Nicholas Logue (and Sinister Adventures)


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Last we heard about Nicholas Logue, he'd gone incommunicado. Owed a bunch of people money for a product he'd promised but never produced; said he would offer refunds, but had not yet done so. He seems to have left the gaming hobby entirely. Which seems a shame, as during his brief period of activity (really only about two years) he produced some of Paizo's most memorable adventures (Hook Mountain Massacre, Hangman's Noose).

Meanwhile, his Sinister Adventures label has been quiescent for three years now. SA produced only a handful of products, but they included stuff by Richard Pett, Greg Vaughan, Wolfgang Baur, and Logue himself. At this point SA looks pretty firmly defunct. The manuscript for Razor Coast was apparently completed and handed in, but nothing has come of it since. (A blog post by an indy publisher hinting otherwise seems to have been an April Fools joke in dubious taste.)

Does anyone have further information about Nicholas Logue?

Doug M.

Silver Crusade

1 person marked this as a favorite.
Pathfinder Adventure Path Subscriber

Poor dead horse.


Also, smurf. Tons of smurf.

Grand Lodge

He emailed me in May, sounded like he was still working on the Anarchist Gamemasters Cookbook. I hope he finishes it, the guy is super talented.


4 people marked this as a favorite.

I am working with Louis Argesta on a patronage/kickstarter project to publish "Fire As She Goes!" as he retained the rights to his manuscript.

Dark Archive

Pathfinder Roleplaying Game Superscriber

Last news was Lisa Stevens was going to try and contact him as well to offer Paizo's help. Never heard more about it, so I presume she ran into the same problem as everyone else, he never responded.


Adventure Path Charter Subscriber

Hey all, I try to check in on Nick and his projects once every bit and had this to share. Here's to hoping he finds time and resources to satisfy all involved, as his work and DM'ing are phenomenal and he's a friendly guy to boot.

From a post towards the end of the chain here from someone who knew him from his UK university gig:
Geek Related.

"A bit of defence here for Nick. He disappeared of the scene in 2008 to take a new job over here in Britain as head of a university department. Now I know people are upset about his leaving the project but you have to understand how hard running a whole uni department is, never mind one that is underfunded and understaffed. Nick threw everything he has into his teaching and has changed the lives of all the students here at E15. So all though you all hate him, he is the hardest working man and greatest friend I have ever know. Unfortunately the university pushed him out and now he’s off to Hawaii so maybe he’ll have time to write there."


So, last confirmed sighting was ~6 months ago, and apparently now he's in Hawaii again.

Welp.

Doug M.

Shadow Lodge

At least he isn't even bothering to pretend anymore.

Sovereign Court Contributor

1 person marked this as a favorite.

My understanding is that he did return money, but inconsistently. Some received theirs back upon request, some did not. I have no way to know which group is larger (got money back - did not get money back).

Also, it was products, plural.

The Razor Coast product was completed. I know, because I completed it. :)
Completed it with the help and assistance of many others.

Nick is back in Hawaii, and I'm in touch with him.

For what it's worth, I'll have an update on the results of conversations with him and some other tidbits on my blog, shortly.

Perhaps I shouldn't have called you "Shortly".

Dark Archive

Pathfinder Roleplaying Game Superscriber

Better than Shirley :)


1 person marked this as a favorite.
Louis Agresta wrote:

My understanding is that he did return money, but inconsistently. Some received theirs back upon request, some did not. I have no way to know which group is larger (got money back - did not get money back).

Also, it was products, plural.[...]

Louis, your quiet persistence is awe-inspiring.

Regards,
Ruemere

Silver Crusade

Pathfinder Adventure Path Subscriber

Oooh it's going to be 5th "Nic Logue is a cool guy who hit a snag, wish he will come back" vs. "That Logue person is an abomination who stole my money, violated my puppy and now hides from justice" thread? That's so new and refreshing there folks.

Shadow Lodge

It's a holiday tradition!


Louis Agresta wrote:
My understanding is that he did return money, but inconsistently. Some received theirs back upon request, some did not. I have no way to know which group is larger (got money back - did not get money back).

There's a third group, though I suppose I might be the last holdout: those people who haven't requested a refund in the increasingly vain hope that Razor Coast will actually see the light of day while there's still a source for that light -- that is, before the sun goes nova.

Hey, you never know. I could win the lottery.

Dark Archive

Pathfinder Roleplaying Game Superscriber
Damon Griffin wrote:
Louis Agresta wrote:
My understanding is that he did return money, but inconsistently. Some received theirs back upon request, some did not. I have no way to know which group is larger (got money back - did not get money back).

There's a third group, though I suppose I might be the last holdout: those people who haven't requested a refund in the increasingly vain hope that Razor Coast will actually see the light of day while there's still a source for that light -- that is, before the sun goes nova.

Hey, you never know. I could win the lottery.

Your not the only one... though we might be the only two. :)

Shadow Lodge

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Where do I send my preorder money?

Grand Lodge

Dark_Mistress wrote:
Your not the only one... though we might be the only two. :)

Three.

Paizo Employee Director of Brand Strategy

buzzby wrote:
Dark_Mistress wrote:
Your not the only one... though we might be the only two. :)
Three.

I'm there with you, folks.


Count me in.

Paizo Employee Director of Game Development

Mark Moreland wrote:
buzzby wrote:
Dark_Mistress wrote:
You're not the only one... though we might be the only two. :)
Three.
I'm there with you, folks.

Me too.

Sovereign Court

I'm in the asked for a refund heard nothing but would be happy just to get the products camp.

Liberty's Edge

I am a hold out as well!

Dark Archive

Robert Hawkshaw wrote:
I'm in the asked for a refund heard nothing but would be happy just to get the products camp.

Same here.


1 person marked this as a favorite.
Gorbacz wrote:
Oooh it's going to be 5th "Nic Logue is a cool guy who hit a snag, wish he will come back" vs. "That Logue person is an abomination who stole my money, violated my puppy and now hides from justice" thread? That's so new and refreshing there folks.

The good news is I've finally figured out who Keyser Söze is.

Sovereign Court Contributor

Gorbacz wrote:
Oooh it's going to be 5th "Nic Logue is a cool guy who hit a snag, wish he will come back" vs. "That Logue person is an abomination who stole my money, violated my puppy and now hides from justice" thread? That's so new and refreshing there folks.

I thought your puppy was recovering nicely, what with the therapy and all?


Different tone in this thread compared to last time. That is interesting. I hope it lasts. If Nick was to finish any of the products he had on the table back then, I would immediately buy. Here's hoping some new money, not just old money already spent on art, would go down well. Nick was the best RPG adventure writer I know, and damn my group is going through withdrawal.

Shadow Lodge

Sissyl wrote:
Different tone in this thread compared to last time. That is interesting. I hope it lasts.

My poor, delusional friend. ;)

Shadow Lodge

1 person marked this as a favorite.
TOZ wrote:
Where do I send my preorder money?

Send it to me. I'll ensure that you recieve the product in just as timely a manner as everyone else.


Adam Daigle wrote:
Mark Moreland wrote:
buzzby wrote:
Dark_Mistress wrote:
You're not the only one... though we might be the only two. :)
Three.
I'm there with you, folks.
Me too.

Still waiting too.


TOZ wrote:
Sissyl wrote:
Different tone in this thread compared to last time. That is interesting. I hope it lasts.
My poor, delusional friend. ;)

I know, right? Maybe I keep naively hoping humanity isn't as whacked as I think. :-)

Now, if it is, see my first post above.

Dark Archive

ShadowChemosh wrote:
Adam Daigle wrote:
Mark Moreland wrote:
buzzby wrote:
Dark_Mistress wrote:
You're not the only one... though we might be the only two. :)
Three.
I'm there with you, folks.
Me too.
Still waiting too.

This boat is bigger from the inside. I'm waiting too, and there is always hope.

Dark Archive

2 people marked this as a favorite.
ruemere wrote:

Louis, your quiet persistence is awe-inspiring.

Regards,
Ruemere

That Lou Agresta is a good and decent fellow.

At least that's what he has pointedly told me numerous times.


Looking forward to the fireworks again.

They're always so pretty around new years.

Liberty's Edge

Every time one of these threads comes up I'm always amazed at people still holding hope of the product coming out and the devotion this guy inspired.

So what is everyone's favorite adventure that he wrote? I may have to check one or two out.


Hook mountain massacre and Hangman's noose were incredible.

Sovereign Court

baron arem heshvaun wrote:
ShadowChemosh wrote:
Adam Daigle wrote:
Mark Moreland wrote:
buzzby wrote:
Dark_Mistress wrote:
You're not the only one... though we might be the only two. :)
Three.
I'm there with you, folks.
Me too.
Still waiting too.
This boat is bigger from the inside. I'm waiting too, and there is always hope.

Isn't Razor Coast about sinking boats ? :)

if it isn't about piracy, I'm officially disappointed :)

Though I 'd still like the book, or a .pdf. Heck I could use one badass campaign with some serious opponents to maim and mutilate these weaklings PCs ... :)


Sissyl wrote:
Hook mountain massacre and Hangman's noose were incredible.

Just so. Hangman's noose may be Paizo's best single module, and Hook Mountain Massacre is on many folks' short list for single best installment of an AP.

Logue's professional writing career was short -- really just about two years -- but he produced a bunch of stuff that people are still running, still playing and still talking about.

Doug M.

Sovereign Court Contributor

Here's the latest update. Not ready to say anything about Razor Coast, because I've got nothing concrete to say. But I've made a little forward motion...

Update from Lou

Sovereign Court Contributor

baron arem heshvaun wrote:
ruemere wrote:

Louis, your quiet persistence is awe-inspiring.

Regards,
Ruemere

That Lou Agresta is a good and decent fellow.

At least that's what he has pointedly told me numerous times.

My humility is my finest quality.


I own Hangman's Noose. I had no idea it was supposed to be such a golden child. It's interesting. And messy. And a bit jumbled. It's definitely interesting, but I can't see how the sun rises nor sets in its pants.

Maybe Hook Mountain would wow me...

Sovereign Court Contributor

6 people marked this as a favorite.
Robert Hawkshaw wrote:

I have mixed feelings about the properties changing hands without pre-orders being fully honoured. How do I prove that I haven't received a refund? etc. Also, its very early here but I keep having flashbacks about bona fide purchasers and equity and such wrt to accepting property you know people probably have a claim against.

But I've been marking exams all Christmas so I'm in an Issue spotting frame of mind

Fire as She Bears was never offered for sale and no pre-orders exist; so, Rite Publishing and the esteemed mister Russel are not involved in any pre-order mess.

For the KUG? Well, its sort of like this: Nick stated he was going to put out Razor Coast then shut down. My information indicates this property would never be published, ever.

Nick told me he believes he returned all the pre-order money for this product. I believe he believes that. I'm not in a position to assess the quality of his record keeping.

Since this is a not-for-profit venture on my part, I plan to give anyone who simply tells me they made a pre-order a free PDF of the product. Period. Honor system. Could lots of people "rip me off"? Sure. Do I care? No. So there is no need for anyone to prove anything to me about a refund. You tell me you made a pre-order and didn't receive a refund, I give you a pdf. No questions.

You want the print version? The price will be whatever my cost was to produce the book -- so it doesn't include Nick's art, etc. - not a red cent more. For costs that vary by the number of units sold, I'll apportion them across a low number of units on a per unit basis. Not sure what that number of units will be, but I'll publish it in advance.

My goal is to price the print volume more cheaply than the early price, at the same time that the size of the book has tripled. By not making a profit, I hope to set the price such that a person who pre-ordered and then also buys the new POD book receives a book at a combined reasonable price. Not sure if that made sense, so here's an example:

If my new KUG book is worth paying $20 for at market, and the pre-order price for Nick's version was $11, then I plan to try my best to hit no more $9 for the new book (if per unit cost is $8, then its $8). That way if a pre-order person buys both, they still receive solid value for their money -- despite buying twice. Will I succeed at this attempt? No idea yet. Does this plan make sound, for-profit business sense? Nope. Not a lick. And not the point.

Side note: those numbers above are not the prices, just an example. I simply don't know what the price will be yet.

Will I be totally transparent along the way and try to provide people an independent means to verify what I'm doing? Sure will. Maybe access to whatever invoice the POD of choice gives me? Not sure yet, but I will try to figure it out as I go.

A game changer will be if Nick provides me with his paypal records and, in the event he is mistaken, any money he took for the KUG. Then I can simply honor the pre-orders.

I'm willing to pour time and sweat into this. I'm willing to call in favors, and I'm even willing to lay out some of my own money -- despite having neither an ethical or legal obligation of any sort to do so -- because I think the creative value is there and the sweating writers at least deserve their audience. I'm also haunted by the lack of creative closure. However, I'm not willing to create an open funnel into my wallet and take a bath for trying to pitch in.

Here's the alternative: I'll give this back and people can keep chasing Nick. If that emerges as a consensus on this thread, I can absolutely go that route. The absolute worst darn thing would be to further anger or disappoint the very fans and good Paizoans I'm hoping to please!

I hope that plan (such as it is) makes sense. If there are logical flaws in the approach or any issue that occurs to any of you, please share. I'm very open to whatever helps me get this right.

PS The difference between versions (the original Nick took pre-orders for and the one I plan to put out) will simply be more material by the same authors. A lot more.

PPS This will definitely be an art-lite book, but if anyone knows a cartographer good with Astrosynthesis or space mapping in general, please let me know :)

Dark Archive

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Pathfinder Roleplaying Game Superscriber

I never preordered KUG but I would totally buy a PDF and maybe a hard copy when it does come out, along with any of the other Sinister stuff that never got released.


Pathfinder Roleplaying Game Charter Superscriber

Louis,

Thank you for the update! I think you are doing a great thing here, and you should know it is much appreciated.

I noticed that RC was conspicuously left out of the discussion. Damn, I really hope that comes to light.

kudos to you sir!!


Lou,

just remember not to overdo stuff.

I have your Citadel of Pain, and I'd like to say that the amount of work you've put into it is huge to the point of overdoing bits (like using so many different styles on a single page). So, all I could ask of you - don't try to do too much :)

Regards,
Ruemere

Sovereign Court

Thanks, that was just my law school brain speaking before coffee not my gamer brain. It's a messy situation from a lot of angles and I know you've been trying to fix it for a while now. You've addressed my concerns.

Spoiler:

One thing to try to avoid would be the perception that Nick is unloading some valuable property (for example the art work - he had some WAR art and some really nice looking other pieces commissioned) to a friend for free, while at the same time refusing to pay back people who pre-ordered. Even though they are all different projects and products and you did a pile of unpaid work, only people who have been actively watching the situation know that.

Practically speaking, no one is going to buy the rights to shark-pirate themed cover art from Sinister LLC, but there is a lot of negativity out there about this whole affair and it is easy to view everything in a bad light.

About Nick's record keeping: Yeah, I pre-ordered the whole kit and kaboodle, asked for a refund and never heard back about any of it KUG included.


What is KUG?

Btw I also preordered razor coast and haven't asked for my money back but live in hope.

Hangmans noose never did it for me but I liked hook mountain massacre and Crown of the kobold king was great.

Sovereign Court

Known Universe Gazetteer:

The Known Universe Gazetteer is an all new campaign setting for gritty space adventure with a dash of alien horror thrown in. In the Known Universe, the age of grandiose galactic empire is long past. The august civilizations of yester-century are sundered, their gloried technological achievements lost. Now spacers, pirates, and warlords fight over the ashes with a few systems burgeoning on interstellar conquest. The galaxy has gone to seed, and it is a time for brave heroes, or desperate scoundrels to claim the black as their own.

With regards to space maps - James Maliszewski just put out his Thousand Suns rpg - he might have a line on an artist who does them.


Robert Hawkshaw wrote:

Known Universe Gazeeter:

The Known Universe Gazetteer is an all new campaign setting for gritty space adventure with a dash of alien horror thrown in. In the Known Universe, the age of grandiose galactic empire is long past. The august civilizations of yester-century are sundered, their gloried technological achievements lost. Now spacers, pirates, and warlords fight over the ashes with a few systems burgeoning on interstellar conquest. The galaxy has gone to seed, and it is a time for brave heroes, or desperate scoundrels to claim the black as their own.

Thanks.

I Didn't preorder that or the anarchists cookbook. I think I decided to wait and see how razor coast panned out.....still waiting.

Re KUG, sci fi is not really my preferred genre but if it is ever available I will consider getting it.

Grand Lodge

Louis Agresta wrote:

Here's the latest update. Not ready to say anything about Razor Coast, because I've got nothing concrete to say. But I've made a little forward motion...

Update from Lou

Thanks, copious amounts of good news from my point of view, particularly about the Known Universe Gazetteer, which I hadn't expected ever to see.

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