Going into May 2024
10 days ago – Sun, Apr 28, 2024 at 11:52:45 AM

So where are we? On the text front, I just finished my draft for the last of what I call "super chapters" - Aliens. These huge chapters have 25k to 35k words. To give you a comparison, a typical 4HU novel is 100k to 120k words. This is also the last chapter that required heavy research, which slowed down the process. It goes to Mark for a continuity pass, then on to editing and layout.

How about art? We just received the final installment of alien art. That's the good news. The bad news is that our CASPer artist suffered a computer meltdown. It looks like the files can be salvaged from the hard drive as soon as she gets her replacement computer. Worse case scenario, she works in physical medium, so once she gets her new computer she can rescan the physical art.

To give you an idea of the CASPer art, I'm sharing the concept art thumbnails, which shows all the CASPers compared to each other for scale. This is the first public look at this art.

Hopefully the next update will see a wrap on text drafting and editing, and we'll be deep in layout. Lead the Charge!

February 2024 Update
2 months ago – Tue, Feb 27, 2024 at 02:24:28 PM

Tame? Don't say that in front of the Tortantula

Both art and text proceed slower than we'd like. The last two 'mega-chapters' - Setting and Aliens are almost done. Research has slowed me down on these, and they're pretty big for chapters - in the neighborhood of 30k words. That's because we want this to be useful as a guidebook for non-gaming 4HU fans as well as provide plenty of material for gamers.

It's also because there's a lot of material in the 4HU. Even though we've limited the timeline to the beginning of the Omega Wars, there's plenty of material included from after the last book in the Revelation Cycle. To write about and alien or world, I'd check multiple books for references, compile, and reconcile the information.

So where are we? We're closing in on the end of text work, and hopefully artwork will wrap soon. Then it's edits (for what hasn't already been edited - our editors tackles the chapters as we finish them), layout (already underway for completed chapters), and galley reviews (where we go over the layouts to check for any format artifacts/issues and double check for anything that might have slipped through edit passes).

Once we have those done, we'll set up the printing, and can begin delivery on electronic materials. As for printing production, that will be a whole new kettle of fish. We are printing in the US, so shipping won't be an issue.

What about the new Science Fiction Companion?

Pinnacle has launched a Kickstarter for the SWADE Science Fiction Companion. As much as I look forward to seeing what's in it, the new SCF won't have any impact on Rules of Engagement. First of all, it would slow us down to wait on it. Second, the 4HU has aliens, equipment, and rules specific to the setting. I'll be getting the SWADE SCF, but it won't affect RoE.

Valhalla Awaits!
 - Jon

The Field Briefing has Arrived!
5 months ago – Mon, Dec 18, 2023 at 06:20:55 PM

We can't thank you enough.

We are aware of how much longer this has taken than we planned, and how wonderful our supporters are. With that in mind, we've put together something for you to enjoy.

The Field Briefing gives you a real feel for the nuts and bolts of the game we've created, including some aliens, weapons, and settings. Below you'll find the link to a page where you can download it. 

From Jon (Oz) Osborne, Mark and Joy Wandrey, we hope you like what we've put together, and the final game isn't far behind!

https://www.worldmaker.us/home/fieldbriefing

Password is CASPer

Enjoy! 

October 2023 Update
7 months ago – Wed, Oct 04, 2023 at 02:44:13 PM

The news isn't exciting, but we continue to make progress. Ted has wrapped up the introductory adventures, our new CASPer artist has completed her first piece (and now that she has the design down, future artwork will go faster), Mark is working on setting oriented material, and I'm up to my elbows in the mass combat for mercenaries system. 

Although Savage Worlds has a basic mass combat system, and it could be used for quick and dirty resolution, it lacks the granularity needed if a group wanted to actually run a mercenary company as part of their campaign. To be honest, my first iteration for merc mass combat was broken, and I had to go back to the drawing board and overhaul the math. 

Also, as part of determining costs for vehicles (so I could provide costs for units), we're ending up with a basic vehicle construction system that will allow GMs to work up new vehicles to supplement the ones provided in the rules. The math hews pretty close to what you would get if you picked apart the existing Savage Worlds vehicles, but our material provides a framework.

Thanks again for your patience. Four Horsemen for Earth!

July 2023 Update
10 months ago – Sun, Jul 23, 2023 at 05:28:58 PM

Stardate ... wait, wrong franchise.

Some good news. We have found a new artist for our CASPer interior art, received a fresh batch of alien art, and brought on an additional writer to help Mark and I wrangle the remaining text.

We're making a lot of progress. I can't give a date yet, especially for the hard copies as that also hinges on the printer, but we are moving closer to the end goal. Once we finalize everything and get into the printing queue, we'll send out all of the digital materials. To keep shipping costs manageable, we will send all physical items in one wave rather than piecemeal them out.

We had a playtest adding vehicles to the game and to test a few tweaks I made to the CASPer rules, and I'm happy with the results across the board. Ted is working on the introductory adventures, and the first one he finished is awesome - it feels 4HU.

Back to writing/editing... Live Long I mean Kill Aliens, Get Paid!