The writing is officially done! All chapters are in the hands of the editor, who’s working diligently to get the corrections back to me. Meanwhile I’m wrastling with Scribus (Never Again with the InDesign Times) and getting ready to do the full layout this week. If all goes well, second-pass will be happening this weekend.
Uncharted Worlds is going to be at Montreal ComicCon!
I’ll have a booth in artist’s alley at Montreal ComicCon this July.
If you’re in the area feel free to drop by (I’ll post my table number when I get it). I’ll have the Lulu printed softcover and hardcover books for sale (the leftover high-quality prints from the Kickstarter), plus an associate of mine will be selling awesome pins with the career logos on them for the Industrial Scoundrel or the Academic Technocrat in your life.
Sadly, I had really wanted to have a small print run of FBH for ComicCon, but with all the delays and scrambling I fear that might not be possible. I’ll try my level best to get everything done and printed and available, but I can’t make any promises. So close!
Feels like I’m finally in the home stretch. Got half a section to complete, and a few things to shuffle around, but it’s now into deep corrections and layout.
I’ve already got a couple of Chapters back from a preliminary editing pass, and hopefully the rest will be done by the weekend.
Chapter 3 – Arcana – Horror
Got a chance to playtest the final version of the Horror rules, ended up finding a few interesting corner-cases and clarifications that completely mess up my page layout (grumble grumble).
I’ll write more about it in a separate post, but it was a great stress-test of the Prompting for Horror (i.e.: the Horror manifested in the first few minutes of the story when someone managed to roll a 1 on 2d6.)
Chapter 4 – Characters
Ended up going over the skills, and tweaking a few of the more problematic or niche skills. I’d appreciate it if folks could take a look there, make sure nothing stands out as being boring or useless or whatever.
The big addition to this chapter are the Reference pages, detailing each of the ten original careers and origins to aid in character creation. Some flipping back and forth will be inevitable, but at least initial decision can be made with all the info fairly accessible.
Interior Art
Whuff. Yeah. You probably noticed that after posting the first two images several months ago, there was nothing more. This is the thing I mentioned that was really ripping me apart the past few weeks. I was terrified that I would have to publish without them, and I had to go to some uncomfortable lengths to finally get them.
Situation arose because I’m a trusting idiot. Pro Tip: Always sign a contract, never do it verbally. And don’t pay the whole amount up front. If I could I’d time-travel to a year ago and slap myself upside the head.
But good news, got the pieces, and that’s the end of it. Maybe I can stop popping antacids every night. Whuff.
Carta Galaxia
With the book coming to a close, I find myself looking ahead. I’ve still got Carta Galaxia to finish, though the year of FBH has given me new perspective on the whole thing.
I think people would be best served by smaller, more regular releases. Instead of a big book of campaigns like I originally planned, I’ll be dividing it into 3 smaller supplements, each of which will tackle a certain kind of setting. Dividing into 3 books will allow more leeway in the way each book is structured.
– The Core: Heavy population, multi-faction politics and strife. Cyberpunk-ish style.
– The Divide: Two monolithic factions fighting for dominance, with a third supernatural power lurking in the shadows between the stars.
– The Edge: Loosely connected frontier worlds adrift in wild, lawless unexplored expanses of space.
So that’s this week. Hopefully the next update will be all about layout. (Speaking of which, I may be calling on volunteers to take a look/proofread the edited version after I do the layout pass, will post more next week.)
As much as I hate to have a light/almost non-existent update, I figured I should at least touch base with everyone.
Basically, aside from fleshing out the aspects of Trauma, Horror and such, I’ve mostly been dealing with worrying issues with the publication of the book. I’ll probably be posting an update in the coming week, when things shake out (cryptic, I know.) Meanwhile I’m going to just keep popping antacids and trying to finish writing.
In a bit of good news, I’ve found a pleasing way to handle overcoming trauma. A character that suffers from physical or psychological trauma gains a new XP trigger choice in addition to their current career XP trigger: “A victory despite a trauma’s interference”. Every time a character overcomes their personal, inner foe, everyone gains xp.
Musical inspiration often comes from unexpected sources.
Musical inspiration often comes from unexpected sources. Here we have the Ambient tracks from the themepark sim Planet Coaster. But the title of the collection, “Weightless” really does its job well as a background soundtrack for space exploration.
The music is slow, ambient and calm. It plays with many different instruments, favoring strings and organ/synth. There’s no driving drum beat, no patter or uptempo stings, just “floating” melody. This would certainly play well in quieter moments of stellar travel or exploration. Weightless indeed.
That said, having just come off writing the horror section in Chapter 3, I can’t help but think that this could serve as a purposefully dissonant track for a horror game, the lie of calm overlain on the horror beneath.
Eeep. It’s, uh, been a while, huh? Every weekend seemed to have something going on, and I just pushed things back.
But the worst thing I can do is let that become habit, or to wallow in it. No! I must get back on the writing horse and get this thing done. So close now. Really feeling the emotional diminishing returns as I get closer to the end.
I’ve already got a few chapters in the hands of my editor, so as soon as I finish, the first editing pass will begin.
Aaanywho, here’s what’s new in Chapter 3 – Arcana
Villains
This section is done! I ended up patterning the overall villain structure like the spaceship combat from UW; layered threats around a core.
To me it seems pretty straightforward, so I’m sure there are bits that I didn’t explain quite right because of my own blind spots and assumptions. I’d really appreciate it if folks (especially GMs) could take a look and tell me if it lines up will and fits with your understanding of the game.
Overwhelming Foe
Posted about this a couple of weeks ago, did a bit of tweaking on it. I’m quite happy with the way this came out. It’s kindof a countdown clock, but where each “tick” has a unique consequence. It’s supposed to represent the unavoidable costs and attrition when facing truly overwhelming odds.
As I mentioned in the other thread, with a bit more tooling this feels like it could be the central mechanic of a different game. A game I don’t have the time to write, sadly. Though I think some other designers are already eyeing the tech, which is super keen and I hope it shows up elsewhere.
Horror
Whoooooeeee. This was a tough one.
So Uncharted Worlds is a Space Opera. It has Space Opera tropes, and Space Opera primary colors. It has a soundtrack full of brass and synthesizer.
With the Horror section, I tried to condense an entire other genre (Sci Fi Horror) into 3 pages and adapt it to the current rules. And… I’m surprised and pleased with the results, to be honest.
The main design is to control the cadence and the build-release cycle of tension. Leaving the consequences purely to the GM in this instance would make the horror feel arbitrary. Instead, I wanted to capture a small amount of the dread of… well, Dread, when a player goes to pull a piece from the tower. There are also overtones of the Haunt roll from Betrayal at House on the Hill. I am not subtle with my inspirations. Such is life.
Basically, if I can illicit a hissing intake of breath when a character is called to make a Move during a “quiet” moment, then I’ve succeeded.
I’m particularly fond of the dark mirror of XP triggers found here: instead of earning XP, certain actions attract the Horror.
What’s next
I need to finish up the Horror section and the Trauma section (that was draining to write, constantly having to check myself, so to speak).
After that I need to go back over chapter 1 to make sure the “synthesis” of all the other chapter topics is covered.
And then: Editing and Layout!
Thanks for all your patience, folks. I know this thing is late out the door. I had hoped to be done months ago. But I’ll keep slogging at it, as much as I can between my day job, 2 year old son and fickle inspiration. I’m glad you’re here with me for this ride. I can’t express how much the community motivates me.
It got me thinking about alternate ways to approach combat against a truly unstoppable villain.
Ended up coming up with a one-page mechanic that I’ll most likely be integrating into Far Beyond Humanity (don’t worry, the “layered” approach will still be there).
Check it out! I’d love feedback, comments, gut feelings, etc.
Managed to get quite a bit done on the final chapter, despite the family visiting over the Easter weekend (Happy Easter/Paschal Greetings to you folks that celebrate it!)
The most important thing I managed to get was a solid grip on the Trauma section. Without it, I couldn’t advance.
Magic
Rewrote most of the Magic section to flow better and get the concept across with less fluff/story. Also clarified how stats interact with magic.
Villains
Putting together a GM section on how to run major villains, for those who want a more drawn out combat. It leverages the layered/multi-threat tech that was used for starship battles. A villain is a ball of threats that cover each other’s flanks, making it impossible to attack them from any front. Each defense has to be circumvented to have a shot at The Weak Spot for Massive Damage.
Trauma
I decided that I would represent Trauma as a personal villain, leveraging the Threats system to make an active, mindless Threat that was always vexing and disrupting the character. Trauma would need to be more than a mere injury, it would need to be an Antagonist, one that the character would have to heroically overcome again and again.
As a Threat, the Trauma repeatedly and regularly afflicts the character with varied minor debilities (aches, insomnia, dizziness, confusion, etc), depending on whether it’s a Physical Trauma or a Psychological Trauma. The minor debilities follow the usual debility/healing rules, and can be cured with a Patch Up, which represents medicating the symptoms (rather than treating the cause).
So far I’m quite happy about how well the mechanics are meshing with the existing mechanics of Threats, Debilities/Healing, etc. I invite you to take a look at Chapter 3 in the previews and tell me what you think. Especially if you see anything problematic in my phrasing or concepts.
What’s Next
I’m going to try to finish up the Villains and Trauma sections before moving on to more fantastical elements. Also, if anyone is a Sci-Fi Horror buff, ping me or post in this thread, I’d love to pick your brain. (grrr braaaaaaains).
So the question of UW t-shirts has been raised (which is both flattering and quite confusing).
So the question of UW t-shirts has been raised (which is both flattering and quite confusing). So I’m wondering, what style of design do people like in a gaming/roleplaying t-shirt?
– Logo: The UW Logo on the front left/pocket area.
– Abstract Front: The UW Logo on the front, surrounded by abstract space-opera-esque sci-fi designs (like the page borders of the book).
– Abstract Back: Same as above, but on the back, with a small logo on front upper left.
– Full Art Front: A print of the cover of the book, in full color.
– Full Art Back: As above, but on the back. Small logo on front upper left.
Please note: I am not committing to anything at this juncture, I’ve already got many things on my plate. I’m just looking at my options and what people expect out of a T-Shirt.
Also: Is there a reputable T-Shirt printing… service? Like, where do people go to get their geek t-shirts? The only brand t-shirts I have are from work, or that one time I went to BlizzCon.
Something a little different for you all this week: the grand reveal of Far Beyond Humanity’s cover art! I thought you might be interested in my process for commissioning my cover art. This is the second cover I’ve commissioned from Aurore Folny and once again she absolutely knocked it out of the park.
So here’s the Art Direction I sent her, and the progression of sketches that came back. If you guys are interested, I could also go dig up the Art Direction of the first cover as well.
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I’m considering something of a cross between the Guardians of the Galaxy and Force Awakens posters: very saturated color, glowing objects/energy, action poses, possibly a profile face in background.
Overall color composition: Blue-green in upper left, transitioning to green in lower left, to yellow and gold in lower right.
Left-side: A very tall, elongated blue female alien with 4 arms, 4 eyes and a crest of horns on her head.
– She’s holding a futuristic spear with two hands.
– Aiming a glowing green plasma pistol with her outstretched third hand.
– Holding a strange object in her fourth hand, near her body. The object floats above her open palm, and glows green.
– She is wearing futuristic armor. No cleavage, mid-riff or exposed legs.
– Feel free to add cultural decorations (rings, cape, cloth, chains, medals, whatever you think would look cool).
Lower left foreground (Slightly more towards center than 4-armed alien): A human street-urchin girl sitting cross-legged with her hands raised, palms up as if in supplication.
– She’s wearing filthy rags and her red hair is a mess of dreadlocks.
– She’s wearing massive technomancy gauntlets.
– She looks very happy, big genuine smile.
– She is surrounded by glowing green numbers a la Matrix.
Lower right side, mid-background: A robot riding on a dinosaur mount (yes, I’m very aware how silly that sounds).
– The robot should be obviously mechanical: Thick, curved plates for chest and forearms, and thin hydraulic/piston tubes for upper arms, waist and neck.
– The head should be a solid, curved plate, and have a single eye that glows yellow-white.
– The robot is wearing a poncho like a cowboy. Those are its only clothes.
– The robot is carrying a heavy-duty laser rifle (the same kind that the woman was carrying in the cover of Uncharted Worlds) in one hand.
– Its other hand holding the reigns of the beast.
– The beast is a sauropod: dinosaur body with a short neck, short legs and dragon-like head. You do awesome dragons so I’ll leave the details to you.
– The beast should be loaded with packs and stuff, it’s a beast of burden.
Lower 3rd, background (Horizon): A rocky, desolate world. Dark brown, rib-like arched rock formations. Whole area is bathed in golden yellow clouds.
Upper right, far background: This is where I’m conflicted.
Either A: A starscape with a close-up profile face superimposed (like the Kylo Ren from Force Awakens or Darth Vader from New Hope)
Or B: An exploding planet.
I’d appreciate your opinion, whether the face in the background would make things look too cluttered.
If we go for the Face option: The profile of a short-haired, dark-skinned woman.
– Her mouth, nose and lower jaw is replaced with a rebreather, with heavy tubes coming out of it going over her shoulder.
– There is a large socket for a cable installed in her temple. The skin around the socket is cracked.
– Perhaps a small earring, either in the earlobe or in the upper ear arch.
So that’s what I got. Before we go too far, maybe just a composition/color super-ultra-rough layout sketch?
Also, I feel like there’s an opportunity for a lens-flare in there somewhere, just for the extra StarWars-y kitsch!
(After receiving a few preliminary sketches)—
I really like the second image, with the face on the right and the exploding planet on the left! We need to make sure it doesn’t look like the back of the woman’s head is exploding, but otherwise I say go for it, that’s a great idea. Really cool!
Quick correction: I’d like the alien to have her gun in her left hand, maybe pointing towards the opposite side of the page (if that doesn’t mess with the composition). The glowy-crystal-object thingy would be in her right hand, close to her body (so that the light it casts illuminates her and the top of the girls’ head/shoulders.)
So, to the questions:
– The woman with the respirator is likely the villain of the story, or at least the Darth Vader-style main threat/antagonist.
– The robot is in the desert. The other two are not, technically they’re in a different scene. A starry background would be fine, or just plain dark blue, or smoke/clouds. Go with your instinct.
– The Technomancer girl is creating/shaping virtual reality with her hands. I guess “supplication” is the wrong word, maybe… “molding”? As if she was using her big magi-tech gauntlets to work a ball of hovering clay.
– The alien and the girl (and technically the robot) are the player characters, so they have roughly even spotlight. Though the robot is a bit more background.
You’re right, totally forgot the Title:
– The title will be roughly the same size as the original UW title.
– I’m going to be putting it at the bottom, like the Starwars posters.
– If possible, could you fill the space behind the title with asteroids to the left and floating starship debris to the right? Kinda like the way the stormtroopers are placed in the Force Awakens poster.
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Hope you guys enjoyed that. I’ll have more Words Words Words updates next week, but work has been continuing apace and the editing process has begun on a few chapters.
Whuff. The closer I get to finishing, the harder it gets to actually see progress. One of my big issues right now is wringing the most value-added to the final chapter.
Chapter 3 (Arcana) in progress
I finally have a “shape” of what Chapter 3 will be, elusive bugger that it is. In addition to general guidelines for integrating the supernatural into the game, the chapter also touches on Encounter Design. Specifically, the “Villains and Monsters” section. The sections will be:
– Magic and Faith (the forms that the supernatural can take in Space Opera)
– Outer Realms (from the Spirit World to someone’s Mindscape to Literal-Actual-Hell)
– Horror and Trauma (long lasting injuries, both physical and emotional)
– Monsters and Villains (foes that take coordination, bravery and luck to defeat)
– Mutations (alter your character’s body in strange and disturbing ways)
So far I have a half page on Faith and Magic, and a page and a half on Villains and Monsters. It’s slow going, I’ll freely admit. But the fact that I finally have the rough outline will help me move forward. I hope.
What’s Next
More of the same, honestly. Digging away in the word-mines. Working on Chapter 3.
I’ve uploaded what little there is on Chapter 3 to the previews Dropbox, feel free to check it out if you’re curious.
