Frustrating Thieves Since 1955

I was late to my weekly Monday Lunch Meeting with Eddy today, because I had to drive down to Philly and help deal with a situation at my late Mother’s house. Somebody broke in and ransacked the place- hence the opening pic- and so police were called, and all that stuff you do in this circumstance needed to be done. But the joke was on the thieves, as my Mom never had anything worth stealing. It was a point of pride with her that she didn’t need or like expensive things- in fact, other than enjoying electricity for TV and air conditioning, she could have been Amish. So, in the end, they made a mess (but not a nasty one thankfully), threw around some cushions, and for reasons unknown unmade the beds. No sign of extended habitation or vandalism. Although there was a twinge of outrage towards somebody rifling through the house I grew up in, it was really just a time-waster for me that made me late for the Monday Lunch Meeting. And now has made you late to read the stuff you’re really interested in. 🙂

In the abbreviated time we had left, Eddy and I discussed the Revised WW 2013 and 2014 schedule that is now in CCP’s hands for approval. Not much changed in terms of the projects in 2013 except for the release dates as I tried to anticipate any more shifts, but I think a lot of the projects for 2014 are pretty cool and designed to give a moment in 2014 to almost all the game-lines WW has. Once we get the WW Schedule hammered out with CCP, I’ll start letting folks put out some teasers here and there.

Since we had just played a session of Eddy’s V20 Chronicle last night, we also delved into something I had noticed during the session: the idea of personal scenes that are hidden from the rest of the players, and personal scenes that are played out in front of the other players. We had both last night and the two types of scenes served two pretty different purposes to the narrative. The Hidden scene is the more realistic- as players outside the sequestered group we know something is going on (or not if we really are role-playing and the scene is truly Hidden from us) and Eddy gets to leaven the results into the larger story later. The Overt scene is being played out in front of us players, but not our characters, so now we know something that realistically we shouldn’t but which allows us to be spectators in the narrative. And the Storyteller weaves the actions of the active characters into the narrative right there in front of us. Having booted non-participating players out of the room on occasion because “You wouldn’t hear this”, I’m personally more likely to opt for the Hidden scene option, but what I liked about it last night was that I felt like even though my character was across town pretending to be a street person, I as a participant in the night’s game was still engaged with the story and not reading an article waiting for my turn to  play my character. And then at the end of the scene, Eddy asked if the participants were going to tell the rest of the Coterie and they answered “Yep, texting them right now”. So our characters got the info after all, but even the idea that we might not added tension and paranoia to our tense and paranoid game. In the end, we pretty much feel like this is just another tool to tell a story and get players immersed in it and that depending on the sort of game, and the narrative sophistication of the players (can you play a character that doesn’t know something you the player does?), both kinds of scenes have their roles to play.

And then there’s the lineup:

–  God Machine Chronicle (nWoD) is in Layout and most art has been CCP Approved, but a few redone art pieces are coming in.

–  Strix Chronicle Fiction Anthology (VtR) Strix is into Editing.

– Mummy the Curse – The new Backer PDF is live and we’re waiting to hear if the PoD files were approved by the printer. Once they are I’ll get a physical copy sent to me and if it’s cool, we’ll go live on DTRPG. And once I get a cover template from the printer now that the final page count has been settled, we’ll get those files out to start the creation of the traditionally printed KS version. Chaney is working to get the Character Sheet Pack reward ready for Backers.

– Exalted 3rd Edition:  More art sketches coming in and a few finals. Our intention is to have some smashing new pieces ready for the EX3 Kickstarter in early March. We’re working on a new logo, I have a cartographer rendering the new map, and we’ve actually got a very cool soundtrack put together for the KS video. There things are just taking some time to pull together. The DEVs are currently head down and deep into the Charms section.

– V20 Hunters Hunted 2:  New sections are getting written. We’re doing that while Amazon Payments verifies all the payments.

– V20 Anarchs Unbound is almost done in post writing Development. Our editor is standing by for the files this week. You can check out How to shatter praxis and install your own Anarch utopia. here: https://docs.google.com/document/d/1Dv0KioEpiNhKVeHIpFHA7ItYYPch8zEi9xrr1e8Pn7c/edit

– Deluxe Werewolf 20th Anniversary Edition:  The Index looks to be huge but is now done and in the designer’s capable hands. We should be able to have an Advance PDF out to backers pretty quickly once the layout is OK’d by me. A little feedback from Backers as to their names while we arrange the PoD files, and then we’ll be prepping the Deluxe printer files. Mike Lee is three quarters-way through his novel.  The Storyteller Screen files will go off to press with W20 and I hope to get the Wallpaper out to Backers very soon. Bill is preparing the W20 Anthology outline and looking for prospective writers.  The Skinner is going to Editing. The White Howlers Tribe Book is with a writer.

–Deluxe Mage the Ascension 20th Anniversary Edition has been confirmed for September-ish 2013 and Phil Brucato has started assigning writers and has started writing his part. Talking to a guy about the art. That guy: pretty excited about the art.

– W20 Changing Breeds is in Editing.

– W20 Rage Across the World: Most of the art is in but a bit continues to trickle in.

– Guildhalls of the Deathless (MtC) is being written.

– Conventionbook: Progenitors (cMtA) is done in Editing, art is going to CCP for approval.

– Mage Translation Guide has begun being written, we have an Editor ready.

– W20 Book of the Wyrm is being written and red-lined. Check out the W20 blog notes: http://whitewolfblogs.com/w20/

Reason for Drinking: It could be worse, you could be living in Philadelphia. (If you are in Philly, or as far out as Chuck Wendig, take two drinks).