Alpha Omega RPG: What's up with that?

architect.zero · August 21, 2007, 03:35:57 PM

Yeah, there's no connection between this game and movie trailer, afaik. But at the time I remember playing through the stupid puzzles only to find out NOTHING. And now the full site only shows a bit more... nothing.

Very weird way to go about it.

Zachary The First · August 27, 2007, 10:56:21 PM

Those guys were nice enough to finally send me back an email about their game. Here's what they said:

QuoteHi Zachary,

Thanks for contacting us and sorry for the delay in responding to you.

When you stopped by our booth at GenCon did you get a chance to try the game mechanics demo or view some of the sample pages of the Alpha Omega: Core Manual?

Gamers can currently download a four page preview of the book at the Alpha Omega store and can learn more about our game mechanics at the main Alpha Omega website.

We are currently offering a discount for preorders of the hard copy and PDF version of the core manual. The PDF version will be ready for download at the end of September and the hard copy will be ready to ship in October. We'll also be releasing the Alpha Omega: Creature Manual and several modules shortly thereafter.

The artwork in the book is on par with the artwork you saw at our booth and on our website.

If you would like to know more please contact us at anytime.

- Mind Storm Labs

beeber · August 28, 2007, 02:09:53 PM

wish i could get in to the site to check it out.

flash-heavy shit takes forever to load at home (dialup) and the highspeed at work apparently doesn't have the right version of flash.

can't bother to design the site properly? (no flash version) sorry, not even a potential sale :mad:

flyingmice · August 28, 2007, 02:31:04 PM

Quote from: beeberwish i could get in to the site to check it out.

flash-heavy shit takes forever to load at home (dialup) and the highspeed at work apparently doesn't have the right version of flash.

can't bother to design the site properly? (no flash version) sorry, not even a potential sale :mad:

That was my reaction. I'm going to have to upgrade my plugins just for your site? Fat chance! I have things to do! There's not even a shell of normal coding - the whole thing is one big flash. Bye bye!

-clash

Jared A. Sorensen · August 29, 2007, 04:26:03 PM

I bet they plan to print 2500-5000 copies. Maybe more, if they're suicidal.

They'll sell up to 1000 on looks alone through cons and distribution. Then, nada. How do you make a small fortune in the RPG industry? Start with a large one.

I asked one of their booth monkeys, "Awesome looking game stuff! How do you play?"

He said, "Huh? What do you mean?"

I reply: "What do you DO in the game?"

And of course, he answers: "Anything you want!"

AWESOME SIR HERE IS FIFTY DOLLARS FOR YOUR BOOK!

Seriously though, that booth alone probably cost a cool $10K.

jgants · August 29, 2007, 04:44:08 PM

I said it before, and I'll say it again - Alpha Omega reminds me almost exactly of the whole Metascape thing in the 90's.

Warthur · August 29, 2007, 04:50:55 PM

Quote from: jgantsI said it before, and I'll say it again - Alpha Omega reminds me almost exactly of the whole Metascape thing in the 90's.

Now you're making me want to pick up the game, if only because it'll end up becoming a cool rarity.

I have to wonder where they're getting the money from. That website (and the artwork on it) says "we are throwing serious amounts of money into the aesthetics here", and a massive booth at a convention where you are not selling anything is damn expensive. I hope nobody's sinking their life's savings into this thing.

jgants · August 29, 2007, 05:19:22 PM

Quote from: WarthurNow you're making me want to pick up the game, if only because it'll end up becoming a cool rarity.

Well, I did actually buy Metascape at the time (though it lies now in a landfill far, far away due to the great purge o' RPGs that afflicted me in the late 90's). "Cool" would not necessarily be the adjective I would have used for it, but it was fairly unique (the half that wasn't directly ripped off from Star Wars, anyways).

Quote from: WarthurI hope nobody's sinking their life's savings into this thing.

Didn't pretty much every major game company start out that way, though?

You can either go the indie route and do it in your spare time (making some money on the side), or use your life savings and hope for a windfall.

I wouldn't invest my life savings (all $5K of it, LOL) in a gaming company, but people have been known to do crazier things.

Warthur · August 29, 2007, 05:23:07 PM

Quote from: jgantsDidn't pretty much every major game company start out that way, though?

You can either go the indie route and do it in your spare time (making some money on the side), or use your life savings and hope for a windfall.

Most gaming companies I'm aware of - at least, most of those which are still around these days - didn't kick off by booking a honking great booth at GenCon and putting out a fat expensive glossy hardback with high-quality artwork. They came up with a cheap and cheerful product, or a serious RPG in a fairly low-cost format, or a gaming magazine, or a board game, and used that as a foundation.

jgants · August 29, 2007, 05:25:51 PM

Quote from: WarthurMost gaming companies I'm aware of - at least, most of those which are still around these days - didn't kick off by booking a honking great booth at GenCon and putting out a fat expensive glossy hardback with high-quality artwork. They came up with a cheap and cheerful product, or a serious RPG in a fairly low-cost format, or a gaming magazine, or a board game, and used that as a foundation.

Yeah, but maybe their aunt that died didn't leave them as much money as these guys' did?

OK, I got nothing.

Still, it's kind of cool to see something new with some money spent on marketing, even if it probably wasn't the most prudent move.

Rezendevous · August 29, 2007, 08:27:43 PM

I'd check it out, but I don't have time -- I'm too busy playing BreakKey.

Danger · August 29, 2007, 09:40:40 PM

Serious flash-in-the-pannage going on here.

Jared A. Sorensen · August 29, 2007, 11:57:01 PM

Quote from: RezendevousI'd check it out, but I don't have time -- I'm too busy playing BreakKey.

Well played!:D

Balbinus · August 31, 2007, 07:04:06 PM

Quote from: Jared A. SorensenI bet they plan to print 2500-5000 copies. Maybe more, if they're suicidal.

They'll sell up to 1000 on looks alone through cons and distribution. Then, nada. How do you make a small fortune in the RPG industry? Start with a large one.

I asked one of their booth monkeys, "Awesome looking game stuff! How do you play?"

He said, "Huh? What do you mean?"

I reply: "What do you DO in the game?"

And of course, he answers: "Anything you want!"

AWESOME SIR HERE IS FIFTY DOLLARS FOR YOUR BOOK!

Seriously though, that booth alone probably cost a cool $10K.

Anything you want. Ouch.

Here's the thing, unless your game is DnD or a well supported generic system it is vanishingly unlikely I will only be playing it in future. Indeed, if I was a one system guy I wouldn't be at your booth.

Why does that matter? Because I don't buy rpgs to do anything, if I want an rpg to do anything with odds are I'm playing DnD or Gurps or Hero and I'm already happy, I buy new rpgs to do something I don't already have at home, if you can't tell me what I can do with yours then I'm walking on by.

Fucking heartbreaking.

Dr Rotwang! · August 31, 2007, 08:34:49 PM

Quote from: RezendevousI'd check it out, but I don't have time -- I'm too busy playing BreakKey.