From the front page. In the descriptor, more info regarding DotDG & Rogue Trader

http://new.fantasyflightgames.com/edge_news.asp?eidn=257

Thanks for the heads up, Wu. Will give this a listen.

Post interview notes:

Rogue Trader & Death Watch are in the works, all games will be compatible with Dark Heresy and Rogue Trader will allow for DH charcters to progress up to higher ranks. DH described as Tier 1 level PCs, RT Tier 2 type PCs and DW as Tier 3 PCs (Sorry, the implication was no SM just normal humans working in support of Marines.)

Rogue Trader is looking to start players out at the higher ranks or allow for a DH charcter to move from their DH rank into higher ranks, So it looks like all three will be compatible and all three games are planned to be done. Also it seems that the other games can be used as 'expanding' your character past DH ranks or as a stand alone type of game in itself.

Wasn't that always the plan, though? that was the distinct impression I got back when BI were handling it (although the "Humans in support of Marines" thing for Deathwatch is new).

Sounds interesting, but I don't listen to interviews and rarely to podcasts

I listened to this podcast earlier and found it interesting. Though his words were not that definitive. When he referred to no Space Marines it was after he was asked if "characters from Dark Heresy could progress and carry on/cross over to Rogue Trader or Death Watch" and his answer was "Yes. They wont be Space Marines, but Space Marines need support too."

To me that doesnt rule out Space Marines as DW characters, but implies that Dark Heresy characters are not going to turn into Space Marines.

Also, about the Tiers he mentioned. He said Tier One was sort of starting out competent at your job, already talented and skilled at your profession. TO ME that implies that RT characters will be starting off perhaps at the equivalent of Rank 3 or 4, which makes sense as they will already be world travelers (multiple world travelers even) and it will expand to higher levels of play, again, that doesnt necessarily sound to me like you will start at Rank 9 and go to rank 16, but start at rank 3 to 5 equivalent and your career will still have the 8 ranks, but taking the total up to rank 10 or 12 or something ranks per career.

I assume DW will start equivalent to maybe Rank 6, 7 to 8 and have upwhere to what would be rank 15 if starting at Dark Heresy.

Seems highly influenced by old school D&D with Basic, Expert, Companion, Masters, Immortal sets of rule, each one building off the previous. But with the 40K line the rules for the complete game will be in the core book for each edition/expansion.

Which would be cool, cause in the future that would open them to Xenos RPG settings and so forth.

Well I think it was until recently unconfirmed whether FFG was going to or planning on continuing everything that BI had anounced or stated they were going to do. Just nice to get a bit more 'soild intelegence' on the matter. Although I was a bit suprised to hear of a Death Watch with no Marine PCs although I guesse that fits the theme thus far you have the DH with no Inquisitors as PC and Rogue Trader with no Rogue Trader as PCs (the interview was stating you play as the crew / 'acolytes' of a RT) Still its nice to know theer are plans at least for a good many supplmenst and exspansions.

 Hey guys, thanks for listening.

I misspoke slightly in regards to Deathwatch: when you play a Deathwatch game, you will DEFINITELY be playing Space Marines.

I was responding to Veronica's comment about playing a character through all three books, in which case it will be unlikely that specific character will be a Space Marine.

Hopefully that clears things up!

Wu Ming said:

I don't actually recall putting it quite like that. All I can say for now is that Rogue Trader is going to be very different from Dark Heresy in a lot of ways...and that includes what kinds of characters you play! :)

Tier 1, Tier 2, Tier 3 game?!? 

History doesn't repeat itself, but sometimes it rhymes...in this case its a direct sample...

Its like putting on your gandfather's coat.

This takes me back to the origins of RPing 30 years ago. 

I've had to check i'm not having an acid flashback or an episode of dementia... 

D&D was originally produced as five 'sets'*, each taking the PCs to the 'next level of power'...and here we are, 30 years later at the cutting edge of RPing with a game derived from BRP and releasing three 'sets', each taking the PCs to the 'next level of power'...

 Oh dear...made me giggle.

They do say if you sit on your doorstep long enough the whole world will go by eh?

  *Actually the first release in 1974 was a single book, but 'Basic D&D (1st Revision)' in 1977 was five 'sets' (Basic lvl 1-3, Expert lvl 4-14, Companion lvl 15-25, Master lvl 26-36, Immortals (levels?  Who needs 'em; we're GODS!)

Its like no one ever reads my posts. Sheesh.

Ha ha I was correct about Death Watch and Ross' comment regarding PC Space Marines.

1977 only saw basic being released, then again in 81, Expert in 81 and again in 83, companion in 85 and Immortals 87 with all 5 in one in 91. I wiki'd it.

I liked it that way, at least for the first two sets, after all, Expert went to level 15 and after that the game just got boring. Ill probably get Death Watch, but never use it.

Nice to hear your sticking with the old Black Industries ideas Ross, was really interesting hearing the interview, keep up he good work!

Peacekeeper_b said:

Sorry Peacekeeper.  I leapt straight in from the podcast before reading through the thread...

Then having settled down and read your post...well the lovely new board doesn't let you edit your posts after 5 mins does it....

Good news on the Deathwatch front at least...putting a 40k icon into the PCs hands...should've been from page 1 of DH but there you go*...

And i must say i'm eager for Rogue Trader as it sounds like it'll come the closest to providing an actual 40k RPG, rather than a 'narrow slice' as Ross put it.  However, following the entree that was DH, i'm expecting disappointment so that i will hopefully be very pleasantly surprised to be 'proved wrong'...

*Actually i suppose you do get 'icons' like tech priests...they're just nascent and card-board cut out versions...

While space marines are truly iconic when it comes to 40k, I have serious trouble seeing how the could be challenging and even fun to roleplay. But I'm seriously looking forward to Rogue trader!

Jackal_Strain said:

Depends on how you view them i suppose.

The Bloodquest comic shows a very good example of how they could be played, if you see them basically as human.

Personally i see them rather more like 'robots'.  Outside of their function (combat, obviously), they really struggle to cope.  Put a marine in a local tavern and he quite literally won't know what to do...

Now THAT seems like an interesting character to play...

Why do you think they wouldn't be challenging or fun to play?

I think Space Marines and characters on that level could be fun, just as I think Acolytes at low levels can also be fun.

I just prefer middle ground (you know, D&D 3rd-7th level, when you are fairly competent but not super high and mighty, or street level super heroes). So hopefully Rogue Trader solves all my wants and desires.

I am also pleased to see that Im not the only one who recalls the old boxed editions of D&D. Ahh good times.

Man I feel old.

Luddite said:

It would probably depend on the Chapter. Space Wolves or a similar Chapter would probably be better in a tavern than most others. But an Ultramarine would be better amongst nobility.