I got involved in licensing stuffs, though. Dreamwave closing was a biggie. I still have ambitions of getting an American(Canadian, whatever)-made Mega Man comic out there, but Dreamwave's pissing in the well has hurt that quite a bit, at least timetable-wise. More time to plan, I suppose.
My biggest involvement, I'd say, was helping out on the Artbox cards. I still need to get those into an album. They were fun to do, they sold well, but for some reason, I'm doubting we'll see a series 2. Damn shame.
Then there were the Decipher cards, which I had little involvement in, and never even got to the series featuring the "other 4" Mega Man titles to which I'm most familiar, before they cancelled the line. I need to see about a quickie interview with them on that, the cards seemed to do well...
Note to self: ask Tim whatever happened to our banner exchange with Top Heavy Clothing. I thought we had one, but now that I look at it, we seem not to. They kept their part of the bargain, so...
Had a discussion with some guys on IRC the other night regarding what I thought might be an interesting license: an RPG. Seems as long as I've been on the internet, people have been running Mega Man X(and other MM) RPGs, including some which originated from Maverick Hunters: The Technology Wars, way, WAY back in the day, from Irregular Hunter HQ, I believe.
Go to a message board, there's usually some RPers. For the longest time, the call was for a MMX RPG(though in this case, that was a video game RPG which we eventually got).
I just have to wonder, is there REALLY a market for something like that? The general consensus was "no, probably not," but I still can't help but wonder. What if the background story was generally scaled back? Cleaner slate, like the first X game, or maybe something flung off to the future, like Command Mission itself? People seem to like making and having adventures with their own characters, however generic they may be("w00t, my guy looks just like X, but he uses a scythe and is red!")
I find RPGs can breed creativity. An old friend and I sort of homebrewed an X RPG a long time ago, and it was from that Black Draco was originally bred. Among others. Some lame, some I still have around today.
I imagine that the other series would work well with table-top RPG settings, even the original series. It'd take a little bit of stretching there, but I'm sure something would work. The Number 000 Blues manages to give a number of facets to stories that've always been pretty simply Wily Vs. Mega Man. So too did Rockman: The Robot War, though not as heavily(and I still refuse to link to the bastardized version on PMM out of principle).
Oh, and it also seemed like a potential way to introduce Japanese sourcebook info and stats into the western world, since it seems most who know the language either don't have the books, or simply keep it to themselves unless they're trying to flaunt their knowledge. Or lack time. Or any other number of explanations.
Other things I've thought would be good...
Ever seen these Ultimate Guides by DK Publishing? They've done others, too, including a number of properties like Star Wars, Marvel and DC. Awesome stuff I hope to own someday.
They usually give a history of the subject, a showing of different merchandise, and lots of character art, bios, story, information... a virtual encyclopedia of the subject. Sometimes even with professionally illustrated cross-sections of devices and buildings and vehicles.
Something like that as an English parallel to the Japanese Rockman sourcebooks seems like it'd be a good idea. I'm sure I know of some people who might be interested in providing "added illustrations" besides what Capcom has in their archives(I bet Spaz would jump on it, for starters).
Still, talking with head of licensing, hard to say how much demand there is for such a book. They aren't cheap($25 US for the TransFormers one, and probably about $40 Canadian), and have around 144 pages, but are quite large in frame-size(like a coffee table book, or the Rolling Stone).
Something I think might be good would be a new cartoon, something people have been calling for over the years, ever since the Ruby-Spears one ended. Probably bring Mega Man on the whole back into the public eye more, though I'm sure NT Warrior is helping, some. I'd share my ideas, but while I'm sure they'd yield a good product in the end, I'm not sure they'd be the most popularly received, at least until they're seen. And even then, there are the fanboy haters who pretty much make up their minds that if they don't like something, no matter the reasoning or what they do right, still sucks.
Someone should probably tell Capcom too that the average Mega Man fan does not wear a "Small" t-shirt, either. Sad thing is, that's almost exactly the same line that Comic Book Guy cites in regards to his small do-everything belt he won at a Star Trek convention.
LBD "Nytetrayn"
Some people worry about bills, or loved ones, or the state of the world.
Me?
I find myself tonight thinking about action figures. And cartoons. And other licensed goodness.
Not that I don't worry about the other stuff, of course.
But tomorrow, after a week of nothing(largely due to being bedridden with that virus, or staring at the computer screen reading and posting stupid links in my LJ), I'm going to reply to Jazwares' Jesse, and hopefully get some things straightened out.
And personally, I hope to get to find a way to put more input into the figures. I think I might even be able to lessen costs without hurting quality in some cases. Who knows, it may even improve them.
That is, if they listen.
Things have changed quite a bit since I got involved in licensing stuffs, though. Dreamwave closing was a biggie. I still have ambitions of getting an American(Canadian, whatever)-made Mega Man comic out there, but Dreamwave's pissing in the well has hurt that quite a bit, at least timetable-wise. More time to plan, I suppose.
My biggest involvement, I'd say, was helping out on the Artbox cards. I still need to get those into an album. They were fun to do, they sold well, but for some reason, I'm doubting we'll see a series 2. Damn shame.
Then there were the Decipher cards, which I had little involvement in, and never even got to the series featuring the "other 4" Mega Man titles to which I'm most familiar, before they cancelled the line. I need to see about a quickie interview with them on that, the cards seemed to do well...
Note to self: ask Tim whatever happened to our banner exchange with Top Heavy Clothing. I thought we had one, but now that I look at it, we seem not to. They kept their part of the bargain, so...
Had a discussion with some guys on IRC the other night regarding what I thought might be an interesting license: an RPG. Seems as long as I've been on the internet, people have been running Mega Man X(and other MM) RPGs, including some which originated from Maverick Hunters: The Technology Wars, way, WAY back in the day, from Irregular Hunter HQ, I believe.
Go to a message board, there's usually some RPers. For the longest time, the call was for a MMX RPG(though in this case, that was a video game RPG which we eventually got).
I just have to wonder, is there REALLY a market for something like that? The general consensus was "no, probably not," but I still can't help but wonder. What if the background story was generally scaled back? Cleaner slate, like the first X game, or maybe something flung off to the future, like Command Mission itself? People seem to like making and having adventures with their own characters, however generic they may be("w00t, my guy looks just like X, but he uses a scythe and is red!")
I find RPGs can breed creativity. An old friend and I sort of homebrewed an X RPG a long time ago, and it was from that Black Draco was originally bred. Among others. Some lame, some I still have around today.
I imagine that the other series would work well with table-top RPG settings, even the original series. It'd take a little bit of stretching there, but I'm sure something would work. The Number 000 Blues manages to give a number of facets to stories that've always been pretty simply Wily Vs. Mega Man. So too did Rockman: The Robot War, though not as heavily(and I still refuse to link to the bastardized version on PMM out of principle).
Oh, and it also seemed like a potential way to introduce Japanese sourcebook info and stats into the western world, since it seems most who know the language either don't have the books, or simply keep it to themselves unless they're trying to flaunt their knowledge. Or lack time. Or any other number of explanations.
Other things I've thought would be good...
Ever seen these Ultimate Guides by DK Publishing? They've done others, too, including a number of properties like Star Wars, Marvel and DC. Awesome stuff I hope to own someday.
They usually give a history of the subject, a showing of different merchandise, and lots of character art, bios, story, information... a virtual encyclopedia of the subject. Sometimes even with professionally illustrated cross-sections of devices and buildings and vehicles.
Something like that as an English parallel to the Japanese Rockman sourcebooks seems like it'd be a good idea. I'm sure I know of some people who might be interested in providing "added illustrations" besides what Capcom has in their archives(I bet Spaz would jump on it, for starters).
Still, talking with head of licensing, hard to say how much demand there is for such a book. They aren't cheap($25 US for the TransFormers one, and probably about $40 Canadian), and have around 144 pages, but are quite large in frame-size(like a coffee table book, or the Rolling Stone).
Something I think might be good would be a new cartoon, something people have been calling for over the years, ever since the Ruby-Spears one ended. Probably bring Mega Man on the whole back into the public eye more, though I'm sure NT Warrior is helping, some. I'd share my ideas, but while I'm sure they'd yield a good product in the end, I'm not sure they'd be the most popularly received, at least until they're seen. And even then, there are the fanboy haters who pretty much make up their minds that if they don't like something, no matter the reasoning or what they do right, still sucks.
Someone should probably tell Capcom too that the average Mega Man fan does not wear a "Small" t-shirt, either. Sad thing is, that's almost exactly the same line that Comic Book Guy cites in regards to his small do-everything belt he won at a Star Trek convention.
LBD "Nytetrayn"
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no subject
Date: 2005-05-31 03:01 am (UTC)It was alot of fun. I was the asshole reploid and kicked metools when they ducked under the helmets, and got yelled at by "Alia" (the GM XD) alot.
Perhaps she'll do it again this year. I'll have to ask her.
no subject
Date: 2005-05-31 03:07 am (UTC)LBD "Nytetrayn"
You made me think of an interesting idea...
Date: 2005-05-31 04:49 pm (UTC)KOTOR used this idea well. I've always wanted to create my own custom character in the Star Wars universe and decide whether I wanted to be on the light or dark side of the Force, and it let me. Sure, there were flaws, but every game has 'em. I think there might be a market for this kind of game, given the success of KOTOR, but it may just be my wishful thinking.
I'd kill for an English Megaman sourcebook. End of story.
A new cartoon? I've been clamoring for an X anime since Mega X debuted on the Ruby Spears cartoon. I dunno, as far as sales go, Battle Network is the most popular Megaman series, right? What's in second? X? Zero? Maybe if NT Warrior succeeds, it may get Capcom thinking about another anime. After all, they love to milk their franchises.
If you want Megaman T-shirts other than in "Small", go to Hot Topic. I hate the store, but they have a few Megaman shirts there. I even have one that a friend bought me there. And there's always making your own.
Re: You made me think of an interesting idea...
Date: 2005-05-31 11:58 pm (UTC)LBD "Nytetrayn"
Rhrm.
Date: 2005-06-01 03:33 am (UTC)Even if there is a market, I'm not sure it's enough to make Capcom budge. I dunno if we were seeing eye to eye on that part: I'm interested in a Megaman RPG, and would love to help make it and make the effort to make it official, but I sincerely doubt that effort's gonna come from Capcom.
Still. I'm interested in you know.. working with you on it.
Re: Rhrm.
Date: 2005-06-01 03:48 am (UTC)Most of the effort would come from the licensers and their developers. Capcom is usually VERY accomodating to providing any resources needed that they can.
And actually, in the case of some stuff, like toys, the artists will even help on the development.
LBD "Nytetrayn"
Re: Rhrm.
Date: 2005-06-01 10:16 am (UTC)Re: Rhrm.
Date: 2005-06-01 08:16 pm (UTC)LBD "Nytetrayn"
Re: Rhrm.
Date: 2005-06-01 08:06 pm (UTC)"Q: What does Hasbro think of the d20 System/Open Game concept?
A: The basic ideas were presented to the CEO of Hasbro in 1999 as a part of a wide-ranging overview of the company's Research & Development efforts.
In the great scheme of things, Hasbro as a corporation doesn't care one way or the other about Open Games and the d20 System. In fact, the RPG business itself is just barely large enough to be broken out as a separate line item in the financial accounting that Wizards of the Coast provides to Hasbro.
In short, Hasbro's management and oversight will be a non-factor in the success or lack thereof of the OGL/d20 experiment."
Let that sink in a little. Wizards of the Coast is a pretty major company in RPGs right now, and their profits from D&D are barely significant enough to give specific mention to.
Capcom would at best be putting out one book for that market. It might be profitable, but it wouldn't be much. If there is a market for this specific idea, it's a VERY VERY SMALL ONE. So you're just kidding yourself if you think their eyes will be becoming dollar signs. The big money is in the card games, and they're already in those.
I'm not saying you couldn't talk them into it, but seriously. You should be aware of what you're going into first. There's no cashcow in RPGs, so just forget about even thinking of that as an argument.
Re: Rhrm.
Date: 2005-06-01 08:20 pm (UTC)It's sort of like when one of Marvel's editors spoke of their lack of interest in the TransFormers property. To them, there's really little to gain from it, but for a smaller company, it makes tons of sense, was the gist. Marvel can't really expand or get anything except whatever the comic brings in, but it can get a smaller company's name out there, help promote them more, etc.
Hasbro/WotC was NOT on my mind when I brought up the idea, in all honesty.
LBD "Nytetrayn"