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Latest Reviews| Grimm |  | | Reviewed by: Wayne Tonjes |
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Interview with Charlie Krank of Chaosium Inc.
(1621 total words in this text)
(359 Reads) 
Interview: Charlie Krank
Date: May 22nd 2002
by: Michael Burnaugh (Realmprotector) |
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Charlie Krank is the President of Chaosium Inc.
GamingReport:
First of all Mr. Krank I'd like to thank you for taking the time for
this interview. I've read your bio on the Chaosium website and have
to ask how you feel after 23 years of hard work about becoming CEO
of Chaosium?
Charlie Krank:
This is the job that I had in mind when I started this. Quite some
time ago, 18 years or so, Greg asked me what my goals were in working
at Chaosium. I asked him if he wanted me to be honest, and replied
that my goal was to have his job.
Now, there was no way that I could have foreseen how this all came
about, and I certainly did not anticipate coming to it loaded with
debt from the card foray, but you take the opportunity handed you.
GamingReport:
The bio also mentions that you still role-play what RPG's do you play?
Charlie Krank:
I play mainly the Chaosium system games. My role-playing is done with
kids mainly. When my own children were younger I played with them and
their friends. Now it is with the younger siblings of those players.
I like playing with kids--of watching their growing awareness of the
nature of the world and of the game. I also have a great platform
upon which to editorialize about the appropriateness of their
character's actions, and also commenting about things going on in
their lives.
GamingReport:
Do you play other games besides RPG's?
Charlie Krank:
With adults I play board games, generally of the History of the World,
Age of Renaissance, Vinci, Samurai & Katana ilk. Some of the guys who
play I have known for more than 20 years and include the owner of a
comic store in Berkeley, the head of sales for one of our
distributors, a friend who works for a web security company, and one
who works for a chip manufacturer.
GamingReport:
What is your preferred role in RPG's GM or PC?
Charlie Krank:
I almost always host the games. When I played original D&D; in the
late 70's I never had a character personally who advanced past 3rd
level in years of gaming. I was the gamemaster.
GamingReport:
Do you have any plans to write CoC novels?
Charlie Krank:
I'm more interested in getting good books produced. There are many
authors with interesting things to say, and I like the work of
creating and publishing a book.
GamingReport:
I understand you just got back from the NY Book Expo how did that go?
Charlie Krank:
BookExpo is a good show for us. We have worked for many years to find
a sales venue other than just the Adventure Game market. Most of our
fiction sells to bookstores, and the game stuff to game stores.
GamingReport:
What sort of activities are you planning for Gen-Con and will you be
running d20 games as well as BRP games?
Charlie Krank:
Our plans focus on celebrating another year with our fans. We'll have
a Miskatonic University alumni meeting with a Cthulhu Haiku contest.
Of course we'll host as many Call of Cthulhu games as possibly.
Realize that Chaosium has only 5 people, and most must remain in the
office to keep things running. So, we rely on the efforts of many
fans and long-time aids at the conventions.
GamingReport:
You have a new edition of the Arkham Horror board game coming out
what has changed from the other edition?
Charlie Krank:
Mostly things to speed play. Make the play surface bigger, add
dimensional pieces to that the game has a better visual aspect. New
board art, more evocative and creepy. I'm also looking at adding the
rules in couple of languages to boost broader sales.
GamingReport:
I know many gamers are excited about d20 Call of Cthulhu it's a
fantastic book. Why did you decide to go d20?
Charlie Krank:
Wizards of the Coast came to us, asking if we would consider this
project. We talked for a while, then I asked just why they were
interested? They hoped that a d20 edition of Call of Cthulhu would
add credibility to their system. I laughed that this was a lot of
power to attribute to a few guys sitting in a room in California. I
guess that our lifelong appreciation for our chosen art form shows.
The book did come out pretty well. Monte Cook and John Tynes did a
good job--all in all I think that it worked about as well as a
project like this could work.
GamingReport:
How well has d20 Dragon Lords of Melnibone setting been received by gamers?
Charlie Krank:
Pretty well. I wish that we had more time in its creation. There are
things that will appear in the CULTS OF LAW & CHAOS book that I had
hoped we could have in DRAGON LORDS.
GamingReport:
Can you give us any hint for the future of this setting beyond Cults
of Law and Chaos?
Charlie Krank:
We have some guys working on an Atlas of the Southern Continent and a
couple of scenario books. For most we will try to make them
applicable to both systems.
GamingReport:
On your website you have posted the GM screens and Pulp Cthulhu
campaign setting for d20 Call of Cthulhu can you give us a preview
for this setting?
Charlie Krank:
Probably the best teaser that I can give is a rundown of the book's
contents. The following is from an email from John Rateliff, the lead
writer on the book. Remember, this is preliminary and not exhaustive.
Introduction
Chapter I: The 1930s
Chapter II: The Pulp Genre
Chapter III: New d20 Cthulhu Rules
Chapter IV: Player Organizations
Chapter V: Mad Scientists
Chapter VI: The Mythos in the '30s
Chapter VII: Adventures
Boston adventure
Dustbowl/Outlaw adventure
Shanghai adventure
GamingReport:
You've got very well known authors writing the Pulp Cthulhu setting
will they continue working on this setting?
Charlie Krank:
I hope that they have fun creating this work and we would be happy to
work with them in the future.
GamingReport:
Will Pulp Cthulhu be out in time for Gen-Con and will any of the
authors be there for signings and to promote the book?
Charlie Krank:
I sure hope so. However, we have learned through bitter experience
that it is better to finish a book well than to rush something out
merely for a show. Sure, you sell more product at that moment, but in
the long run a book is more satisfying when properly completed.
GamingReport:
Are there any talks with Monte Cook about writing some other things
for d20 Call of Cthulhu?
Charlie Krank:
Since leaving WOTC Monte has been busy. We have discussed working
with him in the future.
GamingReport:
Are there other campaign settings planned or will Pulp Cthulhu be
the only one?
Charlie Krank:
I hope to see other campaign settings. We envisioned PULP CTHULHU as
being a good place to start; to provide a good grounding for the new
CTHULHU players.
GamingReport:
What support will there be for Pulp Cthulhu, any sourcebooks, mega
type adventures, or monster books?
Charlie Krank:
Depends on sales, but sure, I'd like to see lots new material. We
have many more ideas than time, energy, or money. We do have a
comprehensive guide to creatures of the Mythos titled GODS & MONSTERS
in the works.
GamingReport:
Many players are asking about things missing or left out of the d20
book such as the stats for Y'glonac, no mention of Shantaks, Moon
Beasts, The Brotherhood, or any major NPC'S just to name a few, will
these be covered in other sources?
Charlie Krank:
A number of those areas are addressed in the upcoming GAMEMASTERS SCREEN.
WOTC has been very good about getting us the latest errata and
corrections.
GamingReport:
On your website it states that you will be producing some duel-stat
books and some regular BRP why have you decided to do this instead
of producing all the products duel-stat?
Charlie Krank:
We debated the artistic and business aspects of dual-stat vs.
pure-form books ad nauseum. Ideally we would treat each system on its
own merits. In reality, we don't have enough printing "slots" in a
year to print the same book twice. Most of our upcoming books will
carry dual stats, but will be written with one system in mind. The
other would be addressed in an appendix. Undoubtedly, we will get
better at presenting this data as we release more books.
GamingReport:
I know many gamers would like the BRP accessories to be converted to
d20, especially the Creature Companion. Will there be a more
complete conversion manual of some kind for this and for the books
that you will be producing that are not duel-stat?
Charlie Krank:
Yes, as I mentioned above concerning GODS & MONSTERS. We also are
working with some of the editors of the d20 Cthulhu book to provide
appendix and sidebar information for other classic Chaosium titles
such as RETURN TO DUNWICH, ARKHAM UNVEILED, and KINGSPORT, to start.
You should begin seeing those this summer.
Conversion data is contained online at http://www.chaosium.com and in
the GAMEMASTER SCREEN.
GamingReport:
Are there still plans to release a hardcover illustrated edition of
Encyclopedia Cthuliana?
Charlie Krank:
It is my goal. I think that book has some potential in the broader
market, especially if it features some sterling illustrations and
evocative page layout.
GamingReport:
Concerning BRP Call of Cthulhu are there plans for a new core rule book and if so, what changes will there be?
Charlie Krank:
We work to keep the CALL OF CTHULHU rules fresh-looking. We will
probably do one, maybe in a year or two.
New layout with more page decoration. Some expansion of the
background. No major changes to the rules though. They work pretty
well.
GamingReport:
Will any of the advanced skill resolution details from Stormbringer
5th edition be presented as options, maybe in an appendix?
Charlie Krank:
Those issues are up to Lynn Willis, our editor-in-chief. He has long
been the consistent voice behind the CALL OF CTHULHU line, and he
values providing increasing value in each edition.
GamingReport:
In closing how does the future of Chaosium and gaming in general look to you?
Charlie Krank:
Pretty good if we keep our schedule on track and remain faithful to
the values that built our reputation. Most of all, we work to satisfy
ourselves.
GamingReport:
On behalf of GamingReport and gamers everywhere I thank you for your time.
Charlie Krank:
Thanks for the opportunity to respond. The hardest thing for us is
getting information to our fans and gamers who might like to try our
books. |
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