Almost a Playtest!
Hi everyone! We recorded our playtest Thursday. Unfortunately, it cut off right at the beginning of the third act of play. So, the last ten minutes aren't there. But that just means we can do a followup soon and cover that phase of the game. This is a pretty good idea of the raw mechanics for most of the game, and it actually goes over most of the initial act 3 mechanics.
It's in mp3 over here.
Also, we hit $10,000! That means we'll be doing the Total War supplement. That'll include all the stuff in the previous update, including new character classes for both the core system and the Apocalypse World hack (I'm not sure exactly what we'll do for the Pathfinder rules, if we get there. I'd rather give you fewer new classes that better suit the needs of the game, than try to hamfist a ton of classes into such a robust system as Pathfinder). The next goal is the $12,000 Kindle version of the core.
I wanted to touch lightly on the classes we're doing. This is the material we're looking at so far:
Core Classes
Anthropologist
Chevalier
Exorcist
Operative
Wizard
Engineer
Monster Hunter
Performer
Priest Hunter
Bumbling Fighter
Foie Gras to Fear
Chef
Total War Supplement
Spin Doctor
Soldier of Fortune
Medic
Militant Pacifist
We have others we're considering. We have this fascinating, behind-the-scenes axis of characters that relates to Solutions and Ability Scores. It has 25 on it. But it's mostly a philosophical design thing for us. I think we could be coaxed to do all 25, at say $16,000. Here's the tentative list (not including ones mentioned above). Call it a "Book of Classes".
Relic Hunter
Astronomer
Alchemist
Vizier
Revolutionary
Advocate
Gambler
Philosopher
Pirate
Inquisitor
Humorist
Oracle of the Lost Races
Chimerical Biologist
420
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Funding period
Apr 20, 2012 -
May 20, 2012
- 7 created · 45 backed
- Filamena Young 154 friends
- Website: machineageproductions.com
Pledge $1 or more
8 backers
The "I want to get updates and maybe pledge more later" level. You get to get updates, and maybe pledge more later! You also get the satisfaction of a job well done. And our thanks.
Estimated delivery: May 2012Pledge $10 or more
143 backers
Ethereal Level: Here, you get the PDF version of the game. You'll also be credited in the final product. If you include another $10, you'll get Foie Gras to Fear in PDF.
Estimated delivery: Aug 2012Pledge $35 or more
162 backers
Golden Level: Here, you get the physical book. It'll be 7 x 10", hardcover, B&W. You also receive the PDF. You'll also receive a key. You'll get the PDF of Foie Gras to Fear. Lastly, you'll get the exclusive Farewell to Fear Guestbook sheet. Shipping is free within the US. Please include $5 for international shipping. You'll also be credited in the final product.
Estimated delivery: Aug 2012Pledge $55 or more
13 backers
Book and a Book Level?: This gets you Farewell to Fear, and Foie Gras to Fear. You also get the Guestbook sheet. But no fancypants map. For people just interested in the barebones stuff.
Estimated delivery: Aug 2012Pledge $65 or more
37 backers
Silver Level: Here, you get the physical book, as above. As well, you get the PDF, a key, and you get an exclusive cloth map of our game world. Think similar to classic video game RPGs, like Ultima and Dragon Warrior. You'll get the PDF of Foie Gras to Fear. You'll get the exclusive Guestbook. You'll also be credited in the final product.
Estimated delivery: Aug 2012Pledge $80 or more
2 backers
Inkeeper Level (for retail): This level is designed for retailers. You can buy five copies at about half price (accounting for shipping). We're suggesting (and marking) sale for $29.99. If you want more copies, simply increase your pledge by $15 per. Shipping's included in the US. Connect with me for international shipping.
Estimated delivery: Aug 2012Pledge $85 or more
20 backers
Bronze Level: You get the physical book. The PDF. You get a key. You get an exclusive cloth map. You'll get our exclusive Guestbook. You also get a print copy of our first supplement, tentatively titled "Foie Gras to Fear." It's half gaming supplement, half cook book. It addresses some of the interesting things the people of Arduise could do with food, and gives advice for how to enhance your game by bringing food to the table. It also offers an exclusive character class for a wandering chef.
Estimated delivery: Aug 2012Pledge $100 or more
17 backers
Cited Level: You get the whole Farewell to Fear package, books, pdfs, key, map. As well, you're credited in the book as an in-character source. The whole book is made up of research from fictitious sources. You can be the author, or the character you name. Your copy of Farewell to Fear is signed.
Estimated delivery: Aug 2012Pledge $150 or more
6 backers
Grounded Level: You get the whole Farewell to Fear package. Physical book, physical supplement. Key. Map. As well, you'll get a custom location PDF. The game has four main cities. There are countless villages on the outskirts, as well as caves, dungeons, and all that, which we haven't completely fleshed out. You give me the basics for a location, and I will design it and publish it in PDF. In essence, you'll have your very own place for adventure in the Farewell to Fear world. It's yours. You can put it on your website. You can trade it. You can hoard it. Your copy of Farewell to Fear is signed.
Estimated delivery: Aug 2012Pledge $200 or more
8 backers
The Dragon's Hoard: You get Farewell to Fear. You get a key. You get Foie Gras to Fear. You get the cloth map. You get our neato Guestbook. You get all our other games, too. This includes Flatpack: Fix the Future, Amaranthine, Maschine Zeit, a series of Guestbook, and a bonus that I'm going to leave a secret. You also get everything in PDF, including some of our others like Kicking Historical Asses. Talk to me about international shipping. Domestic's included. We sign your copies.
Estimated delivery: Aug 2012Pledge $250 or more
1 backer
Heroic Level: You get the whole Farewell to Fear package. Physical book, physical supplement. Key. Map. Plus, we'll get you dinner if we're at a convention together, or if you're in the SoCal area. We'll sign your stuff.
Estimated delivery: Aug 2012Pledge $500 or more
1 backer
Iron Level: Farewell to Fear. Foie Gras to Fear. Key. Map. You get a Machine Age game. It'll be a short (look to Kicking Historical Asses for a reference point). You give me the specs or the pitch, I'll make it work. I'll release it Creative Commons on the net, and I'll credit you as the patron and co-developer. You'll get five signed print copies. The delivery date would be for the custom game. You'd get everything else on normal schedule. We'll sign all that.
Estimated delivery: Dec 2012Pledge $1,000 or more
0 backers
Steel Level: Farewell to Fear. Foie Gras to Fear. Key. Map. Your own game. All the awesome. And I'll deliver your books to you, and run a game for you and your troupe. I'll run your custom game. Farewell to Fear. Maschine Zeit. FATE. Leverage. World of Darkness. Whatever you want. This means in the US, for logistical reasons. If you really want to do international, let me know. The delivery date would be for the custom game. You'd get everything else on normal schedule. Copies are signed. We'll even see to it you get five copies of Farewell to Fear.
Estimated delivery: Dec 2012
Comments
Creator David A Hill Jr on May 6, 2012
lol.
I totally understand, and that's the point. So the trick is, get the word out there. I had someone get their entire gaming group to back it at the retailer level, so they each had a copy.
Creator William Howard on May 6, 2012
Curses. I've already pledged more than I strictly ought to, and I thought I safely didn't want any reward levels past 10k. But now this 16k one appears.
Creator David A Hill Jr on May 6, 2012
Priest Hunters hunt charlatans. Basically, in the biggest religion of the setting, there was a huge splitting of ideologies (think Catholics vs Protestants). One ideology had hunger for political power, and was manipulating the faith in order to fit those ambitions. So the other group has this group of hunter/assassins that go around looking for wayward priests that are destroying lives, and destroy them.
Creator Sam Wright on May 6, 2012
Does "Priest Hunter" imply a priest that hunts, or someone who hunts priests? Or, for that matter, a priest who hunts other priests (and if the latter, I think that means the class example should be named Abel Nightroad)? :P
Creator David A Hill Jr on May 6, 2012
Truth be told, I'm not intimately familiar with them, but I'll bet, because Mieville's generally right on cue with my brain waves.
Basically, our "monsters" are strange animals that magically evolve every generation. So a goblin today is different than goblins five years ago. And every instance of the species could look different. These biologists learn the patterns and intricacies of chimerical evolution, to better understand monsters. As well, many have learned to master certain lower creatures, so they can keep monstrous pets.
Creator Kairam Ahmed Hamdan on May 6, 2012
NICE, David!
Creator Dave Bozarth on May 6, 2012
So this Chimerical Biologist... Is it something akin to Miéville’s “bio-thaumaturges" of Bas-Lag?
Creator David A Hill Jr on May 6, 2012
The inquisitor actually isn't a religious position. I didn't add the context.
The inquisitors are the personal detectives of the members of the Accord (think the UN). They investigate political issues. For instance, if one of the city states swears that it's not increasing troop counts in the coming year, the inquisitors would investigate that to guarantee the city was living up to its part of the bargain.
Creator Kairam Ahmed Hamdan on May 6, 2012
We must reach $16,000. I wanna be almost all of the classes there (except the Inquisitor, is that an investigator/researcher? how can an Inquisitor be among these classes?)!
Best.