From the Desktop: Hither, Tither & Yon
Just a smattering of things, updates, thoughts, links and think...
I will be moving very soon, so PPP is not committing to any new release because of that until after I am settled in the new homestead. I am working on getting most projects into publishable form up and until then. This includes:
*Castle El Raja Key: Levels 1-3 (@11,000 words)
*Dungeon Trappings #1 (editing/layout)
*Drystaff the Wizard: Four Fabulous Tales (proofing/layout)
*Citadel of the Fire Lord (outlined with maps finished and intro written)
*The Boreal Level (Map finished, Intro written, extensive outline and appendix designs complete)
LOTGD blog will probably see less posting during the move time, so I encourage all authors here to take their stab at posting something of creative interest. If not, then please enjoy the sound of silence until I get back online and situated. If you wish to become an author here, please email me with what you have in mind: rjk@pied-piper-publishing.com I will be announcing the exact move time in the next two weeks.
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GaryCon2: I will be running Castle El Raja Key during the Con, March 19-21. I am looking forward to reconnecting with the Gygax family, Flint Dille,Tom Wham, Mike Carr and a host of peers, fans and gamers. I will be acting as an airport shuttle for my friend Allan Grohe, and no doubt he and I will have a great discussion during the ride to the con in Lake Geneva.
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NTRPGCon Event: I am designing a 4th-6th level dungeon based on Ramsey Dow's Dungeon Sets maps for North Texas RPGCon in June, entitled, "DUNGEON of DEATH". Yeah. Happy times ahead for adventurers in that... ;)
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OUT OF THE BOX: I will be doing some supplementary design work for Kyrinn's upcoming Urutsk World of Mystery RPG, specifically adventure material related to that as well as some editing and consulting work. More on that as it develops. The main idea is to provide some extra polish if and when needed to what Kyrinn has already accomplished through her hard work and devotion to this highly creative project, her baby. It is an honor to do so. Kyrinn's moniker here & there is Timeshadows, and this die-hard designer has been working hard and long to do justice to the idea of not only a new world constructed from top to bottom like my own World of Kalibruhn, but she has made solid strides in fashioning game rules which mesh with that world in a cohesive way, thus, and in my estimation, furthering such holistic design bases as revealed in predecessors like Empire of the Petal Throne. I will also be posting updates here on my participation within such projects and have invited Timeshadows to author here on this or other related subjects when she has time to do so.
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Dan of Goblinoid Games furnished me with review copies of LABYRINTH LORD, ADVANCED EDITION COMPANION and MUTANT FUTURE. I was most excited about seeing Mutant Future, as it takes a step towards something else besides another OD&D clone and associated adventures, which IMO are beyond their saturation point. Now, having read major portions of it, I give it a thumbs up, particularly for that reason--it's different, just like MA was different to D&D back in 1976 when we play-tested it (my PC sawed itself in half with a vibro-blade, and I still don't like those flow-charts that Ward invented and would never use them myself, but it was funny in a grim sort of way...). Honestly, though, and as I have stressed time and time again here, at PPP's forums, and elsewhere, I feel that more innovation is needed with these types of products. What I mean by this is "uniqueness." Whereas MF shows some of this I will single out the monsters, not all of them, but some; and of course the monsters/critters are sculptable by adding in the mutations, I really feel that there's a lack when a black pudding comes at us again. Now some of us may love black puddings, and of course I was exposed to my first back in 1972--but isn't this just a way bit beyond being passe? My nicely put challenge to GG and anyone else stuck in coming up with this stuff is to wait rather than fill in designs with concepts that have already been done. If the author gets stuck, hey, contact some imaginative whiz like E. G. Palmer, or someone else. E.G. creates these things for a living at his blog. I think he does it in his dreams and then wakes up and writes them down. Anyway... Make use of the creative talent out there and bring some imagination to bear on the concept of endless fantasy. My two cents. I like the quality of GG's products, btw, and appreciate Dan's overall great attitude and above-board communication standards. There are sparks in MF, and I hope that these sparks lead to a great roaring fire of imaginative products for it in the future. Quite honestly, attitude has everything to do with proper direction, so GG already has a step up in that category. It feels good because it is presented with no pretense, and as I noted, it is of very good physical quality and has some good to superb interior art. Given some extra creative design flourishes, heck, I might even be tempted to add a gaggle of creative mutations myself, such as an assemblage of interesting spider-like creatures that I have in mind.
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Behind-the-Scenes Cooperative Project: I can finally hint at this... This has been in the works for the last 6 months and is finally coming forward. It went from my desktop, to Andy Taylor, back to me, and then on to Journalizer (Lauren Hawkins). I cannot say much about it for now other than this is being worked on in concert with NTRPGCon's host and co-founder, Douglas Rhea and with further involvement at the primary level by a prominent ex-TSR artist. There will be an official announcement on this soon. I will tell you that it does involve a dragon and some castles... Much more in a couple of months.
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Black Festival & Drystaff: The Cimmerian nicely noted our recent fiction release of Black Festival in an encouraging article which also mentioned my intentions for publishing the Drystaff cycle of fiction. I am very appreciative for this exposure and will not disappoint. Their website is professionally at the TOP, by the way. Great content.
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A New Wolfar Story in the Works: After an email exchange with Timeshadows I was encouraged to start outlining a new Wolfar story, "A Blight of Wolves." Thanks for the inspiration TS! It's funny where one can derive inspiration from if you remain open to it. I have proceeded to write it, as one must strike when the iron is hot!
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Two friends/fans (an artist and a major businessman) have recently encouraged me to consider publishing my Supplement V (see original MS here). As well, in an email discussion with another designer, the subject of my SAVING THROW system outlined in that supplement came up. My question to the fans, followers and designers here: would there be any interest in this?
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Back to packing and cleaning and other. I will be silent posting for the next 2-4 days unless it is to answer posts/emails. Ciao!
RJK
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