[HOE] The D20 Responses to Shane, John and everyone at Pinnacle

[SF14D@aol.com]

Hello all, 

    I have watched the list for a while now without responding to it. I enjoy 
reading other players and game masters ideas, questions and opinions. As a 
game master and player of the Deadlands Weird West and Hell on Earth I am a 
little surprised at the responses to the D20 system idea from all sides. I 
must admit that I voted on the poll with a no and I have no intention of 
buying the book(s) when they come out. Though if anyone can pull it off it 
would be John Goff. I find his books to always be well done and keeps a 
certain amount of balance to the Deadland worlds. I would rather see John's 
skills and time put to more HOE products but once again my opinion. 

To Shane, your note on the pinnacle web site specifically about the fans 
responses on the poll has me wondering why you have a poll at all. The 
comments where honest if not what you wanted to hear. If that poll was to be 
used as a gauge to determine your fans outlook on the subject then the 
comments should be taken with some value. I will agree that slamming another 
companies game systems should not have happened. The hard work that they put 
into a game project should be respected and as you said, no one is forced to 
buy a game product. The reason I bought the Weird West then Hell on Earth was 
to try something new, something that was different from what TSR / Wizards 
2nd edition AD&D, which I personally did not enjoy. It was a system that was 
unique at the time. I play many game systems. AD&D (1st ed.), Robotech, Brave 
New World, Big Eyes Small Mouth Anime RPG, Star Trek (Unicorn Games), Feng 
Shui, just to name a few, and I enjoy each for there unique stories, 
different approaches to game mechanics and book layouts. When I saw the 
Pinnacle poll the first thing I thought was "oh crap, there's $500.00 +  
dollars I have invested in a game system as well as my time, which is 
priceless, for a system that is going to drop me in the hopes of getting on 
the D20 band wagon." I have bought the 3rd edition AD&D books that are out. 
Mainly in the hope that they would improve the system to more my liking. I 
can't get myself to look at it too long without losing interest and though I 
plan to be a player for that game system, I would never game master it or 
spend time developing a setting for it (Primarily because they dropped my 
favorite setting Forgotten Realms for Greyhawk). If I was given a choice 
between 3rd edition AD&D or Hell on Earth it would be HOE all the time. 

    In addition, TSR used to have Boot Hill, which I just saw on the Wotc web 
site as being re-released. How well did it do? Did it come out yet or at all? 
Will it also be in the D20 system? Is there a need in the market for multiple 
western genre games? Was there really any Wotc fan interest in a western rpg? 
If I want to use the D20 system for a western I would just use the rules in 
print and make my own adjustments or buy a western rpg. Why adapt what is 
already working. These are things I cannot answers nor care to. 

I will end this email with the hope that the D20 book is just a small speed 
bump that must be hit but will hopefully not throw off the alignment of 
Pinnacles great game lines. 

SF14D@aol.com