IGS State of the Nation: May 2018
almost 6 years ago
– Wed, May 09, 2018 at 01:57:24 PM
Overview
A ton going on, a ton in the queue... and a ton of excitement all around.
Dark Obelisk 2
Nobody has corrected my research that it is the largest single adventure ever published, so I'm going to continue to claim it as such... I'm actually quite interested if there's something bigger because if there is, I really want to buy it!
Pathfinder and 5E editions are completed; the PFRPG edition is published, and it's already my bestselling title by a huge margin, having made Top Ten lists on RPGnow and DriveThruRPG for several weeks running.
All existing backers should have received discount codes to pick up the PFRPG edition of DO2 and its component books a bit more cheaply; message me if you didn't get one or lost yours if you want to grab a copy.
Fifth edition-ers, never fear: Once the 5E edition gets published, all current backers will get discount codes for that, too.
DO2 Feedback & Reviews
I've ordered a copy for the reviewer I respect the most so he has a hardcopy to peruse. I can't wait for his thoughts, but I suspect that will be a long time coming given his work queue and the size of DO2.
Including all its component books, the adventure is nearly 1,500 pages, all told, so I appreciate that most of you who got DO2 probably haven't even finished reading it yet! But I would greatly appreciate feedback if you care to share your reactions.
This project was enormous in ambition and scope, insane in its mapping, and quite innovative and unique in its approach to dynamic content. I hope, and am pretty sure, that it all worked, but it's all a huge change from the traditional adventure approach so I'm curious to see how others have experienced it.
Artifacts & Artifice
85% done AA1; should complete and publish by end of month; AA2 targeting June completion. All NPC crunch and artwork is done for both books; just have to lay it all out.
This is my primary focus as much as possible until it's completed and delivered.
Character & Villainous Compendiums
CC2 is crunch-complete; need to lay it all out, and finalize with backers deserving of a character design.
VC NPCs (villains and henchpeople) sketched out and outlining. Crunch build will commence soon. Lairs and encounter maps sketched out on paper.
Druid Enclave
NPCs (70+) sketched out and outlined; crunch has commenced and is ~25% complete already.
Maps and a lot of other components sketched on paper, but the whole project needs my primary focus.
Aquilae: Bestiary of the Realm
So to clarify a much lengthier post in this project's campaign, there's two kinds of time I have to dedicate to RPG writing: focused time and repetitive time. Focused time is needed for things like writing backstory, encounters, drawing maps, and most content. Repetitive time is where I can just churn out crunch.
So although my focused time is 100%, well, focused on the AA books, I have some repetitive time that I dedicate in the background, in parallel.
As a result, I'm actually able to realize a further ambition: books not just of the 400 core monsters I'd planned on, but a further 800 monsters as well, for a total of 6 books, and 1,200 beasties. This extension I call "ABR: Extended".
Launching ABR:E Kickstarter in the next week or so; existing backers of ABR may chill and get tons more content, or they can pledge ABR:E and add on the new extended hardcovers.
Production-wise, I'm 35% complete all 1,200 ABR:E monsters. I've also been getting a steady stream of commissioned artwork in for the book of custom monsters, ABR: Monsters of Aquilae.
Will reach out to Xenophile and other backers deserving of a custom monster design when I get closer to that point.
FlexTale Encounter Generator
Core book was published alongside DO2, since that adventure requires it, and has been a huge seller; made the Top Ten list on RPGnow for a week or so.
Had placed the order for hardcover fulfillment; investigating why backers have not received.
Context books on target for release in line with the Western Realm Gazetteer, which will be a major integration point in generating dynamic content for those books.
More good news I've not yet discussed: the monster tables in all FTEG books will be expanded to include all 1,200+ monsters from the ABR:E!
Western Realm Gazetteer
Kickstarter campaign complete; BackerKit may add to stretch goals unlocked.
BK pending Kickstarter finalization in the two-week post-campaign period. In that timeframe, I'm prepping the BK.
There'll also be a pre-order version of the BK site for anyone who didn't have the chance to pledge who still wants to.
What's Next
That's a huge pipeline of commitment already, so I'm focused on delivering it all. There's a lot of balls in the air, but I expect 2018 to continue to be a year of enormous productivity and delivery.
Per the above, the next KS will be ABR:Expanded, launching soon. This really is just a recognition that I want to do 1,200 core monsters, not just 400, and I'm on pace to do that in parallel with the other projects that I'm working on.
After that will be ABR: Incarnae of Aquilae. This was unlocked as part of the ABR Kickstarter as a Stretch Goal, and those backers already get a PDF copy free; the Kickstarter will be to expand and improve the book.
I have something personal and special planned for the July/August timeframe. Don't worry; it won't derail anything else that's in the pipeline, as it's already done--was completed, you might say, way back when I was in middle school. It's in response to a few backer requests in response to a half-joking comment I made in the WRG campaign.
Beyond that, my goal is to complete the entire pipeline of work above by the end of the year at the latest, hopefully quite a bit before. I'm well aware, too, that there are lots of other products that have been unlocked as part of the DO2 and BB campaigns; those are upcoming, but I want to make sure I deliver what I've promised thus far before progressing further on all of those.
Thank You
I've said it before, and will hopefully say it many more times: I'm a lucky bastard. It's because of all of you backers that I'm able to realize my crazy ambition, and bring my creativity to life, in a way that satisfies so many other people like me who love tabletop roleplaying games and love innovative, insanely-detailed, flexible, and useful indie content.
I continue to break even on all of this, and I don't see that changing in the foreseeable future. It rarely feels like "work", though I do hope to continue to improve my efficiency and throughput so I can keep delivering more, quicker, to my deserving backers.
You make this possible. I work as hard as I possibly can, and hope you agree with me, so that it's worth your time and money.
Onward!
