Every once in a while, I find it helpful to take a step back and list out the things I’ve got cooking. It helps me prioritize, and gives my friends and fans a chance to see what might be coming. Of course, this isn’t set in stone, especially the stuff out in the later part of the year, but it’s the direction I’m planning on moving.
January: As previously announced. the Kickstarter for the new Castle of the Mad Archmage module starts tomorrow. In addition to the normal pdf version, there will also be an exclusive, 100-copy-only hand-made and signed hard copy. I’m pretty sure these will go quickly, so you might want to jump on it quickly. The Kickstarter goes live at noon Eastern time tomorrow.
In addition, I will be making available a series of extracts from the Adventures Dark and Deep Players Manual. These will be booklets on the Bard, Jester, Mystic, Savant, and Mountebank. Each will have the full class description and all the spells for that class. The idea is that if you’re playing one of those classes, it’ll be a handy reference to have at the table, so you won’t have to wade through the entire Players Manual to find your spells. It’ll also be good for people who just want to add a specific class or two to their 1E, LL, S&W, or other old-school game.
February-May: Work continues on finishing up the DM’s Guide to Greyhawk 576. I’m getting the hang of converting 1E and 2E monsters to 5E. Once that’s done, I’ll start moving on to other areas of Oerik outside of the Flanaess. Zindia first, and the Baklunish Basin next. Of course, until Wizards of the Coast opens up Greyhawk on DMsGuild.com, it’s all an academic exercise, but if they ever do, I’ll be loaded for bear.
June-December: Now I’m getting pretty speculative. I’ve been thinking about a science fiction game for a long time. For some reason, most sci-fi games tend to be skill (or mutation!) based, rather than class based. What I’m thinking of is a sci-fi RPG based on the 1E/Adventures Dark and Deep system. So it would have races and classes, and an xp-buy skill system. It would also be generic, rather than being tied to a specific setting. Whether it would be a White Star-style space opera, or a Mutant Future-style post-apocalyptic game, remains to be seen.
Alternatively, I’ve also been itching to do a real hex-and-counter wargame based on the Battles of Hastings and Stamford Bridge, with the outcome of the one influencing the setup of the other. Loose too many troops at Stamford Bridge, and the English won’t be able to take on the Normans at Hastings.
Time will tell.
I'd definitely throw money at a Sci-Fi game. The only two cents I'll throw at the moment, though, is that I honestly wish more designers would take a cue from the much maligned (wrongly) Alternity system and make the set up loose enough that it can be adapted to whatever sci-fi you want. Mutants in the wasteland? Sure, we can do that. Space Opera? Easy peasey. Hard sci-fi? Yeah, we got an app for that.
Looking forward to it. And my signed copy of the new level for Mad Archmage. It will be signed in the blood of fallen adventurers, right?