No real change from my last post. You can listen to the companion blog post here.
I have decided on surgery. I am waiting for the call to schedule it some time in July, 2020. However, things are still backed up from the halt on all non-emergency surgeries. I called to find out how long until I could schedule it and just have to wait. I’ll keep nagging them anyway, as I don’t want to drag this out. I am not a patient person for things like this and I’m climbing the walls a bit.
I’m still gaming, running my Sunday afternoon AD&D [Affiliate Link] game, playing in a B/X game on Mondays, and Wednesday, July 1st, we resume the campaign from the old AD&D [Affiliate Link] game with the same characters, but transitioned to OSE. [Affiliate Link] All of these are via Roll20.
I’m approaching 800 subscribers on YouTube and will pass 90,000 lifetime views in a couple days.
June 24th was the second anniversary of my podcast.
July 18th is the 11th anniversary of this blog.
The end of August is the second anniversary of my Patreon and my publishing efforts on DriveThruRPG.
I look forward to many more years of gaming. I especially look forward to getting surgery behind me so I can get my focus back on track.
I’ve been in a funk with the isolation and limitations of lock down/common sense to avoid being infected or spreading infection, my unexpected news about prostate cancer, and the horrid murder of a black man by police.
This has sapped my energy and seen me unfriend people on Facebook (many from high school) and lose followers on other social media. It saddens me that people can value human life and human rights so little as to want to avoid the topic because to them “it is politics.” Until the lives of people who don’t look like me (white) are valued equally, I will keep mentioning that Black Lives Matter, until we all live like they do matter, not merely change the subject with “all lives matter.” I don’t understand how some read Black Lives Matter as having the word ONLY in front of the phrase. Of course, all lives matter, but too many don’t really believe that. I won’t belabor that point here, as I know you’re here for games. I mention it since it is an important part of why my motivation is lacking. If you’re offended, you don’t have to stay.
As I said, this is a quick update about what’s up with me, and world events and my fight with cancer are the main focus of my thoughts and energy right not.
I didn’t mention party. I have views all across the political spectrum. I don’t fit a neat label. I won’t belabor the point. I just wanted to share what’s up with me, and future posts will focus on gaming.
While organizing my thoughts and notes for the games I will be running at Marmalade Dog and Gary Con in 2019, I made a list of all the RPG systems I’ve run. I noted what modules/scenarios I ran and what con I ran them.
Since 2015 when I first DM’d at a convention at Marmalade Dog, here in Kalamazoo, I’ve run for at least 10 different RPGs. I have run 16 different scenarios, one is Village of Homlet, the other is Stop the Flow by Mark Hunt. The other 14 are all scenarios I wrote myself.
Since 2015 when I GM’d my first game at a convention, I have GM’d a couple dozen times at 4 conventions: @marmaladedog @GaryCon @GameholeCon and @ucongames.
I’ve run 10 different RPGs for 16 different scenarios/modules. 14 of those I wrote myself.
It’s taken me 3 hours since I uploaded the podcast (#80) to locate all of my notes for the scenarios and rule books for reference. I realized I needed to organize what games I have and will run by Rules System, name of the scenario, and which con(s) I’ve run each one.
Had I thought this through, I wouldn’t need to dig back 4 years and have to do searches on my blog to determine some information.
My notes during each session help me improve those scenarios I am running again. I need all notes for each scenario consolidated into a master document for the scenario. Then I can find it when I need it.
Stars Without Number: Revised Edition [Affiliate Link] is the result of a Kickstarter to fund a second/revised edition of the rules that are backwards compatible with the original. Kevin Crawford is the man behind Stars Without Number, and in my opinion, is the best at running RPG Kickstarters. I backed this Kickstarter personally, and am extremely pleased with how well he ran it.
The Right Way To Run An RPG Kickstarter.
On the Kickstarter front, Kevin had a plan and worked his plan to his advantage. He had the artists lined up and had a spreadsheet to track each step of each artist’s work on each picture they were contracted. He tracked drafts, revisions, due dates, payments, etc. The end result for the art, thanks to a stretch goal, is that the complete art is available for free for both personal and commercial use, in the Art Pack [Affiliate Link]. He set a goal to raise enough money to buy the complete rights to the art, and he has given it away! He also did that with the original.
When I say Kevin had a plan, I mean it. It is also something he shares with others. He wrote about it in his zine The Sandbox #1 [Affiliate Link]. He directly mentions that he has a process for running a Kickstarter. He also has a total catastrophe plan, and if he does not deliver 100% by the day he said he would, he will refund all the money. This will only happens if he dies. Well we needn’t worry, it completed today, a month and a half beforethe delivery deadline.
I think everyone who wants to run a Kickstarter should get the first edition of his zine, and use that to build a plan. The big secret is having the writing done, and lining up the artwork, printing, and fulfillment process up front.
What’s In The Kickstarter?
Obviously the revised rules. There is a whole section on the Kickstarter page about what is changing and what is being added. The rules came as a PDF to all backers, and he added ebook formats of mobi and epub. The PDF is in a lightweight format with smaller resolution art, and the full quality art. There is a form fillable PDF character sheet in the rule, and Kevin separated it into its own PDF. Plus there is the GM screen with all the tables pertinent to running a session.
The artwork is gorgeous! Don’t take my word for it, the art is available for free! [Affiliate Link] The first image in the GM screen PDF hit the right spot for me. See the image below. This is the portion of the image I was greeted with when I first opened the PDF for the GM screen. WOW! My monitor is set so I have to look up just a bit, adding to the feeling of awe.
There is a PDF with a picture of all the art with the name of the artist under it. All 28 illustrations come in tif format, meaning full color and ready to print! The only requirement for using this royalty free art is to credit the original artist. Free pictures of star fields, nebula, and other astronomical objects from NASA help add to the awesomeness of this project.
First Page SWN GM Screen by Aaron Lee
The book is a hefty 321 pages with a gorgeous cover, good quality paper that is easy to read – the background art sticks to the edges away from the text.
Finally, Kevin offered a code for all backers to get a monster tome with all of his previously published material for SWN. This tome was only available to backers. I wasn’t going to spend the $100 to get this 1009 page beast of a book, but I relented and added it to my collection. This is even bigger than the 609 page 2nd edition Astonishing Swordsmen & Sorcerers of Hyperborea [Affiliate Link] that is bigger than the DCC [Affiliate Link] rule book.
If you want to see an actual play, Adam Koebel ran a game that is on YouTube. He also had episodes just for the GM. I have only watched the session 0/character creation video, and the first GM video on the faction turn. Having the PDF of the rules available for free is a low bar for jumping into the game. The only difference between the free and full rules is the art.
The Mini Review.
Gorgeous art, with a science fiction setting built in, tables for system and session generation. Lots of cool ideas that can be used in any game. The original edition had rules for a faction turn, which remain. I really like the idea of multi-system spanning corporations and other organizations seeking to control things. It has been described as the GM’s turn between sessions. While the ideas are not totally portable to all genres, it has a framework that gives you something to think about.
The system is based on the standard six abilities from D&D. While much is familiar, there are minor differences. Initiative is with a d8, for example. I was really impressed with the original edition, and I bought the PDF a while back. I decided to back the Kickstarter, when I learned of it.
I’ll be running a session of SWN at Gary Con X in March, and I will be digging in to all of the materials I now have in my hands as I polish and tighten the scenario. If you are interested, you can sign up for event #222 Raid on The Space Vikings. I got inspired last year when I read H. Beam Piper’sSpace Vikings.
After a more in depth reading of what I have, I can post a more in-depth review. There is a lot here, and if you are a fan of science fiction, or like the ideas in random tables to add to your GM toolkit, you can’t go wrong with the free rules. Although I recommend you buy the full rules to support the creator.
Kevin has done many other games, and game supplements. Check them out at his website, Sine Nomine Publishing, or click the link for his products at OBS and see what else he has done.
