This week, we’re between big events, so how about a retrospective to a very specific moment ten years ago as I was ramping up Onyx Path?
Some of you might remember my relating how the idea for the company name came about during a late 2011 discussion with then-President of CCP North America, Mike Tinney. Long story short, it was based on a name I pitched for a fan-celebration special part of White Wolf that I had proposed a year earlier: The Onyx Tier!
Y’know, because onyx is cool and dark. Like we were. Obviously, that didn’t work out, but the imagery of it was something I thought worked well for this new TTRPG company I was envisioning. The visual for that concept was already in my head, so when we hit on the Onyx Path, there was an almost immediate image in my head for what could illustrate that company name.
Things happened, book schedules were duct-taped together, and contracts were signed. Next thing I knew, we were approaching getting official material out…and we had no logo!
No worries, I had designed the WW logo, and many more as well, so in a trice, I had a whole page of possibilities:
The above are what we call thumbnail sketches, and they are basically visual brainstorming. I was slamming a bunch of visual motifs around to see what connected both thematically, visually, and had potential to be brought into a logo design. From those, I winnowed out the ideas that worked for what I was going for, and it was time for a gut-check on that.
I’m guessing you are picking up on some of my thinking – the path into the mysterious adventure, probably at night. At this point, I reached out to one of my production and art crew from back at WW, acclaimed art director and designer Matt Milberger, and we conceptualized over what visual could get the idea across the best. That’s where these sketches came from:
Pretty sure Matt and I both focused on the version in the upper right, and from that conversation I contacted Aileen Miles, one of our legendary art directors and designers who had turned many a graphic idea of mine into a polished design. Aileen also ran through the possibilities, and IIRC, she didn’t waste time on discussing things so much as she ran with the concepts, designed the type, and presented me with actual almost-finished versions not all that far from the final version we now use.
Which was a lot like our old work process!
So, that’s the story of the logo we’ve been using for ten years. I had some fun asking if we could create versions for the different game lines after I did the first one for Cavaliers of Mars with Mars in the O, which I’m sure thrilled Mirthful Mike! Ten years, and we’ve discussed changing it up as we move forward into next year. It’s certainly possible, so long as we can still nail those original concepts that helped define the company.
We wouldn’t want to lose our path in the dark, after all.
Making Our Meeting Notes
Speaking of our 10 Year Anniversary, the Exalted April monthly celebration continues with the third part of the EX Essence Actual Play on the Onyx Pathcast – and the circle are really in trouble now! Plus, the Exalted 3rd 90% off PDF Anniversary Sale is shifting from Solar-based PDFs to non-Solar PDFs on this Friday the 15th!
So if you are into the Solars, you have until Friday to pick up the PDFs at a powerful discount as our way of thanking you for our ten years together with Exalted – and if you are looking for non-Solar PDFs you don’t have long to wait!
And the IPR 50% off sale of Deluxe Exalted 3e hardcovers continues all month, too! (Links below).
While you’re online, a fun thing to check out is Danielle and Eddy’s Lunch & Crunch where they have lunch, drink and discuss tea, and talk about eye-balling game systems. A lot of time, they are talking about Storypath, but their experience is far wider than that and always interesting! New episode Tuesday the 12th at 12 noon Eastern US time!
On our Onyx Path Twitch channel! (Previous episodes migrate over to our Onyx Path YouTube channel and live there hoping you’ll take a look.)
Also online is the start of a cool new Actual Play from the amazing creators at Devil’s Luck Gaming. Sins of the Past starts with TC: Adventure! and moves forward in time into TC: Assassins! How does that happen? You’ll have to watch!
Or as Devil’s Luck Gaming says in their extremely stylish trailer for the series:
“Larger than Life, Pulp ????????? Hidden Societies of the ???????? Cross Supplement! Cross time….! Span generations & rectify the SINS OF THE PAST Sundays 8 EST”
What is no longer online is the Kickstarter for the Double Feature of They Came From [CLASSIFIED]! and They Came From the Cyclops’s Cave! We finished that last Thursday and with a last day surge we were able to achieve another section to the additional book we were making with Stretch Goals: They Came From the Danger Zone!
Today, Matthew and I finalized plans for how that book would work, how many words we’d plan for, all that. Considering that it enables players to play in the explosive world of 80s Action Flicks, my thinking is that we may need just a few more chapters beyond the ones unlocked by the KS. Which ones and what will they contain…stay on the edge of your seats – it’s coming!
Thanks to everybody who backed and commented and spread the word! You were an elite team and we had a ton of fun with y’all!
KS-wise, one of our old friends, as mentioned up above, Mike Tinney, is getting to the last days of his company’s KS for their app game Outbreak! They’re in the home stretch, so naturally they’d like to achieve a few more Stretch Goals and add more to their very cool game of zombies and escaping them to help your fitness!
Check Outbreak‘s KS here: https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/outbreakchallenge/the-outbreaktm-game-introducing-factions-all-new-content
Even more online is our 3rd Onyx Path Virtual Convention– we’re setting up our various panels and guests and all, but while that’s happening, we are open for GMs, DMs, Storytellers, and Storyguides to sign up and run games during the con.
Now, why should you do that?
Because:
- There’s the built-in fun of sharing your favorite game!
- Part of the cost to play goes to charity, so you’ll be driving that by providing the games!
- You also receive part of the costs to play, 50% of those in fact, so you have a real-world justification for spending an afternoon running a game!
Check out the sign-up sheet here:
https://startplaying.games/event/onyx-path
Finally, as announced on our Wednesday Sales blog, there is now a VTT Scion Compendium on Roll20!
Combined with the previously released Scion Origin and Hero character sheets and you are good to start playing! We are really thrilled to be able to provide folks with this, the very beginnings of a continuing series of official VTT adaptions of our projects designed to make it so much easier for VTT play!
Here’s a look:
It’s available on the Roll20 marketplace for use on Roll20, and is fully integrated with the character sheets!
It took a long time to make this happen, but not ten years. That’s a different measure of time and space…a lot like:
Ten Years, Many Worlds, One Path!
BLURBS!
Kickstarter!
Look here for news of our next crowdfunding project! Thanks again to everyone who backed and had fun with our super Double Feature KS for They Came From!!
Onyx Path Media!
This week: More More Exalted Essence Actual Play! In which Eddy, Dixie, and Chazz Kellner wrap up their playthrough of Exalted Essence!
As always, this Friday’s Onyx Pathcast will be on Podbean or your favorite podcast venue! https://onyxpathcast.podbean.com/
Onyx Path Media now has its own blog on Tuesdays! We’ll continue posting our highlight of the week here, but Tuesday will be the day to visit if you want to catch up on actual plays, interviews, deep dives, and other assorted Onyx Path media!
Please check out our attached media schedule for the impressive number of videos on our Twitch channel this week! In particular, keep those eyes open for our Storypath Showcase, where we give an excellent profile of our various Storypath games and how to play them!
MEDIA HIGHLIGHT OF THE WEEK:
Devil’s Luck Gaming are starting up a time jumping game of Trinity Continuum: Adventure and Assassins chronicle very soon! Do give them your support over on https://twitch.tv/devilsluckgaming and tune in on Sundays at 8PM EST!
The Onyx Path News goes live every single week to discuss recent and upcoming releases, dive into some of our most anticipated books, and answer questions from the audience. You can find it on our YouTube channel (click the bell to be informed when we go live!). You can find the latest episode here: https://youtu.be/QrVZ7-9zW_0
Virtual Tabletop!
The Scion: Origin Compendium is now available on Roll20!
https://marketplace.roll20.net/browse/compendiumexpansion/12522/scion-second-edition-book-one-origin
It’s native to Roll20, so not for use elsewhere, but perfect for starting your Roll20 Scion game – plus, the official Origin & Hero sheets are already available!
And the first of our official sheets designed for Roll20 are now available!
The first of our official sheets designed for Foundry VTTis now available!
As they say:
Direct Link: https://foundryvtt.com
“Foundry Virtual Tabletop is a self-hosted roleplaying
platform with support for hundreds of game systems with modern
features and a developer-friendly API. Foundry VTT is a one-time
purchase where your players connect for free using a web browser.”
More VTT offerings and projects will be arriving this year!
A Quantum Leap (A Trinity Continuum: Jumpstart),The Adventures of Teen Tomorrow (A Trinity Continuum: Aberrant Jumpstart),Quantum Entanglement (A Trinity Continuum: Aeon Jumpstart),are all on Astral TableTop.
Also on Astral TableTop is the Secret of Vinsen’s Tomb for Realms of Pugmire!
Check out Astral TableTop for two free projects: Scion 2E: A Light Extinguished and Scarred Lands: Gauntlet of Spiragos and this Dagger of Spiragos module for sale: https://www.drivethrurpg.com/product/336406/Dagger-of-Spiragos-5e–Astral-VTT
On DrivethruRPG, here is the main filter for all of our current VTT content:
https://www.drivethrurpg.com/browse/pub/4261/Onyx-Path-Publishing?filters=0_0_0_45317_0
A few highlights of our platform agnostic DTRPG content:
https://www.drivethrurpg.com/product/309127/Scarred-Lands-Creature-Collection-VTT-Token-Pack
https://www.drivethrurpg.com/product/317690/Trinity-Continuum-Hunt-for-the-Red-Widow-VTT
https://www.drivethrurpg.com/product/340327/Trinity-Continuum-Aeon-VTT-Tokens
https://www.drivethrurpg.com/product/311578/Scarred-Lands-VTT-Separation-Anxiety
https://www.drivethrurpg.com/product/311580/Scion-2e-VTT-Origin-Signature-Tokens
https://www.drivethrurpg.com/product/311579/Scion-2e-VTT-Hero-Signature-Tokens
Our Sales Partners!
We’re working with Studio2 to provide our traditionally printed books out into your local game stores. Game stores can order via their usual distributors, and can also contact Studio2 directly. And individuals can check out our projects via the links below!
Looking for our Deluxe or Prestige Edition books, dice, and screens? Try this link! http://www.indiepressrevolution.com/xcart/Onyx-Path-Publishing/
Deluxe Exalted Books & Screens 50% Off at IPR:
https://www.indiepressrevolution.com/xcart/Deals-and-Specials/
As always, you can find Onyx Path’s titles in PDF and PoD versions at DriveThruRPG.com!
Select (Solar-oriented) Exalted PDFs 90% Off at DTRPG:
https://www.drivethrurpg.com/saleguide.php
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).
Check out the Trinity Continuum: Aeon novellas Dawn and Merdian in the Kindle store!
On Sale This Week!
Don’t go skinny-dipping, because you’re visiting They Came From Camp Murder Lake! Whose PDF and PoD are available on Wednesday – for sale on DTRPG!
Conventions!
Because dates for physical conventions are subject to change due to the current COVID-19 outbreak, we don’t yet have a list of upcoming physical conventions. Instead, keep an eye out here for more virtual conventions we’re going to be involved with!
Tabletop Scotland is due to take place on 27th and 28th August 2022 and will play host to at least four Onyx Pathers running our games and sitting on panels! If you’re UK or Europe based, it’s an excellent con to visit and within traveling distance from Edinburgh, which takes flights from a lot of places! Consider paying Tabletop Scotland a visit. https://tabletopscotland.co.uk/
Right now, we’re planning our first plans for the 3rd Onyx Path Virtual Con in June.
This year’s Onyx Path Publishing Virtual Convention page is now live on Start Playing Games:
https://startplaying.games/event/onyx-path
Check it out now for the GM sign-ups section if you want to run games during the con. More info on events and panels and all yet to come!
And now, the new project status updates!
Our full list of projects will be available monthly on our blog! Check out March’s full list report here:http://theonyxpath.com/release-roundup-march-2022/
Development Status from Eddy Webb!
(Here are the projects that moved to the next stage of production):
First Draft
Scion – Tasty Bit – Making History Modern
- Eddy: Our latest Scion Tasty Bit, which will cover how to take ancient myths and turn them into exciting modern elements for Scion adventures.
They Came From! – Tasty Bit – They Came from Bikini Beach Party
- Matthew: For once I’m handing over the Tasty Bit reins to Travis Legge to write all about the kind of dudes and dudettes that catch waves, soak up sun, and punch crab people on the beaches of Beneath the Sea! We’re aiming for this book to not be totally bogus.
Development
Trinity Continuum – Tasty Bit – Earth Orbital Habitat
- Eddy: Got this turned around quickly! This will be a fun little bit of TC: Aberrant material, covering the space station that’s being built in 2028.
TC: Anima – Anima: DLC
- Eddy: The writers have gotten their drafts to me, so I can’t wait to see how they addressed my redlines!
Editing
CofD – The Contagion Chronicle: Global Outbreaks
- Dixie: This is going to be a great resource for Contagion Chronicle players! Also, I promise we named this one way back in the before times of 2019!
Art Direction from Mike Chaney!
In Art Direction
- Ex3 Exigents – KS prep.
- Exalted Essence – Art buy for big book in progress.
In Layout
- TCFBTG Tales of Depravity – First proof going out to dev.
- TC Aberrant Novas Worldwide
- CTL2e Kith and Kin
Proofing
- Scion Demigod – Josh is wrapping up fixes.
- Squeaks in the Deep Screen – Wrapping up and getting the info over to printer for a quote.
- Scion Saints and Monsters
At Press
- M20 Technocracy Reloaded – Deluxe shipped to backers.
- Technocracy Reloaded Screen – Shipped to backers.
- WoD Ghost Hunters – Deluxe shipping to backers.
- WoD Ghost Hunters Screen – Shipping to backers.
- Paranormalists Handbook – PoD proof on the way.
- Hunter: The Vigil 2e – Deluxe files prepping.
- They Came From Murder Lake Twist Cards – PoD proofs coming.
- They Came From Murder Lake Quip and Cinematic Cards – PoD proofs coming.
- TC Panopticon – PoD proof on the way.
- M20 The Operatives Dossier – Errata done.
- TC: Aberrant: Terat Novella – PoD proof on the way.
- Trinity Continuum: Assassins – Advance PDF gathering errata!
- They Came From Murder Lake! – PDF and PoD versions on sale this Weds on DTRPG!
Today’s Reason to Celebrate!
Speaking of the whole 10 Year Anniversary thing, yesterday we had the 10 year anniversary of the Werewolf Translation Guide, designed to permit gamers to transfer characters, rules, etc. from Werewolf: The Apocalypse to Werewolf: The Forsaken and vice versa. It was our first published WoD/CofD book, although many, many more were yet to come!
Hopefully taking only a week to breathe before Exigents?
Hoping for Exigent news soon! My group is very excited to get our hands on them.
As soon as we have it, we’ll let you know!
We have a sneak peak at Exigents on Exaltcast: https://www.exaltcast.com/2022/04/11/out-of-the-ashes-exigents-preview/
Great episode, thanks for pointing it out. Didn‘t think I couldn‘t get more excited for Exigents than I already was, but … yeah, I could.
Fingers crossed Paradox and Kickstarter approvals come quickly.
Remember, the Exigents KS needs to go through both Paradox and Kickstarter approvals before we can even slot in a time to go live.
As a certain turkle of my acquaintance used to say at such times, “Awk! Friday the 13th fell on a Wednesday this month!”
It couldn’t have come at a better time!
So does Halloween!
Is Trinity Continuum: Assassins considered one of the core book for TC and also will there be supplemental book made for it?
It’s not a core book but a chunky sourcebook for the core setting, giving lots of new playable options, a setting, new societies, etc. As for whether Assassins will receive follow-ups, it’ll depend on how well it does!
Like the assassins themselves, it’s in a grey zone – not really a core book as much as a supplement to the Trinity Continuum Core, but you tell the assassins they’re not in a core book! So we gave it a place among the cores, cover-wise at least, because we didn’t want to see a red dot of light appear anywhere on our bodies.
Can’t wait for Saints and Monsters
It’s coming!
It feels like a Mage: the Awakening supplement slipped off of this schedule. Did that get canceled (is vaporware)?
As above, “Our full list of projects will be available monthly on our blog! Check out March’s full list report here:https://theonyxpath.com/release-roundup-march-2022/”
Also it’s quite rude to immediately jump from “a product isn’t listed” to “the product is vaporware.”
To underline the first part of Ian’s post, the full list of what projects we’re currently publicly working on comes out at the end of every month in that month’s Release Roundup, the specific projects we include each week in this blog are the ones that have changed status during the last week. Now, it is possible that a particular project might have missed being included on either list as these things aren’t computer-run or automatic, but rely on us compiling the changes each week. (Which is not something you get from almost, if any, other gaming company – we do it because we know our community loves it!) If that’s the case then you’ll need to let us know the title you’re concerned about so we can check-
Are there plans to get Wraith 20th anniversary and Ghost Hunters up on roll20 with character sheets for both?
We really have no idea and haven’t heard anything, as those aren’t our game lines to create anything but books for, basically. That’d be a Paradox thing.
Where can I find the Onyx Path Media Blog? I poked around the site and do not see it listed anywhere.
You can find it under the tag Onyx Media. This week’s one was missed (uploaded to the wrong, private blog!) so I’ll get it up for this Thursday. Typically they go up every Tuesday.