The Walking and Scrapping Dead [Monday Meeting Notes]

A couple of meanings to the “Scrapping” part of the blog title this week. First of all, not the “scraping dead” which is probably a kind of zombie. Pretty sure I’ve seen some scraped zombies on TV…but that’s not the type I’m talking about.

Scrapping as in “scrappy”, though, is one of the ways I mean it. As in tough and fighty. In Dystopia Rising: Evolution, which is rolling along quite well with its Kickstarter – thanks for asking, the undead have various tiers of scrappy, and of intelligence. That’s one of the cool parts of the setting, and one of the several reasons we at Onyx Path had for deciding to work with Eschaton Media to create the Dystopia Rising: Evolution tabletop RPG.

If we haven’t yet released the portion of the manuscript containing the zombies to backers during the Kickstarter, stay tuned, because we will. Like most of our latest Kickstarters, the whole text will be revealed to backers before the KS is over. We like to think that doing that gives backers a good chance to make an informed backing decision.

Which means less backers coming back to us when the Backer PDF is released to tell us that it’s not what they thought they were backing. We’d prefer a backer drop their pledge than be unhappy after the KS is over.

 

 

Promethean: The Created 2e Night Horrors: Tormented art by Andrew Trabbold.

 

 

Scrapping, also like in dealing with scrap materials: which in Dystopia Rising: Evolution‘s world is a vital part of survival. So much so that developer Fast Eddy Webb and his creative team modified the Storypath System to provide in-depth rules for salvaging materials in order to create a working piece of equipment. For this sort of setting, I love that there are baked-in scavenging rules!

It’s great because it evokes the day-to-day needs of characters in this world, but it’s also great for us in that it brings to us a facet of the Storypath System that hasn’t come up yet in the Trinity Continuum, Scion, or They Came From Beneath the Sea! game lines that also use Storypath. Although, I could see the scavenging rules show up in TC: Aeon; either for use in devastated Europe or for salvage in space.

Even though it took a lot longer to develop Storypath than we had expected, it is gratifying how almost every game designer who gets a chance to work with it sees new possibilities and potential to add new elements on that cover another genre or style of game setting. That’s so awesome to hear from our teams: it means the time and effort spent creating Storypath were well worth it – and it means we still have a lot of different games to create and explore.

The Trinity Continuum has a lot of room as a setting that spans history and other worlds and dimensions to encompass so many new settings, and Scion has so much more potential than we ever had a chance to explore back in first edition.

Stay with us as we get their KS’d books out and add to those central setting projects – we’ll get to the new stuff once we all have the core books in hand! Meanwhile, look to projects like Dystopia Rising: Evolution and They Came From Beneath the Sea! as both new game settings AND our chance to take Storypath for a test run and to see if these additions to the rules are setting specific or can be ported over to other Storypath lines.

 

 

Scion: Hero art by Chris Bivins

 

 

 

(Also, we hope that those of you who love to homebrew your games tinker with Storypath too – and let us know what you come up with).

(Also, also, you can hear a great in-depth discussion about Dystopia Rising: Evolution on last Friday’s episode of the Onyx Pathcast, if you haven’t already listened. The Terrifyingly Terrific Trio are absolutely hitting on all cylinders and having a hilarious time while Eddy goes deep into the way he approached creating DR:E. For game design theory presented in an enjoyable way alone, it’s worth an hour-ish to listen in on your favorite podcast service or direct on PodBean https://www.podbean.com).

Some happy progress in that section below, for a wide variety of game lines – projects for WoD, for Exalted, for CofD, and for the Trinity Continuum. The range not being surprising, since we are known for:

Many Worlds, One Path!

 

BLURBS!

KICKSTARTER:

 

 

The Dystopia Rising: Evolution Kickstarter funded in less than a day, and has already passed a couple of Stretch Goals including the first section of the Threat Guide companion PDF which is a first-person guide with mechanics to the various threats facing survivors in the DR:E world, so we’re pretty excited to get started with that!

Dystopia Rising is a post-apocalyptic roleplaying game that quickly grew into a live-action sensation. Now, Onyx Path is pleased to update the live-action setting with Dystopia Rising: Evolution, a tabletop roleplaying game that presents a fresh and exciting take on the post-apocalypse genre.

Dystopia Rising: Evolution will be powered by Onyx Path’s Storypath system, and includes all the rules you need to play as a survivor in the post-apocalypse, including rules for creating characters for up to 24 different Strains, variations on humanity that survived the Fall. It also has details on the powers of faith and psionics, along with advice on running action-adventure stories, webs of personal intrigue, or procedural investigations. And, finally, dozens of antagonists, including a variety of zombies and raiders to use in your series.

Throughout this Kickstarter campaign, we will be posting complete previews of the Dystopia Rising: Evolution manuscript as backer-only updates.

 

ELECTRONIC GAMING:

As we find ways to enable our community to more easily play our games, the Onyx Dice Rolling App is now live! Our dev team has been doing updates since we launched based on the excellent use-case comments by our community, and this thing is both rolling and rocking!

Here are the links for the Apple and Android versions:

http://theappstore.site/app/1296692067/onyx-dice

https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.onyxpathpublishing.onyxdice&hl=en

Three different screenshots, above.

 

ON AMAZON AND BARNES & NOBLE:

You can now read our fiction from the comfort and convenience of your Kindle (from Amazon) and Nook (from Barnes & Noble).

If you enjoy these or any other of our books, please help us by writing reviews on the site of the sales venue you bought it from. Reviews really, really help us with getting folks interested in our amazing fiction!

Our selection includes these fiction books:

  • Vampire: The Masquerade: The Endless Ages Anthology (Kindle, Nook)
  • Werewolf: The Apocalypse: Rites of Renown: When Will You Rage II (Kindle, Nook)
  • Mage: The Ascension: Truth Beyond Paradox (Kindle, Nook)
  • Chronicles of Darkness: The God-Machine Chronicle Anthology (Kindle, Nook)
  • Mummy: The Curse: Curse of the Blue Nile (Kindle, Nook)
  • Beast: The Primordial: The Primordial Feast Anthology (Kindle, Nook)
  • Vampire: The Masquerade: Of Predators and Prey: The Hunters Hunted II Anthology (Kindle, Nook)
  • Werewolf: The Apocalypse: The Poison Tree (Kindle, Nook)
  • Werewolf: The Apocalypse: Songs of the Sun and Moon: Tales of the Changing Breeds (Kindle, Nook)
  • Vampire: The Requiem: The Strix Chronicle Anthology (Kindle, Nook)
  • Werewolf: The Forsaken: The Idigam Chronicle Anthology (Kindle, Nook)
  • Mage: The Awakening: The Fallen World Chronicle Anthology (Kindle, Nook)
  • Vampire: The Masquerade: The Beast Within Anthology (Kindle, Nook)
  • Werewolf: The Apocalypse: W20 Cookbook (Kindle, Nook)
  • Exalted: Tales from the Age of Sorrows (Kindle, Nook)
  • Chronicles of Darkness: Tales of the Dark Eras (Kindle, Nook)
  • Promethean: The Created: The Firestorm Chronicle Anthology (Kindle, Nook)
  • Demon: The Descent: Demon: Interface (Kindle, Nook)
  • Scarred Lands: Death in the Walled Warren (KindleNook)
  • V20 Dark Ages: Cainite Conspiracies (Kindle, Nook)
  • Chronicles of Darkness: Strangeness in the Proportion (KindleNook)
  • Vampire: The Requiem: Silent Knife (Kindle, Nook)
  • Mummy: The Curse: Dawn of Heresies (KindleNook)

 

OUR SALES PARTNERS:

We’re working with Studio2 to get Pugmire out into stores, as well as to individuals through their online store. You can pick up the traditionally printed main book, the Screen, and the official Pugmire dice through our friends there!

https://studio2publishing.com/search?q=pugmire

 

 

iprlogo

Looking for our Deluxe or Prestige Edition books? Try this link! http://www.indiepressrevolution.com/xcart/Onyx-Path-Publishing/

Here’s the link to the press release we put out about how Onyx Path is now selling through Indie Press Revolution: https://theonyxpath.com/press-release-onyx-path-limited-editions-now-available-through-indie-press-revolution/

And you can now order Pugmire: the book, the screen, and the dice! http://www.indiepressrevolution.com/xcart/manufacturers.php?manufacturerid=296

 

 

DRIVETHRURPG.COM:

 

 

This week we have the next in our blank journal series on our RedBubble store: C20 Journals for the Kiths available on Wednesday!

 

 

CONVENTIONS!

From Fast Eddy Webb, we have these:

Eddy will be speaking at Broadleaf Writers Conference (September 22-23) in Decatur, GA. He’ll be there to talk about writing for interactive fiction, and hanging out with other writers who have far more illustrious careers. http://broadleafwriters.com/3rd-annual-broadleaf-writers-conference/3rd-annual-broadleaf-writers-conference-speakers/
Eddy will also be a featured guest at Save Against Fear (October 12-14) in Harrisburg, PA. He’ll be running some Pugmire games, be available for autographs, and will sometimes accept free drinks. http://www.thebodhanagroup.org/about-the-convention

 

Dixie Cochran will be at High Level Games Con in Atlantic City October 12-14, running a Women in Game Design panel, Eddy’s RPG Developer Bootcamp, and possibly making a surprise appearance at another event!

 

 


And now, the new project status updates!

DEVELOPMENT STATUS FROM FAST EDDY WEBB (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)

  • C20 Novel (Jackie Cassada) (Changeling: the Dreaming 20th Anniversary Edition)
  • M20 The Technocracy Reloaded (Mage: the Ascension 20th Anniversary Edition)
  • M20 Victorian Mage (Mage: the Ascension 20th Anniversary Edition)
  • Trinity Continuum: Aberrant core (Trinity Continuum: Aberrant)
  • Tales of Excellent Cats (Monarchies of Mau)
  • Scion Companion: Mysteries of the World (Scion 2nd Edition)
  • City of the Towered Tombs (Cavaliers of Mars)
  • Heirs to the Shogunate (Exalted 3rd Edition)
  • Witch-Queen of the Shadowed Citadel (Cavaliers of Mars)
  • Mummy: The Curse 2nd Edition core rulebook (Mummy: The Curse 2nd Edition)

 

Redlines

  • Deviant: The Renegades (Deviant: The Renegades)
  • Night Horrors: Nameless and Accursed (Mage: the Awakening Second Edition)

 

Second Draft

  • WoD Ghost Hunters (World of Darkness)
  • Tales of Good Dogs – Pugmire Fiction Anthology (Pugmire)
  • Aeon Aexpansion (Trinity Continuum: Aeon)
  • C20 Players’ Guide (Changeling: the Dreaming 20th Anniversary Edition)
  • Wr20 Book of Oblivion (Wraith: The Oblivion 20th Anniversary Edition)
  • Changeling: The Lost 2nd Companion (Changeling: The Lost 2nd)
  • CofD Dark Eras 2 (Chronicles of Darkness)
  • V5 Chicago By Night (Vampire: The Masquerade)

 

Development

  • Signs of Sorcery (Mage: the Awakening Second Edition)
  • Hunter: the Vigil 2e core (Hunter: the Vigil 2nd Edition)
  • Fetch Quest (Pugmire)
  • CofD Contagion Chronicle (Chronicles of Darkness)
  • Dystopia Rising: Evolution (Dystopia Rising: Evolution)
  • Night Horrors: Shunned by the Moon (Werewolf: The Forsaken 2nd Edition)
  • Adventures for Curious Cats (Monarchies of Mau)
  • M20 Book of the Fallen (Mage: the Ascension 20th Anniversary Edition)
  • Lunars: Fangs at the Gate (Exalted 3rd Edition)
  • Spilled Blood (Vampire: The Requiem 2nd Edition)
  • In Media Res (Trinity Continuum: Core)

 

Manuscript Approval:

 

Editing:

  • They Came From Beneath the Sea! Rulebook (TCFBtS!)
  • Dog and Cat Ready Made Characters (Monarchies of Mau) (With Eddy)
  • Changeling: The Lost 2nd Jumpstart (Changeling: The Lost 2nd)

 

Post-Editing Development:

  • Scion: Hero (Scion 2nd Edition)
  • Trinity Continuum Core Rulebook (The Trinity Continuum)
  • Trinity Continuum: Aeon Rulebook (The Trinity Continuum)
  • Ex Novel 2 (Aaron Rosenberg) (Exalted 3rd Edition)
  • Exalted 3rd Novel by Matt Forbeck (Exalted 3rd Edition)

 

Indexing:

  • Changeling: The Lost 2e

 

 

ART DIRECTION FROM MIRTHFUL MIKE:

 

In Art Direction

  • Dystopia Rising: Evolution – KS is going.
  • VtR: Guide to the Night Finals rolling in.
  • M20: Gods and Monsters – AD’d and Contracted, Leblanc already has sketches in.
  • Geist 2e
  • The Realm
  • Trinity Continuum (Aeon and Core)
  • Ex3 Monthly Stuff
  • Ex3 Dragon Blooded Finals coming in.
  • Chicago By Night KS art contracted.

 

Marketing Stuff

 

In Layout

  • Lost 2e Screen 
  • Fetch Quest

 

Proofing

  • Scion Hero – Putting in Neal’s changes
  • PTC: Night Horrors: The Tormented
  • Scion Origin – Neall inputting errata changes… then it’ll come back to me to firm up.

 

At Press

  • Monarchies of Mau – Printing. Dice and buttons printing.
  • Cavaliers of Mars At Studio2.
  • Wraith 20th – Prepping the Deluxe files, still poking printer for cover specs.
  • Monarchies of Mau Screen At Studio2.
  • Cavaliers of Mars Screen At Studio2.
  • Wraith 20 Screen Printing.
  • Scion Dice – At fulfillment shipper.
  • Cav Talent cards PoD proof coming.
  • SL Trilogy Pt 1,2,3 PoD proofs coming.
  • C20 Journals Coming out Wednesday!

 


TODAY’S REASON TO CELEBRATE: Labor Day! The traditional end between summer vacation and a new year in school, a usual schedule for work, and a chance for freelancers to take that extra day to get things done!


Posted

in

,

by

Tags:

Comments

15 responses to “The Walking and Scrapping Dead [Monday Meeting Notes]”

  1. Mike E Avatar
    Mike E

    So happy to see progress on Fangs at the Gate!

    1. richt Avatar
      richt

      Yep, there is a real momentum on all the Exalted books in progress- great to see!

      1. Jacob Avatar
        Jacob

        Will this one get a kickstarter too?

        1. richt Avatar
          richt

          Which one?

          1. Jacob Avatar
            Jacob

            Lunars

          2. richt Avatar
            richt

            That is indeed the plan, yes!

  2. Chazz Avatar

    So many great projects feel so close to release! CtL, Scion Hero, and Aeon all look like their just around the corner!

    1. richt Avatar
      richt

      Closer than ever before!

  3. GenericMaleNPC01 Avatar
    GenericMaleNPC01

    Lunar’s are coming along nicely. The wait for the WFHW complete pdf is killing me though…
    I just want my awesome elemental hero art…

    1. richt Avatar
      richt

      Can’t rush the art, though…so we wait!

      1. ThomasM Avatar
        ThomasM

        Indeed it will be worth the wait. I had the pleasure of chatting with Priscilla Kim this weekend at Dragon*Con. She had two pieces she did for What Fire Has Wrought and they were glorious to behold in person. As a fan of the line for 15 years I would love to see more of her work in your books!

  4. George Lemke Avatar
    George Lemke

    Rich, et al.
    You mentioned homebrewing using the Story Path System, is there a reference document or something similar available to aid in that?
    Thanks!

    1. richt Avatar
      richt

      Right now, I’m expecting more extrapolation of the visible rules in each of the four games lines – Scion, Trinity Continuum, They Came From, and Dystopia Rising: Evolution, and we’ll see in the future if we do a setting-free Storypath System book.

      1. Jonathan Avatar

        I’ve been working on a project using the Storyteller rules but even the core CofD assumes a modern horror setting and I’m using a near-future sci-fi.

        I love the system’s mechanics and a setting agnostic book with just the mechanical aspects would be a a fore-sure sale.

        I’m also going to throw out there that a Scarred Lands StoryPath book would also quickly find its way onto my games shelf.

        1. Tim Flannigan Avatar
          Tim Flannigan

          If you’re going for near future Scifi, why don’t you try the Trinity Continuum.