Q For Mr. Long Regarding Creativity & Licensing

[Omegaplex]

I'm wondering how you feel about this licensing stuff? I mean, in terms of creativity. Having to answer to somebody else's vision now - whereas before, the vision was always your own - must be a creative damper sometimes. What's your general feeling on this?

I was thinking about this when I saw that Champions Beyond was basically pushed because you didn't have enough 'official' material to work with. Up to now, you had complete creative control; now, it seems like you've got at least one hand tied behind your back at all times. I wouldn't like that, myself.

More creative input is certainly not a bad thing, but now the Champions buck stops at Cryptic, not Steve Long. You're doing a license of somebody's else's world now. It must be a completely different animal.

Of course, I remember your days at Last Unicorn, and you seemed to handle playing in somebody else's sandbox just fine ;)

[Steve Long]

Sure, I can handle it. I've worked for other people plenty of times. In general it sucks, but the alpha and omega of the issue aren't "what Steve likes best." The key issues are "what's best for Hero Games" and "what's best for the HERO System." The deal was better for Hero/HERO than the alternative, so we took it.

That said, I don't foresee any particular problems working with Cryptic. Having to wait while they come up with, f'rex, more material I can use in Champions Beyond is a far cry from someone dictating terms about something. No one at Cryptic said a thing about delaying CB; that was my decision, made in the interest of making a better book.

[Omegaplex]

Thanks for the reply. It'll be interesting to see in the coming months if the tone of the property shifts a bit as a licensed product vs. an original IP. I am very curious to watch this unfold. I do sincerely hope that Cryptic's continues to grant you all a large chunk of latitude in your Champions RPG.

Does this mean that if you have a cool idea, you have to run it by Cryptic before it can go into a book? Or do you just label it 'non-canonical?'

I'm sure the writing will stay consistently good, anyway.

PS... when does Cryptic's ownership of the Champions IP begin? Or is it already sold?

[Bazza]

Not speaking for Steve, but he has stated his intention is to stick as closely to the Cryptic Champions IP as close as possible so that gamers from the MMO and RPG can go from one medium to the other with as little difficulty as possible.

If he were to introduce non-canon stuff that would upset the apple cart, so to speak. That's not so say that HG can't innovate the CU, but it would most likely be in parts that are not within the MMO (ie outer space comes to mind).

[Steve Long]

Does this mean that if you have a cool idea, you have to run it by Cryptic before it can go into a book? Or do you just label it 'non-canonical?'

Cryptic has the right to approve whatever we do for Champions/Dark Champions. To smooth that process I'll submit an outline to them before I start writing so we can make sure we're all on the same page. Even if I could try to do an end run around the approvals process by labeling something "non-canonical" (which I can't), I wouldn't. That's how you fill out a tax return, not maintain a pleasant and profitable business relationship. ;)



I'm sure the writing will stay consistently good, anyway.

I'll do my best! :)



PS... when does Cryptic's ownership of the Champions IP begin? Or is it already sold?

It's already done. It's all theirs.

[Lord Liaden]

When DOJ bought the Champions IP, they set out to put their own stamp on it. A great deal of the old material was retained, but a great deal was also changed and added. The changes brought a certain amount of grumbling from the fans, but most of us kept what we liked from the new CU for our own campaigns, and altered what we didn't.

I expect the CU to change under Cryptic's governance - although probably not as profoundly as it did under DOJ's - and I expect to adapt to the changes just fine. In the meantime I plan to savor all the cool Cryptic artwork in the new books. :D

Although I do have sympathy for Steve's suckage. :(