Podcast [White Wolf] Montags-Treffen, Blogcast & Darker Days

Laboring Day

By richt – September 2, 2013 Posted in: Monday Meeting

Today in the US, and I also hear it’s similar in Canada but with an extra “u”, we have the Labor Day Holiday. This matters little to us at Onyx Path as we have tons of stuff to get done, so we’re working away anyway.

Eddy was at home, but just fine with chatting at lunch, so I mentioned that I’m finally using my iPad to listen to podcasts. Specifically, I’m catching up on Welcome to Nightvale, and David Mitchell’s Soapbox. Now, Nightvale is something that is just so WoD it’s worth it to hear a lighter but still twisted touch to horror, and I listen to David Mitchell’s podcast because, as with Stephen Fry, I just love to listen to both the elegance of his use of language, and hearing it spoken in the Queen’s English- and he’s very funny. At this point, it’s probably no secret that Eddy and I are both Anglophiles, so the interest shouldn’t be surprising, but Eddy did pick up on (and by “picked up on” I mean “mocked me seriously”) the fact that I’m only now coming to the wonderful world of podcasts. Well, at least in terms of entertainment- I have been aware of and appeared on a fair number of them for years. I haven’t been living in a cave. But I did mention that I’m getting more interested in the similarities between these kinds of entertainments and the offerings my parents listened to during the Radio Years. Which is pretty awesome when you think about it. There are entire pages of forums trying to picture Cecil, the Nightvale narrator, as well as fan-art depictions, all because we can’t see him except in our imaginations. (At least until they do their live broadcasts, or do Nightvale the Movie). But we’re fascinated. For quite some time I’ve seen that ability to fill in the gaps with our imaginations as one of the great strengths of tabletop RPGs, and one of the chief reasons that we get so invested in playing- we’re not just consuming someone else’s ideas, but adding our own.

So then, Eddy and I talked business for most of the rest of the hour, because now that he is even more Onyx‘s chief point of contact at CCP, we actually need to review numbers and biz stuff. Which all is, unfortunately, not stuff I can let anybody in on. But the brevity of our reportable meeting minutes means I can take the opportunity to write a bit more about our latest Onyx Path Schedule. As you might have noticed last week, I went over the thinking behind even having a schedule, and did we have some great discussions- thanks folks! This week, I’d like to take a closer look at a few of the projects on the schedule, which you can find here if you didn’t get a copy yet: http://rpg.drivethrustuff.com/product/118000/Onyx-Path-2013-2014-Publishing-Schedule

First, we have the Mage 20th Anniversary Edition, which we announced last year and which Phil Brucato is busily developing even as you read this. Things are going really well with it, even though I still haven’t managed an art preview blog…yet. Apparently, more than a few of you wonderful Mage fans took the fact that the only book on the current schedule listed after Mage20 itself was Digital Web 3.0 as some sort of indication that DW3.0 is the only supplement to Mage20 we were planning. Not so- you can Face Front, True Believers! We learned from W20 that it’s pretty important to leave some room on the schedule for the “extra” projects that can come out of a Deluxe Anniversary Edition’s Kickstarter. With W20, Stew Wilson has been great getting up to speed on the scheduled books as well as the Stretch Goal projects, but it’s still a lot to keep track of. So we left the period after M20‘s release pretty open for Phil and the many cool projects we’d like to see enabled with the Kickstarter. And besides that, bear in mind that the schedule ends with next August, and we’ve already revealed at least one project after that, so there will be other Mage20 books later in 2014. And hopefully, beyond that.

Of course, that project we revealed was the Wraith 20th Anniversary Edition, to be developed by Rich Dansky. Rich and I had a great talk last week, and while I’m not yet listing it on the Updates below because he’s only just getting his thoughts together based on that talk, I think it’s going to be something special. We’re also not talking about possible supplements, because a) they’d be later than August 2014, just like Wr20, and b) we need to see if our M20 release strategy works out.

Another big project that we’re really excited about is V20: Dark Ages. First, please notice the title, because we are being really specific here: this is V20‘s version of Dark Ages. Just like WW‘s original foray into that setting was VtM‘s take on that time period with Vampire: Dark Ages. So while this is not an anniversary edition, there is a lot of classic goodness baked in because of it being a supplement for V20. Dashing David Hill has already got a team of writers working on ideas, and he’s a big fan of the Open Development Process, so expect some blogging sooner rather than later.

Huh, looks like I talked just about cWoD coming attractions- next week I’ll try and look at the two Chronicles books and Dark Eras for nWoD.

Welcome to Onyx Path Updates:

- Strix Chronicle Fiction Anthology (VtR) The PDF and electronic format versions are on sale now at DTRPG/DTFiction: http://www.drivethrufiction.com/product/117396/The-Strix-Chronicle-Anthology If you already purchased them you should have received an Updated notice in your DTRPG library as we made a few minor changes. PoD version on sale this week.

- Blood and Smoke: The Strix Chronicle (VtR) Final dev pass. Art notes out to a couple of main artists.

- Mummy the Curse - Deluxe and Screen: On road from printer to the shipper- more definite news to backers later this week (once the shippers are back from Labor Day). The MtC Ready Made Characters Pack is finishing in layout and then it will be ready for approvals from CCP. Cursed Necropolis DC being written and its cover has been approved.

- Exalted 3rd Edition: While John hunkers down to rewrite the Charms chapter, the rest of the team is working on a couple of EX3 chapters that continue to be finalized for Editing. Dev notes for Matt Forbeck and Jess Hartley’s EX3 novels as well as Zub’s comic are to the writers/artist and their contracts are in various stages of completion.

- V20 Hunters Hunted 2: Deluxe is being assembled. PoD version to join the PDF on sale at DTRPG this week. HH2 Fiction Anthology text is in editing.

- V20 Anarchs Unbound is in layout and we are prepping for its Kickstarter.

- Deluxe Werewolf 20th Anniversary Edition: At binding. Mike Lee is submitting chapters of the W20 “Houses of the Moon” novel to Bill for dev review. The Storyteller Screen files are done and ready for W20. Bill has theW20 Anthology stories done and they are in editing. Jess Hartley continues writing the White Howlers Tribe Book and the W20 Cookbook is almost done in editing

- Deluxe Mage the Ascension 20th Anniversary Edition has Phil Brucato mostly developing now like a maniac and most of the book has been written and we are prepping an editor for this big ol’ thing. Still trying to get Mirthful Mike Chaney to start an art blog.

- W20 Changing Breeds Kickstarter expanded material has been written and is now being worked into the previous text and then to an editing pass and new layout, and the Changing Breeds Fiction Anthology is being edited/developed by Jess Hartley.

- W20 Rage Across the World: In layout.

- Guildhalls of the Deathless (MtC) layout is waiting on a couple of pieces of art and then its done and ready for CCP approvals.

- Conventionbook: Syndicate (cMtA) PDF version is live and I’m waiting for a PoD proof version.

- Conventionbook: Void Engineers (cMtA) is in editing. Art is all in and going into CCP approval.

- W20 Book of the Wyrm is prepped for editing.

- V20 Rites of the Blood: is in editing, Eddy is preparing art notes.

- Under the Darkening Sky (classic Dark Ages): Writers are writing second draft based on Dev notes. David is sending Mirthful Mike art notes for the cover.

- Trinity Continuum: We now have a whopping big Aeon outline and a Trinity Continuum Core Book outline and writers are writing.

- Scion: Joe’s team is hammering systems- big time. Joe is getting back up to speed.

- Demon: The Descent: The text is now in editing! Art has been assigned. Demon Quickstart PDF is free on DTRPG.

- Hunter: The Something About Monsters: Writers are writing.

Reason to Drink: To all our friends laboring at PAX and Dragon-Con last weekend.

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More nWoD Schedule Musings

By richt – September 9, 2013 Posted in: Monday Meeting

This week, Eddy’s under the weather, so I postponed our meeting until he feels better. Thus, rather than our usual jocularity, I’m diving right into describing in a bit more detail just why the two new Chronicles and the nWoD Dark Eras book are exciting for us and we hope for all of you.

We’ve been really gratified at how everyone has reacted to the God Machine Chronicle, and the comments and notes we’ve received for the Strix Chronicles: Blood and Smoke (or as developer Rockin’ Rose Bailey would say: Blood and Smoke: The Strix Chronicle). Creating a new direction for the nWoD game-lines by providing a stronger central background storyline, as well as recreating the systems with the experience of eight years of releases, wasn’t a slam-dunk in terms of acceptance, so we’re really glad folks are saying good things about the books. A few people have asked why we just didn’t create officially announced 2nd Editions, and while that was on the list of possible directions we presented for approval to CCP, it was felt that this alternative direction maintained the overall sandbox philosophy of nWoD while still allowing us to make the changes we thought would strengthen each game-line and the overall nWoD. There certainly are changes like those you’d find in 2nd Editions, but they are much more malleable for inclusion in your ongoing games. With almost all of the nWoD books available on PDF/PoD at DTRPG, and so eternally on the shelf, we decided to make it as easy as possible to have a strong supported backstory ala the God Machine, or to pick and choose what aspects you incorporate, and to make the new rules available as a free PDF and added to Strix to further enhance how easy they are to use, pick from, or ignore completely.

So now, coming up, are the Chronicles for Werewolf: The Forsaken, and Mage: The Awakening. Forsaken‘s is the Idigam Chronicle (not Idigram as I insisted on writing it in the Gen Con promo info- doh!) and it’s central premise is “The Wolf Must Hunt!”. That phrase should give WtF fans a bit of a clue where developer Smilin’ Stew Wilson is going with the book, as it already shifts the overall theme from “spirit world beat-cop” as it was in the WtF core book. As with the other Chronicle books, we’re going to start with a fiction anthology first to give folks a chance to dip into the more focused backstory, and then launch the gamebook. We’re currently discussing just what needs to be re-imagined in the project, and whether we can incorporate the appropriate new GMC rules right into the book, as with Strix. The Fallen World Chronicle for Mage is a bit further out- so much so that a couple of folks wrote me wondering if we were only doing a fiction anthology for it since that’s all that was on the Schedule. Rest assured we are indeed going to have a Fallen World Chronicle game book as well as the anthology- it’s just slated for the part of the 2014 Schedule we haven’t yet revealed. What developer Dapper Dave Brookshaw has in store is still a bit further out than we can go into, but part of the overall re-imaging is that Mages delve into the mysteries of reality. As he said at Gen Con, and I’m paraphrasing here: “If Demons are the spies of the nWoD, then Mages are the detectives.”

Which brings us to nWoD: Dark Eras- or really just Dark Eras; you know what I’m talking about. One of the big challenges that Onyx Path has in terms of publishing the awesome White Wolf game lines is just how many of them there really are. Now Exalted is it’s own thing, really, although obviously Infernals are a fair bit different than Lunars, and cWoD is being rolled out with each 20th Anniversary Edition quite understandably setting the pace. But for nWod, every time we put out a schedule I get the same emails from concerned fans of GameX that didn’t have a new book on the schedule: “Where’s the love for GameX?” they ask. Well first off, it has nothing to do with withholding love from game lines but a question of what makes sense creatively and financially, and with the limited slots we have had each year for new books. Which is why for 2014, I decided we should have a book that visits each nWoD game line and gives each line something new for Storytellers to work into their Chronicles.

I thought that the historical Eras were a cool way to do that without stomping all over what we were trying with the Chronicle books or players’ ongoing Chronicles. Just doing the nine sections would make for a pretty big book, but since we would Kickstart a Deluxe version for sure, it seemed like we could control costs pretty well. Except, it hit me, what if we didn’t leave the usefulness of the KS system there, but pushed it further and used the KS Stretch Goal system to get other Dark Eras added to the book- maybe from big names, or dealing with obscure but flavorful Eras, or as Black Hat Matt McFarland suggested for WoD: Innocents, smaller “game lines” that weren’t one of the main nine? This sounded pretty cool, and would really nicely tie in with our use of the Kickstarters to allow our backers to directly determine how an individual book or even a whole line would develop.

And then, I talked with Multi-talented Matt McElroy and we came up with a few other ways we could use the KS process to determine how the book would develop. What if, the base “get a copy of the book” Reward wasn’t just one pledge Reward Tier, but there were nine of the same Reward- the book- labelled for each of the game lines and you would pick your favorite when you pledged? We could count the number of pledges in each of those nine Rewards and, for example, add 50% more content to the Changeling: The Lost Dark Era if that Reward had the most pledges associated with it. Or if we set a goal line of amount of pledges and the first line to get that number got more art in their Dark Era section. There really are a lot of interesting ways we could look at how Kickstarter is set up and play with that system to put the sorts of content into Dark Eras that you all are excited about. Which is really the point of any of our KS campaigns.

Would the nine Reward idea be too much of a popularity test? Would a bunch of Requiem fans pledge for the Promethean Reward Tier just to help out that game line? I don’t know the answers, but here’s a project that lets us play around with ways to experiment on the content of a book that would have been impossible even a few years ago. Let us know what you think about those sorts of possibilities. Thanks!

Not Possibilities, but Actual Updates:

- Strix Chronicle Fiction Anthology (VtR) The PoD, PDF, and electronic format versions are on sale now at DTRPG/DTFiction: http://www.drivethrufiction.com/product/117396/The-Strix-Chronicle-Anthology If you already purchased them you should have received an Updated notice in your DTRPG library as we made a few minor changes. This was one of the first books where we released the PDF about a month before the PoD version and while we didn’t get a huge amount of feedback, what we got really helped a fair bit to tighten up the text.

- Blood and Smoke: The Strix Chronicle (VtR) Final dev pass. Remainder of art notes out this week..

- Mummy the Curse - Deluxe and Screen: Books and Screens at the shipper. The MtC Ready Made Characters Pack is finishing in layout and then it will be ready for approvals from CCP. Cursed Necropolis DC being written and its cover has been approved. KS backers have been approached about their character info needed to go in the book.

- Exalted 3rd Edition: While John hunkers down to rewrite the Charms chapter, the rest of the team is working on a couple of EX3 chapters that continue to be finalized for Editing: Stealth Charms just went into internal playtestings, and Chapter3 (Character Creation) and half of Chapter5 (Traits) and the combat engine are in editing. A big issue with Hearthstones was resolved, pleasing Holden no end. Dev notes for Matt Forbeck and Jess Hartley’s EX3 novels as well as Zub’s comic are to the writers/artist and their contracts are in various stages of completion.

- V20 Hunters Hunted 2: Deluxe is being assembled. PoD and PDF versions on sale at DTRPG. This is another book that really benefited from the PDF reviews that our community had a chance to let us know about. HH2 Fiction Anthology text is in editing.

- V20 Anarchs Unbound is in layout and we are prepping for its Kickstarter.

- Deluxe Werewolf 20th Anniversary Edition: At binding. Mike Lee is submitting chapters of the W20 “Houses of the Moon” novel to Bill for dev review. The Storyteller Screen files are done and ready for W20. Bill has theW20 Anthology stories done and they are in editing. Jess Hartley continues writing the White Howlers Tribe Book and the W20 Cookbook is almost done in editing

- Deluxe Mage the Ascension 20th Anniversary Edition has Phil Brucato mostly developing now like a maniac and most of the book has been written and we are prepping an editor for this big ol’ thing. Still trying to get Mirthful Mike Chaney to start an art blog.

- W20 Changing Breeds Kickstarter expanded material has been written and is now being worked into the previous text and then to an editing pass and new layout, and the Changing Breeds Fiction Anthology is being edited/developed by Jess Hartley.

- W20 Rage Across the World: In layout.

- Guildhalls of the Deathless (MtC) layout is waiting on a couple of pieces of art and then its done and ready for CCP approvals.

- Conventionbook: Syndicate (cMtA) PoD and PDF versions are all live TODAY. The third book we were able to get community feedback on by releasing the PDF early, and it was much strengthened as a result.

- Conventionbook: Void Engineers (cMtA) is in an additional Dev pass as Ryan expands on this book’s lexicon in particular. Art is all in and approved.

- W20 Book of the Wyrm is prepped for editing
.
- V20 Rites of the Blood: is in editing, Eddy is preparing art notes.

- Under the Darkening Sky (classic Dark Ages): Writers are writing second draft based on Dev notes. David is sending Mirthful Mike art notes for the cover.

- Trinity Continuum: We now have a whopping big Aeon outline and a Trinity Continuum Core Book outline and writers are writing.

- Scion: Joe’s team is hammering systems- big time. Joe is getting back up to speed.

- Demon: The Descent: In layout. Demon Quickstart PDF is free on DTRPG.

- Hunter: The Something About Monsters: Writers are writing. Con season has knocked a few of them back and they needed extended deadlines.

- nWoD: Dark Eras: Writers are writing, see above for more info.

-V20 Dark Ages: Scribes are scribing. See last week’s Monday Meeting Notes for more details.

- DtF Players Guide: Flowers Of Hell?: Being written in the mirrors of reality.

Reason to Drink: There’s a crisp tang in the air as nature prepares to die again.

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Headed to LA…By Night.

By richt – September 16, 2013 Posted in: Monday Meeting

By necessity, this will be a bit of a shorter Monday Meeting Notes offering, in that I’m headed mid-week to LA for this year’s Masquerade happening. Onyx Path and By Night Studios will be representing for the tabletop and Live Action crowds respectively, and together we’ll be letting folks know that WW‘s World of Darkness is alive and well- or undead and powerful. Your choice.

I’m looking forward to seeing Shane von Shane, Justin Achilli, Jason Carl, Jess Hartley, the divine Miss E, and lots more folks. And of course, talking about all the exciting stuff Onyx Path has lined up for the next year. Eddy and I talked a lot about this trip today, as we’ll be doing our “What’s Up w/White Wolf and Onyx Path” presentation again, we think at noon on Saturday. We also have two panels later- starting at 2pm I think- where we talk about the overall future of WW with the By Night crew. And either Friday or Saturday morning, Matt McElroy and/or Justin will be doing another live outlining of a V20 book. (I think it’s V20: Ghouls). Eddy might be in on that too, but he is definitely doing a couple of presentations of his own those two mornings, including his (in)famous “Your Game Sucks” presentation.

We also discussed some Onyx to CCP business, Eddy’s reoccurring ear problems (I suggested antennae rather than hearing aides), the careful steps you must sometimes take when working with other companies’ licenses, and my trip this weekend to fabulous IlluxCon. And by trip, I mean it was about twenty minutes from my house. It was a fantastic show dedicated to the amazing artwork of professional fantasy and science-fiction illustrators, and boy did it live up to expectations. I had worked with or knew about half of the artists there, but standing in the same room with Roger Dean, Ian Miller, Michael Whelan, Boris, and the surviving Hildebrandt Brother, Greg, was staggering. There was so much great art there I actually had to leave the galleries to give the input a chance to ease down into my brain. I sent Mirthful Mike Chaney a long email with the various contact points I picked up so that he could see what sort of new artists we could get working on illustrations for us.

So that’s it for this week- I have to cram a week’s worth of work into a couple of days before I take the long flight west- and if any of you are attending LA By Night, I’ll see you there!

Updates Of Our Artistic Creations:

- Blood and Smoke: The Strix Chronicle (VtR) Final dev pass. Art is almost all contracted. Might try and get some artists from IlluxCon in on the book, though.

- Mummy the Curse - Deluxe and Screen: Books and Screens ARE SHIPPING! The MtC Ready Made Characters Pack needed some tweaks and is now back in layout and then it will be ready for approvals from CCP. Cursed Necropolis DC being red-lined by CAS and then back for second drafts from the writers. KS backers have been approached about their character info needed to go in the book. Please get that to me ASAP, folks!

- Exalted 3rd Edition: While John hunkers down to rewrite the Charms chapter, the rest of the team is working on a couple of EX3 chapters that continue to be finalized for Editing: Athletics Charms are going into internal playtestings, and Chapter3 (Character Creation) and half of Chapter5 (Traits) and the combat engine are in editing. A big issue with Hearthstones was resolved, pleasing Holden no end. Dev notes for Matt Forbeck and Jess Hartley’s EX3 novels as well as Zub’s comic are to the writers/artist and their contracts are in various stages of completion.

- V20 Hunters Hunted 2: Deluxe is being assembled. PoD and PDF versions on sale at DTRPG. This is another book that really benefited from the PDF reviews that our community had a chance to let us know about. HH2 Fiction Anthology text is in editing.

- V20 Anarchs Unbound is in layout and we are prepping for its Kickstarter.

- Deluxe Werewolf 20th Anniversary Edition: At binding. Mike Lee is submitting chapters of the W20 “Houses of the Moon” novel to Bill for dev review. The Storyteller Screen files are done and ready for W20. Bill has theW20 Anthology stories done and they are in editing. Jess Hartley continues writing the White Howlers Tribe Book, and she and I will be talking about the book in LA, and the W20 Cookbook is almost done in editing

- Deluxe Mage the Ascension 20th Anniversary Edition has Phil Brucato mostly developing now like a maniac and most of the book has been written and we are prepping an editor for this big ol’ thing. Still trying to get Mirthful Mike Chaney to start an art blog. Mike was laid low last week but says he’s back to “normal” and gonna get a blog up.

- W20 Changing Breeds Kickstarter expanded material has been written and is now being worked into the previous text and then to an editing pass and new layout, and the Changing Breeds Fiction Anthology is being edited/developed by Jess Hartley.

- W20 Rage Across the World: In layout.

- Guildhalls of the Deathless (MtC) being proofed by CAS, and then to CCP approvals.

- Conventionbook: Syndicate (cMtA) PoD and PDF versions are all live. The third book we were able to get community feedback on by releasing the PDF early, and it was much strengthened as a result.

- Conventionbook: Void Engineers (cMtA) is in layout.

- W20 Book of the Wyrm is in editing.

- V20 Rites of the Blood: is in editing, Eddy is preparing art notes.

- Under the Darkening Sky (classic Dark Ages): One more chapter to be revised to the Dev notes, and then into editing.

- Trinity Continuum: We now have a whopping big Aeon outline and a Trinity Continuum Core Book outline and writers are writing.

- Scion:Joe’s team is hammering systems- big time. Joe is getting back up to speed.

- Demon: The Descent: In layout. Demon Quickstart PDF is free on DTRPG and the PoD version is soon to go live there too.

- Hunter: The Something About Monsters: Writers are writing. Con season has knocked a few of them back and they needed extended deadlines.

- nWoD: Dark Eras: Writers are writing.

-V20 Dark Ages: Scribes are scribing.

- DtF Players Guide: Flowers Of Hell?: Being written in the labyrinth of lies.

Reason to Drink: Justin. LA. Larry Snelly’s lawn. ‘Nuff said.

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Lagged Out After LA

By richt – September 25, 2013 Posted in: Monday Meeting

Still. Still groggy. I’m told it’s jet lag from flying back from LAbyNight. Or maybe I spent just a little too much time in the lovely art deco Observation Room bar like in the image accompanying this post. They had great cocktails, and I think I tried 10 out of fifteen of them (the other five had ingredients I can’t have). That’s Matt McElroy, Dhaunae, and Lorenzo trying to pose while I maul Eddy.

As you can tell, we had a fantastic time. Both the “What’s Up w/WW/OP” and the joint licensees panels went great and were full of laughter and excellent questions about our plans for the next year. The real value of the con for me though, was touching base with all the other companies and groups starting with the delightful and energetic By Night Studios team- our cousins in blood, each looking out for our part of the great White Wolf legacy we helped create, as well as the Mind’s Eye Society and Masquerade By Night folks who let me romp around as a Gangrel Anarch. I also had some talks with some OWbN folks, Garou Nation and Accord (spelling?) members, Dave Martin and his Wrecking Crew, and the Dead Gamers Society. The latter two were running tabletop games. I was able to have fun and funny conversations with the legendary Tim Bradstreet, and CCP’s own Creative Director Reynir Hardarson, both of whom spontaneously came in for the dinner and Succubus Club party on Saturday. And of course, all the fans who played continually through the ship who were clearly immersed in the life-style they love.

So all in all, what Eddy and I (we actually did talk on Monday about this) take away from a gathering like this is how the WoD (both versions) touches and is touched upon by so many sorts of people sharing that common love. That’s not mushy, it’s important. Are nWoD, Exalted, cWoD, Scion, or Trinity games? Absolutely. But they are not just games. The stories I hear at cons like this are always about how being involved with these games have changed people’s lives. That’s art, my friends. YMMV.

Updates Of Our Other Artistic Creations:

- Blood and Smoke: The Strix Chronicle (VtR) In Editing. Art is almost all contracted. Mirthful Mike has contracted several new artists, including a couple from IlluxCon.

- Mummy the Curse - Deluxe and Screen: Books and Screens ARE STILL SHIPPING! The MtC Ready Made Characters Pack needed some tweaks and is now back in layout and then it will be ready for approvals from CCP. Cursed Necropolis DC being red-lined by CAS and then back for second drafts from the writers. KS backers have been approached about their character info needed to go in the book. Please get that to me ASAP, folks!

- Exalted 3rd Edition: While John hunkers down to rewrite the Charms chapter, the rest of the team is working on a couple of EX3 chapters that continue to be finalized for Editing: Awareness Charms are getting wrapped up, Athletics Charms, the Religion and the Finance sections are in editing. Evocations are in progress. Essence pool calculations and Ox-Body Technique arrays are done for all the upcoming hardbacks so they can be implemented into the Antagonists chapter, and that chapter is moving toward completion so it can go to editing too. Both EX3 novels as well as Zub’s EX3 Comic are in progress, and the EX3 Music Suites are being scoped out.

- V20 Hunters Hunted 2: Deluxe is being assembled. PoD and PDF versions on sale at DTRPG. This is another book that really benefited from the PDF reviews that our community had a chance to let us know about. HH2 Fiction Anthology text is in editing.

- V20 Anarchs Unbound is in layout and we are prepping for its Kickstarter. Justin is having a strange “phantom voices” issue with his playback for the KS vid that he’s trying to solve.

- Deluxe Werewolf 20th Anniversary Edition: At binding. Mike Lee is submitting chapters of the W20 “Houses of the Moon” novel to Bill for dev review. The Storyteller Screen files are done and ready for W20. Bill has theW20 Anthology stories done and they are in editing. Jess Hartley is submitting the White Howlers Tribe Book to Stew Wilson for development notes, and the W20 Cookbook is almost done in editing

- Deluxe Mage the Ascension 20th Anniversary Edition has Phil Brucato mostly developing now like a maniac and most of the book has been written and we are prepping an editor for this big ol’ thing. Still, still trying to get Mirthful Mike Chaney to start an art blog.

- W20 Changing Breeds Kickstarter expanded material has been put into the new layout and is still waiting for the art and backer names expected this week, and the Changing Breeds Fiction Anthology is being contracted by developer Jess Hartley.

- W20 Rage Across the World: In layout.

- Guildhalls of the Deathless (MtC) being proofed by CAS, and then to CCP approvals.

- Conventionbook: Syndicate (cMtA) PoD and PDF versions are all live. The third book we were able to get community feedback on by releasing the PDF early, and it was much strengthened as a result.

- Conventionbook: Void Engineers (cMtA) is in layout.

- W20 Book of the Wyrm is in editing.

- V20 Rites of the Blood: is in editing, Eddy is preparing art notes.

- Under the Darkening Sky (classic Dark Ages): All text in and in the final Dev pass, and then into editing.

- Trinity Continuum: We now have a whopping big Aeon outline and a Trinity Continuum Core Book outline and writers are writing.

- Scion: Joe’s team is hammering systems- big time. Expecting the first system doc this week.

- Demon: The Descent: In layout. Demon Quickstart PDF is free on DTRPG and the PoD version is Now LIVE.

- Hunter: The Something About Monsters: Writers are writing. Con season has knocked a few of them back and they needed extended deadlines.

- nWoD: Dark Eras: Writers are writing.

-V20 Dark Ages: Scribes are scribing.

- DtD Players Guide: Flowers Of Hell?: Being written in a hall of mirrors,some of which are crack’d.

Reason to Drink: Sad I never saw ol’ Larry or his lawn. Pouring a drop for him.

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Where’d That Eddy Go?

By richt – September 30, 2013 Posted in: Monday Meeting

This might be a good place to explain why these notes are always about this Monday lunch meeting that Eddy and I have, and why I’m always talking about our conversations. Come with me back into the dim mists of time, back before White Wolf was a company…

I worked at a TV station in Philadelphia (WTXF-TV29 for all my Philly-ites) in Creative Services. We did all the advertising, both internal and external, and I also did news graphics on the crudest computer graphics tablet known to man. This was late 80′s- early 90′s. My boss in the department, Denise, was one of the best bosses I ever had, and she held a Monday morning meeting to start the week. I thought it worked really well to get all our creative asses in line and at least starting out going the same way. In ’92 I headed down to White Wolf and there was already a Monday lunch tradition for the whole company- all eight or nine of us- so that dovetailed neatly into the Monday meal idea. Then, WW grew so fast that within months we just couldn’t all have a meal together and actually get anything done, so we split the company onto different days and I vehemently insisted on keeping Monday as my department’s lunch-together day because of what I’d learned about starting the week together from Denise.

Even after I moved back to Philly and was telecommuting as the head of the department and then Creative Director, we still continued the Monday lunch meeting. I started a Live Journal (remember those?) to do essentially what I do here now- give updates and inside looks at what we’re up to- and when I moved over to work on the MMO, it fell to Eddy as the fastest and most cohesive writer to keep up the notes from that Monday meeting. Once Eddy and I started the CCP Transmedia Group after V20, we got back to having these Monday weekly meetings and posting about them- first Eddy wrote them and then I took over as they became an Onyx Path thing. Since they have been just between he and I for the last 5 years, we’ve developed a sort of “what’s interesting to you this week?” back and forth, that also covers the business and approvals that Eddy oversees in our license arrangement with CCP. So the first part of these posts is usually me taking the random media conversation we just had, and digging into it as to why it relates to the projects we’re doing at Onyx Path. Because we’re both so focused on game creation that it almost always does.

Which brings us to today and the fact that Eddy and I did not meet, and aren’t going to meet this week. Things are ultra good between Onyx and CCP, and Eddy’s job with the MMO- what takes up 90% of his CCP job responsibilities- is requiring him to engage in one of those awesome and exhausting day-long Scrum scoping meetings. (Scrum methodology is a project planning system used by CCP and other companies in the computer game business and elsewhere.) Let me underline this as we heard some folks in LA who were confused about who is connected to and does what with which company. Eddy is employed by CCP to help create the WoD MMO. Because of our good and long time relationship, and his understanding of the WW gamelines, he is also Onyx Path’s liaison with CCP and is now our connection for both approvals and business issues. To further confuse things, Eddy is also one of Onyx’s freelance V20 developers. Eddy is not however an employee of Onyx Path beyond his freelance contracts, nor is he a secret owner. Right now, I am the sole employee and owner of Onyx Path Publishing, LLC.

Just wanted to get that upfront and repeated for those of you who are new to this blog.

Finally, along the same lines: the entire staff of CCP are going on a retreat starting on Weds, and we’re not sure if Eddy and I will meet next week. If not, I’ll write a blog about Kickstarters and how far we’ve come in a a year and a half of doing them. If we do: more Sherlock Holmes talk! What?

Projects Being Worked On By Freelance Creative Talent Right Now:

- Blood and Smoke: The Strix Chronicle (VtR) In Editing. Art is all contracted. Mirthful Mike has contracted several new artists, including a couple from IlluxCon.

- Mummy the Curse - Deluxe and Screen: Books and Screens ARE STILL SHIPPING! All US single books and single books w/screens are out, as well, I’m just told, are all International single books &screens. The MtC Ready Made Characters Pack is in layout and then it will be ready for approvals from CCP. Cursed Necropolis DC being red-lined by CAS and then back for second drafts from the writers. KS backers have been approached about their character info needed to go in the book. Please get that to me ASAP, folks! !!!

- Exalted 3rd Edition: While John hunkers down to rewrite the Charms chapter, the rest of the team is working on a couple of EX3 chapters that continue to be finalized for Editing: Awareness Charms are done which finishes off the Night Caste charms, the Wyld and Fair Folk sections are in editing. Evocations are in progress. Both EX3 novels as well as Zub’s EX3 Comic are in progress, and the EX3 Music Suites are being scoped out.

- V20 Hunters Hunted 2: Deluxe is being assembled. PoD and PDF versions on sale at DTRPG. This is another book that really benefited from the PDF reviews that our community had a chance to let us know about. HH2 Fiction Anthology text is in editing.

- V20 Anarchs Unbound is in layout and we are prepping for its Kickstarter- setting aside time at the end of the week to create this. Justin is having a strange “phantom voices” issue with his playback for the KS vid but we think he solved this.

- Deluxe Werewolf 20th Anniversary Edition: Regular Deluxe is done with binding, and I actually had a copy with the claw-marks lasered through in my hands and it looks sweet. Heavy Metal Deluxe is being worked up now as a prototype with their new press. Mike Lee is submitting chapters of the W20 “Houses of the Moon” novel to Bill for dev review. The Storyteller Screen files are done and ready for W20. Bill has theW20 Anthology stories done and they are in editing. Jess Hartley is submitting the White Howlers Tribe Book to Stew Wilson for development notes, and the W20 Cookbook is almost done in editing

- Deluxe Mage the Ascension 20th Anniversary Edition has Phil Brucato mostly developing now like a maniac and most of the book has been written and we are prepping an editor for this big ol’ thing. Check out our first M20 art blog by Mirthful Mike Chaney: http://theonyxpath.com/mirthful-mikes-art-blog-mage-20th-anniversary-preview-1/

- W20 Changing Breeds Kickstarter expanded material has been put into the new layout and the backer names and all the art except the opening comic- which is taking longer- are being dropped in, and the Changing Breeds Fiction Anthology is being contracted by developer Jess Hartley.

- W20 Rage Across the World: In layout.

- Guildhalls of the Deathless (MtC) the PDF is going live on DTRPG…in the next couple hours?

- Conventionbook: Void Engineers (cMtA) is in second layout proof.

- W20 Book of the Wyrm is in editing.

- V20 Rites of the Blood: is in editing, Eddy is preparing art notes.

- Under the Darkening Sky (classic Dark Ages): In editing.

- Trinity Continuum: We now have a whopping big Aeon outline and a Trinity Continuum Core Book outline and writers are writing.

- Scion: Joe’s team is hammering systems- big time. Reviewing the first system doc this week.

- Demon: The Descent: In layout. Demon Quickstart PDF is free on DTRPG and the PoD version is Now LIVE.

- Hunter: The Something About Monsters: Writers are writing. Many first drafts are getting red-lined.

- nWoD: Dark Eras: Writers are writing.

-V20 Dark Ages: Scribes are scribing.

- DtD Players Guide: Flowers Of Hell?: Being written in a pit filled with bone white violets, and violet roses.

Reason to Drink: Our elected offcials.

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Eddy’s Turkey Trip Continues

By richt – October 8, 2013 Posted in: Monday Meeting

As we thought might be the case last week, the flight back from Turkey (where Eddy and the rest of CCP went for their massive and fun company retreat) was exhausting, and boy are Eddy’s arms tired!

Also, as an FYI: this site: www.theonyxpath.com will be down for a couple of days for routine maintenance- we’ll be tweaking a few things as well as prepping for a new Big Announcement.

So this week, how about I jot down a few thoughts about how Kickstarter fits into our publishing plans at Onyx Path Publishing?

I’m imagining most of you have already read my previous notes on how Kickstarter has become a vital part of Onyx Path‘s business model: how the ability to use KS to directly communicate with the community fits into our Open Dev Process goals of having a dialogue with those fans who want to have one, and enables us to create traditionally printed high quality books even while we keep the infinite bookshelf of DTRPG stocked with PDFs and the physical books produced by Print on Demand. That’s the general “value proposition” of Onyx using KS or other crowd-funding methods, but what I want to go into today is a little more of the nuts and bolts.

To begin with, we have to start with the idea that Kickstarter is still a wild frontier. To paraphrase Greg Stolze, it’s a wild jungle still and KS creators are still hacking their way through with machetes. One truth is that every KS is different, and what works for one KS doesn’t necessarily work for another, either internally with such things as logistics of creation and delivery, or externally as towards what various fans would like the KS to feature. There is no perfect KS campaign that can then be the model for all KS’s everywhere. And as I say in the text of every KS we’ve done: we’re still experimenting with our KSs every single time we do one. Oh, there are some consistent Rewards across all of them, or a structure to the Stretch Goals that some books echo, but I really don’t want any of our KSs to be seen as same old, same old.

Particularly in relation to this next point: Onyx Path Kickstarters aren’t the same creative team with every campaign. This is really important to understand because it really affects how the KS is set up, and also is a big difference between ours and a lot of the KSs out there. So far, I’ve been the Creator for all the Kickstarters Onyx has done, which provides a certain level of consistency to the set-up and communication, and then we have all sorts of different creators engaged because its their project that we are KSing. But, that means that the creators of the project (for example, Joltin’ Justin Achilli and his writing team and Mirthful Mike Chaney and his artists for the upcoming V20 Anarchs Unbound KS) aren’t the Creators of the KS. And the way Onyx is all about working with a lot of creative folks who have demanding day jobs, like Justin, means that there’s really no way they could be running a KS- it just takes an enormous amount of time and energy to run one. So we try and make up for that by first working hand-in-glove with the developers of the project to present Rewards and Stretch Goals that they are comfortable with and feel they can deliver on. Very often during a KS, the delay to put up the next Stretch Goal or add a Reward is because I’m trying to get a consensus on whether the new thing that the backers are asking for is OK with the creative team. (And guess what? Many times, just because our Stretch Goal amount was just passed doesn’t mean that the developer is finished with their day job meeting, or back from taking their kids to the park.)

We also meet ahead of the KS’s launch and discuss who can do what when during the length of the KS. Our current method of division of labor is to have the developer or development team communicating through the Comments section and me through the direct “contact me” emails while we both work on a series of Updates ahead of time- although we are willing to dive in on new or different Updates depending on how the KS progresses. Again, trying to enable the best kind of dialogue between the creators and the backers means being sensitive to not only the creative team’s schedule but also their comfort level. Every team works differently, and not all creators want, or can even create well with, direct communication all the time about their creations. Yet, that sort of dialogue between backers and creators has been proven, at least to me, to be vital to a fulfilling and successful KS, so we push for the kinds of communication that the creators feel they can commit to. Sometimes this works as expected, sometimes life events change how much interaction is possible, sometimes the creative team is overwhelmed and they back off, and sometimes the community interaction is so exciting that we get more than the creators thought they could give. Every KS is different.

Another big difference between Onyx Path‘s use of Kickstarter and other KSs is that we have thus far not used it to fund the creation of a book, but rather we have used it to fund the process of creating Deluxe editions of that book, or, in the case of Mummy: The Curse, a traditionally printed with upgraded features edition. (Which is not to say we won’t try funding a whole project further down the line). How that Deluxe KS relates to the regular model of PDF/PoD availability on DTRPG is something we are also experimenting with, particularly if the KS itself adds to the original project in terms of upgrades or extra sections or chapters or more art. But because it is a process of creation of a Deluxe version that the KS is funding, we’re not tying the Deluxe delivery to the PDF/PoD availability. Our KSs, so far, are not about early delivery of the material to the backers before the “regular fans”, they are about the exclusive delivery of the Deluxe version to the backers. This is different than some other KSs out there, so it pays to read all KSs carefully to see what you’re getting into. Case in point: we are offering Storyteller Screens with our KSs now because so many backers asked for them, and they are described multiple times on every KS as being 3-panel and printed both sides on heavy stock. (Actually the heaviest board the printer can use without moving to a totally different and vastly more expensive process). Despite this description, I have had a couple of messages from backers disappointed in the screen because it doesn’t match the 4-panel deluxe screens we did for VtM Revised. It was never described as leatherette covered, or even as matching V20 or the older screens, or as 4 panel, so I really have nothing I can tell these folks. But it points out the important advice of making sure to read the whole KS text- and particularly the description of the Reward you just pledged for.

We are also really careful about what we add on to the project beyond the creation of a Deluxe edition, and I look at each possible new project, added feature to the book, or different kind of product offered by Rewards or Stretch Goals with a jaundiced eye. First off, Onyx creates worlds, and is specifically set up to deliver those worlds via books and electronic “books” and has incredibly experienced and creative folks who know how to do that. Our processes are designed to create the highest quality projects in those areas. We are not jewelry or dice manufacturers, so anything we might offer for a Kickstarter like a Clan-pin, or Werewolf Dice, would be outside the methodology of what we all know how to do. And that means that other methods, approval processes, logistics in shipping, etc, would come into the mix. We are clearly still mastering getting our Deluxe books done well and within a process we can predict and time, so adding even more confusion to that mix would be bad. Even though I know that these extra things can drive backers into just a frenzy of excitement, I move very slowly into offering extras unless we are working with folks who know how to deliver a finished project almost entirely on their own. For example, the EX3 Canvas map is being printed by a company whose work I’ve seen before, and it is a product that can be fit into standard shipping packaging with a minimum of chances for damage, screw-ups, or crazy fees.

For the additional text or other upgrades to the books themselves, or new projects like Mummy‘s Necropolis: DC, that come out of Stretch Goals we are equally careful about whether the creative team can get to all the extra work, and whether those projects fit into where the line is headed. Again, this involves working with the developers in particular as to what they are comfortable with. I try not to drop projects onto a creative team just because backers, or I, think it would be cool. We have to temper the needs of the project with the needs of the KS and what will keep backers interested and talking about the experience in positive ways. There is no one size fits all for these sorts of things. Generally, I’ve found that a mix of extra stuff for the Deluxe book itself combined with other material outside the book as added projects works really well in giving the widest range of extras that let every backer know that the their involvement has improved both the book and the overall project.

Then we have the reality of Stretch Goals, in that they aren’t provided with “free money” once we pass the Funding Goal, and in fact must be funded with whatever money remains after the amount to create and ship the Deluxe is taken out of the vast majority of pledges. This is yet another difference in our Kickstarters (and most RPG KSs as a whole) as opposed to say the computer game industry. We still have printing and shipping to factor into most pledges. So that is factored in to how we set up the Stretch Goals and where we place them as we go along. I don’t want another final goal that’s really cool not get funded like in Mummy‘s KS- that’s just disappointing for everyone. We also sometimes don’t think of a “Stretchie”, a term I’ve used but everyone else seems to hate, until it is discussed by backers during the KS, and I think staying flexible enough to include just such a backer identified extra is one of the great parts of Kickstarter. Which is one of the reasons we have “hidden” Stretch Goals instead of having them pre-listed- I like timing and setting up the Stretch Goals in response to backer participation. Plus, it’s just fun to find out what the next ones are after the current one is achieved.

Hopefully, that’s a good start on our KS thinking- obviously it’s important enough that even this wall of words is just the tip of the iceberg in terms of what could be said about KS and our methods with it, but enough for now! On to the Updates-

Yes, These Updates Right Here:

- Blood and Smoke: The Strix Chronicle (VtR) In Editing. Art is all contracted. Mirthful Mike has contracted several new artists, including a couple from IlluxCon.

- Mummy the Curse - Deluxe and Screen: Books and Screens are all shipped out- as a backer, check the last Backer Update from KS as to when you should worry about getting your copies if you haven’t yet. The MtC Ready Made Characters Pack is in for approvals from CCP. Cursed Necropolis DC is being red-lined by CAS and then back for second drafts from the writers.

- Exalted 3rd Edition: While John hunkers down to rewrite the Charms chapter, the rest of the team is working on a couple of EX3 chapters that continue to be finalized for Editing: The Awareness Charms are actually much broader and useful than previous versions and the Dawn Caste Charms are getting wrapped up. Martial Arts and Evocations are almost completely written but still need review by the Devs. Both EX3 novels as well as Zub’s EX3 Comic are in progress in fact we were just looking at a cover idea, and the EX3 Music Suites are being scoped out.

- V20 Hunters Hunted 2: Deluxe is being assembled. PoD and PDF versions on sale at DTRPG. This is another book that really benefited from the PDF reviews that our community had a chance to let us know about. HH2 Fiction Anthology text is in editing.

- V20 Anarchs Unbound is in layout and we are prepping for its Kickstarter- just got Justin’s completed video for this.

- Deluxe Werewolf 20th Anniversary Edition: Regular Deluxe is being laser cut. Heavy Metal Deluxe is being worked up now as a prototype with their new press- I have not yet seen one though. Mike Lee is submitting chapters of the W20 “Houses of the Moon” novel to Bill for dev review. The Storyteller Screen files are done and ready for W20. Bill has theW20 Anthology stories in layout. Jess Hartley has submitted the White Howlers Tribe Book to Stew Wilson for development notes, and the W20 Cookbook is almost done in editing

- Deluxe Mage the Ascension 20th Anniversary Edition has Phil Brucato mostly developing now like a maniac and most of the book has been written and we are prepping an editor for this big ol’ thing. Check out our continuing M20 art blog by Mirthful Mike Chaney: http://theonyxpath.com/mirthful-mikes-art-blog-mage-20th-anniversary-preview-1/

- W20 Changing Breeds Kickstarter expanded material has been put into the new layout and we are still waiting for CCP approval on the new stuff, and for the opening comic, and the Changing Breeds Fiction Anthology is being contracted by developer Jess Hartley.

- W20 Rage Across the World: In layout.

- Guildhalls of the Deathless (MtC) the PDF is live on DTRPG. There is a thread on the Mummy forum on the WW Forums for any mistakes or tweaks you want to suggest before we correct the PDF and create the PoD file.

- Conventionbook: Void Engineers (cMtA) is being final proofed.

- W20 Book of the Wyrm is in editing.

- V20 Rites of the Blood: is in editing, being art directed.

- Under the Darkening Sky (classic Dark Ages): In editing.

- Trinity Continuum: We now have a whopping big Aeon outline and a Trinity Continuum Core Book outline and writers are writing. Talking systems with the gang.

- Scion: Joe’s team is hammering systems- big time. Reviewing the first system doc this week- need combat example right now. Right now.

- Demon: The Descent: In layout. Demon Quickstart PDF is free on DTRPG and the PoD version is Now LIVE.

- Hunter: The Something About Monsters: Writers are writing. Many first drafts are getting red-lined.

- nWoD: Dark Eras: Writers are writing.

- V20 Dark Ages: Scribes are scribing.

- DtD Players Guide: Flowers Of Hell?: Being written in Berlin, 1957.

Reason to Drink: Fall is in the air.

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Happy Bartolomé Day!

By richt – October 14, 2013 Posted in: Monday Meeting

Because, as we’ve learned from WoD: History lies sometimes. A lot.

Eddy is back, and that gave us a great chance to catch up on the many approvals he’s overseeing for us with CCP. Actually, considering that our cousins in blood, By Night Studios, have submitted the text of their VtM: MET book for approval too, the approval gang are doing a great job getting back to us. Some projects are just a tad delayed because of the gap in timing, but not to any deadly amount of time. We did talk a fair bit in a continuation of our great chats in LA about keeping close and positive communications going between Onyx and By Night as we work on shepherding our respective parts of the WW legacy.

We also talked about Eddy’s blog about “Elementary” and how he’ll be doing an episode by episode analysis as the second season develops. http://eddyfate.com/2013/10/12/elementary-201-step-nine/ Basically, I let him know that I’ll be following the show with him as my proxy, because I still can’t get into it. Mostly, I’m just not able to empathize with SH as portrayed. He’s too jumpy, if that makes any sense. Eddy thought that might be because the entire show has been using the “addict” aspect of Holmes as its main motif, and that focus, for me at least, doesn’t deliver the fuller portrait of SH that I enjoy. Conceptually I respect the choice, if that is what they’re doing, but the depiction still stops me from engaging. We talked a bit about how hyper-focusing on a particular aspect of a project can cut off interest from fans who were into that project because of other themes and motifs that appealed to them. Certainly a concern with Onyx Path‘s many 20th Anniversary books and other gamelines with rich histories that we are expanding on or re-imagining. We’ve all seen how new editions can splinter a fan-base, and we’re working very hard to avoid that particular problem. The 20th Anniversary cWoD books are designed to take a reader back to the first time they opened that core book that fascinated them, while projects like Exalted 3rd Edition, Scion, and the Trinity Continuum have different challenges of updating, and very often correcting rules systems issues, while still “feeling” like the game and game world.

So, speaking of classic White Wolf game lines that we’d like to work on again, I’m fantastically thrilled to announce that Onyx Path Publishing and Nocturnal Media have joined forces to purchase the Scarred Lands fantasy setting from CCP. The Scarred Lands game setting was WW‘s acclaimed “house setting” during the D20 craze, with both a specific setting game-line detailing a dark fantasy world torn apart by the wars between Titans and Gods, and projects such as the Creature Collections and Relics & Rituals books that provided cool new fantasy gaming material for any setting. Nocturnal is owned by the man who got me into this business, and my good friend, Stewart Wieck (who founded White Wolf Magazine and co-founded WWGS), and we have wanted to join forces on a project for a while. Since we both loved helping to create the Scarred Lands, this seemed like a great chance to do just that. With everything that Onyx Path has on its plate for the next year or so, this isn’t something we’re going to be rushing out this year- or the next- but we do expect that we can preview things as we go along. Here’s the press release:
http://theonyxpath.com/scarred-lands-finds-new-home-with-onyx-path-publishing-and-nocturnal-media

One final bit of news: after speaking with Demon: the Descent developers Rockin’ Rose Bailey and Black Hat Matt McFarland as well as V20: Anarchs Unbound developer Justin (if you give me a nickname I’ll stab your eye) Achilli, we’ve agreed to swap their respective Kickstarters and plan to have Demon‘s KS ready before the end of this month. There are a bunch of good reasons for doing this, the primary one, in my mind, being the desire to time these KS campaigns in such a way as to add to the enjoyment and excitement everyone feels for the new book or game-line. The process of creating a Deluxe version has a lot of phases that Onyx has less direct control over, which is why I’ve been trying to decouple the game release from the KS. But we’re aware that there absolutely will be some overlap. We’re still working on the best way for us to do that (see last week’s Monday Meeting Notes), but in the end it came down to really wanting to get Demon PDF and PoD versions out to folks this year (because it is, like, you know, our new game for 2012) and this seems the best way to make that happen.

Yes, These Updates Right Here:

- Blood and Smoke: The Strix Chronicle (VtR) In Editing. Art is all contracted. Mirthful Mike has contracted several new artists, including a couple from IlluxCon.

- Mummy the Curse - Deluxe and Screen: Books and Screens are all shipped out- as a backer in the US or Canada, check the last Backer Update from KS as to how to contact me about getting your copies if you haven’t yet. Backers outside the US and Canada should sit tight a couple weeks more to give time for the packages to wend their way to you. The MtC Ready Made Characters Pack is in for approvals from CCP (this is one of the approvals we’re waiting for). Cursed Necropolis DC is being red-lined by CAS and then back for second drafts from the writers.

- Exalted 3rd Edition: While John hunkers down to rewrite the Charms chapter, the rest of the team is working on a couple of EX3 chapters that continue to be finalized for Editing: Dawn Caste Charms are still being wrapped up, and I’m told that the Melee tree is tight, with nothing obsolete or “speed bumpy”. Martial Arts are being compared with the Dawn set for compatibility. The Social Engine is in Editing. Both EX3 novels as well as Zub’s EX3 Comic are in progress, in fact we were just looking at a cover idea, and the EX3 Music Suites are being scoped out.

- V20 Hunters Hunted 2: Deluxe being assembled. PoD and PDF versions on sale at DTRPG. HH2 Fiction Anthology text is in editing.

- V20 Anarchs Unbound is in layout and we are still putting the pieces together for its KS, but that’s been delayed until after the Demon KS (see above).

- Deluxe Werewolf 20th Anniversary Edition: Regular Deluxe is being laser cut. Heavy Metal Deluxe is being worked up now as a prototype with their new press- I’m told I get one Weds/Thursday this week. Mike Lee is submitting chapters of the W20 “Houses of the Moon” novel to Bill for dev review. The Storyteller Screen files are done and ready for W20. Bill has the W20 Anthology stories in layout. Jess Hartley has submitted the White Howlers Tribe Book to Stew Wilson for development notes, and the W20 Cookbook is almost done in editing

- Deluxe Mage the Ascension 20th Anniversary Edition has Phil Brucato mostly developing now like a maniac and most of the book has been written and we are prepping an editor for this big ol’ thing. Check out our continuing M20 art blog by Mirthful Mike Chaney: http://theonyxpath.com/mirthful-mikes-art-blog-mage-20th-anniversary-preview-3/

- W20 Changing Breeds Kickstarter expanded material has been put into the new layout and we are still waiting for CCP approval on the new stuff, and for the opening comic, and the Changing Breeds Fiction Anthology is being contracted by developer Jess Hartley.

- W20 Rage Across the World: In layout.

- Guildhalls of the Deathless (MtC) the PDF is live on DTRPG. There is a thread on the Mummy forum on the WW Forums for any mistakes or tweaks you want to suggest before we correct the PDF and create the PoD file. This has worked really great- can anyone who has the inclination to post errata please do so this week?

- Conventionbook: Void Engineers (cMtA) is being final proofed.

- W20 Book of the Wyrm is coming out of editing.

- V20 Rites of the Blood: is in editing, being art directed.

- Under the Darkening Sky (classic Dark Ages): In editing.

- Trinity Continuum: We now have a whopping big Aeon outline and a Trinity Continuum Core Book outline and writers are writing. Talking systems with the gang.

- Scion: Joe’s team is hammering systems- big time. Reviewing the first system doc this week- need combat example right now. Right now. No really, now.

- Demon: The Descent: In layout. Demon Quickstart PDF is free on DTRPG and the PoD version is Now LIVE. As mentioned above, we are going to get the Demon: the Descent Kickstarter campaign live before the end of October.

- Hunter: The Something About Monsters: Writers are writing. Many first drafts are getting red-lined.

- nWoD: Dark Eras: Writers are writing.

- V20 Dark Ages: Scribes are scribing.

- DtD Players Guide: Flowers Of Hell?: Being written in in a steam bath outside of Dresden.

Reason to Drink: The mules of Moscow.

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