Jamison Stone's Blog, page 16
August 28, 2020
The Grim & Deliberate Beast - Kickstarter Spotlight
Combat. It’s often the first thing many folks think of when it comes to D&D or TTRPG’s in general. So much of the framework of these games is built around combat. And that’s understandable. Fighting enemies is the quickest and easiest way to interject stakes into an RPG campaign. And many many people love that, and battling monsters and entities is far and away the number one reason they play these games.
Here’s the thing though… combat, particularly as it pertains to 5th Edition, can easily turn into “They hit you. You hit them. Rinse and repeat for the next 45 minutes.” And that gets real boring real fast. Your campaign encounters should always strive to be as dynamic as possible. But the catch there is that requires more work and effort from the GM, who is likely already sinking many many hours into game prep. So, the challenge becomes “How do we enhance the experience of combat encounters without putting too pressure work and pressure on the GM’s shoulders?” Well, fear not, friends, because Dubious Merit Games and OneMillionNerds are here to help you with their latest collaborative offering: The Grim & Deliberate Beast
The Grim & Deliberate Beast is a system for quickly and easily generating unique and dynamic A.I. for your monsters & enemies. You might be asking “How does it work?” and “How is this different from other systems?” Well in the creators’ own words:
How does it work?
5 d100 dice rolls give you Monster Aggression Level, General Intelligence, Special Units, Special Abilities, and Weaponry for each Monster encounter. Use this info to decrease combat uniformity, decrease decision fatigue, increase species variability, and add theme interruption to your combat. Then delve into the Tome of Lore to add depth for each Monster species.
How is it different?
The Grim & Deliberate Beast is full of beautiful, original art, deep lore, and 100-rollable tools for devious dungeon masters.
Read about Monster Culture, Psychology, Special Units, Special Abilities, and Weaponry. This is new, unique writing not available anywhere else.
A deadly new system of A.I. with 750 narrative threads that unfold with combat, and change with Monster Aggression Level.
Plus unique extras for your campaign: 200 combat insults! 200 original new Traps! Brutal Critical Hit & Death Blow Tables.
Obviously, you might want to be a little more hands on when it comes to your Big Bads… your main NPC antagonists… but just think about how much more time and brain power you’ll be able to devote to crafting unique major villains when you don’t have to worry about fleshing out the nuances and details of all the minor minion combat encounters. You, as the GM, get to more fully realize your vision for your campaign. Your players get a more exciting and dynamic adventure.
Everyone wins here (except the monsters who the players kill, of course)
If that wasn’t enough to motivate you… check this out:
As of me writing this, their campaign is only about $2,500 away from unlocking the Tome of Lore. What is the Tome of Lore? I’m glad you asked:
Five tiers of A. I. to command your Horde, Heroic, Undead, Aberrant, and Mythical monsters.
A catalog of linchpin combat events and detailed blueprints for behavioral change as combat unfolds.
Deep lore on culture, psychology, special abilities, special units, grudges, and weaponry for each monster.
A library of over 200 combat insults for saucy monsters to hurl at your party.
Extensive Critical Hit and Death Blow Tables by weapon type and body location, for gruesome results.
Tricks and Traps! Over 200 original new traps, organized by lethality and environment.
So, seriously, what are you waiting for? There are only a few days left, so hurry the heck up and sprint-click over there right now!
Well, that’s all from me for now. Until next time…
Take Care, Owlbear
Pat
Featured Images: OneMillionNerds
Patrick Edwards is the co-writer of the upcoming 5E Campaign, The Red Opera , as well as the writer of the Space Tripping series of novels. Check him out on Twitter @ThePatEdwards or his website thepatedwards.com
August 26, 2020
Cafe Chaos - Kickstarter Spotlight
I’d like to take a moment to test a hypothesis: please raise you hand if you could use less fun in your life.
Okay, hang on a sec while I tally up the votes… let’s see… aaaand the grand total is zero. Looks like absolutely none of us want less fun in our lives. Hypothesis confirmed.
So, what have we learned here today? (I mean, besides the fact that I’m a phenomenal imaginary internet research scientist) We’ve learned that everyone could use a bit more fun in their lives. Well, if lack of fun is your ailment, then Dr. Pat has the cure (Yes, I’m also an imaginary internet physician, too). I’m writing you a prescription for one big dose of Cafe Chaos, the newest game created by James Rallison, creator of the popular comic The Odd 1s Out.
Here’s a rundown of the game from James himself:
Join me (James) and my friends in the world’s most chaotic food fight. Dodge, hide and throw epic food combos to avoid being eliminated. Who will reign supreme in this chaotic food frenzy?
Each round of Cafe Chaos gets more chaotic as events are triggered in the school cafeteria. Watch out for school bullies, poisoned food and characters throwing epic food combos!
So if you like food...and card games - this is the game for you. Help me make this card game a reality by backing Cafe Chaos today. And remember - wear your seatbelt!
The range of games I personally enjoy runs the gamut from utterly simple to insanely complicated. But not everyone has the patience to learn a complex rule structure. I’m sure a lot of you, like me, are the de facto “game person” of the family. You’re the one always trying to get a game started whenever more than 3 adults are in the same room at the same time. And because of this, I really appreciate games that present a relatively straight forward rules structure. Let’s look at the high level breakdown of Cafe Chaos:
Choose one of the characters (each with their own special ability)
Collect Food & Action cards
Have a Food Fight!!!
That’s a relatively easy concept for most casual gaming folk to swallow. And then, once you’re over that hump, they hit you square in the face with an insanity-filled pie. See, you can stack your cards to create countless different combos. And don’t forget about the unique special abilities for each character. Mix it all together and you will likely see no two games are play out the same way.
And can we talk about the production value for a moment? I mean, I have high expectations seeing as this was created by a professional comics creator. But, dang. the artwork here is truly delightful:
And on top of that, the reward tiers are phenomenal. There are options to get extra packs of unique cars, stylized gaming mats, a lunch box, and even a set of plush toys for each of the adorable characters! So, seriously, go inject some silly, whimsical fun into your life by checking out Cafe Chaos today:
Well, that’s all from me for now. Until next time…
Take Care, Owlbear
Pat
Featured Images: James Rallison
Patrick Edwards is the co-writer of the upcoming 5E Campaign, The Red Opera , as well as the writer of the Space Tripping series of novels. Check him out on Twitter @ThePatEdwards or his website thepatedwards.com
August 25, 2020
Anvl Custom Miniatures Unboxing - The Red Opera RPG Kickstarter
So excited to unbox our new Anvl Custom Miniatures for 'The Red Opera RPG' characters, launching on Kickstarter September 1st!
Click the image below to watch our unboxing now! The, to learn more about Anvl, and create your own custom miniature, click HERE!Anvl allows you to bring your characters to life in spectacular fashion! Enjoy full customization and control over your character’s race, items, clothing, and much more! Dive straight in with our beautifully simple web and mobile application and start creating your perfect custom miniature figurines in seconds.
They’ve made everything completely customizable! That means everything from body shapes and sizes, to weapons, accessories, bases and fully editable stances. Easily access over 2 trillion design combinations and create your truly unique custom figurine ready for your next tabletop adventure! Check them out here!
Anvl Custom Miniatures gives you complete control over the look and feel of your tabletop figurines and allows you to design your perfect custom miniature with any game in mind. Get started by choosing from a huge selection of content and enjoy crafting your perfect character with ease using over 2 trillion combinations of weapons, clothing and accessories!
We are so excited to bring our own Anvl Custom Miniatures from The Red Opera RPG to you on September 1st. Click here to follow our Kickstarter page now! See you there, soon!August 18, 2020
The Girl from Arkanya - Kickstarter Spotlight
We all have those few pieces of media that we hold especially dear to our hearts. It could be a movie, a book, a game… these things can bring us joy or flood us with emotion. They can often act as nostalgic touchstones, instantly transporting us back to specific eras of our lives. One of my own personal nostalgic touchstones is a video game I’m pretty sure you’re all familiar with, The Legend of Zelda: A Link to the Past. It’s a franchise spanning 34 years with over 20 iterations, and Link to the Past is without question one of, if not the best of them. In fact, Game Informer declared it the “Best Game of All Time” in 2018.
“But Pat,” you say, “Why are you talking about a Legend of Zelda game?”
First off, how the hell did you get in my house? Please leave.
Secondly, when we each find one of these special pieces of media, we often spend time searching for similar content. And it’s a truly great feeling when you stumble across something that appears to encapsulate the spirit of the original media you loved, while simultaneously putting an original spin on it. This is where The Girl from Arkanya by the very appropriately titled Arkanya Games comes into play:
I don’t know about you all, but I look at that and am instantly transported back to my 9 year old self sitting in the glow of the TV in my parent’s basement…. and I love it. In the development studio’s own words:
The Girl from Arkanya is a top-down treasure hunting RPG, mimicking the style and feel of 2D Zelda games. Explore the jungles of Amazonia as Marisa, alongside her capybara companion!
Wait… so, you’re telling me I can get some raw Zelda-esque nostalgia mainlined into my brain, all while going on a treasure hunting adventure with a fluffy, adorable capybara companion?! Sign me up right now! I mean, look at this little guy:
I just want to squeeze those furry cheeks. Some more notes on the gameplay::
The Girl from Arkanya is the tale of Marisa, an aspiring young adventurer with her sights set on becoming the world’s greatest treasure hunter! She is accompanied by her capybara companion, and you will need to use both characters together in creative ways to solve puzzles and challenges.
Once Marisa meets Kapi, he will follow behind Marisa for the rest of her journey, and the player may take control of him at any time! Marisa can also push, pull, carry, and throw her rodent companion, which will help her solve challenges she will face along the way.
Okay… if you’re not sold yet. Allow me to solve that right away: You. Can. Pet. The. Capybara.
Yes, that’s right. You can pet your fuzzy little fella. They actually programmed in the command and the animation. What? No, I’m not going to embed a gif. You have to click the link below to see it for yourself. So, hurry on over to the Kickstarter campaign and secure yourself a copy now!
Well, that’s all from me for now. Until next time…
Take Care, Owlbear
Pat
Featured Images: Arkanya Games
Patrick Edwards is the co-writer of the upcoming 5E Campaign, The Red Opera , as well as the writer of the Space Tripping series of novels. Check him out on Twitter @ThePatEdwards or his website thepatedwards.com
August 17, 2020
Token Terrors Battlegrounds - "Last Chance" Kickstarter Spotlight
I know I usually start these reviews out with a little whimsical musing about the joys of gaming with friends against the backdrop of everyday stresses… but we need to skip all that this time and dive right in.
Token Terrors Battlegrounds is the latest offering from the ironically named studio, Terrible Games. And it looks flippin’ rad. Sorry about the spicy language, folks, but it really does look FLIPPIN’ RAD. They have one of the best promo videos I’ve seen to date, from the very 90’s style “Xtreme” commercial opening to the hilarious “personal message” from studio head, John de Campos, it’s front-to-back phenomenal.
Token Terrors is a 1 v 1 game where each player takes on the role of a Warlord commanding an army of unique and diverse minions. Using the varying skills and talents of your particular forces, you must outwit your opponent using superior tactics in order to crush them on the field of battle. The gameplay appears to be intuitive, fast-paced, and oh so fun. And the production quality of the materials is truly top notch. I could easily see tournaments of this game becoming a staple of nerd culture Cons.
If you’re intrigued in the slightest, you need to hurry the heck up and get over to their page. There are less than 3 days left in the campaign. So, what are you waiting for? Seriously, why are you still reading this? Stop it… Pardon? Oh, I haven’t given you the link yet! Whoops… my bad. Here you go:
Well, that’s all from me for now. Until next time…
Take Care, Owlbear
Pat
Featured Images: Terrible Games
Patrick Edwards is the co-writer of the upcoming 5E Campaign, The Red Opera , as well as the writer of the Space Tripping series of novels. Check him out on Twitter @ThePatEdwards or his website thepatedwards.com
August 14, 2020
Hexplorer - Kickstarter Spotlight
One of the key elements of a satisfying TTRPG experience is immersion. It is a role playing game, as in, you are playing a role… you are pretending to be someone else. We’ve all played sessions of these games where everyone was really locked in on the moment. The outside world didn’t exist. All that mattered was your player allies and the quest at hand. And we’ve all also had gaming experiences where it felt like everyone was a bit distracted. These session are usually accented by the soft blueish glow of cell phones being constantly checked. I think it’s safe to assume the first scenario is much preferred over the second.
Now, more than ever, getting yourself and your friends fully immersed in a gaming session can be a challenge. There are many tactics your party can take to help, whether it’s mood-setting music and sound effects, turning your phones off, locking the office door, or even dressing in character (Listen, it just so happens my fighter/bard wears black v-neck t-shirts, okay? This totally counts as cosplay).
Visual aids are another strong tool that can help with party immersion. If players can see the setting, it can make it much easier to act as if they are there. This is where Hexplorer, the debut offering from Headless Hydra Press, comes into play.
Hexplorer provides gamers with a set of magnetic tiles that can be arranged into hundreds if not thousands of different layouts to create one of kind maps. From the official description:
The hex magnets are custom-made to fit snugly together on white boards, refrigerators, or any magnetic surface. Cut the setup and clean-up time of game night: when you're done, simply put away the whiteboard until next time - the map will be just how you left it!
Many of us are doing our gaming exclusively via video call these days. Imagine how fun it would be for your Gamemaster to have this on the display, revealing each new piece of the terrain in real time as your party explores it. I’ve played games in online map systems such as Roll20 plenty of times, and they are great. No argument there. But there is just something I really like about the more tactile, physical aspect to these hex tile maps. Even if I’m only seeing them displayed on the screen, it just feels more immersive to me. Not to mention, at some point, gaming groups will be able to safely meet in person again. An online map program won’t transfer to the table. Plus, at the end of your campaign, you’ll have this one-of-a-kind, filled out map that serves as a living physical memento of the adventure you and your friends went on. I know it’s more economical to reuse the tiles… but I’m totally the weirdo that would finish an adventure and then hang the completed map on the office wall like a trophy.
Imagine marking up the map where notable events happened in your campaign. Maybe a comrade fell in battle. Maybe some hilarious bit of improv role play occurred along a particular stretch of road. These maps could be lasting keepsakes of special moments between friends.
I actually had the pleasure of speaking with Headless Hydra founder, Shane Collins, on the phone before sitting down to write this. He is truly a delightful person, and I am very excited for the next project his team is working on. So, it’s time for you to click the link below and check out the Hexplorer suite of offerings:
Well, that’s all from me for now. Until next time…
Take Care, Owlbear
Pat
Featured Images: Headless Hydra Press LLC
Patrick Edwards is the co-writer of the upcoming 5E Campaign, The Red Opera , as well as the writer of the Space Tripping series of novels. Check him out on Twitter @ThePatEdwards or his website thepatedwards.com
August 11, 2020
Lucky Devils & Witchy Ways - Kickstarter Spotlight
We’re going to pivot the spotlight… yes, we have an actual real life spotlight in the studio that we shine at the computer (Try not to think about the feasibility or logistics of it, you’'ll just give yourself a headache). Anyway, for the moment, we’re shifting the spotlight away from the table top gaming corner of Kickstarter and zeroing in on the indie publishing side of things.
Gaming is awesome. We all love going on legendary adventures with our friends. But even in non-pandemic times, it can be a challenge to consistently get a group of friends together. Many folks out there are finding themselves with a lot more time alone. Some are tending to new gardens, while others have decided to attempt creating sourdough starters… good lord, I’ve seen so many sourdough starters on my social media feeds lately. There is also one mentally stimulating and timeless activity I think we can agree never fails to be enjoyable: curling up with a good book…. or in this case, two good books.
eSpec Publishing is an independent publishing house that focuses on speculative fiction in the fantasy, sci-fi, and steampunk genres. Their latest offering is a double feature of two new exciting novels!
The first book on the docket is The Devil’s Day by Megan Mackie:
Rune Leveau—emerging Talent and one-time corporate prisoner—knew that better than anyone. She’d rebuilt her life at the Lucky Devil bar, with her Aunt Maddie’s help. Now, in her aunt’s memory, Rune continues that legacy. But when it is time for the Devil to collect his due, Rune could lose it all…
The Devil’s Day is the third installment of Ms. Mackie’s Lucky Devil series. But don’t worry if you haven’t read the first two. They have a special tier just for you! (Sidenote: the creative Backer Tiers are perhaps what I’m most excited about with this campaign, but we’ll get to that in a bit)
The next book in the campaign is the tentatively titled An Unceasing Hunger by Michelle D. Sonnier, which is the long-anticipated sequel to The Clockwork Witch:
Shunned by her family her entire life for not living up to their expectations—or prophesy—Arabella forges her own path and attains her greatest wish: to join the Sisterhood of Witches. Doing so in a manner no one ever anticipated. As the first-ever technomancer, the way before her is fraught with peril. Can she survive the machinations of her order, or be ground between the gears of reluctant progress?
Listen, those two books sound rad as heck on their own merit, but can we talk about backer rewards and stretch goals? I want to talk about backer rewards and stretch goals.
As of me writing this, six stretch goals have already been reached, unlocking four additional short stories, a novella, and an anthology of shorts from a dozen excellent authors.
And again, as of the time I am writing this, they are less than $100 away from producing a brand-new sci-fi YA novel. That is so much excellent content, I can’t even wrap my head around it.
Now let’s talk about some of the amazing (and still available) Backer Tiers. There are so many different options, and so much content is available, I promise you will find a backer package that perfectly fits your tastes. You can get assigned your own faeire name, which will then appear within The Devil’s Day as well as the webcomic based on the series. You can get magnetic horns to wear to your next Con (you know, when in-person Cons become a thing again). There’s an option to get a special thanks printed in the back of The Devil’s Day along with partaking in a zoom call Q&A with Megan Mackie herself. There’s even an option to acquire the entire 56 book eSpec catalogue. And for the BIG one: eSpec is offering a version of the whole three book Lucky Devil series that has been printed with your name in place of one of the two main characters. We’re talking a custom, one-of-a-kind edition. That’s rad.
Look, I’m a voracious reader and am constantly looking for the next book to mentally devour. If you’re anything like me, you’re going to want to peruse the phenomenal offerings in this campaign. So hurry up, click the link below, and get to shopping:
Well, that’s all from me for now. Until next time…
Take Care, Owlbear
Pat
Featured Images: eSpec Books
Patrick Edwards is the co-writer of the upcoming 5E Campaign, The Red Opera , as well as the writer of the Space Tripping series of novels. Check him out on Twitter @ThePatEdwards or his website thepatedwards.com
August 7, 2020
The Sapphire Spectre - Kickstarter Spotlight
Wouldn’t we all like a second chance at life? I for one, was fascinated by The Crow as a teenager and my favorite role-playing game is actually Wraith: The Oblivion. This meant that any media that gets close to Flatliners where someone has the ability to kill themselves and become their own ghost temporarily is going to attract my attention. Being set in Chicago is an extra bonus.
Here’s the pitch: Sylvia Sloane was murdered by a powerful ghost/demon hybrid thingy (she…might not be exactly sure on which yet). This is typically the start of a bad day—for most people. Resurrected, she soon discovered that she could flat-line herself and project as a ghost. A badass ghost to be more specific. Now she uses her power to enter the spirit world and right wrongs or dispatch evil spirits and other ethereal malcontents.
Then pop-back into her body in time to hit a rock concert.
Sapphire Spectre is a rookie heroine (and I love that), because never tell villain that you can’t be stopped until you die for good. That’s just tossing the superhero-to-villain duel gauntlet right between you two.
Like most indie content creators, crowdfunding is a way of life now (particularly with no conventions in 2020). JT Molloy funded his Kickstarter in the first 24 hours and is now well onto stretch goals that feature alternative cover artists, sweet swag, and cosplay photos from Cara Nicole. So if you are into comics (or haven’t read one in a while yet) swing by and take a look! The art style is fantastic, and there is just something about that neon blue color that friggin’ works. I’m not an artist so if I guessed that color wrong, feel free to let me know.
You can check out everyone involved through the following links below!
Do you follow comics on Kickstarters? What are some of your favorite indie artists! Let us know in the comments!
Featured Image: Sapphire Spectre
Rick Heinz is the author of The Seventh Age novel series , and a storyteller with a focus on D&D for Kids, The Red Opera , and an overdose of LARPs. You can follow the game or urban fantasy related thingies on Twitter or reach out for writing at RickHeinzWrites@gmail.com
August 4, 2020
Dragonflight - Kickstarter Spotlight
Look, friends, dragons are cool. Don’t roll your eyes at me. You know it. I know it…
Yes, we’ve all seen countless iterations of these majestic and terrifying creatures represented across every medium imaginable. Movies, TV Shows, books, comics, video games, obviously table top games… We’ve seen good dragons, bad dragons, intelligent insightful dragons, dumb brutish dragons, dragons of literally every color imaginable. There’s a reason for all of that. There’s a reason they are the most iconic symbol for an entire genre. There’s a reason the word Dragons is in the title of the world’s most popular role playing game. And that reason is:
Dragons. Are. Cool.
Just look at that fearsome beast! Look at it!
Dragonflight is the latest offering from 2C Gaming. And disclaimer, I’m biased here, Flight of Dragons was one of my favorite movies as a kid and Two Swords, my dual-wielding Dragonborn Fighter/Bard, is my longest running and most beloved DnD character. So, what exactly is Dragonflight? According to the production team,
Fantasy's most iconic creatures deserve more than a few pages in some monster compendium. This tome of draconic knowledge offers DMs and Players the opportunity to experience dragons deserving of their reputation. Whether its soaring the skies as a dragon character, or building the ultimate draconic NPC for your campaign, Dragonflight delivers. If you love dragons and 5th Edition , this is the book for you!
I think the thing that really interested me about this project is the level of detail the 2C team has brought to the table to help you craft a truly one of kind dragon. And we’re not just talking about using dragons as monsters and NPCs. They’ve built out an entire player race version of dragons complete with 6 original subclasses including Arcanist, Knight, and Imperator:
So, stop wasting any more time and flap your scaly, chromatic internet wings over to the Kickstarter campaign and secure this book for your personal hoard right away!
Well, that’s all from me for now. Until next time…
Take Care, Owlbear
Pat
Featured Images: 2C Gaming
Patrick Edwards is the co-writer of the upcoming 5E Campaign, The Red Opera , as well as the writer of the Space Tripping series of novels. Check him out on Twitter @ThePatEdwards or his website thepatedwards.com
July 30, 2020
Dark Matter - Kickstarter Spotlight
I think it’s safe to assume that if you’re reading this, you’re a bit of a fan of the sword and sorcery genre. And what’s not to love? Epic adventures sprawling across fantastical worlds. There’s a reason the most popular table top gaming system in the world in set in a sword & sorcery universe. All that being said, there’s only so many variations on battling evil necromancers and exploring abandoned dungeons that one can experience before feeling a desire for something wholly different. Well, fear not, my friends. There’s another genre of entertainment out there that most fantasy fans also enjoy… of course I’m talking about Science Fiction!
Dark Matter is the latest offering from Mage Hand Press. And if the phrase “Sci-Fi Table Top Roleplaying Game” doesn’t already have you speed scrolling to the link, just keep reading…
Just look at that gorgeous piece of sci-fi art. So what exactly is Dark Matter? I’ll let the production team explain in their own words:
Dark Matter is a rip-roaring futuristic campaign setting set against a mashup of sci-fi and fantasy influences, which lets you play DnD in Space without learning a new system.
Play as bounty hunters, galactic explorers, or daring space marines in a universe inspired by the likes of Star Wars, Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy, The Expanse, and Doom. You and your crew can pilot breathtaking starships, face down alien horrors, battle evil space wizards, and explore the furthest reaches of the galaxy.
So much to love there. I particularly like that you don’t have to learn a whole new gaming rules system. And in addition to giving your party a whole new galaxy to explore, the book comes with a full campaign adventure called Conspiracy in the Stars to help get you immersed in their world. And can I take a second to gush about the art? I really dig the art…
And as the final kicker, they are offering some truly solid rewards at the various tiers. These include exclusive custom dice sets from Level Up, a custom campaign notebook, a GM screen, a Wyrmwood dice vault, and more!
So, activate the Light Speed Drive on your computer and jump over to back the Kickstarter campaign and get yourself a copy of Dark Matter right now!
Well, that’s all from me for now. Until next time…
Take care, Owlbear
Pat
Featured Images:Mage Hand Press
Patrick Edwards is the co-writer of the upcoming 5E Campaign, The Red Opera , as well as the writer of the Space Tripping series of novels. Check him out on Twitter @ThePatEdwards or his website thepatedwards.com
