1. September News - No Fantasy books ??

[tmbn]

It's going towards christmas and I read the 1. September news today. No notes about any Fantasy books upcoming! ?!? I was really hoping to see a Fantasy book this fall. At least Magic 2 or LOD 3. I was hoping to sit near the fireplace, sipping gløg, watching the snow and reading new exciting fantasy stuff. But now that doesn't seem to happen. If the books should arrive before christmas we should start getting some updates by now don't you think ?

[Cinos]

You see how you use the word "Hope" several times in your post?

I hate to stomp on your (and likely this forums) collective dreams, but you should probably check that at the door around here when it comes to PF releases. I was guessing mid 2012 before we'd see serious signs of release of a new PF book.

[The Dark Elf]

Well there is mysteries of magic 2 in the pipeline and Mike's tombs of Gersisdi...

There may also be some dimension books that are more PFRPG appropriate (like Hades & Dyval) from Carl and others...

Might be a while but they are STILL in the pipeline (unlike LOD:3).

Then maybe MoM 3.

And you never know, others may be writing away as your reading. Fingers crossed.

Just gotta get the fans to PM Kevin and tell him you want more PFRPG books. Maybe he can gauge some numbers then and if he's sees it would be worth it, he'll do something about it.

[DBX]

copy/paste from latest murmur

Personally, I'm itching to write some Palladium Fantasy and Beyond the Supernatural material and have a number of ideas for sourcebooks for them in 2012.

[azazel1024]

Yeah, I think as it stands the new Robotech book is almost deffinitely out in the next few weeks depending on what comes back from Harmony Gold. Lemuria should be out in October (I am not optimistic about when). A new DR book may follow closely in late October, or probably some time November. Kevin seems to be able to kick those out quickly once he has his ideas set and the time/will to write one (helps that they are only 64 pages, though I am hoping maybe for a 96er this time around). There may be one more book before the end of the year. Probably Vampire Sourcebook since it sounds like that is mostly written.

I think more than that before 1/1/12 is very optimistic, but it might happen. Frankly I don't see any PFRPG books in the main pipeline until those are done and out, and it might not be till longer. I keep hoping at least for Yin Sloth revised to come out, but I think Kevin's thinking is, that it just isn't going to sell a lot of copies compared to at least a new PFRPG book. I am hoping though that he decides to do that and a new PFRPG book at the same time, as (I suspect) Yin Sloth revised should take little work to get out the door as it has already been rewritten, it should just need editing and some tweaks to hit press. I am really hoping in 2012 we can finally see a few new PFRPG books. For my money MOM2, Yin Sloth Revised and Tombs would be awesome. More would be amazing, but I hold no dreams of that happening even.

[The Dark Elf]

Two words: Old Kingdom.

That's also two books.

[jaymz]

Hopefully with Matthew Clements' help, they can get enough Rifts books out that they run out of ideas for Rifts then focus on other lines

You can NEVER run out of ideas for Rifts........which explains alot really about the stuff that HAS been done.....however while I do not play Fantasy I too would like to see more for this line released.

[tmbn]

copy/paste from latest murmur

Personally, I'm itching to write some Palladium Fantasy and Beyond the Supernatural material and have a number of ideas for sourcebooks for them in 2012.

Yes! and Yes!

Of course I would always like to see Fantasy books written by Kevin, but I would also like to see new books. I would really hope that Palladium can use some good writers to get some books done. If large books take time, why not make an short adventure series on PDF download or something. I would gladly pay for that.

[zyanitevp]

While I enjoy the books Kevin does, he needs to stop writing. The reason the pipeline backs up, and we have to wait for books months, and sometimes years, is that he is writing instead of editing and being the idea man.
There are freelancers all over that have either submitted books or want to, but the backlog prevents it.

[Sureshot]

copy/paste from latest murmur

Personally, I'm itching to write some Palladium Fantasy and Beyond the Supernatural material and have a number of ideas for sourcebooks for them in 2012.

We will be lucky to see any PF in 2012. After all Kevin was also "personally itching to write" the two BTS2 books and that never went anywhere. Take what Kevin says in his murmurs with a continent sized grain of salt. PB wants to support alltheri game lines yet does not have enough resurces and empolyees to do so.

While I enjoy the books Kevin does, he needs to stop writing. The reason the pipeline backs up, and we have to wait for books months, and sometimes years, is that he is writing instead of editing and being the idea man.
There are freelancers all over that have either submitted books or want to, but the backlog prevents it.

What they need is someone that Kevin trusts to edit the manuscripts according to his wishes. Kevin stopping writing is like telling a fish to no longer live in water. It's just not going to happen. Writing is his job and more importantly his passion. If anything they need to focus on the backlog and stop taking in new mansucripts. If you don't stop those there will always be a backlog.

[azazel1024]

I think it is a combination of trusting someone to do 98% of the editing (he does have help with editing) as well as trust some people to just write all of the book and just take some input from Kevin, instead of him doing tons of rewrites.

Talking with some of the freelance writers and comments from PB staff, one of the issues is that some of the stuff turned in by writers really NEEDS a lot of rewriting. It isn't horrible crap or anything like that, but it is at best a rough diamond and needs cutting and polishing (cutting is the rewriting/additions, polishing is the editing in this analogy) before it can be published.

I don't think PB should just turn away stuff that is 92% done, but also needs 20% rewriting to get it in a publishable state, but at the same time, I still can't help thinking with some more judicious annotating and pushback to writers, Kevin/PB could get a lot of these manuscripts a lot closer to a really finished state before taking their time to finish, editing and publish them.

On top of that, sometimes so long as the manuscript fits KS's general vision, it really should just be editing and polished. I notice a lot of stuff that comes through that Kevin talks about adding a lot of stuff to (like a big section on spells, or fleshing it out, or something similar). I don't begrudge that entirely, because he has great ideas and comes with with interesting and fun stuff and 95% of the time likely improves the book in at least some small way (and sometimes in a big way). However, sometimes the book should just be edited, touched up and pushed out the door. If that means a few ideas, or a little extra content doesn't make it, well there is maybe a future book that could have it.

Also for the push back to the writer, it still seems like a lot of the rewriting/content additions could still be done by the writer, especially content addition. You write up an outline of the stuff you see being added and your ideas once you read the final manuscript, hand it back to the writer and tell them you'd like to see that stuff added to it. Get the new final, and then do touch ups, correct some things, maybe add small last minute ideas you have, edit it and then publish it.

I think and hope 2012 will see at least one PFRPG book. I think with PB's stated schedule of the order of publishing books, so long as they don't get any serious hang-ups on any of the books, that they probably will get one out later in the year. It looks like they maybe have 4-6 books before getting to a PFRPG title, and with past history of 6-10 weeks per book (5-7 per year average, not including rifter) that means near the end of the year we may see a PFRPG title hit print, unless they push it off and put other books as a priority.

It'd be nice to finally see a PFRPG title of some sort (Give me MOM2, LOD3 and Yin Sloth revised over the next 2 years and I'll be a really happy man, throw in that Tombs book to and I'd be extatic).

[The Dark Elf]

With Kevins promise of doing LotD:3 for 2012 release, if he doesnt live up to this promise it would be like committing murder for the PF line and Kevins already tarnished reputation. Fans will move on to something else. But, I am sure Kevin knows the sensitivity of his promise and will move the megaverse to to not let the last remaining fans of his favourite game down in such a huge way.

Pressure's on...