#also seeing the kickstarter updates for old projects i hope that helps too!!

[lopez-richter-fangirl]

I think the issue with the algorithm might also have to do with the branding being cult themed but idk I just don't know how to help anymore. I can't back anymore and I've shared it with multiple friend groups but I feel like that's not gonna help

I think that’s the cult thing is part of it too and it sucks because it’s such a well branded campaign for a lot of the audience, but it probably isn’t drawing in the people at the fringes. It is EXHAUSTING because yeah I’m sharing it as much as I can and I hope that has got some more people to back but it is hard to see how we can get as many as we need. Because I did the math knowing it would be way out of reach and it is like, if everyone who’s currently backed upped a whole $175. So we need a lot more people. And I wish it didn’t have to come to this but tbh the thing I think would probably help the most is if they put out a video on the starkid channel

[gb-patch]

Ask Answers: May 15th Part 1

It’s been longer than usual since our last answer session, so I’m answering a ton of questions today! It’s so big I split it into two parts. Thank you for the patience on getting a response to these.

Thanks for reaching out to us with your questions and kind words ^^!

Sorry if this has been asked before or isn't something you can say but is there anyway for Cove to confess in step 4? I wanted him to confess in step 3 and followed all the steps to make him do it but ended up texting my family instead of Cove at the end.

Yeah, Cove can confess in Step 4!

Hello! I heard that Cove is on the spectrum, albeit undiagnosed. As someone who is ND, this makes me UNBELIEVABLY happy. I literally was brought to tears! Thank you for that!

Out of curiosity, will Cove be diagnosed in Step 4? I have a strong feeling y’all won’t make it a HUGE deal/make it out to be negative, so I’m not worried about that whatsoever! I’m just curious just he’ll off handedly mention it? Or will it just not be touched upon at all (which is ok!)?

Either way is ok, I’m just curious!

I’m happy it made you happy! Admittedly, Cove simply being someone with autism that grew up not being diagnosed was something I included for myself. I didn’t really think anyone would notice or ask about it, aha. But players did start to have questions about his traits, so I started to talk about it outside of the game. It’s great to see it get such a positive response and now I do feel like having it be a non-topic may have been the wrong choice and bringing it up would’ve been good in terms of having positive representation for that. I don’t know if I’ll find a way to mention it in Step 4 now, with how far along the game is, but I am at least thinking about it when originally it wasn’t something I really even considered.

Hey!  Just wanted to say thank you for Our Life.  It's been a bright spot and a needed escape in what's otherwise been a crummy year.  I know you just did a Q&A post but I figured I'd ask anyway.  Was just curious about Step 4.  Will it be similar to the other Steps in that it consists of several different moments or will it just be one long sequence?

Step 4 is shorter than the prior Steps because it’s just an epilogue rather than a full arc of a story. It’ll consist of scenes that all happen in a set row one after the other. There won’t be a collection of Moments to choose from. But it’ll still be very sweet and fun.

¡hola!, you see, first I want to say that I love Our Life! (°◡°♡) and I have 2 important questions, would Cove cry watching titanic? and what is the saddest part according to him? (sorry for my english) 

Titanic would make him cry. He’d probably think the parts showing people who aren’t able to make it to the life boats/are choosing to stay and go down with the ship were the saddest.

Hello, I wanted to ask how much you earn with creating games? Like is it possible to make a living? Thank you >< <3 

How much I earn varies a lot month to month based on Steam sales, Patreon backers, and how many projects are in full production at the time. It’s also hard to say how much I make historically, since that also changes dramatically year by year. But I do earn enough to work on these games full time! I really appreciate all the support that allows me to do that.

Hey!! I was wondering for the 18+ Our Life moment, will there be an emphasis on safety/comfort for all involved? I feel like there  would be just going off of what the rest of the game is like, but I wanted to ask 

Yes! Cove is a nervous boy himself and also super cautious about doing anything the MC doesn’t like, so clear consent from both is absolutely needed for anything to happen. It’s a conversational sexy times Moment with stops/starts so the two can talk about how they’re feeling, rather than a heat of the moment just going for it kind of thing.

Hey!! I was wondering how long the wedding dlc would be? Will it be broken up into moments, or just one big event? 

It’s one long series of scenes all in a row rather than a collection of Moments to pick from. It’s the shortest and the least expensive of all the DLCs. It’s not super crucial to get and those who aren’t into big weddings can totally skip it without worry.

HELLO AMAZING DEVS 👋 i am hopelessly in love with the worst guy ever (jeremy king) and because of this i have a really stupid question: does he really hate people who are nice to him? TvT he’s too cute to be mean to istg it’s a miracle JB held the urge to be consistently nice to him bc just look at his FACE he is so cute! thank you for jeremy’s route it’s so lovely (and awful bc he’s scum 11/10) it gave me so much laughs LMAO i hope you guys have a good day!! 

Haha, thank you. He doesn’t hate them but he’s certainly not pleased with them. Jeremy is either uncomfortable with or annoyed by people being sweet on him, depending on how they approach it. He’s far more comfortable with jerkiness. It lets him relax and he can be himself without it being a problem, since he’s also a jerk. He feels a level of guilt being such a little punk to kind people, not enough to be a better person but still.

Has Cove dated or been interested in someone other than MC? 

Nope! He stays single over the course of the game if he’s not with the MC.

Is Step 4 more mature? Or it's gonna be set in similar atmosphere as Step 3? 

Step 4 is a similar atmosphere as Step 3. Though, it’s actually kind of less mature-topic heavy than Step 3 since it’s just a ‘hey, let’s check in on the gang to see what they’re up to’ style epilogue rather than a story arc with serious issues.

will there be new music for now and forever?? or will the old our life music be reused? 

It’s gonna be a brand new soundtrack. We’ll be opening up a job position for that soon.

Hi, is it okay if we use the assets in Our Life (like the sprites) for fanworks or fan content content, like edits? 

Sure! Just as long as you don’t use the assets made by those artists to make money.

Quick clarification on Step 3 choices: I hope I didn't come off rude (because I LOVE the game, really!!), I was just curious because the intro threw me off at times. For example, you could choose how you felt about Elizabeth in Step 2 (Dinner), but during the Step 3 intro, it says that you got closer to Liz and I didn't get a choice in it. 

For the example, it can’t be helped that you’re closer to Liz in Step 3 than you were in Step 2 because she’s inherently closer to the MC regardless of whether you liked her or not in Step 2. Her feelings are out of your control and the game isn’t so dramatic that you can push her affection away and not let her bond with you, haha. But ‘being closer’ can still be relative. For some people maybe that means you’re best buds now and for others it might just mean you’re not fighting all the time any more. If there’s other parts you want to mention, feel free to let us know.

Did the illustrator for Our Life change? 

We have many OL artists! The main artists who set the game’s style haven’t changed, but there’s multiple other artists who help finish assets.

So Miranda's type is confident and outgoing, huh? So...does that mean Terri's her type?? 👀 

Haha, sorry for the late reply on this. As you might’ve seen in our post yesterday- yeah that is her type.

Hey! First, I just want to say I've really enjoyed how detailed OL got with gender identity and sexuality and how respectful the topics were handled! It's been so wonderful to play since the experiences could be close to my own (I'd be lying if I said I didn't tear up at parts). Second, I was wondering, would future games explore the topic of polyamory? I'd love to see more visual novels allow room for that and I saw you've explored the topic before.

Keep up the amazing work! ♡

Thank you! We do want to include polyamory in at least some of our future projects. Floret Bond, which might be what you’re referring to when mentioning how we’ve explored the topic before, is on hold unfortunately. So right now I’m not sure when something might release or what will be the first game of ours to come out with poly relationships (we might do something else before FB is done). We’ll have see how things ends up coming together.

Hey um. I feel like im not allowed to ask this on the private discord cuz people will yell at me but why is there so much focus on OL2 and not finishing OL1 stuff? I like the new people but i kind of want to finish cove's story and get derek and baxter stuff first. didn't people pay for it? 

I’m sorry, I don’t understand entirely what’s making that situation a concern. There’s a channel in the discord for critique where no one is allowed to comment back. People can voice things they’re worried about without any way for others to push back on it. And the two teams working on the OL games are different. We try to post pretty often about how we’re hiring brand new people to start on Our Life: Now & Forever. The OL1 team is all still working on OL1 like normal. There’s only more updates on the Patreon for OL2 because the expansions to the first game are mostly script-based at this point while OL2 is just starting to get all its art, which means there’s a lot more to show off as previews.

Also, there was a Kickstarter for the first Our Life, if that’s what you mean by people paying for it. But one of the stretch goals was to start Our Life 2 early, before fully completing Our Life 1, so that the new game could be out sooner. It wouldn’t make sense to stop doing OL2 work because that would be going against what backers were promised. Maybe you didn’t get the full story before and hopefully this clears it up!

Hello! I know it's up to every player but.. What is your recommendation for playing order? Did you ever had any timeline  events planned? 

I didn’t make the events with a planned timeline. The events got made simply as I had ideas for them and then I just kind of organized them from left to right on the screen in an order to space out more dramatic ones between more lighthearted ones. Any order the player wants to go with is totally valid!

Hi! It's Step 4 a paid dlc or update? And how long it's planned to be? Ps. Love the game! 

The Step 4 epilogue is free! The Cove Wedding DLC does cost money, though. Those are planned to be shorter than the usual Steps/DLCs.

Will we have options for what sort of job the MC might have by the time step 4 takes place? 

Yeah, you can. It’s not super exact or detailed, but there are options about it.

Is there a pandemic in Our Life world, or is it just in a better timeline with no pestilence? 

Our Life is pandemic-free! That didn’t exist when we began working on the project and it’s not something we’d like to feature in this story now that it has unfortunately come along, aha.

Hi, you said that you can play tic-tac-toe or hangman with Cove in Boating if you're sick/scared but I keep getting tic-tac-toe. Am I doing something wrong?

After being sick/scared you have to continue to be upset/unwell. If you calm down and decide to just chill you’ll end up playing tic-tac-toe.

Hi, GB Patch! Since Lee was initially commissioned to only appear in two Steps does this mean she won't appear in the Wedding DLC? I really like her character so it'll be a little weird to not have our cousin at our wedding, aha.

She is gonna be in Step 4/the wedding DLC after all! We’re still working with her creator to make sure it fits with what they wanted.

Is Sunset Bird based on a real place? Asking for a friend, not trying to move there or anything. 👀

It’s based on small beach towns in So-Cal, but not one specific town you could go see in real life, I’m afraid. It’d be nice if it was real, though.

—– —– —– —–

We released a new FAQ! It answers common questions and we’ll keep adding more to it. Please check there before sending an ask. FAQ   Also, if you prefer to just see the main posts without all the asks/reblogs, feel free to follow our side account instead: GB Patch Updates Blog

[blackidyll]

It's been a long while since I've been on Tumblr, but here I am, trying to get back into my usual rhythm of life. Mainly: I'm alive, but I'm really, really tired.

The end of 2019/beginning of 2020 has been really insane. I fell sick for most of December - the whole cough/cold/sore throat trifecta that got so bad I finally ended up on antibiotics on New Year's Eve. I actually took two weeks of leave in December, but I was so sick and busy during this time that I basically got no rest whatsoever, and when I got back to work in January it was to drop straight into an absolute tsunami of work - one huge project ended the day before Chinese New Year, and immediately after CNY holidays I had another huge executive event to prepare for (I was working over weekends), and when that ended last week I got YET ANOTHER project dumped on me. Covid19 and the political situation in my home country is also taking its toll. I feel like the past two months has been an absolute blur - mostly of stress and negativity.

I'm so tired, you all.

Anyway, I'm trying hard now to pull back and strike a balance between work and having down proper time. I owe quite a few of you replies to messages and chats, and TBH there's like 60+ comments in my AO3 inbox that I haven't had a chance to respond to. I'm going to try hard over the next few weeks to get to all of them. I really appreciate every message and comment I get, because they constantly remind me there's still people and the entire world out there, when sometimes it's so easy to get caught up in my head with all my stresses and worries and the day-to-day grind.

I'm going to go throw a bunch of things in my queue to get this place kickstarted again, but in the meantime - have some fic recs. I've been reading a lot of fic to keep afloat the past three months; these are the WIPs I'm following at the moment. I'm completely out of creativity so my own fics will have to wait, but it always gives me a boost when I see some love for my WIPs, so if any of these appeal to you, give them a read and drop some love to those authors too.

The Bureau Files series by Catsafari [The Cat Returns, episodic/case style canon-based sequel; Baron/Haru]

i kill giants by diasterisms [Star Wars new trilogy; canon-based sequel to The Rise of Skywalker; Rey/Ben]

Ragnarǫkr, Part 3 of the Sharingan Rising series by weialala [Naruto; canon-divergence with supernatural elements; Sasuke-centric, technically Sasuke/Naruto but is more Sasuke's relations with everyone]

Peripeteia, Part 4 of the Carry Your Heart verse by mondaze [Shingeki no Kyojin; canon-based A/B/O verse, eventually diverges at the retake Shinganshina arc because Erwin lives (\o/); Erwin/Levi]

Just Another Day by Tierfal [Fullmetal Alchemist; post-manga series, Roy has severe PTSD; pre-relationship Roy/Ed]

try something new by gdgdbaby [Nezha (2019); post-movie oneshot where the two have grown up and gotten their bodies back; Nezha/Aobing]

WIPs that haven't been updated recently but since I'm on a roll, you all should read them:

Nukume Dori by Leareth [Tokyo Babylon, X/1999; canon-divergence, kind-of time travel with X!Subaru falling back into the TB!timeline with all his memories intact; Subaru/Seishirou, a lot of trio interactions with Hokuto] 

boy with a coin, Part 5 of the signal to noise series by twigcollins [The World Ends With You; post-game sequels exploring the consequences of Neku winning the long game and Joshua deciding to bring him back to life; Joshua/Neku]

(more info and my comments on each fic under the cut, because they get long)

The Bureau Files series by Catsafari [The Cat Returns, episodic/case style canon-based sequel; Baron/Haru]

I've been (re)watching Studio Ghibli movies on the weekends and I fell completely in love with The Cat Returns (I love Whisper of the Heart but I missed this movie somehow?). This wonderful sequel fic series focuses on an adult Haru that becomes a full-fledge member of the Cat Bureau and goes on plenty of adventures with the Bureau crew. It's also 500K words (!!!) of delicious slow slow slow SLOW burn between Baron and Haru. I just found out the author will be posting the next installation in the series this month, so you know. Perfect time to read the existing content and then follow the author's weekly updates for more of this amazing series.

i kill giants by diasterisms [Star Wars new trilogy; canon-based sequel to The Rise of Skywalker; Rey/Ben]

Yes, I'm a Reylo fan. I find the grey dynamics between Rey and a vaguely redeemed Ben Solo fascinating. I think it's because I was such a huge Luke and Mara Jade shipper from the Legends days. Anyway, I'd recommend pretty much all of diasterisms's Reylo fics (they nail the characterization + growth arcs incredibly) but this WIP in particular is a direct TROS sequel, which is great for all us fans who were very WTF about the way TROS ended. Also - lots of Force ghosts :D

Ragnarǫkr, Part 2 of the Sharingan Rising series by weialala [Naruto; canon-divergence with supernatural elements; Sasuke-centric, technically Sasuke/Naruto but is more Sasuke's relations with everyone]

I think my bookmark gushes enough about this series (and the previous installment) that I don't need to rehash it here. But anyway, this sequel is flipping amazing. The world building is so incredible omg. The wait between chapters is very long but so very worth it.

Peripeteia, Part 4 of the Carry Your Heart verse by mondaze [Shingeki no Kyojin; canon-based A/B/O verse, eventually diverges at the retake Shinganshina arc because Erwin lives (\o/); Erwin/Levi]

I'm usually very, very particular about my A/B/O verses (the concept squicks me a little but some writers subvert the trope and those are amazing) and this is a really great take on the trope - Erwin and Levi bond first out of necessity and then have to rebuild/realize a romantic relationship out of it later; they're already such strong friends and incredible partners that the bond actually throws them out of whack initially lol. But the evolution of their relationship is so well written, and the sub-plot about Levi being targeted is also great. Anyway, in this particular sequel goes back to the canon-timeline; Erwin survives the Beast Titan charge, everyone finds out about Marley, and the Survey Corps goes on a mission to make contact with the outside world. I don't actually follow the manga but I know enough that this sequel is really intriguing me. Also, Erwin lives. Thank goodness Erwin lives.

Just Another Day by Tierfal [Fullmetal Alchemist; post-manga series, Roy has severe PTSD; pre-relationship Roy/Ed]

Everything Tierfal writes is golden, but this one. Oh man, this one. It gets dark, and sometimes that's bad if you're already stressed (your mood doesn't need more depressing things to drag it down) but sometimes... you also want to indulge in it, because when you see a character go through hard and traumatic times and make it out the other side, it gives you hope too, you know? Anyway, right now at chapter 2, it's all trauma and pain for Roy, so take caution while reading this fic, but......... Ed. Oh my goodness, Ed. He tries so hard. He doesn't give up. This fic reminds me a bit of But Not Buried This Time, where Ed is the one drowning in his guilt... I remember thinking while reading that fic, "goodness, everyone needs a Roy like this in their life." Well, for this fic? I just keep thinking, "goodness, everyone needs an Ed like this in their life."

try something new [Nezha (2019); post-movie oneshot where the two have grown up and gotten their bodies back; Nezha/Aobing]

not a WIP but what the hell. So this version of Nezha is hell of a lot different from the Nezha I remember of my childhood (in that....... Nezha 100% kills Aobing lol and I remember being very conflicted because I love dragons and Nezha kills a lot of them, but at the same time deity!Nezha is pretty badass?). So anyway, someone with creative control DEFINITELY has shipper glasses on when they made this movie, I cannot get over how adorable Nezha and Aobing are. I really enjoyed this movie, it was so over the top and funny. And they made Nezha and Aobing literal soulmates? This fic is cute and adorable because it's Nezha and Aobing traveling and helping the world after they grow up and regain their bodies, and it's just tons of adorable teenage(?) confusion where they're hovering on the edge of friendship and something more. THEY ARE SO ENDEARING I love them!!

Nukume Dori by Leareth [Tokyo Babylon, X/1999; canon-divergence, kind-of time travel with X!Subaru falling back into the TB!timeline with all his memories intact; Subaru/Seishirou, a lot of trio interactions with Hokuto]

Instead of dying on the Promised Day, 25-year-old Dragon of Heaven Subaru wakes up in his 16-year-old body during the Tokyo Babylon timeline. Having seen what the future holds, he decides to continue with his original Bet with Seishirou - this time fighting to win. In the latest installment, we go pass the TB timeline into the years before 1999 and the changes that the divergence makes is just absolutely fascinating, plus we start seeing more of the X/1999 cast, whom I love and adore.

boy with a coin, Part 5 of the signal to noise series by twigcollins [The World Ends With You; post-game sequels exploring the consequences of Neku winning the long game and Joshua deciding to bring him back to life; Joshua/Neku]

I love Joshua so so much but he digs his own bed willingly and he lies in it with all the broken pride he can muster. He's very much the master of forfeiting the game before he can lose, except this time it's Neku standing beside him, and Neku is very, very stubborn. Trust your bloody partner, Joshua (I say, with all the love in my heart for this Joshua and this poor beleaguered but incredibly stubborn Neku and the all the game mechanics and worldbuilding in this series). Also, the latest cliffhanger is killing me but I'm ready to see Joshua go absolutely feral on anyone who would dare touch his city and his partner.  

[theonyxpath]

Yep, just when you think things are working as planned, you get a surprise.

In the case in the illustration above by our old pal Sam Araya, it’s a surprise thanks to the Contagion Chronicle!

Which is, right now, as you read this, seeping into our reality on Kickstarter!

Now, since we funded, support for this one has been steady, but slow. Part of that, we have no doubt, are the adjusted International shipping costs I talked about on this blog a couple of weeks ago.

There’s also a part that is kind of interesting, which is folks waiting to hear about a revealed section of the text that features a region or that has more to do with their favorite CofD game line. Well, we certainly hope that they like what they see when “their” section of text shows up!

In any case, we’re actually pretty happy with where this Kickstarter has been going, and we do hope more folks can jump on before the end a couple of weeks from now.

Check it out here: https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/200664283/contagion-chronicle-a-chronicles-of-darkness-cross

Dystopia Rising: Evolution art by Sam Denmark

I was also really happy just this last week to listen to last Friday’s Onyx Pathcast featuring an engrossing and fun interview with Chris Spivey. It is really interesting, and I think is an excellent place for anyone concerned about how we’ll be bringing Cthulhu into Scion 2e to get an idea of how Chris will be developing that project, and how he’ll be handling the built-in challenges of the source material.

You can find the interview here, on PodBean, or on any of your favorite Podcast venues: https://onyxpathcast.podbean.com/

Adventures For Curious Cats art by Pat Loboyko

Today, though, we were less happy with having to get together during the meeting and talk about how we need to figure out what broke in our proofing process with our Scion 2e core books.

I’ll talk more about this when we get all the information in, but it seems pretty sure that a number of errata fixes that Neall input did not “stick”, but remained as errors. He is currently, painstakingly, going back through his errata notes and reconstructing what changes need to be made.

The last I checked, he hasn’t found a pattern for why some changes stayed, and others did not, nor why this happened with these two books, but not on the dozen-plus books that have previously used the same proofing process. While I’d like to know that, and will, our in-house devs have already taken over the errata input phase so that our book developers only have to notate the PDF.

This will add another stage, but will also give us an additional chance to identify whether errata that we gathered is actually in a book.

We’ll be able to tell better once Neall finishes his pass, but we’re not seeing anything that breaks the game or makes it unplayable. Certainly, the rules as they stand have worked for the many Scion 2e groups who are already playing the game, including the fraction of Actual Play groups we can highlight each week in our Media section below.

But it is extremely frustrating for us, and Neall, but also for all of the Scion community that stepped up to pore through the Backer PDF and send us what they found. Sometimes, in publishing, despite all your safeguards, stuff slips in. Here’s a painful example of a process that worked…until it didn’t.

Dystopia Rising: Evolution art by Aaron Riley

So, some weeks you can really enjoy the whole process of making something that didn’t exist before, and other weeks you do the job because that’s what you do, and others you have to try and fix what broke. Sometimes all those weeks are all in one week!

But in the end, you do it because it is how we create:

Many Worlds, One Path!

BLURBS!

KICKSTARTER:

The Contagion continues to spread, infecting all in its path with more and more Stretch Goals! https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/200664283/contagion-chronicle-a-chronicles-of-darkness-cross

Matthew Dawkins has also started running the Contagion Chronicle for some of the members of his Discord, via Google Hangouts! Follow along to get some sneak peeks of the content coming up in the Contagion Chronicle Kickstarter: https://youtu.be/dFMjit-YTwQ

He also asks for your Contagion Chronicle-related questions here: https://youtu.be/axvrFeQOvEg

ONYX PATH MEDIA

Illustration by Charles Bates

On this Friday’s Onyx Pathcast, our team explore Emotions At the Tabletop! (I’m assuming the gang are looking at the full gamut of what you feel playing, what you bring to the table, and what emotions are evoked when you play!) https://onyxpathcast.podbean.com/

And Here’s More Media About Our Worlds:

Matthew Dawkins returns with the Onyx Path News to discuss the Contagion Chronicle and new releases here: https://youtu.be/A27HxT33me4

And he’s not done, because he asks for your Contagion Chronicle-related questions here: https://youtu.be/axvrFeQOvEg

Matthew Dawkins and a whole host of the writers from the Contagion Chronicle are running a live Q&A Monday, 4/8, on our channel at 9pm BST. Here’s the link, so don’t forget to subscribe and click the alarm bell on the site to get notified when we upload a video: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCzN5jRB35OvnC-6gxnRY4gQ

Matthew also continues his read through of Vigilant: Through Shadows and Dreams, for Scarred Lands: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LmTRJx9Qh4o

If YOU have a podcast, YouTube or Twitch channel, or talk about games on a blog or other website, and want to perform actual plays or make reviews of our games, please reach out to the Gentleman Gamer on the Onyx Path forum. From there we’ll share emails and get you started, so when you do start producing content we’ll be able to promote it on our blog and YouTube channel!

A newcomer here, as we highlight Twin Cities by Night‘s offering of a Hunter’s Hunted chronicle here: https://www.podbean.com/media/share/pb-pygx4-ad07fb

Another new challenger approaches, with Roll the Role having run Dystopia Rising: Evolution for us on their Twitch channel here: https://www.twitch.tv/videos/403766627

Occultists Anonymous, the Mage: The Awakening chronicle, has reached episode five! Here’s the playlist of all episodes so far: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLh4mWsf86RuXzrrY_oHyjU4DdtE4MNsv2

And of course we continue to promote the absolutely superb Scarred Lands campaign by Devil’s Luck Gaming: https://www.twitch.tv/DevilsLuckGaming

A new player on the stage is going to running our Storypath games on their podcast, The Chimera!: https://itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/the-chimera/id1259343855?mt=2

Please check any of these out and let us know if you find or produce any actual plays of our games!

ELECTRONIC GAMING:

As we find ways to enable our community to more easily play our games, the Onyx Dice Rolling App is now live! Our dev team has been doing updates since we launched based on the excellent use-case comments by our community, and this thing is both rolling and rocking!

Here’s an update from the App devs:

Onyx Dice!  We’ve recently released the Changeling: The Lost, Trinity Continuum: Aeon dice, and now the Geist dice.  Next up on our radar is: Demon: The Fallen,  Mummy: The Resurrection,  Kindred of the East, Vampire Dark Ages, and Mummy: The Curse.

We have a serious issue on the Pixel and Motorola phones that prevent the user from using the app correctly.  A fix is coming shortly.  A temporary workaround is to minimize the app without shutting it down, and then restore it.

ON AMAZON AND BARNES & NOBLE:

You can now read our fiction from the comfort and convenience of your Kindle (from Amazon) and Nook (from Barnes & Noble).

If you enjoy these or any other of our books, please help us by writing reviews on the site of the sales venue you bought it from. Reviews really, really help us with getting folks interested in our amazing fiction!

Our selection includes these fiction books:

OUR SALES PARTNERS:

We’re working with Studio2 to get Pugmire out into stores, as well as to individuals through their online store. You can pick up the traditionally printed main book, the Screen, and the official Pugmire dice through our friends there! https://studio2publishing.com/search?q=pugmire

We’ve added Prince’s Gambit to our Studio2 catalog: https://studio2publishing.com/products/prince-s-gambit-card-game

Now, we’ve added Changeling: The Lost 2nd Edition products to Studio2‘s store! See them here: https://studio2publishing.com/collections/all-products/changeling-the-lost

Looking for our Deluxe or Prestige Edition books? Try this link! http://www.indiepressrevolution.com/xcart/Onyx-Path-Publishing/

And you can now order Pugmire, Monarchies of Mau, Cavaliers of Mars, and Changeling: The Lost 2e! http://www.indiepressrevolution.com/xcart/manufacturers.php?manufacturerid=296

And available this week! Deluxe Changeling: The Dreaming and Deluxe Beckett’s Jyhad Diary! The additional books we have after the Kickstarter ship-outs are done are now at IPR!

DRIVETHRURPG.COM:

Starting this Thursday and running until the 22nd, all WoD 20th Anniversary Edition PDFs are on sale!

75% off all core 20th Anniversary Edition PDFs and 25% off every other 20th Anniversary Edition PDFs

PLUS!

If you are looking for physical Deluxe WoD 20th Anniversary books, IPR has them on sale for 25% off too!

On Sale This Week!

This Wednesday, here comes M20 Gods and Monsters, in PDF and physical book PoD versions on DTRPG!

CONVENTIONS

UK Games Expo: May 31st – June 2nd From the US comes Eddy Webb, Matt McElroy, and Rich Thomas to join with Matthew Dawkins, Steffie de Vann, John Burke, Chris Allen, and Klara Herbol! Gen Con: August 1st – August 4th Save Against Fear: Oct 12-14 GameHoleCon: October 31st – November 3rd We’ll also be back at PAX Unplugged later this year.

And now, the new project status updates!

DEVELOPMENT STATUS FROM FAST EDDY WEBB (projects in bold have changed status since last week):

First Draft (The first phase of a project that is about the work being done by writers, not dev prep)

M20 Victorian Mage (Mage: the Ascension 20th Anniversary Edition)

City of the Towered Tombs (Cavaliers of Mars)

Geist2e Fiction Anthology (Geist: The Sin-Eaters 2nd Edition)

Across the Eight Directions (Exalted 3rd Edition)

Exalted Essay Collection (Exalted)

Kith and Kin (Changeling: The Lost 2e)

Scion: Demigod (Scion 2nd Edition)

Trinity Continuum Jumpstart (Trinity Continuum Core)

TC: Aeon Jumpstart (Trinity Continuum: Aeon)

Tales of Aquatic Terror (They Came From Beneath the Sea!)

Masks of the Mythos (Scion 2nd Edition)

Scion: Dragon (Scion 2nd Edition)

Wraith20 Fiction Anthology (Wraith: The Oblivion 20th Anniversary Edition)

Blood Sea Guides for 5e (Scarred Lands)

DR:E Jumpstart (Dystopia Rising: Evolution)

DR:E Threat Guide (Dystopia Rising: Evolution)

One Foot in the Grave Jumpstart (Geist: The Sin-Eaters 2e)

Redlines

Mummy: The Curse 2nd Edition core rulebook (Mummy: The Curse 2nd Edition)

Cults of the Blood Gods (Vampire: The Masquerade 5th Edition)

Legendlore core book (Legendlore)

TC: Aeon Ready Made Characters (Trinity Continuum: Aeon)

Heroic Land Dwellers (They Came From Beneath the Sea!)

Monsters of the Deep (They Came From Beneath the Sea!)

Second Draft

Tales of Good Dogs – Pugmire Fiction Anthology (Pugmire)

Heirs to the Shogunate (Exalted 3rd Edition)

Deviant: The Renegades (Deviant: The Renegades)

Scion Companion: Mysteries of the World (Scion 2nd Edition)

Let The Streets Run Red (Vampire: The Masquerade 5th Edition)

Dragon-Blooded Novella #1 (Exalted 3rd Edition)

Chicago Folio/Dossier (Vampire: The Masquerade 5th Edition)

Development

Hunter: the Vigil 2e core (Hunter: the Vigil 2nd Edition)

Lunars: Fangs at the Gate (Exalted 3rd Edition)

WoD Ghost Hunters (World of Darkness)

Oak, Ash, and Thorn: Changeling: The Lost 2nd Companion (Changeling: The Lost 2nd)

Night Horrors: Nameless and Accursed (Mage: the Awakening Second Edition)

Memento Mori: the GtSE 2e Companion (Geist: The Sin-Eaters 2nd Edition)

Distant Worlds (Trinity Continuum: Aeon)

M20 The Technocracy Reloaded (Mage: the Ascension 20th Anniversary Edition)

Creatures of the World Bestiary (Scion 2nd Edition)

Manuscript Approval:

Trinity Continuum: Aberrant core (Trinity Continuum: Aberrant)

Scion Ready Made Characters (Scion 2nd Edition)

Pirates of Pugmire (Realms of Pugmire)

Editing:

V5 Chicago By Night (Vampire: The Masquerade)

V5 Chicago By Night Screen (Vampire: The Masquerade)

Spilled Blood (Vampire: The Requiem 2nd Edition)

CofD Contagion Chronicle (Chronicles of Darkness)

Witch-Queen of the Shadowed Citadel (Cavaliers of Mars)

CofD Dark Eras 2 (Chronicles of Darkness)

Post-Editing Development:

Signs of Sorcery (Mage: the Awakening Second Edition)

Tales of Excellent Cats (Monarchies of Mau)

C20 Novel: Cup of Dreams (Changeling: the Dreaming 20th Anniversary Edition)

M20 Book of the Fallen (Mage: the Ascension 20th Anniversary Edition)

Scion Jumpstart (Scion 2nd Edition)

Indexing:

Trinity Core

Trinity Aeon

ART DIRECTION FROM MIRTHFUL MIKE:

In Art Direction

Ex3 Monthly Stuff  

Chicago By Night – Gaydos getting finals in.

Aeon Aexpansion

They Came From Beneath the Sea! – Art coming in.

EX3 Lunars

Hunter: The Vigil 2

Contagion Chronicle – AD’d for KS.

VtR Spilled Blood – Hiring artists.

M20 Book of the Fallen – Pinging artists.

Dark Eras 2 – Getting artnotes in from devs.

Marketing Stuff

In Layout

Dystopia Rising: Evolution – Slowly but surely.

Signs of Sorcery

Shunned By the Moon

Scion Jumpstart

Trinity Core and Aeon Screens – They are in progress…

Proofing

Adventures for Curious Cats – Maps being reviewed.

Geist 2e – To WW for approval.

C20 Player’s Guide – At WW for approval.

The Realm – Proof comments in, inputting.

Book of Oblivion – Inputting first round of corrections.

Tales of Excellent Cats

Scarred Lands Spell Cards

At Press

Scion Hero – Shipping from printer to fulfillment shipper this week.

Scion Origin – Shipping from printer to fulfillment shipper this week.

Scion Dice – At Studio2.

Scion Screen – At Studio2.

Fetch Quest – Shipping to backers.

In Media Res – Getting Backer PDF out to backers.

M20: Gods and Monsters – PDF and PoD versions on sale this Wednesday on DriveThruRPG.com!

TODAY’S REASON TO CELEBRATE: 

Kind of a personal one, but let’s celebrate that I no longer live in Atlanta…as the pollen clouds waft down and cover all surfaces with a fine green/yellow dust. It’s like the Martian invasion in War of the Worlds, and I’m glad not to sneeze my way through it as Spring arrives full-force!

[blackbyartblog]

I’ll be launching a Patreon!

So.

Guys.

I said it in a previous journal: I am launching a Patreon soon. What can you expect from it? What content? What do I expect to achieve with it?

What's the goal?

I love to teach and people say I'm good at it. I love to help. But most of all, I love cooperative creations. Working together to make something special, something dreamy and beautiful that even more people will appreciate.

I lot of you guys asks me for help regarding drawing and want to see my 3D models. You often ask for specific illustrations or printed merchandises from me. Thing is, I currently don't have the time nor the ressources to produce any of that.

Unleeeeess... I get help via Patreon!

Patreon seems the most fair, most simple and effective way to produce content that will satisfy both you and me.

What will be be on my Patreon?

For the moment and depending on the chosen tier:

Access to patreon only feed (Q&A, news, sales, personal blog posts, behind the scenes,...)

Access to the Discord server for art and lifestyle talk

Access to streams and chat live

Access to all SFW patreon only sketches & WIP before everyone else

Access to all SFW patreon only high-res illustrations before everyone else

.JPG of the process of creation with comments

Wallpapers on ask

Access to previous stream sessions

I review your drawings during live streams and do paintovers

Access to all NSFW patreon only high-res sketches, Wip & illustrations before everyone else

Get to vote on the next illustration and stream themes

Access to the Discord server for art feedback

Your name listed on social media with the content you helped create

Personal videochat lessons on drawing & digital painting. I'm your mentor.

-5% off commission

If we get far enough that I can open an online shop, You will get free or % off of merchandises you helped create by participating in the Patreon.

What's on my Discord?

For small pledge patrons: access to logs, announcements and "blog post". You get to ask for advices from me and the community about Art and improving yourself. Access to the inspiration board, science talk, mental illness talk, video games talk and the radio.

for bigger pledge patrons: you can suggest a character to draw or a theme for my next creations. You can promote your work in our community and get unlimited access to all the tutorials and art advices that I produce and that the community shares.

What's in stock for the future?

My ultimate goal is to produce figurines, or help you make your own. I would also like to put your ideas into an interactive display, be it: videogames. I already know how to do it but it demands a lot of time and a lot of work. Imagine your favourite character, right there as a figurine at home. Or being able to move it and play with it in an interactive environement. Do you have an idea of a video game mechanic or want to learn how to do game assets? That's what I want to offer you in the future.

So, there is the whole project. Now there are more questions I can answer:

How about your health? Can you really be consistent?

I can update monthly, yes, that's for sure. I tested it these past 3 month. I would not do more, at the moment; I need to test the water. See how it goes, and adapt the content after your feedback.

So.... NSFW stuff, hé?

Well, if you've visted my FurAffinity page (and are old enough to see it), you know that I do like to draw sexual content. It is not something that I will do every day, sure, but I quite like it and would like to do more of it. The access to those works will be under strict control, since I know that half of my fanbase is underage or are not interested about this kind of stuff.

Illustrations, tutoriels, then online shop, 3D modeling and figurines? Isn't it a lot to do? It seems all over the place.

It would be per month, so, no, it's not too much for me. Right now, I will only be producing illustrations, streams, sketches and managing a Discord for Patrons, so it is quite managable. The Discord already exist and has been tested. I may find someone to help me manage it in the future, and the number of students under my wing will be limited.

For the rest, what's I want in the future, yes, one 3D model would take more than one month to make. Then, as I said, I will adapt the content to what you guys want. I already know how to do it. I have the materials for it. It's not really different from what I already do, except I will do it for you. A sketch can be turned into an illustration that I will stream, then can be turned into a 3D model that will either be for videogame production or 3D printing, or just for view and render. Those are just different branches of the same tree, in my chain of production. Plus, if things go this far, I will have the means to hire someone to help me. Maybe one of you guys, héhé...

It's not for nothing than I only propose illustrations and art classes at the moment. 3D stuff and video game making demands more money and time to do than illustrations and streams. Only your participation and feedback will tell me if we can get further in this project...

I don't want to participate. What's in stock for the non-patrons? Is everything going to be behind a paywall?

On Discord, you can view the FAQ and have view-only access to the inspiration board, view-only of science talk, mental illness talk, video games talk and the radio.

Some of the illustrations and sketches done for Patreon will be released for free, after a time, but it won't be much and maybe not what you want to see the most.

I realize what I am asking for. I am so, so grateful for every bit of support you're giving me. I cannot repeat enough how much this means to me.

As most artists, I believe in free sharing; but capitalism doesn't agree with me on that, folks. My hope is that I can finance my creations via Patreon so that they could be released for free out there; but for more complex, time-consuming stuff, it is simply not possible. Patreon is the only plateform, with kickstarter, that gets projects funded with people giving such a small amount of money by individuals.

As I said earlier, having a Patreon seems the most fair thing to do. At the end, it's your choice of course. But bare in mind that I will go that much slower without you.

I would love to read what you have to say about this project, even if you already feel like you won't be participating. Do you find all of this interesting? Do you already have a favorite theme you would like me to focus on? Is there some part of what I offer that interests you more than another?

Are you intereste by an by month subscribtion or would you prefer to pay by products?

Let me know with a comment and see you very soon!

With love and respect,

Black_Berry

[britesparc]

Weekend Top Ten #492

Top Ten Team 17 Games

I’d already been thinking a lot about old Amiga games this week, because news came out of the blue that some kind of Zool update was on its way. Now, I really liked Zool back in the day, and I thought that it was fondly remembered, but if the comment section on that Eurogamer article is anything to go by, I seem to be in the minority. I don’t care; Zool rocked and I’m glad he’s on his way back, with his sticky hands and feet and gloriously sugar-coated levels. Frankly, in a world that seems mostly populated by people who spent the entire 1990s playing Metroid or Zelda, I could do with an Amiga renaissance.

This was exacerbated when I discovered that Team 17, beloved purveyor of 16-bit computer classics, has an office in Media City. Quite how this passed me by I do not know (I, er, guess I just didn’t see the Tweets), but all the same it’s very good news; perhaps I’ll stop some of them in the piazza and bore them about the good old days. Especially if they’re, like, 25 or something.

Anyway! All this is a boring preamble to me listing my ten favourite Team 17 games. If you don’t remember, T17 was a major player on the Amiga: tons of classic games, phenomenal graphics, and – something I didn’t quite appreciate properly at the time – a nice Northern sense of humour. I don’t want to do much more preamble, because really I wanna let the games do the talking. One thing I will say, however, is I’ve taken advantage of their more recent moves as a publisher to include some games that they didn’t develop too – because I do feel like they’re really good at picking publishing projects that reflect the core tenets of their “brand”, such as it is (as opposed to Core tenets, which is probably something to do with Chuck Rock).

So here we go: my ten favourite Team 17 games. Enjoy! And bring them all out on the Xbox.

Alien Breed: Tower Assault (1994): the Alien Breed games were almost platform-defining, atmospheric blastathons that evoked the tension and exhilaration of Aliens, with superb (and difficult!) twitchy gameplay. Tower Assault, with its less linear, more explorative gameplay, was the best of the bunch. Back in the day, this was the equivalent of a Mass Effect or BioShock to me: an intense action game coupled with an enjoyable amount of back-and-forth. One thing I’ve always been a bit sad about is never having played the 3D Alien Breed games; I graduated to PC just as they were coming out, and I’m not even certain if they ran on an ordinary A1200. I wonder what they’d be like to play nowadays…?

Worms World Party (2001): how do you differentiate between the Worms games? I mean, I’m old enough to remember the “Total Wormage” demo that marked the first appearance of the little critters. But there was a point there when the gimmicks were still new, but they’d had a couple of releases under their belt, and there was a short run of games that were utterly hilarious, gameplay out the yazoo, and still a slight air of rough-edged weirdness. Can you still get the Yorkshire “Tykes” voice set in new Worms games? I mean, the formula is still unbeatable, but the Golden Age of Worms will be the World Party era for me, when my brother and I played it all the blinkin’ time. Get under that.

Assassin (1992): if Zool was the Amiga’s Sonic, then arguably Assassin was the platform’s equivalent to Strider or Shinobi (er, despite those games actually being released on the Amiga; never mind, just go with me on this). I remember the game mostly for its acrobatic movement, allowing you to climb walls (hey, shades of Zool again!); also, you had a boomerang, which is really cool, apart from when they re-released the game after two years and got rid of the boomerang. Basically, I really dug it for a lot of reasons. I also think it’s the Team 17 game which had an hilarious spoof of the “Reg” ads for Regal cigarettes, a joke I thought was incredibly clever thirty years ago but which I can find no evidence of on the internet.

Body Blows (1993): back when Street Fighter II ruled the world, and everyone was going gaga over the Super Nintendo, the Amiga suffered in comparison; it couldn’t do the multiple parallax layers of animated backgrounds, and most common joysticks didn’t have the button configurations to do the special moves justice. Step up Body Blows, a gorgeous, chunky, responsive fighter that’s still probably my favourite beat-em-up (I’m not the biggest fan of the genre, to be honest). One of the few games I remember really trying really hard to complete it, but I’m pretty sure I never saw the final opponent (some kind of Terminator-style robot, if I remember right). I always wanted the sequel, but never played it.

Yooka-Laylee (2017): feels a bit of a cheat, as this is really a Playtonic game, but they published the physical release, so it counts! And in many ways the cheeky British sensibility of the game fits right into the T17 ethos. I remember getting so excited for this game – I backed it on Kickstarter, in fact – and it didn’t disappoint: a colourful, meaty-looking platformer with a nice line in terrible dad jokes and a slowly-unfolding roster of abilities. It might not quite coalesce the way the old Rare platformers did in the late nineties, but it’s still fun; and it was a very popular game in our house with my wife and daughters.

Superfrog (1993): would probably be higher, as it’s thought of as one of the classics, but it didn’t quite hook me the way it seemed to everyone else. But even back then I could see everything about it that worked even if I didn’t fall in love; a beautiful, colourful world, with a tremendously designed lead character who looked like he’d leaped from a Cosgrove Hall cartoon. It also had a pretty naughty sense of humour. All in all, a good game, and one I’d love to revisit with a more refined palate.

Overcooked (2016): I think I first started to fall in love with this game when I saw it on Go 8-Bit; an anarchic and crazy-looking multiplayer fun-fest. And, sure enough, it’s a delightfully chaotic experience, really funny, with colourful and nicely-designed characters. However, it loses points for being one of those games that give you an odd-numbered Achievement. Multiples of five, people! Multiples of five!

Arcade Pool (1994): this one feels a bit niche, but I loved this back in the day. After the full-3D polygon wonderment of the Archer McClean pool and snooker games, going back to a simplified top-down aesthetic might have felt like a step back, but for me it was an excellent and really, really fun pool game. It’s the sort of experience I’ve chased in years since – a totally hassle-free arcade pool game – but nothing’s quite scratched the same itch (or, at least, the itch I remember, if that makes sense).

Golf With Your Friends (2020): the most recent game on the list, and another one that’s just damn fun. A wild and rather weird crazy golf game, with a succession of increasingly-bonkers courses, but one that’s easy to get into and – yes – persistently entertaining. I started playing it due it being available for cloud streaming on Game Pass, and it’s a pretty good phone game, even if the touch controls don’t give quite the nuance needed for some of the trickier shots. Also it’s worth saying that I am just terrible at the game. Really, the worst.

Project-X (1992): a bit like Superfrog, this is a game I respected rather than adored, hence it being a bit lower on the list. I think the big problem is just that I was utterly shit at it; I mean, I was flat-out rubbish at all these side-scrolling shooters, even if I really wanted to be good. But this game was a stunner way back when, and I think one of the ones that really cemented Team 17’s reputation as a graphical powerhouse of a studio. It also had a tremendous score from Allister Brimble, T17’s resident maestro. It’s funny, because I remember this as being heralded as “the new masterpiece from Team 17” upon its release, but it was actually one of their first titles; so either they hit the ground running or this is one of the games that secured their reputation. Either way, it’s still a classic of its type. And apparently there was a sequel on the PlayStation. You learn something new each day.

So I hope you’ve enjoyed this trip down Commodore Memory Lane. Yes, I know, some of the games are a lot newer than that, but I’m afraid I’ll always think of Team 17 as “an Amiga studio”. They did sterling work back in the day, they really helped define the Amiga and give the platform its own identity, distinct from consoles (even though a lot of their games were, obviously, ported to other systems). And thanks to the success of Worms, they’ve endured, even as most of their contemporaries have fallen by the wayside. And now they’re in Salford! A Yorkshire invasion of Lancashire. What could go wrong?!

[cryamore]

MINI UPDATE PART 1: Backer-only Discord Server Questions

Mirroring a recent Kickstarter update over here on Tumblr to try and keep all the social outlets up to date.

This has to be split into two parts because Tumblr only allows five embedded videos per post.

Thanks for everyone’s comments and support on the previous Kickstarter backer only update! A good number of people have joined the Cryamore Backer Discord server that I started up.

We’ve got about 132 members on there right now and it may grow a bit more once I send out the invite to the Paypal backers as a means to get them caught up with what’s been going on behind the backer-only posts. I just have to mirror the backer-only posts in somewhere like Dropbox for their prolonged perusal and prepare a short list of Q&A in case they have any queries and I’ll send out this draft I’ve done.

With that said, I wanted to make a short update reiterating questions gathered from the Discord channels and sharing some of the things we feel we can have non-backers see since it won’t spoil the game... too much.

FoolishWolf asked: I guess my first question is if it is possible to give an ETA on the project at this point?

Rob: We want to be finished this year. We're currently in the "Polish" phase where all the moving and working parts are in, it's just a matter of cleaning up presentation, major bugs, and final art.

Alan: There are going to be gameplay polishes too as we go along. The mechanics we've got are now all adjusted to any suggestions we've taken in from our publisher's testing but we'd like to see if during the backer tests, anyone feels it could be improved further.

That's fair. I guess this is just the marketer in me, but is there gifs and videos that maybe you can release for the community for #Indiedevhour and #screenshotsaturday that we share around. Kinda get the hype train going?

Rob: We want to get back into doing more of that, yeah. Now that we're polishing stuff up.

Alan: We'll be sharing stuff as often as we can on Discord which we'll then pool together for the mini updates.

Clay | Terminally Nerdy asked:

Once the game is in a “playable” preview state, would you all want someone to stream/talk about it?

We’re absolutely okay with it as this would help reinforce the fact that the game is legit. We’ll make sure to mark which builds are public ready.

Can you get Atlus to port the Persona series to PC, and will Jack Frost be in the game?

We sadly don’t have that kind of pull but I personally would like to see the Persona series on PC too.

Phosphatide asked:

How close is it to the proposed "40+ tracks" from the Kickstarter?

We’re pretty much within the forty track count already. I’ll share surasshu’s answer here as it’s better to hear it from one of our composers.

here's a link to a larger version (just adjust the zoom) in case Kickstarter decides to shrink the whole thing to an unreadable point.

fpwong asked:

What do ppl usually use for programming AI in Unity? UE4 has inbuilt behaviour trees but idk if unity has anything of the sort.

Alan: We’re not sure about other people using Unity but for us, we’ve been using a mix of C# and FlowCanvas/NodeCanvas to achieve an easily tweakable AI system. It’s the same thing we used to set up our cutscene/dialogue system too, so it’s multipurpose!

Rob: This video is quite outdated though; It’s mostly the dialogue on example there and a few older bugs but that shows how the dialogue tree is set up, how it can control objects to walk away from the scene, change sprites and more.

Brendan (luigimeistersa) asked:

Hey dev guys. Does Cryamore have any kind of buffs you can apply to Esmy?

Alan: We sadly don’t have much in way of buff abilities besides things like Oxy Barrier which provide you with a protective bubble and allow you to breathe underwater or other abilities like Time Paradox and Shadow Cloak. You do get a Well Rested buff though from sleeping at the inn though and the buff comes at various tiers.

Can you bind them (abilities) to the row of number keys on PC?

Alan: We're using Rewired for Unity to support keybinding and a variety of controllers (here's a list) so you should be able to rebind controls to any key you wish on a desktop keyboard.

Rob: Controllers may be more limited for keybinding in comparison, however.

AreYouSmarterThanACheeseGrater asked:

So, how are you going to work sleeping? Will time advance a set number of hours or will time progress to the next morning/evening?

Alan: Here’s an excerpt from our design document to easily explain how sleeping works.

Take note, costs are subject to change but sleeping in specific beds advances time by a set amount and you get better rest in a shorter amount of time from the more expensive rooms at the inn (to be fully rested and free from fatigue for a day in just two hours would be amazing). You do have the option to be cheap and just sleep in your own bed but you use up more time in a day.

Downing energy drinks is a way to stay awake without having to sleep but you can only carry so much and it won't fully restore your fatigue and you'll eventually find yourself sleeping on the ground, helpless against any threats around you.

shadowreaper5 asked: Are you still looking for help? I can't draw or code, but if you need someone to poke every corner for bugs I'm your man

We'll put out a public call for assistants when there's nothing else left but the art polish push, there's a bit of design polish that Rob and I still have to work on here and there but when the backgrounds and pixel tracing are all that's left, we're hoping we get many applicants that're willing to stick through.

As for poking every corner for bugs, I've currently given 13 members on the Backer Discord @tester status. Having them on Discord will help us all communicate as they run the builds. I expect we're going to have a few questions of why the game won't start when loading a save (recurring bug that happened in old builds regarding data from a previous build being kept in the %appdata% folder on Windows systems and conflicting with the new build)

Does your [insert magic equivalent here] regenerate quicker if you sleep in a bed/inn?

Alan: In our aim to nail down the fun factor without sacrificing too much of the original vision, we decided to make EP regenerate automatically.

You should see it in action in this older stress test video that Rob shared on the Discord server.

As you can see, the blue meter to the lower left goes down each time Esmy uses a skill. The meter is actually comprised of a number of cells but displays as a meter, the cell count is shown to the right of the meter as EP <number>. Each ability eats a number of cells, i.e. an ability like Ignite Lv1 costs = 1 cell but Shadow Cloak of any level will use = 4 cells. A channeled ability like Boulder Dash will eat up a cell every second.

Cells can be increased by finding certain collectibles in the game.

Rob: You can also see in the video above that even in-editor, the game runs pretty smoothly (60FPS+) with 8 monsters and numerous adds it summons.

Alan: I've personally tried it on my own PC with a 1GB video card from 7 years ago and it runs fine in-editor and runs even better on a compiled build.

lemon-rev asked: With your post regarding the update, I can now fully understand why the game looks at is base level, playtime on each of those levels sounds great, but are they leveling, completing quests, just beating up mobs, I am sure each of those other sections that have to be redone for unity as well as the type of content for each one.

Some context is necessary here for the non-backers reading this. During the previous backer update, I mentioned the listed completion times we got for each dungeon when we had testers run through it, here are those numbers...

Northern Caverns v1 Build: 20-30 minutes

Rime Rapids v1 Build: 30-40 minutes

Molten Mountain v1 Build: 30-40 minutes

Terrestrial Woods v1 Build: 40-60 minutes  

Vale of Gale v1 Build: 40-60 minutes  

Sunken Ship v2 Build: 40-120 minutes

Mekanika v2 Build: 40-120 minutes

Phantom Marshes v2 Build: 40-120 minutes

The v1 builds were before I ran a level design revamp over the layouts so those numbers can go up. All in all though, that's currently around 4.6 hours worth of dungeon crawling (and there's one dungeon unaccounted for still).

With that bit of context given, to fully answer lemon-rev's question, take note, these are all approximate numbers as there was a guide provided for the publisher testers to consult and these numbers also DO NOT include boss fights, cutscenes or enemy ambushes. There's also the time required to head out into the overworld and look for and access those dungeons so we estimate that we could hit 12 hours at the very least of regular gameplay without completing any sidequests and hopefully 16-18 hours if you try to 100% the whole game.

sky asked: Is Linux still planned?

Yes! This is also why we're going to have to reach out to our backers for testing assistance as we've only been able to test on PC and Mac so far and do not have much if any Linux testbeds.

We've had a number of people on the Discord server that I've tagged as willing testers and we look forward to working with them soon!

CONTINUED IN PART 2

[fictionfactorygames]

The Icy Slopes of PAX

As I shift this blog away from “strictly project updates” and into “personal updates that won’t fit in 250 characters” we find ourselves in interesting and somewhat archaic turf. I used to post to my LiveJournal (ha!) all the time with essays on what’s been happening in my life. Let’s resume doing that, shall we?

Last weekend I was up in Boston for PAX East.

Let me be incredibly negative up front, because I’d like to load up on the positive afterwards.

Everything about PAX was great. Everything around PAX was absolute hell. Boston in March means blizzards and sub-freezing temperatures, gale force freezing winds, and airport delays due to breakdowns and rerouting and weather issues. This is a lousy time and a lousy place to combine together for a nerd convention, and it resulted in two solid days of travel hell. Add on top of that the lack of really good hotels close to the convention center (the Westin is perpetually unavailable) and you’re gonna have a bad time. Our hotel, the Element, was a weeeeird “hostel” style hotel. It had a kitchen! …with no grocery store around for two miles. It had a foyer and a desk and a couch! …and incredibly tight walking spaces around the beds. Too much stuff we didn’t need crammed into too little space.

And while I don’t wanna appear whiny… being disabled at a large-scale public event like this sucks real bad. Everything others take for granted… the ability to use any old random chair, bed, shower, or toilet… I don’t get that. I need adaptations, tools, or helpers for every single thing I want to do. The Boston Convention Center is a complete mismash of weirdly random toilet heights, none of which are kept particularly tidy, all of which have lines and irate bastards waiting to pee. When I finally do get back to the hotel room, I can’t even go to bed on my own because those big-ass queen sized hotel beds are 65% as tall as I am and I can’t climb in. So, yeah. It’s not fun. It’s very, very not fun.

And there’s always the question of: what’s the tipping point? When does the not-fun outweigh the fun? In past years, when it was merely cold and not apocalyptic, or when we had a better hotel… that was clear. This year was more balanced, and that’s bad. I haven’t given up hope, though, and I can say for sure that there was some fun to be had.

So let’s talk about what was fun: games. Here’s everything I played and what I thought of it. My main focus was indie games, particularly arcadey ones that’ll run on my arcade cabinet. You can keep your AAA’d open world military shooters; those are a waste to demo while at PAX. Instead I went for the weird stuff.

Adult Swim Games brought out a number of heavy hitters. Kingsway, a game that plays like using a Windows 95-esque operating system? Innovative as hell. Battle Chef Brigade? Saw it on Kickstarter, didn’t think much of it at the time, but boy is it a blast to sit down and play. Katana Zero? Delicious pixelly murder. My friend Sean Baptiste was there showing off the goods, and boy howdy were they good. I kinda like this niche ASG’s carved out for themselves, curating a fine roster of indie talent that always brings something a little new and a little quirky to the table, without sacrificing quality to get there. Oh, and the best part? The dev for Battle Chef Brigade actually took his demo unit apart because the cord on the controller wasn’t long enough to reach short l’il me. I’m no journo, I’m no influencer, I’m just some schmuck and yet he still went the extra mile for disability support. That’s professionalism.

Then there’s the Visual Novel Reading Room, which was a tiny expo hall inside a smaller expo hall (the Indie Megabooth) inside the actual expo hall. Here’s where all the Renpy games landed, ranging from amusingly stereotypical otome stuff (Spirit Parade) to weird death game datesim shenanigans (Date or Die) and some things I really wish I’d played but missed (We Know The Devil). It’s not all my flavor but it’s all good research for my own future aspirations, showing what’s possible and what’s tried and true in the form. …but more on that later. Later. Patience, friends. Patience.

Other random games I found included an arcadey realtime strategy game with beautiful pixel art (Tooth and Tail), a cute Ouendan-style game for iOS with a hiphop culture vibe (Floor Kids) and a goofy litttle game about dogs barking at people to make them throw their food in the air (Russian Subway Dogs). All cute, all easily overlooked, but all worth your time. Indies are tricky, because often they’re tucked away in obscure little corners of the expo hall, overlooked by many… and I try to make a point to walk right up and play anything that has no crowd. I take business cards, I offer feedback. Good stuff.

A special shoutout goes to Fantasy Strike, an amazing fighting game. Unlike others, ‘special moves’ are single button presses, not complex combination inputs… they want to take the busywork out of fighting games, stripping them down to a pure game of positioning and timing. Skill, not execution. Why highlight it with its own paragraph in this post? ’cause I talked with one of the devs about my arcade cab and spreadsheet, and how well the game worked on it. Discussed key remapping for disability, 4:3 screen ratios, and how badly Street Fighter V got everything wrong. A good discussion and again, he didn’t have to have it with me. He chose to step away and talk shop a bit. And that’s the kind of thing that only happens at PAX.

Speaking of “only at PAX,” how about panels? I’m always impressed by how diverse and interesting the panel lineup is, every year. You’d think amidst the insanity of the Gate Which We Do Not Speak Of that there’d be a pushback on social or identity issues and gaming, but no! They’re out in full force, across a wide spectrum, and there’s something for everyone at PAX. I personally helped my friend Miellyn run a “How to PAX” panel for newbies, which was a lot of fun. The “Romance in Games” panel with Sean and Miellyn and others I knew was also great, even if a burning need to pee kinda distracted me from the crazy antics. Plenty of comedy on offer too, with the Paxamania wrestling farce for good cringey humor, the Jackbox Games panel for professional funny people being professionally funny, and of course Acquisitions Inc.’s D&D show. I could’ve watched it all on Twitch, yes, but being there in person adds a special zing to it all.

There’s plenty I didn’t get to do, for lack of time. (Sadly waiting in line for events takes a loooot of time.) I didn’t cruise the tabletop area very much. I only swooped by the artists and musicians with wares for sale… just long enough to buy a massively expensive but beautiful (to me, anyway) Galaga arcade artwork painting. The classic retro arcade was flat out missing this year, which is a shame. And there’s freeplay areas, and tournaments, and other things I missed…

…but there’s always next year. Assuming I don’t look away from Twitter for twenty minutes and all the tickets are sold, anyway. If they aren’t, I’ll see you there.

[mobileappdevelopmentservice]

Give us a brief introduction about your company?

I started Technoloader Pvt. Ltd. in 2016. Within this short span of time, we have been able to give our company a reasonable reputation. Our company is now recognized by the major research organizations such as Clutch, Goodfirms, Appfutura, ITFirms, and Business of Apps in multiple categories. I am proud to tell that our blockchain development services are considered one of the best.

When you start a company, you have to stick to the basics so you don’t lose the track to success. In our case, it is not just the rigidity of sticking to essentials but also a proneness to accept the change, which has produced favorable results. We took a more flexible approach for adapting different business models and technologies to be more approachable for a larger set of clients. We recognized our strengths and weaknesses and worked on them together as a team. We aimed to gain the trust of our clients by making our services transparent at each stage and delivering precisely what they wanted.

We have made a significant contribution in various categories such as blockchain development, supply chain development, cryptocurrency development, website, and mobile app development, smart contract, internet of things, e-commerce platform, proof of concept, cryptocurrency wallet, hyperledger blockchain development, fantasy sports app, and game development services, etc.

We have also served multiple industries such as Real Estate, Health Care, Insurance, Retail, Banking, Social Networking, Media and Entertainment, Automotive, etc. We have served B2B and B2C platforms both with groundbreaking solutions that make us a go-to choice for every business. Implementation of technology is different in various industries and we understand the requirements of every business and provide apt solutions.

Respondent: Vipin Sharma

Designation: CEO Technoloader

Email Id: info@technoloader.com

Company: Technoloader Pvt. Ltd.

Website: https://www.technoloader.com

LinkedIn CEO : https://www.linkedin.com/in/vipinkumarbusinesanalyst/

 What are the services you offer to your clients?

We are now offering services like supply chain development, hyperledger blockchain development, private blockchain development, blockchain POC development, blockchain consulting services,  smart contract development, cryptocurrency wallet development, blockchain game development, cryptocurrency development, multicurrency wallet development etc

We also provide dedicated resources like blockchain, react js, node js developers, PHP developer, web designer, and digital marketer.

In this intensely competitive era, what technologies, services, and project model can give you an edge over your competitors?

We have set models with fixed prices so it is easy for the clients to determine how much they need to pay for a particular service.

We have introduced a resource-based engagement model which makes inroads for the use of the latest technology. The costing based on this model is ascertained hours dedicated to the project on a daily basis.

The project-based engagement model is utilized when the requirements of the client are very clear. Payments are taken on a milestone basis.

When it comes to offshore development services, we follow a dedicated resources model which makes things easier for our clients. As per this model, costing becomes flexible.

If there is a shortcoming in the capital, we also form partnership engagements. Profits are shared and costing is done as per hourly rate under this model.

How has being an entrepreneur affected your family & Social life?

I would be lying if I say that the work hasn’t affected my social life at all, the former has definitely taken a toll on the latter for sure. But there are ways to keep a balance in your personal and professional life. I do manage to take some time out for my family and for friends as well. At least once in a week, I do plan a movie or go to some restaurant with my friends or family.

Whom do you consider your idol or biggest motivator?

My great-grandfather is my biggest motivator. He opened a small shop and now it has been turned into a very big enterprise. I hope that I will be able to do the same in my business too. Other than him, I idealize Steve Jobs and Henry Ford for their extraordinary achievements.

Share Best 3 application which your company have created or used for business

Farmkey - Agriculture App | Online Shopping India (Free, Google Play) →

OTP - Ocean Teen Patti (Indian Teen Patti Game) (Free+, Google Play) →

After service is a necessary part of development. How do you provide customer support to your client?

We ensure that the service representatives are able to figure out the problems and reach the bottom of it. It requires training for technologies and soft skills both. We follow a systematic workflow which gives us an edge when it comes to fault-finding. A customer can face issues due to various reasons, it could be technical glitch or a simple misunderstanding about the feature.

The support executive has to keep them cool and know-how in their mind for combing the problem. It is also important that we find the issues in time and able to fix them as soon as possible. Our approach is to get to the root of the problem and find the most suitable patch to it.

What are your hobbies? What do you do in your non-work time?

I was once very passionate about horse riding, but now work is everything that I think about. Most of the day is spent in conferences, meetings, and huddles with different teams. However, once I reach home I like to play with my 1-year-old daughter and spend some quality time with my family. I also love traveling and never miss a chance to visit different places even it is an official tour.

Have you raised any funding? Or have any plans for the funding?

We did that in the beginning and fortunately we have been able to pay back. Now we are able to generate enough business and do not have any plans for fund-raising in near future.

Give your opinions on how far this app revolution can make a difference in the technology world?

Mobile applications have now become a better vehicle to access services. Therefore, their usage is going to increase more and almost every business is going to be available on a mobile app in the future. Moreover, smartphones and the internet have also become easily accessible now extending the market of mobile apps.

What latest technologies and tools you’re planning to implement for mobile app development?

I personally feel when it comes to technology, the sky is the limit. We try to implement the most cutting-edge mechanism in the apps and websites that we make. Currently, our focus has been on React  Native, NodeJs and Blockchain Technology to deliver our projects. I can proudly say that we are the frontrunners in terms of catering the latest technology to our clients.

Some of our projects have been exemplary in serving the business with the most appropriate solutions. For shaping up the development process, you need to kickstart something robust and that’s what we do in every project.

What’s your approach to creating interactive and addictive UX/UI of mobile apps and websites?

In order to create interactive and user-friendly UX/UI for mobile apps and websites, you need to take a holistic view of the business. We analyze the target audience of the business and make the end-result suitable for them. It is a planned activity that is carried out step-by-step:

Figuring out the root of all the problems

Zero in on the target audience

Finding experts who would understand our vision.

We had to create a suitable business model which could satisfy our needs. We did that by analyzing how the markets behave under various trends. As soon as we had the model ready, we started making our strategy and then started implementing them. We had to set the primary goals, determine the pros and cons, and re-assess the plan.

Figuring out the source of capital.

Creating an MVP (Minimum Viable Product) which could help us get the feedback from the market.

I won’t say that I was 100% assured about our success, but it was a risk I was willing to take. We stuck to the basics and also kept the leeway for innovation at the same time.

What are the challenges you see in the outsourcing industry?

This industry is driven by innovation and technology which makes it always edgier. You need to be updated and well-versed with the latest changes. The only challenge that companies like us face is getting the resources at the right price and we follow all the standard practices to avoid that risk.

Mention the ways you use to introduce new updates to your team.

Team huddles are done on a regular basis. The information is cascaded to team leaders and we do a surprise audit once in a month to check if the team members are aware of all the updates. However, to keep the human errors at bay, we send all the updates on mail as well. The leaders have their own groups on whatsapp and that is also to convey all the messages.

What’s your step to enter into wearable tech & IOT revolution?

Technologies like IoT and wearables are surely the future we all are looking forward to. We are making inroads into this technology and have started to provide these options to our clients. We have already established ourselves in blockchain, IoT and AI. In the future, we are going to involve many new technologies such as Augmented Virtual Reality and Data Analytics in the future. We have already started taking big projects that involve usage of cutting-edge technology. Soon, we will be providing every service to our clients.

We have already developed many such applications with the newest technologies. Our latest projects involve virtual reality apps, fitness-tracking apps, Internet of Things, decentralized apps for payment, etc. Our developers are keen to learn new things and we provide them an environment where it is possible. That’s the result that we haven’t seen a single failure in the span of 3 years. We make sure that our clients get customized solutions that involve updates, functionality and user interface, we ensure that our services don’t exceed their budget limitations.

What are various technologies you used to make this app a reality?

We are currently focusing on Ionic, Xamarin, Kotlin, React Native, and Flutter for cross-platform app development. Besides that, we are also working on Java for Android app development and Swift, Objective C for iOS apps.

Anything, you would like to say to our readers, upcoming entrepreneurs or Startup Companies?

Every client is a valued potential that could generate a considerable number of leads. Therefore, it becomes essential to take care of their preferences and specifications. We leave no stone unturned to ensure that our clients are served with nothing but the best.

We build a bond of trust with our clients by serving them exactly what they want. We resolve all the issues without a delay and make our services more intuitive for them. Our motto is to satisfy our clients with top-notch services and state-of-the-art solutions.

The post Interview With Vipin Sharma, CEO, Technoloader appeared first on AppStoryOrg.

via AppStoryOrg

[thenew8bitheroes]

NESmaker Publishing

In this post, I want to discuss all of the ins and outs and considerations in publishing games created using NESmaker.  This includes making physical copies to sell, crowdfunding, and general distribution.  Let’s break it down into legal concerns, ethical concerns, and best practices.

LEGAL: Let’s start with the legal ramifications, as that is the first question many people ask.     1) By purchasing a license for NESmaker, you are granted permission to use and edit the code base to create your own NES games for both personal and commercial projects.  You have the license to use the code base provided by us, as well as the code provided by other contributors that is packaged with the download.  2) You may not re-sell raw code or assets that are packaged with NESmaker, or edits of that code or those assets.

3) You may not use graphic or sound assets that are packaged with NESmaker tutorial assets for commercial purposes.  They are for learning and personal use only.  Unless otherwise explicitly specified, make sure that you are creating your own creative property with your own graphics and sound assets. 4) You may not use NESmaker to create games for IPs that you do not explicitly own the legal rights to, in writing.  That includes fan games for personal or educational use.  The simple rule of thumb - did you create it?  No?  Do you have in writing the permissions to use it?  No?  Is it public domain?  No?  Then please find a different idea.

ETHICAL CONCERNS: This is a much bigger gray area, and truly what I think most people are asking about.  For instance... 1) you are under no legal obligation to announce that your product was created with NESmaker, however we hope you are proud of that fact, and it would be unethical to explicitly claim otherwise.  By crediting NESmaker, you are implicitly crediting the programmers and developers that worked on the product as having helped with programming for your game, and by proxy, those who have licensed the NESmaker team and all users moving forward to utilize their hard work in the underlying engine.  We never require a watermark or any branding on any work or promotional material you create using NESmaker.  However, we do appreciate credit being given where applicable.

2) You are under no legal obligation to share your code updates, bug fixes, alterations, methods, modules, cores, or scripts with the community, however we hope you realize that by sharing these you help the community grow and drive the capability of what can be done with NESmaker.  In the end, helping others create better games just yields better games, it doesn’t detract from your own.  And, for what it’s worth, much of the foundation you’re likely using was created by us and shared with you, preventing you from having to do years of R&D.  We hope you pay it forward, and do the same for the community when you figure out how to do something cool. 3) You are under no legal obligation to pay any royalties to the NESmaker team for projects you create with NESmaker if you are acting as your own distributor (if we have not been involved in any way with your method of distribution).  At this point, that is everyone, because we are not distributing or publishing games.  However, I selfishly feel it would be ethical for you to buy me a frosty libation with the spoils of your victory if we’re ever in the same town!  In all seriousness, you are under no legal obligation, but we hope that with the money you save by not having to pay us royalties of this kind, you support other developers, and that you support future components of this project.  If the point is more awesome NES games, your help as part of this community is invaluable in this way.  

BEST PRACTICES: Here is where some of you are now, in terms of your interest in making commercial products or monetizing your NESmaker projects.  I’m humbled that we are there already - your collective effort, quality of work, and amazing evolution of what this software can do is inspiring!  So lets talk for a moment about this part of things, and I’m sorry if some of this is vague.

1) Lets first talk about crowdfunding.  We are advocates of crowdfunding.  It is a great way to raise awareness about a creative project and help projects that would never get off the ground find financial footing.  We also know the depths of complications that arise from doing crowdfunding campaigns of this type, and we also are very well versed in project failure rate and audience fatigue.  This is a niche interest, and while there is strong support for it, burdening the retro game lovers in the crowdfunding universe with too many projects of this type will result in everyone losing and no projects being green lit, leading to waning interest or less confidence in the amazing work that you’re all doing.  So for those with commercial ambitions for their projects, this requires a much longer conversation.

Now, you can listen to me on this, or choose to ignore me.  You have no legal obligation to adhere to this.  Your games are your intellectual property, to do with as you see fit.  You neither need our consent nor our enthusiasm to do a crowdfunding campaign.  However, if you interest is aligned with ours, to build a stronger community where everyone benefits and new NES games thrive, here is my proposal on general guidelines for how we as a company will give our blessing and throw support behind crowdfunding campaigns moving forward.

Inform us of your intention to do a crowdfunding campaign prior to launching and even prior to making a firm timetable.  We’d like to help if it makes sense.  And we also want to try make sure NES projects are strategically spaced out...and that’s not only for NESmaker games, but any new NES homebrews that might be in development.

Demonstrate that you can complete a game.  Before we advocate for or support your project, we need to have confidence that you can create something of scope and quality.  If you can not demonstrate that you can fully complete a NES project, you’re not yet ready to try to Kickstart a NES project.

Have a proof of concept of the current game that you plan to Kickstart.  On top of a completed project, have a working demo of the game you ultimately want to create.  Not only will it give us as a community confidence in what you’re creating, but it will give your backers confidence as well.

Demonstrate that you have completed a successful crowdfunding campaign in the past.  Whether it was for a game or something completely different, show that you understand the ins and outs of crowdfunding by having done it before.  Now, maybe you haven’t, and that’s ok.  Work with someone who has to help you get yours off the ground.  Make them part of your team and release your project through their account which has a proven track record.  Or alternatively, try a small project related to your game first to help raise excitement and learn the ropes.  Crowdfunding is a full time obligation, and often requires months, if not years, of prep work to be successful.  There are many pitfalls you won’t know until you’re in those trenches.  Having been in those trenches before will go a long way towards our confidence to officially support a project.

Demonstrate your support for other NES homebrews, whether they’re NESmaker games or otherwise.  Demonstrating you’re not a lone wolf trying to cash in on nostalgia, but rather someone who is interested in fostering this community, will go a long way towards us supporting your ambition in crowdfunding your project.

Know that there are a lot of moving parts to all of this.  Understand that the timetable that may be convenient for you may not align with what may be best for the community or our efforts with NESmaker, which may result in us being unable to participate or support as much as we’d like.  For instance, with the contest currently running, we obviously can’t actively support any particular project over the others.  At the time of launch for a major NESmaker update, our efforts may be spent on that.  Etc.  Just because we’re not in a position to actively support your project doesn’t mean you can’t do it or that it’s not worthwhile.  But chances are the more you work with us, the more we’ll be able to help.

Keep it classy.  While we 100% advocate for people to use NESmaker to create any type of game experience they are compelled and able to create, and we’re generally big kids and personally enjoy plenty of content that may be deemed ‘inappropriate’, if you’re hoping for any official support from us as a company in a crowdfunding campaign, remember that we have 6 year old kids using the software.  Use your head on this.

If you think the above bullet points are too much expectation, trust us...you’re not ready for a crowdfunding campaign yet.

2) Lets talk about other distribution methods besides crowdfunding.  We are currently very hard at work on other potential publishing and distribution avenues for qualified, finished games.  Unfortunately, there is nothing concrete that we’re comfortable talking about yet, but some of the things are pretty cool.  One of the problems of being in a rush to get your game out now is that you might miss out on some really cool supports from these things.  Please keep that in mind!

3) Quality control.  This is a big issue on a conceptual level.  For front-facing games, there obviously needs to be a metric for evaluating quality of content.  However, we don’t ever want to discourage beginners or hobbyist whose passion may dramatically overshadow their skill level.  We don’t want to act as quality control...we would much prefer the opposite.  We want to be the bridge that get complete newcomers involved.  However, lack of quality control will leave new players disenchanted with games created with NESmaker, which is a circumstance in which everyone loses.  A bigger problem is we simply don’t have the infrastructure to act as quality control.  Our team is incredibly small, and that would take up far too much of our time and resources to manage.  Just like with publishing and distribution, we do have some concepts in mind for that, but we’re not quite there yet. 

I hope this answers a lot of questions that you may have about all of this.  Our community is awesome, and we are extremely happy that you’re a part of it.  The more we rally behind each other and move this thing forward as a cohesive passion, the more exciting things seem to get!  So let’s keep pushing it together!

[life2strange]

It’s never too late to make the big bucks.

“I want to be a superhero” was a line you’d probably expect coming from young children, but as the case with a large portion of society I didn’t really grow out of my superhero phase and here I was 22 years old still lining up at comic book stores waiting to get a new Batman comic. Today’s social society being receptive to anything that is a result of mainstream media production is said to be acceptable in social circles, such as if Marvel came out with a ‘Spiderman’ movie, it would be acceptable to go see it regardless of your Age or gender as it’s a ‘popular narrative’ providing content to the masses and is easily accessible. I feel if one tends to go further into this narrative like I did with superhero’s and try to get their means of entertainment through more unconventional means like comic books, video games, and animated cartoons, would lead people to have a negative perception about being overly attached or interested in content that might not be regarded as acceptable by mainstream media at this particular point in time. I do however feel like this is becoming more lax and people are becoming more acceptable of ‘geek’ or ‘nerd culture’ as the rise in popularity of ‘Marvel’ and ‘DC’ movies has led to superhero’s and superhero culture being a more common topic of conversation in society and the rise in mainstream actors playing superhero roles such as Robert Downy Junior Playing ‘Iron Man’ and Ben Affleck playing ‘Batman’ tends to help audiences feel more at ease and accept superhero’s as being more common place as acceptable medium in story telling. Boothe talks about the ‘Spime’ of a fandom which is ‘the lifecycle of an object from initial design through physical substantiation to final digital trace. It changes the ‘object’ from a purely physical entity into a lifecycle of technological transformation, and uses time as another dimension upon which an object can be measured’. Booth, P. (2105). Fandoms like Batman which started off with the comics in 1940 and has amassed success over a wide stream of media platforms such as comics, graphic novels, television shows, movies, video games and now even virtual reality immersion technology that allows you to become ‘Batman’. Transmedia therefore allows the franchise to develop a larger following across the world and allows people to find out information regarding the fandom at the touch of a button. This would have led Batman to develop a large fan following across many countries and fans of many generations that come together to enjoy it no matter the means how the do so. The spime of Batman helps it remain relevant across time and helps retain its popularity. I remember getting my first glimpse of Batman from my father showing me an old Batman movie staring George Clooney. My father exposed me to a fragment of the fandom thus including me in the ‘spimatic wave’ associated with the Batman fandom. When the voice actor who played batman for a little over ten years went to twitter to put up an idea to bring back the classic animated show for a reunion episode I was up in arms for the idea. He and the other members from the cast of the show used the crowdfunding website Kickstarter to try and obtain financial means from their most loyal fanbase in order to provide funding to create the content that would-be tailor made to the fanbase paying every dollar to make it happen. The success of the Kickstarter campaign is dependant on successfully utilizing the fan nostalgia and acknowledging the presence of a group of like minded people forming the batman fandom and supporting the project at multiple nodes in the production process. With such experiences I can add ground to Boothe’s views that Fandoms by applying certain theories of the Spime towards fandom through the appropriate mode of crowdfunding would lead to a more emotional and effective process of media creation.” Fandom is traditionally participation after-the-fact; the Spime allows us to see fandom as generative of meaning throughout the entire participatory process” Booth, P. (2105).

Being a media and communications student, my passion has always been to get involved in the journalism stream and eventually turn that into a career in sports writing. Basketball in particular had always been an area of interest for me and the opportunity to try and work in a career related to my passion was too hard to pass on and therefore I had been looking into what it took to become a sports writer in todays world. New means of media has led to the evolution of transmission of news and information regarding a player or a team in the National Basketball Association and writers have been quick to adapt. While most of the main story pieces that provide in depth analysis and detail regarding a situation, team or player are done via websites such as ESPN, Bleacher Report and Yahoo Sports, applications have also been developed so access on various devices becomes easier as migration to accessible devices had been a key goal of sports media to become commonplace among new technology. Breaking news on the other hand needs to be reported at a moment’s notice to the public which has led to the large-scale use of Twitter as a platform amongst sports media content creators. Twitter as a platform allows instant transmission of ‘viral sports news’ such as an immediate player trade between teams, a sudden injury or altercation or even a player spotted in public. It allows the content to be received and reacted to at the touch of a button. Live-tweeting updates during games has become popular via twitter and writers would tweet from arenas thereby relaying tiny details they pick up from team personnel, player huddles, in arena altercations that might not be seen or heard on TV. This unique information available almost instantaneously allows these content creators to have an advantage over traditional media broadcasts in terms of specificity of information they would be providing.  Lets take the example of ESPN’s senior sports writer Arash Markazi, Markazi has been providing quality content through his stories and coverage of Los Angeles based sports teams for over a decade and had built a rapport amongst avid sports fans as being a reputable source of information. When the twitter revolution happening in the sports coverage world. Markazi began posting snippets of interesting information along with his regular stories on twitter, these included some off the court content that sports fan started to get accustomed to. He once posted a video on his twitter of a then unknown blonde girl doing a ‘dougie’ which was the popular dance move of the year live at a basketball game and as you would expect the video quickly turned viral and led to media companies picking up the video and then fame and fortune hit. That blonde girl is now married to World series winner Justin Verlander and is named Kate Upton who became internet famous which further led to her mainstream popularity in the past couple of years all due to this little snippet on twitter by a sports writer. The power of media in whatever form is astounding. As a social media content creator in this scenario Markazi exercised his power over his followers by sharing content that was good enough to be mass distributed leading to it going viral and therefore creating a buzz over information that if created and distributed by someone without such a platform or standing might not have stood out. In Wasike’s study he talks about the usage of twitter by social media editors in order to entertain a particular audience, he describes Twitter as a form of media that is built for personalization of people’s messages since it allows individuals to create a list of loyal and committed followers who share a common interest in a certain social media editor. Therefore, leading to Social media editors reciprocating and accepting this connection by tweeting information relating about their personal life, humorous content, memes, in-transit activities, etc. Finally, most of the Social Media Editors would go ahead and specifically start to use personalized themes in their Twitter bio sections to gain a sense of identity amongst the clutter. Apart from providing personal information such as native home town, spouses and hobbies, it was common to encounter phrases such as; music junkie, foodie, hobby enthusiast and other quirky titles that would lead to the audience being able to relate to the editor and make them seem almost like a regular everyday person thus helping them garner that nativity amongst their audience. (Wasike, B. (2013).)

A long time ago in a land far far away, a lazy teenager who shared a name and a birthday with me once thought of a plan to get rich quick with minimal effort along with him friends and scoured the internet in hopes of figuring out how to achieve this masterful plan. After google highest paid internet jobs and doing diligent research we wound up on Felix Kjellberg who goes by the internet nickname of pewdiepie who annuals earns 12 million dollars a year by creating videos on YouTube that amass millions of viewers every day. Now what did ‘Pewdiepie’ do you may ask, does he create his own music or do stand up comedy or tell stories, well no its not what one might assume. He garners millions of dollars every year playing video games from home and people are inherently very interested to see someone else play a video game, sounds easy enough right? Wrong again, after going through a lot of his videos we figured out that it takes a special someone to be able to obtain such an audience and maintain it over a period of years. People log on everyday to see this man play games of different genres while using a webcam to show his reactions to various thing that happen within the game. Suspense and intensity during horror games, humor and quick-witted jokes during funny scenarios and all out just an uncensored commentary is what Felix delivers during his gameplay segments that turned from a hobby to more income than most corporate millionaires. The world is changing, and people like to be entertained without really putting in much effort and Felix allows them to enjoy videogames that they really might not have enjoyed quite as much with his unique style and humor and thus game me my idea for internet millions. Till today my total YouTube earnings amount to 12 dollars and 27 cents as compared to Felix making 12 million in 2016. He wins …. for Now. Aggire and Young refer to user generated content in there work where it is said even though the historical novelty of the active behaviour of an audience is unpredictable at the least, and the use of of participation terms with respect to  activities that pertain to the audience usually are open for interpretation, the ineractive possibilities offered by new forms of media are what is seen as interesting here, These are usually  facilitators of interaction amongst users in the onlie world that have endless possibilities with the content. (Astigarraga, I., Pavon, A., & Zuberogoitia, A. (2016)).

 References

Astigarraga, I., Pavon, A., & Zuberogoitia, A. (2016). Active audience?: Interaction of young people with television and online video content. Communication and Society, 29(3), 133-147.

Booth, P. (2105). Crowdfunding: A spimatic application of digital fandom. New Media and Society, 17(2), 149-166.

Wasike, B. (2013). Framing news in 140 Characters: How social media editors frame the news and interact with audiences via Twitter. Global Media Journal - Canadian Edition, 6(1), 5-23.

[theonyxpath]

Yes, I’d say the creation of the 2nd Edition of Scion has taken the most thought (and Thoth) of any of our projects to date.

From the years spent iterating the Storypath System that powers Scion, to the years and years we and the Scion community dissected and recombined the first edition rules and setting, to the extensive amount of care the writers and developer Neall Raemonn Price have put into improving first edition in every way they could.

Like the Netjer (Egyptian) pantheon pictured above, all the pantheons have been researched and re-researched and run past experts in the myths and cultures they represent. You don’t in any way need a doctorate to use and enjoy them in your game, but now they more accurately reflect our current understanding of the gods and their cohorts.

Neall goes into this in his interview with Eddy and Dixie on last Friday’s Onyx Pathcast, and it is well worth your time to check it out if you’re a Scion fan. He goes into his thinking on Scion, as well as some of the often torturous steps we have had to take to get the first two game books created. If you’re not a Scion fan, he also reveals how Beckett’s Jyhad Diary was developed and written, and so basically, it’s a great overview of how RPG books are created.

You can check it out on your favorite podcast venue or directly on PodBean here: https://onyxpathcast.podbean.com/

This Friday on the Onyx Pathcast, the Wraith Curse rears its ugly head, and the gang have to recreate an entire episode where they only mention Wraith in discussing TTRPGs and how they affect our non-game lives. Listen in to find out how the Wraith Curse manifests this time!

    Dragon-Blooded art by Yiyoung Li

    Now for myself, I too have thought a lot about Scion. From green-lighting the first edition and realizing that without something wahoo going on, the sales distribution system was going to under-order Scion: Hero, (“We need new games to sell!” “Here’s a new one we made.” “Wah? It’s new and has no sales history, how can we order that?”), to getting a copy of the book put into every retailer bag at that year’s GAMA trade show. Retailers who then ordered the game in such amounts that we had to do a second print pretty much before the book hit stores!

I’ve thought a lot about the dedication of the Scion community during the (very) lean years when almost nothing new came out, yet WW‘s old Scion forums were still getting more posts than entire other gaming websites. I read your posts you magnificent bastards, and incorporated that thinking into what we needed to do to elevate Scion for second edition.

I’ve ground my teeth in frustration during the time Storypath was iterating and while Scion: Origin and Scion: Hero have been incubating, and thought long and hard about the iterations and improvements that slowed things down. Were they worth it?

Well, the answer is yes, as far as I can see. Storypath is the simple base 10-sided pool system that can be expanded depending on your table’s interest in more shared storytelling that I hoped for. It is so flexible that we can add tweaks to it to emulate a post-apocalyptic scarcity game with zombies in Dystopia Rising: Evolution, and reflexive and meta humor mechanics in They Came From Beneath the Sea!.

And it enables play from man on the street to god levels of power for Scion and the Trinity Continuum.

    VtR2 Guide to the Night art by Sam Araya

      Scion has a built-in setting now, with the World, yet it is so designed that you can pull back on that and keep the god stuff hidden, or dial it to 11 and make the presence of the gods even more impactful on our normal world. I thought about whether adding the World was the right way to go – and had probably far more discussions with Neall than he wanted to have about it – but in the end, I think the default setting combined with the very easy options to alter that if you so choose hits the right spot.

It’s there and it’s rich and deep with history, but still open enough that your characters matter. Which is a big part of Scion, as I see it.

And one more thing that I’ve thought about A LOT, and have mentioned before, is that to me Scion is just getting started. The 4 book core of Origin, Hero, Demigod, and God is really the central spine of the possible ways Scion can be played. There’s the “Children of the Gods in Modern Times” that defines that spine, and we can provide a lot more projects that help build on that. We already have the Companion, Jumpstart, Ready Made Characters, and Bestiary being worked on.

But let’s change that to “Children of ____ in Modern Times”, or “Children of the Gods in _____ Times”, and we open up a huge range of possibilities if we start filling in those blanks!

Whew! I get pretty fired up thinking about all that.

Now, on to the Notes from our Monday Meeting today! We talked about:

1- We are all over the place online right now! It’s great! On this Tuesday night at 6pm Pacific US time, Pugmire: Homeward Bound begins on the Saving Throw Show Twitch channel. Here’s the intro video (it is amazing and beautiful!): youtu.be/qMpNHXjbZK8

And the link to their Twitch channel: twitch.tv/savingthrowshow

2- I did a wee little interview that surprisingly covered all sorts of Onyx Path and classic White Wolf stories and yet did not go into my love of pudding. Why is that surprising? Because the podcast interview was for Everybody Loves Pudding, and I was lured into this because I thought I’d be able to expound on the virtues and wonders of pudding. But, even without the pudding, it’s a pretty good chat – the guys were very on target with the questions. Not sure if you can say the same about my answers, but judge for yourself: http://www.everybodylovespudding.com/podcast/season-1-episode-22/

3- Eddy Webb is flying up to my neck of the woods and we’ll be going together to Save Against Fear, the convention that benefits the Bodhana Group, whose mission is to use tabletop gaming in their therapeutic efforts. Links are below in the Convention News section of The Blurbs, but we recently added that I’ll be there on Saturday signing Magic Cards and working on some artist proof sketches. So if you are near there and want your cards signed and to help a great group – come on by and meet me and Eddy!

4- On a related topic, Monica Valentinelli is working with Extra Life on a fundraiser where she’s playing D&D5e to help sick kids. Onyx Path has donated Scarred Lands PDF rewards at various levels of contribution, so here’s your chance to help a super cause and dig into Scarred Lands! https://www.extra-life.org/index.cfm?fuseaction=donorDrive.participant&participantID=326323

    M20 Gods and Monsters art by Claudio Pozas

    5- If you missed the Prince’s Gambit casual Vampire card game by Justin Achilli Kickstarter campaign, we have copies of the card set available to buy from Studio2 and your local retailer, see below, and the basic set and booster pack will go on sale on Wednesday from DriveThru. The retail card set is all the cards from the Kickstarter in one box, and the DriveThru cards take all the cards and divide them into a basic set, and then the added cards from the KS in a booster pack. And, because we are asked this, Prince’s Gambit is a different type of game than VTES, it is not VTES, was not intended to replace VTES, and lots of us here are VTES fans and glad that new VTES cards are being made.

6- Finally, we have a fantastic sale going on at IPR for our Deluxe and Prestige books from our Kickstarter print-run overruns! Half off until the end of October, it’s our HalfoWeen Sale! The Mummy: The Curse Prestige Editions have sold out as of this writing, which means there are no more of them available for sale anywhere in the world! (Except EBAY, I’m sure. But other than that…)

I’m not finding a clever way to lead in to out tag-line this time, no wait, I just did. Damn:

Many Worlds, One Path!

  BLURBS!

KICKSTARTER:

Lo the darkness that lies like a pall over Chicago. The V5 Chicago By Night Kickstarter arises in October!

We’re also working on the Kickstarter for They Came From Beneath the Sea! (TCFBtS!), which has some very different additions to the Storypath mechanics we’ll be explaining during the KS.  They take an excellent 50’s action and investigation genre game and turn it to 11!

  ELECTRONIC GAMING:

      As we find ways to enable our community to more easily play our games, the Onyx Dice Rolling App is now live! Our dev team has been doing updates since we launched based on the excellent use-case comments by our community, and this thing is both rolling and rocking!

Here are the links for the Apple and Android versions:

http://theappstore.site/app/1296692067/onyx-dice

https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.onyxpathpublishing.onyxdice&hl=en

Three different screenshots, above.

And our latest, the dice for Werewolf: The Forsaken 2e:

  ON AMAZON AND BARNES & NOBLE:

You can now read our fiction from the comfort and convenience of your Kindle (from Amazon) and Nook (from Barnes & Noble).

If you enjoy these or any other of our books, please help us by writing reviews on the site of the sales venue you bought it from. Reviews really, really help us with getting folks interested in our amazing fiction!

Our selection includes these fiction books:

Vampire: The Masquerade: The Endless Ages Anthology (Kindle, Nook)

Werewolf: The Apocalypse: Rites of Renown: When Will You Rage II (Kindle, Nook)

Mage: The Ascension: Truth Beyond Paradox (Kindle, Nook)

Chronicles of Darkness: The God-Machine Chronicle Anthology (Kindle, Nook)

Mummy: The Curse: Curse of the Blue Nile (Kindle, Nook)

Beast: The Primordial: The Primordial Feast Anthology (Kindle, Nook)

Vampire: The Masquerade: Of Predators and Prey: The Hunters Hunted II Anthology (Kindle, Nook)

Werewolf: The Apocalypse: The Poison Tree (Kindle, Nook)

Werewolf: The Apocalypse: Songs of the Sun and Moon: Tales of the Changing Breeds (Kindle, Nook)

Vampire: The Requiem: The Strix Chronicle Anthology (Kindle, Nook)

Werewolf: The Forsaken: The Idigam Chronicle Anthology (Kindle, Nook)

Mage: The Awakening: The Fallen World Chronicle Anthology (Kindle, Nook)

Vampire: The Masquerade: The Beast Within Anthology (Kindle, Nook)

Werewolf: The Apocalypse: W20 Cookbook (Kindle, Nook)

Exalted: Tales from the Age of Sorrows (Kindle, Nook)

Chronicles of Darkness: Tales of the Dark Eras (Kindle, Nook)

Promethean: The Created: The Firestorm Chronicle Anthology (Kindle, Nook)

Demon: The Descent: Demon: Interface (Kindle, Nook)

Scarred Lands: Death in the Walled Warren (Kindle, Nook)

V20 Dark Ages: Cainite Conspiracies (Kindle, Nook)

Chronicles of Darkness: Strangeness in the Proportion (Kindle, Nook)

Vampire: The Requiem: Silent Knife (Kindle, Nook)

Mummy: The Curse: Dawn of Heresies (Kindle, Nook)

  OUR SALES PARTNERS:

We’re working with Studio2 to get Pugmire out into stores, as well as to individuals through their online store. You can pick up the traditionally printed main book, the Screen, and the official Pugmire dice through our friends there!

https://studio2publishing.com/search?q=pugmire

And we’ve added Prince’s Gambit to our Studio2 catalog: https://studio2publishing.com/products/prince-s-gambit-card-game

  Looking for our Deluxe or Prestige Edition books? Try this link! http://www.indiepressrevolution.com/xcart/Onyx-Path-Publishing/

Here’s the link to the press release we put out about how Onyx Path is now selling through Indie Press Revolution: http://theonyxpath.com/press-release-onyx-path-limited-editions-now-available-through-indie-press-revolution/

And you can now order Pugmire: the book, the screen, and the dice! http://www.indiepressrevolution.com/xcart/manufacturers.php?manufacturerid=296

    DRIVETHRURPG.COM:

  The Prince’s Gambit basic card set and the added cards from the PG Kickstarter booster pack will both be available on DriveThru this Wednesday!

        CONVENTIONS!

From Fast Eddy Webb, we have these:

Eddy will also be a featured guest (and RichT will be there at some point, too) at Save Against Fear (October 12-14) in Harrisburg, PA. He’ll be running some Pugmire games, be available for autographs, and will sometimes accept free drinks. http://www.thebodhanagroup.org/about-the-convention

Dixie Cochran will be at High Level Games Con in Atlantic City October 12-14, running a Women in Game Design panel, Eddy’s RPG Developer Bootcamp, and possibly making a surprise appearance at another event!

  And now, the new project status updates!

DEVELOPMENT STATUS FROM FAST EDDY WEBB (projects in bold have changed status since last week):

First Draft (The first phase of a project that is about the work being done by writers, not dev prep)

C20 Novel (Jackie Cassada) (Changeling: the Dreaming 20th Anniversary Edition)

M20 The Technocracy Reloaded (Mage: the Ascension 20th Anniversary Edition)

M20 Victorian Mage (Mage: the Ascension 20th Anniversary Edition)

Tales of Excellent Cats (Monarchies of Mau)

Scion Companion: Mysteries of the World (Scion 2nd Edition)

City of the Towered Tombs (Cavaliers of Mars)

Heirs to the Shogunate (Exalted 3rd Edition)

Mummy: The Curse 2nd Edition core rulebook (Mummy: The Curse 2nd Edition)

Scion Ready Made Characters (Scion 2nd Edition)

Scion Jumpstart (Scion 2nd Edition)

Geist2e Fiction Anthology (Geist: The Sin-Eaters 2nd Edition)

Memento Mori: the GtSE 2e Companion (Geist: The Sin-Eaters 2nd Edition)

Pirates of Pugmire (Realms of Pugmire)

  Redlines

Deviant: The Renegades (Deviant: The Renegades)

Night Horrors: Nameless and Accursed (Mage: the Awakening Second Edition)

Witch-Queen of the Shadowed Citadel (Cavaliers of Mars)

  Second Draft

Tales of Good Dogs – Pugmire Fiction Anthology (Pugmire)

Oak, Ash, and Thorn: Changeling: The Lost 2nd Companion (Changeling: The Lost 2nd)

CofD Dark Eras 2 (Chronicles of Darkness)

  Development

Hunter: the Vigil 2e core (Hunter: the Vigil 2nd Edition)

CofD Contagion Chronicle (Chronicles of Darkness)

Dystopia Rising: Evolution (Dystopia Rising: Evolution)

Night Horrors: Shunned by the Moon (Werewolf: The Forsaken 2nd Edition)

Adventures for Curious Cats (Monarchies of Mau)

M20 Book of the Fallen (Mage: the Ascension 20th Anniversary Edition)

Lunars: Fangs at the Gate (Exalted 3rd Edition)

Spilled Blood (Vampire: The Requiem 2nd Edition)

In Media Res (Trinity Continuum: Core)

WoD Ghost Hunters (World of Darkness)

Wr20 Book of Oblivion (Wraith: The Oblivion 20th Anniversary Edition)

Trinity Continuum: Aberrant core (Trinity Continuum: Aberrant)

V5 Chicago By Night (Vampire: The Masquerade)

  Manuscript Approval:

Aeon Aexpansion (Trinity Continuum: Aeon)

C20 Players’ Guide (Changeling: the Dreaming 20th Anniversary Edition)

  Editing:

Signs of Sorcery (Mage: the Awakening Second Edition)

  Post-Editing Development:

Trinity Continuum Core Rulebook (The Trinity Continuum)

Trinity Continuum: Aeon Rulebook (The Trinity Continuum)

Ex Novel 2 (Aaron Rosenberg) (Exalted 3rd Edition)

Exalted 3rd Novel by Matt Forbeck (Exalted 3rd Edition)

They Came From Beneath the Sea! Rulebook (TCFBtS!)

Dog and Cat Ready Made Characters (Monarchies of Mau) (With Eddy)

Changeling: The Lost 2nd Jumpstart (Changeling: The Lost 2nd)

  Indexing:

    ART DIRECTION FROM MIRTHFUL MIKE:

  In Art Direction

Dystopia Rising: Evolution

M20: Gods and Monsters – AD’d and Contracted.

Geist 2e

The Realm

Trinity Continuum (Aeon and Core) – Tracking down Core finals and going over Aeon Sketches.

Ex3 Monthly Stuff

Chicago By Night – KS art finals in.

Pugmire Roll of Good Dogs and Cats

C20 Player’s Guide

Aeon Aexpansion

They Came From Beneath the Sea! – Got KS artnotes out.

  Marketing Stuff

  In Layout

Trinity Core – Working on symbols this week.

Trinity Aeon – Fancying up my Opnet images.

Ex3 Dragon Blooded

  Proofing

Scion Hero – Inputting Neal’s 2nd proof changes.

PTC: Night Horrors: The Tormented – KT has Steffie’s corrections in.

Scion Origin – Doing Neall’s errata changes, and swapping out the font.

VtR: Guide to the Night – Danielle is getting me her p.xx stuff on Monday and I’ll be wrapping this one up for approval by WW shortly thereafter.

Fetch Quest – Package design done

  At Press

Monarchies of Mau and Screen – At Studio2. Dice and buttons getting ready to ship to Studio2.

Cavaliers of Mars – Backer copies all shipped out.

Wraith 20th – Printing the Deluxe interior, proofing cover.

Wraith 20 Screen – Printing.

Scion Dice – At Studio2.

Cav Talent cards – PoD proof coming.

Lost 2e Screen – Prepping files.

Scion Screen – Prepping files.

Prince’s Gambit core deck and booster PoD – On sale at DriveThru on Wednesday!

Changeling: The Lost 2e – Prepping files for printer.

  TODAY’S REASON TO CELEBRATE: OK, celebrate this one or don’t as you see fit. I know a lot of my South Philly buddies do and will. All I know is today I didn’t get my new fancy brush recommended by Jeff Miracola today because no mail on the Monday holiday. And the last kid has off from school, so I get to hear him shouting at his friends as they multi-play a shooter. Some holiday.

[deeplydapper]

AUGUST DISPATCHES - The Monthly Newsletter

Welcome to our first monthly newsletter! We are pretty excited about this and hope to use them as a tool to keep all of you informed about new items, upcoming appearances, promotions, sales and more! As you can see by looking below, it's been a busy month!

PODCASTS

Last Month on THE PODCASKET:

We covered news and trailers from SDCC and reviewed horror TV, THE VOID, WONDER WOMAN and gave our con report on Walker Stalker Heroes and Villains FanFest Portland!

Stream and download HERE

Or listen on iTUNES and STITCHER

Last Month on ROBOT KRAKEN:

We appeased the beast on Robot Kraken by covering The EXPANSE, Mummies, Cyberpunk, Pirates and starting our weekly episode reviews of the new season of GAME OF THRONES!

Stream and download HERE

or listen on iTUNES and STITCHER

Coming up on the podcasts:

We have more horror movies, a tribute to George Romero, more Game of Thrones and our usual bag of goodies!

If you listen to the shows, please leave us a review on iTunes – every review helps more people find us and increases our ability to keep up with regular programming! Also, if you do review us, send me an email at deeplydapper@gmail.com with your name and address and we'll send you a little thank you!

We are also going to be answering questions on the episodes going forward, so if you have a question about us, movies, comics, books or anything at all – email me and we'll answer it on the air!

SHOP UPDATES

NEW ITEMS:

Nothing new in the shops last month, but now that I've had a bit of downtime from shows, expect to see our entire line of convention goodies trickling onto the sites in the coming months before Christmas season.

SNEAK PEEKS

One thing we can confirm is coming is our new version of our best-selling LUMOS NOX SWITCHPLATE COVER! We were forced to discontinue our old design after the manufacturer of our heat-treated paint went out of business, but I'm designing a new version of the plate made like our metal and vinyl Dumbledore plate! Be sure to follow us on Facebook, Twitter or Instagram for the announcement of when that's ready for sale.

SALES!

In addition to repopulating our regular sites, we are shifting our main shop to a new server through our current site instead of Storenvy – This means better listings, an easier shopping experience and no more of Storenvy's fees! Once everything is loaded, you can find the shop through the same link on the main page at www.deeplydapper.com as always, but for now it's listed under “NEW STORE” on the website. Right now all that is there are our Enamel Pins, which are ALL ON SALE through the 15th of August!

LAST CHANCES

We have decided to change some of the print and art sizes available in the shop and some pieces will be phased out for new designs or different sizes – most of those will be sold at shows and pre-christmas, so keep an eye out for our Grab Bags to get a great deal!

We are almost SOLD OUT of our Infinity Glove enamel pin and Ugly Mofo is SOLD OUT! Look for a sequel to that design later this year.

PATREON

We haven't had a chance to do much promotion with our Patreon yet, but we do have one! If you'd like to help support the show and get some cool gear, you can become a patron here – www.patreon.com/deeplydapper Supporting us will help us do more editing and continue producing our podcasts!

APPEARANCES

LAST MONTH

It was FINALLY a slow month for my 2017 convention tour – I only had a small anime convention in Helena. I had to cancel my appearance at Treasure Valley Comic Con due to a scheduling mix-up.

UPCOMING SHOWS

I don't have too many other shows for the next couple of weeks, then our last leg of 2017 arrives hard and fast! NOTE – Magic City Monster Con was forced to postpone their show this year – I hope to be able to attend their 2018 show in October! Here's where you can see me in the next couple of months:

August 25-27 – Colorado Springs Comic Con – Colorado Springs, CO

September 1-3 – Magic City Monster Con – Billing, MT

September 8-10 – Rose City Comic Con – Portland, OR

September 21-23 – Salt Lake Comic Con – SLC, UT

September 29-1 – Snake River Comic Con – Pocatello, ID

 EXCLUSIVES AND UPDATES

I will have a Salt Lake Comic Con Exclusive print available, but I don't know what it will be quite yet! :)

We will also be debuting something soap-related at our fall shows that we are SUPER EXCITED about, and we think you will be too – especially if you like collecting our soaps.

ARTWORK

NOW AVAILABLE

I've spent most of the month finishing commissions from shows, but you will be able to find some artwork that was previously only available at shows online and we will be premiering a new line of 5x7 portraits at Colorado Springs Comic Con!

WORKS IN PROGRESS

I am currently hard at work on the latest in my Dapper Monsters series – The Metaluna Monster. I'm also planning a new Dapper Hollows print, some colored versions of old favorites and a poster featuring a certain interplanetary GATE.

KICKSTARTER

UPDATES ON PAST KICKSTARTERS

All of our past projects should be fully filled and delivered, and most are listed in the shop now! We do have a limited selection of our complete Sideshow Sets, so if you want one of them, get in on that soon.

CURRENT AND FUTURE KICKSTARTERS

Our TICKS Inspired “INFESTED” pin is finished in the next day or two and it's already completed and on it's way to us, so those rewards will be ready to ship as soon as the funding arrives!

You can get in on the project HERE!

What's next on the Kickstarter frontier? I have a new pin designed, based on our DapperKins Horror ABCs book, we are planning and prepping a special Holiday Kickstarter and a few other fun things!

NOVELS & BOOKS

CURRENTLY AVAILABLE

As always you can find most of my novels in paperback and e-book form on Amazon by searching for Kris McClanahan or Neal Kristopher.

You can also find my work in the OFFICIAL THING ARTBOOK by Printed In Blood! 

My piece ends the book back by John Carpenter's afterword and I'm incredibly honored to be a part of such a striking collection of art! (It's also a GREAT deal!)

UPCOMING

I am hard at work on finishing the edits on a novel that I started writing quite some time ago – GRAVES is the first installment in a 2-part zombie survival horror series that takes place over the course of one night in a drug store in Missoula Montana and I'm quite excited for it to FINALLY be coming out! Look for announcements about GRAVES on all of my social media when it's official!

I'm also the new Cover Artist on ENIGMA y TJ Damon over at Quad M Comics - I'll be taking over with Issue 5 and I'm super excited to share the covers once they are ready!

[hrothgarshoard]

Kickstarter projects backed

On my web page, over the years I’ve listed several projects that I’ve backed on Kickstarter. It was a clunky part of the page that didn’t really look all that attractive, even if the information in it reflected my personal views on several projects. So, I decided today to move that information here to my blog where I would add more kickstarter projects that I back as new entries. My hope is that it will be a little more organized and easier for people to find.

So, without further ado, here is just a copy/paste of the projects I’ve backed in the past.

SHROUD OF THE AVATAR

Pledge amount: $30

Pledge Reward: Early Alpha access and digital download

Estimated Delivery: Oct. 2014

Actual Delivery: Unknown

I backed this project because I grew up playing the Ultima series. I spend many a night at college going through Ultimas 4 and 5 (not sure if I ever finished them) and played Ultima Online for years. I backed this mostly for nostalgic reasons, but also in the hope that I could play in the Ultima universe again. However, since I only pledged at the digital download level, I have not been able to play. I live in the boondocks and do not have a connection reliable enough to download or play the game.

So, while I put the blame of not doing much with this project on myself, reading through the comments on kickstarter makes me believe that there are many others dissatisfied with the project. From physical rewards not having shipped a year and a half after the project ended, to graphic engines that look extremely old, this doesn't look like it measures up to the previous Ultima standards. Too bad, because Ultima was one of the games that brought FRP into the digital world.

2/10/17 EDIT: I recently talked to a friend who also backed this project. He plays the game on a daily basis and has very positive things to say about it. If and when I ever get a reliable internet connection, I may revisit this.

DWARVEN FORGE GAME TILES

Pledge amount: $305

Pledge Reward: 5 tile sets

Estimated Delivery: Oct. 2013

Actual Delivery: Probably Oct. 2013

If you haven't heard of Dwarven Forge by now, and you are into RPGs, you really need to check them out. Stefan Pokorny has launched multiple projects of miniature terrain made from his company design of "Dwarvenite." They are nearly indestructible and modular, so you can pretty much use them in any dungeon setting.

I will put one thing that should be obvious out there, though. Miniature terrain is great. BUT you must USE them! I got my shipment in, painted them up and then let them sit for probably 6 months before I actually worked on a dungeon. Once I did, they added a great level of visualization to the game, but I was stuck in my old battlemat and markers mentality and it took me far too long to start using them.

I am very satisfied with the quality of the product and its usability.

2/10/17 UPDATE: Honestly, I use this product less and less. It has nothing to do with the quality of the product, but more to do with me buying a 3d printer and printing my own dungeon tiles. More on that in a future post.

ST. FRANCIS IN ROME - THE RESTORATION

Pledge amount: $1

Pledge Reward: eternal salvation?

Estimated Delivery: not for a long time, I hope

Actual Delivery: I'm not quite dead yet.

This was a project that I backed for a dollar just because I wanted to help spread the word. I did my graduate work in Medieval History, so when I saw this project, I just had to be a part of it, even if it was a very small part.

The monks raised $130,000 to restore St. Francis's cell, and this past June it was reopened to the public. An official ceremony will be held in October. Take a look here for their latest update. https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/671087979/st-francis-in-rome-the-restoration/posts/1307245 I'm glad that this project was successful and completed through Kickstarter.

REAPER MINIATURES BONES II: THE RETURN OF MR. BONES

Pledge amount: $255

Pledge Reward: Core Set plus extras

Estimated Delivery: Oct. 2014

Actual Delivery: around the same time

I missed the first Bones campaign and was thrilled to get in on the second. I got the core set, plus several other sets. In all, I'm pretty sure I ended up paying less than $1 per mini and that included a few dragons and giants in the mix.

Overall, I'm very pleased with this campaign. The mini quality isn't great and with some of the minis they tried to put too much detail into a plastic mini, making it nearly impossible (for me) to paint. I've since bought an air brush and tons of paint, so I'll be busy for some time to come. I'd back them again in an instant, even though it would mean more minis that may never get painted.

Update 2/10/17: I’ve actually sold off most of these minis over the past couple years. I just don’t have the time or eyesight to paint these, so I’ve kept a few for my own campaign and have sold many of the rest off at cons. I still think that this was an amazing deal and a great product, and I’ll very likely support them again in the future. I just need to know my own time limitations and plan accordingly.

CUSTOM CHAINMAIL DICE BAGS BY VITALITY HANDMADE DESIGNS

Pledge amount: $60

Pledge Reward: Small Combo #1

Estimated Delivery: April 2014

Actual Delivery: June 2014

This project came out when chainmail accessories was beginning to become very common. My daughter has a summer birthday and I thought I'd get one of these as a gift for her. They arrived in June, so I was actually able to give it to her on time. I got one for each of my daughters

The quality is good and they get used. I can't help but think that $30 is a bit pricey for a dice bag.  Still, I know it took a lot of work to accomplish and I wouldn't have been able to make it myself. If you want a dice bag, this is a good product.

2/10/17 UPDATE: My kids still use these bags, so I really have no complaint about this project. $30 may still be on the pricey end, but they have lasted well, my kids still use them and they show no signs of degrading. Overall a good project.

RHYTHM METAL DICE

Pledge amount: $17

Pledge Reward: d8 in brass

Estimated Delivery: July 2014

Actual Delivery: Still waiting

This was a project where I honestly don't know why I backed. I think it was because I wanted to get some metal dice. I had backed another project and pulled out of it because the creator was doing a poor job at backer communication. I became convinced that they didn't know what they were doing and backed out.

The Rhythm Metal Dice weren't overly attractive to me...they are just too complicated of a design. And $17 for a single die was overpaying pure and simple. So I just don't know why I backed this.

As of 11/2015, the dice still have not been delivered. There have been very few project updates. One did come in late Nov. 2015, but it was largely undecipherable. I couldn't figure out if they had the product in, what the shipping status was or what their plan forward was. I expect that this is $17 completely wasted.

2/10/17 UPDATE: There has not been an update in the past year. Fuck these guys.

HERO FORGE: CUSTOMIZABLE 3D PRINTED TABLETOP MINIS

Pledge amount: $60

Pledge Reward: 2 custom minis

Estimated Delivery: Oct. 2014

Actual Delivery: early 2015

This is one of those projects that is a great concept, but may not be the best for normal use. The Hero Forge software is actually very good and easy to use. The combinations available in faces, body types, poses, equipment, etc. really let you create a one of a kind miniature. As far as this part of the figure goes, it is great.

I bought one for each of my daughters for them to configure as they wished. Once they got around to doing it (which was a long time), they submitted the order and the minis arrived within about 3 days. GREAT!

One week later a dejected teenager hands me her mini in 3 pieces. She hadn't even gotten around to playing a game with it yet, but the staff had broken, as had the mini right at the ankles.  A close inspection of the break revealed that the mini was printed hollow instead of solid. So in the particular pose that it was designed in, there was virtually no support for the mini at the ankle area.

I contacted Hero Forge and they immediately agreed to replace it which was good. But they also told me that this type of thing was common and that a little superglue was the best solution. This response troubled me a little. If they were having that type of issue with the printed minis, then it tells me that they either need to print the minis solid, adjust the programming so it happens less often, or both. "Superglue" shouldn't be a customer service option when dealing with minis.

2/10/17 UPDATE: I see people asking on boards every now and then about this product and the responses are generally positive, so I am willing to accept that they may have improved their product reliability. I hope this is the case because it really is a great concept. I sincerely hope they succeed as a company.

RAVENFELL  28MM FANTASY VILLAGE

Pledge amount: $1

Pledge Reward: Troll outhouse

Estimated Delivery: April 2014

Actual Delivery: April 2014

Tom Tullius at Fat Dragon Games makes gaming terrain that you can print out on your printer, fold on the dotted line and BOOM you have yourself some 3D terrain. This is a low cost alternative to the Dwarven Forge game tiles and other terrain solution.

I backed this because I liked the idea, but I honestly just didn't think I'd use it enough to make it worth my while. Tom is a very nice guy though and if you are into paper terrain, his line of products is outstanding. I'd highly recommend even though I didn't pledge for a large amount.

TOME OF HORRORS COMPLETE II  

Pledge amount: $25

Pledge Reward: 3 minis cast in metal

Estimated Delivery: Dec 2014

Actual Delivery: Company bankrupt.

I backed this one in part because the project creator and I started talks on me providing cases for his line of miniatures. He had great plans for expansion, had run some other projects and it looked like it would be a good collaboration.

Well, his business went belly up, and fiasco ensued. The creator refused (probably on advice from his lawyer) to answer any questions/emails. I'm sure that there are legal actions in the works. What mucked things up even more is that Center Stage Miniatures got a license from Frog God Games to make their minis based on their (FGG's) book. Now, I don't know if the involvement went deeper than this and FGG was one of the creditors involved or what, but I found out today (Nov. 2015) that FGG has offered to give backers a dollar for dollar credit to backers of this project to use in their pdf store. Very cool of Frog God Games. I'm in the process of trying to claim this. Frog God Games puts out some good stuff.

2/10/17 UPDATE: I’m just adding this because I want to state how great FGG was to work with in this fiasco. They had no legal obligation to do what they did, but gave credit for their own product. I ended up getting a few .pdf modules. I’m not a big .pdf fan, but considering the situation, I felt it was more than fair. Kudos to FGG! 

SAVING THROW:  AN INSTRUCTIONAL WEB SERIES ABOUT RPGS

Pledge amount: $15

Pledge Reward: pdf of module

Estimated Delivery: June 2014

Actual Delivery: A little late, but not bad.

This project caught my eye because of its originality. They were proposing a web series where they would teach people how to play games. They also made a fun little spoof video that was fairly well made.

I'll be honest that I've never really even looked at the pdf module. I don't know what the content is or how good it was. That wasn't the reason I supported them. I just wanted to give a little something to promote a project that I thought was a good idea.

The video series itself was good, if a little basic (and had a little bad acting in it.) They did a multipart series on how to play Pathfinder. I'm an old-school D&D guy, so Pathfinder never really appealed to me and since there is a lot of overlap, I can't say that I was terribly interested in it. All the same, great concept and a good all-around series.

Saving Throw has also gone on to produce a bi-weekly series where they film a 5E D&D game being played. Now known as "Barky's Brigade", the series is well done. The adventures are well planned and (mostly) well DMed, the characters do a good job of acting in character, and I think everyone: players and viewers, have a good time with the show. If you haven't seen this, go to youtube and search for Barky's Brigade.

2/10/17 UPDATE: I’m pleased to see that the Twitch TV channel that Saving Throw has produced is growing and has regular programming on most every day. One of these days, I’m going to solve my internet problems so I can actually watch these live.

DWARVEN FORGE: CAVERNS GAME TILES

Pledge amount: Trade

Pledge Reward:

Estimated Delivery: April 2014

Actual Delivery: April 2014

This wasn't so much a pledge as a trade. I had exchanged emails with Stefan Pokorny and traded him several cases and dice towers for a set of the Cavern game tiles.

I found these tiles far superior to the dungeon tiles. The craftsmanship of the tiles were much more detailed. As much as I liked the dungeon tiles, these looked and felt better and were more true to gaming situations.

My only complaints with either of these gaming tiles is that they are a little heavy, and that they don't join together well. I'd like some sort of peg system to join the tiles together and may end up drilling inserts for metal pins between the tiles. This, however will take quite some time.

The only other thing I have an issue with (and this is true with all dungeon tiles I've seen so far) is that the walls of the tile take up 1/4 of the tile. When you lay a room out, a 20x20 room all of a sudden is only 15x15 because part of the tile is taken up by walls. I have not seen a solution to this yet.

2/10/17 update: Ok...there is now a solution to the above problem, but it involves a different product line from a different company. I still like Dwarven Forge items, but am slow migrating to the other solution.

ENEMY OF MAN: FEATURE FILM

Pledge amount: $15

Pledge Reward: Film and Script

Estimated Delivery: April 2014

Actual Delivery: Not yet filmed

MacBeth is my favorite Shakespearian play. In college, a friend and I (for a class on Shakespeare) enacted the final fight scene between MacBeth and MacDuff complete with choreography taken from Return of the Jedi, Ladyhawke, and The Princess Bride. I got an A in that class.

So when I saw a movie production on KS that was to feature this play and have some pretty darn good British actors lined up including Sean Bean, one of my favorite actors, I was down for it.

But, this seems to be another one of those productions doomed to go nowhere. The last update was in May 2015 with basically no news. I think this is another case of money thrown down the tubes.

TABLE TITANS VOLUME 1

Pledge amount: $30

Pledge Reward: Regular edition hardback

Estimated Delivery: Sept. 2014

Actual Delivery:Over a year overdue

I've read Scott Kurtz's PVP comic strip for years...over a decade in fact. He was an early pioneer in gaming comics online. His work is generally good and he gets involved with his community.

But Scott fucked up big time on this project. He was publishing a book of a comic already completed and published online. This was something that could easily have been completed by his 2014 delivery date. But he kept adding things that half his backers didn't pledge for and pushed back his delivery schedule time and again. The comic that he is producing now has been out for 2 years. His communication on KS has been abysmal and frankly he doesn't seem to give a damn that he is so far behind schedule anymore.

He claims books are now in the USA and will be out soon.

But you know what? Fuck Scott Kurtz. Fuck PVP, and Fuck Table Titans. I haven't read his strip in 6 months and probably never will again. Do yourself a favor and avoid Scott Kurtz like the plague.

2/10/17 update: OK...I did eventually receive my pledge reward. I sold it. I sold it quick and I doubt if I made any money on it. Fuck this project. I have no words on how disappointed I was with this. I feel better about the projects that have never delivered that I do with this one. 

this concludes this post. I have actually backed several other projects which I will soon get to reviewing. I would like to do more reviews in general, so take a look and help spread the word

[theonyxpath]

Fall is in the air, and it is time for the aroma of pumpkin spice to waft around us wherever we go. And yet, somewhere beneath and behind that ubiquitous scent, is there another crueler tang? Perhaps a tinge of pumpkin guts, that suggestion of orange lives given up for our autumnal habit?

Naaaaaaah.

But the idea that there are darker things beneath the surface is surely imprinted on our thinking as gamers, and it features in pretty much all of our games – and quite a few other Tabletop RPGs that we enjoy even if we’ve never worked on them. Secret knowledge, buried secrets, layers of conspiracy (and lairs of conspiracy, and liars of conspiracy, but those are different things); these are all part of the draw for our gaming. At its simplest level, winnowing out those secrets gives us the story we’re playing.

From time to time, as fans, we can even see conspiracies in the mundane world of the business side of our hobby. I guess it’s natural, but it is odd, when you know the folks involved, to ascribe these complicated schemes to folks you know are just acting from mundane motives like increasing their profit margin. Which might be handled in a less than nice way, but it’s still a pretty non-complicated thing.

Plus, we have the human need to be important – every game designer I know has had a “confidential” conversation with someone who games where the designer has the complex plots of the creators and publishers explained to them concerning a project they were deeply involved with. I just saw someone start explaining to Justin Achilli how Vampire: The Requiem sold so poorly that it never outsold anything from the old WoD. Justin, pithy as ever replied: “Man what. Requiem was the biggest autoship in White Wolf history.”

    Trinity Continuum Core art by Bryan Syme

    Also, we do love our myths, we gamers. Whether the epic tales of gods and demi-gods, or that story about company X was a tax dodge so they let your favorite game tank in order to get a write-off, we do love stories.

Anyway, I bring this up because the occasion of White Wolf‘s CEO leaving the company last week has caused all sorts of pet theories to pop up as to the causes and effects. Well, I think you could easily just look at how these corporate things go and see that the reason Tobias gave, differences in the direction of how to manage WW, are exactly the sorts of things that happen in upper management.

As for how this affects Onyx Path? It hasn’t. Maybe it will, and I liked working with Tobias so I’ll miss him, but that’s not something we’re worried about here. That isn’t blissful ignorance speaking, it’s just that we’ve been riding the waves of this license for seven years now. Somehow, knock on Mirthful Mike Chaney’s wooden leg, we have managed to keep on making gorgeous and excellent projects for WoD, CofD, and Exalted.

Thanks to all of your support, we have been able to do so much with not only the WW game lines, but with our other licenses and our own games. We’re organized better than we’ve ever been in terms of being able to adapt to changing situations, and we’re even looking at getting out Kickstarter rewards a year to several months in advance of estimate for our next couple of ship-outs.

      VtR2 Guide to the Night art by Felipe Gaona

    So, I’m taking the time to give you these thoughts as a “so you know” sort of thing, should any of you need a bit of the reality of where we are right now. Plus, I don’t really want to always be chatting about business stuff here, and that’s all this is, so let’s get on to Monday Meeting talk:

1- We talked about the Dystopia Rising: Evolution Kickstarter, and while we had hoped for more buy-in from our respective communities, the consensus is that like Cavaliers of Mars, the KS gave us a good idea of our “early adopters” audience and a great start to put together the first projects of the line. This will let us see how things grow as we get into sales in stores and on DriveThru.

2- Related to the above, we’re slating in Dystopia Rising: Evolution demo games at Mid-Winter Con in Milwaukee in January. Also, Fetch Quest, Prince’s Gambit, and early testing of a couple of games I’ll confirm in the months to come. Some of these will be special “secret” sessions, and some out in the main gaming areas, but one that definitely will be out where other folks can see and hear the fun is They Came From Beneath the Sea!. All of the demos and playtests for this have shown us just how much players laugh when they play this, and we want people to see that!

Eddy and I will be at Save Against Fear in a couple of weeks as noted below along with a few of the other cons our gang are headed off to soon, and a whole slew of the Onyx Path crew will be at Pax Unplugged in November. A lot of our talk about these cons is Might Matt McElroy making arrangements, and since we’ve doubled our booth size and demos for PaxU, there’s a fair bit of logistics to check and double-check.

3- Our next Kickstarter is for V5 Chicago By Night and we’re going to give it a start date of “October” right now. A large part of what we need to do is get as complete text for the whole book as we can, and for that we need to work with WW – and they have been heads-down over the Camarilla and Anarchs books, so we want our stuff signed off on and that will take the time it takes.

4- Thanks to all of you for your support of last week’s VtM/WtA/MtA PDFs sale on DriveThru! Your efforts in trying to buy everything DTRPG had up are greatly appreciated! The Vampire: The Requiem/Werewolf: The Forsaken/Mage: The Awakening PDF sale is running for the rest of this week, and we hope you’ll check it out too!

5- Last Friday’s Onyx Pathcast interview with Satyr Phil Brucato, Mage: The Ascension Meisterburger, was discussed at our meeting today, as the M20 Book of the Fallen has the potential to be one of, if not the, darkest books ever put out for WoD in terms of the evil nature of the subject matter. Satyr Phil’s interview with Matthew does an amazing, if sometimes deeply personal and potentially disturbing, job of explaining why such a book is important from Satyr Phil’s point of view, and why we can’t ignore evil. Well worth seeing beyond the logistics of making a book like this and into the creative maelstrom.

You can hear it here, or at your favorite podcast venue: https://onyxpathcast.podbean.com/ 

This Friday, Dixie tells me they talk about ” …various pop culture things that influence us or that are good inspiration for our games, mostly movies, shows, and books. We also completely fail to mention Dracula. Or like six other obvious ones.”

    Trinity Continuum Core art by Marco Gonzales

    Finally, next week I’m starting a little project that isn’t directly related to any of Onyx Path‘s game lines, but does speak to the drive all of us here have to create, even beyond those parts of projects here we contribute to. In my case, it is often a battle to juggle the business stuff I have to do with the creative side of things.

So I’m joining those artists who create an ink drawing a day throughout October, or as this project is known: Inktober. There is an official “prompt” for each day of the month that gives the artist a theme word to work off of, and I’ll be using that. My plan is to create and post a character a day, and while technique and materials may – hell, will – vary from day to day, and I’m not revealing yet what I’m drawing these characters from, there is an overall method to this madness.

I expect to post on both my Twitter and FB accounts, and Impish Ian will probably retweet from our Onyx Path account, so if you’re interested, you should be able to catch them day by day. Let me know what you think!

And now I return you to your regularly scheduled notice that we at Onyx Path create:

Many Worlds, One Path!

  BLURBS!

KICKSTARTER:

With the finish of the Dystopia Rising: Evolution Kickstarter last week, we now turn our eyes towards the darkness that lies like a pall over Chicago. The V5 Chicago By Night Kickstarter arises in October!

    ELECTRONIC GAMING:

      As we find ways to enable our community to more easily play our games, the Onyx Dice Rolling App is now live! Our dev team has been doing updates since we launched based on the excellent use-case comments by our community, and this thing is both rolling and rocking!

Here are the links for the Apple and Android versions:

http://theappstore.site/app/1296692067/onyx-dice

https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.onyxpathpublishing.onyxdice&hl=en

Three different screenshots, above.

And our latest, the dice for Werewolf: The Forsaken 2e:

  ON AMAZON AND BARNES & NOBLE:

You can now read our fiction from the comfort and convenience of your Kindle (from Amazon) and Nook (from Barnes & Noble).

If you enjoy these or any other of our books, please help us by writing reviews on the site of the sales venue you bought it from. Reviews really, really help us with getting folks interested in our amazing fiction!

Our selection includes these fiction books:

Vampire: The Masquerade: The Endless Ages Anthology (Kindle, Nook)

Werewolf: The Apocalypse: Rites of Renown: When Will You Rage II (Kindle, Nook)

Mage: The Ascension: Truth Beyond Paradox (Kindle, Nook)

Chronicles of Darkness: The God-Machine Chronicle Anthology (Kindle, Nook)

Mummy: The Curse: Curse of the Blue Nile (Kindle, Nook)

Beast: The Primordial: The Primordial Feast Anthology (Kindle, Nook)

Vampire: The Masquerade: Of Predators and Prey: The Hunters Hunted II Anthology (Kindle, Nook)

Werewolf: The Apocalypse: The Poison Tree (Kindle, Nook)

Werewolf: The Apocalypse: Songs of the Sun and Moon: Tales of the Changing Breeds (Kindle, Nook)

Vampire: The Requiem: The Strix Chronicle Anthology (Kindle, Nook)

Werewolf: The Forsaken: The Idigam Chronicle Anthology (Kindle, Nook)

Mage: The Awakening: The Fallen World Chronicle Anthology (Kindle, Nook)

Vampire: The Masquerade: The Beast Within Anthology (Kindle, Nook)

Werewolf: The Apocalypse: W20 Cookbook (Kindle, Nook)

Exalted: Tales from the Age of Sorrows (Kindle, Nook)

Chronicles of Darkness: Tales of the Dark Eras (Kindle, Nook)

Promethean: The Created: The Firestorm Chronicle Anthology (Kindle, Nook)

Demon: The Descent: Demon: Interface (Kindle, Nook)

Scarred Lands: Death in the Walled Warren (Kindle, Nook)

V20 Dark Ages: Cainite Conspiracies (Kindle, Nook)

Chronicles of Darkness: Strangeness in the Proportion (Kindle, Nook)

Vampire: The Requiem: Silent Knife (Kindle, Nook)

Mummy: The Curse: Dawn of Heresies (Kindle, Nook)

  OUR SALES PARTNERS:

We’re working with Studio2 to get Pugmire out into stores, as well as to individuals through their online store. You can pick up the traditionally printed main book, the Screen, and the official Pugmire dice through our friends there!

https://studio2publishing.com/search?q=pugmire

    Looking for our Deluxe or Prestige Edition books? Try this link! http://www.indiepressrevolution.com/xcart/Onyx-Path-Publishing/

Here’s the link to the press release we put out about how Onyx Path is now selling through Indie Press Revolution: http://theonyxpath.com/press-release-onyx-path-limited-editions-now-available-through-indie-press-revolution/

And you can now order Pugmire: the book, the screen, and the dice! http://www.indiepressrevolution.com/xcart/manufacturers.php?manufacturerid=296

    DRIVETHRURPG.COM:

Ending this coming Friday! DTRPG presents the 75% off sale on all Vampire: The Requiem, Werewolf: The Forsaken, and Mage: The Awakening PDFs!

    This Wednesday we offer our Monthly PDF additions to Hundred Devils Night Parade and Adversaries of the Righteous for Exalted 3rd – only on DriveThrough RPG.com!

    CONVENTIONS!

From Fast Eddy Webb, we have these:

Eddy will be speaking at SIEGE in Atlanta to talk about Kickstarters. His panel is Oct 6 at 2pm. Info on the show is here: https://siegecon.net/

Eddy will also be a featured guest (and RichT will be there at some point, too) at Save Against Fear (October 12-14) in Harrisburg, PA. He’ll be running some Pugmire games, be available for autographs, and will sometimes accept free drinks. http://www.thebodhanagroup.org/about-the-convention

Monica Valentinelli will be a professional guest at Great Falls Gaming Convention in Montana the first week of October. http://gfgr.org/guests-of-honor/

Dixie Cochran will be at High Level Games Con in Atlantic City October 12-14, running a Women in Game Design panel, Eddy’s RPG Developer Bootcamp, and possibly making a surprise appearance at another event!

  And now, the new project status updates!

DEVELOPMENT STATUS FROM FAST EDDY WEBB (projects in bold have changed status since last week):

First Draft (The first phase of a project that is about the work being done by writers, not dev prep)

C20 Novel (Jackie Cassada) (Changeling: the Dreaming 20th Anniversary Edition)

M20 The Technocracy Reloaded (Mage: the Ascension 20th Anniversary Edition)

M20 Victorian Mage (Mage: the Ascension 20th Anniversary Edition)

Tales of Excellent Cats (Monarchies of Mau)

Scion Companion: Mysteries of the World (Scion 2nd Edition)

City of the Towered Tombs (Cavaliers of Mars)

Heirs to the Shogunate (Exalted 3rd Edition)

Witch-Queen of the Shadowed Citadel (Cavaliers of Mars)

Mummy: The Curse 2nd Edition core rulebook (Mummy: The Curse 2nd Edition)

Scion Ready Made Characters (Scion 2nd Edition)

Scion Jumpstart (Scion 2nd Edition)

Geist2e Fiction Anthology (Geist: The Sin-Eaters 2nd Edition)

  Redlines

Deviant: The Renegades (Deviant: The Renegades)

Night Horrors: Nameless and Accursed (Mage: the Awakening Second Edition)

  Second Draft

Tales of Good Dogs – Pugmire Fiction Anthology (Pugmire)

Oak, Ash, and Thorn: Changeling: The Lost 2nd Companion (Changeling: The Lost 2nd)

CofD Dark Eras 2 (Chronicles of Darkness)

V5 Chicago By Night (Vampire: The Masquerade)

Trinity Continuum: Aberrant core (Trinity Continuum: Aberrant)

  Development

Hunter: the Vigil 2e core (Hunter: the Vigil 2nd Edition)

CofD Contagion Chronicle (Chronicles of Darkness)

Dystopia Rising: Evolution (Dystopia Rising: Evolution)

Night Horrors: Shunned by the Moon (Werewolf: The Forsaken 2nd Edition)

Adventures for Curious Cats (Monarchies of Mau)

M20 Book of the Fallen (Mage: the Ascension 20th Anniversary Edition)

Lunars: Fangs at the Gate (Exalted 3rd Edition)

Spilled Blood (Vampire: The Requiem 2nd Edition)

In Media Res (Trinity Continuum: Core)

Aeon Aexpansion (Trinity Continuum: Aeon)

WoD Ghost Hunters (World of Darkness)

C20 Players’ Guide (Changeling: the Dreaming 20th Anniversary Edition)

Wr20 Book of Oblivion (Wraith: The Oblivion 20th Anniversary Edition)

  Manuscript Approval:

  Editing:

Dog and Cat Ready Made Characters (Monarchies of Mau) (With Eddy)

Changeling: The Lost 2nd Jumpstart (Changeling: The Lost 2nd)

Signs of Sorcery (Mage: the Awakening Second Edition)

  Post-Editing Development:

Trinity Continuum Core Rulebook (The Trinity Continuum)

Trinity Continuum: Aeon Rulebook (The Trinity Continuum)

Ex Novel 2 (Aaron Rosenberg) (Exalted 3rd Edition)

Exalted 3rd Novel by Matt Forbeck (Exalted 3rd Edition)

They Came From Beneath the Sea! Rulebook (TCFBtS!)

  Indexing:

Changeling: The Lost 2e

    ART DIRECTION FROM MIRTHFUL MIKE:

  In Art Direction

Dystopia Rising: Evolution – KS is wrapped up.

M20: Gods and Monsters – AD’d and Contracted.

Geist 2e

The Realm

Trinity Continuum (Aeon and Core) – AD’d and Contracted.

Ex3 Monthly Stuff

Ex3 Dragon Blooded – Finals with WW for approval.

Chicago By Night – KS art sketches and finals coming in.

Pugmire Roll of Good Dogs and Cats

  Marketing Stuff

  In Layout

Trinity Core

Trinity Aeon

  Proofing

Scion Hero – Need Neal’s 2nd proof changes.

PTC: Night Horrors: The Tormented – Corrections over to KT.

Scion Origin – Doing Neall’s errata changes, and swapping out the font.

VtR: Guide to the Night

Fetch Quest – Package design done

Requiem Clan Journals – At WW for approval

  At Press

Monarchies of Mau – Printing. Dice and buttons printing.

Cavaliers of Mars – At Studio2. PoD proofs coming.

Wraith 20th – Prepping the Deluxe files.

Monarchies of Mau Screen – At Studio2.

Cavaliers of Mars Screen – At Studio2.

Wraith 20 Screen – Printing.

Scion Dice – At Studio2.

Cav Talent cards – PoD proof coming.

Lost 2e Screen – At WW for approval

Prince’s Gambit core deck and booster PoD – PoD proof coming.

  TODAY’S REASON TO CELEBRATE: It was yesterday that it started, but it’s still the start of Fall. Or Autumn, if you prefer. Anyway you say it, this is my favorite season here in the US, and even more-so in the Northeastern US where the colors of the trees have a vibrancy we just never saw in Hotlanta. Crisp air, finally, and cool breezes. Aaaah. Also all that pumpkin spice hype, but that’s OK (and it’s the constant hype that is the gadfly, not that you personally enjoy the flavor). And it all leads to Halloween and Thanksgiving!

[theonyxpath]

Just today, Monday, we launched the Kickstarter campaign for Geist: The Sin-Eaters 2nd Edition!

We’re really thrilled to be able to do this, as Geist has been a bit of a sore spot for us, and some of our community too, for years. First edition was the last of the new World of Darkness game settings to be created by the original White Wolf, during my time as WW creative director. It never got the releases and support it could have, mostly by the sheer unfortunate timing of when it arrived.

So gather ’round, kiddos, and Unca Rich will tell you a Geist story.

Despite the stellar sales of Changeling: The Lost, and excellent sales of Hunter: The Vigil, not to mention the Scion and Exalted lines, we received just absolutely abysmal pre-orders from the distribution chain for GtSE 1st Edition. We even had word that one buyer for the book trade hated it and wouldn’t order any supplements. Which was a significant percentage of our usual pre-orders. The entire company was transitioning in the years after the CCP merger, and developer Ethan Skemp, a rock of reliability, attention to detail, and excellent game design, got sick midway through finishing the book.

Basically, Geist was in the wrong place at the wrong time.

    Scion Hero art by Enzo Lopez

    So the first edition was a fair bit jumbled, and hard to find. The only supplement we did was made a “blue book” nWoD release rather than a Geist one (we tricked you, book trade buyer!) and events rushed forward and everything game studio-wise was eased back as the WoD MMO became priority #1.

Geist first edition went up on DriveThru, and those who found it seemed to love the feeling of it, and have issues with the rules. As time went by, I read those messages, and felt pretty bad about the wounded thing we had published. It was, after all, a project I had greenlit, one of my babies, and while I was trying to keep an eye on things in WW‘s remaining game studio, I was also nostrils deep in the MMO.

When Eddy and I created the CCP Transmedia group after V20, one of the first projects on our very limited slate was a revised version of Geist first edition. Not a new edition, but a fixed-up one. I think it was Eddy who first called it Geist 1.1, and in April 2012 it was put up on DTRPG.

And a funny thing happened.

Sales happened.

Continuing healthy sales. Somebody was out there, and they sure seemed devoted to Geist. What a wonderful thing to discover about a game and setting that seemed like it was stillborn. But actually, once folks could get a cleaned up version, people kept buying it.

This realization coincided with the timing of creating the first Dark Eras book, and when backers were voting for which lines to appear in which Dark Eras there was pretty intense lobbying for Geist. Huh. More confirmation. If you haven’t yet, you can check out the Geist sections in both Dark Eras and the Dark Eras Companion volume here on DTRPG: http://www.drivethrurpg.com/browse/pub/4261/Onyx-Path-Publishing/subcategory/27199/Dark-Eras

The Dark Eras books were, in fact, the method we had to deliver new material, albeit historical, for all of the new World of Darkness lines as they transitioned into the Chronicles of Darkness and we moved forward with creating their second editions. (Which is a very, very, cleaned-up and simplified version of the tortuous transition, indeed. And a story for another times, kiddos.)

    Wraith20 Handbook for the Recently Deceased art by Michael Gaydos

    Which, basically, brings us to this Kickstarter for Geist 2nd Edition. Spearheaded by the titanically talented Travis Stout and a fantastic team of writers, nurtured by Rose Bailey and Dixie Cochran, with stunning art that you can see represented on the KS page…this is truly the second chance for the “game of second chances”!

Now, we still don’t know what size audience we’ll have for this KS, nor how fast we’ll fund, or how many Stretch Goals we’ll achieve. (I was thinking about stopping mid-sentence and going into the next line, like I was caught off-guard by some sort of alarm, but honestly, I stopped with “achieve” and went and checked the KS hoping I could say the next paragraph right now).

And BOOM! as I was writing this little tale, the Geist 2e Kickstarter has funded in 9.75 hours! Thanks to everyone who contributed so far, and to all of you who will help us bring forth a new 2nd Edition version of this awesome game by pledging this next month! https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/200664283/geist-the-sin-eaters-2nd-edition

Phew!

    Scion Hero art by Marco Gonzales

      Meanwhile last Friday, our Onyx Pathcast featured Dixie, Eddy, and Matthew telling tales of the freelancer lifestyle and just what that means. Lots of creativity, lots of communication with the clients depending on you, lots of making sure you have another gig in the works. You can hear them on your preferred podcast service, or right here on PodBean: https://onyxpathcast.podbean.com/

This coming Friday, the Terrible Trio of Terror will be interviewing the terrific Danielle Lauzon, who has been just tearing up the place developing Vampire: The Requiem 2nd, a lot of brilliant work on Storypath generally, and the Trinity Continuum specifically, and she’s been a mover and shaker on the new releases for 7th Sea for John Wick Presents.

Finally, in other news, it’s the 4th of July holiday Wednesday here in the US, so a lot of us will be out of the office that day, although we will have our usual Wednesday “on sale alert”. Some of our shipping services also have a day or two off, so that’s throwing some pre-Gen Con plans off a tad, but we’re adjusting. Make sure you watch the musical 1776 (an inspiration for “Hamilton“), and keep your pets inside away from the loud noises for the holiday.

And with that, I’ve leave you with these fours words of wisdom muttered by John Adams on his deathbed:

Many Worlds, One Path!

    BLURBS!

KICKSTARTER:

The Geist: The Sin-Eaters 2nd Edition Kickstarter began today (Monday) and already has funded as I write this. We want to be able to make a great looking hardcover edition, and get that into stores while giving backers first look at the complete text and other fun benefits: https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/200664283/geist-the-sin-eaters-2nd-edition

Geist: The Sin-Eaters 2nd Edition includes all the rules you need to play as one of the Bound: Five Burdens reflecting the cause that pulled you back from the grave, five krewe Archetypes for building your own mystery religion, and the Haunts, Keys, and Ceremonies that provide the Bound with their macabre powers.

It also includes the Chronicle of the Dead, featuring the Sin-Eaters’ struggle against the all-consuming Underworld and a variety of terrifying threats. In addition, for the first time in the Chronicles of Darkness line, ghosts are presented as playable characters.

Chapters include:

The Quick and the Dead: the five Burdens (the reason a Sin-Eater comes back from the dead and what draws a particular geist to them) and krewe Archetypes (the common cause that draws a krewe of Sin-Eaters together).

The Road Back: On death and coming back, and why Bound make the Bargain, including possible consequences.

One Foot in the Grave: Character creation, with sections on both geist and krewe creation, Anchors, Merits, Synergy, Plasm, Abilities, Haunts, Keys, Ceremonies, and Mementos.

Old Laws: the core Chronicles of Darkness rules, with special rules for playing Sin-Eaters, as well as information on subsystems for krewes, ghosts, and the Underworld, including Avernian Gates.

Antagonists: villains for your Geist chronicle, including Reapers, Eaters of the Dead, necromancers, enemy Bound, and Kerberoi.

The Quiet Places: Setting information and story hooks for playing your Geist chronicle in specific times and places in history., from 16th-century Brazil to modern-day Edinburgh, Scotland to Mobile, Alabama in 1910, as well as information on Dominions.

Ghost Stories: Storyteller advice and information for running a Geist chronicle, including designing Remembrances, how to set theme and mood, story seeds, and various ways to play out the end of a game.

Appendix: The Absent: This Appendix details the Absent, playable ghosts, including Memories, new Merits, and a collection of possible ghost characters to expand on and use in your chronicle.

Appendix: Conditions and Tilts: Geist-specific Conditions and Tilts, including ephemeral Influence Conditions and Manifestation Conditions for ghosts, as well as Haunt Conditions and Tilts.

    ELECTRONIC GAMING:

As we find ways to enable our community to more easily play our games, the Onyx Dice Rolling App is now live! Our dev team has been doing updates since we launched based on the excellent use-case comments by our community, and this thing is both rolling and rocking!

Here are the links for the Apple and Android versions:

http://theappstore.site/app/1296692067/onyx-dice

https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.onyxpathpublishing.onyxdice&hl=en

Three different screenshots, above.

    ON AMAZON AND BARNES & NOBLE:

You can now read our fiction from the comfort and convenience of your Kindle (from Amazon) and Nook (from Barnes & Noble).

If you enjoy these or any other of our books, please help us by writing reviews on the site of the sales venue you bought it from. Reviews really, really help us with getting folks interested in our amazing fiction!

Our selection includes these fiction books:

Vampire: The Masquerade: The Endless Ages Anthology (Kindle, Nook)

Werewolf: The Apocalypse: Rites of Renown: When Will You Rage II (Kindle, Nook)

Mage: The Ascension: Truth Beyond Paradox (Kindle, Nook)

Chronicles of Darkness: The God-Machine Chronicle Anthology (Kindle, Nook)

Mummy: The Curse: Curse of the Blue Nile (Kindle, Nook)

Beast: The Primordial: The Primordial Feast Anthology (Kindle, Nook)

Vampire: The Masquerade: Of Predators and Prey: The Hunters Hunted II Anthology (Kindle, Nook)

Werewolf: The Apocalypse: The Poison Tree (Kindle, Nook)

Werewolf: The Apocalypse: Songs of the Sun and Moon: Tales of the Changing Breeds (Kindle, Nook)

Vampire: The Requiem: The Strix Chronicle Anthology (Kindle, Nook)

Werewolf: The Forsaken: The Idigam Chronicle Anthology (Kindle, Nook)

Mage: The Awakening: The Fallen World Chronicle Anthology (Kindle, Nook)

Vampire: The Masquerade: The Beast Within Anthology (Kindle, Nook)

Werewolf: The Apocalypse: W20 Cookbook (Kindle, Nook)

Exalted: Tales from the Age of Sorrows (Kindle, Nook)

Chronicles of Darkness: Tales of the Dark Eras (Kindle, Nook)

Promethean: The Created: The Firestorm Chronicle Anthology (Kindle, Nook)

Demon: The Descent: Demon: Interface (Kindle, Nook)

Scarred Lands: Death in the Walled Warren (Kindle, Nook)

V20 Dark Ages: Cainite Conspiracies (Kindle, Nook)

Chronicles of Darkness: Strangeness in the Proportion (Kindle, Nook)

Vampire: The Requiem: Silent Knife (Kindle, Nook)

Mummy: The Curse: Dawn of Heresies (Kindle, Nook)

      OUR SALES PARTNERS:

We’re working with Studio2 to get Pugmire out into stores, as well as to individuals through their online store. You can pick up the traditionally printed main book, the Screen, and the official Pugmire dice through our friends there!

https://studio2publishing.com/search?q=pugmire

    Looking for our Deluxe or Prestige Edition books? Try this link! http://www.indiepressrevolution.com/xcart/Onyx-Path-Publishing/

Here’s the link to the press release we put out about how Onyx Path is now selling through Indie Press Revolution: http://theonyxpath.com/press-release-onyx-path-limited-editions-now-available-through-indie-press-revolution/

And you can now order Pugmire: the book, the screen, and the dice! http://www.indiepressrevolution.com/xcart/manufacturers.php?manufacturerid=296

      DRIVETHRURPG.COM:

Following up last week’s Sword and Sorcery Day, with the first-ever Amazon and Nook store releases of the epubs for the first edition Scarred Lands fiction Dead God Trilogy: Forsaken: Book One, Forsworn: Book Two, and Forbidden: Book Three!

      CONVENTIONS!

Prep is seriously underway for Gen Con 2018 in the first week of August, which takes place in Indianapolis. In addition to our booth presence, be sure to check out the games and panels in the Gen Con Event Schedule.

From Fast Eddy Webb, we have these:

Eddy will be speaking at Broadleaf Writers Conference (September 22-23) in Decatur, GA. He’ll be there to talk about writing for interactive fiction, and hanging out with other writers who have far more illustrious careers. http://broadleafwriters.com/3rd-annual-broadleaf-writers-conference/3rd-annual-broadleaf-writers-conference-speakers/

Eddy will also be a featured guest at Save Against Fear (October 12-14) in Harrisburg, PA. He’ll be running some Pugmire games, be available for autographs, and will sometimes accept free drinks. http://www.thebodhanagroup.org/about-the-convention

If you are going and want to meet up, let us know!

    And now, the new project status updates!

DEVELOPMENT STATUS FROM FAST EDDY WEBB (projects in bold have changed status since last week):

First Draft (The first phase of a project that is about the work being done by writers, not dev prep)

M20 Book of the Fallen (Mage: the Ascension 20th Anniversary Edition)

C20 Novel (Jackie Cassada) (Changeling: the Dreaming 20th Anniversary Edition)

M20 The Technocracy Reloaded (Mage: the Ascension 20th Anniversary Edition)

M20 Victorian Mage (Mage: the Ascension 20th Anniversary Edition)

CofD Dark Eras 2 (Chronicles of Darkness)

Trinity Continuum: Aberrant core (Trinity Continuum: Aberrant)

Tales of Excellent Cats (Monarchies of Mau)

Adventures for Curious Cats (Monarchies of Mau)

Scion Companion: Mysteries of the World (Scion 2nd Edition)

City of the Towered Tombs (Cavaliers of Mars)

Changeling: The Lost 2nd Companion (Changeling: The Lost 2nd)

Night Horrors: Nameless and Accursed (Mage: the Awakening Second Edition)

Heirs to the Shogunate (Exalted 3rd Edition)

Witch-Queen of the Shadowed Citadel (Cavaliers of Mars)

  Redlines

Deviant: The Renegades (Deviant: The Renegades)

Spilled Blood (Vampire: The Requiem 2nd Edition)

Wr20 Book of Oblivion (Wraith: The Oblivion 20th Anniversary Edition)

Changeling: The Lost 2nd Jumpstart (Changeling: The Lost 2nd)

Lunars: Fangs at the Gate (Exalted 3rd Edition)

  Second Draft

WoD Ghost Hunters (World of Darkness)

Tales of Good Dogs – Pugmire Fiction Anthology (Pugmire)

Night Horrors: Shunned by the Moon (Werewolf: The Forsaken 2nd Edition)

Dog and Cat Ready Made Characters (Monarchies of Mau)

Aeon Aexpansion (Trinity Continuum: Aeon)

C20 Players’ Guide (Changeling: the Dreaming 20th Anniversary Edition)

In Media Res (Trinity Continuum: Core)

  Development

Signs of Sorcery (Mage: the Awakening Second Edition)

Hunter: the Vigil 2e core (Hunter: the Vigil 2nd Edition)

Fetch Quest (Pugmire)

CofD Contagion Chronicle (Chronicles of Darkness)

Dystopia Rising: Evolution (Dystopia Rising: Evolution)

  Manuscript Approval:

  Editing:

They Came From Beneath the Sea! Rulebook (TCFBtS!)

  Post-Editing Development:

Scion: Hero (Scion 2nd Edition)

Trinity Continuum Core Rulebook (The Trinity Continuum)

Trinity Continuum: Aeon Rulebook (The Trinity Continuum)

Ex Novel 2 (Aaron Rosenberg) (Exalted 3rd Edition)

Exalted 3rd Novel by Matt Forbeck (Exalted 3rd Edition)

GtS Geist 2e core (Geist: the Sin-Eaters Second Edition)

M20 Gods and Monsters (Mage: the Ascension 20th Anniversary Edition)

Night Horrors: The Tormented (Promethean: The Created 2nd Edition)

Guide to the Night (Vampire: The Requiem 2nd Edition)

  Indexing:

Monarchies of Mau (Monarchies of Mau)

    ART DIRECTION FROM MIRTHFUL MIKE:

In Art Direction

Ex3 Monthly Stuff

Trinity Continuum – Workin’ on it… the priority.

Geist 2e

The Realm

M20 Gods and Monsters

Ex3 Dragon Blooded – More more sketches coming in.

Promethean Night Horrors: The Tormented – Sketches and finals almost all in.

VtR – Guide to the Night 

Dystopia Rising: Evolution – Eddy’s notes are approved… so getting Mark on fulls and Riley on splats.

  Marketing Stuff

Posters and Displays

  In Layout

Fetch Quest – Playtest decks uploaded.

Scion Hero

Cavaliers of Mars Cards

  Proofing

Scion Origin – Onyx review finishes, comments sent to Neall and OK’d, now being input.

Changeling: the Lost 2 – Josh is working on the interior fixing.

Cavaliers of Mars – Dropping in the Index and sending it over to Rose for a final once over.

  At Press

V20 Beckett’s Jyhad Diary & Beckett Screen & V20 Dice – KS backer rewards shipping.

Scion Dice – At fulfillment shipper.

Monarchies of Mau – In Indexing.

Monarchies of Mau Screen – Screen proof this week.

Cavaliers of Mars Screen – Screen proof this week.

Wr20 Guide for Newly Departed – PoD proofs shipping.

Gen Con Buttons – At press.

WoD and CofD reroll cards – At press.

FQ and PG Gen Con cards – At press.

Wraith 20 Screen – Screen proof this week.

GenCon Brochure – Printing.

Storypath Brochure – Files sent to printer.

Wraith 20th – PoD files uploaded.

  TODAY’S REASON TO CELEBRATE: This space needs to stop being for memorials – last week we lost one of the most awarded and prolific speculative fantasy writers, ever: Harlan Ellison died in his sleep at the age of 84. Which is an amazingly inappropriate way for that angry young man to go out. A ruptured aorta while spewing invectives into the venal face of mediocrity, or a fiery bounce-back from a Molotov cocktail, maybe. But in his sleep? Well, you fought the good fight longer than most, Harlan, and you always had a keen eye and ear for irony (and a sailor’s mouth), so go in peace, you who whipped inspiration into so many of us. You earned it.