Category: Uncharted Worlds

Carta Galaxia Weekly – Week 2

Lots of stuff this week, so I’ll jump right in!

Print On Demand

I’m happy to report that it looks like the kinks have finally been worked out with the DTRPG print on demand stuff, especially regarding the faded covers. I’ve taken the softcover ordering down from the site in order to update the files. Plus! I’ll also be offering Uncharted Worlds in the (relatively) new Hardcover format as well.

Additionally, I’ve got both a hardcover and softcover Print On Demand version of Far Beyond Humanity in the works!

DTRPG has shipped all the files to the printer, and as soon as the printer approves I’ll be able to order Proof Copies, and then open the PoDs up for sale! Sadly, this probably means 2 weeks (including shipping).

Scope of the first Campaign Setting

You may have seen a vote post up on the community this past week. That was part of my big review/clean-up/overhaul of the first campaign setting (codenamed: The Core). The result is pretty clear; the setting will focus on a closed solar system: one major planet (divided into provinces) plus colonies, star bases, etc.

This will allow for some space-travel, but will make things a lot more cramped, to give that claustrophobic, omnipresent corporation-vibe for this cyberpunk-ish setting (neon-punk?). Plus I have some really fun GM/sandbox tech that I’ve been brewing up, which will be unveiled next week.

Introducing the Factions of the Core

Some of you may remember an old ooooold post about the factions and how they relate to each other. I’m recovering as much of that work as I can, but my design goals for the setting have changed somewhat, so there will naturally be changes.

– GalSec is gone: The presence of a military force in a political setting acted as an inhibitor, rather than an inciter. It toned down potential inter-faction hostilities. Now each faction is free to have their own security forces, rather than relying on the Space Cops. Plus GalSec itself was kinda boring pseudo-Western draconian military type faction. Also, with the scope reduction “Galactic Security” seemed kinda out of place. Maybe GalSec will find a home in another setting.

– Talwar SysTech has taken GalSec’s place. I realized I didn’t have a good old-fashioned rapacious MegaCorp! Obviously an oversight. Talwar has a monopoly over high tech goods, the SectorNet, cybernetics, and robotics. They are an extraterritorial corporation that directly challenges the Ministry’s government. NOTE: I’m not 100% sold on the “SysTech”. If you guys have a cooler Megacorp-ish name for Talwar, I’d be happy to consider it.

– Brekengraf has been renamed (rebranded) to ZindaNaya, just to keep a semi-consistent naming scheme. (More on that below).

The image at the bottom of this post shows how the factions relate to each other. Neighboring factions share a common philosophy or ideal (though this doesn’t keep them from conflict), while opposing factions are openly hostile to one another.

Theming and Naming

Some of you may have noticed the naming of the factions. You’ll see more of this theme when I introduce territories, cities and people. I’m drawing heavily on South Asia and the Middle East to inform and inspire this futuristic world. Japan, Europe and the US are usually the source material of sci fi, from Bladerunner to Firefly. I figured that I’d tap into my own Pakistani background and lightly throw in some South Asian flavor (key word: lightly. I’m no historian or sociologist or anything like that, I just grew up there).

As I continue to put out previews and such, if there’s anything that stands out as socially or culturally problematic, please flag it! I’ve been immersed in Western culture for long enough that I will likely miss something.

Anywho, that’s it for this week… I have a feeling I’m missing something, though. Did I ever make a post about Montreal ComicCon? I think I might have forgotten. I shall rectify that! Tomorrow! Or sometime this week?

-SG

Issues of Scale

One of the defining aspects of the first campaign (codenamed “The Core”) is going to be the Faction interactions and how omni-present they are. Six factions, each with their own agendas, dominions and schemes. Each uses catspaws and subterfuge to undermine each other without being so overt as to foster cooperation among their enemies. This campaign will cleave closest to cyberpunk/dystopian, while hopefully maintaining the Space Opera bold primary colors (Neonpunk? Is that a thing?)

However, I’m hitting a bit of structural dissonance: the scale. The themes and mood really calls for clustered cityscapes and omnipresent faction branding. Originally I was considering putting that into a galactic setting, with multiple inhabited planets and trade routes. But the more I toy with it, the more I feel that the setting would benefit from a scope reduction. It would allow more focus on the shifting landscape, and there would be less “dark”/unpopulated spaces.

Compared to an Intergalactic War setting or a Frontier Exploration setting, the Faction Web setting seems like the best opportunity to really pull in and make things crowded and claustrophobic, without all that pesky empty space to expand into. Make them struggle to get a bit of elbow room, kinda thing.

So here are my options, and I’d be interested to know what you guys think would be most interesting:

– Galactic: Most familiar, most compatible with standard Uncharted Worlds. Multi-planet empire, each planet ruled by a dominant faction with other factions trying to dethrone them, trade lanes, interplanetary passengers, space fleets.

– System: Single colonized solar system. One main planet separated into territories, plus a smattering of off-world territories (space stations, mining facilities, lunar colonies). Territories contested by multiple factions. Some space travel, but no Jumps. Needs custom/altered Explorer career, since everything is explored (and claimed).

– Planet: Single heavily populated planet, divided into territories. Focus on mega-cities. Territories contested by multiple factions. No space travel. needs custom/altered Explorer and Starfarer, since neither are useful as presented.

Note: I am purposefully not including “all of the above”. I’d like to create something specific, rather than generic. Theoretically, the Planet or System could be part of a larger Galaxy game, but it would be a Galaxy I would not write about. What I’m considering here is a change of Level of Magnification. How far I zoom in or out.

Carta Galaxia Weekly Update – Week 1

Yes indeed. Now that FBH is out the door, I’m re-committing myself to doing weekly updates about the next book (series of books).

That said, a year away from Carta has given me step back and re-examine the idea of an Uncharted Worlds campaign setting.

So I pose a question to the community, especially those who regularly use settings/campaign materials: What do you look for in this kind of material?

– World Building (Factions, planets, cities, resources, opportunities, history)?

– Storyline (Missions, characters, branching resolutions, plot twists, events)?

– A mix of the two?

I have my own preferences and ideas, but I’ll admit that this is a bit of shaky ground for me, since I’ve always been more free form (gee, could you tell with the way UW is written 😛 ) and obviously I want to give the community what they would find the most interesting.