Just got back from what's up with CGL? Event. Pardon any mistakes as I'm trying to dump this out fast. I'm tired! I recorded the whole thing and am uploading to YouTube now. Will post a link if it finishes before I pass out.
HG lawsuit isn't going to affect product releases. They have already pretty much made any adjustments they feel necessary to upcoming stuff that could have been affected. Nothing is being delayed or pushed back because of it
Combat manuals: bottom line, they were a showcase of what CGL can do, but they didn't sell well enough. Can't keep going with the same format, but not dead. Trying to rework so that the business case makes sense.
ilClan: yes, still happening. Still on the front burner...of things that aren't dragonfire. (Running gag from the CGL staff...answer every question with 'dragonfire ') Brent felt it needed a more epic, cinematic feel. Felt too stale or too much like a report too him. That is me paraphrasing, not his exact words.
More fiction in the works. The room had a fairly equal number of folks who liked anthologies and folks who liked novels. Who knows if that is representative of the feeling outside that room.
Brent and Ray were super nice and stayed for almost an hour after the event to answer more BT questions. They made an honest effort to respond to everything that was asked. These guys care about the game world, and it showed.
I can't recall everything they said, but some of the interesting bits:
Those maps with the box sets on display? Total mockups. They took the art from the AS introductory station play mats and threw a hex grid on them. NOT what will be in the box. They are very much at work on maps . Can't say what form they will take yet though.
They want to try to work the HBS campaign plot into canon if they can. HBS hasn't told them what it is though, so they can't say if it will work!
Bonus question from Brent: industrial mods with ICE engines...would you use them if you could get two or three for the cost of an urbanmech? Corollary: why is the urbie so popular when other.junk mechs aren't. Honestly, this deserves its own thread.
Wolverines are NOT the ilClan.