The cat gave us a scare by somehow getting out last night and getting wounded in a glorious battle with either another cat, or a possum. He seems to be on the mend with anti-biotics and rehydration, but we'll be monitoring him more closely.
Book 4: British Commandos, and The Guns of Navarone arrived today, as did Albedo: Structural Integrity. All three look good, with lots of crunch to SI, and Commandos. TGoN looks like one of the better military adventures written.
Busy-busy...
Tuesday, June 30, 2009
Monday, June 29, 2009
Beta Update-
So as to CMA, I will tentatively suggest that a more realistic Beta .pdf release date will be July 7th, but it may be sooner. I'd rather give you folks a better product than a worse one. I'm certain you can understand and appreciate that.
On the plus side, I have made a test-run of the .pdf creation/hosting on LuLu and found it to be very simple.
A few things have changed through the editing process, and mainly affect character creation. These changes are simplifications which reduce what I perceived as an increasing tendency for PCs dependency upon Technical Skills (Pick Locks, etc.).
Now, there are two Characteristics: Knowledge and Technical, which establish a baseline value for all persons to be able to attempt non-Combat, non-Magic actions, such as the Apothecary's Assay, Concoct, Formulate, etc. Technical Skills still exist, but play a secondary role, as bonuses to specific applications of either Knowledge or Technical. Ethnic or Species modifiers still apply.
Another change is that of an expanded Ability Score range chart, opening it up to 0 -- 21, with significant differences between many/most scores (more so than B/X, and closer to Mutant Future's, but not exactly the same, and less crunchy than 1e). With this change, the explanation of the Characteristics (and Critical Tests) have been refined and unified in description.
Like Knowledge and Technical, a character's base combat ability has also been more clearly defined/presented as part of the overall Characteristics.
A few other minor changes make the character more important than any skills and brings things back closer to the Classic-play games, while retaining UWoM's unique 'Look and Feel'.
I'll be reading and replying to your blogs during this week, but am unlikely to post much otherwise.
Best,
On the plus side, I have made a test-run of the .pdf creation/hosting on LuLu and found it to be very simple.
A few things have changed through the editing process, and mainly affect character creation. These changes are simplifications which reduce what I perceived as an increasing tendency for PCs dependency upon Technical Skills (Pick Locks, etc.).
Now, there are two Characteristics: Knowledge and Technical, which establish a baseline value for all persons to be able to attempt non-Combat, non-Magic actions, such as the Apothecary's Assay, Concoct, Formulate, etc. Technical Skills still exist, but play a secondary role, as bonuses to specific applications of either Knowledge or Technical. Ethnic or Species modifiers still apply.
Another change is that of an expanded Ability Score range chart, opening it up to 0 -- 21, with significant differences between many/most scores (more so than B/X, and closer to Mutant Future's, but not exactly the same, and less crunchy than 1e). With this change, the explanation of the Characteristics (and Critical Tests) have been refined and unified in description.
Like Knowledge and Technical, a character's base combat ability has also been more clearly defined/presented as part of the overall Characteristics.
A few other minor changes make the character more important than any skills and brings things back closer to the Classic-play games, while retaining UWoM's unique 'Look and Feel'.
I'll be reading and replying to your blogs during this week, but am unlikely to post much otherwise.
Best,
Saturday, June 27, 2009
Update-
The 16 Adventure Locations are finally complete (although now must pass through the assaying flame of my editor).
The twice-monthly C&C game is today, and although I still have work to do, I plan on enjoying myself with good guys and a fun GM running us through Freeport.
Tomorrow ought to be a rough day of compiling and forming a presentable .pdf
I may be delayed a day or two, as I hope to host it on LuLu, rather than my ISP, or something like Rapidshare, etc.
The Aberrations will have to be released as a separate file, as previously discussed.
I hope I don't come down with a bug, as I have been neglecting myself (especially sleep) these past few weeks.
Best,
The twice-monthly C&C game is today, and although I still have work to do, I plan on enjoying myself with good guys and a fun GM running us through Freeport.
Tomorrow ought to be a rough day of compiling and forming a presentable .pdf
I may be delayed a day or two, as I hope to host it on LuLu, rather than my ISP, or something like Rapidshare, etc.
The Aberrations will have to be released as a separate file, as previously discussed.
I hope I don't come down with a bug, as I have been neglecting myself (especially sleep) these past few weeks.
Best,
Friday, June 26, 2009
[OT] Behind Enemy Lines (part II)-
It has arrived.
Apparently I was incorrect as to the dating. The Companions version I originally had was a later, 1985, version of the game rules, and FASA's was the original in 1982.
That said, sadly, I prefer The Companions version better. TC version had photographs instead of sketchy line drawings, and was better thought/laid-out overall.
In any case, I will be digging into this and my Victory Games' (and MISSION) soon after I put the wrap on the beta .pdf.
Speaking of which: Back to work.
Apparently I was incorrect as to the dating. The Companions version I originally had was a later, 1985, version of the game rules, and FASA's was the original in 1982.
That said, sadly, I prefer The Companions version better. TC version had photographs instead of sketchy line drawings, and was better thought/laid-out overall.
In any case, I will be digging into this and my Victory Games' (and MISSION) soon after I put the wrap on the beta .pdf.
Speaking of which: Back to work.
Tuesday, June 23, 2009
Sunday, June 21, 2009
[Milieu] Serialised Novel link-
While this tale is in a far-flung region of the Metacosmos, and only occasionally references Urutsk and its sister world Aqmlk, it is a part of The Grand Tapestry.
I thought that readers of this blog may be interested in additional background.
I thought that readers of this blog may be interested in additional background.
[Milieu] Visual Input-
While Durn is not at all the focus of Urutsk, it is an important aspect of the setting.
Some links to follow for visual inspiration as regards the forts of the Duhen Shes Wied'am:
--The different sorts of forts and stables and other buildings are all more or less like:
* African Moslem sea-side fortresses LINK,
* Petra's beautiful canyon buildings LINK,
* the Ethopian hidden cites (just gorgeous stuff, IMO) LINK,
* Spaghetti-Western movie towns LINK
[the photos click-through at the immediate right],
* South Western Pueblos LINK
Some links to follow for visual inspiration as regards the forts of the Duhen Shes Wied'am:
--The different sorts of forts and stables and other buildings are all more or less like:
* African Moslem sea-side fortresses LINK,
* Petra's beautiful canyon buildings LINK,
* the Ethopian hidden cites (just gorgeous stuff, IMO) LINK,
* Spaghetti-Western movie towns LINK
[the photos click-through at the immediate right],
* South Western Pueblos LINK
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