October 2023 Update
over 2 years 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
over 2 years 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!
May 2023 Update
almost 3 years ago
– Wed, May 31, 2023 at 06:49:38 PM
This update is a mixed bag. We've brought on an additional writer who is both a 4HU fan and has experience writing game material for Savage Worlds - this will let us wrap up the text sooner. However, our interior artist for CASPers went radio silent. After multiple attempts to reach out, Mark and I have made the decision to seek another artist for this task.
What does this mean for the timeline? We're getting less ambitious with this component of the art, as starting from scratch as planned with the original artist is likely nonviable. What I'm hoping is to get text and art wrapped up in 90 days (hopefully text a bit sooner as it has to go through edits), then into layout. Once layout is finished and we make a final QA pass, we could fulfill digital only orders. Printing depends on how backed up things are at the press, but since we are using a domestic printer, we won't have months of shipping and customs to deal with.
Hopefully the next update will have better news.
Post FantaSci Update
about 3 years ago
– Tue, Mar 28, 2023 at 04:58:15 PM
FantaSci is over - an important convention for the Four Horsemen fandom, and also an opportunity for Mark and I to meet in person, discuss where we are, and what we need to do next. This always goes much faster in person as opposed to online.
We're currently working on the Setting section - this means reviewing, organizing, and transcribing information for several novels, resolving any conflicting details, and filling in the gaps. From the get go, we wanted "Rules of Engagement" to serve as a sourcebook for both gamers and non-gaming fans of the 4HU. This means you'll see info not appearing in any other book (yet). However, it's a time consuming process. I have a couple of book projects on hold while we get this finished.
Hopefully by the time you get the next update, we'll be done with Setting, and I'll have finished the Aliens section. This is the 'monster manual' as opposed to only playable races featured in Characters, and I already have a large portion of this section done - so many stat blocks!
Until next time Mercs - KA,GP!
February 2023
about 3 years ago
– Sun, Feb 05, 2023 at 05:56:43 PM
Hail and greetings, Mercs.
So what's going on with Rules of Engagement? I'm finally in a position where I can devote the lion's share of my non-day-job efforts to this project. My focus for the next couple of months will be finishing up the text with Mark. Most of the mechanical work is done, but there is still a fair amount of source material to write up and organize, especially where we are fleshing out the Universe as a game setting and to provide GMs with what they need to add their own locales and adventures within the Four Horsemen Universe.
We're still wrangling art as well. I'm hopeful we'll get the remaining art back by the time Mark and I finish the text work.
I also plan on at least monthly updates. Over the past, we've had months with little to report, and should we encounter a dry month again, I still plan on informing you. However, I' hoping we can make rapid progress towards completion - which will be a lot more fun to announce.
Keep your jump jets primed and your MACs armed.
Jon
