A Bit o’ Beckett & a Gram of Gen Con [Monday Meeting Notes]

Ash by Ken Meyer Jr for Beckett's Jyhad Diary
Ash by Ken Meyer Jr for Beckett’s Jyhad Diary

 

 

“Beckett’s Jyhad Diary is the update for every single lingering plot thread of 20 years.”

A very nice quote, and we’re glad that our V20 community are enjoying the book in the way we intended. Beckett’s Jyhad Diary was the project we earmarked as the book that brought forward into V20 as many of the storylines from previous editions as could be fit into the project. We knew, originally, that we couldn’t cover everything just because of space considerations, but then we thought: how about using Kickstarter to enlarge the scope of what we could cover like we did for CofD Dark Eras?

Developers Matthew Dawkins and Neall Reamonn Price (who have both been incredible during this Kickstarter) first created a complete and compelling set of chapters that hold together as aΒ fascinating narrative of the travels, trials, and tribulations of our Gangrel diarist Beckett, and then compiled a list of additional storylines that could be added depending on how backers would vote.

So far, we have added the first triad of three extra chapters, and backers are currently voting on the second group. With 4 (really 5 because of the way Kickstarter counts down) days to go, it is looking really good that we’ll get through all three of those Stretch Goals!

If you haven’t yet done so, please check out the Deluxe V20 Beckett’s Jyhad Diary Kickstarter and read through what we’ve already revealed. If you like it, give into temptation and pledge. You know Beckett wants you to: https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/200664283/deluxe-v20-becketts-jyhad-diary

 

2016 Onyx Path Brochure

Here’s the cover of this year’s Onyx Path Brochure. The brochure itself will be available as a physical thing premiering at Gen Con in a few weeks, and then at other conventions like the 2016 Grand Masquerade in New Orleans at the beginning of September, and Mid Winter 2017 in Milwaukee in January.

We’ll also have the PDF version available on DTRPG on the first day of Gen Con.

One thing I do want to point out, and it really is something that applies to a lot of our thinking right now, is that just like we do every year we have tweaked the set up of the brochure, as well as just what information it contains. Because we are working with so many active game-lines, we have tried to concisely highlight each line and provide a few coming attractions to really represent the huge range of projects we are working on in a very clear and enjoyable to read way.

What we didn’t do was provide a list of all the upcoming projects we know are coming between now and Gen Con 2017.

We’re still going to be talking about them, teasing them, explaining lots of them on our various Gen Con panels (which we hope to record and get up on our You Tube channel). We’re excited by them and are really looking forward to talking to you about them.

But there are a chunk of them that we simply can’t talk about as they are connected to where the new White Wolf PublishingΒ is going with its upcoming plans, so already we’d have some gaps in anything we put forward as a “schedule”. And for some game lines like Exalted 3rd, we’ve already printed the same schedule for the last coupla years, so that wouldn’t be new anyway.

Which all came together in our thinking together with the fact that I always insisted that we had to have a raft of new books listed every year for the first years of Onyx Path‘s existence to demonstrate against the pernicious idea that White Wolf‘s games were “dead”. It was a constant refrain across the gaming community when we started, and something we needed to put to rest so folks would be looking for new books.

Well, as we’ve seen, White Wolf Publishing ain’t dead: it’s in Sweden.

And I think at this point our community knows that Onyx Path has rejuvenated the WW gameΒ lines (even if you personally might have your own take on whether they were brought back in the way you might wish). So the need I saw for that big list , and the frustration some folks have felt as the books didn’t come out in the month/season/year indicated, can be things no longer relevant to what were doing now.

 

Storypath System Preview

A thing thatΒ IS relevant to what Onyx is doing now is another brochure we’ll be premiering at Gen Con in a few weeks: the Storypath System Preview. This primer for Onyx Path‘s house ten-sided dice-pool system not only contains an introduction to the Storypath System, but also some sneak peaks of Scion 2nd Edition (that should prime folks’ appetites for the Scion 2nd Edition Kickstarter at the end of August) and for the Trinity Continuum.

Certainly getting to this point took longer than I ever expected, and I really wished I knew when we started that we knew writers who were actual mathematicians, but I think the road-bumps (or humps, depending on where you are from) have paid off with just the sort of base system that can be as simple to use as rolling AttributeΒ + Skill vs a set difficulty and needing a certain number of successes, or as rich with cooperative story-based options as your gaming group wishes.

The cover image above is one half of a new Scion 2nd Edition piece of cover art that we will also be giving away as a poster at the Onyx Path booth during Gen Con. You might recognize a couple of those characters, but wait until you see the new Scions on the other half of the piece! Here’s a piece of that half of the illustration not featuring one of those new Scions:

Preview2

 

So yes, we will be giving away…stuff at the booth again this year. Like last year, we will have buttons and willpower/reroll/fortune cards tied to the theme of each day:

  • Thursday – Scion 2nd Edition (10 large buttons featuring the pantheon symbols)
  • Friday – 20th Anniversary World of Darkness
  • Saturday – Chronicles of Darkness featuring Dark Eras
  • Sunday – Sword and Sorcery Day (Exalted 3rd, Pugmire, Scarred Lands)

We’ll have the new Scion 2nd Edition poster, and a new Pugmire poster to give away during the whole con as well.

Pretty sure I’ll have more details about Gen Con next week!

 

BLURBS!

KICKSTARTER!

Beckett Logo on Background

We’re over 200%Β funded, and Β theΒ Deluxe Beckett’s Jyhad Diary is down to our last week! Thanks to all of our backers who haveΒ added three chapters and a bunch more art so far as Stretch Goals! The more pledges we get, the more chapters we’ll be adding, so tell all your friends!

This is the first time we have offered V20 diceΒ as part of our KSs and folks sure seem to be excited about them!

Check it out yourself here: https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/200664283/deluxe-v20-becketts-jyhad-diary

 

 

ON SALE!

Looking for our Deluxe or Prestige Edition books? 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/

iprlogo

 

Curse of the Blue Nile

The Curse of the Blue Nile fiction anthologyΒ for Mummy: the Curse will be going on sale at DriveThruRPG in PDF/electronic and PoD versions this Wednesday!

 

V20_RMC_Cover

Now Available! onΒ DTRPG in PDF and PoD versions: V20 Ready Made Characters. http://www.drivethrurpg.com/product/185028/V20-Ready-Made-Characters

Running a one-night game of Vampire: The Masquerade 20th Anniversary Edition? Wanting to start up a new chronicle, but your players aren’t sure what to play? Looking for some examples of how to use the material in Lore of the Clans? Thanks to our generous Kickstarter backers, these thirteen ready-made characters cover each of the vampire Clans. Each character is provided with background, roleplay suggestions, art, and some potential coteries and plot hooks β€” everything you need to start your endless nights as one of the Kindred.

This book includes:

  • Thirteen pre-generated player character, with both starting and experienced character sheets.
  • A brief break-down of the character’s history and roleplaying suggestions.
  • Six possible coteries for these characters, complete with coterie charts.
  • Seven plot seeds to help the Storyteller jumpstart her chronicle.

 

 

 

Ghouls Front

Servants of the Damned: the PDF and PoD versionsΒ for V20 Ghouls & Revenants are now available at DTRPG! http://www.drivethrurpg.com/product/184039/V20-Ghouls–Revenants

Ghouls & Revenants includes:

  • Expanded and revised character creation for ghoul and revenant player-characters
  • Clan and Sect write-ups for ghouls who serve them
  • New revenant families including the Rossellini, Kairouan Brotherhood, and more.
  • New rules for ghouls and revenants including new Merits & Flaws, Backgrounds, Discipline Packages, etc.
  • A Storyteller chapter for advice on running ghoul-or-revenant focused chronicles.
  • …and more!

 

 

 

black hand

V20 Black Hand: Guide to the Tal’ Mahe’ Ra is now on the attack at DTRPG in PDF and physical hardcover PoD forms! http://www.drivethrurpg.com/product/179023/V20-The-Black-Hand-A-Guide-to-the-TalMaheRa

The Tal’Mahe’Ra, the Black Hand, plays the long game. They’re fighting a war of millennia, and the stakes could never be higher than they are tonight. They know truths about the Ancients, terrifying truths, dangerous truths, and they know the fight will be long and tireless.

The Black Hand β€” A Guide to the Tal’Mahe’Ra includes:

  • An updated look at the Tal’Mahe’Ra, which brings the ancient conspiracy into the twenty-first century.
  • Tricks of the Black Hand’s trade, including new Disciplines, Backgrounds, Merits, and eldritch sorceries.
  • Insight into some of the Hand’s sects, including those who hunt the infernal, and the worshipers of Lilith.

 

 

 

Front Cover

There has always been…Darkness. Coming at you through time itself, theΒ Chronicles of Darkness: Dark Eras PDF and physical book PoD versions are now available at DTRPG! http://www.drivethrurpg.com/product/178583/Chronicles-of-Darkness-Dark-Eras

Chronicles of Darkness: Dark Eras reveals the world throughout its long and storied past. Through sixteen eras, you’ll learn the secret history of the world, from the flame-lit tales of the Neolithic to the drug-fueled rebellion of the 1970s. Delve into the past, and learn that the Chronicles of Darkness began long before the modern nights.

Dark Eras includes historical settings for Chronicles of Darkness game lines:

  • Vampire: the Requiem
  • Werewolf: the Forsaken
  • Mage: the Awakening
  • Promethean: the Created
  • Changeling: the Lost
  • Hunter: the Vigil
  • Geist: the Sin-Eaters
  • Mummy: the Curse
  • Demon: the Descent

 

Awakening 2 Cover

Mage: the Awakening 2nd Edition Advance PDF NOW available at DTRPG.com! http://www.drivethrurpg.com/product/181754/Mage-the-Awakening-2nd-Edition

You are a mage, one of the Wise. You see, know, and explore what others can’t imagine, from the depths of the human soul to the hidden corners of reality. Armed with your spells, driven by an addiction to Mysteries, you delve into the secrets of the world. Knowledge has a price, and the dangers are many.

This book contains:

  • The complete guide to playing a mage in the Chronicles of Darkness.
  • Reimagined Paths, Orders, and powers to create your Awakened characters and their allies, including an updated version of the most comprehensive free-form magic system in gaming.
  • Five example settings across the world, from Los Angeles to Salamanca, each with a central Mystery.
  • A brand-new look at all the strange places of the Fallen World, from the Lower Depths to the Emanation Realms, and what mages might find within.

NOTE:Β This is the Advance PDF version. A final PDF version and PoD versions will be available at a later date. If you have purchased this Advance PDF, you will be automatically updated to the final PDF and receive a link to enable you to purchase the PoD at a discount designed so that your total price matches our usual PDF and Print combo offer.

You must have your DTRPG account set to accept messages from Onyx Path Publishing before the link messages are sent out, though, so please adjust your settings if you want that discount.

 

 

CONVENTIONS!

Gen Con 2016 Onyx Path events registration has now been posted on the Gen Con site! A LOT of our events have sold out already, so please jump in ASAP if you’d like to attend: https://www.gencon.com/event_finder/Host/Onyx%20Path%20Publishing

These don’t include the demos and playtests we’ll be having at the booth.

I’ll be at our panels, and also at this panel about Kickstarters and how to make them work: https://www.backerkit.com/blog/106Β Please come by and say hi!

 

 

We’ll be at the 2016 Grand Masquerade in New Orleans over the Labor Day Weekend both talking about the early years of White Wolf and representing the tabletop part of the World of Darkness! Come play in games hosted by legendary Dave Martin and the Wrecking Crew and demos at the Onyx Path booth in the dealer area!

 

 

 


And now, the 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)

  • Exalted 3rd NovelΒ by Matt ForbeckΒ (Exalted 3rd Edition)
  • CtL fiction anthologyΒ (Changeling: the Lost 2nd Edition)
  • BtP Building a Legend (Beast: the Primordial)
  • Trinity Continuum Core Rulebook (The Trinity Continuum)
  • Trinity Continuum: Aeon Rulebook (The Trinity Continuum)
  • M20 Gods and Monsters (Mage: the Ascension 20th Anniversary Edition)
  • Scion: Origins (Scion 2nd Edition)
  • Scion: Hero (Scion 2nd Edition)
  • BtP Player’s Guide
  • V20 Dark Ages Jumpstart (Vampire: the MasqueradeΒ 20th Anniversary Edition)

 

Redlines

  • EX3 Jumpstart (Exalted 3rd Edition)
  • VtR A Thousand Years of Night (Vampire: the Requiem 2nd Edition)
  • Pugmire Core Book

 

Second Draft

  • Arms of the ChosenΒ (Exalted 3rd Edition)
  • TheΒ RealmΒ (Exalted 3rd Edition)
  • Dragon-BloodedΒ (Exalted 3rd Edition)
  • Cavaliers of Mars
  • Wraith: the Oblivion 20th Anniversary Edition
  • V20 Dark Ages Anthology (Vampire: the MasqueradeΒ 20th Anniversary Edition)
  • VtM Endless Ages fiction anthology (Vampire: the MasqueradeΒ 20th Anniversary Edition)

 

Development

  • W20 Changing WaysΒ (Werewolf: the Apocalypse 20th Anniversary Edition)
  • Changeling: the Lost 2nd Edition, featuring the Huntsmen Chronicle (Changeling: the Lost 2nd Edition)
  • Signs of Sorcery (Mage: the Awakening Second Edition)
  • SL Ring of Spiragos (Pathfinder – Scarred LandsΒ 2nd Edition)
  • SL The Wise and the Wicked (5e – Scarred LandsΒ 2nd Edition)
  • SL The Wise and the Wicked (Pathfinder – Scarred LandsΒ 2nd Edition)
  • SL Dagger of Spiragos (Pathfinder – Scarred LandsΒ 2nd Edition)
  • Changeling: the Dreaming 20th Anniversary Edition
  • BtP Mortal Remains (Beast: the Primordial)
  • M20Β Book of SecretsΒ (Mage: the Ascension 20th Anniversary Edition)
  • Scarred Lands Player’s Guide 5E: Ghelspad (Scarred LandsΒ 2nd Edition)
  • Ring of Spiragos (5e – Scarred LandsΒ 2nd Edition)
  • Dagger of Spiragos (5e– Scarred LandsΒ 2nd Edition)

 

Editing:

  • V20 Dark Ages Companion (Vampire 20th Dark Ages)

 

Post-Editing Development:

  • Night Horrors: Conquering Heroes (Beast: the Primordial)
  • W20Β PentexΒ Employee Indoctrination Handbook (Werewolf: the Apocalypse 20th Anniversary Edition)

 

Indexing:

 

ART DIRECTION FROM MIRTHFUL MIKE:

InΒ ArtΒ Direction

  • Dark Eras Companion
  • Necropolis Rio
  • Beckett’s Jyhad Diary
  • CofD Hurt Locker
  • Mummy Novel
  • V20 DA Tome of Secrets
  • V20 Lore of the Bloodlines
  • Beast RMCs
  • SL Wise and Wicked Update
  • Prince’s GambitΒ 
  • Beast Conquering Heroes

 

In Layout

  • Secrets of the Covenants
  • Dark Eras Screen
  • Gen Con Materials
  • KinfolkΒ 
  • W20 Shattered DreamsΒ 

 

Proofing

  • Mage: the Awakening 2nd – Waiting for errata from DaveB.
  • Scarred Lands PG PF
  • Promethean: the CreatedΒ Second – At WWP for approvals

 

At Press

  • Beast Screen – At shipper.
  • Beast Prestige Edition – done printing, arranging shipping.
  • Dark Eras – PDF and PoD versions on sale at DTRPG. Prepping Prestige Edition files for printer.
  • Ex 3 Backer Charm Book – Out to Backers, fixing errata.
  • Ex 3 Screen – At the Printer.
  • Ex 3 core book – From RichT:Β Printing the interior.
  • Curse of the Blue Nile – Going on sale this Wednesday.
  • Dark Eras Fiction Anthology – Box of books ordered to be on sale at GenCon.

 

Special- projects on hold in the art and production area until an external factor is resolved

  • Wraith 20 – Art direction and layout can’t go further until art notes come in, still being developed by Rich Dansky.

 


TODAY’S REASON TO DRINK: Figuring out the shipping plans for all our stuff to and from conventions!

46 thoughts on “A Bit o’ Beckett & a Gram of Gen Con [Monday Meeting Notes]”

  1. I’ve noticed that CofD Hurt Locker has been in Art Direction for a while now, can you explain what that means in the development process? Is it kind of in the same place as Wraith20 where it’s waiting on Art Notes?

    Reply
  2. Speaking of White Wolf’s future plans, I vaguely remember something about Black Hand and Beckett’s Jyhad Diary getting tweaked to link in. Was that the case, or was that just me?

    Reply
    • All of our WW books go through approvals with WWP, and we work with them based on their feedback. For the 20th Anniversary projects, we have been working together to bring both of our visions to the books, so Black Hand, and Ghouls, and Beckett have had some nice collaboration in them.

      Reply
      • Any way you could expand here? I apologize but I am getting confused. As ever if it is too early I understand if you refuse.

        My understanding was that V20 and 1WOD were too entirely different game lines. Now it seems cross-over or at least cross influencw is becoming likely. I know it is ultimately the same setting setting to some extend, so is it just a shall we say synchronisation of setting logistics?

        Reply
        • The WWP gang have given us some tweaks to the text of recent X20 books, and they seem to like setting the stage for how things will be in their next edition of WoD, but not actually completely pulling the X20 lines into that timeline. It’s their call on whether we went totally separate, completely in sync, or a bit mixed, and they opted for a bit mixed.

          Reply
          • Thank you. That clears it up a little. I will wait and see how the two lines mesh and how they manage to remain distinct at the same time.

            As far as I am concerned, you’ve shown a dedication to quality that far outweighs any concerns I might have.

  3. And now for something completely out of left field, If Rich Dansky has his ears on, breaker 1-9, any chance that your writing for games panels will be recorded for posterity and my no-can-afford-gencon-with-all-these-good-kickstarters consumption?

    So pleased to hear that the promo doc for TC is hitting soon. Storypath as an avenue for OPP’s growth as a company is exciting. I am especially glad to hear that the numbers matter. Seen several things for various KSs where the topic of the dice actually modeling what you think they are instead of something very different have come up. the math should always serve the drama but the math does matter

    Reply
    • Hey, so the panels Rich D. is speaking on is part of a track called the Gen Con Writer’s Symposium which myself and many other gaming folks have participated in. He’s joined by a few other fine individuals this year, and to date those panels have not been recorded. If you’d like them to be, you’ll need to contact the Writer’s Symposium to suggest it. http://www.genconwriters.com/

      Reply
  4. I have a quirky question. Exalted 3 has been listed in a variety of stages that I normally see in At Press, but it’s still up there in the Layout section. Especially like the getting interior proofs etc. done is very similar to where Dark Eras Prestige has been for a while in the At Press section. Is there a reason Exalted 3 is still listed in Layout that isn’t apparent?

    Reply
      • Ah ok. Cool cool. I’ve been reading the POD and I love it so far. I didn’t know about OPP when the Exalted kickstarter happened, so I’m not getting the deluxe I was just curious.

        Reply
        • Glad to hear you’re loving it! A review or some stars on DTRPG are always appreciated and helpful, if you have the time. Thanks!

          Reply
          • I want to burn through a little bit more of it before I do a review, but I’m planning on posting one when I have time to finish up the flavor and the core rules. Work kind of pulled me away from it for a little bit.

  5. Just out of curiosity, I know you are still working on the Beast Prestige shipping. However, I was hoping you might be able to give a more detailed answer on when it could be finalized. I only ask because at the time I submitted my final response form my housing situation was slightly different and I’ll now be having to move in the next 30 days. Obviously I would l like to hope that the book will ship within that time frame, but I also know things happen it’s very possible there could be some unexpected delays. I really appreciate any information you can provide.

    Reply
    • I expect shipping to occur in mid-August at this point. We had a few demands we threw at the shippers and had to go back and forth a bit until now to get them rolling the way we wanted.

      Reply
  6. The CWoD Ghosthunters looks awesome in the projects listing. I cant wait for that one ! The other three M20 books will be awesome as well. And Soooo many other books as well..

    Reply
  7. I don’t see anything on the EX3 cloth map. Where in the works is it at the moment? I understand it is supposed to ship with the book, will this slow down the shipping of the book?

    Reply
    • As the map of Creation is already included within the book, it’s effectively complete. There’s no need to post about production stages, because it’s been done for a long time now.

      All that needs to be done with it is printing it when the deluxe Ex3s are getting close to shipping.

      Reply

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