Star Wars Wednesday - This is 2020

in

It has been an embarrassing amount of time since I last wrote a Star Wars Wednesday post. this is especially true given the huge amount of new Star Wars movies, TV shows, and other stories released in the last few months. I’ve kept up reasonably well, though there is still a stack of comics I need to work through. Marvel has been hugely prolific with the number of titles and short series lately. More on many of those things in the upcoming months, hopefully. it shouldn’t be too hard for me to pick up the pace this year, compared to the dismal number late last year.

Read More

KeyForge Setting Preview Now Available

in

Today, Fantasy Flight Games released the first preview for the upcoming KeyForge Secrets of the Crucible science fantasy setting for the Genesys RPG. Based on the popular KeyForge card game (also by FFG), the book brings roleplaying to the weird and crazy mashed up genre setting. I worked on it, but as usual, more on that later. It is due for release sometime in the second quarter of this year.

GM Initiative Tabs is Now Genesys Initiative Tabs

in

I revised the title of GM Initiative Tabs to the more accurate Genesys Initiative Tabs, which was the original working title. In fact it was the title that I used everywhere on DriveThruRPG except on the actual cover and original announcements. It proved to be easier as well to simply redo the cover to match. I had used GM Initiative Tabs to mimic my DM Combat Tabs product on DMs Guild, and I thought that it might not be allowed to use the word Genesys in a Foundry title. It turns out it isn’t a problem.

If you already downloaded the product, you can download a revised version from DriveThruRPG. There are no changes to the tabs themselves, or the rest of the content.

Now that I have a copy of the official Genesys GM screen, here are a couple of examples of how the tabs look with it:

Genesys Initiative Tabs - Player View. Additional character tabs may sit on the adjacent panels on this 3 panel screen.

Genesys Initiative Tabs - GM View. Rack locations are optional.

GM Initiative Tabs for Genesys RPG Now Available

in

I’m happy to announce the release of my latest Genesys Foundry product, GM Initiative Tabs for the Geneys RPG. Patterned off my successful DM Combat Tabs for DMs Guild, the GM Initiative Tabs provide a useful tool for GMs who want a way to visually track initiative and other conditions. Here’s the product text:

This Genesys accessory provides a means to track and display initiative slots, PCs, NPCs, and their current conditions by placing these tabs on a GM screen or on the tabletop. The tabs, racks, and storage boxes are graphically themed to match the Genesys core rulebook, the Android Shadow of the Beanstalk setting, and the Realms of Terrinoth setting, but may be used with any setting.

Use the tabs in one of several ways:
1. Use the PC and NPC tabs to track initiative order, along with a turn indicator showing the current character's turn.
2. Use the same as above and then place generic NPC minion/rival/nemesis tabs on the NPC tabs, when those NPCs take their turn.
3. Use the same as number 1 and add the detailed PC and NPC tabs to track vital stats as each character is played in turn. Use the condition tabs to track and serve as reminders for various effects such as +1 boost or setback dice and conditions such as unconscious.

Customize tabs by filling out blank areas by hand after printing, or use the PDF form features to add text and images before printing.

Keep organized and find the right tab quickly during the game using one of two rack types:

GM Screen Tab Rack: Two racks designed to hang on the GM's screen to minimize loss of table space. The racks work with landscape or portrait oriented screens.
Tabletop Tab Rack: A simple rack folded into a sawtooth shape to hold the tabs. It sits on the table top.

Storage options: Assemble the included custom box to store the GM Screen Tab Racks with the tabs still in place. Other storage suggestions are also included.

Printing on thick, high quality paper or cardstock is highly recommended.

Cutting and folding is required to use the tabs and the racks. Assembly of the optional storage box requires glue or tape.

Formatted for US letter sized paper.

Use the layers to turn off the background art if desired to save printer ink.

Print using Adobe Acrobat Reader DC for best results.

Here are a few examples:

Player View with the GM screen racks on the GM side of the screen. (Genesys core rulebook style).

GM View (Genesys core rulebook style).

Customized and standard tabs on the Tabletop Rack (Genesys core rulebook style).

Storage Box (Genesys Core Rulebook style).

Genesys core rulebook style PC/NPC/condition tabs.

Android Shadow of the Beanstalk setting style PC/NPC/condition tabs (sci-fi, cyberpunk, modern settings).

Realms of Terrinoth setting style PC/NPC/condition tabs (fantasy, pulp, settings).

Star Wars Wednesday - New Shows, New Movie, New Theme Park, New...

in

While we have certainly had periods of high Star Wars activity and announcements over the years, this past couple of weeks seems like a new high water mark. New TV and streaming shows, a new preview for the new movie, and a brand new theme park is already expanded with an even more immersive experience.

It all looks like fun.

Read More

Numenera - Explorer's Keys Now Available

in , ,

My first work for the Numenera RPG appeared unexpectedly at Gen Con. Explorer’s Keys, Ten Instant Adventures for Numenera was available at Monte Cook Games’ booth. Explorer’s Keys has everything you need to immediately run a Numenera session with no preparation. As part of that, it includes my first game related published cartography in quite a few years. It was fun, and given how weird the Numenera setting is designed to be, it makes for some entertaining approaches to map making. I’ve updated my cartography portfolio with a couple of them.

My contributions were for the adventures Embassy of the Inconstant Moon, Protomatter Heist, Goliaths in the Earth, Flight of the Seraph, and Microfuge State. Flight of the Seraph was also featured as the Gen Con Numenera adventure and included in an exclusive collection of Monte Cook Adventures given to the game masters running their sessions.

One of my maps is related to the weird ship featured in the Numenera short film The Strand:

While copies of Explorer’s Keys were on sale at the Monte Cook Games booth, it releases sometime this week or next, and is available for preorder on the Monte Cook Games’ website. I presume it will also become available at DriveThruRPG as well upon release.


Power Play - Now Available for Android on the New Genesys Foundry

in

Tonight at Gen Con, Fantasy Fight Games announced Genesys Foundry, a new community content program for the Genesys RPG available on DriveThruRPG.com. Genesys Foundry features products, adventures, settings, and more for use with Genesys itself, as well as the campaign settings of Android Shadow of the Beanstalk (sci-fi), and Realms of Terrinoth (fantasy). Products are distributed primarily in PDF format.

Power Play is my second Genesys Foundry product, and I'm happy to have been asked to participate in the initial offerings. Power Play is a mini-campaign for the Android Shadow of the Beanstalk sci-fi setting. It takes place in locations within Heinlein, the major colony on the Moon. Heinlein also happens to be one of the areas I helped develop for Android Shadow of the Beanstalk, so it was fun to develop a new campaign for it.

Here's the back cover copy, with more information:

Mysterious cybernetic malfunctions are attracting unwanted attention to 8CMod, an advanced, thriving lunar black market cybernetics clinic. 8CMod is more than a problematic unlicensed medical practice, however. Investigators soon try to unravel a web of organized crime, corporate corruption, and ambitious individuals out to seize control of one of Heinlein's standout companies.

This Android mini-campaign gives Player Characters the opportunity to manipulate the future of a specialized organized crime syndicate and an important lunar corporation. Do they expose dirty deals or maximize advantages over them? Do they play the part of kingmaker, or try to seize power and wealth for themselves? No matter their choices, they gain new enemies and allies before things are through.

This mini-campaign is suitable for 4 to 6 moderately experienced Player Characters of a variety of archetypes. It includes new locations to visit, new NPCs, new computer systems to hack, and multiple ways for the PCs to make their own Power Play.

Instant Adversaries - Now Available on the New Genesys Foundry

in
cg-GenesysRPG-IA.jpg

Tonight at Gen Con, Fantasy Fight Games announced Genesys Foundry, a new community content program for the Genesys RPG available on DriveThruRPG.com. Genesys Foundry features products, adventures, settings, and more for use with Genesys itself, as well as the campaign settings of Android Shadow of the Beanstalk (sci-fi), and Realms of Terrinoth (fantasy). Products are distributed in PDF format.

Instant Adversaries is my first Genesys Foundry product, and I'm happy to have been asked to participate in the initial offerings. It's an accessory that helps game masters quickly create customized adversaries at the table, with minimal effort, by picking a few key items off the page, and customizing where needed. There are similar options for creating all kinds of vehicles.

This product isn't meant to replace or generate primary NPCs for a campaign, but to give the GM a tool to quickly create NPCs needed unexpectedly. I often try to use and modify pregenerated NPCs from books or adventurs on the fly, but I always seem to need to tweak a characteristic, add a skill, or swap equipment. I inevitably forget the exact changes sometime during the encounter. Instant Adversaries allows me to create what I need, and provides a handy reference throughout the encounter. Here's the back cover copy, which explains in a bit more detail:

Create basic adversaries right when you need them. Instant Adversaries provides a quick and easy way to generate stats for NPCs and vehicles on the fly.

  • Pick the prime characteristic for the NPC.

  • Choose from a list of stats built around that characteristic, alter the list, or choose your own.

  • Select a list of skills for general character types, or customize as needed.

  • Pick a talent or two from a basic list.

  • Quickly generate stats for soak, wound threshold, strain threshold, and defense.

  • Create minions, rivals, and/or nemesis NPCs.

Generate basic vehicle and weapons stats.

  • Pick a vehicle type: ground, air, water, space or exotic.

  • Chose a specific civilian or military vehicle from the list. Alter specific stats as needed.

  • Select the attached vehicle weapons, if any.

Star Wars Wednesday - Planet Comicon 2019 - 20th Anniversary

in ,

Planet Comicon in Kansas City celebrated its 20th year. I’ve been to quite a few over the years, including their previous location in Overland Park, Kansas before they moved into the more central and much larger Bartle Hall in downtown Kansas City, Missouri. The new location coincided with a great increase in scale and attendance, and this year continued that trend. There was the typical collection of artists, writers, media guests, and cosplayers. They also brought in several Star Wars related guests, as they often do.

Read More

Star Wars Wednesday - GamerNation Con 2019

in ,

GamerNation Con is next up on my look at the past few weeks of conventions in reverse order. Hosted by d20Radio and the creators of the Order 66 podcast, GN Con is up to its 6th year, which is pretty amazing and continues to draw people from around the world - Australia, Norway, Canada, the US, and probably others I’m overlooking at the moment. At least one or more of the regulars skipped it due to Star Wars Celebration the following week, which from a health standpoint probably would have been a good idea for me as well…

Read More

Star Wars Wednesday - Star Wars Celebration Chicago 2019

in ,

It has been a very busy couple of months, with a job change and a trio of consecutive conventions consuming my time. I hope to catch up here over the next few weeks. I’ll be working in reverse order, with this week covering the just completed Star Wars Celebration Chicago, next week discussing Gamer Nation Con 6, and finally Planet Comicon 2019. So, on with Celebration…

Read More