Hi all!
The critics don't like VH, what a shocker (movie critics are one of the
lowest forms of life on earth, IMHO), but don't let yourself be dissuaded. Go
in with the right attitude that it's a big action summer movie and a GREAT
setup for an RPG and you'll enjoy it. My and my family sure did!
Quick note to those who are wondering:
No, we didn't create Rippers because of Van Helsing (but we did hurry it
up a bit because of it). The process started at Origins 2002 when I saw the
Old Glory/West Wind Vampire Wars line. I talked to them at the time but we
couldn't figure out a good way to make things work between our companies. Long
story short, they came back and had some ideas quite a while later, we hashed
them out, and we wound up using our game idea with their minis. The "high
concept" of doing a Gothic horror game was simply that. The details (like
Ripping)--which is where it really shines, came from the Sharks, my playtest
group, and the brilliant minds of folks like Chris and Mary Dolunt,
and Clint Black. All the rest had important contributions as well, but
I'm not going to name anyone else for fear of forgetting anyone. ;)
So go see the movie with your RPG glasses firmly in place and I think
you'll dig it. Then at least flip through Rippers at your FLGS next Friday to
see what we've done with the same high-concept.
See ya!
Shane