By habit and common usage, we stand here at the end of Summer. Here at Onyx Path, we’re using this cusp-y time to take stock, take off, and take a big breath before diving into (free?) Fall. Mirthful Mike is out this week and Rollickin’ Rose ain’t far behind. Me, I’m holding down the place until they get back.
Because when they back, all kinds of things will be happening. Some of them, you can extrapolate from our updates below. Lots of big books are being moved towards release and we’d love to at least get their PDF versions out this year as a reasonable goal, and their PoD versions out as an unreasonable one. Other changes are less visible, and are still only at the point that things might happen. So we’ll keep those as secret things that might lift us up when we take that step like The Fool.
That’s my old friend, the incredibly talented Joshua Gabriel Timbrook’s version of The Fool for the Mage: the Ascension Tarot Deck from years back in the header graphic.
So, here’s some stuff we caught up on today in our meetings. Eddy and I talked a lot about the response to the first of his Vampire: the Masquerade 4th Edition blogs; this one dealing with everyone’s thoughts on Gehenna. We were both very pleased with the range of folks’ ideas, and that we were pretty accurate when we guessed just how far our community would stretch from the “change everything!” folks to the “tightly tie everything together and roll with a continuation of the story” posters. And everyone in between. Excellent contributions, everybody!
If you want to add your voice to the discussion, please jump in. Eddy won’t have another V4 blog up for a little while at least. https://theonyxpath.com/gehenna-vampire-open-development/
In addition, we reviewed a cool promotion we’ll be doing throughout the month of October, and started setting that into place. You’ll be hearing more about that in the weeks to come.
We also discussed a problem on our Onyx Path forums where some posters are reacting to the moderators’ “red text” as if any instance of said red color is an aggressive take down, whereas our mods see the use of red text as an indicator of the mod entering the thread officially. Very often, they are red texting just to warn someone or to comment on an official level, not wield the ban-hammer. But some members of our forum community seem to be reacting strongly to that.
I really want our forums to be a place where we can freely discuss our Onyx Path games and other things of interest to our community, regardless of one’s race or creed, social status or gender, sex or political affiliation. In order to have this, we must insist on the posted rules of behavior, and moderate that behavior. But I don’t want folks feeling oppressed by the red text, even though we do need some sort of way to indicate Official posts from regular ones. So Rose has suggested a couple of possible changes to our dedicated (and volunteer) mod crew, and we’ll soon (in a week or so) see some tweaks to our mod messaging.
While I’ve got you here, I know some folks are really anxious to get their copies of Mage 20, and we’ve been delayed from being to offer them by a file glitch. I’ve gotten a few messages asking for a clearer explanation, so in the “a picture is worth a thousand words” category of explanation:
The book at top is the Premium PoD edition of M20, the lower one is the Standard PoD and the one that is giving us problems. We had over 50 pages where that blue color shift happened to the gold color because of a compression algorithm in the files. Mirthful Mike and our friends at DTRPG created a new set of printer files, and I was able to order a PoD proof last week, so hopefully they beat the problem. Hard to say until I get the PoD proof though, because it doesn’t show up in PDFs.
Finally, I wanted to note that while Gen Con was last month (only last month!?), next weekend a bunch of Onyx Path folks will be walking through Dragon Con in Atlanta, and I’ll be attending Save Against Fear 2015, a con in the Harrisburg, PA area that is run by the Bodhana Group. These are a great bunch of folks who believe in and practice the therapeutic value of tabletop RPGs. Or as they say:
For all gamers in the Harrisburg, PA area, Save Against Fear 2015 is shaping up for its fabulous fifth year Anniversary! Save Against Fear is a charity fund raiser that is run by The Bodhana Group, a non-profit organization with two missions. One is reducing the impact of sexual abuse, through community speaking, training and treatment and advocating the use of role playing and board games as therapeutic tools. All proceeds support projects of The Bodhana Group, including speaking engagements, development of a therapeutic board game, and the writing of a book on how to use Role Playing Games therapeutically without losing the fun. This year’s Save Against Fear has been upgraded. It will be conducted at The Best Western Premier Central Hotel and Conference Center, located at 800 East Park Drive, Harrisburg, PA 17111 over the weekend of September 4th through the 6th.Save Against Fear weekend passes are $60 dollars for all the gaming you can handle, and access to many of the special events at no extra charge. Your attendance fee also includes swag like our logo-ed dice bags, our signature rubber ducks, a WWYCD bracelet, and tickets for our prize raffles and our random treasure table. Not to mention the chance to meet a wonderful group of people and aid in a noble cause fit for any Paladin. We will also be joined by multiple games of Pathfinder provided by the Pathfinder Society. Our friends the hosts of the podcast Cap and Ton Show will there, setting up their delicious adventures as well as recording event attendee feedback, and hosting one of the returning additions to Save Against Fear – our panel discussions and workshops. This year we have also added board games! Our previous sister event, Meeples and Peoples Against Abuse has been joined with Save Against Fear to provide you more options for fun. We will also have tournaments the whole weekend long.
Also, this year we have again dedicated time and space to families and children, with special kid friendly games like Camp Myth and Meddling Kids being run on a family-focused Sunday. We also have many board games that are family friendly and teach valuable lessons and skills. All weekend children under 12 get in for free!
Onyx Path is a sponsor again this year, as I both support their missions and have heard enough stories from players over the years to know that for some people, roleplaying games have provided a life-line through horrible and awful life events. I don’t know yet which days I’ll be there or in what capacity, but if you are in the Harrisburg area I heartily recommend stopping in and meeting a great group of people for some gaming, and maybe we can hang out and chat a bit. http://www.saveagainstfear.com/
_________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
And now, the BLURBS!
Vampire 20th Anniversary Edition: The Dark Ages is NOW available in PDF and PoD versions at DriveThruRPG.com! This massive full color tome is part of the V20 line but does not require V20 to play and enjoy.
The Demon Translation Guide PDF and PoD versions are on sale now! We take fiendish delight in presenting this devilish guide to transferring your Demon: the Fallen and Demon: the Descent characters from one setting to the other: http://www.drivethrurpg.com/product/151502/Demon-Translation-Guide
The Pugmire Pamphlet we had available at Gen Con is now ready for PDF download. Read about the world of Pugmire from the enthusiastic and optimistic pen of Princess Yosha Pug, as well as notes from the gruff and worldly hunter Pan Daschund: http://www.drivethrurpg.com/product/153518/Pugmire-Gen-Con-Brochure
The sixth and final Pugmire poster for now, Spike Mutt, is on the loose now as a free PDF or $.99 physical poster, suitable for framing: http://www.drivethrurpg.com/product/150845/Spike-Mutt-Pugmire-Poster-6
The fifth Pugmire poster, Pan Dachshund, is ready now as a free PDF or $.99 physical poster, suitable for framing: http://www.drivethrurpg.com/product/150844/Pan-Dachshund-Pugmire-Poster-5
The fourth Pugmire poster, Jack Rat-Terrier, is on-sale now as a free PDF or $.99 physical poster, suitable for framing: http://www.drivethrurpg.com/product/150944/Jack-RatTerrier-Pugmire-Poster-4
The third Pugmire poster, Sgt. Leo Bulldog, is available NOW as a free PDF or $.99 physical poster, suitable for framing: http://www.drivethrurpg.com/product/150843/Sgt-Leo-Bulldog-Pugmire-Poster-3
The second poster, Princess Yosha Pug, is available now: http://www.drivethrurpg.com/product/149750/Princess-Yosha-Pug-Pugmire-Poster-2
And the first poster, Sister Picassa Collie, is here: http://www.drivethrurpg.com/product/148516/Sister-Picassa-Collie-Pugmire-Poster-1
Start spreading the Code of Man!
Dread Names, Red List for V20 is now on sale! This collection of the most dangerous Kindred ever called Anathema is available in both PDF and hardcover PoD versions: http://www.drivethrurpg.com/product/150381/V20-Dread-Names-Red-List
————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————
And now, new project status updates!:
DEVELOPMENT STATUS FROM ROLLICKING ROSE (projects in bold have changed status since last week):
First Draft (The first phase of a project that is about the work being done by writers, not dev prep)
- M20 Book of Secrets (Mage: the Ascension 20th Anniversary Edition)
- Exalted 3rd Novel by Matt Forbeck (Exalted 3rd Edition)
- CtL anthology (Changeling: the Lost 2nd Edition)
- Pugmire Early Access
- Dark Eras Companion (nWod Dark Eras)
- Changeling: the Dreaming 20th Anniversary Edition
- V20 Ready Made Characters (Vampire: the Masquerade 20th Anniversary Edition)
- Beast Ready Made Characters (Beast: the Primordial)
- Beast Fiction Anthology (Beast: the Primordial)
- Cavaliers of Mars
Redlines
- Mummy Fiction Anthology (Mummy: the Curse)
- Wraith: the Oblivion 20th Anniversary Edition
- Cursed Necropolis: Rio (Mummy: the Curse)
- Beckett’s Jyhad Diary (Vampire: the Masquerade 20th Anniversary Edition)
- Changeling: the Lost 2nd Edition, featuring the Huntsmen Chronicle (Changeling: the Lost 2nd Edition)- In Open Development
- WtF The Pack (Werewolf: the Forsaken 2nd Edition)
- VtM Lore of the Bloodlines (Vampire: the Masquerade 20th Anniversary Edition)
- WtA Kinfolk (Werewolf: the Apocalypse 20th Anniversary Edition)
Second Draft
- Arms of the Chosen (Exalted 3rd Edition)
- Secrets of the Covenants (Vampire: The Requiem 2nd Edition)
- The Realm (Exalted 3rd Edition)
- Dragon-Blooded (Exalted 3rd Edition)
Development
- StoryPath System Rules (Base rules set for Scion and the Trinity Continuum)
- W20 Pentex Employee Indoctrination Handbook (Werewolf: the Apocalypse 20th Anniversary Edition)
- Scarred Lands Player’s Guide: Ghelspad (Scarred Lands 2nd Edition)
- W20 Changing Ways (Werewolf: the Apocalypse 20th Anniversary Edition)
- nWoD Hurt Locker (World of Darkness 2nd Edition)
- M20 Anthology (Mage: the Ascension 20th Anniversary Edition)
- Dark Eras Expansions (nWod Dark Eras)
Editing
- V20 Ghouls (Vampire: the Masquerade 20th Anniversary Edition)
- V20 Black Hand: Guide to the Tal’Mahe’Ra (Vampire: the Masquerade 20th Anniversary Edition)
- W20 Shattered Dreams (Werewolf: the Apocalypse 20th Anniversary Edition)
- Demon Storytellers’ Guide (Demon: the Descent)
- Promethean: the Created 2nd Edition, featuring the Firestorm Chronicle (Promethean: the Created)
- Mage: the Awakening 2nd Edition, featuring the Fallen World Chronicle (Mage: the Awakening)
Post-Editing Development:
ART DIRECTION FROM MIRTHFUL MIKE:
In Art Direction
- V20 Ghouls – I believe all the artwork is in… I just need to gather it up and send it to CCP.
- NWoD 2 – Leblanc working on the four fill in pcs.
- Tal Me Rah – AD’d… won’t see sketches until middle of September.
- W20 Shattered Dreams – Finals rolling in. They’ve all been gorgeous thus far.
- V20 Lore of the Clans – KMJ’s headshots are done… two require some tweaks.
- Pentex Employee Indoctrination Manual – Holding off until new text is in.
- Demon STG – AD’d.
- Mage: the Awakening Second – Art Directing. Got emails out to artists, awaiting replies.
- Promethean: the Created Second – Looking over it…
In Layout
- Lore of the Clans – roughing in the new stuff while art is in progress.
- Dreams of Avarice – Sketches are good… Sam’s chugging along.
Proofing
- M20 How Do You Do That ?!? – It’s with Phil.
- Ex 3 Anthology – Awaiting updated text file.
- Ex 3 core book – RichT here: Maria had some computer and travel issues and so hasn’t gotten back to me since late last week, but she expected to deliver a full new set of proofs this week that we can send to CCP for approval. I believe they will be taking the time to really review this proof thoroughly, but don’t know how long that will take.
- Beast: The Primordial – Interior first proof with McF.
At Press
- V20DA– At press. Had to make some tweaks to the cover… Screen also at press.
- M20 – Hopefully issues worked out and the new proof (which is on its way) looks good.
- M20 Screen– At the Printer.
Special
- Dark Eras – Holding pattern.
- Wraith 20 – Yep… waiting on artnotes.
TODAY’S REASON TO DRINK: G’bye summer vacay.
Comments
67 responses to “Steppin’ To The Edge of August… [Monday Meeting Notes]”
Any word on getting the audio recordings of the Gencon seminars up online? I don’t intend to nag, but I’ve been really looking forward to hearing them!
I’m waiting on some graphics from Mike for some of them, but I’ll try to get up what I can this week.
Awsome! Thanks Ian!
Second. I was on my way to ask.
Ex3 is going to CCP approvals!
So Rich, what exactly are CCP looking for when they’re combing these for approval?
First, pretty much the same things we look at in terms of layout, readability, even if the rules make sense. Then they also need to be sure that what we are publishing doesn’t put them in a bad light, that it meets their standards and doesn’t say anything in the text that runs counter to their company image.
so is it safe to assume that Exalted 3rd will be released late this month early next month then?
not asking for a date, just asking if all goes well is it possible that it could.
a “yes” or other relatively affirmative reply will not be construed as a promise =)
I think it’s safest to assume nothing until the pdf arrives.
I do think it’s closer, tho.
If it’s on it’s way to CCP, does that mean the only alterations left are those that they will request?
Or to phrase it another way, if it wasn’t a licensed product would it be finished? If that’s not the case, what comes next? I’m guessing after the backer pdf is sent there’s some editing based on backer feedback, and then the really-real release?
Best answer is “sort of”. Having the approval phase changes some of how we might review the PDFs if we didn’t have that phase.
Once CCP approves the Ex3 file, does it go out to backers next?
Depending on what tweaks we need to make, if any, based on their read-through. Assuming nothing major needs fixing, then yes.
So… does the absence of Lore of the Clans and nWoD 2nd from Development status mean they’ve climbed to Art Direction/Layout?
Well, they are noted in those sections, so…yes.
You know, I kind of like that multicolored header for the mage book.
Maybe so, but its a mistake and one page might not even be a big thing, but if you had 50? You wouldn’t like it so much.
Well, if there are complete “mule” printings, just know that there are at least 2 people willing to take them off your hands, and willing to pay to do so…
Please guys, a more in depth update on Wraith 20 is sorely needed. It’s been over a month now. I know you guys always do a KS update when launching a new kickstarter, but there are many that are fearing the worst for this book and a sooner and more detailed update would be greatly appreciated.
So a month later and it must have all gone to hell? RichD is still working on it, just as slowly as I talked about in the last backer Update.
I totally understand that stuff is still chugging. I just wanted to say, don’t get ruffled by people freaking out. I am looking forward to W20, and I would rather wait for a quality product than have it be rushed, and I’m sure many agree. Just keep on trucking, guys. We have faith in you.
Excellent.
Thanks.
If you guys don’t want that copy of M20 with the bogus title page ill take it. Even pay for shipping.
As Rich says above: “We had over 50 pages where that blue color shift happened to the gold color”. It’s not just a single page.
If the text is readable my offer still stands
Thanks, and maybe we can talk after the PoDs are fixed and able to be ordered off DTRPG.
No problem
M20 looks sublime – great work OP team. I know I will be sure to grab myself a physical copy of the monolithic tome as soon as its available from drivethru.
Quick question about wraith 20 : Is John Cobb doing any new artwork for the book?
No one draws twisted and warped souls quite like he does. I really couldn’t imagine Wraith without him.
Depending on John’s schedule, that is certainly the plan. We already had him do some new illustrated logos for inside.
I’m curious about Beckett’s Jyhad Diary. It seems to have been in neutral for a long time, and I was wondering if it’s encountered some problems, or if it’s just an issue of “Rose is doing ten thousand other things, and BJD isn’t a priority.” Also, with V4 now official, has BJD been rethought in any way, up to and including not doing it at all?
All of the previously-announced V20 projects are still happening.
Also, Rose isn’t working on the Jyhad Diary.
That project right there is a Neall Price baby, and it’s going to be superb.
I was quite surprised that V4 was going Post-Gehenna in the timeline. Will the other game lines of the classic series get the “After Time of Judgement” treatment as well? If so, then I can see two suggestions on some parts of Apocalypse.
1. We go along the novel’s plot and see the Wyrm of Balance get restored, yet weakened by its time in the Weaver’s web. If possible, I could see the three Wyrms of Chaos, instead of disappearing, somehow they become spirits in their own right and seek to overthrow the Triat for control over the Order of Things.
2. Because of the War, the WoB retires to heal and Gaia steps up to be the Triat’s Balance, so that she could finally take control over her own destiny. This would leave her sister Luna to be caretaker of the Fera.
Whatever the case, I can’t wait to see what metaplot you choose to represent Apocalypse Fourth Edition.
At this stage all we know is that we’re making VTM4. We have not yet decided if or when we’ll be doing 4th editions for other lines.
Oh man, each week I get more excited for a new book to drop.
I’m literally quivering with anticip…
…ation.
People are interested in the “defective” mage books as mentioned here and in the mage Facebook page.
The Blue does look kinda artistic there. It sounds like, if you guys had a bunch of those books with bleed through problems, then you could probably still sell them easily. If not, maybe do a charity auction at Dragon Con?
Of course they are. We wouldn’t even consider anything like that until the books are orderable on DTRPG.
Question is, will people want to pay less than for the correct book… or more because it’s rarer?
I remember when certain Magic card misprints were valued higher by some collectors. Maybe some still are.
You are considering making a new version of the mage: ascension tarot deck? I beg you! : D
We consider a lot of things. 🙂
Consider it again…..this time with feeling!
When ate the Continuum previews going to start back up?
Did they already start? Cool. I’m talking to Neall about the StoryPath System tonight actually, and once that is available for folks to comment on, we’ll be handing it off to the Continuum and Scion teams to incorporate into their writing.
Did the Scion / Trinity rule system get a name change?
As I understood it, “Sardonyx” was only ever a codename/placeholder. The Storypath name was announced no later than the Gen Con pamphlet (which used it on the page for Scion Second Edition).
Is Shattered Dreams still up to he the next KS? And would the end of this month still be possible for when we’d see it?
Yes and yes.
Mouahahahahaha! *Cough* I mean. YES!
I understand that the official statement about the other 4th editions of CWoD than Vampire is “we don’t know” at this stage. However, it raises the question of compatibility with the other lines IF V4 will have major system updates/changes compared to the 20th lines. I also understand that regarding CWoD, crossover was never the default, but I like it and I’m sure that lots of people too and I’m firmly believing that giving possibility for something that isn’t mandatory is much better than shut down that possibilities. One of the major positives of the V4 (and other 4 lines if they will happen)for me is a hope for more crossover-frinedly rules between the lines, but if V4 will be the only one because of the differences of the 20th lines, that pretty much shut down that possibility.
So the question is: can you say anything regarding this “problem” now? Are you guys considering other options to bring the other lines in-line rules-wise if V4 will be the only 4th ed game? I totaly understand if your answer is something like “we will discuss this at later stage”. I’m just a little bit nervous about at some point in 2016-17, receiving a totaly awesome V4 book with great rules and updated setting and lovely artwork and everything and knowing that it is totally incompatible with every other CWoD game and will staying that way.
I certainly don’t and can’t speak for The Onyx Path, but I just think that speculation for other Classic lines gives an impression, rightly or wrongly, of cynicism towards the customers. You could make a case for V4 on the grounds that V20 has been out for five years. However, W20 has been out for less than that, M20 hasn’t actually been published yet, Wraith20 hasn’t been written yet, and heaven help anybody who wishes to market a Changeling 20th Anniversary kickstarter campaign when it a) won’t actually be a 20th anniversary anymore when it’s released, and b) it’s mooted to be superseded shortly after….
Yes, and a) we’ve already said we have not made any plans for the other lines, and b) we aren’t tying any additional 4th Editions to a timeline. So if the community wants to speculate, that’s all it is.
Cool. 🙂
Oh, and please, bring back the red rose at the front cover! 🙂 I like the 20th edition’s ankh and it’s ok for it to be different because it was an anniversary, but the rose is soooo iconic for Vampire!
If you look at the VTM4 image above, you can make out a shadow with a familiar shape…
I’m starting to get the shakes waiting for Exalted. Each update is so temptingly close to being a complete product. I’m setting aside head space to prepare a campaign, and beginning to prepare the temporal space with one of my groups.
Really excited for Vampire 4th. I dropped off of VtM a long time ago and have felt like coming back off and on but been unsure how to do so. A new edition will let me jump right in along with everybody else.
Very cool, please let Eddy know what you think on his V4 blogs if you get a chance. Thanks!
Any word on the status of V20: Dark Ages – Tome of Secrets?
Not yet in first drafts as it is not on the list, but soon.
How did I not know about a convention in my own backyard? I’ll try to make it out to Save Against Fear, then. 🙂
Given that the problem doesn’t show up in PDF, how about greenlighting DTRPG to sell the PDFs whilst waiting to unbugger the POD version? Not to put too fine a point on it, but most of my gaming is via Skype, so a nice, searchable PDF matters to me a lot more than a dead-tree edition in any form.
The Miss Printed copies will they be destroyed or could one acquire them for that rare miss print value for collectors?
Is there any word on the pdf add-ons for the Wraith KS? Since they are all available I wasn’t sure where it sat in the queue and have a number of poor old Wraith books starting to fall apart.
I have been itching to get my hands on M20 since I first heard about the KS. I’m still itching for it. I will be itching until I have a copy in my hands. that being said, I’m glad that you are taking the time to make it look right before putting it out, but I have the shakes from all this anticipation!
Thank you for taking the time weekly to let us know the status of various projects.
I haven’t personally seen anyone openly reacting to mod red text as though they felt they were getting a scary warning, so I can only guess about it. But I wonder if part of it is just the associations of the color red in Western culture.
Could very well be. Our solutions aren’t about changing the color though. If folks can get used to red=mod talk on other forums, we should be able to get past it on ours, I think.