Steve Jackson's Blog, page 131

April 26, 2022: FnordCon In Austin!

This Friday, April 29, our in-person convention, FnordCon, opens for business . . . and we hope to see you there! Many members of our Austin team will be at the show, where we'll be joined by both Steve Jackson and John Kovalic. We're running games, showing off upcoming titles, and even giving attendees a chance to help us playtest Car Wars scenarios for the new Car Wars Companion book.

The festivities start on the 29th and run through the weekend, with everything coming to a close on Sunday, May 1.

Click here to learn more about the convention and to pre-register today!

– Phil Reed

Warehouse 23 News: Git Yer Critters, Pardner!

GURPS Classic: Deadlands – Varmints is an assortment of baddies for GURPS Deadlands that make the horrors of the Weird West come alive . . . too alive. Download it from Warehouse 23 – if you dare!

April 25, 2022: Quick Quests Campaign Ending Today

At 1:00 Austin time today, the latest Kickstarter campaign for The Fantasy Trip comes to a close. This project brings two new entries in the Quick Quest series to print and, based on your requests, we're even offering the series in PDF for those of you who prefer to store your roleplaying game titles on a tablet or laptop. The creative work is complete and the Kickstarter has met the goal, so we will be sending these to the printer ASAP and the adventures will be shipped out to the Kickstarter backers as fast as we can receive the printed adventures and fit the delivery process into our schedule. 

There's one stretch goal left: a third Quick Quest adventure! We can only unlock this final stretch goal if we see several of you join in the Kickstarter during these final hours. Please check out the project before it closes!

– Phil Reed

Warehouse 23 News: Team Up With Bêlit!

GURPS Classic: Conan and the Queen of the Black Coast lets you – as Conan of Cimmeria – team up with deadly pirate Bêlit on their greatest adventure! Explore an evil ruined city in this solo adventure that can be played again and again. Download it today from Warehouse 23!

April 24, 2022: Skeletal Warrior Dice Bag Now Available

Over the last few years, we've expanded our selection of dice bags with spooky designs, cute designs, and even a few Munchkin designs. Now we return to the creepy dungeons and wilderness of fantasy worlds with the Skeletal Warrior dice bag, a 7" x 7" satin-lined, double-stitched bag that holds over 100 dice of all different sizes and shapes. It's perfect for carrying your dice to the next game session, and is available now at your favorite local game store. (You don't have a local store? You can also find this today at our online store, Warehouse 23, where we offer many dice sets, too . . . just in case you don't have enough dice.)

– Phil Reed

Warehouse 23 News: Unself Improvement?

Horrific forces align to unleash something even worse. It all unfolds – literally! – in Quick Quest 3: The Unself King . Get it from Warehouse 23!

April 23, 2022: NI3DP Part 10 – A Digression Into Painting

I suppose it's technically possible to get into 3D printing without also painting the models. But I couldn't resist. I love playing with miniatures, the prettier the better, and I hadn't realized how much I missed painting them. Also, it turns out that I'm already better than I used to be. It helps to have better paints to use and better minis to use them on!

Here's where I give up any attempt at "writing" as we know it, and simply dive into bullet points of Things I Have Learned. I'm not a brilliant painter, and probably never will be, but since I have to make technique substitute for talent . . . I pay close attention to technique. Some of these might help you.

• There are lots of websites and YouTube videos with coaching, some of it very talky, some of it useful (I'm looking at you, Mister Useful Squidmar – thank you).

• Toning varnish (Quickshade) is good stuff, but the makers tell you to dip the mini in the can, or at least lard the stuff on heavily. I've found that I like the results better if I use the lightest tone and brush it on carefully – you can even use different colors on the same mini.

• You need a good light. With my eyes, I need a really good light. So get one.

• The trick you see in the videos, where they stick a mini to a paint bottle or something to give it a handle to hold it while you paint? Not a gimmick. Totally worthwhile. The purpose-made handles you can buy? Sure, but paint bottles and blue sticky stuff are every bit as good. Save the money for . . .

• Wet palettes. They are a great, great goodness. You can make your own, but for the price of a good pizza you can buy a commercial palette. RedGrass is a good brand. I invented a little improvement that I should write up someday.

• I don't know if YOU need to brace both hands to draw a straight line, but I do. The little bitty finger muscles are the ones that do the work.

• Tiny brushes don't make my hand any steadier; they just tempt me to try to dot in places that I ought to be covering some other way. A brush of moderate size is fine for many things. On the other hand, with a triangular handle (like those from Army Painter), I have a good chance of controlling the tiny brush when nothing else will do.

• 3D printing can produce models with marvelous, realistic undercuts that are a PAIN to paint.

• If you're going to paint an army, plan on expending several figures to test different primers and paint. That's just how it goes. Don't go into mass production until you have a combo that delights you. And, by all that's holy, keep notes.

• Wash that brush. Yes, again.

• Don't drink the paint water.

– Steve Jackson

Warehouse 23 News: Magic, And All You Need Is A Deck Of Cards? What A Deal!

GURPS Classic: Deadlands – Hexes augments your GURPS Deadlands hexslingers with a collection of spells. Power is in the cards, thanks to a download from Warehouse 23!

April 22, 2022: Kickstarter Reports, April 2022 Update

Last month's campaign, Steve Jackson's Munchkin Presents Batman , did quite well and the factory is now hard at work on their part of the project. Additionally, we took big steps on fulfillment of previous projects; overall, March was a great month for our Kickstarter efforts. How great? Keep reading for the latest news.

Please follow us on Kickstarter – Steve Jackson Games and Warehouse 23 – to receive notice when we launch new campaigns.

The Fantasy Trip Quick Quests 6 and 7, Two New AdventuresApril 12 to April 25.582 backers and currently funding.The two newest micro-adventures for use with The Fantasy Trip roleplaying game are now funding. Better still, we've completed the creative work and moved the adventures into the print test phase. If all goes well, we'll have no problem delivering the rewards on schedule. Steve Jackson's Munchkin Presents Batman March 1 to March 183,550 backers and on scheduleWhat a fantastic campaign! Thanks to the backers, we unlocked both planned stretch goals on Day One and the project supporters got a great bargain on the Kickstarter edition of the game. If you missed out, there's still time to take advantage of the crowdfunding price by pre-ordering today at BackerKit. Once BackerKit pre-orders close, though, we'll push the price of the Kickstarter edition to $64.95 for sales through Warehouse 23, so act now to get the special price. The retail edition of the game is scheduled to ship to our distribution partners late this year.Hexagram #9, an old-school RPG zine for The Fantasy TripJanuary 26 (2022) to February 2 (2022)557 backers and on scheduleThe print rewards have shipped and we're wrapping up the PDF delivery. This is the last time that this project will appear on this report. GURPS Girl Genius October 20 (2021) to November 8 (2021)2,915 backers and (still) ahead of scheduleFulfillment in the U.S. and Canada is underway and will be finalized before the end of May. We're still slightly ahead of schedule on this one, though not as much as we had hoped. Just more evidence that global freight and shipping are still a bit of a wreck. (It tooks weeks for the books to move from New York to the fulfillment warehouse in Georgia.) Car Wars Sixth Edition by Steve Jackson Games November 29 (2019) to January 6 (2020)3,936 backers, behind scheduleEverything is out of our warehouse and we're now down to waiting for the EU, UK, and Australia rewards to reach the fulfillment sites and then mail out to backers.Recently Completed

As mentioned, March was a great month for wrapping up open Kickstarter campaigns.  Random Fun Generator 2  was officially completed, while GURPS Girl Genius and Car Wars Sixth Edition took big steps on the road to the finish line. Clearing that pipeline opens space for some new projects starting this month, including (just maybe!) the long-awaited Wiz-War campaign.

Looking Ahead

The second Pocket Box campaign and the Car Wars Companion are coming together and should reach Kickstarter later this year. We also have a few other small projects to sprinkle in here and there, so please follow both Steve Jackson Games and Warehouse 23 on Kickstarter so that you don't miss anything.

– Phil Reed

Warehouse 23 News: Conan Against The Horde

Can you stop Zogar Sag and his army? The odds are insurmountable . . . unless you're Conan! GURPS Classic: Conan Beyond Thunder River is a solo adventure that puts you in the role of the famous Cimmerian against the overwhelming Pict horde. How the story ends is up to you, but it begins with a download from Warehouse 23!

April 21, 2022: FnordCon Approaching & Swag Bags Shipping

FnordCon 5 Live is right around the corner, April 29 - May 1, at the Austin Southpark Hotel! Everything is ramping up with planning, and we're buzzing with anticipation to see everyone. We've got panels like What's New, where Steve and Phil will run down all the newest stuff and give sneak peeks of future SJ Games releases; Ben Williams will be painting; and both John Kovalic and Steve Jackson will be on hand for signings. But that's not all! Our local friends in the tabletop industry, such as Turbo Dork, Fireside Games, and Wintertree, will have booths. The latter will also explain some of the ins and outs of 3D printing.

Our attendees aren't the only ones with swag for the convention, and a big shout-out has to go to our Warehouse 23 team who have been working hard to ship all of the swag bags from the IndieGoGo project. Of course, attendees will be getting these bags* as well! Registration is open, and if you're coming from out of town our hotel block still has rooms available. Tickets will also be available at the door. See you in a week!

– Hunter Shelburne

* Plus extra goodies! We have stuffed the bags that we will hand out to the in-person attendees with door prizes and two tickets for chances at more swag. -PR

Warehouse 23 News: Did Someone Bring Pet Treats?

It's you against an orc outpost and its two animal companions . . . and they look hungry. What happens next is up to you in Quick Quest 2: A Moveable Feast. A mini-adventure awaits you at Warehouse 23!

April 20, 2022: Steve Jackson's Munchkin Presents Batman Pre-Orders Close On May 19, 2022

If you missed the Kickstarter campaign, there is still time to pre-order the Kickstarter edition of the game – at the Kickstarter price – right now at BackerKit. The game is starting the long journey from the factory to our primary warehouse in Georgia, and we're keeping pre-orders open until May 19, 2022!

Best of all, pre-orders for the Kickstarter edition are still priced at the Kickstarter price: $50. Once we close pre-orders, any remaining copies of the Kickstarter edition will be released through Warehouse 23 for $64.95. The retail edition of the game, which includes the same game minus extra accessories, is scheduled for release later this year.

Pre-orders are open to the U.S., Canada, EU, and UK. We are only shipping the Kickstarter edition of the game to those areas and no others.

You can pre-order at BackerKit right now!

– Phil Reed

Warehouse 23 News: Prepare Your 10-Gallon Hat And Your Will

GURPS Classic: Deadlands – Weird West is your guide to bringing the world of Deadlands to your GURPS Third Edition gaming table. Discover the history, character-creation details, and some of the threats that turn the Old West of legend into the Weird West of your nightmares! Adventure awaits a download from Warehouse 23!

April 19, 2022: Munchkin Warhammer 40,000: Rank And Vile In Stores Now

Ten-HUT. Fall in, we've got some reinforcements on the lines from the newest expansion, Munchkin Warhammer 40,000: Rank & Vile ! This 112-card expansion adds three classic Warhammer forces to the game. The Astra Militarum serve the Imperium with their masses of troops and reliable lasguns, while the Drukhari spread their terror through the galaxy, flaying all those before them. Not to be outdone, the Daemon of Chaos from all four of the great gods – Khorne, Nurgle, Tzeentch, and Slaanesh – joins the fray!

Mix it in with the base game by itself, or add all the expansions together for a galaxy's worth of grimdark options. The choice is yours! Will you serve the Emperor . . . or fall to the gods of Chaos? Pick up Rank and Vile today at your local game store or on Warehouse 23!

– Hunter Shelburne

Warehouse 23 News: Visit The Hyborian Age!

Be your best self . . . especially if your best self is a barbarian! GURPS Classic: Conan is your guide to Robert E. Howard's Hyborian world, with information on Conan (plus his most famous allies and enemies), insight into making heroes suitable to the setting, a detailed gazetteer, and much more. Download it today from Warehouse 23!

April 18, 2022: Munchkin Ukraine T-Shirt Charity Knock-Offs

Our Munchkin Ukraine Charity T-Shirt sale is ongoing and ends in May, so you still have time to get a shirt on RedBubble, with all proceeds going to World Central Kitchen. However, we did want to bring to everyone's attention that there have been some reported knock-off shirts and merchandise using our art. This is doubly bad since it's not only stealing John's art, but it also prevents legitimate donations to charity. Our RedBubble store is the only legitimate source for shirt sales with the charitable donation, so if you see another user selling this, please let us know.

Don't support illegal knock-offs; get yours on our store, and thanks to everyone who has donated so far!

– Hunter Shelburne

Warehouse 23 News: Hold On . . . Did You Say "Dragon"?!

You need to track down a goblin sorceress. With a dragon. Who stole something important, valuable, and fragile. Good luck! Quick Quest 1: Tipping the Scales is your fast-and-easy passport to adventure with The Fantasy Trip . Get it today from Warehouse 23!

April 17, 2022: Any Designers Or Adventure Writers Going To Dragon Con?

I will be there, and once again, along with Bill Fawcett, I'll be running a workshop for new game writers and designers.

We're looking for published authors in the game field who are interested in "passing it forward" by commenting on the work that the students bring.

Interested? Click on my name below and send me mail!

– Steve Jackson

Warehouse 23 News: Heroes Needed At The Edge Of Civilization

GURPS Dungeon Fantasy Encounters 4: Ring Fort is a ready-to-use locale for GURPS Dungeon Fantasy . It includes a map, description of denizens, look at daily life, and more. Download it today from Warehouse 23!