Winter is Com- Oh Hey, It’s Already Here! [Monday Meeting Notes]
Yes indeed, as I write this the snow continues to waft down here in the Northeastern US. We’ve got us a winter wonderland. The winter wolf in our pic this week is a cool bronze patina wall sculpture my daughter sent me for my birthday knowing my fondness for the Starks of Winterfell. Yep, I have survived another year.
Most of our conversation today was looking forward into this new year, with Gen Con plans and various ways to license properties and schedules being our big topics. Also we hope to get the Prestige Edition NWoD Dark Eras Kickstarter started this week (Thursday or Friday). But, since this is still January, and traditionally that’s when I spill the rest of our year’s releases that we didn’t talk about at Gen Con, I guess I’ll do just that:
SUMMER 2015 (as per our Gen Con Brochure, we are grouping releases by season):
- Beast: The Primordial – Within every one of us lies the potential of the Beast. Unleash savage powers, answer the call to your Lair, and become the thing that Heroes fear.
- W20- Changing Ways – This book serves to show what it’s like to be one of our Garou on a deep, primal level — the psychology of an archetypal hunter and religious fanatic, the mindset of a character that wasn’t born among humans, and the strange and sometimes disturbing powers that our protagonists derive from the spirit world. The first chapter covers what it’s like to be Garou — a creature that can change forms freely, that gains power from anger at a level that humans can’t manage, that heals at an incredible rate from even the most grievous wounds, and that is not limited to the mere physical world. Chapter two covers Lupus from their own perspective. The third chapter delves into the pack structure among Garou, how it differs from that among wolves, and why that is. Chapter the fourth covers spirit magic — Gifts and Rites.
- New World of Darkness 2nd Edition featuring the God-Machine Chronicle – as promised, the revised and reworked core book for the New World of Darkness containing the new rules and God-Machine Chronicle default setting material, as well as the feel and usability of the first edition core book.
- We are planning on various options for many of our other settings such as the Trinity Continuum, Scarred Lands, Scion, and Pugmire at Gen Con, depending on how far along their projects have come by then.
FALL 2015:
- VtR2: A Thousand Years of Night – Elders are vital and dangerous, canny monsters who have survived the rise and fall of countless lesser vampires. This book explores
vampires who transcend history, who see the rise and fall of leaders and even nations. Elders are strange and mysterious enough to be conspiracies in and of themselves… or they’re dangerous outsiders who know where all the bodies are buried. An Elder might have endured frenzy in the burning of Atlanta, or have strangled Jack the Ripper with his own two hands. This book provides guidance on playing Requiem in a whole new way, with new powers and hooks into mortal society out of reach for ordinary characters. - Changeling The Dreaming 20th Anniversary Edition – A letter of love to our Dreaming fans. In style and philosophy a matching volume to V20.
- nWoD2- Hurt Locker – The natural progression of the Armory and Armory: Reloaded books, bringing a lot of that content to compliance with The God-Machine Chronicle, adding a glut of new content, and helping to showcase the “less combat, more violence” focus of the GMC combat rules and fighting Merits.
- CtL2- The Huntsmen Chronicle Fiction Anthology– As with the other nWoD Anthologies, this one will also be released to the web in order to tease the new Changeling 2nd Edition and provide a richer look at the perils of the Hedge and the terror of returning to a home you no longer know.
- Changeling: the Lost 2nd Edition featuring The Huntsmen Chronicle – While Lost doesn’t require enormous changes in mood, or rules, we want to give wider meanings to the PC’s time in captivity so that not every version is some sort of abuse (although that remains the compelling core metaphor) and to mesh the rules changes from GMC into Lost.
- VtR2- Half Damned- There are creatures tainted by Kindred blood, yet not quite among the Damned. There are the ghouls, blood-junkies with incredible powers. Revenants, the self-aware yet ever-hungry by-blows of reckless feeding. And the dhampir, the impossible children of vampires with mortals. Half-Damned explores each of these as playable characters, with their own unique abilities and place in the World of Darkness.
- EX3- Arms of the Chosen – The definitive tome of artifact weapons and armor for the Exalted.
WINTER 2015:
- MtC- Dreams of Avarice– This book represents an actual relic from the game setting—a text penned by the only mummy to ever achieve Apotheosis. This book can be used as both in-game and out-of-game accessory, as both a prop for live-action play (or just heavy-RP tabletop play) and a resource for players and Storytellers. In the pages of this book, the author has entombed a number of secrets, tips, and guidelines on the Arisen condition, not merely as reference or curio, but also as a means of helping others reach Apotheosis.
- VtM- The Prince’s Gambit– An entry level, simplified version of VtM play created and written by Justin Achilli. This book contains everything players will need for an evening of casual gaming set in a vampiric Prince’s Council as they try and determine who is a Sabbat infiltrator and traitor.
- W20- Kinfolk– A book on Kinfolk presents the Apocalypse War from the point of view of characters who aren’t the Sacred Warriors. They’re just normal folks with a monster lurking in the foliage of the family tree, who may or may not know what’s really going on—the Imperial Guard to the Garou’s Space Marines. The whole field has a lot of really meaty horror to get into, from the paranoid conspiracy angle—Waco from the Branch Davidians’ side—to one family with a shotgun against Banes, fomori, and everything else.
- EX3- Dragon-Blooded: What Fire Has Wrought – This book introduces the Dragon-Blooded for the first time in Third Edition, including character creation rules and the Dragon-Blooded Charm set. This book will give an iconic view of the Dragon-Blooded, showing their creation as the armies of the Celestial Host and detailing their place in the current era. It will feature some further details of the Realm as well as Lookshy, and may feature other locales where Dragon-Blooded are prominent. Overall, it will focus on the legend of the Dragon-Blooded and the fires they have had to walk through to get to where they are, as Creation’s premiere, dominant Exalted.
- EX3- The Realm – Covers the Scarlet Empire in the current era. Unlike its predecessors, this book does not end at the shores of the Blessed Isle but also covers Realm satrapies in the Threshold and beyond. It will provide a deep exploration of Dragon-Blooded society and what it means to be a Dynast including the Immaculate Philosophy, the beliefs and histories that guide the morality of the Realm and unite the Dragon-Blooded host against the avarice of the gods and the power of the Anathema. A large part of this book will be devoted to detailing the houses of the Dynasty, updating and enlivening with intention of making the houses as tantalizing as Kindred Clans, in terms of iconicism and player association and appeal.
And here is what is going on now:
DEVELOPMENT STATUS FROM ROLLICKING ROSE (Projects in bold have changed listings)
First Draft (The first phase of a project that is about the work being done by writers, not dev prep)
- W20 Pentex Employee Indoctrination Handbook (Werewolf: the Apocalypse 20th Anniversary Edition)
- M20 Book of Secrets (Mage: the Ascension 20th Anniversary Edition)
- Cursed Necropolis: Rio (Mummy: the Curse)
- Secrets of the Covenants (Vampire: The Requiem 2nd Edition) – In Open Development
- Exalted 3rd Novel by Matt Forbeck (Exalted 3rd Edition)
- W20 Changing Ways (Werewolf: the Apocalypse 20th Anniversary Edition)
- Demon Storytellers’ Guide (Demon: the Descent) Extension to writers was given.
- Beckett’s Jyhad Diary (Vampire: the Masquerade 20th Anniversary Edition)
- “Sardonyx” System Rules (Base rules set for Scion and the Trinity Continuum) 3/4s of the first drafts are in.
- M20 Anthology (Mage: the Ascension 20th Anniversary Edition)
- Demon Translation Guide (Demon: the Fallen and Demon: the Descent)
Redlines
- Mummy Fiction Anthology (Mummy: the Curse)
- Arms of the Chosen (Exalted 3rd Edition)
- W20 Shattered Dreams (Werewolf: the Apocalypse 20th Anniversary Edition)
- Mage: the Awakening 2nd Edition, featuring the Fallen World Chronicle (Mage: the Awakening) – In Open Development
- W20 Novel by Mike Lee (Werewolf: the Apocalypse 20th Anniversary Edition)
- Wraith: the Oblivion 20th Anniversary Edition
Second Draft
- Beast: the Primordial core book (Beast: The Primordial)
- V20 Black Hand: Guide to the Tal’Mahe’Ra (Vampire: the Masquerade 20th Anniversary Edition)
Development
- V20 Red List (Vampire: the Masquerade 20th Anniversary Edition)
- V20 Ghouls (Vampire: the Masquerade 20th Anniversary Edition)
- Promethean: the Created 2nd Edition, featuring the Firestorm Chronicle (Promethean: the Created) Being playtested.
- M20 How do you DO that? (Mage: the Ascension 20th Anniversary Edition)
Editing
- World of Darkness Dark Eras- Vampire chapter (WoD Dark Eras)
Development (post-editing)
- V20 Lore of the Clans (Vampire: the Masquerade 20th Anniversary Edition)
- Exalted 3rd Fiction Anthology (Exalted 3rd Edition)
- Sothis Ascends (Mummy: the Curse)
ART DIRECTION FROM MIRTHFUL MIKE
- Sothis Ascends – Seen sketches from Leblanc. They aren’t really due for another week or two. Need to figure out who to farm this layout out to.
- Book of the Wyrm 20 – Deluxe proofs coming in this week.
- DAV20 – Should be going into second proof soon.
- T-Shirts – Holding pattern until the log jam is cleared out a bit.
- Art O’ The Changin’ Breeds – Mage showed up. Once I get it into proofing (and DA into second proof) I’m going to try and wrap this up.
- Fallen World Chronicle Anthology – PDF up. Errata compiling. http://rpg.drivethrustuff.com/product/143174/The-Fallen-World-Chronicle-Anthology
- Firestorm Chronicle Anthology for Promethean 2– PoD proof ordered.
- WtF 2 – Sto working on it. Ron’s art is in and approved. We may lose Abrar.
- Scarred Lands – Cover for [REDACTED] finished.
- Wraith 20 – Getting Mr Cobb started on remaining Guild logos.
- M20 – The book is roughed in… still missing Craft logos (as I haven’t had time to do them), I still need to finish dropping the little images into the insets, and I still need to put the boxes with the bulleted text… but looking good for going into proofing later this week. Also need to finalize the screen design and PoD book cover design (one is an easy kill…the other I can finally do since the art managed to finally show up in December).
- Dark Eras – KS graphics ready for the things to get rolling.
- V20 Lore of the Clans – Will need to reassign the Assamite chapter. Everything else is moving along pretty well.
- EX3- RichT here, once again tagging onto Mirthful Mike’s report: we asked the artists for a couple of redos, so new old new art is coming in. Maria hopes to get me the very roughly laid in layout pages sometime next week.
REASON TO DRINK: It was my birthday yesterday and I’m in mah prime, <cough>.
88 comments for “Winter is Com- Oh Hey, It’s Already Here! [Monday Meeting Notes]”
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Oh man, I cannot wait to get my greedy little hands on Sothic Ascends.
Curious as to why Promethean 2e seems to be coming along so much faster than Mage 2e. And are we anywhere near Werewolf 2e’s release yet?
WtF2nd is in layout with Sto, a good buddy graphic designer who we needed to have step in for Mirthful Mike. I guess you missed last week’s round of comments about the Promy2 vs Mage2 race, but short answer is that they are different teams of creators and Dashing Dave Brookshaw and his team had a few life events come up that slowed them down. It happens.
The other thing is, too that PtC2 is getting development attention at this stage of the proceedings that MtA2 got earlier in the process; that’s just a quirk of differences in development style between Dave and me, and these particular projects. I suspect that PtC2 might spend a while in development as I get some good data from playtesters and maybe do a little redesigning of some of the systems.
Just wondering if I could get an update on the shipping status of Deluxe Book of the Wyrm. Thanks!
Deluxe BotW is at press, hence the Update about us awaiting the proofs from the printer. Hope that helps!
Ex3: Progress is progressing progressively.
Yay.
I realize that comment might imply dissatisfaction, and that is not so. It’s not raw enthusiasm, to be sure, but I would only be dissatisfied if no progress were being made at all.
Also, +1 to the request from Mr. Calvin Hill for a “blank” page spoiler. I wanna see how pretty the book is going to look!
No problem- it’s been a long ride. See my response to Calvin on the layout.
*Tips Hat*
If you get the EX3 layout next week can we see what a “blank” page looks like? I’m interested to see where you have gone from the banner scrolls and golden cardinal stars in the last edition!
We’re going for crunching in the text first at the font size and choice and the basic amount of text on the page before locking down the design. Thanks!
At the risk of sounding very negative, I just have to ask, is this a normal way to do things?
I would think that deciding roughly the amount of text, font size, and such would be looked at and as good as ready when the final text was locked down. Especially when it’s related to a book that is as delayed as Ex3 is….
In this case we are looking at an entirely new design and all the great design ideas in the world are altered the moment where the actual text, with all of its idiosyncrasies hits the layout. Length of delay matters not one bit since we need to give Maria the time and conceptual space to deliver the designed book. She has to look at those pages and decide if her unrealized ideas will work or not for what EX3 is now that the actual finished text is in her hands. She might go ornate, so might go elegant and restrained. We’ll see when she is ready to show something.
I fully understand that things are altered, but the way I understood your previous comment was basically that this whole process was at the very beginning..
And just to be clear, I’m not saying that anything should be rushed. I’ve waited years for this book – so I don’t want it to be any less than it could be just so I could get it a month or so earlier.
But it would be cool to be kept better in the loop on this process than we have been. Today, the expected timeline changed from a “rough layout this month” (which we got two weeks ago) to a “very roughly laid in layout pages” sometime next week. I’m pretty sure that you could have known something last week, but we didn’t get an update then. Also, you probably know a rough timeframe for when layout will be done and such.
I can understand that it can be frustrating that we’re asking for stuff which is most likely impossible for you to give (“what day is the book coming out?”), but it is quite frustrating to be on the other end of this also. And it hasn’t been handled very well from a communication perspective.
As always, you have the right to your feelings. If you feel that you have a right to, or deserve, more frequent or more granular information, my only response is that I post what I know when I know it and at least once a week. If you don’t like how I phrase things, well, that’s the way I write. I’m not trying to obfuscate or confuse the issue, just report what I know as it happens.
Now that the Fallen World Anthology is out and I have one less thing to look forward to, I feel a little sad. I’m really excited about Dark Eras though.
What about Mage the Awakening 2nd Edition itself? That’s gotta cheer you up!
It’s not like I check the front page three times a day hoping Dave posted the Mysterium Order preview or anything. ;_;
Did I miss Werewolf: the Fallen 2e? I don’t see it’s status listed up there, but I didn’t think it was out yet either.
Forsaken. It’s under Art Direction.
“WtF 2 – Sto working on it. Ron’s art is in and approved. We may lose Abrar.”
Abrar Ajmal did a lot of great art for first edition. While his art would be a plus, I’m just really looking forward to the book.
Losing Abrar would be terrible since his art so perfectly captures the style of werewolf but we just need to see the rules at this point.
Also would be nice to see something like the Reap the Whirlwind that V:tR got for their rules update just so we could get a taste of whats to come.
You guys have my money already for a few copies of this book just getting a bit impatient.
Well, short of flying to his city and putting a gun to his head, there’s not much more that we can do if a writer or an artist runs into situations where they can’t make things work to be part of a project. Hopefully, he’ll answer Mirthful Mike and we’ll be able to work something out.
I want all the W20 books now… So eager. VERY happy to see a new Kinfolk book in the works.
Plenty of W20 coming up!
unf. is M20 progressing? it’s seemed next to done for at least a month now.
idk why I even care when it’s complete, ‘s not like I have anything to do with the book when it does come around
It is a gigantic book that requires an enormous amount of effort in layout. A regular core book is slated for at least a month in layout, usually 6 weeks. Mage 20 is much bigger than regular corebooks.
Happy Birthday Rich!
I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again: I’m super excited about upcoming Onyx Path releases. This looks like a good year for me personally with a lot of movement on my favorite games: CtD, CtL, Exalted, blue Mage,and Scion.
Great to hear- thanks!
WtF 2: I am so much looking forward to this book.
Sad to hear that Abrar Ajmal is out. He was king of 1 ed WtF art.
Indeed, but it’s not for sure yet. Here’s hoping things align so that Abrar can stick with this. His art definitely belongs in the new corebook.
Agreed!
Happy belated birthday. Hope it was a good one.
Will W20 Changing Ways make a comparison between Garou and jihadis?
Is that a serious question?
Yes, since the desc. mentions getting into the psychology of a religious fanatic. Jihadis are a reasonable analogy to explore that since both groups think corruption and modernity are the great evils threatening the world, preach the glory of fighting and even dying in battle against a totally evil enemy, etc.
Is Prince’s Judgement and Prince’s Gambit the same thing or two different things with similar concepts?
Justin is working on one game.
I know, but you wrote “Prince Judgement” and I don’t know if it was something different. Seems to be fixed now.
I adjusted my info to the title Justin is using now.
Dark Eras, Dark Eras!!!
Really excited!
Me too!
*cries out for Scion*
Weep not, it is coming!
YES, Demon Translation Guide!!!!
Yep, some poor fool, I mean creative genius! is working on it even now!
“Poor fool” and “creative genius” are not mutually exclusive.
Hey, wait…
Well that’s for damn sure!
*eyes*
Is “semicolons in lieu of periods” creative enough for you, boss, or do you need me to really stretch my infernal trolling bat wings before handing you that first draft? I could see how many movie quotes I can squeeze in. *smirk*
(In seriousness, I’m happy to be working on this one and hope everyone who has been looking forward to it will find it useful.)
Movie quotes would be AWESOME! Of course, we’d delete them all for copyright violations or something like that before publishing…
I’m just thrilled you stepped up for this, Eric. I know there are folks out there looking forward to this particular Translation Guide. Thanks!
Don’t make me murder you, Zawadzki.
I just really want to have the text of Werewolf2. The art will be nice, but that’s not what makes the game, and at this point, I’m getting impatient.
But keep on keeping on. Good list of stuff.
I beg to differ. It is not one of our games until all the elements are put together. But I would say that, wouldn’t I?
And I’d agree. Onyx Path(and White Wolf of old) have the greatest art(and artists) in the business.
Art, to me, is just as important as everything else. It completes the package.
And I don’t want the package, until it’s complete.
: )
Will Secrets of the Covenants include Belial’s Brood? or just playable factions? (really wanting 2nd edition Brood rules and debating on buying the Brood book)
The Brood book is excellent on its own. A lot would have to be done to update it to 2e, if they don’t add stuff in (they’ve been quiet on that front on the forums) but Belial’s Brood is one of the best Vampire the Requiem 1e books.
Very exciting with the remainder of 2015’s Onyx Path slate of goodness.
Sad that Abrar might be out of WtF2nd since his work completely epitomizes the Forsaken experience for me.
Here’s hoping he can remain on the book, or that a suitable replacement can be found.
Me too- thanks!
With 2ed Mage and Promethean outside of official schedule for 2015 is it mean Onyx Path do not know when they finish it, even in this year? I assume Werewolf: the Forsaken on so late development stage he is still candidate for March 2015 release?
Look at the Updates please, not just the tail end of our 2015 Schedule that I announced here. All three of the books you are asking about are on the Updates and rolling along.
Rich, I don’t see Beckett’s Diary on your Summer 2015 list, but it’s still on the “current projects” list for 2015. Is it still projected for Summer, or has it been delayed to 2016?
It has not been delayed, look under First Draft in the Updates. The definition of “Summer” in this blog is very loose.
Awesome! Thanks for the quick reply.
By the way, any word on V20 Ghouls and Red List? They have been a long while in development by now.
Right there in the Updates is where they are, with incremental work being done, but nothing that pushes them to the next stage.
Really glad to see this. Got a quick question, though: while I get that the Exalted layout itself is a way off from being done, any chance of seeing the cover?
Also, just a production-side question: Given that they probably take a fraction of the time to print, I assume the maps and screens won’t enter production until the deluxe edition itself does, so they won’t end up sitting there for months while you wait?
We’ll probably wind up doing the cover last, after Maria really gets comfortable with all that Exalted is.
Exactly! There would have been one heck of a wait if I’d sent out the map to be printed when the finished art had come in.
“Changeling The Dreaming 20th Anniversary Edition – A letter of love to our Dreaming fans. In style and philosophy a matching volume to V20.”
It’s going to be a long wait, but totally worth it!
I am become hype, destroyer of wallet.
Double Changeling joy on the horizon, hurrah!
Or “Hurrah, Hurrah!” even!
Man. So does this mean we shouldn’t expect Secrets of the Covenants until 2016 now?
No, it’s still on the schedule for 2015. I really only included projects previously listed if they were now in the last part of 2015 from about August on.
Oh, oh wow, phew. I run a Vampire MUSH and people are clamoring for the book, and it is much more useful TO US than “A Thousand Years of Night” or “Half-Damned”.
*OCD senses tingling* – There is a Vampire book in your Mage section of the shelf!! :O
Sad about Abrar, but Spencer’s art kicks all kinds of ass! The spreads from the first edition are among the most iconic art of the game! Hope to see more of his art in later books of the line. He was somewhat absent from Forsaken after the core book. 🙂
OCD results: negative. Boston Unveiled had a wraparound cover art that was darker than Mage generally. Note it’s position in the releases, right after the core and screen. 🙂
Oh, I see. Like the Night Horrors ones. 🙂
Happy belated birthday, by the way!
Oh man, Changeling: The Dreaming, out of all of the games, that’s the one I’m looking forward to most. When the missus, friends and I are old Grumps, that’s the one we’ll still be sharing stories about, and maybe still playing I hope.
1st edition had those Cantrip and Bunk cards, sold separately in booster packs, do you have any recollection of what the thinking behind those was? Perhaps trying to get into the collectable card game boom going on at the time?
Apparently so.
VtM20 Lore of the Clans, VtM20 Black Hand are going to be awesome. Damn anticipation…
Beast the primordial’s release. Does that refer to when you plan on having the book out for pod or when you plan on doing it’s kickstart? Or is it even getting a ks?
Still planning on a KS, and hoping to be able to have PoDs for initial release at Gen Con. So we’d be aiming for the KS in the spring.
I should get back to work, then, huh?
Hopefully there will be decent antagonists.
Ripped from today’s headlines!
Really looking forward to the Dark Eras Kickstarter, can’t wait to see some of the art.
If all goes as planned, we’ll be starting Thursday at 12 noon Eastern US time. See you there!
I would be really interested to see an interview/process write up/something on laying out a book. I’m sure it’s not easy.
It’s not Onyx Path, but Badger McInnes (no relation) has written about laying out Chaosium’s Call of Cthulhu 7e. His process was likely similar to what Maria is doing with Exalted.
https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/448333182/call-of-cthulhu-7th-edition/posts/875126
Stoked to see Beast running its way through. Though I’m honestly excited for everything you guys are doing. I even have a group here in Japan chomping at the bit to play Exalted…I’ve had to stress patience. Still, know that there are people who have never played the game asking me if there’s a way to make it come out faster. Hell of a following.