Several heated emails have been circulating the Rage mailing list in the past few days, regarding the death of the Garou Nation and a litany of broken promises throughout the development of Rage under FRPG, and now Wizards of the Coast. Classic brand manager Ryan Miller responds in general:

Date: Mon, 13 Mar 2000 09:58:05 -0800
From: Ryan Miller (rmiller@wizards.com)
To: rageinfo@frpg.com
Subject: Rage

I am hearing a lot of very justified angst over how we here at Wizards
have handled this game.  I can't say I blame you.  Unfortunately, I cannot
promise much.  The best I can do at this point is be honest.

The letter and "stuff " I mentioned before for Garou Nation members is a
letter informing you that we will no longer be supporting the GN.  It is
not exactly how I wanted to debut myself as the Rage brand manager, but I
have to play the hand that is dealt me.  The "stuff" will be: an errated
version of Griff Murphy, the Venerable Cactus Spirit foil and six boosters
of Equinox.  If you return the letter to us, we will send you the
mysterious Rage t-shirt, an uncut card sheet, and a rage pendant with your
choice of tribal glyph (while supplies last.)

At this time, there are no plans for a Rage classic set.  There are about
150 cards already designed, so if I do get the green light to do a set, it
will not take long to get them printed.  I am doing what I can to get this
set out, but it doesn't look good.

I had hoped that my job here would be as a saviour of some truly great
games.  Perhaps it will be, but for now, I can at least give you the
honesty you deserve.  Thanks for playing and supporting this game.

Ryan Miller
Brand Manager, Classic Games
Wizards of the Coast

Dances With Shadows responds:

Date: Mon, 13 Mar 2000 16:13:09 -0600
From: Rook (raven9864@mindspring.com)
Reply-To: rageinfo@frpg.com
To: rageinfo@frpg.com
Subject: Re: Rage

At 09:58 AM 3/13/00 -0800, you wrote:
>I am hearing a lot of very justified angst over how we here at Wizards
>have handled this game.  I can't say I blame you.  Unfortunately, I cannot
>promise much.  The best I can do at this point is be honest.

This is all we ask.  And m ake no mistake, we *do* appreciate it.

>The letter and "stuff " I mentioned before for Garou Nation members is a
>letter informing you that we will no longer be supporting the GN.  It is
>not exactly how I wanted to debut myself as the Rage brand manager, but I
>have to play the hand that is dealt me.

As I hope I have made clear, we are not here to "kill the messenger."  And
I am well aware of the legacy you were left with.  But to be honest, this
post in particular affords you an immense respect from me.  This is the
most forthright anyone has been.

>  The "stuff" will be: an errated
>version of Griff Murphy, the Venerable Cactus Spirit foil and six boosters
>of Equinox.  If you return the letter to us, we will send you the
>mysterious Rage t-shirt, an uncut card sheet, and a rage pendant with your
>choice of tribal glyph (while supplies last.)

This is very generous. Well done.

>At this time, there are no plans for a Rage classic set.  There are about
>150 cards already designed, so if I do get the green light to do a set, it
>will not take long to get them printed.  I am doing what I can to get this
>set out, but it doesn't look good.

Come to Stones River Challenge in Columbus.  Take some pics and make a
report to your bosses.  Let them see first hand the kind of support this
game can still get, and more with a little help from up top.

>I had hoped that my job here would be as a saviour of some truly great
>games.  Perhaps it will be, but for now, I can at least give you the
>honesty you deserve.  Thanks for playing and supporting this game.

You cannot save what you are not allowed to.  If it were given the proper
resources to do so, this game could have ruled the CCG market as one of
it's giants.  Now a twice-revived game is now a twice-failed game.  That
would be a monumental stumbling block to overcome in terms of the trust the
public and retailors would ahve to put into it.  No, the damage is done,
but what we ask is that you treat those of us who remain with the decency
and support we deserve.  This post is a great start.  There is an
undeniable hardcore base of fans for this game out there.  We have not been
driven off, even through this most recent of bitter times.  This should
tell the top brass something.  That a classic expansion for Rage is worth
the effort and expense it takes for them to put it out.  And it helps the
company image as well, because people feel better about a company that gets
them hooked on something and continues to offer some support even though
the game has ceased major production.  40 cards every two years?  I would
love to see that if it's all I can get.  It is better than nothing.  And it
makes me want to take a chance on other WotC games, because I know that
even if the game is cancelled, WotC will still give me something for the
time and money I invested in thier ideas over a span of time.  And you
never know when the sleeper will awaken.  Has anyone ever researched the
history of Monopoly?  I believe it is a hasbro game now as well.  Look it
up.  It is amazing just how much of an up and down start one of the most
enduring icons of the board game industry has had.  Point being, suntin is
betta than nuntin.  And forges a durable bond between company and consumer
that will carry over to all it's products.  It is the thoery behind the
"brand name" in consumer capatilism.  People automatically "trust" a brand
name, because of the reputation it or even other unrelated product in the
company line carry.  the same holds true here.  Decent treatment of Rage
fans and continued minor support of it will be reflected in loyalty to the
majority of WotC's product line.  Or at least I hope this is the discussion
some college-educated business majors had in a room in Seattle when the
"classic game line" was thought up.

And after all, if no "Clasic Games" come out, who needs a "Classic Brand
Manager"?  Think about it.  ;)


Dances With Shadows
Child of Coyote
Stones River Sept
"One Sept, One nation"