Yesterday I sent off the last redlines to the writers for Lore of the Clans, thus closing the open development process for the book. Because of the staggered nature of open development, I’ve already gotten a few drafts back, but I’m expecting to get the majority of them in October. From there, I’ll revise, kick the drafts over to the teams working on V20 Dark Ages and Ghouls to make sure the material is connecting (or at least disconnecting in interesting and intentional ways), and then the usual editing/layout/art/book phases. There may be a Kickstarter in there somewhere, and I already have some ideas of interesting goals for that. To keep the book on track, though, I don’t anticipate any more drafts being posted online.
I did want to take a moment to thank everyone to participated. Some folks were a little more aggressive than others, and a few seemed very eager to add random numbers and spaces into the text for some reason. It was stressful, chaotic, and intense, but in the end it was worth it. Many of the conversations reaffirmed my instincts, but a few were very surprising, and helped me reassess my assumptions on some parts of the material. There was also a lot of small details from some of the more obscure books that I think will make the whole product feel much richer. Without going into a full changelog (there’s a few more rounds of revisions to go through, so I don’t want to say something’s definitely changing at this stage), I can say that every single Clan was shaped by the discussion provided, and in every chapter there was at least one noteworthy shift in the material that came directly from this process.
So, thank you for continuing to be the passionate, engaged, dynamic community that has kept this game aloft for so many years. Each open development process is a new experiment, a new way of baring our souls, but each time you’ve been collectively very positive and productive. I know Rites of the Blood was dramatically improved because of you, and I hope the same will be true of Lore of the Clans.
Comments
17 responses to “Lore of the Clans: Thank You”
No, Eddy, thank YOU. I must admit, I find Open Development rather exhilarating. It’s nice to feel one is having a constructive part in the creation of something. It also lets me flex my inner pedantic editor. Heh.
But, more seriously, it gives me greater appreciation for you developers. It’s hard!
Yea no seriously Thank You guys for continuing to do Open Development. Its awesome to see the input from the fans reflected in the material being made versus the “Well this is what we wrote, hope you all like it!”.
Thank you very much. I really enjoyed this open dev process. I really wish I’d gotten involved earlier and had time to dive into more of the clan sections than I did. For being in open dev stage they content was in really good shape. Also, thank you for tolerating my fan boy pitch to include some homage to earlier versions of the Ravnos. I can come on a bit strong about that sometimes. This is going to be an amazing book.
THANK YOU for providing us something we dreamed on our teen ages, that is the opportunity to give ideas for the game we love, and to comment development stuff.
As a note, Asqueados, you were one of the rockstars during the whole process. Your stuff was insightful, positive, productive, and you had some good ideas of your own. Thank you for that. 🙂
Wow. I’m extremely flattered, thank you. I was thinking you would rather consider me an annoying whiner. 🙂
I also want to thank you for the open development process. It gives us an early preview of the book.
Thank you Eddy, now i just hope to see a deluxe edition for this book since your last one, Rites of the blood, could been one of the best KS. Keep in mind that, this book can make the best space for some rewards if it turn out to be a KS project! whatever the outcome is, im in. Thank you very much.
ps: Your idea of been “metaplot agnostic” sounds to me to be the living spirit of V20 line, for the old and classical line and for those who like todays adjustments.
Thank-you for committing to the Open Source Development route for some of your items. It is both empowering as a writer and creator and has reignited my interest in some of the game lines while encouraging me to look at others far more closely. I would love for more Open Source stuff to be done with Mage: the Awakening and for Vampire: the Requiem.
I too would like to thank you for keeping open development going. I feel it gives the players as well as the writers a real voice, and frankly I’m always a little shocked when someone either makes note of my suggestions or doesn’t call them weird. So I tend to take a little more pride in spending my money on these books when they come out then I probably did before. Thanks for making me, for making all of us feel like a part of something.
Yes Eddy, thanks, not only for conducting the whole process but for enduring the “little more aggressive” folks (and yes, I’m one of them) as a true gent.
You just can’t be passionate about something you love, but of course, I’m sorry for my excesses.
Thank you from me as well; it was an honor and a pleasure to be able to see the work in progress and to be able to share our thoughts. Like some of the others, sorry if things got argumentative at times, but the whole V20 project wouldn’t have succeeded if people didn’t care about this stuff, and it’s good for the game to have the vision and ideas flowing in both directions.
Thank you, Eddy, for allowing us the opportunity to participate in this experiment. I did not contribute much, because I saw very little that needed much say. I spoke up in the Lasombra and the Tremere, mostly, as those are the two clans I have the most experience with. I know my input and take on the Lasombra not in the Sabbat went against some people’s tastes(I have always played, and seen it played as honourable rivalry), but fit the fluff put into the draft. Also, I was one of the ones arguing that ‘Chantry Haven’ was definitely not a flaw for the Tremere. I am glad to have had a chance to add my voice to the discussion. I look forward to seeing book when it is finished.
It was a pleasure. Hope I could be of some help.
I would love to see the KS roll on.
Thanks for your work, please keep it up like that i appreciate it greatly 😛
I also want to thank you. It is amazing the feeling that you are contributing if only a little. It was really fun too.
One great project and a great manner to grant one cool final result.
As above, thanks for the chance to see and comment in advance.