Friday, December 04, 2009

Death's Door being discontinued.

I'm discontinuing Death's Door. It's had a good long run, and I've gotten what I wanted out of it as a designer and a publisher. Rather than carry the stock as a cost into another fiscal year, I'm selling off what's left, and if it's not gone by Dec 31, it's getting destroyed.

Which is to say: If you want it, get it now, because you'll not otherwise find it.

It's been marked down to $8.00 USD everywhere I sell it. IPR has about a dozen left, and I have a few at Blank Shield Press as well. I'd appreciate it if you go through IPR by preference; Ideally that stock will just sell out, and they won't need to ship anything back to me.

James

Labels: pimping my stuff, publishing

Friday, October 09, 2009

The update of updateyness, now with updates

Lots of things going on. Like SNOW.

Stupid snow, reminding me that Winter is Coming. We need to winterize the trailer, and clean out the garage so we can park under shelter ASAP. We're also giving the inside of the house the hairy eyeball, and looking at some major reorganization.

In less prosaic affairs, I've got lots of cool ideas for Reality Cops, but they mostly pertain to layout and presentation; the game itself is floating untended at the moment. I desperately need some perspectives that aren't mine, and they aren't coming. :/ I hate chasing after people.

I'm reopening Death's Door as a project; not so much with an eye to republish it, as to use it as a testing ground for rewriting and layout now that I've got that many more years of writing/designing under my belt. It may end up getting republished as a result though, who knows.

And last but not least, Where Are Your Keys is continuing to hold my fascination, such that I've invited a bunch of local people to a workshop to introduce the game, and we'll see what happens from there. I already have some thoughts about techniques and things that I may (will) do differently.

James

Labels: I need a tag for this sort of thing, publishing, Reality Cops, WAYK

Saturday, September 19, 2009

I like InDesign CS4

It's remarkable the features that just come out of nowhere when you upgrade from version 2.1 to version 6.0 . . .

I've created the first rough draft editions of play aids for Reality Cops. You can find them here:

Character Sheet
Real World
Operation worksheet

Enjoy.

James

Labels: publishing, Reality Cops

Tuesday, September 08, 2009

Can't talk, leveling.

Champions Online has eaten my soul.

I'd have more to say, about how I'm considering buying the equipment to do POD out of my basement, or about how awesome wundergeek's preview sketches for Reality Cops looked, or about how my long-running battle with Adobe has finally been laid to rest, and I have the InDesign license that I paid for (in January!) finally.

But I can't. Canada is in Crisis, and it's up to Dark Stalker to save it.

James

Labels: geekery, publishing, Reality Cops

Monday, June 22, 2009

The Martin Thompson Story

An excerpt from Reality Cops. This is a fiction snippet, and about 95% of the setting material that is not generated at the table. Most of the setting for the game is created in a brain-storming session at the beginning of the game, with the rest happening on-the-fly during play.

The Martin Thompson Story

Phase Theory

On March 6th, in the year 2217, Martin Thompson applied a revolutionary combination of mind theory and chemical science, to discover that ours is not the only world. He learned that certain minds, under certain conditions, could be made to shift their perception into other realities. Other worlds. Some of these worlds are much like ours, some are very different. He called these alternate realities phases of existence, and proposed that when a mind transitioned between them, the phases met and touched at that single point, much like soap bubbles floating in air. And like those bubbles, they proved fragile, some more so than others. In early experiments, three volunteers were driven insane when the communal phase they occupied broke under the pressure.

On December 9th 2219, Martin Thompson died, went insane, and disappeared, in approximately that order. This was the first recorded incidence of reality subversion.

Transition Threat

From the very early phases of Thompson’s investigations, it was clear that minds in transition could influence, to varying degrees, the phase they moved to. Investigation of his death and subsequent insanity showed that minds in transition and only minds in transition could also influence this reality. Assimilating known history with Thompson’s model showed clear mathematical indications that, at various points through recorded history, reality had been warped. Sometimes it gradually returned to its “normal” shape, sometimes the change became permanent.

Work in other phases had already shown that a strongly focused mind could cause shifts in the structure of that phase. It was theorized that a sufficiently focused individual could, through the connection between the alternate phase and reality, cause shifts in the structure of reality.

Panic spread. In some places, phase researchers were hunted by mobs, blamed for every little thing. In others, they were lifted up like gods, and viewed as the only ones who could save reality. It is from the seeds of this second set that the awareness of a moral imperative to maintain our reality arose. This awareness, combined with a fluke discovery is what led to the eventual formation of the Phase Research and Reality Maintenance Division, commonly known as Reality Cops.

The Burke Dynamic

In the chaos and panic following widespread awareness of reality subversions, many of the organizations researching phases of existence no longer had the luxury of carefully controlled experiments and volunteers were less carefully screened. In late 2223, this resulted in Carmen Burke entering transition while suffering from acute appendicitis. Carmen's account of how simple it was to affect the phase was initially discounted as simply a misconception, but transition recordings and later, further controlled experimentation bore out the testimony.

A mind that entered transition while experiencing pain was better able to affect the phase it entered.

This was the breakthrough that allowed the Reality Cops to effectively carry out their mandate.

Strictly voluntary, the Division gained in credibility and effectiveness until it was an accepted and necessary part of life for more than a generation.

It had been more than twenty years since the last reality subversion.

The Second Thompson Subversion

July 12, 2262. A deranged man breaks into Division Headquarters and transitions illegally. The man dies moments later, without leaving the phase of existence he had transitioned into. Phase researchers become aware that another reality subversion has occurred. As best can be determined, the subversion had two main effects. First, and most obvious, entering transition no longer required complex equipment. Second, and more complex in its effects, was that the Burke Dynamic no longer drew exclusively from an individual's own pain, but was affected by the pain of those around them.

Post-subversion DNA testing indicates the man was, in fact, Martin Thompson. This is not, however, viewed as conclusive evidence.

The year is 2265. You are a Reality Cop.

Labels: pimping my stuff, publishing, Reality Cops

Monday, May 04, 2009

Endeavours

So, deciding to update around here a little more often; we'll have to see how long that lasts... Oh, Facebook, my languishing blog envies you so.

Reality Cops is my current project, and the two-fold goal is this:
1) To have an ashcan at Gencon
2) To have premie/promo ashcans done by Go Play NorthWest, to distribute among that group, and hopefully generate some play and buzz in the lead-up to con season.

I think I'm on track for this. Text is pretty much done, barring an editing pass or three, so I'm starting to shop around for someone to do the ashcan artwork. Layout will start soon, too. Reminder to self: Harrass Adobe for my new version of InDesign that I paid for.

James

Labels: pimping my stuff, publishing, Reality Cops

Thursday, November 20, 2008

Snippets of fiction

Emily Care Boss, over on knife fight*, is hosting/organizing a series of writing exercises, about one a week or so. This week's was called "chastity", and we were restricted to write a short (200-250 word) piece of descriptive prose without adverbs, adjectives, with no dialogue. Wow, hard. I'm not sure I succeeded (I can spot some adjectives, and I may have gone overboard on the prepositions), but here is the resulting snippet of fiction from me. Let me know what you think.

---------
He stared out the window, and knew it would be soon. The sun sank behind the buildings, and the street grew dim. The smoke from her cigarette irritated his eyes, so he glared until she stubbed it out and walked away. Nothing was said; it didn’t have to be. But that was her way ever since they killed her man.

The street was empty now, even the horses had been brought in. They’d been left before, but that stopped after… He shook his head. No good thinking like that.

Cleaning the barrel, he checked the sky and sighed. No moon tonight, and the gas was gone. Last night they rolled barrels into the street, filled them with trash and gasoline, and it helped. Things would be harder tonight; you can’t shoot what you can’t see.

Noise from below told him that the others were back. He hoped they’d brought everything. Last week Jory forgot gauze, and it could have cost lives. They got lucky, but still. He sighed again. No sense getting mad at Jory – he was in the graveyard now. She came back, set down her load and snapped a cigarette from the pack living in her rolled up sleeve. Glancing at him, she swore, and put it back.

People settled at windows and behind sandbags. Hammering came from downstairs as they barricaded the door. Tension filled the air, and he wondered if he’d see the sunrise.
He eased his gun between the boards of the window and waited. They came.

---------

James

*It's a closed-member forum, so you probably won't be able to see what I'm talking about. It's just a signpost.

Labels: geekery, publishing

Tuesday, January 22, 2008

Grark!

Can't blog, madly prepping for Dreamation.

In related news, IPR is down to single digit stock levels on all my products, so I need to do a restock. Cool!

James

Labels: pimping my stuff, publishing

Tuesday, November 27, 2007

Note to self:

James: IPR has sold out of Brick Battles. Go make more.

thanks,

me.

Labels: pimping my stuff, publishing

Friday, November 23, 2007

Googley Goodness

Hunh. Every once in a while, I'll google my games, just to see where they're falling and if there's any new discussion of them, or whatever.

It's kind of funky. All of my games are front pages results for searches on the title.

"blank shield" - Blank Shield Press is pretty close to the top (#4) when you run this (and pops right to the top as soon as you combine it with anything like game), which hasn't been the case in times past.

"blood and bronze" - I'm not stunningly suprised with results for Blood and Bronze - it's a unique-ish name, although having the top result is gratifying.

"brick battles" - Oddly enough, the BSP page for Brick Battles is no where to be found in the first several pages of links. However, the top 4 results are all different site results for BB - Board Game Geek, Brickwars, brickwiki and IPR. So that's cool. I also found a bunch of indications of actual play. Sweet!

"death's door" - this is the one that really blew my socks off. See, 'death's door' is a stunningly common phrase. Like, not just out there in general, but also in gaming circles - apparantly it's the whole "being at zero hit points" term for D&D and a bunch of other games. And there's a D20 supplement/module called "At Death's Door" and a couple other things. And there's a flash or java game or something like that splattered all across the 'net. And a movie called 'At Death's Door'. And a couple mainstream books published called "Death's Door". Not to mention the Gaimen "Death: At Death's Door" comic. When I did this search a couple years ago, the first mention of my game was buried about 15 pages deep in Google. Today? Result #3. Combine it with "rpg" or "game" actually drops it down in the ratings. Very, very cool.

Neat.

James

Labels: pimping my stuff, publishing

Sunday, October 14, 2007

Brought to you by the letter "ow"...

So folks in my immediate circle already know this, in the specific, and most everyone knows this in the general case, but: I can sometimes be pretty stupid, and it makes my life complicated.

This particular example of stupid is, while sporting a sprained left wrist from falling badly in capoeira on the 4th (a week ago Thurs.), I went to the roda on that Saturday, because people (myself among them) were being given their capoeira names.

Capoeira names is kind of a big deal, because it, even more than a corda or whatever, is a "you're a capoeistra now" change. It's a tradition that grew out of the need for secret names from when capoeira was still a hidden and persecuted slave martial art. So anyway, super-enthusiastic newly minted capoeistra me wants to go and get his secret name, so he goes to the roda.

And get my feet swept out from under me. And fall badly. Again. I stopped myself with both hands, and the blinding pain shooting up my left arm managed to distract me for quite a while, so it wasn't until the roda was almost over* that I realized my right arm was kinda sore.

Yeah, that kind of stupid. So here we are a week later, and I've got soft tissue (tendons or muscles or ligaments or all of the above) damage to both my left wrist and my right elbow.

Leaving aside that this complicates work (can't lift things, turning a screwdriver is actively painful), home (can't lift things, opening things is tricky), capoeira (can't put any weight on my hands), and a bunch of other stuff (clean out the garage? Lay more laminate floor? Hah!), we come to, finally, the point of this post.

I can't make more bowls for Blood and Bronze right now. And all of my product is now carried through IPR, which includes Blood and Bronze Without Peer!. And, drum roll please...

I have an order for one. And no bowls to fill it with. Spider Robinson was right. God is an Iron.

James

*Yes, I stayed until the end. I even played once or twice more. What? Why are you looking at me like that?

Labels: Blood and Bronze, capoeira, publishing

Sunday, August 12, 2007

Gencon!

So, now that I've lollyblogged my way into no readers, here's an update.

I'm getting on a plane for Gencon on Tuesday (technically 00:30 Wednesday) for Gencon Indy 07. I'm really looking forward to this year. I'm not running any Brick Battles events, which frees up my luggage and my time, and I'm table custodian at least once at the Games On Demand area. It's unfortunatly way far away from the dealer's hall, but conveniently downstairs from our hotel room, so I may end up spending more of my time there than I might otherwise. Which is good, becuase - hey, games - on demand.

Evenings will again be spent gaming in the lounge/open area at the Embassy Suites, and I hope to get in lots of good gaming this year. The night that is the exception is Wednesday, which I'm spending getting interviewed again for Theory from the Closet, which should be interesting. This time out, it's less about me and my stuff, and more about game design/theory in general. I'm not sure when I became an authority in this stuff; someone must have pinned a note to my back while I wasn't looking.

My days are going to be taken up in the Dealer's Hall, as I'm again with the forge booth - this time as a primary sponser. As best I can tell so far, that means I shell out more money, earlier, and get a bit more weight when I bitch about things. :)

Blood and Bronze IS ready, and there will be a good stock of regular editions, as well as five of the handcrafted Without Peer! editions. From the rumblings I've heard, I kinda wish I had more, but it was not in the cards - handcrafting is time consuming, and as you may have guessed from my last couple posts, I've been a touch busy.

Labels: Blood and Bronze, geekery, pimping my stuff, publishing

Monday, May 07, 2007

Interview with a Game Designer

I'm a game designer. Who knew? Any, the excellent Clyde Rhoer ofTheory From the Closet cornered me at Forge Midwest a few weeks ago, and sat me in front of a microphone. I had my revenge, though - nobody warned Clyde that I don't know how to shut up.

Anyway, it's a really excellent interview, although, due to the aformentioned "don't know how to shut up" also quite long. Clyde asked some very insightful questions, and really drew me out about some of the thinking and reasoning behind my games.

Check it out. Also check out his other interviews from Forge Midwest. Aside from little ol' me, he managed to corral Ron Edwards, Luke Crane, and Paul Czege.

James

Labels: Blood and Bronze, geekery, pimping my stuff, publishing

Friday, March 30, 2007

CH-ch-ch-changes

It's been a busy week, and the weekend promises to be even busier. One of the things I've done is a mild update on the website. Poke around and see what's changed. Let me know if you like the cover for Blood and Bronze.

Friday night gaming still is, this week, but without me, 'cause I'm off to be a hedonistic Edwardian vampire. But I have it on good authority that Raven is roasting a big lump of cow. Moo.

Also, my Tuesday eggs was actually on Wednesday. Oops!

James

Labels: Blood and Bronze, Friday gaming, publishing

Monday, March 12, 2007

Now Taking Pre-orders

Hi folks,

Now taking pre-orders for TANSTAAFL T-shirts at $20 per. If you want one, post a comment with size preference. Plain black T's, with TANSTAAFL in white block lettering on the front, and small-text "www.blankshieldpress.com" on the left sleeve. T-shirt only, no babydolls this time around, unless I get lots of requests.

I need enough pre-orders to convince me I won't lose money, otherwise the shirts don't get ordered. TANSTAAFL.

James

Labels: geekery, pimping my stuff, publishing

Saturday, March 10, 2007

So, after pretty much totally giving up, I had one last lead actually follow through, and it looks very much like I will be able to produce a high-end version of Blood and Bronze with metal tokens, a hand-made brass bowl and all the rest for a fairly reasonable "boardgame" kind of price.

This will run parallel to a plain version of the game, which comes with cardstock counters, and is priced more in line with the "typical" indie game.

The high end version won't have a margin that will ever see it in a retail store, but will do fine for convention and web sales.

I'm totally stoked about being able to actually get something out that matches my initial plans for the game!

James

Labels: Blood and Bronze, publishing