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From: scifi@ukc.ac.uk (I.L.Sewell)
Newsgroups: net.games.frp
Subject: Re: on SPI
Message-ID: <929@eagle.ukc.ac.uk>
Date: Mon, 17-Mar-86 09:24:31 EST
Article-I.D.: eagle.929
Posted: Mon Mar 17 09:24:31 1986
Date-Received: Sat, 22-Mar-86 03:48:27 EST
References: <969@h-sc1.UUCP> <6700014@uiucdcsp>
Reply-To: scifi@ukc.ukc.ac.uk (I.L.Sewell)
Distribution: net
Organization: U of Kent at Canterbury, Canterbury, UK
Lines: 36
Summary: The death of DQ

In article <6700014@uiucdcsp> silber@uiucdcsp.UUCP writes:
>                Anyway, TSR "reluctantly" forclosed, and got SPI (this is
>after an unsuccessful attempt to but the company.)
>TSR did not have to honor subscriptions, lifetime or otherwise (you ended
>up getting discounts, but effectively lost about 1/2 your money) or outstanding
>orders.  Most of the design staff left, especially after it was announced that
>the operation would be moved to Lake Geneva.

>Ami Silberman

 An interesting sideline to this little article is the future of the DragonQuest
game. For those of you who do not know what DQ is, it was SPI first (I think)
attempt to enter the market of FRP games. A full description is not appropriate
here other than to say that it was a great success and looked like doing VERY
well( those of us who have played it can understand why - its dammed good) and
rumour has it that this was a major reason for TSR (`*#$%%&') closing down SPI
after thay had seen the projections for the game ( it already having had a
second edition out and three very good scenarios - especially the Enchanted
Wood) and seen it as a major contender to D&D in the market. Anyhow when closed
down all the right to SPI games went to TSR (#*~=) and some of which are still
being made - mostly the wargames. But there has not been a single thing on DQ!
The reason is that THEY wont release the rights to the game such that no one
can wright for the game, except on their instructions, with out getting one
hell of a copyright suit against them. This is how it stands now after all
these years with the only material being published is the odd article in
Dragon, most of which are very bad annd seem to have been wriiten by D&D
writers how have absolutly no feel for the game. 
 Does anyone know anything further? Corrections will be most welcome as this is
mostly built on rumour.

Ian Sewell

" Its Autumn guys and your all leaves......"