Butt Kicking For Goodness! - Two Vastly Different Views on The Importance of Kickstarter Timeliness

First, the wrong way to appease your supporters:

King For a Day


while we wait....
Update #31 · Dec. 13, 2012 ·

Of course I'm a greasy oil horrible human for not finishing k4ad yet and starting a new project. But as a consolation, everyone on k4ad will also get a thank you in my new project, whether you backed it or not. It's my way of offering thanks without actually doing any extra work.

I mean.

Damn. Backspace?

http://www.kickstarter.com/projects/218255739/a-gallery-of-rogues

(I've only heard good things about Jim Pinto in the past, but the current Kickstarter was due in September, it isn't finished, no new date is announced and he's running another Kickstarter for a new project. I mean, shouldn't you finish off the already late one before seeking funds for the next one? Why the fuck would I want thanks for a project I didn't support - this is the "bribe" being offered to soften the offense of the second project being run concurrently. 

You know what I want?  What I paid for. Snarky attitude, even if done in jest, does nothing but annoy me in this case.)



Now, the right way to deal with your supporters:


Spears of the Dawn


Spears of the Dawn Nearing Completion
Update #8 · Dec. 13, 2012 ·

Hello, patient backers.

Spears of the Dawn is nearing print-readiness, with only 10 illos left to finish before it hits DTRPG/RPGNow. The artists have been hitting their marks in admirable fashion, with a particular hat-tip to Luigi Castellani for being an art-producing machine during this project. Time's running out for the inevitable disastrous personal catastrophe I budgeted for in the schedule. If it doesn't happen soon, this game might be out months in advance of its March 2013 deadline. Personally, I'm staying indoors, wearing a hospital mask, and refusing to answer any ominous phone calls from my family.

The House of Bone and Amber is proving a tougher nut to crack than I had anticipated, however, restoring my faith in the fundamental perversity of the world. Still, it's simply a matter of polish and packing in more good stuff rather than writer's block, so it shouldn't be an issue in hitting the deadline. I've managed to enlist the talented Ejiwa Ebenebe (gallery here) to do the cover for the module, and am nearly ready to start enlisting other artists. I plan to farm the work out to a half-dozen people, both to provide different styles for those who want variety in their future stock art and to ensure that the art gets done on time.

You'll be hearing more from me once The House of Bone and Amber is in a more settled state, and I'll likely be passing it out to interested parties for outside playtesting and problem-finding before it hits the final. All backers will get it in PDF, of course, but I've not yet decided how to deal with the print angle of things. A discount on the saddle-stitched color print version could well be possible, but I'll have to run the numbers on the final to see if it makes sense.

With regards,

          Kevin Crawford

(See the part I bolded above? Holy shit! 'Nuff said...)

ENWorld is Back - Mostly Sorta (and Fast - Which Won't Last)

Remember a few years back, when ENWorld was going to go Web 2.0, and it wound up looking like "Web -Oh no!"?

It looks a crap-ton cleaner and more usable now. I'm damn sure that won't last. Ah well.

Apparently they were able to save their old posts - that in and of itself is a minor miracle and excellent news. Even if the vast majority of the newer posts hold little to no interest for me, there is a virtual museum of gaming goodness with the older posts.

They are looking for subscribers to help foot the bill for thousands of British Pounds of lost code. Fuck that! The forums work and that is all that we need. Whatever coding was lost can stay lost. The site loads quickly now, which is a first.

So, how long before Morrus fucks up the clean interface in hopes of monetizing the site like it was of old?

Does This Unicorn Have a Broken Leg? (Iron Age - A Soon to Fail Indiegogo Project)

That middle leg looks like it's growing out of the unicorn's stomach!

Did I mention the folks behind this project spammed my blog an others?

I'm almost tempted to support this project so they can fix the poor unicorn, but then I remembered the "give us your CC info scam" they got going...

$192 raised out of a $5,500 goal - down in flames ;)

D&D Next Has Left Me Vexed - It Feels So "Vanilla"

Remember when The Grumpy Dwarf was a fairly frequent poster at The Tavern? A new D&D Next article would get posted and Grumpy was all over it like white on rice.

It hasn't been like that in a while.

Not because what I've been reading about D&D Next recently is exciting me, but it's not working me up either. It's bland.

It's like taking D&D and making it into a dry, wheat toast without butter, jam, jelly, peanut butter, dog poop, pickles, whatever - it just is.

I see very little talk about D&D Next on G+ or the gaming blogs I frequent, and although there is some self selection in what I read, those that were posting about it seem to do so much less.

It may be that the open development time has stretch too long and lost it's excitement. It may be that WotC needs some big 5e announcement to stir the waters and regain some visibility.

It may also be that many of us are getting to the point where D&D Next is old before it's even new. Which is a shame. Because as much as Grumpy picked nits and critiqued, he did it because he wanted it to be a success.

Now? The Grumpy Dwarf is mostly silent. He no longer cares.

Damn shame if you ask me.

Maybe Monte can come back for a second time and add some excitement to the process ;)

Dyson Logos Releases "Dyson's Delves" (Dungeons Galore)

If you follow OSR gaming at all, you've come across Dyson Logos' maps. To say that they are amazing is an understatement.

Dyson has released his work in print - $20 for softcover, $40 for hardcover.

"Dyson’s Delves is a 6″ x 9″ 149 page book of adventures and maps for your old school game. Five full adventures from the site begin the book, followed by 44 dungeon maps each with a lined page opposite it for the owner to stock and key the maps or just to write notes about the dungeon for his or her own game.

Both editions contain reformatted versions of the classic mini-mega dungeon “Dyson’s Delve”, “The Charmed Grotto”, “Ruins of the Gorgon”, “The Worm’s Gullet” and “Erdea Manor”, followed by 44 unkeyed maps. The Limited hardcover edition contains an additional adventure at the back of the book, “The Twisted Halls of Mornard’s Revenge” which is designed for near name-level adventurers".

That's a crapload of Dyson's maps for a damn good price.

I opted for the softcover, as I think I'd cry if I found myself keying a dungeon in the hardcover ;)

The stuff is at Lulu, so use DECBOOKS12 to get 20% off.

Thanks to James Aulds for the heads up and the $20 hole in my paypal account ;)

Thoughts on Using Fate Core For One on One Play With a Novice Gamer

My wife has shown some interest in my RPG hobby, but I'm damn well sure she's not interested in dungeon raiding and the like that the OSR entails (I know there is much, much more to the OSR, but I'm using my wife's perspective, so bare with me)

She's enjoyed watching both The Game of Thrones and The Walking Dead, so I have at least two genres I could use.

Here's the question - I have little experience with Fate other than reading Spirit of the Century and my current perusal of Fate Core. Does the system hold up for one on one play? Are there any house rules / tweaks you would suggest for one on one play? I think Fate is light enough for my wife to enjoy while not being so light that it will frustrate me ;)

I figure the setting itself can be painted with broad strokes and detailed as needed. I'm hoping to kick this off sometime after the New Year. We'll see how well I hit that target ;)

The Flaming Sword of Za-Mahn (OSR / DCC)

The Flaming Sword of Za-Mahn is a magical two-handed sword. It appears to be a plain sword until it is wielded with two hands, at which point yellow and orange flames lick up and down it's blade. The sword sheds light as a torch while aflame and can be used to light things on fire in much the same way. The flames from the sword do not smoke nor foul the air.

In game terms, it is +1 to hit, +1d4 damage. The extra damage is related to it's flaming ability, so resist fire reduces the extra damage by half and creatures vulnerable to fire take 2d4 extra damage instead of the standard 1d4.

That's How We Roll Podcast - Some Extremely Informative Kickstarter Info From Fred Hicks

On the drive home from work this afternoon I finished the first part of the two part Kickstarter seminar at Metatopia over at the That's How We Roll podcast.

It was fucking amazing.

After I listen to part 2 I'm going to go back and listen to part 1 again. It was that good.

If you plan on even possibly thinking you could conceivably run a Kickstarter at some point, this is required listening.

If you want to understand how much of the money raised actually goes to the core product, you have to listen to this.

Some highlights:

Kickstarter takes 5%, Amazon 3-5% of funds raised. If the project fails to fund, no money is taken and the cost to everyone, even the project creator, is nothing.

Stretch goals that include extra physical product can kill a project's ability to be profitable if you're not careful - which is obviously why the Fate Core Kickstarter has PDFs as stretch goals (with the option to pay for a print version of the stretch goals - apparently close to cost)

T-shirts are a killer when it comes to cost (as I've learned researching them for The Tavern - they will be forthcoming, I just need to clear my plate)

In general, only a small percentage (1% - 2% ?) of pledges fail to complete and be charged (from the comments I've seen on some "backers only" uddates, I would have assumed a much high percentage - something I need to keep in mind in the future)

Lots of other goodies, like timing the kick off and ending of a Kickstarter (there is a science to it), the proper length of a Kickstarter - fuck it, what I really need is a transcript. Fucking awesome shit!

Free RPG Product of the Week - Decahedron Magazine #1

Yeah, I know I don't always update this weekly - sometimes it lasts over 2 weeks. What can i say? I'm not a very good calendar watcher ;)

Today we swap in a new freebie into the Free RPG Product of the Week slot - Decahedron Magazine #1 for BareBones Fantasy RPG.

Bill Logan and Larry Moore put together an excellent RPG and now they've put together an excellent magazine to support it.

From the blurb:


Decahedron is a magazine designed to support the BareBones Fantasy RPG.  It contains articles written by gamers like you. Originally, this was intended to be a paid-for publication containing material DwD Studios produced, along with some fan-generated content in a profit-sharing model. However, due to the popularity of the game and the ever-growing community, we wanted to continue our roots of community development like we have done with our other fan-based products and sites.

This magazine is something we can all develop together and be proud of. Designed to be small, lite, but full of fun content, we hope you enjoy this issue, as we plan on many more to come. As long as gamers are contributing content they’ll have a place within the pages of Decahedron.


Within issue you'll find:

    a great cover by Joe Calkins.

    A spotlight on Jim Alcala Sales, an active member of the forums at dwdstudios.com.

    The Gaming Table: we all love d100 tables, and this issue gives you 100 imaginative descriptors for when you're stumped during character creation.  Assembled by various authors in the forums at dwdstudios.com.

    Grimoire: a regular article series containing more magical goodness for your game.  In this issue you'll read about the Commune spell, by Bill Logan.

    Game Options: N. Harrison Ripps walks us step-by-step through the process he took to come up with a balanced approach at two-weapon fighting.  It's a great article to give YOU the tools to create more balanced game options.

    Cavern of Kul'Thoru: Matt Jackson takes us on a tour of the lair of a hydra and his lizardman minions.  Complete with three different story hooks in case you're stumped how to drop it into your campaign.

    Creature Corner: our own Larry Moore gives us the Drop Horror, a low-rank creature ready for you to... ahem... drop on your unsuspecting players.

    Character Races: not all campaigns are based on Tolkein's works.  Mike Wikan gives us the Hriffani Nomads, a cat-like constructed race unloved by the gods but surviving despite all odds.

    The Undertemple of Eleroth: one of our goals is to give you a new map on the back cover of every issue of the webzine, a ready tool for able GMs to stock and build a story around.  This issue's map by Bill Logan.

Hidden Rolls and the Temptation of the Fudge

(this was originally - in part - responses of mine to a thread on G+)


I run my games via G+ Hangouts / TableTop Forge - my rolls are in the open, except for secret door checks / wandering monsters and the like.

The world is not always a fair place, and without risk the game (it is primarily a game, not a storytelling experience, although the story should evolve naturally through play) is bland.

How can there be excitement for overcoming great odds when fate and chance has no place in the equation?

I'm willing to improvise and let my players think up solutions / actions / flaming mine carts into orcs and the like that are not strictly covered by the rules - heck, I encourage it. That's the extent of my DM Fiat - letting the players find methods to increase their chances of success.

If the game uses dice, the dice are there for a reason. Denying them the ability to impact the course of the game removes much of "the game" from the experience.


I trust my players to play through the dice rolls, good or bad.

I am expected to do the same.

My players don't want fudged dice rolls, in their favor or against them. Sometimes they fail when the odds are heavily in their favor. Sometimes they unexpectedly succeed. Same with their adversaries.

For my group, that is part of the fun. Well, that and beer and derailing the game with outside the game talk. But that's how we roll - with honest rolls.

By fudging the rolls, you are moving from RPG to Storytelling. There is a huge gray area where they overlap, and fudging of dice is a part of that IMO.


That to me is the issue - are you playing a game or a looking for a storytelling experience?

My fear is that fudging dice rolls for "the story" takes importance away from "the characters". My feeling has always been that "the characters" should always come before whatever story I may have in mind, and that won't be the case if I fudge dice rolls.

Besides, I expect my players to be honest with their rolls. The least I can do is the same ;)

A Kickstarter That's Better Than a Box of Rocks - Hand-Picked Skipping Stones

Admit it. You're a lazy fuck. You want to skip stones down by the pond but don't actually want to bend down and pick any up. God forbid you actually have to spend a minute sorting out the flat ones.

Hand-Picked Skipping Stones is the Kickstarter for you!

Imagine the joy of getting your very own box of rocks in the mail!

Picture the excitement as the postman lofts it at your doorstep and it sails through your glass window!

Sheer minutes of pulse pounding spine tingling "something" as you chuck rocks at the nearest watering hole!

All this for a mere $25 per box of 20 singing  skipping stones! (please add $75 for rope and bamboo handled carrying system)

Order now! Supplies are limited! Shipping is FREE (where permitted by law)

Fine Print - Suckers are born every minute. Except where prohibited by law, suckers are STRONGLY encouraged to opt for the optional rope and bamboo carry set. After delivery, rocks may be placed in head to replace missing brain matter where applicable. ROCKnskippers.com is not responsible for broken windows or cranial injuries that might result from improper use of Skipping Stones. Use only as directed. Possession of Skipping Stones may be restricted by law in certain jurisdictions. Please check with your local Law Enforcement before throwing stones, especially in the vicinity of glass houses. Do NOT use with sticks. Use with sticks may result in broken bones (but names will never hurt me).

My DM Merit Badges (ala Stuart's Excellent Post)

Those badges pretty much define my DM'ing style (as detailed at Stuart's Strange Magic blog)

In order:

- The GM is In Charge in my games and "rule-zero" is in effect

- I roll Dice in the open and don't fudge the results in my games

- Players in my game should be prepared to Run when the odds are against them

- I frequently Tinker with the rules of the game

- My games are more of the Social, Fun and "Beer & Pretzels" style

Gee, I'm only over a year late in getting those up. In all fairness to me, I wasn't actively DM'ing back in 2011 ;)

Group Dynamics - or - Finding a Gaming Group That You Are Right For

Notice I didn't say "finding the gaming group that is right for you".

Back in the way back time on G+, when I had folks in my circles that thought everything was an issue in gaming, and gaming without issues was impossible, there was a thread about finding the right group (thank God for last week's Circle Purge and the lessening of the noise).

Strangely enough, the thread didn't stress "finding a gaming group you are compatible with" but skewed more in the direction of "the group should make accommodations for you". Oh, it went much deeper than this, and I was called out on apparently not understanding the issues and being sexist. I know it was sexist, as I'm 45 and out of shape, so no one was calling me sexy.

Anyhow, here's how the real world works, at least for those of us that like to live there.

Groups have their own dynamics. In a way, they become their own organism, as they can generally be defined by certain attributes, especially when they are gaming groups. My group could be broadly defined as OSR, opinionated, impossible to focus and a roaring good time. Other groups may be 4e oriented, rules heavy, quest driven and serious gamers or they may be laid back, Indie style gamers, story oriented, roleplay heavy.

If you want to play 4e or Savage Worlds, my weekly group probably isnt for you unless you are interested in trying OSR type games. If you expect your RPG sessions to be serious and no bullshitting around, we are definitely not the group you want to join. If you want to spend five minutes describing your character's interaction with the innkeeper, you are more then welcome to try, but I suspect my players will try to kill him if you dawdle for too long.

Adding players to an established group is a bit of an art form. Random pick ups for an on going campaign have the potential of derailing things if if new player expectations don't match well with the group's traits. I've added folks to our established group without a hitch, because I was fairly sure the personalities would mesh.

Think about it. Gaming is a form of socializing. Generally speaking, we want to socialize with people we share interests with and share similar experiences and expectations. Do you really want to spend time with folks that you are not going to mesh with?

With G+ Hangouts, there really is no excuse to try to fit into a group whose style doesn't match yours, or even worse, try to make that established group accomodate yours. Find a group you fit with. Put out some feelers with like minded friends and form your own group. Participate in the G+ gaming community at large, play in some pick up groups and then form your own group. It really can be that simple. Not necessarily easy, but the method is simple.

The Guide to Glorantha - A Kickstarter That Comes With It's Own Spreadsheet (to figure out supporter rewards)

It's not often that I look at a Kickstarter that is AMAZINGLY successful and still find myself scratching my head. The Guide to Glorantha is one of those rare projects. It's goal was an impressive one for an RPG project - $36,500. It currently sits at $155,943 with just under 800 backers, which means it averages nearly $200 per supporter. 8 days left in the Kickstarter too.

Can we all say a collective "Holy Shit!"

Now I know why Design Mechanism didn't get the rights to Glorantha when they got the rights to RuneQuest. It appears that the setting is where the money is.

I have Pavis and Big Rubble from Choasium during the RQ2 days and they were simply amazing. Better then what others were putting out back then and it was far from the standard fantasy world.

So, from a personal standpoint, I find this Kickstarter fascinating and I am sorely tempted to participate in it, but apparently you need to refer to a spreadsheet to figure out what the different levels of supoort give. No. Really, you need a spreadsheet! Look:

I think I'd need to support at $125 to get what I want in print and PDF. I put down at least that much for Dwimmermount, but I expected to get use out of that (not the vinyl play matts - WTF I wanted those when I game on G+ Hangouts I'll never understand). These I'll read and put on a shelf.

I guess I have 8 days left to decide if I want in on this.

I think if I had stuck with Glorantha over the years, I'd probably be in at $500. Thank God I didn't stick with it ;)

I Have Three Non-OSR Games Dueling For My Attention - There Can Be Only One!

I am solidly an OSR sort of guy. It's in my blood. It's what I caught my teeth on. Learning new game systems is sort of like learning a new language - I've found over the years I have my limits.

Savage Worlds is NOT one of the three games I'm currently looking at. It's a fine system and the Soloman Kane book could possibly tempt me at some point, but not now.

No, the three games in no particular order are Dungeon World, The World Between for Fictive Hack and the new/old Fate Core.

Dungeon World appelas to me because I know how well AW plays despite the poor presentation of the rules. Dungeon World overcomes that particular handicap. I do have an issue with the whole "training wheels, flag football, no one really gets hurt" aspect of the AW system. I need to look closer to see how DW adresses that aspect of the engine. (or just wait for a reader to point me in the right direction)

The World Between for Fictive Hack is just a fucking cool setting. Death and even crippling effects are in game system. I need to stop bouncing back and forth through the document so I can perhaps grasp the rules fully.

Then there is the granddaddy / baby of the group - Fate Core. I'm slowly making my way through the current iteration of the rules available via the Kickstarter and I like what I see. I "think" I'll be able to grasp the rules now. The Dresden Files were a beautiful yet painful read, and I feel the actual rules got lost in the presentation.

So yes, I'm looking for a system to run "in addition to" by usual OSR style of game.

I'm open to your thoughts / ideas / favs / hates / etc ;)

Butt Kicking For Goodness! Counting Coppers and "Cool Stuff"

I don't normally post directly from the Dwimmermount updates as they are "backers only", but I will quote a small snippet this time because Tavis deserves the props. Come what may, the man is a professional with one hell of a sense of humor:

Dwimmermount: An Old School Fantasy RPG Megadungeon - 

"I started entering data into the the spreadsheet before James' faction section was complete, so my coding is inexact. If you struck a deal with the Rat Boss to have his minions bring you every copper piece in Dwimmermount, how many would that be? Clearly, the spreadsheet should account for individual coin types as well as total treasure value." (Tavis - I bow before you ;)

Axes and Anvils

Playtest rules have been released to the backers.

Artisan Dice - 

The Dicemen are still making dice.

Fate Core - 

Backers got access to a prerelease version of Wild Blue (51 days left in the Kickstarter)

----- and -----


Hail, Fate Faithful! (note - project has raised over $115k right now)

We've just launched a few more stretch goals for folks to aim at now that we're headed into the $80,000 and beyond territory. Make sure to drop by the front page of the project to read about all the goals, as well as check out the steadily appearing [More Info] links.

Today we're all about the Fate Extras toolbox! Or, will be, soon enough, with that $81,000 goal close at hand (or perhaps already cleared by the time we post this). Let's get into the details.

Facts about the Fate Extras Toolbox

It starts with the Magic System Toolkit as its base (~10k words, ~30-40 pages laid out in our Fate Core 6x9 format).

From there, we will be adding between 10k and 20k words covering other topics, resulting in a book that's likely between 80 and 120 pages. This may increase by 30-40 pages or more depending on how things go -- see our updated stretch goals.

As a printed book (unlocking at $81k), it'll be softcover, black and white interior, priced at $20 (which will hold steady even if the page count goes up).

We don't expect it to ship for up to several months after Fate Core ships; we need to write it, vet it, edit it, and all the other production stuff.

You will over the course of this campaign help us figure out what topics the Toolbox will address. At the least, we expect to cover things like: magic, vehicles, gear-in-general, superpowers, rules-as-tone, alternatives for swapping out chunks of the default system with variant implementations, and more.
Adding a Physical Toolbox Book to Your Pledge
(Unlocks at $81,000)

Add $20 to your pledge for each copy you want (limit 6).

If you're in the USA, add $5 to have your copies of the Fate Toolbox shipped separately.

If you're outside the USA, add $15 to have your copies of the Fate Toolbox shipped separately.

If you're willing to have your shipment of the Fate Core rulebook delayed by at least several months, you can skip the additional shipping charge.
Looking ahead: the Expansion Compilation Book
(Unlocks at $101,000)

Fred's been resisting this one, but you can make him promise anyway! If we hit this stretch goal at $101,000, all of the stretch goal expansions up to Camelot Trigger that aren't going in the Toolbox will go into a "Fate Worlds" compilation book. The facts:

It will have a cover price of $30. Otherwise, adding it to your pledge once unlocked will function essentially identically to the Toolbox, with the extra shipping charges for shipping it separately.

Format: Black and white interior, softcover, 6x9.

Given the likely word count on each of them, this is going to be a monster -- easily 300-400 pages in our Fate Core format, and bigger than Fate Core itself.

This is the book where we'll list the names of every backer on this project (even the $1 guys), since it's really the thing that the Kickstarter most made possible. Folks who went for higher reward tiers will get divided out into various strata of the "Fate Faithful". Given that we're talking about thousands of names, it will be small print! But you will see your name in ink...
That's it for now, folks. Let's make this stuff happen! You're the ones in the drivers' seat -- how much can you step on the gas?


Redacted

A late and anticipated project is going to be a bit later due to late artwork. No, it's not the usual redacted project.

Player's Companion for the Adventurer Conqueror King RPG


I'm pleased to send this week's update early to let you know as soon as possible: the PDF of the Player's Companion is finished, and ready for you to download!

We had planned to use the DriveThruRPG discount code system to email you a link to download through their system, but it turns out that this is only available until the product is on sale to the general public - which it won't be until we've done our utmost to ensure that every backer has their copy of the PDF.

-----redacted and deleted info on how to download your copy-----

We've very excited to get the finished Player's Companion to you, and appreciate your vital role in making this possible.

Numenera: A new roleplaying game from Monte Cook


Cool Stuff!
Hey Backers!

Numenera design is going really well. The world is taking shape, and the mechanics of the game are getting honed, thanks to the huge playtest we have going on with hundreds of groups putting it through its paces.

We're also putting together the first round of art pieces from some of the artists we're working with. These include not only Kieran Yanner and cartographer Christopher West, but also Jason Engle, Eric Lofgren, Jeremy McHugh, Patrick McEvoy, Matthew Stawicki, Scott Purdy, Guido Kuip, Keith Thompson, and Lee Smith. And there will be more artists joining us as the project goes on. The preliminary sketches and art that I've seen has blown me away. I can't wait to show you it all, but for now I've attached a cool piece by Kieran to this update.

I recently wrote about Numenera here: http://www.montecookgames.com/distinguishing-it-from-magic/

And here: http://www.montecookgames.com/four-types-of-numenera/

I also wrote about a series of podcast interviews that I did, most specifically about Numenera and its Kickstarter here: http://www.montecookgames.com/the-sound-of-my-voice/

I'm also working closely with the guys at AEG, who are making the Numenera Thunderstone game. That also is going very well. And of course, I'm talking to the guys at Q-workshop about the dice, and putting all the wheels in motion to get the screens, the shirts, and so on. There's lots to do, but it's all coming together nicely.

Playtesting

For those of you involved in the playtest, keep in mind that the dropbox folder that the material is in (you got a link to it to get the material originally) is often updated with new material, and new instructions, including links to feedback forms. So check back there once a week or so. Once you fill out the first feedback form, you'll be invited to a Google group devoted to the playtest.

Seminars

The first set of online game design seminars occurred in November, and they went really well. A small handful of people reported that they did not get the link, but I confirmed and all of them were indeed sent, so make sure you check your Spam folder to ensure that the link doesn't get lost. The link will be coming from drivethrustuff.com, the people who are graciously hosting the seminars, so be on the lookout for it.

Character Contributors

If you chose a level that gets you the ability to contribute a character to the corebook (not the bestiary, or an adventure, those come later), editor Shanna Germain or I will be contacting you later this month to ask you about your contribution.

Thanks again for your patronage and support!

Monte

1e Session Recap (Part 1) - Whereupon the Party Finds Many Rats, But No Coppers

So, last night I kicked off my 1e / OSRIC campaign. It's the same players from my old ACKS campaign and Ambition & Avarice play test sessions for the most part. To make up for the reboot, I awarded them half the expo earned (approximately) during the ACKS Campaign, which gave everyone  8k in expo. I'm using a heavily modified DCC #27 to get the ball rolling.

The party includes:

Glabe, an Elven MU2/T3 - CN

Janos, an Elven Cleric4 - CN (I opened the classes up as per 2e)

Byrne, a Human Thief4 -NG (second highest HP total in the party)

Rastan, a Human Fighter3 - NG (the HP tank with exceptional Strength - name may ave changed - it was in flux ;)

Mark, a Dwarven F2/C3 - LN (also exceptional Strength)

So, the party wakes up chained to a cell wall via next collars. They have some vague memories of being in Tenkar's Tavern, in the Town of Tenkar (BareBones RPG Keranak Kingdoms Fantasy Setting). It was "Adventurers' Night" at the Tavern, when adventurers eat and drink for half off as paying patrons attempt to ply deals. A young fop named Lawrence was striking a deal with them when another adventuring party demanded the contract. Within minutes, the Tavern was laid to waste (not for the first time). Glabe remembers seeing the pointy end of a spear protruding from his chest, and suspects he died when it all faded to black. The others remember being on the losing end of the fight and falling unconscious, or worse.

Thus ends the set up ;)

Upon awaking, Rastan tested his chains and was able to pull them loose from the wall. The resulting hole revealed the sound of rushing water behind the wall. With some work, the rest of the part was freed, and it was decided to cast a silence spell so they could complete opening the wall up enough to escape through if necessary. They knew there were was someone on the other side of their cell door, and they wanted to be as quietly as possible. Besides, they were clothed only in prisonwear, without armor, weapons or other quiptment.

With the wall opened enough to view the unground river below, the party awaited their jail keeper, on the assumption someone needed to provide them with food and water. They were correct, and after waiting an undermined amount their jailor, a well times sleep spell took the wererat out after he opened their cell door.

The attempt to charm him failed, and what little info he was able to provide the party failed to make much sense. In the short of it, they disposed of him so he wouldn't be a possible issue later.

The elvin MU/T was the first to lower himself into the river. I wasn't sure if he had a death wish or now, but he saw the hints of a shore and a dry cave and decided to swim for it. The rest of the party decided to us the chains from the jail keeper's / torturer's room to tie themselves off and avoid being washed down river. It's nice to know the whole party isn't suicidal.

The party made their way the cave tunnel to a small lake with a whirlpool at the center - this was obviously fed by the river they had successfully traversed. The dwarf stopped to inspect the racks and stones at the shore before pressing on - he wanted something he could throw. Instead, he found a waterproof scroll case washed up among the rocks. The were some spell scrolls for the magic-user and a coded treasure map (and future adventure seed).

Proceeding to the far side of the sure the party came to a winding tunnel system, roughly 4' high and 4'.  It smelled of death, decay and poop. Rat poop!

(to be continued)

Quick Thoughts From Behind the Screen - My First 1e Session in 25 Years

It's been a long, long while since I've run AD&D 1e even though it is the RPG that to this day defines my RPG Genes. Since I've returned to active gaming, I've played C&C, D&D Next, Blood & Treasure and Apocalypse World. I've run sessions of ACKS, DCC RPG and Ambition & Avarice.

Last night was my first return to AD&D 1e (with OSRIC coming along for the ride).

My observations?

I really miss my Combat Wheel ;)  I forget which issue of The Dragon had it, but I had cut it out, reinforced it with cardboard and even gave it a protective spray. I really wish I had that now.

The small, almost pocket sized edition of OSRIC is great to read, but hard to reference during game - it's the damn size of the print and my 45 year old eyes.

I think my solution will be to print out the combat charts and saving throw charts for ease of DM reference during the next session.

Other than that, we didn't have any real hiccups rule-wise during the session. Interface issues with Google Hangouts / Tabletop Forge? Yep, but we managed to work around it.

Play report to follow

Got My New DCC RPG Limited Edition Cover Tome to Kill All Tomes!

I really should let my DCC RPG first print trade blows with my LE Wizard Cover DCC RPG (otherwise known as the 2nd print). I wonder if the 1e typos make the 1e stronger ;)

All this reminds me is that I really need to PLAY in a DCC RPG session or two. I've run a handful, but  I've yet to sit at the table at a place reserved for a victim player.

Oh, and the art booklet is pretty snazzy too ;)

There Will Be Benefits For Members of "2,000 Coppers" (Some may call it bribery;)

(remember, membership is free)


Here's the gameplan for 2,000 Coppers and my usual contests:

If I run a contest I'll be adding a prize just available for folks in the 2,000 GP community - when you enter the contest, just sign off at the bottom of your comment with:

"2kCP - XXX" - where XXX is your handle on G+

basically, its an extra chance to win - and yes, you can win a regular prize along with the 2kCP prize

I'll also gonna try and figure something out as a random gift, awarded once a month to a member of 2,000 Coppers - I'll update when I nail that down

There will be more going on at 2,000 Coppers, but this is the start ;)

We Now Have the "Official Santa Claws as a DCC RPG Patron" Pic!

David Fisher has earned himself a present from Santa Claws' Goodie Bag! (excellent job on the Santa Claws drawing David - I'll reach out to you later today ;)

So, what are you waiting for? Enter the Santa Claws as a DCC Patron Contest for your chance to be "gifted" ;)

Of Dachshunds, Good Beer and Herding Cats

So, I'm on an overnite in the Poconos due mainly to a follow up vet visit for our miniature longhaired dachshund. There is just no comparison service or price-wise to the care she get's here compared to NYC. Besides, I needed the excuse to take the day off from work ;)

I was disappointed by my inability find Spaten or Weinsteffaner in 5 liter minikegs, as I found them up here in the late spring. My early Christmas present is waiting to hold something besides Heineken and Newcastle.

Not that I'd be drinking any tomorrow night - when I DM I abstain from partaking in adult beverages. It's hard enough try to herd cat's on a normal gaming night - if I'm buzzed you may just mark that as a "failure to execute" before the session even starts.

Assuming your players are of legal drinking age, do you allow them to drink during the sessions you run?

Do you join them? Or not?

Do you enjoy knocking back a few as you sit in the player's seat?

I remember back in college, as we all started hitting legal drinking age, the temptation to drink during our sessions was huge. I wouldnt allow it when I DM'ed, as I wasn't able to herd drunken cats back in the day.

The majority of my players don't drink during my sessions these days, but that's their choice, not one imposed by me. As long as I'm sober, I can herd the cats ;)

Why "2,000 Coppers" for the Tavern's G+ Community?

It's a valid question.

Here's my reasoning:

Tenkar's Tavern is the name of the blog. Repeating it verbatim for the community page seemed... Boring.

Tenkar's G+ Tavern as one person mentioned looks silly.

I never planned on 2,000 Coppers taking a life of its own when I posted my mega dungeon experience, but it certainly did. A funny life at that.

So, why not embrace it? If its a penny for your thoughts, 2,000 Coppers should pay for a lot of them.

Besides, if I ever do a podcast, you know it will be called 2,000 Coppers ;)

"2,000 Coppers" Community is Now Live on G+

Yep, Communities is live on G+, and I've set up 2,000 Coppers as a place for friends of the Tavern to hang out at.

Random thoughts - maybe even some random gaming later on ;)

It's open to all, even those that have an unholy aversion to coppers, rats, taverns and gawds forbid - beer!

(edit) - added link ;)

My Goodman Games "Big Grab Bag" Haul (4e Heavy But Worth It)

Damn! I feel almost guilty after seeing Jason Paul McCartan's puny haul. I don't play 4e, but there is enough non-4e (and some easily mineable 4e stuff) to make this haul worthwhile ;)

The Grumpy Dwarf Rants About Illusionary Carrots in Paizo's Pathfinder Online Kickstarter

Dear Clueless Crowdfunder,


Our sister company Goblinworks is busy developing Pathfinder Online, a sandbox-style MMO based on the Pathfinder world. In celebration of them raising $200k in the first week of their Kickstarter initiative (and watching the fund raising slow down), and to thank our fans for their continued support, Paizo is thrilled to announce new rewards for the Pathfinder Online Kickstarter, adding awesome new content to the Pathfinder setting! (which is, of course, the same trick they pulled with the "proof of concept demo dealie" with the other kickstarter)

The biggest news is the launch of the Emerald Spire Superdungeon (Dwimmermount was their preferred choice, but James Mal already took that) , which will become the largest official Pathfinder RPG dungeon ever published (dare we call it a "megadungeon"?). The Emerald Spire Superdungeon (guess not) includes 32 pages of source material detailing the area around Fort Inevitable (what is with the lame names?), one of the starter towns in the Pathfinder Online game. It will also add at least four, 8-page dungeon levels, designed by Pathfinder superstars Richard L. Baker, F. Wesley Schneider, Wolfgang Baur and James L. Sutter. The Superdungeon will be accompanied by the Emerald Spire Dungeons Flip-Mat Multi-Pack, a set of Pathfinder Flip-Mats presenting each dungeon level in tabletop miniatures scale. (all of which is cool if you use miniatures in gaming - probably why I don't play Pathfinder)

As the Kickstarter funding grows, so does the Superdungeon (now, follow along, because I have a big question at the end of this shell game). When the $250k sub-goal is met, I will come out of game design semi-retirement to add an original dungeon level to the book. As each $100k sub-goal is met thereafter, new levels by superstar designers will be added. By the time the Kickstarter reaches its $1 million funding goal, the Emerald Spire Superdungeon will encompass 12 dungeon levels in 128 pages, accompanied by 6 double-sided Flip-Mats in the Emerald Spire Dungeons Flip-Mat Multi-Pack. (Okay - but if it doesn't fund, do we still get ann Emerald Spire of Uber-Goodness Dungeon of Super Doom? That's why this is a bullshit carrot - it's 12 plus levels or it's nothing. Why the fuck doesn't Paizo just say: "Fund our MMORPG so we can earn monthly residuals and we'll give you the megadungeon behind door number 1,000,000"! Simply because they need fake carrots to have any hope of getting this funded at $1,000,000 and if they had set a lower goal, they risked funding but not having enough funds) But it won’t stop there! (sounds almost like on of those Infomercials - "But Wait! Theres more!") As additional stretch goals are met, the Emerald Spire will become even larger, and the number of Flip-Mats will grow.

Also, a new RPG Print Pack has been added to the Kickstarter reward tier. Backers at any pledge level can get the RPG Print Pack for an additional $100 (plus $15 shipping outside of the U.S.). The RPG Print Pack includes a hardcover print edition of the Emerald Spire Superdungeon, which will feature an exclusive Kickstarter cover by Wayne Reynolds; a print edition of the Emerald Spire Dungeons Flip-Mat Multi-Pack; a print edition of the Pathfinder Tales novel The Crusader Road by Richard L. Baker, and an Emerald Spire Campaign Cards game accessory. (sweet - so if you want in on the dungeon, you need to add $100 bucks - mega dungeon for mega funding)

New WizKids Pathfinder Battles Miniatures will also be added to the Pathfinder Online Kickstarter as rewards for all of the Crowdforger backer levels, which start at $100. The miniatures will all be drawn from the Emerald Spire Superdungeon, starting with the Bloodbriar Goblin Raider. A second miniature, the Shadowfire Elemental, will be unlocked when the Kickstarter reaches $300K, with additional miniatures revealed for each $100K raised. This means that starting at $250,000, a new reward will be offered for every $50K reached, alternating between new dungeon levels for the Emerald Spire Superdungeon and new Pathfinder Battles prepainted plastic miniatures! (again, this is an all or nothing - another bullshit carrot - 9+ minis or nothing - somehow Paizo leaves off the little fact that this must get funded before you get any of the advertised carrots - just say "when we hit goal, you get 9 minis")

With the success of this Kickstarter, Pathfinder Online is targeted for a mid-2014 Beta. As stretch goals are reached beyond the base funding level, this target date will move up as more resources are brought to bear on getting Pathfinder Online finished.

The Pathfinder Online Kickstarter Campaign is in progress and concludes at 2:00 GMT on January 14, 2013. We look forward to your being involved in the development of Pathfinder Online—the voice of the fans will be at the core of what we do, and we thank you for your support. To learn more about the Pathfinder Online Kickstarter, please visit the Kickstarter page!

Best,
Lisa Stevens
CEO, Paizo Publishing, LLC
COO, Goblinworks, Inc.

(Listen, even Grumpy fucks like me would like to see this get funded, but at least be honest about it. Fake sub-goals or whatever they are are total bullshit. Lots of flash, little substance. If you want the Uber Dungeon Of Emerald Pathfinderness, fund at level that includes it as a reward - but don't think that it's getting any larger until one million bucks is passed. That's what pisses me off about this email, the carrots are fucking illusions.

The Grumpy Dwarf)

Thinking of Using DCC #27, Revenge of the Rat King to Kick Off the AD&D 1e Campaign

I know, kicking off a AD&D / OSRIC campaign with a module for PCs level 4-6, when my players will average 3-4 (I'm giving them 8k expo, so level depends on class(es) chosen), has the potential of killing the campaign before it even starts. Still, my players are tough and experienced at not only thinking outside of the box, but also standing on top of the box and thinking when it suits them.

Besides, it uses one of those scenes I generally hate in the middle of a campaign: "The party is captured and stripped of their belongings", but works amazingly well to start a campaign: "You awaken with other strangers. Last you remember you were drinking in a tavern, now you are in a damp cell with nothing but the shirt on your back and some soiled leggings. What do you do?".

Yeah, I think it will work well. ;)

Did I mention it has a Rat King? Not a single copper in the whole adventure as far as I can tell. I'll need to rectify that.

An Amazing Kickstarter - It Must Be Fate - FATE Core That Is!

I've liked the Fate System ever since I stumbled across it in Spirit of the Century a few years back. I've always thought it had the potential for some really fun campaigns  but there's been one thing holding me back over the years - I've never quite understood the rules.

Sounds silly, don't it? Liking a system you don't grok. Maybe it's more of a "potential like".

I also own The Dresden Files, which in many ways is a precursor to Apocalypse World - lets see how confusing we can make the system as we present it in this uber hip way. Yeah, Dresden didn't help me much.

So, now Evil Hat has released their Fate Core System Kickstarter. Funding has been open for 2 days thus far, and the goal of $3,000 has been surpassed and had hit $64,950  $65,070  $65,304 as I write this.

Holy shit! FASA, see what can happend when you put together a Kickstarter in the "right way"?

Evil Hat claims the new Fate Core will be easy to understand. I'm going to have to see if they are right.

$10 gets you access to the Fate Core Draft, and all expansions that get funded via the Kickstater.

$30 gets you the above and a hard cover book.

I'll be in for $30...

(edit - a pledge of $1 or more gets you immediate access to the current Fate Core draft - it's 304 pages)

An Updated Look at Recent Kickstarters That Won't Fund (Disclaimer - Unless Hell Freezes Over)

Remember Iron Age: FRP? Those fine fucks are at $177 of $5,550. It's the assholes that spammed the comments section of this blog (and others) to get the word out on their Indiegogo turd.

Great job fuckos, as I don't think you've raised a cent since then. BTW, your Paypal issue sounds fishy to me. Great news though, apparently they are now asking for Credit Card info:

Still, it can't take much work to be "lead campaigner" on this project:

But hey, what about the "Big Boys"? Let's look how FASA is doing with it's 1879 RPG, Miniatures and App Kickstarter that we peeked at last Thursday:

Shit - that has to hurt. About $150 in 5 days time. $30 bucks a day. They want $325,00. Now worries, in just over 10,000 days it will be funded...

Guys, pull the plug now before you hurt yourselves.

Intelligent Swords in AD&D 1e - What's With the Ego Trip?

While designing / building / hacking together a campaign for AD&D 1e, I find myself digging out rules that I didn't use my first time playing, or used and then discarded. Sword Ego was one of the second type of rules.

I see where the roots of Sword Ego comes from - it's 100% Strombringer.

From my perspective - intelligent swords are cool in very small numbers, and swords that are stubborn or jealous or have other personality traits can be a nice tool for a campaign, but I don't think Sword Ego is appropriate for most D&D campaigns.

My issue with Sword Ego is the whole Swords Versus Characters conflict:

When a sword possesses unusual charactiristics it has a personality which is rated by combining its intelligence and ego scores. The sword will, of course, be absolutely true to its alignment, and if the character who possesses the sword is not, personality conflict will result, i.e. sword versus character. Similarly, any sword with an ego of 19 or higher will always consider itself superior to any character, and a personality conflict will result if the possessor does not always agree with the sword's dictums.

The personality strength of a character is: INTELLIGENCE + CHARISMA + LEVEL OF EXPERIENCE. Note level is reduced by 1 for every group of hit points of damage taken equal to the character's average number of points per hit die for total levels of experience (rangers, for example, getting 2 dice at 1st level). Example: A fighter of 7th level has 53 hit points: 53 + 7 = 7.6 - for every 8 points of damage he or she takes, his or her personality strength will be lowered by 1.

Whenever personality conflict occurs, the sword will resist the character's desires and demand concessions such as:

-removal of associates, henchmen, hirelings, or creatures of alignment or personality distasteful to the sword

-the character divesting himself or herself of all other magic weapons

-obedience from the character so that the sword can lead the expedition for its purposes

-immediate seeking out and slaying of creatures hateful to the sword

-encrustation of gems on pommel, hilt, scabbard, baldric, or belt and a special container for its safekeeping likewise of precious substances

-magical protections and devices to protect it from molestation when not in use

-that the character pay it handsomely for  a11 abilities and powers the sword is called upon to exercise in behalf of its possessor

-that the character always take it along on all occasions

-that the character relinquish the sword in favor of a more suitable person due to alignment differences and/or conduct 

At any time that the personality score of a sword exceeds the personality score of the character who possesses it, the sword will dominate its possessor, and it can force any or all of the above demands or actually cause any of the following actions:
1. force its possessor into combat
2. refuse to strike opponents
3. strike at its wielder or his or her associates
4. force its possessor to surrender to an opponent
5. cause itself to drop from the character's grasp

Most of the above takes choice out of the hands of the player. Nothing above adds to the game, unless the campaign style is one "fuck the PC". Also, tracking the PC's "personality strength  with the up and down of HPs.

I don't have issues with intelligent magic items, but they should be played more like an NPC it's own wants and desires, not solely there to screw the players.

What were your experiences, if any, with Swords with ego?

Interesting Kickstarter - Agents of Change: The Time Travel RPG

I find different Kickstarters "interesting" for different reasons.

Let me start by saying this: I have no idea if Agents of Change: The Time Travel RPG is going to be a great game, or even a good game, but it's an intelligent Kickstarter.

Why? William Maldonado set his funding goal low - just $500.

Why does he want funding? To afford a professional editor and cover artist.

It's stretch goals are realistic and won't delay the release of the project:

$1000 - At this level, we will be able to hire a graphic designer from Createspace to give us a custom layout. We are prepared to work on this ourselves, but having a professional handle it will save us time and get this game in your hands quicker and with flair. Additionally, we may be able to create and start up a webspace for this and future games my team works on. 

$1250 - With a little bit more, we'll reach this level and will be able to afford marketing services such as posters featuring the cover art that will be featured in stores or sent out to donators or interested parties.

I really don't care about the different factions that are the driving force behind the "time travel" theme. I'm just happy to see "the little guy" setting a reachable funding goal and hitting it (did I mention it's funded and a bit more with 3 days to go?)

Did I mention he seems to have set realistic estimated shipping goals for the different reward levels?

Apparently, the rules haven't even hit beta yet, but I'm willing to put $15 down to see how this goes.

I bet he comes damn close to hitting his ship dates ;)

Weapon Speed - Do I Need it in AD&D 1e?

As I prepare myself to run a (mostly) AD&D 1e campaign, have any of you actually used the rules quotes below for "weapon speed"?

Weapon Speed Factor: This number is indicative of the wieldiness of any
particular weapon, how long it takes to ready the weapon against an
opponent, or how long it takes to recover and move it in its attack mode. A
pike, for example, is a 13, as it must be lowered, grasped, and then
held/thrust firmly. Such a weapon is not usable in dungeon settings, or
anywhere else without masses of other pikes to support it. In the latter
case, an opponent surviving the first attack from the bearer of the pike will
likely be able to strike several times before recovery of the pike for a
second thrust. This is further detailed below. A two-handed sword, with a
10 speed factor, likewise requires lengthy readying time and recovery
period after its attack due to its size and weight. 

When weapon speed factor is the determinont of which opponent strikes
first in a melee round, there is a chance that one opponent will be entitled
to multiple attacks Compare the scare of the lower-factored weapon with
that of the higher. If the difference is at least twice the factor of the lower,or 5 or more factors in any case, the opponent with the lower factoredweapon is entitled to 2 attacks before the opponent with the higherweapon factor is entitled to any attack whatsoever. If the difference is 10or greater, the opponent with the lower-factored weapon is entitled to 2attacks before the opponent is allowed to attack, and 1 further attack at thesame time the opponent with the higher-speed-factored weopon finally isallowed to attack. Note that such speed factor considerations are not applicable
when either closing or chorging to melee, but after on initial
round of combat, or in cases where closing/charging was not necessary,
the speed factor considerations are applicable.

I seem to recall ignoring these little tidbits in the past, and I see no good reason to worry about them now, but I'm sure there is a Grognard or two available to argue otherwise ;)

Adding Another "Gift" to the DCC RPG Holiday Contest - Santa Claws as a DCC Patron!

I'm adding another dead tree "gift" to the DCC RPG Holiday Contest - Santa Claws as a DCC Patron! (go to the link to enter)

It appears I bid on two copies of The Dungeoneer Compendium of Issues 1-6 from Judges Guild. I won both and only need one, so I'm adding one to the gift pile. Heck, it's still in its cellophane so you'll have something to unwrap ;)

My Dwarven Adventurers Boxed Set Has Arrived!

Too Much Flash?

I'll be the first person to admit I don't know how to take pictures of minis, let alone unpainted ones, so forgive the quasi focus ;)

I am very happy with my set of dwarves. The level of detail is quite excellent.

I have a crapload of flash to trim, but that was to be expected and I'm okay with that. I love the amount of modability one has with all the extra pieces. Not that I'm skilled at modding - I'd probably f' the whole piece up, but it's nice to have the option. I can always build a Dwarven Flesh Golem of sorts.

I do wonder why the dwarven tombstone is slotted for use with a base. It's not like its going to move around, and if I saw off the slow it will stand just fine. I think I'll trim flash and mold lines in my spare time ;)

Not Enough Flash?

The first piece I want to paint is the brewmaster (this is a Tavern, isn't it?) but I'm going to wait for my Reaper miniatures to show up before I start delving into it all. Shit, and a pair of bifocals - my eyes are 45 years old and not getting any younger.

The Feed Was Dead. Long Live the Feed!

When I had to nuke the old site, and rebuild it via the new site, I forgot to fix "the Feed".

No one told me it was broken either, go figure.

Well, it's fixed now, so if you prefer the feed, or just like surfing thru feeds to find the posts you like, the feed is now up.

Alright, back to opening the goodies that came in the mail today ;)

A Nightmare of a Kickstarter (for the backers) - They Became Flesh: A game of God, Humanity, and the Fallen

You know what? I may bitch and complain about late Kickstarter projects I've supported, but not one has figuratively given a big "Fuck You!" to those that funded it. From what I've read about They Became Flesh: A game of God, Humanity, and the Fallen, the creators have basically done so.

Here's the 30 second summary:

The project was funded on 12/12/2011. It raised over $7,400 with a goal of $1,500 and an estimated shipping date of January, 2012.

The game released this past summer at GenCon, but the supporters of the Kickstarter didn't get their copies. They were supposed to get theirs before it released to the public.

Random delays, prior and after GenCon.

This little announcement back in October should have brought the drama to an end:

But, as you can see from the latest comments by those that funded the project, this was a load of shit (I'm actually surprised they allow any comments to be seen by the public).

It's released to distributors apparently. It's on game store bookshelves on both sides of the pond. Backers ain't got shit.

Here's the link to the RPGnet thread   Over 170 posts and still going strong.

This is a project creator to avoid at all costs going forward. I'm glad I don't have my money tied up in this nightmare.

LotFP is Running a 1/2 Off Sale - It's Grindhouse Time!

James Raggi is running a sale on his PDFs (and some print products).

50% off all PDFs over at RPGNow

50% off the 2011 items still in print over at the LotFP Store (Grindhouse, Carcosa, Isle of the Unknown print editions)

(it would have been nice if James has included links in his post over at LotFP - so I'll do it myself ;)

My picks would be:

LotFP Grindhouse Edition - print or PDF - the price is definitely right - $8.88 in PDF

Death Frost Doom - a steal at $2.50 in PDF

The Grinding Gear - a barely possible to survive "Tomb of Horrors" for $3.00

Tower of the Stargazer - can't beat $1.63

Green Devil Face #5 - $0.63 for 12 pages of old school charts and tables

(As James can almost pass for a certain female xxxxxx, I was trying to find the nearly naked pic of James lying in bed for this post, but my Google-fu failed. Probably for the best - James nearly naked wasn't a pleasant sight ;)

Correcting an RPG Kickstarter Perception - Most of Mine Are Late, But No Failures - Yet

There is a thread going on over at TheRPGSite dealing with Kickstarters. Actually, I don't think that was the thread's initial topic or direction, but Stuart Marshall (P&P) linked to my Kickstarter posts when he mentioned how he felt Kickstarters were going to be detrimental to the hobby.

I agree with him to a point, as many publishers / would be publishers / one man bands seem to see it as a quick and easy way to raise money for projects that are little beyond the conception phase in many cases. That being said, I personally have yet to support a project that I feel will totally crap out ("e20, which I suspect is virtually dead, was not supported by me).

Are some projects unconscionably late? Yes.

Far West, The Quantum RPG, The ACKS Player's Companion, Dwimmermount, Appendix N, Myth & Magic Player's Guide and Champions of Zed are small sampling of projects that are taking way to long to complete when you look at the initial estimates. Do I think any of these will completely fail to deliver? No. But their lack of timeliness is certainly a disappointment.

Still, Stuart's post is a bit disconcerting to me, as he is either following a different list of crowd source funded RPG projects, or he's misinterpreting my list (he links to The Tavern here), or something in between:

I hate the amount of money buyers are being charged; and I hate the default-to-kickstarter mentality where you sell a promise and collect the profit before you start work (and then, more than half the time, fail to deliver); and I hate that formerly-thriving free products, like Footprints on Dragonsfoot, are shutting down and closing up shop. None of that was what I intended and I view it with a frown. (emphasis mine)

It's not a failure to deliver. It's a failure to deliver in the promised time frame. Sometimes long after the promised time frame. It's unprofessional, especially when the people behind the projects "go dark" and fail to update their customers on progress.

Kickstarters in our hobby tend to not deliver on time. I'm doing what little I can do to draw attention to that fact and have it corrected in the future. There aren't too many total failures (I can possibly think of one beyond e20).

BTW, I don't post to theRPGSite. The atmosphere is a bit too "caustic" at times to my taste. I'm more than willing to take criticism on my own blog (which others in the blogosphere are apparently no longer willing to do, even when valid) but I have no need nor desire to post on a board "generally unfriendly" to outsiders. It can be a good read tho ;)

Mini Review - Starships & Spacemen (LL / Star Trek Mashup)

Starships & Spacemen is Goblinoid Games' Star Trek / Labyrinth Lord mash-up. In theory S&S is a 2nd edition, it's previous edition having been printed in 1978. The reality is it's a new game, building upon the LL chasis but using the tropes and setting from the original game.

I have some mixed opinions of the game. It's not bad at all, as the LL chasis is a good one to build off of. You could easily gather your own Star Trek type command crew and have them adventuring in no time. Assuming you can get past the typos. They are there and they are many.

The typos aren't a game killer, but they are annoying when they are giving the average C&C rulebook from the early printings a run for the money. I got my softcover copy via the Indiegogo funding. $25 for the print and PDF.

As it currently stands, there is no print on demand copy of the rulebook available on RPGNow - the PDF is $6.45.

Personally, I wouldn't purchase a print version (when they become available) until they clean it up. At least with the PDF version, you get an updated copy if / when they get around to it.

It's a fairly thin set of rules coming in around 94 pages, and 5 pages are wasted on drawings of "Forehead Aliens" (can we say "filler"?)

I want to really like S&S. There is a lot to like but it also feels like there is much missing. Maybe there is a plan to add an "Expanded Missions" sourcebook or the like. The amount of support this gets will certainly effect it's long term worth.

God, I'm really waffling on this. I like it "but" is about the best endorsement I can give it at this time.

From the blurb:        

Boldly explore the galaxy in search of alien civilizations! You take the role of a Military Officer, Technical Officer, Science Officer, or Enlisted Man in the Galactic Confederation. Travel in a starship under your command, on missions of first contact, rescue, exploration, and more in a galaxy full of hostile aliens. Try to maintain the tenuous truce with the militaristic Zangid, and fight the Videni who may look like your Tauran allies, but do not adhere to a philosophy of peace and logic.

Design alien humanoids with either "original series" or "next generation" sensibilites, or blend the two approaches! There are 100 forehead shapes that may be randomly rolled when a new alien race is encountered.

This book contains:

Eight player races

Three main classes, with several subclasses

Rules for spaceships and exploration

many alien creatures

...and more!

Interesting Concept For a Kickstarter - One Hell of a Failure to Execute - Wargame Tables, Table-tops, and dice trays!

Remember the high end gaming table that was offered as part of the Dwimmermount Kickstarter? It was $10k and no one jumped in at that price - awesome, amazing product that just wasn't affordable.

The Wargame Tables, Table-tops, and dice trays! Kickstarter is the average Joe's response to the luxury table. It's the Ford Pinto trying to knock off the Cadillac Escalad. If all you want is a car to go from point A to point B, the bling and all the extra fade away when you compare prices.

This Ford Pinto is going for $150 for a 3' x 5' table or $500 for s large as a 4' x 8' table. The Ford Pinto certainly scores points on price alone.

Here's a pic of the Sultan gaming table:

and here's a pic of the Ford Pinto:

Not only don't they compare, the Ford Pinto doesn't even look as nice as a real Ford Pinto!

Eh, maybe I complain too much. Throw a blanket over it and it could double as an altar with my gaming goodies stored haphazardly beneath it.

Maybe if I could find the place in my house for a single use gaming only table, I'd take the plunge on this.

Gee, not even a choice for 98% of the country (pulling this number purely out of my ass).

This one ain't funding.

Nice concept, unattractive table and extremely limited customer base due to geographical limitations.