DGP IP status

[Jame]

Here's a question:
What's the status of the Seeker deckplans? Does anyone know?

 

[Tobias]

I remember wanting the DGP stuff so much at one point. But now, I could not care less if I ever own it. He lost his real window of value in my opinion. :-(

The DGP MT Alien books are better than all other treatments of the subject in Traveller history. One thing I still yearn to have is the unpublished texts of the remaining MT Alien series.
The SSOM is nice, but IMHO, it's a lot of detail you don't really need (and like other such works, it provides definitive answers to nitty-gritty questions of technology that are better left vague.)
The illustrations and fluff text from 101 Vehicles would be a nice asset to have, as would be art and text from the Digest and MTJ.
Grand Survey/Grand Census and the WBH were revolutionary at their time, but now others (First In, MgT WBH) have followed and essentially superseded them.
Flaming Eye is a good adventure campaign, I suppose. But nothing special or groundbreaking.

 

[aramis]

The DGP MT Alien books are better than all other treatments of the subject in Traveller history. One thing I still yearn to have is the unpublished texts of the remaining MT Alien series.

Roger shared what he got with a select bunch... there was no unpublished text, just outlines for Z&D.

 

[Tobias]

I see. No Manhunt-style hidden treasures waiting for rediscovery. (Though even those outlines would be very interesting, no doubt.)

 

[aramis]

I see. No Manhunt-style hidden treasures waiting for rediscovery. (Though even those outlines would be very interesting, no doubt.)

Not particularly. Essentially, just a TOC without page numbers. No details.

 

[nickgark]

ISTR seeing an outline for Black Duke doing the rounds a few years ago.

(and yes, I am working on Vols 2 and 3 of the Onnesium Quest)

 

[atpollard]

Well, 4 months later ... new Fiscal Quarter ... any updates on FFE/MGP acquiring DGP rights?

[Just curious.]

 

[GypsyComet]

He lost his real window of value in my opinion. :-(

Twice, even.
The project he wanted help with in exchange for access to the DGP library was reportedly A.I., the Clarke's Law far, FAR future RPG taking even more from Vance than D&D did.
The problems were two, and have since become three:
- it was AD&D1 levels of crunchy, perhaps even grading into Hackmaster territory; that requires dedication beyond reason for a small company
- DGP lost the working files and backups twice; It's what caused them to give up and get out entirely
- Now, Numenera exists. Same Vance/Brunner/etc concept done better and simpler. The window for A.I. to be a genre dominator has closed.

DGP's Traveller material was well executed, but Roger providing concept access at Marc's request also worked against him. DGP's best material was being over-written or made less distinct as early as GURPS Traveller.

 

[MongooseMatt]

Well, 4 months later ... new Fiscal Quarter ... any updates on FFE/MGP acquiring DGP rights?

[Just curious.]

Conversations are being had, and PDFs are being updated. I think it will be a while or so before you see anything in public, but things have forward movement.

 

[Commander Truestar]

DGP's Traveller material was well executed, but Roger providing concept access at Marc's request also worked against him. DGP's best material was being over-written or made less distinct as early as GURPS Traveller.

Understood and no disagreement here...
....But, I'd still like to see everything they can publish...

Even the manuscripts for Starship Owner's Manual #2

 

[aramis]

Understood and no disagreement here...
....But, I'd still like to see everything they can publish...

Even the manuscripts for Starship Owner's Manual #2

There really wasn't one. There was an outline for Aliens 3 (Droyne and Zhodani), a rough outline for SSOM2, an outline for a new MT adventure... but, per Roger at the time, no prose, no rules text nor tables...
I wasn't interested in AI if it wasn't being done by Gary & Joe...