11/02/2020 update: Let's Talk about the Malmart catalog
over 5 years ago – Sat, Nov 07, 2020 at 09:08:39 AM

Hi everyone, I hope this update finds you well and safe!

As we continue working on the GM's Guide (The revised Player's Guide should be available in PDF this week), I find myself starting to plan for the Malmart Catalog.

Doing a full-blown gear book (especially for Savage Worlds) is challenging. I want to provide more of everything, but the difficult part is dealing with redundancy. By that I mean, how many variations on a gun can we do without making them more powerful, thus making the gear in the PG near useless. How does that affect other non-Gun Metal Games books like the sci-fi companion (which I assume Pinnacle Entertainment will eventually release)?

The same questions could be asked of every other category you would expect in a gear book too.

All that said, it's fairly important to have these items, even if they are (mechanically speaking) variations on guns, or armor. It gives players more choices.

Other elements offer more flexibility, like various Augments, vehicles, drones, and especially tech, but it's also challenging to come up with enough cool stuff to satisfy everyone. More to the point, it's hard to come up the the RIGHT STUFF.

So, in the interest of helping me stay sane, I'm reaching out to all of you and asking a simple question.

What, specifically do YOU want to see in the book?

Please don't say "everything." That doesn't help.  I want to make sure this book is going to be useful at your game table, so consider this your wish list.

Oh, one more note. The Player's Guide to 2095 is going to be out for Fantasy Grounds soon, so we're pretty happy about that.

As always, thanks for your time and patience!

10/16/2020 UPDATE: Still Working
over 5 years ago – Fri, Oct 16, 2020 at 10:59:36 PM

Hi everyone, I’m just hopping in to give you and update for the month of October.

Things have slowed a bit over the past month. While I’ve been extremely busy, I found myself hitting a bit of a writing block with regards to certain rules. My main issues were how I could make certain modules for hacking rigs cool and yet keep them balanced with things like programs and some cybertech. I also needed to give some thought as to whether or not these modules could, or even should, be available for the Tendril Access Processor. In the end, I chose to allow some modules to work with the TAP, but they were more expensive, and had an associated Strain cost.

Other rules for things like IDentification APPlicationS (IDAPPS) and the Tendril Access Plague are going into the GM’s Guide, as I think that the GM should decide how, when or if they want to use them. The rules themselves aren’t complex but they can have a big—negative—impact on a character if used.

The GM’s Guide is also needing more work. The Plot Point Campaigns are being revised, as I’ve received some pretty harsh feedback from proofers. The good news is that I have one hell of a writer (David Anderson, Jr.) cleaning them up. He’s also a Law Enforcement Officer and has done some outstanding work on the Protect And Serve PPC. I’m really excited see how you like that one!

Other issues with the GM’s Guide include organization. I have a ton of toolkits, and the main challenge is making sure the book flows naturally and everything is in its proper place. I’m not the kind of person who just starts cutting and pasting who sections of text to other parts of a manuscript on a whim, so I’ve tried to go slow about it and make sure I like where things are.

For instance, I have generators for each Campaign Theme, and while it might make sense to just put them in the Savage Tales Chapter, I’ve been waffling over whether or not they might fit better at the end of their respective Plot Point Campaigns. It might seem like I’m agonizing over something that might not matter in the grand scheme of things, but that’s just how my mind works.

So, the entire process has taken much longer than I thought it would, but at this point I’m not going to sacrifice quality for speed. Too many problems cropped up with the Player’s Guide, and I don’t want the Game Master’s Guide to repeat them. If that means it takes longer, then so be it.

Anyhow, back to work for me. I hope all of you and your families are doing well, and that you have a great weekend!

9/16/2020 update: Progress
over 5 years ago – Fri, Sep 18, 2020 at 10:34:32 PM

Hi everyone.

I'm just updating you on progress! A few things:

The Player's Guide

The final layout is in progress. I've just finished everything up to the end of the gear chapter. I just have to insert the setting rules, the world information/timeline, etc. and then send it to another person to finalize everything, do the Index/Table Of Contents and link all of the page references. 

You can grab the Change log PDF below. It lists almost every change I've made so far.

 PG Changelog 

Here's the actual PDF for you to check out. It's laid out up to the end of the gear chapter.

 Revised PDF pages 1-113 

Finally, I've changed the cover. It seems like with every version, I've been either accused of being racist for lack of diversity, or I'm exploiting women, and other stuff... It's been draining, so I've gone back to a Cover I used for the Starfinder Edition. I hope you like it, because it's not changing.

The GM's Guide

The GM's Guide is coming along nicely, and I'm planning on having it done by mid-to-late October.

OK, that's it for now. I hope all is well with you.

Thanks for your time.

8/21/2020: Progress Update.
over 5 years ago – Fri, Aug 21, 2020 at 09:48:17 PM

Hi everyone, just an update on a few things.

Player's Guide Revisions

We're getting close to the finish line on the revisions. We're addressing issues with Origins, revising some Edges, modifying some of the weapons and equipment, cutting things that are found in SWADE, adjusting some of the damage codes for weapons to make them more effective against heavily armored opponents, adding in the modifications to Hacking, and the fiction which supports it.  After that's finished, I'll refine the layout for the PDF and Offset versions, and then lay out the Print on Demand Version, as the format needs to change to 8 x 10 so I can offer it in Hard Cover. I'm not sure why Graphic novel format isn't available in POD on DTRPG, but it is what it is.

Once the POD is laid out, I'll order proof copies and, once I'm happy, I'll send out coupons to everyone to get it (if you choose to do so) at cost + shipping. 

GM's Guide

The GM's Guide is coming along. I wanted to have it out this month, but the hacking rewrite and supporting fiction cut into my ability to accomplish that. I apologize.

Introductory Fiction

Finally, below you can find a link to a document called "The Road to 2095." It sets the tone of the world and addresses some of the events which led to an event I call the "Tendril Access Plague." I hope you enjoy it.

 The Road to 2095 

8/15/2020: GM's Guide Cover
over 5 years ago – Sun, Aug 16, 2020 at 09:27:28 PM

It doesn't have the graphic design around it, but I thought I'd share.