I just read John nephew's post on the Atlas main site. News to knock the socks off Ars Magica Fans?
Do I want to know? I like ars magica, no make that love ars magica, particularly the current edition. I think the books being released are the perfect blend of rules/crunch, history, fantasy and story ideas. I am not sure I want the recipe altered. Particularly as it is very obvious that 5th edition and all it's supplements was written especially for me in order to fit my very specific requirements.
Parts of me scream out "change? Noooooo!"
The rest of me is dying to know what the news is. Given the incredible quality of the Ars Magica line to date perhaps I should have confidence that what ever is produce will also be increadably cool.
Of course it depends on what the news is.
Might it be 6th edition. No, how can you mess with perfection?
Might it be a companion game set in the 14th or 15th century? Or modern?
Might it be a game set in the past, at the start of the Order? Or Rome?
While cool ideas they are hardly likely to "shock my socks off"
So what could it be? Atlas selling the Ars Magica line? Going to PDF only?
I though Johns post sounded kind of positive so who knows.
Does any one else have any ideas, hopes, concerns, or fantasies?
This is the Internet. If this is not the place for wild, uninformed opinions then where is?
I read an article online, I forget where, about the history of Lion Rampant/White Wolf/Ars Magica which said that Mark Ryan-Hagan originally considered doing with the Ars Magica line what he ultimately did with the World of Darkness line and create a set of interlinked games with different focuses. After Ars Magica, which focused on wizards, he considered doing Shining Armor, which would focus on knights. However, Pendragon came out and covered that ground so well that he abandoned the idea.
As someone running a companion centered saga based out of a noble manor, I would frankly be really interested in seeing a game along those line. It will never happen, nor should it probably, but part of my can't help but think it would be cool.
Honestly, I can't even begin to seriously guess what the news to shock our socks off might be... but given the track record of the line, I'm confident I will be favorably impressed.
I am sure Against the Dark is going to be super. I am looking forward to it. I would have pre ordered it but am an not trusting the Amazon pre ordering system.
If it helps I loved all the books you have contributed to. I also subscribe to your blog so I know I like your writing.
I can assure you that i feel nothing but jealousy. And envy.
Now that you have said its a positive shock I am relieved. I will stop imagininig the worst.
Did I say i was jealous? It is not enough that you know what the next half a dozen books are but you also know this.
Now for more baseless speculation...
How about a book detailing all sorts of magical mystical disasters and in the last chapter all the magi in Europe die.
Shocking ... Must be more shocking.
A brand new house? A crusade against magic leading to a massive war.
Exactly! How can it possibly be any worse? At least by accident. (Although I suppose it's possible to intentionally make a movie so bad that it loops in on itself and becomes awesome.)
