Saturday 28 June 2008

FAL News: FFG reveals WFRP web page

To the relief of fans all over the globe, WFRP line developer Jay Little announced the launch of the offical WFRP web page on the FFG forums. Join the hordes of rampaging fans as they make their way to the new focal point of offical web support, or whatever will show up on the page some time or another!

Click here to view the new WFRP web page!

The first updates are a character sheet and a design diary. Interesting reading in the design diary, and I'll get back to that later. For now, enjoy the web site, and post comments to FFG on the official forums.

Magnus

Wednesday 25 June 2008

WFRP: Breakfast at the Cowardly Tilean

Today I ventured forth to break my fast at The Cowardly Tilean. It is a rough and tumble place, where many sailors gather to drink and sing and fight. It is also a place where much gossip is circulated, many times shouted over the top of the seamens' lungs, bawdy tales of inappropriate nature. As is the custom of this place, I was served smoked herring, bread, an onoin and an apple, washed down with a small jug of wine. All this for only a handful of pennies and it stood me until lunch! I picked up many interesting tidbits I intend to investigate further, as well.

A herring, some bread and a mug of wine

Adolphus Altdorfer
Bezahltag, Vorgeheim 12, 2523 IC

Sunday 22 June 2008

WFRP: Gossip (13)

"The church of Sigmar is planning a crusade against Araby! I've heard that they're looking for able-bodied men who will all be made Knights and given land and gold as soon as they land on the heathen shores. If we enlist, we're sure to come out on top!"

- Two young men of the working class contemplating their future career prospects at The Cowardly Tilean in the Niederhafen Bezirk

Thursday 19 June 2008

WFRP: Help wanted (14)

"Goblin raiders sighted near Altdorf. Need able bodied men to form a posse to track the green skins down and obliterate them. Goblin possessions must be returned undamaged! Contact the office of General Reinholdt Waffenkammer in the Palast Bezirk!"

- Notice distributed among adventurers, sailors, mercenaries and other riff-raff of ill repute among the taverns of the seedier parts of Altdorf.

Friday 13 June 2008

FAL News: New senior developers at FFG

Today Fantasy Flight Games revealed that Jay Little is the new senior developer of WFRP. He presented himself officially on the FFG forum, confirming the suspicions of many posters, after dropping not so subtle hints about the fact over the last month or so.

Read more about it here!

Also, Ross Watson is the new WH40kRP senior developer.

Nice that things are moving along. Now that we have an official representative in place, we will hopefully get a clearer picture of where WFRP and WH40kRP are headed.

/Magnus

WFRP: Anne-Kristine von Breithofen

Anne-Kristine von Breithofen

Tuesday 10 June 2008

WFRP: Otto Stierne's Observatory

Close to the bank of the Reik, in the Universität Bezirk, lies one of the most curious buildings in Altdorf. But it is not the shape or architecture that makes this building of interest, it is the inhabitants. I'm speaking of course of Otto Stierne, the renowned astronomer, and Heirodüle Krangelschaft, the scandalous inventor. In a tall tower overlooking the Reik, Stierne houses his celestial observatory, filled with advanced Dwarfen telescopes, intricate models of the heavenly bodies and copious maps of the starry sky above us. Here he makes his observations, trying to chart the glittering night sky and link it to our history and future. Stierne is often consulted by the Emperor and his Electors before any large decisions, and this has earned him quite a following in the capital.

Many nobles and merchants seek out his advice, although it has never been proven that his predictions are more or less accurate than any other oracle's musings. Commanding less authority, but surpassing Stierne in notoriety, is his good friend Heirodüle Krangelschaft, the inventor. He is most known for his theories about aerial flight by the harnessing the power of alchemy and mechanics, which has resulted in several spectacular public experiments.

Curiously quite a few of his failed inventions are acquired by unknown parties, for unknown purposes. His workshop resides in the lower parts of the tower, and are filled with tools, metal, wood planks, chemicals, glass tubes, drawings and books. Every now and then a fire will clear out the workshop, but so far the tower has stood the strain of having a mad inventor residing in it.

Adolphus Altdorfer

Konistag, Vorgeheim 10, 2523 IC

Go here to download the complete iAltdorf map!

Otto Stierne's Observatory


/Magnus

Saturday 7 June 2008

Wednesday 4 June 2008

FAL Interview: Interview with Alfred Nuñez Jr.

Regular readers of The Altdorf Correspondent know that I try to do my part to put the limelight on the many great and dedicated fans WFRP has, and the top notch material they produce and offer online for free. I try to make a Best of the Fans post every month, and believe me, there’s plenty of material to look through to find the very best. Each time I sit down to pick a fan project to highlight as a Best of the Fans effort, there is one name that always crops up. Alfred Nuñez Jr, pictured on the right.



I believe most know him as MadAlfred, map maker extraordinaire, but he is also the author of the well recieved sourcebook Dwarfs: Stone and Steel for WFRPv1 that was published by Hogshead in 2002, as well as Pretty Things, one of the earliest adventures for WFRPv2 that was published by Black Industries in the Game Master's Pack. A while ago he released Empire at War online, a complete and massive reimagining of Empire in Flames, the ill-fated last part of The Enemy Within campaign, bringing it in line with the kind of WFRP imagery that the enduring fans of the game appreciate.



Myself, I think of Alfred as the grand uncle of The Altdorf Correspondent. If it hadn’t been for his and his co-conspirators' work on compiling information about Altdorf from hosts of Games Workshop sources, this blog would probably be The Middenheim Correspondent … or something like that. So I dropped Alfred a mail, asking if he would be game for a short interview here, and here’s the result.



The Altdorf Correspondent (TAC): Tell the readers a bit about yourself.



Alfred Nuñez Jr (MadAlfred): Well, I am an American from California and (currently) 51 years of age. Apart from gaming, my reading interests include Ancient History, pre-Tudor British history (currently reading various sources covering 410–1066 A.D.), Archaeology, and Paleontology. I work in the garden to relax as well as occasionally go on walks/runs. The latter helps me sort out my thoughts on whatever WFRP material I'm currently writing.



TAC: How and why did you start playing WFRP?



MadAlfred: I moved my playing group from AD&D to WFRP in 1988. I thought WFRP was far more interesting a game to play with its darker elements. Odd as it sounds, I also liked the (then) concept that wizards in the game did not always dress in flowing robes and they could carry swords rather than daggers and darts.



TAC: What was it that primarily attracted you to WFRP?



MadAlfred: The darker tone, richer background, and career/skill based system were the elements that won me over.



TAC: How long have you been producing fan material?



MadAlfred: I have been writing fan material since 1994 or thereabouts. So, about 14 years.



TAC: What prompted you to do this, and to distribute your material for free, online?



MadAlfred: Since the game lacked official support, I wanted to further develop the background for my own use. Shortly after joining the old WFRP mailing list hosted by Clay Luther, I thought I would share some of my material to other subscribers. The reaction I received was pretty positive, so I started posting my other ideas hoping someone who find something useful to use in their campaigns.



TAC: A large and important part of your work has been compiling gazeteers and drawing maps. Why did you focus on these two categories?



MadAlfred: I found that both maps and gazetteers are helpful at generating game ideas as well as providing a quick reference material for GMs. I also found that these helped me focus in visualising the world at large and gave me a starting point for possible scenario plots.



TAC: What was the most difficult part of compiling the information on Altdorf?



MadAlfred: The most difficult part was determining how to incorporate the sketchy and sometimes contradictory information contained in many of the Warhammer novels. I had learned from one of the writers that there was no central authority among the editors of Games Workshop to ensure some level of consistency with Altdorf and its locations.



TAC: What is your favourite WFRP book?



MadAlfred: “Marienburg: Sold down the River” by far. My oldest son makes a cameo in the book as Miguelito “Little Round Head” Nunez in that book



TAC: What is your favourite WFRP fan material?



MadAlfred: The “A Private War” campaign by Tim Eccles.



TAC: What are your hopes for the future of WFRP, fan-wise or commercially?



MadAlfred: Commercially, I’d like to see WFRP move more towards the 1st edition in tone (grim and perilous) rather than stay with (my interpretation of) the 2nd edition change to heroic fantasy with spiky bits. I’m just not sure what FFG intends, if anything.



Moreover, I’d like to see more fan effort, though such can be uneven in quality. Warpstone magazine is a great source for ideas and a number of sites – for example, Liber Fanatica – put out quality material. So long as its fans care, WFRP will continue to be supported.

I think Alfred is right. WFRP has had its ups and downs, but there's no denying that the fans care passionately about the game. And Alfred himself is one of the very best examples of this passion, which drives him to create material that make all our other games richer and more fun. So let me close this interview by thanking Alfred for answering my questions, and for all his efforts to make WFRP great!



Magnus

Sunday 1 June 2008

WFRP: Help wanted (13)

"I need two strong, healthy men for an experiment in travel to one of the moons. VERY reasonable rates paid, plus medical expenses covered. Please see Heirodüle Krangelschaft, Universität Bezirk for details."

- Handwritten notes spread all over the Altdorf University and the Niederhafen Bezirk.