Showing posts with label roleplaying. Show all posts
Showing posts with label roleplaying. Show all posts
Friday, July 18, 2014
Nirmathas, MTTC, PFRPG Chase mechanic
Here's the latest. I know the post is short, but somethings can't quite be said yet.
Tuesday, July 9, 2013
Skywatch Coronation
This past weekend was the first official coronation of the Shire of Skywatch. From Friday afternoon all through Saturday and into early Sunday morning Fort Griffin state historical site was The Place To Be. The food was great, the games were fun, and 57 amtgardians from all over texas (and even a few from New Mexico) were the best company I've been among in a long time.
Friday began with (of course) setting up camp and the common/tavern area. Most of that was set before I arrived but as part of the caravan with the final hardware I still helped with that. Shortly after nightfall the games began. The regent for the shire started little roleplay/battle games involving retrieving items from other players, hunting down zombies and vampires, gladiator duels and other entertainment. After a few hours of this most everyone moved to the camping area for the bonfire and bardic.
Saturday started early for some of us, I found that I didn't quite get to the site with everything needed for breakfast, but we managed. Then once more people started crawling out of tents and moving about we began ditching to wake up and followed with a small tournament. The tavern's small-games picked back up for a while and after a break for lunch we had the "Retaking of Fort Skywatch" battlegame. I went into the game as a weaponless healer, and still managed to contribute to Skywatch. This was followed by a huge spaghetti feast and court. Kesic, Jorrland, and Norgoth stepped down as Sheriff, Regent, and Champion and Antininus moved to Sherrif while Opaldragon stepped up as Regent, Gorith as Champion, and Honir moved into the empty Prime Minister slot. So started the first official reign of Antininus.
It was also my first tent camping in years. I quickly discovered that I missed that as well, and really need to do it more often just to keep myself prepared for proper long-term camping.
So, for a while I'll be focusing a little on getting back into the swing of camping, and amtgard style roleplay again. I'm not (with the exception of events) part of the leadership in an official status anymore for amtgard, so I'm going to focus a little more on House Ralaar-Khlu and just having a good time as an amtgardian.
I still have minis to paint, Pathfinder games to play, and Warlord games to play/organize, and perhaps MTTC to try and revive. I won't be setting those aside. However, I really have found a place in amtgard I didn't feel was there the first time.
As Honir texts me many times...
Viviat Skywatch!
Friday began with (of course) setting up camp and the common/tavern area. Most of that was set before I arrived but as part of the caravan with the final hardware I still helped with that. Shortly after nightfall the games began. The regent for the shire started little roleplay/battle games involving retrieving items from other players, hunting down zombies and vampires, gladiator duels and other entertainment. After a few hours of this most everyone moved to the camping area for the bonfire and bardic.
Saturday started early for some of us, I found that I didn't quite get to the site with everything needed for breakfast, but we managed. Then once more people started crawling out of tents and moving about we began ditching to wake up and followed with a small tournament. The tavern's small-games picked back up for a while and after a break for lunch we had the "Retaking of Fort Skywatch" battlegame. I went into the game as a weaponless healer, and still managed to contribute to Skywatch. This was followed by a huge spaghetti feast and court. Kesic, Jorrland, and Norgoth stepped down as Sheriff, Regent, and Champion and Antininus moved to Sherrif while Opaldragon stepped up as Regent, Gorith as Champion, and Honir moved into the empty Prime Minister slot. So started the first official reign of Antininus.
It was also my first tent camping in years. I quickly discovered that I missed that as well, and really need to do it more often just to keep myself prepared for proper long-term camping.
So, for a while I'll be focusing a little on getting back into the swing of camping, and amtgard style roleplay again. I'm not (with the exception of events) part of the leadership in an official status anymore for amtgard, so I'm going to focus a little more on House Ralaar-Khlu and just having a good time as an amtgardian.
I still have minis to paint, Pathfinder games to play, and Warlord games to play/organize, and perhaps MTTC to try and revive. I won't be setting those aside. However, I really have found a place in amtgard I didn't feel was there the first time.
As Honir texts me many times...
Viviat Skywatch!
Saturday, June 8, 2013
Not Dead Yet
Well, I've let this go quite a while. Not intentionally, lots of "I'll post Sunday, after all the things happening this weekend are done." Followed by forgetting.
So here's how it is:
Amtgard:
For a while there Skywatch was growing at 10-15 sign-ins a week. Now we seem to have settled at a stable 35-40 people without guests. Additionally, we had a day event in May, between the local presence and guests we had over 100 sign-ins! That's right, 50 of us, and 50 travelers for a single day event. It was insane, and great fun. Our first Coronation is July 6th, and it'll be a camping event. We're hoping for another 100+ attendance, that should be easier with a camping event, especially with Gathering of the Clans being a little off this year.
The group is really doing well. Also, Antininus is running for the first full-term Monarch position. I can only see this as a good thing, he's popular with most everybody and really knows how to make a field do well. I'm not running for GMR, because we've had a good collection of reeves and one particular who wanted GMR and I think can do a far better job than I can.
I've started a household (House Ralaar-Klhu) that will be an RP/field service household, compared to the field its a little behind on stability, but things are looking good.
RotR: Marcello is 12th, we've had a wild time, and a rough time. Since I last spoke we've defeated a Frost Wright (the dryad's dead lover), a Necromancer, and survived a raid on Sandpoint by stone giants and dire bears and a dragon. One of the Stone Giants was captured, and after some interrogation we learned that a much larger force planed to attack very soon. So off we went to see if we could stop it.
The next session (tonight or next saturday depending on a few people's attendance) will start with the epic fight against Mokmurian, the infamous Stone Giant wizard. It could very well be the end of us, but we'll give him a good fight. (I hope). The DM has also started a session in his homebrew world that'll run if for some reason we're short a player or two.
Other PFRPG: My Four Horseman game has hit famine, and I plan to wrap up pretty soon. We've had a lot of new characters and drops, so the party's kinda out of whack. It was never supposed to be a long campaign, so once I've got it wrapped up I'll see if this current party would like to continue.
The Kingmaker game I was invited to starts this coming Tuesday. I'm stoked to be on the same side of the table as my brother for a change. Also, Ultimate Campaign came out just in time. I'm going to loan it to the DM for looking over so that we can use the adjusted mass combat and kingdom rules. Also, a happy side effect, Brevory has a city built around an Observatory named Skywatch, so my household requirement of playing my persona in a P&P game just filled itself!
My brother's single player games where you take the leadership feat are wrapping up. He's also doing a game for several of us in the fall that will be based on the areas the leadership feat games developed. Should be fun.
I've started a Second Darkness campaign, unfortunately the original day we picked has turned to mush. I'll pick it up again once schedules start making since.
Mt:tC, Marvel, & other:
So here's how it is:
Amtgard:
For a while there Skywatch was growing at 10-15 sign-ins a week. Now we seem to have settled at a stable 35-40 people without guests. Additionally, we had a day event in May, between the local presence and guests we had over 100 sign-ins! That's right, 50 of us, and 50 travelers for a single day event. It was insane, and great fun. Our first Coronation is July 6th, and it'll be a camping event. We're hoping for another 100+ attendance, that should be easier with a camping event, especially with Gathering of the Clans being a little off this year.
The group is really doing well. Also, Antininus is running for the first full-term Monarch position. I can only see this as a good thing, he's popular with most everybody and really knows how to make a field do well. I'm not running for GMR, because we've had a good collection of reeves and one particular who wanted GMR and I think can do a far better job than I can.
I've started a household (House Ralaar-Klhu) that will be an RP/field service household, compared to the field its a little behind on stability, but things are looking good.
RotR: Marcello is 12th, we've had a wild time, and a rough time. Since I last spoke we've defeated a Frost Wright (the dryad's dead lover), a Necromancer, and survived a raid on Sandpoint by stone giants and dire bears and a dragon. One of the Stone Giants was captured, and after some interrogation we learned that a much larger force planed to attack very soon. So off we went to see if we could stop it.
The next session (tonight or next saturday depending on a few people's attendance) will start with the epic fight against Mokmurian, the infamous Stone Giant wizard. It could very well be the end of us, but we'll give him a good fight. (I hope). The DM has also started a session in his homebrew world that'll run if for some reason we're short a player or two.
Other PFRPG: My Four Horseman game has hit famine, and I plan to wrap up pretty soon. We've had a lot of new characters and drops, so the party's kinda out of whack. It was never supposed to be a long campaign, so once I've got it wrapped up I'll see if this current party would like to continue.
The Kingmaker game I was invited to starts this coming Tuesday. I'm stoked to be on the same side of the table as my brother for a change. Also, Ultimate Campaign came out just in time. I'm going to loan it to the DM for looking over so that we can use the adjusted mass combat and kingdom rules. Also, a happy side effect, Brevory has a city built around an Observatory named Skywatch, so my household requirement of playing my persona in a P&P game just filled itself!
My brother's single player games where you take the leadership feat are wrapping up. He's also doing a game for several of us in the fall that will be based on the areas the leadership feat games developed. Should be fun.
I've started a Second Darkness campaign, unfortunately the original day we picked has turned to mush. I'll pick it up again once schedules start making since.
Mt:tC, Marvel, & other:
TC seems to have died completely this time around. I'll keep Shinyai the Kitsune around for something. I really want to see that character played out. Marvel finished with us defeating Sauron and finding that the Shield base just outside the Savage Lands had been up to no good. I was going to get in on an Xmen game by the same DM as Kingmaker, but due to scheduling conflicts with another player we had to pick one game each.
Next weekend is FreeRPG day for lots of people. Our store didn't get in on it on time, but we're doing a rpgday/aarp birthday that weekend anyway. I'll be missing amtgard to help with it.
Wednesday, March 6, 2013
Very Modern FIrearms for Pathfinder
Greg Christopher asked on google plus about simi-auto and automatic firearms in rpgs. His question was not system specific, but having thought about firearms for my gunslinger I had a D20/PFRPG option in mind. Here's what I suggested:
A real attempt to hit something (as oppose to close your eyes and squeeze) with a simi-auto in d20 is easy, pathfinder revolver rules with appropriate shots/round based on magazine.
Free-action to replace a magazine based on training is simply another example of the rapid reload feat.
For those who simply pull the trigger as fast as they can make a scatter attack, but at the -4 non-proficent penalty (even if they are proficient, because they're not using the weapon in a controlled manner, so a total penalty of -6) but only at the number of targets they have a bab for (so 1 if their bab is under 6, 2 if under 12, etc).
Automatic weapons are treated as above except they actually have the scatter ability so the penalty is only -2. An automatic weapon grants a proficient user the many-shot feat, even if the user doesn't meet the requirements. A user who has the many-shot feat already can fire 4 rounds as a single attack. (Another example of better training and control). Manyshot options are not restricted to the first attack with an automatic firearm.
This isn't a hyper-realistic option, but d20 isn't hyper-realistic, and shouldn't be. However, it covers controlled fire, and spray and pray, for both classifications of weapons discussed.
Feel free to tear it apart for me.
A real attempt to hit something (as oppose to close your eyes and squeeze) with a simi-auto in d20 is easy, pathfinder revolver rules with appropriate shots/round based on magazine.
Capacity: A firearm's capacity is the number of shots it can hold at one time. When making a full-attack action, you may fire a firearm as many times in a round as you have attacks, up to this limit, unless you can reload the weapon as a swift or free action while making a full-attack action. In the case of early firearms, capacity often indicates the number of barrels a firearm has. In the case of advanced firearms, it typically indicates the number of chambers [or magazine size] the weapon has.Quote: PSRD
Free-action to replace a magazine based on training is simply another example of the rapid reload feat.
For those who simply pull the trigger as fast as they can make a scatter attack, but at the -4 non-proficent penalty (even if they are proficient, because they're not using the weapon in a controlled manner, so a total penalty of -6) but only at the number of targets they have a bab for (so 1 if their bab is under 6, 2 if under 12, etc).
Automatic weapons are treated as above except they actually have the scatter ability so the penalty is only -2. An automatic weapon grants a proficient user the many-shot feat, even if the user doesn't meet the requirements. A user who has the many-shot feat already can fire 4 rounds as a single attack. (Another example of better training and control). Manyshot options are not restricted to the first attack with an automatic firearm.
This isn't a hyper-realistic option, but d20 isn't hyper-realistic, and shouldn't be. However, it covers controlled fire, and spray and pray, for both classifications of weapons discussed.
Feel free to tear it apart for me.
Friday, February 15, 2013
Lots going on, little to say
So here's a rundown of the things that have happened lately. I've meet several of the players the brother wanted me to, they're cool. I expect to step into a few games. One should fold me in Sunday, one is a Kingmaker AP run starting I'm the spring, and I'll be running two. This doesn't include family games.
Tabletop Forge folded into roll20. Some have been upset, some are thrilled, I am amongst the latter. For those that aren't, it's the same as one company buying another. Sometimes it kills a product, sometimes the company folds technologies into their product. This is the later, and is saving an otherwise doomed vision.
RPG superstar is in round 2 voting, some interesting monsters showed up. Check it out.
Finally, I purchased my reapercon ticket today. It'll be my first real convention. Should be fun!
That's about it for now. A note, I wrote this post on my cyanogened nook. I'm still not good at using it for serious typing.
Friday, January 25, 2013
Abilene, A Gungslinger, RPG Superstar 2013, Paizo's 10 year ride
So, I've been a little quiet lately. Mostly because once again, I've changed cities. This time, back to Abilene. I've only been here a week though, and feel far better settled than other moves. I'm sure that's partially because I already know people, but really I think it'll work this time.
For example, my brother moved here a while back, and found a large chunk of the pathfinder players I kept looking for. Also, a promising game store has opened. I've been by three times now. Nice space, plenty of tables, and a great stock for a startup. They also opened a few months before their original plan. I think despite some challenges it presented them, it's actually a good thing.
I haven't even moved into my own place yet, and I've watched an organized play session, and had a one on one session with the brother. This one in a fantastic race infused western setting. I'm playing a gunslinger. Wow they're powerful, even without the insta-death gunshots lots of people I've conversed with over firearms in RPGs. I didn't walk the floor that night by any means, but I held my own in a situation that should have been bad for a solo character.
That said the character's gonna be a blast (pun only partially intended). I expect to completely enjoy this game. Session reports upon permission.
On a different note, the 2013 RPG Superstar 32 were announced this week. I haven't looked over the whole list yet, but what I've seen so far seems promising. I think this'll be a interesting year, despite no currently twisted tasks.
This year's RPGsuperstar, the mmo, Gamemastery's name change, Rasputin, lots of interesting things coming from Paizo this year. Not surprising considering the truly impressive ten years they've had so far.
Lisa Stevens, Paizo's CEO, spent some time last year talking about that. If you haven't read her 10th anniversary retrospective series. Do so. They really show just how wild their ride has been. Below are links to each entry:
Year 0 2002, Year 1 2003, Year 2 2004, Year 3 2005, Year 4 2006, Year 5 2007, Year 6 2008, Year 7 2009, Year 8 2010, Year 9 2011 Year 10 2012
I've only really followed Paizo since late 2008, but that four and a half years was wild just to watch. I know some are talking about how some of their 2013 products seem like they've jumped the shark. I know some think D&D next is supposed to bring WOtC back to the top. Yet everything (except the MMO) I've heard of Paizo's future releases sounds just as awesome as my first read through the PFRPG beta download. So congrats, good luck, and here's hoping we see ten more years of Paizo and Pathfinder!
For example, my brother moved here a while back, and found a large chunk of the pathfinder players I kept looking for. Also, a promising game store has opened. I've been by three times now. Nice space, plenty of tables, and a great stock for a startup. They also opened a few months before their original plan. I think despite some challenges it presented them, it's actually a good thing.
I haven't even moved into my own place yet, and I've watched an organized play session, and had a one on one session with the brother. This one in a fantastic race infused western setting. I'm playing a gunslinger. Wow they're powerful, even without the insta-death gunshots lots of people I've conversed with over firearms in RPGs. I didn't walk the floor that night by any means, but I held my own in a situation that should have been bad for a solo character.
That said the character's gonna be a blast (pun only partially intended). I expect to completely enjoy this game. Session reports upon permission.
On a different note, the 2013 RPG Superstar 32 were announced this week. I haven't looked over the whole list yet, but what I've seen so far seems promising. I think this'll be a interesting year, despite no currently twisted tasks.
This year's RPGsuperstar, the mmo, Gamemastery's name change, Rasputin, lots of interesting things coming from Paizo this year. Not surprising considering the truly impressive ten years they've had so far.
Lisa Stevens, Paizo's CEO, spent some time last year talking about that. If you haven't read her 10th anniversary retrospective series. Do so. They really show just how wild their ride has been. Below are links to each entry:
Year 0 2002, Year 1 2003, Year 2 2004, Year 3 2005, Year 4 2006, Year 5 2007, Year 6 2008, Year 7 2009, Year 8 2010, Year 9 2011 Year 10 2012
I've only really followed Paizo since late 2008, but that four and a half years was wild just to watch. I know some are talking about how some of their 2013 products seem like they've jumped the shark. I know some think D&D next is supposed to bring WOtC back to the top. Yet everything (except the MMO) I've heard of Paizo's future releases sounds just as awesome as my first read through the PFRPG beta download. So congrats, good luck, and here's hoping we see ten more years of Paizo and Pathfinder!
Saturday, December 8, 2012
Mask finished, RPG Superstar,
So the campaign my brother was running for me and the family is at an "endpoint". His first two plot-lines are done, and now we the characters are at a "anything could happen" stage. We're now official heads for a island colony belonging to the realm we adventured in.
Here's a (very) short description of the last session:
We started the session on the galley Magic Carpet headed for a island a professor from the school the wizard attended wished to return to for study. We did not however, make it to the island.
Our ship was attacked by slaver/pirates. We assisted the crew in defeating the pirates, and captured their ship in the process. We didn't really have enough survivors for a stable prize crew, and interrogation of a captured pirate survivor revealed that they were specifically looking for an immigration ship commissioned by the king. We were only a few days from the port the ship was expected to sail from, so we turned back at the professor's order.
On our return, we discovered the immigration/colony ship hadn't even been announced yet. This, along with an assassination attempt on the king (which we thwarted) provided the king with enough evidence to accuse the person behind these deeds.
At this point, the truth of the immigration/colony ship is revealed. It's commissioned to provide a group of catfolk who the king had been helping defend with a new home. So instead of a single ship, three ships made the trip.
It wasn't quite over once we arrived. The professor's familiar scouted the docks for us and provided back images of the ruined docks and undead. The ruined docks were expected, this colony attempt is actually the second, what wasn't was the undead.
So, the party is shuffled into one of the lifeboats so we can row out, clear the undead, and prep the area for docking ships. After a small skirmish with a combo of gouls, zombies, skeletons, and other midrange undead. The ships land and we go further in to explore.
The previous colony settled the cavern network close to the docks. Exploration discovered evidence that the colony came into conflict with a tribe of lizardmen, and moved deeper for safety. As more of the fate of the previous colony unfolded before us, we discover a temple haunted by the ghost of a catfolk priestess. We're not welcome, but before we can get more info or decide to leave, the ghost re-inhabits its body and attacks. (I'll save why it does this instead of simply attacking for the actual module publication its too good to spoil).
The fight brings out one other very nasty enemy, the truth behind the ghost's presence, and why some of the party's been having some really creepy nightmares. I'll only say that before the party can actually defeat all the presences, they inadvertently provide the ghost with what it needs to rest peacefully. The mask the whole game is named after comes to play as well, but I won't spoil how.
The next session is actually supposed to skip a year in time, and allow the characters and npcs to settle into the new village. We're supposed to switch to me GMing and my brother playing... and I'm not sure I want to skip quite the entire time before the next session... There's all sorts of things a new colony can be exposed to that I think the party would enjoy.
Now, on to other things... next up: It's that time again...
Yep, Paizo's doing RPG Superstar! 2013. I don't have much time to get my wondrous item ready, but after the confirmation last year that I'm still eligible, I'm gonna take another shot at it.
As a quick previous post I also linked to the Pathfinder Online Kickstarter last week. I'll follow this a little as it goes.
There's also a new android app for GMs and Players alike. Pathfinder Toolkit so far looks to be a really nice android 4+ app. I'll mess with it a little more and provide a serious review soon, right now I only have access to one device that supports it, but that should change. If someone who has a 4+ device wants to do a review and send to me, then I'll happily post it here.
I've got a few other ideas to work on for NSNGaming, but right now they're on the back burner, I'm trying to figure out how far I'll actually be moving in January, and what changes to my budget that will make.
Until later...
Here's a (very) short description of the last session:
We started the session on the galley Magic Carpet headed for a island a professor from the school the wizard attended wished to return to for study. We did not however, make it to the island.
Our ship was attacked by slaver/pirates. We assisted the crew in defeating the pirates, and captured their ship in the process. We didn't really have enough survivors for a stable prize crew, and interrogation of a captured pirate survivor revealed that they were specifically looking for an immigration ship commissioned by the king. We were only a few days from the port the ship was expected to sail from, so we turned back at the professor's order.
On our return, we discovered the immigration/colony ship hadn't even been announced yet. This, along with an assassination attempt on the king (which we thwarted) provided the king with enough evidence to accuse the person behind these deeds.
At this point, the truth of the immigration/colony ship is revealed. It's commissioned to provide a group of catfolk who the king had been helping defend with a new home. So instead of a single ship, three ships made the trip.
It wasn't quite over once we arrived. The professor's familiar scouted the docks for us and provided back images of the ruined docks and undead. The ruined docks were expected, this colony attempt is actually the second, what wasn't was the undead.
So, the party is shuffled into one of the lifeboats so we can row out, clear the undead, and prep the area for docking ships. After a small skirmish with a combo of gouls, zombies, skeletons, and other midrange undead. The ships land and we go further in to explore.
The previous colony settled the cavern network close to the docks. Exploration discovered evidence that the colony came into conflict with a tribe of lizardmen, and moved deeper for safety. As more of the fate of the previous colony unfolded before us, we discover a temple haunted by the ghost of a catfolk priestess. We're not welcome, but before we can get more info or decide to leave, the ghost re-inhabits its body and attacks. (I'll save why it does this instead of simply attacking for the actual module publication its too good to spoil).
The fight brings out one other very nasty enemy, the truth behind the ghost's presence, and why some of the party's been having some really creepy nightmares. I'll only say that before the party can actually defeat all the presences, they inadvertently provide the ghost with what it needs to rest peacefully. The mask the whole game is named after comes to play as well, but I won't spoil how.
The next session is actually supposed to skip a year in time, and allow the characters and npcs to settle into the new village. We're supposed to switch to me GMing and my brother playing... and I'm not sure I want to skip quite the entire time before the next session... There's all sorts of things a new colony can be exposed to that I think the party would enjoy.
Now, on to other things... next up: It's that time again...
As a quick previous post I also linked to the Pathfinder Online Kickstarter last week. I'll follow this a little as it goes.
There's also a new android app for GMs and Players alike. Pathfinder Toolkit so far looks to be a really nice android 4+ app. I'll mess with it a little more and provide a serious review soon, right now I only have access to one device that supports it, but that should change. If someone who has a 4+ device wants to do a review and send to me, then I'll happily post it here.
I've got a few other ideas to work on for NSNGaming, but right now they're on the back burner, I'm trying to figure out how far I'll actually be moving in January, and what changes to my budget that will make.
Until later...
Saturday, October 27, 2012
Size and Populations
Okay so I've used this article many times to try and set up the population of nations in my Krenna setting. Every time I've done this the populations were huge, and I was wondering if I was doing something wrong. Yet I'd talk to other GMs, compare to real world countries, and even have people double check my math everything looked right.
Then it clicked, non of my forgotten realm books, or my pathfinder books provide acreage for realms.
I'd always seen the scale on the maps, so I had a feel for how long it would take someone to get from one town to the next, but never bothered to consider just how small a lot of the FR and Golarion realms were.
Most of my realms were larger than modern day germany, most FR and G realms are lots smaller than that.
So what to do? Dividing up some realms makes since, and its definitely a tempting thing to do, but it would be one more aspect of how my setting was like every other setting. Some of my incomplete realms could easily be broken into complete realms and incomplete neighbours. It wouldn't reduce the amount of work that needs to be done, but it would mean some of it was ready for a stage I wasn't thinking about quite yet. However, one or two realms are far enough along that breaking them up would make more work.
My current choice? Break some up, keep some intact, but cheat just a little. I've been doing these huge realms as one realm for the math in the article, but I was already breaking several of those realms into duchies or counties, after the math. I think in at least one realm that's been bugging me I'll turn around and do the splitup before doing the math, just to see what I get.
Then it clicked, non of my forgotten realm books, or my pathfinder books provide acreage for realms.
I'd always seen the scale on the maps, so I had a feel for how long it would take someone to get from one town to the next, but never bothered to consider just how small a lot of the FR and Golarion realms were.
Most of my realms were larger than modern day germany, most FR and G realms are lots smaller than that.
So what to do? Dividing up some realms makes since, and its definitely a tempting thing to do, but it would be one more aspect of how my setting was like every other setting. Some of my incomplete realms could easily be broken into complete realms and incomplete neighbours. It wouldn't reduce the amount of work that needs to be done, but it would mean some of it was ready for a stage I wasn't thinking about quite yet. However, one or two realms are far enough along that breaking them up would make more work.
My current choice? Break some up, keep some intact, but cheat just a little. I've been doing these huge realms as one realm for the math in the article, but I was already breaking several of those realms into duchies or counties, after the math. I think in at least one realm that's been bugging me I'll turn around and do the splitup before doing the math, just to see what I get.
Wednesday, October 17, 2012
GM Hangouts
Okay, so obviously if I use blogger I have a google account. Many of you know I also actually use the google+ part of the google account. So I'm considering something else to a) entertain me, and b) entertain others.
I'm thinking about doing a monthly G+ Hangout On Air for GameMasters/DungeonMasters/Storytellers/G.O.D.s
Nothing fancy, just a shoot-the-breeze online gathering...
If your interested. Use the G+ link at the bottom to tell me so!
Friday, September 14, 2012
RPG Now, Snakes Among Us Playtesting, MTTC
First the progress, because of an unexpected time off period from my day job I got to gather some people for playtesting parts of Snakes Among Us... The result is I have more major encounters for throughout the story, but some reworking is definitely needed. Everybody had fun though, and getting away from the day job was a good thing. Also, Spirit Naga's out of the Bestiary are a definitely not something a APL 8 party should go at without some serious planning and tactics. Just a warning for all those that play.
Looks like a plot idea I had for MTTC has been "approved" so I'll be working on that some this weekend. The player list is still kinda small right now. So any forum roleplayers that enjoy the megatokyo comic, stop by the forums (largo's corner, forum rpgs) and look for the mttc threads.
I considered going to EPCON this year. Why not, I'm in El Paso, and could afford the tickets, but I'm really not seeing anything on the list of events or guests that intrigues me. I think I'll save my money for next years Reapercon and Paizocon. Hopefully I can go to Paizo next year, I have a feeling it'll really be worth it.
Finally, as you'll see at the top of the page, all of my products are now on sale at RPG Now. So far they haven't sold even a quarter as well as they are still selling on paizo. I'm not sure what to do about that at the moment, but there it is.
Anywho, that's all for now until something interesting develops in mttc or the games. My brother's game will probably have another session soon, so be watching for that.
Looks like a plot idea I had for MTTC has been "approved" so I'll be working on that some this weekend. The player list is still kinda small right now. So any forum roleplayers that enjoy the megatokyo comic, stop by the forums (largo's corner, forum rpgs) and look for the mttc threads.
I considered going to EPCON this year. Why not, I'm in El Paso, and could afford the tickets, but I'm really not seeing anything on the list of events or guests that intrigues me. I think I'll save my money for next years Reapercon and Paizocon. Hopefully I can go to Paizo next year, I have a feeling it'll really be worth it.
Finally, as you'll see at the top of the page, all of my products are now on sale at RPG Now. So far they haven't sold even a quarter as well as they are still selling on paizo. I'm not sure what to do about that at the moment, but there it is.
Anywho, that's all for now until something interesting develops in mttc or the games. My brother's game will probably have another session soon, so be watching for that.
Sunday, September 2, 2012
Megatokyo The Clans Character: Shinyai
First of my MT:TC characters: Shinyai the Kitsune, the concept here is that she was an actual pathfinder rpg character suddenly plopped down in MT. Here character is build at the point right before the sudden change. (The xp column is her xp total, not what you'd earn by defeating her.) Remember she's still built for Megatokyo, so while a urban barbarian might not make a whole lot of sense in Golaron, it's going to be hilarious in MT:TC. Also, I did use Ultimate Equipment for gear, just to see how sick it could get.
Shinyai Mugi-ite
XP: 105,000
Female Kitsune Urban Barbarian 11
NG Medium Humanoid (Shapechanger)
Init: +3, Senses: Perception +15, Low-Light Vision
Defences
AC: 25 (28), Touch: 13 (16), Flat-Footed 21 (21) (+6 +1 mithral kikko of moderate fortification, +4 (5) Dex, + 1(2) Dodge, +2 ring of protection, +2 amulet of natural Armor (Raging and or Guarded stance)) +2 to all vs one opponent (ring of foe focus)
Damage Reduction 2/-
HP: 130 (11d12+55) (141)
Fort: +12, Refl: +7 (8), Will: +5 +2 to all vs one opponent (ring of foe focus)
Offence
Speed: 30ft;
Melee: +1 keen katana +14/+9/+4 (15/10/5) (1d8+5(7) 15-20x2), bite +14(15) (1d4 x2) (kitsune form only), (improved unarmed strike) + 14/+9/+4 (1d3+3 x2) (raging)
Ranged: masterwork amentum javelins (3) +15(16) (1d6+3(4) x2)
Special Attacks: Body Bludgeon +14 (1d6 to both target and wielded), improved trip, improved grapple
Spell-Like Abilities: (CL 11)
3/day- dancing lights
Statistics
STR: 14(16), DEX: 19(21), CON: 20(22), INT: 16, WIS: 14, CHA: 16
BAB: +11, CMB: +13 (14 raging) (15(16) trip or grapple), CMD: 26 (28 raging)
Feats: catch off guard, dodge, intimidating prowess, improved grapple, improved trip, fox shape
Skills: Acrobatics +19(20), Climb +16(17), Craft (jewlery) +17, Diplomacy +17, Intimidate +19(20), Perception +15, Knowledge (local) +17, Knowledge (nobility) +17
Languages: Common*, Sylvan, Tien, Hwan, Dtang, Hon-la, Minatan, Minkaian, Senzar, Vudrani, Taldane, Auran, Elven, Abyssal, Tengu, Samsaran
SQ: Kitsune Magic, Agile, Natural Weapons, Controlled Rage, Crowd Control, Brawler, Uncanny Dodge, Trapsense +3, Damage Reduction 2/-, Guarded Stance, Improved Uncanny Dodge, Intimidating Glare, No Escape, Body Bludgeon, Greater Rage
Combat Gear: 3 potions cure moderate wounds, 1 potion invisibility
Other Gear: +2 ring of protection, ring of foe focus, +2 amulet of natural armor, +1 mithral kikko of moderate fortification, +2 belt of physical might (dex and con), corset of the vishkanya, cloak of resistance +2, longarm bracers, bag of holding IV, backpack, belt pouch, flint & steel, iron pot, soap, sunrod, trail rations (5 days), waterskin, compass, mess kit, silk rope 100ft, healers kit, 2 explorers outfits, 2057 gold pieces
Special Abilities
Later
History
Character's point of view:
Shinyai's family was proud and well treated until she was an adolecent, at which point her family's true nature was discovered. As such their status in society fell, and Shinyai grew used to being alone and treated with suspicion. She grew up fighting her way through the day. Eventually she moved on to adventuring, hoping to bring in money and glory back to her family.
During a particularly nasty fight with a daemon servant of the Horseman, she was knocked unconcious, instead of dying or waking in saftey with her latest party of delvers, she woke in Tokyo after the demon invasion.
World's Point of View:
Shinyai is a bit meta, she's on of the D&D characters out of Noble's old gaming notebook. After the demon invasion, something blanked the sheet, and Shinyai manifested in the MT world.
Shinyai Mugi-ite
XP: 105,000
Female Kitsune Urban Barbarian 11
NG Medium Humanoid (Shapechanger)
Init: +3, Senses: Perception +15, Low-Light Vision
Defences
AC: 25 (28), Touch: 13 (16), Flat-Footed 21 (21) (+6 +1 mithral kikko of moderate fortification, +4 (5) Dex, + 1(2) Dodge, +2 ring of protection, +2 amulet of natural Armor (Raging and or Guarded stance)) +2 to all vs one opponent (ring of foe focus)
Damage Reduction 2/-
HP: 130 (11d12+55) (141)
Fort: +12, Refl: +7 (8), Will: +5 +2 to all vs one opponent (ring of foe focus)
Offence
Speed: 30ft;
Melee: +1 keen katana +14/+9/+4 (15/10/5) (1d8+5(7) 15-20x2), bite +14(15) (1d4 x2) (kitsune form only), (improved unarmed strike) + 14/+9/+4 (1d3+3 x2) (raging)
Ranged: masterwork amentum javelins (3) +15(16) (1d6+3(4) x2)
Special Attacks: Body Bludgeon +14 (1d6 to both target and wielded), improved trip, improved grapple
Spell-Like Abilities: (CL 11)
3/day- dancing lights
Statistics
STR: 14(16), DEX: 19(21), CON: 20(22), INT: 16, WIS: 14, CHA: 16
BAB: +11, CMB: +13 (14 raging) (15(16) trip or grapple), CMD: 26 (28 raging)
Feats: catch off guard, dodge, intimidating prowess, improved grapple, improved trip, fox shape
Skills: Acrobatics +19(20), Climb +16(17), Craft (jewlery) +17, Diplomacy +17, Intimidate +19(20), Perception +15, Knowledge (local) +17, Knowledge (nobility) +17
Languages: Common*, Sylvan, Tien, Hwan, Dtang, Hon-la, Minatan, Minkaian, Senzar, Vudrani, Taldane, Auran, Elven, Abyssal, Tengu, Samsaran
SQ: Kitsune Magic, Agile, Natural Weapons, Controlled Rage, Crowd Control, Brawler, Uncanny Dodge, Trapsense +3, Damage Reduction 2/-, Guarded Stance, Improved Uncanny Dodge, Intimidating Glare, No Escape, Body Bludgeon, Greater Rage
Combat Gear: 3 potions cure moderate wounds, 1 potion invisibility
Other Gear: +2 ring of protection, ring of foe focus, +2 amulet of natural armor, +1 mithral kikko of moderate fortification, +2 belt of physical might (dex and con), corset of the vishkanya, cloak of resistance +2, longarm bracers, bag of holding IV, backpack, belt pouch, flint & steel, iron pot, soap, sunrod, trail rations (5 days), waterskin, compass, mess kit, silk rope 100ft, healers kit, 2 explorers outfits, 2057 gold pieces
Special Abilities
Later
History
Character's point of view:
Shinyai's family was proud and well treated until she was an adolecent, at which point her family's true nature was discovered. As such their status in society fell, and Shinyai grew used to being alone and treated with suspicion. She grew up fighting her way through the day. Eventually she moved on to adventuring, hoping to bring in money and glory back to her family.
During a particularly nasty fight with a daemon servant of the Horseman, she was knocked unconcious, instead of dying or waking in saftey with her latest party of delvers, she woke in Tokyo after the demon invasion.
World's Point of View:
Shinyai is a bit meta, she's on of the D&D characters out of Noble's old gaming notebook. After the demon invasion, something blanked the sheet, and Shinyai manifested in the MT world.
Monday, August 27, 2012
A Cold, The friendly visit, and MT:TC
So I've been neglecting this again, but I haven't had a lot of time even think about whether I had something to say.
Today's send home and Dr. visit changed that.
Weekend before last some college friends came up, I ran them through the first two phases of the first part of Rise of the Runelords using the anniversary edition. At first I thought things were missing, but no. The format is a little different, and in the end I liked it, now that I've seen it running again will be straight forward and enjoyable. Just a warning to people who ran it from the original prints, read through and find everything first.
Other than that, something possessed me to catch up on megatokyo this weekend, and now I'm looking into rejoining the MT:TC forum rpg. There's a lot fewer people now, but perhaps some new people will come along (or I won't be the only returnee).
I'm hoping this round will improve my story telling as much as the last one did. MTTC is what got me from gaming to trying to create my own world (thanks again Aree, wherever you are).
That's about it for now. I'll probably do some character describing here on my new TC character. (I've decided new characters are the way to go, fresh start and all.) So watch for that.
L8RZ.
|\|0750|\|08L3
Today's send home and Dr. visit changed that.
Weekend before last some college friends came up, I ran them through the first two phases of the first part of Rise of the Runelords using the anniversary edition. At first I thought things were missing, but no. The format is a little different, and in the end I liked it, now that I've seen it running again will be straight forward and enjoyable. Just a warning to people who ran it from the original prints, read through and find everything first.
Other than that, something possessed me to catch up on megatokyo this weekend, and now I'm looking into rejoining the MT:TC forum rpg. There's a lot fewer people now, but perhaps some new people will come along (or I won't be the only returnee).
I'm hoping this round will improve my story telling as much as the last one did. MTTC is what got me from gaming to trying to create my own world (thanks again Aree, wherever you are).
That's about it for now. I'll probably do some character describing here on my new TC character. (I've decided new characters are the way to go, fresh start and all.) So watch for that.
L8RZ.
|\|0750|\|08L3
Friday, July 27, 2012
My brother's campaign is going quite well. The second session (which I forgot to post about) was about 30 hours of stopping only for food and sleep. Our first attempt at patrolling the area as a member of the guard involved stumbling over the home of a Nymph. However the ranger is uncomfortable around fey, so we didn't stick around to meet the resident. We escorted a small caravan that had been raided back to town, and picked up a npc paladin as a companion.
This is when things got interesting. We went back out to patrol the next day. Our first encounter was a woman trying to fix a broken wagon. The closer we got the more it seemed like a trap. The ranger and wizard stopped approaching to watch as me and the Paladin continued forward (failing at hiding our suspicion). Then the Green Crows struck.
The ambush was well set, but this group hadn't dealt with prepared fighters before, we took on six thugs, four went down, two got away. After a little investigating we found a camp just off the road. The ambush point was obviously an outpost, but not the main location of the crows.
Another trip back to town with bodies and evidence provided us with more answers (the priestess in town isn't quite as squeamish about using necromancy to interrogate the dead) and rumours of a missing caravan that should have come from the south.
Off we went the next morning, after a days travel we ran up against a second ambush site, this time a centaur camp. This almost got us, but everyone survived long enough for the final centaur to run. A day of healing (magical and mundane) allowed us to continue.
Two more days travel brought us to what should have been an abandoned hamlet. Instead we found a well guarded camp in the remaining ruins of a temple and tavern. After some scouting we came up with a plan and attacked that night.
Under the cover of thick overgrowth and night, we made it back into site of the camp. My character prayed for a blanket of silence on what we expected to be the tent of the gang leader, blessing for battle, and various protective spells. The tent was up against the overgrowth, so we were able to sneak up to it and cut in the back.
Unfortunately what we found was a large carriage with markings for the school of our wizard, an inspection showed a lack of occupants, and left us with the trouble of covering open ground to the temple.
The ranger went first, unfortunately, said ranger tripped on and squeaked. This stirred the only guard that was looking about inside the camp (the other four were in lookout towers but looking away from camp). A quick casting of hold person and a well placed arrow allowed us to continue without alarming anyone.
We were at the temple door, there was light spilling out of a window and the hushed notes of conversation, and a very recently dead man in a cage hanging next to the door. If this wasn't the place, it was still bad enough to investigate. It was time for stealthiness to end. We opened the doors.
Where one would expect an alter there was instead a desk, where one would expect pews for worshippers there were piles of boxes and loot, most notably, where one would expect a priest speaking, there was a man in all green, and a cap with died crows feathers. Snarky comments were made, and then combat started.
A Paladin, Cleric, Evoker, and Ranger are sort of outnumbered against 6 rogues and a fighter on their won turf, spells and arrows went back and forth, and it wasn't long before I was out of channel energy uses, but we were down to just the leader and his senior minion. Then it hit.
Dad's Evoker was having spell issues all night. He was down to his last two spells, a true strike and a scorching ray. He cast true strike and then waited for his round to come again. A few arrows and a mace dispatched the minion, but the boss was still standing, and had dug a potion out of his belt pouch at the end of his turn. Dad then rolled for scorching ray.
20 on the die, 18 on the die. 18 + 5 + 20 is a confirmed crit on a ranged touch spell.
3d6 + 2 (dad's a level 3 evoker at this point, yay for intense spells). 6+6+3+2 x2 = 30 points. The dm described it as the spell burning a whole clean through the chest of the boss.
On the same initiative as dad, a few of the guard from outside finally heard the commotion and came in to check. They saw their boss roasted alive, and decided to run. Some exploring of the area found a basement to the temple, and two captives. Turns out they were from the school dad's wizard studied at, and were supposed to deliver magically enhanced farm equipment to the town to help grow food to ship north for the war effort.
We returned to town, heroes. It looked like the Green Crows were beaten beyond retaliation, and now the roads were safe.
Now for the session from last weekend.
This time I went to Lubbock, so we were joined by one of my high school buddies and a member of the star trek club my parents are still in. The party added a ninja, and a druid.
The squire asked us to take on a personal quest, not for the town, but for him.
I won't tell the whole story in detail, but this was mom and dad's exposure to a basic dungeon delve. We were after a diamond needed for a resurrection spell, not much role play, lots of combat, and at the end of it all, a CHIMERA! Whats worse, the chimera dropped my cleric in turn 1 of combat. (-1, but stabilized)
Our advantages:
First, the passage to the nest was low and narrow (but not so much as to squeeze the chimera) and had a sharp bend.
Second: The chimera had 3 eggs very near hatching. Chasing someone out of the nest wasn't enough, she had to come down from the air and fight us on the ground in the passage.
So the ninja and ranger continued to fight while the evoker tried to get at things, when the ninja getting low he yanked me out from under the chimera and shoved a potion down my throat. I woke up channelled, and buffed the ninja.
Now that I was awake, the evoker was having trouble getting spells off again. A second channel and I was back in the chimera's face with the mace, dad rolls a 1 on his last scorching ray... well crap. Then he's reminded about the re-use of a spell from his bonded item. So final true strike, reuse slot, and max damage (no crit).
We returned with the diamond, it was used, and next up we head out with the wizard from dads school on a archaeology expedition.
We had lots of fun. The party is complete, and now starts the story the sibling wants to tell. I'm looking forward to the next session.
Friday, June 15, 2012
Tabletop Forge
But that's not what I'm talking about today. Today I'm pointing out neat stuff that's happened for the TF team.
Their kickstarter is doing very well, it's already past its second stretch goal. Also lots of really cool people have offered material or to run games in the VT. So its become quite popular.
So popular infact that the team has been invited to google I/O.
The family/Mask game is moving to TF as well apparently so as that moves I'll review the software. In the mean time congrats to Tabletop Forge!
Thursday, June 14, 2012
More Kickstarters, Blog splitting consideration
A note about this post. I do not own and am not in anyway related to any of these projects or the images used for links to the Kickstarter pages. No infringement is intended.
First, A few Kickstarters that interest me. Here's Catalyst Game Lab's The Duke. CGL is why Battletech is still a live. So just about any thing they do interests me at least a little.http://www.kickstarter.com/projects/450703636/the-duke
http://www.kickstarter.com/projects/132http://s3.amazonaws.com/ksr/projects/162842/photo-full.jpg?13358452667678769/the-future-of-table-top-role-playing-games
For those that want a darker setting for their pathfinder games. The Bleeding Hollow looks to be an interesting option. I'll be getting the pdf and will probably do a review later.
http://www.kickstarter.com/projects/939904996/the-bleeding-hollow-a-pathfinder-rpg-horror-mega-a
Now for three a little different. These are computer game Kickstarters, all RPG related and mention looking to release on linux.
First is a classic 8-bit style RPG called Crystal Catacombs. It's met its primary funding but its first stretch goal is a map editor, which should be fun.http://www.kickstarter.com/projects/crystalcatacombs/the-crystal-catacombs
Finally we come to a "point and click" rpg called Hexit. This one's current charm is graphics/eye candy, but promises a real world. A hi quality graphics game on linux can only be a good thing. This one also has a pretty high funding goal, but more than 20 days to go.http://www.kickstarter.com/projects/935411564/hexit-point-and-click-sci-fi-adventure-game
That's no where near all of the Kickstarters that I've looked at this week. There are lots of projects coming even just to the RPG (P&P or Video) genres. Originally I was posting a kickstarter that interested me because a) it interested me, and b) I didn't have anything else to talk about.
Now (as you can see above) there's enough traffic on kickstarter to turn my ranting into a KS spam fest. I don't want that. I do want to pass on projects I'm interested in in a timely fashion though. This means something like "only one kickstarter post/month" won't work. Once a week is letting projects slip by as it is, and filling my G+ or facebook or twitter pages with KS links doesn't really work either.
Then there's the fact that NSNGaming exists finally, and my personal gaming and other rants really should be separate. So I'm thinking about some kind of split of my blog, twitter, and or creating G+/Facebook pages for NSNGaming and such.
I haven't made any hard decisions yet, but when I do. I'll post them here, as always.
Wednesday, March 7, 2012
RGPSuperstar Top 8, Android Picks, Flashbacks
So I playtested Tom Phillips Eightfinger's Tomb with my brother, parents, and a friend this weekend. It was fun, I won't go into much detail here, but here's a link to my review. http://paizo.com/forums/dmtz5azv&page=2?Eightfingers-Tomb#51. I've also voted already. If you haven't, voting is open.
Also, in more work towards a functional tablet, I've been playing with the following android apps:
Pathfinder Spell Compendium and Pathfinder Feat/Talent Compendium by Sven-Erik Jonsson
Very handy free spellbook app. Good on both Cyanogen7 for nook and phones. Feat/Talent app is also handy but new and not as polished.
Pathfinder NPC Gallery by Shaking Earth
Handy little reference to the NPCs in the back of the Gamemaster's Guide, has some issues on the Cyanogennook.
Pathfinder RPG Manager
Simple, incomplete in my opinion, but a nice init tracker
Dice Caddy
Handy, dice widgets on the home screen, otherwise pretty basic.
D&D Dice by b.freq
This one's kinda nice. Does math and has a good log.
DM Assist
This one is much more complete than Pathfinder RPG manager, but looks horrid on a tablet. Hopefully that'll improve.
Found my old 3.5 sheet (and even the sheet it was based on) on the old family website. Getting ready to re-write parts of that story... Re-integrating some of those characters should save a little trouble with filling holes in some locations. It's also reminded me of two of the stories this setting was created to tell.
1. Simply because its different doesn't mean it's evil.
2. Simply because they're the leaders doesn't mean they're the good guys.
I think those stories are becoming important to tell again.
Also, in more work towards a functional tablet, I've been playing with the following android apps:
Pathfinder Spell Compendium and Pathfinder Feat/Talent Compendium by Sven-Erik Jonsson
Very handy free spellbook app. Good on both Cyanogen7 for nook and phones. Feat/Talent app is also handy but new and not as polished.
Pathfinder NPC Gallery by Shaking Earth
Handy little reference to the NPCs in the back of the Gamemaster's Guide, has some issues on the Cyanogennook.
Pathfinder RPG Manager
Simple, incomplete in my opinion, but a nice init tracker
Dice Caddy
Handy, dice widgets on the home screen, otherwise pretty basic.
D&D Dice by b.freq
This one's kinda nice. Does math and has a good log.
DM Assist
This one is much more complete than Pathfinder RPG manager, but looks horrid on a tablet. Hopefully that'll improve.
Found my old 3.5 sheet (and even the sheet it was based on) on the old family website. Getting ready to re-write parts of that story... Re-integrating some of those characters should save a little trouble with filling holes in some locations. It's also reminded me of two of the stories this setting was created to tell.
1. Simply because its different doesn't mean it's evil.
2. Simply because they're the leaders doesn't mean they're the good guys.
I think those stories are becoming important to tell again.
Friday, September 30, 2011
Well, at the moment of writing this, I have to say my expectations for the character sheet and realm sheet sales were low. I said I'd be happy if I sold enough for paizo to pay me once a year, I'm one sale (of either sheet) from that minimum. They've been available less than two weeks.
I don't know if the sales will keep that pace, but the closer they come to keeping it, the better chances I can turn that income back into more sheets and other projects I've had in mind for a while now.
One of those projects that has recently cropped into my head, is a Faction Sheet. I don't know everything about where this will go, but I expect it'll be in the 4-6 page range, and might have an additional 2-4 pages on suggestions about creating factions/secret societies/gangs/etc.
You all know about the Realm booklet. Well, I've got a 2 page + map "sheet" almost ready to put up at paizo, and then I've still got a lot of time on the "booklet". The booklet will be set kinda on the back burner, because I'm hoping to have enough income from the new worksheets to afford printed copies of the booklet.
Region 3 Game Day on its way. I've still got to finish a little work for it, but I know now that I will not be majorly involved in putting next years game day together. I have no idea if the USS Diamondback will host next year's yet. Even if they do, though, I'll at most be a minor assistant.
I've payed for the few pieces of art I've had commissioned for the Krenna setting, and purchased two more that Aabh had done for someone else who disappeared. I'll have to double my sales of sheets to make that money back compared to now. So here's hoping the sales don't fall too quickly (or better yet, pick up!).
But that's what it boils down to. After October, I should have a little more money, and a little more time, to devote to my gaming projects.
Two weeks from now will be right on top of Game Day... so I'll just post images of my brother's paint jobs on all the minis he's done for me. Two weeks after that will be a final report on Game Day.
I don't know if the sales will keep that pace, but the closer they come to keeping it, the better chances I can turn that income back into more sheets and other projects I've had in mind for a while now.
One of those projects that has recently cropped into my head, is a Faction Sheet. I don't know everything about where this will go, but I expect it'll be in the 4-6 page range, and might have an additional 2-4 pages on suggestions about creating factions/secret societies/gangs/etc.
You all know about the Realm booklet. Well, I've got a 2 page + map "sheet" almost ready to put up at paizo, and then I've still got a lot of time on the "booklet". The booklet will be set kinda on the back burner, because I'm hoping to have enough income from the new worksheets to afford printed copies of the booklet.
Region 3 Game Day on its way. I've still got to finish a little work for it, but I know now that I will not be majorly involved in putting next years game day together. I have no idea if the USS Diamondback will host next year's yet. Even if they do, though, I'll at most be a minor assistant.
I've payed for the few pieces of art I've had commissioned for the Krenna setting, and purchased two more that Aabh had done for someone else who disappeared. I'll have to double my sales of sheets to make that money back compared to now. So here's hoping the sales don't fall too quickly (or better yet, pick up!).
But that's what it boils down to. After October, I should have a little more money, and a little more time, to devote to my gaming projects.
Two weeks from now will be right on top of Game Day... so I'll just post images of my brother's paint jobs on all the minis he's done for me. Two weeks after that will be a final report on Game Day.
Thursday, October 29, 2009
Realm Sheet, and Scribus
Well I've gotten some more done on the realm sheet. Finished a revamping of the cover art... and with the help of Scribus, I've started to take a second stab at a fillable version.
One thing: Adobe's Reader EULA, as read by the people who work on scribus, actually prevents the reverse engineering and implementing of savable form pdfs. So even with the new one I won't be making a savable version... because I a) can't afford a copy of Acrobat, and b) think very poorly of their heavy-handedness.
At first Scribus was really annoying, but now I'm getting the hang of it. Here's some things I've learned:
OOo Draw import is lacking: If you have text in a OOo Draw file you want to import, save it as a Draw 1.0 file first... You'll then have to do lots of cleaning up but it's a start.
Masterpages: These are really handy. For this project I made a cover, internal right, and internal left master page. That allowed me to set the background on each page (and the color on the covers) really easy...
Don't apply properties to multiple objects at the same time... It doesn't always work... especially pdf properties.
PDF Properties: Is Bookmark is your friend... Works way better than the bookmarks OOo draw's export generates.
You'll probably also need a few other pieces of software: It auto-loads gimp for picture editing, and there's a few pdf things it doesn't handle well yet, that can be done in the free version of foxit.
Anywho, I'm a long way from posting a fillable copy... and I'll have to wait a bit to post a new flat, however I expect to have something available end of next month (November)... and I'm gonna try and talk Paizo in to making it a free download on their site to.
One thing: Adobe's Reader EULA, as read by the people who work on scribus, actually prevents the reverse engineering and implementing of savable form pdfs. So even with the new one I won't be making a savable version... because I a) can't afford a copy of Acrobat, and b) think very poorly of their heavy-handedness.
At first Scribus was really annoying, but now I'm getting the hang of it. Here's some things I've learned:
OOo Draw import is lacking: If you have text in a OOo Draw file you want to import, save it as a Draw 1.0 file first... You'll then have to do lots of cleaning up but it's a start.
Masterpages: These are really handy. For this project I made a cover, internal right, and internal left master page. That allowed me to set the background on each page (and the color on the covers) really easy...
Don't apply properties to multiple objects at the same time... It doesn't always work... especially pdf properties.
PDF Properties: Is Bookmark is your friend... Works way better than the bookmarks OOo draw's export generates.
You'll probably also need a few other pieces of software: It auto-loads gimp for picture editing, and there's a few pdf things it doesn't handle well yet, that can be done in the free version of foxit.
Anywho, I'm a long way from posting a fillable copy... and I'll have to wait a bit to post a new flat, however I expect to have something available end of next month (November)... and I'm gonna try and talk Paizo in to making it a free download on their site to.
Saturday, June 20, 2009
Realm Sheet Flat file
Okay, so I'm guessing I can afford 8 bucks a month... so I've grabbed me a Media Fire Premium account, and posted the First Flat Version there. It's the "Kingdomsheet" file. I was lazy and haven't renamed it from my original concept project. Anyway... its there now. So download it and tell me what you think!
Friday, June 19, 2009
Well...
Here goes I guess. I meant to start this on something I hosted myself, but when you're broke... you take what's out there.
Realm/Region Sheet:
When I find a way to also post files... I'm gonna start with the realm/region sheet I've been working on for a while now. I think the design is solid, but getting it into an easy to use editor is not going so well. PDFs with fillable forums are nice, until you need to insert images into the file. The original document (and odg) would be fine for anybody willing to a) use open office draw, and b)go through the slow and painful method of entering items as individual text blocks.
That however is not what I want. What I want is something somebody can easily put all the info into in simple ways, and I don't want the user to have to be on any particular kind of pc or use any specific software (beyond something that will open the file in the first place).
As for now all I have is an undecorated flat file for printing filling out by hand, and a partially editable file that you'd still have to print, or have a large amount of working knowledge and production oriented software.
Anywho Here's a list of sections it has so far:
Each entry (or sub entry) has a full page devoted to it unless otherwise mentioned. It's huge so far... but I don't think it's overly bulky... It's not designed for whipping out some quick little cookie cuter region in 45 minutes... It's designed for those people that want to take a few days building a "living breathing realm or area". I've tried to use it twice... and so far I like it. I may expand the map section beyond a single page... but I was kinda thinking that when you needed maps of sub-regions or cities or some such, you'd also need to build all the information this "sheet" is designed to cover for them too...
Other Stuff:
On a side note, the "edit Html" window for building posts here is worthless... because while it parses html tags... it assumes lots of things.
Realm/Region Sheet:
When I find a way to also post files... I'm gonna start with the realm/region sheet I've been working on for a while now. I think the design is solid, but getting it into an easy to use editor is not going so well. PDFs with fillable forums are nice, until you need to insert images into the file. The original document (and odg) would be fine for anybody willing to a) use open office draw, and b)go through the slow and painful method of entering items as individual text blocks.
That however is not what I want. What I want is something somebody can easily put all the info into in simple ways, and I don't want the user to have to be on any particular kind of pc or use any specific software (beyond something that will open the file in the first place).
As for now all I have is an undecorated flat file for printing filling out by hand, and a partially editable file that you'd still have to print, or have a large amount of working knowledge and production oriented software.
Anywho Here's a list of sections it has so far:
- Overview
- Cultural Points
- Calendar and Holidays
- Superstitions, Rituals, and Festivals
- Important Laws, and Enforcement
- Rumors, and Suspicions
- Money and Trade
- History(two pages)
- Settlement Patterns
- Regions/Provinces/States
- Major Cities and Towns By Population
- People and Influence
- Organizations by Power
- Government
- Military
- Organization of Influence (three pages)
- Other Major NPCs
- Map
Each entry (or sub entry) has a full page devoted to it unless otherwise mentioned. It's huge so far... but I don't think it's overly bulky... It's not designed for whipping out some quick little cookie cuter region in 45 minutes... It's designed for those people that want to take a few days building a "living breathing realm or area". I've tried to use it twice... and so far I like it. I may expand the map section beyond a single page... but I was kinda thinking that when you needed maps of sub-regions or cities or some such, you'd also need to build all the information this "sheet" is designed to cover for them too...
Other Stuff:
On a side note, the "edit Html" window for building posts here is worthless... because while it parses html tags... it assumes lots of things.
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