Steven Schend & the Marvel RPG

Steven Schend was one of the original contributors/editors of the Marvel Super Heroes Roleplaying Game (as can be seen here), and he's still active in both game design and in promoting the Marvel RPG. Per a message I recently received on another messageboard:

Quote

This past Thursday was the last of 10 sessions I had of a course called "World Building for Writers." The instructor: none other than Steven Schend, relocated to Grand Rapids, Michigan in recent months and even more recently married. He's an excellent guy. Together, and guided by Steven, my classmates and I are in the process of developing a new fantasy world.


Steven is offering another class next month, this one on "Game and Adventure Design." He's suggested using the Marvel RPG system as a highly adaptable 'generic' rules system. Sure wish I could take the class, but as my wife and I are expecting our first child in late March, it's not realistic from a money and time standpoint.

Still--thought you'd like to know that the Marvel RPG system is living on in a way through one of its later primary architects.

If there are any Michigan-ian Marvel-philes here, you should check this out!

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Be Ex/20 to one another!

Take a camcorder (and hopefully a tripod) and share with "the rest of the class."

As there is a cost to the class Steven requests that the classes not be recorded.

Then I'd appreciate it if someone takes notes (or a sternographer) and shares them "with the class."

:D

TAG

Someone may, I know for the first class we were not allowed to give out any of the information. I just don't find it right when copyrighted information gets given away for free without the owners express permission, even then I feel bad for them sometimes.

How can you consider a class teaching something, in this case how to create worlds for your writing needs, as presenting copywrited material? It's no different than going to a college class for something where you pay for someone to instruct you in a subject like mathematics but the material itself can't really be owned. You're simply paying for what you hope is a quality instructor able to get the material across to you in a fashion that you can retain and use it for a long time to come. The students themselves are in no way restricted from repeating what they learn in the class or passing it on to others.

"A shared universe, like any fictional construct, hinges on suspension of disbelief. When continuity is tossed away, it tatters the construct. Undermines it."

-- Peter David

[www.classicmarvel.com] - Nightmask Character Sheet

[www.classicmarvel.com] - Paragon Character Sheet

[www.classicmarvel.com] - Complete list of my characters various forum URLs, over 30 to enjoy!

[www.classicmarvel.com] - Godiva Character Sheet

[www.classicmarvel.com] - Seraphim Character Sheet

[www.furaffinity.net] Art by Marvel Comic's artist Rusty Haller!

[www.furaffinity.net] Artist/writer/Creator of The Extinctioners Independent super-hero comic!

[www.classicmarvel.com] - Sappho Character Sheet

[www.classicmarvel.com] - Cornucopia Character Sheet

[www.classicmarvel.com] - Nightmares of Futures Past Ongoing Story

[www.classicmarvel.com] - There is no such thing as too powerful Forum Thread

I'm sorry if I've seemed overbearing to anyone. I've honestly mixed up some of my opinions with stuff from Steven. Discussing what you've went over in class is one thing. I guess I need to explain. In Steven's class taking notes really isn't required, he provides you with notes, in some cases a lot of notes. This is where the copyright part actually comes in.

I guess also for me, it's difficult to give away things I've paid for, and pay for the class I did (twice actually, but that's because my wife also attended). I personally feel to get Steven's notes they should be paid for (it's like getting a text book).

Steven is a great guy and instructor. It may be possible to get a hold of him and purchase the notes for those really interested in them.

Again, I'm sorry if I've seemed overbearing, I tend to speak (or type) before re-reading what I've done and it comes off bad on occasion.

Andrew

No offense or insult taken I assure you, it just seemed that your stance as stated was on a shakey foundation. Now as far as feeling people should pay for the notes like a textbook that's not unreasonable, although people do pass around textbooks as well. If each session is fairly well bound up in the notes having them available in a textbook-format for sale for those unable to make the programs wouldn't be a bad idea from a financial standpoint, and given the movie industry's worked so hard to infringe on your legal right to make back-up copies of things a marketable DVD of the classes isn't impossible to do.

"A shared universe, like any fictional construct, hinges on suspension of disbelief. When continuity is tossed away, it tatters the construct. Undermines it."

-- Peter David

[www.classicmarvel.com] - Nightmask Character Sheet

[www.classicmarvel.com] - Paragon Character Sheet

[www.classicmarvel.com] - Complete list of my characters various forum URLs, over 30 to enjoy!

[www.classicmarvel.com] - Godiva Character Sheet

[www.classicmarvel.com] - Seraphim Character Sheet

[www.furaffinity.net] Art by Marvel Comic's artist Rusty Haller!

[www.furaffinity.net] Artist/writer/Creator of The Extinctioners Independent super-hero comic!

[www.classicmarvel.com] - Sappho Character Sheet

[www.classicmarvel.com] - Cornucopia Character Sheet

[www.classicmarvel.com] - Nightmares of Futures Past Ongoing Story

[www.classicmarvel.com] - There is no such thing as too powerful Forum Thread

I agree. I was actually going to talk to him about getting his notes in PDF form and encrypted so he could feel a little more comfortable putting them online and possibly selling some of the stuff. He's mentioned before that he's seen some of his work put on the Internet with no credits given or royalties paid and being a professional author it can lead to being less likely want digital copies of your work out there.

And since I never properly did this. Hi I'm Andrew, fan of RPGs and helping my wife write books.

Welcome to the Classic Marvel Forums Andrew and what novels has your wife had published, if any, or what kind does she work on if she hasn't published yet?

"A shared universe, like any fictional construct, hinges on suspension of disbelief. When continuity is tossed away, it tatters the construct. Undermines it."

-- Peter David

[www.classicmarvel.com] - Nightmask Character Sheet

[www.classicmarvel.com] - Paragon Character Sheet

[www.classicmarvel.com] - Complete list of my characters various forum URLs, over 30 to enjoy!

[www.classicmarvel.com] - Godiva Character Sheet

[www.classicmarvel.com] - Seraphim Character Sheet

[www.furaffinity.net] Art by Marvel Comic's artist Rusty Haller!

[www.furaffinity.net] Artist/writer/Creator of The Extinctioners Independent super-hero comic!

[www.classicmarvel.com] - Sappho Character Sheet

[www.classicmarvel.com] - Cornucopia Character Sheet

[www.classicmarvel.com] - Nightmares of Futures Past Ongoing Story

[www.classicmarvel.com] - There is no such thing as too powerful Forum Thread

She's been working on a number of different works. Mostly Sci-Fi and Fantasy. She has the typical write something then hate it and start over. I've been trying to gather information for her to submit works to places, but I'm not very experienced (in fact I have none) with anything like that.

Best of luck on that, I know how hard it is trying to get something finished and accept it enough to try and publish it.

"A shared universe, like any fictional construct, hinges on suspension of disbelief. When continuity is tossed away, it tatters the construct. Undermines it."

-- Peter David

[www.classicmarvel.com] - Nightmask Character Sheet

[www.classicmarvel.com] - Paragon Character Sheet

[www.classicmarvel.com] - Complete list of my characters various forum URLs, over 30 to enjoy!

[www.classicmarvel.com] - Godiva Character Sheet

[www.classicmarvel.com] - Seraphim Character Sheet

[www.furaffinity.net] Art by Marvel Comic's artist Rusty Haller!

[www.furaffinity.net] Artist/writer/Creator of The Extinctioners Independent super-hero comic!

[www.classicmarvel.com] - Sappho Character Sheet

[www.classicmarvel.com] - Cornucopia Character Sheet

[www.classicmarvel.com] - Nightmares of Futures Past Ongoing Story

[www.classicmarvel.com] - There is no such thing as too powerful Forum Thread

Dr Archeville Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> Steven Schend was one of the original
> contributors/editors of the Marvel Super Heroes
> Roleplaying Game (as can be seen here), and he's
> still active in both game design and in promoting
> the Marvel RPG. Per a message I recently received
> on another messageboard:
>
> This past Thursday was the last of 10 sessions I
> had of a course called "World Building for
> Writers." The instructor: none other than Steven
> Schend, relocated to Grand Rapids, Michigan in
> recent months and even more recently married. He's
> an excellent guy. Together, and guided by Steven,
> my classmates and I are in the process of
> developing a new fantasy world.
>
>
> Steven is offering another class next month, this
> one on "Game and Adventure Design." He's suggested
> using the Marvel RPG system as a highly adaptable
> 'generic' rules system. Sure wish I could take the
> class, but as my wife and I are expecting our
> first child in late March, it's not realistic from
> a money and time standpoint.
>
> Still--thought you'd like to know that the Marvel
> RPG system is living on in a way through one of
> its later primary architects.
>
> If there are any Michigan-ian Marvel-philes here,
> you should check this out!

Welcome to the Forums.

Not to offend, but the idea of being tought by a guy who you said "was the original contributors/editors of the Marvel Super Heroes Roleplaying Game", isn't exactly what I would call a learning experience. Have you seen the Marvel Super Heroes Roleplaying Game before it was updated? They did a lousy job of editing the game and it went bust. I see no reason to learn from someone who can't correct their own errors.
It's like the blind leading the blind.

I also find the timing interesting too. Like this info popping up after the "Original Marvel Super Heroes Roleplaying Game, was updated. Sure they can use it, now that it's fixed.

That just my opinion, and that's all it is.

"Fer the love of my sweet Community...RAGNARöK"

Steven Schend came into the Marvel line later on into the production. His main contribution is the Avengers Archives. I wouldn't say that he had much to do with the main ruleset. No matter if he's the original author or not, he has provided material for the original game for profit. I would like to see what he has to say. If I find it's not something I find worthy of my attention, I won't use it.

Any and all information we can get from him, the better.

TAG

"Welcome"? I've been here a lot longer than you, I should be welcoming you ;)

And do please note that everything I posted was from the message sent to me by another, so I didn't really say anything, I'm just re-posting it here. (And I'd be willing to bet that the guy who sent this to me uses "original MSH RPG" to refer to everything TSR published under that broad title.)

What makes you think Schend worked on the MSH RPG solely before it was updated? Schend did most of the Marvel-phile articles in Dragon magazine, and worked on the '91, '92, and '93 Gamer's Handbook Updates.

And have you seen anything Schend's done since his work on MSH RPG? He's worked on a lot of good stuff (for both Wizards of the Coast/Dungeons & Dragons and for Green Ronin/Mutants & Masterminds), and clearly has a good deal to teach.

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Be Ex/20 to one another!