Bundle of Holding - Designers. Dragons & More

Yep, this is for the gaming historian in you - Designers, Dragons & More.

Designers & Dragons is probably the best history of RPGs that you can find, and this is coming from a guy who has his BA in History. I'm a history buff, but this is enjoyable reading even if you aren't.

8 bucks gets your the first volume of four of Designers & Dragons: The 70's. Its an amazing read. Can't personally speak for the other two offerings at the 8 buck level, but I'll be checking it out.

For about $18.50 you get the next three volumes of Designers & Dragons as well as Hobby Games: The 100 Best. Again, can't speak about the Hobby Games title, but the next three volumes of Designers & Dragons are an excellent read.

Really, you can't go wrong.

Kickstarter - Fosc Anansi - RPG Adventure Module - 1E & 5E

Fail Squad Games / +Lloyd Metcalf is back with another project. This time it is Fosc Anansi, an adventure that will be published with 1e & 5e stats in the same booklet.

So, what exactly is Fosc Anansi?

Help us bring the next Fail Squad Games adventure module to print! This is a REVISED edition of the copy produced for RPG Crate in January 2017. 

It will be published including: 

1E/OSRIC AND 5E rule sets in the same book
52 Pages
Unique monsters and challenges
1E and 5E character sheets
Gnomes? 

The writing, illustration, layout and editing is FINISHED! We just need your support to take this project to print.

If you haven't checked out Lloyd's work yet, you really should. Top notch art and excellent ideas and execution. He's hit the mark with every project too - on time or early.

Softcover is $15, hardcover is $20. Signed and numbered hardcover is $35 - just a few left.

Gareth Sharka - Still Stirring Shit on Twitter 5 Years and Going Strong - Far West

Hey Gareth! Fuck you!

Sorry for making it personal for my readers, but telling folks that haven't asked for refunds that they can't bitch and complain pisses me off. Why?

Five months ago Gareth told us there would be no refunds until release. So, why ask for something that isn't going to happen.

Or did Gareth misspeak. No, he's not a lawyer, so it must be something else.

Are there refunds? Are there not refunds? Are those that are partially refunded still allowed to complain?

Keep your lies and stories straight. It helps in the long run when your are fucking backers over. All you are doing is trolling yourself.

I'm eagerly awaiting this supposed announcement later this week:

edit:

Can't comment, can only view. Echo Chamber in full effect. Feel free to comment here Gareth. We don't block, edit or delete comments or views we disagree with. Explain your position. Make sense of the disconnect between your statements. Salvage what little you have left of your rep.

Far West - You Want to Know What's Going On? Don't Expect an Update - Email Gareth - Seriously

So, Gareth, the man who has a project that is over five years late (and has punted the completion date so many times we are now sitting on the 63 excuses / release dates / fairy tales), so late there is a website delegated to it being late, is telling his backers to "email me directly" for news on the project.

Dude! WTF?

Kickstarter updates are supposed to appear on Kickstarter. Not on your Twitter account. Not when some pissed off fool has to track down your email to ask you "can I have my refund now? please!"

But hey, backers are not customers - not that customers are treated any better - Buckaroo Banzai Pre-orders anyone?

Gareth certainly knows the way to turn a successful small press company into an unsuccessful small press company and pissing on your customers - past, present and future, is certainly the way to do it. At least I will say this about Gareth - he is consistent in ignoring his own failure. You almost need to admire that.

Far West. Far Far West. In a galaxy, far far west away...

edit - so some of us can smile in the midst of Gareth's "storytelling"...

Swords & Wizardry Continual Light - Print at Home Beta Proof

As I mentioned earlier, +James Spahn laid out the working beta / playtest version of the Swords & Wizardry Continual Light rules. I decided to print a digest sized reference copy for myself. Damn but it's sweet!

I have heavier paper I could have used for the cover, but this was just a quick test to see how it would come out digest sized - 5 8"x10.5" sheets. The print is small but readable, even for my nearly 50 year old eyes.

I still have a page of optional rules that I have to tighten up and we still have 7 adventures and a mini hex sandbox (or non quite a sandbox - more on that later) to include - so we are guessing 32 to 36 pages for the full final project - 16 pages or so for the rules, about the same about for adventures and setting.

I expect I'll be bringing a dozen or so "final beta" copies (lacking adventure and setting but with the rules pretty much locked down) of SWCL to GaryCon. Maybe we'll do colored covers or something ;)

Hoping to Have a Swords & Wizardry Continual Light "Ashcan" Ready for GaryCon

Cover Art by Luigi Castelli

+James Spahn forwarded me and the rest of our playtest group the most recent version of the of the Swords & Wizardry Continual Light beta in PDF format Its 90% + where it needs to be, heck, probably 95% +. Certainly close enough for me to print out a copy in digest form later on this week and see what it looks like in hand. Sixteen pages plus the cover sheet. This is simply very exciting.

If all goes well I may have a dozen or so "ashcan" versions of SWCL to bring with me to GaryCon. I'll update as we get closer.

Of course the plan is for the final release to include seven adventures - one for each level and maybe a small sandbox setting. We're getting there ;)

Kickstarter - 400+ RPG Maps: Dozens of Themes! VTT, Digital & Printed

Alright. I THINK there is a good Kickstarter behind this mess, but its going to take some sorting out.

First - You really need a better title for your Kickstarter than 400+ RPG Maps: Dozens of Themes! VTT, Digital & Printed. Believe it or not, KS is very much about branding, and there is literally no branding here. (note - see below)

Second - Video - I know some say every Kickstarter needs a video. This video is both WAY to long and the music is annoying as hell. Note - some people don't like techno. If I want a headache I can drink myself into one with something much more enjoyable. That being said, watch the video for about 30 seconds. I want my readers to share the pain ;)

edit: notice the video refers to Meanders 2? Well, I guess that is the name of the project. Would be nice if it were actually used as the name of the project. 

Third - Information overload - Yes, folks want to know what your KS is about. This is way too much info. I literally gave up after scrolling through less than a quarter of the page. The words became a blur. I don't have that much time to read a KS page.

Even the "simple summary" is confusing

Fourth - 25 Support Levels - WTF? Much like above - simply too much to digest.

Fifth - This applies to pretty much every Kickstarter - having a video is fine but it is not a graphic that blogs and other websites can easily use in a post. You really should have some splash art that looks good on its own that relates and identifies with your project.

Shit. I mean, there is some dame good looking tile art for a VTT here but there is simply too much to digest. Sometimes less truly is more and more isn't always better.

Perhaps someone with more patience can break this down into manageable bites...

Sale - Troll Lord Games Castles & Crusades Player's Handbook - Print & PDF - $15 - Today Only!

Today only, Troll Lord Games is running as sale on the C&C Player's Handbook - $15 Print & PDF Bundle. Castles & Crusades is a great system with much of the feel of AD&D.

Sale ends at midnight!

Mini-Adventures for the Guidebook to the Duchy of Valnwall SE Are Compiled - Looking at March Release

The Guidebook to the Duchy of Valnwall SE is soon to be released, and it includes adventures from a "Who's Who" list of folks active in the OSR.

Don't believe me?

+James Spahn , +Pete Spahn , Daniel Walthall, +Jason Paul McCartan , +Dyson Logos , +Tim Shorts , +Eric Hoffman , +Timothy Brannan , Tim Hartin, +Paul Go , +matt jackson , +Jeff Sparks and myself.

Damn, I'm in good company :)

I'm peeking at the adventures as I type this. Yes, I get a sneak peek ;P

Can You Identify the DCC RPG 3rd Party Re-release This New Art Will Appear In?

New art for a fairly well known and out of print 3rd party DCC RPG adventure. Any guesses which adventure it is? Hint - Raggi doesn't publish DCC adventures ;)

#ComManKen - I'm ready to answer any questions you may have for me as honestly as I can

Apparently NOT a joke. I do so love the copout: "as honestly as I can" - as Ken finds it impossible to be honest. Lying is simply his nature and as such, to him it is nothing different than the truth.

Of course, those in Ken's circle of trust blissfully ignore his willful failures. Need a reminder of Ken taking the money and running?

Ken DID actually answer some relevant questions when he wasn't deleting questions he didn't want to answer. Because you don't have to lie if you don't have a question to answer.

I really wonder at times about Ken's horrendous typos / spelling mistakes. Anyhow, the "we" in the second part of the answer above is the staff at Marcus' store. Yep, Ken is making anything. Sorry Kenny.

Does anyone else believe the above six Kickstarters are going to be completed by August first? I'm not asking about all - any single one maybe? Didn't think so.

My God! What a crock of shit! I thought the last claim was the every copy was lost. Bye bye! Ken can't even keep his lies straight.

Marcus said some wise words. But as I said up above, for Ken lies and the truth are the same thing. He know longer knows the difference.

BTW, I'm blocked from reading all this goodness myself, so I rely on the kindness of my readers for keeping myself and the rest of The Tavern's readership in the loop, such as it were.

Reminder - Tavern Chat - 9pm Eastern

Not near my desk at the moment so my tablet will have to make due.

Just a short reminder that the weekly Tavern Chat is in 2 hours.

Be there or be not ;)

TSR PDF Release -FRQ1 Haunted Halls of Eveningstar (2e)

I've mentioned before that I cut my gaming teeth on AD&D 1e. I stuck with that to the day AD&D 2e released - because newer is better, right? That all being said, I mostly stuck to 1e adventures when I ran something that was prepackaged. Nothing came close to moving me to 2e adventures until I found Haunted Halls of Eveningstar (2e).

It was a campaign starter, a small setting, a town, a dungeon and hooks for other stuff, assuming the DM was willing to flesh it out. I reused the Haunted Halls many a time. So much to use in a 32 page adventure.

From the blurb:

Welcome to the picturesque village of Eveningstar, nestled at the foot of the Stonelands where the River Starwater winds down a gorge and snakes into the King's Forest. Here, the Knights of Myth Drannor began their famous adventures. Here, the Ladies of the Brazen Blade, The Company of the Singing Sword, The Steel Shield Band, and many other came, clutching royal charters from King Azoun with the ink scarcely dry on the parchment. Some fell, some went on to greatness-but they all came here first; to the Haunted Halls.  

Despite numerous infiltrations, the Halls have not yet yielded all their secrets or treasures. Many dangers lurk as deadly as ever in dark chambers herein, awaiting new companies of eager-eyed adventurers.  

Is it your turn to dare The Haunted Halls? Many come, but few survive to again see Eveningstar's beauty.  

Welcome, then. Enter in, and find in these pages: 

A challenging introductory level dungeon.
A detailed countryside setting, including important local personages, local color, and guidelines for play. Suggested campaign plots and adventures.
New spells.
New magical items.
New monsters. 

A splendid campaign can begin here. Adventurers in an ongoing campaign can stop by for a memorable visit. Those looking for an underground stronghold may even find a home in the Haunted Halls of Eveningstar.

Haunted Halls just released on RPGNow for $4.99 in PDF. Well worth the money if you are looking for a campaign starter.

I'm less impressed with the recent POD releases from the TSR era.

The Ravenloft release is from 3e (and post TSR), and I'm sure the original isnt had to find. Never even heard of The Tree of Life before.

Kickstarter - MapForge – battlemap creation software for tabletop RPGs

I've been following BattleGrounds Games for a long time. They are developers of one of the first Virtual Table Tops I played with, and even though I've settled on Roll 20 for simple ease of use, BattleGrounds was something I kept an eye on.

When I found out that BattleGrounds Games was working on mapping software for RPGs, I was excited. When I got a sneak peek at the Kickstarter page, I was even more so. MapForge reminds me of Dunjinni, but done right and with support.

The Mapforge Kickstarter launched over the weekend with a goal of $9k - its already surpassed $13k.

BattleGrounds Games has always been responsive to my inquiries for support over the years and I expect nothing less from their current Kickstarter.

Here's my one question - any chance of on of the content creators of the map graphics to license their work for commercial publishing? Inquiring minds want to know - and that could be HUGE for some smaller publishers ;)

Anyhow, its $25 to back - but only 40 or so spots left before it goes up to $27. In either case, a huge bargain.

You can increase your pledge for specific art resources - I might pick up a pack or two. Yes, I backed at $25 for now.

Why I Put Wayward Kickstarters' Feet to the Fire

There has been some recent displeasure with my Kickstarter coverage. No, not to me directly, but others are getting flack for letting the posts be shared over sources they control. I figured it was time for an explanation as to why I make such posts and why I take such posts seriously.

Our hobby is small. Really small. If you aren't WotC or Paizo, publishing is probably a side gig for you. Profit margins are slim. That is why Print on Demand and Kickstarter are used by so many RPG publishers - it minimizes risk and maximizes profit.

Lets look at Kickstarter. For all intents and purposes, RPG publishers use it as a preorder system. I'm not going to get into the argument that you are backing a "project" and not a "product." If the publisher treats it like a preorder system, allowing them to take your money up front while knowing how many of "X" to print, thereby minimizing the risk of dead stock sitting in a spare bedroom or garage somewhere, its a preorder. Quacks like a duck and walks like a duck and looks like a duck, its a duck. Fuck the DNA results.

Few publishers hit their overly optimistic release dates on Kickstarter. Those that do, I usually highlight. Most fall within the ballpark. A few go extremely long and a select few get to the stage of "tomorrow is always a day away."

Now, as a consumer, money that has paid for product that is now years late is money that could have been spent elsewhere - such as, you guessed it - other gaming product.

How many people take the time to track these late projects? How many look into the updates and try to ascertain what is truly going on? Who pays attention to see if a certain publisher / creator has a tendency to be really late, or not release at all? Does anyone vet these projects before backing them? Does anyone take the project creators to task, when lateness becomes lies and they attack the very community that funded them?

The answer to the above is "I do" and I wish others would.

While I like to think that honesty is the base state of human beings, we all know that it does not apply to all. Sometimes, you need to shine a light to remind folks to be honest as well as show honest folks who isn't, and beware.

But, Kickstarter says you are backing an idea, not a product, and there is no guarentee you'll get anything and that is true, its what Kickstarter says. But if shining a light improves the consumers' odds, that should only be a good thing. Not every funded Kickstarter is going to deliver, but every funded Kickstarter should make the honest attempt to do so. For every Mike Nystul, who fell on the sword and admitted to being an incompetent business man (and was pretty much forgiven by the gaming community even with Kickstarters that never produced product) you have a Gareth, with his "tomorrow, next week, next month" series of promises over the last five years. Or #ConManKen, who admitted to misusing Kickstarter funds, basically ran multiple Kickstarters as a pyramid scheme that only filled his pockets and has threatened me with lawsuits and arrest. Or Kevin, who took in $1.4 million and keeps punting completion to NeverNever Land.

Kickstarter is not all Ice Cream and Bunnies. There are those that will take advantage of their backers and potential backers should be armed with all the knowledge they can get.

Keeping bad Kickstarters in the light helps ensure that future creators do their own due diligence before kicking off their latest project and are ready to succeed.

As a side note, my moderating hand is VERY light here at The Tavern. I do NOT delete comments of those that disagree with me. I don't even delete ones where I am threatened with lawsuits or arrest by federal authorities. I am more likely to moderate personal attacks between readers than anything else, and even that needs to be over the top. So, if the Gareths, Kens or Kevins of the world want to defend their actions, they won't be silenced.

Kickstarter - Alternative Facts the Game (Not to be Confused with Alternative Facts - A Hilarious Card Game by Frog God Games)

Alternative Facts. Catchy name for a game, right? So catchy that you might be tempted to use it EVEN AFTER another publisher just started a Kickstarter under the very same name. Because why bother to see if its already in use on the platform you want to fund on.

You know what? I really like the name Labyrinth Lord for an RPG. Its already in use? No problem. Mine is different. Its "Labyrinth Lord the Game." See? Totally not the same.

Hey, lets look at the quality presentation of Alternative Facts the Game, shall we?

Wow! That just screams "Take my 25 bucks damn it!" Well, maybe not. Personally, it doesn't even whisper to me.

Here's the link to Frog God Games' Kickstarter for a similarly named card game that kicked first. Really, the only thing in common is the name.

Ah well, I'm going to be hard at work on my "Dungeons & Dragons the Game" Kickstarter (go big or go home ;)

Kickstarter - Off the Beaten Path, Forest Excursions (Adventures for SWL / System Neutral)

Have I mentioned how much I like this cover?

There are less than 21 hours left in the Off the Beaten Path, Forest Excursions Kickstarter's funding. With a goal of $600 it has now surpassed $2,800. Six stretch goals have been hit and the next one is within reach.

Its exciting to see a release for Swords & Wizardry Light about to reach the market place.

Just so you know, Throwi Games has been using a beta copy of the forthcoming SWL Monsters Book as well as discussing rules questions with me as they crop up. This is going to be a sweet release with at least 22 one and two page adventures. You simply can't go wrong backing for either the SWL version or the system neutral version.

FYI, I get 1% of the monies raised for the SWL version. Its not a lot but it's certainly a sweet thank you :)

Kickstarter - Robotech® RPG Tactics™ - How NOT to Announce the Suicide Attempt of one of your Freelancers

Holy shit.

So, it seems like the guy that was / is to release the Rifts Boardgame Kickstarter got a huge amount of flack for his comments on the Robotech® RPG Tactics™Kickstarter on Friday and made an attempt on his own life later that day. Thankfully, the attempt was unsuccessful and he is in treatment. Please put Carmen and his family in your prayers as they are in ours. Tell your family that you love them.

That is what this morning's update should have been. It wasn't. Instead, it's all about how awful the backers of the Robotech® RPG Tactics™are. It's all you fault! You nearly killed a man over a 3 year late project of toys!

Normally, I just give pieces or screenshots of updates, but this one I'm going to post in full. Its such a self serving pile of shit (and rightfully seen as such by 90% of the Kickstarter backers) that its generated more negative comments than one would expect where a member of our hobby nearly died.

Let's read how Kevin tried to capitalize on this tragedy, shall we?

Update #197   Feb 19 2017
A terrible day  110 Comments

In recent weeks, game designer Carmen Bellaire began talking online about the Rifts® board game he has been developing under license. His planned upcoming Kickstarter will launch it and his own company. 

On Friday morning he came here, to the RRT Kickstarter comments pages, and made what he had intended to be a post to drum up support from backers of our Robotech® RPG Tactics™ Kickstarter project. It didn’t go well, to say the least. 

Carmen’s awkward words might have seemed out of context and harsh. They were fueled by comments and accusations people had been directing at him here and elsewhere for a while now. Somehow, he thought he was helping by coming here to speak to people directly. 

I don’t know why Carmen Bellaire said what he said, in the way that he did. I know he has been pushing himself much too hard, and was emotionally drained and physically exhausted when he made those posts. That might explain some of it. He can also be the proverbial bull in the china shop, and has a bad habit of not choosing his words carefully. (its at this point I said to myself - we are building up to a suicide / suicide attempt)

A lot of his comments and observations about Robotech® RPG Tactics and Palladium Books were from an outsider’s perspective, and often incorrect or not clearly presented. Carmen’s viewpoint, like many of yours, is that of a concerned outsider looking in. 

He had not been around Palladium Books much the past 3-4 years, because he was busy creating games for his own fledgling company, Rogue Heroes LLC, which he has hopes to launch in spectacular fashion with the Rifts® Board Game as his first release. This would be done via a Kickstarter campaign in April, 2017. In addition to this endeavor, Carmen works a full-time, 9-5 job, as well as doing freelance game design for Upper Deck. A lot of work for Upper Deck. It is my understanding that the many games he has designed for that company have yet to see release, but they have been keeping him busy and several are in the pipeline for release. Doing board games right takes time. I’ve learned that the hard way. Carmen is also doing work for at least two other game companies under a veil of secrecy. He cannot speak about them or identify the companies due to NDAs and the wishes of those companies. I’m not even sure if I’m supposed to mention Upper Deck. I have been doing so rather shamelessly, because I’m very proud of my friend Carmen, and I figured the folks at Upper Deck will be okay with it coming from me. 

Carmen is a passionate person who feels things deeply. He has a heart of gold and a truly brilliant mind for games. The launch of Rogue Heroes LLC and the Rifts® Board Game is the culmination of his lifelong dream and a five or six year journey to make that dream a reality. He has made a lot of sacrifices, invested a lot of money, and worked his tail off to get here. He was excited beyond measure as he prepared to launch his Kickstarter for the game. And if it panned out, he had big plans for the future. 

Carmen and I have not talked about him “fixing” Wave Two, as he put it. We at Palladium, and many others, believe the RRT rules are solid. That while they could use some clarification, expansion and tweaking, they are really quite excellent and damn fun to play. What Carmen and I have talked about is Carmen’s hope and dream that if the Rifts® Board Game Kickstarter is a big success, he can quit his 9-5 job and dedicate himself exclusively to creating games. It is a lifelong dream I have heard about since the first day I met Carmen 12, 15 years ago. A dream he saw finally becoming a reality. A dream he has put his heart and soul into making come true. So no, Rogue Heroes, LLC is not a front or shell company for Palladium Books, as some have suggested; it is 100% Carmen Bellaire. 

His terrible opening post and further discussion about Robotech® RPG Tactics™ and Wave Two on the RRT Kickstarter board was fueled by his passion and hopes. If the Rifts® board game was a big success, and he really could quit his 9-5 job, he planned to help Palladium get RRT back on track, doing whatever he could to help. Carmen has all kinds of ideas for advanced RRT rules, new factions and new waves of product that we would love to see happen. But for the moment, he was still buried with other work commitments and needed to stay focused on the Rifts® board game and its Kickstarter.  

What Carmen was trying to say and why 

Carmen didn’t intend to challenge, threaten or blackmail anyone for support of his impending Rifts® board game Kickstarter. He was, in his own lame and awkward way, trying to say that his success with it would be good for the future of RRT, because he could be more involved and hopefully help make things happen faster in the future. He was trying to say, please don’t undermine his Rifts® Board Game Kickstarter, because his success would actually help RRT in the long run. 

I know this is what he meant, because he called me Friday, early afternoon, very upset by the reaction of some people on the RRT boards. He apologized to me over and over again for upsetting people and fueling the vitriol when all he was trying to do was help. Help me. Help his upcoming Kickstarter. Help the fans. Help his family. Help everyone. And doing it by creating a fun Rifts® board game to be followed by many other games from his company, not just based on Palladium’s I.P., but many of his own brilliant ideas. 

I understand why people are upset about RRT. What I cannot understand is the absolute hate and bloodlust of some, to destroy us, when we are trying to deliver the game they backed. Even more puzzling is attacking and destroying anyone who is affiliated with Palladium even in the slightest way, and shouting down and condemning others who don’t agree with their point of view. 

What you need to know 

Carmen Bellaire has put his heart and soul, and every dime he has, into the creation of HIS company, Rogue Heroes LLC, and HIS Rifts® board game. I say “his” Rifts® game because while it is Palladium’s I.P., it is ALL Carmen’s genius, money and blood, sweat and tears. 

Vicious words of hate shocked and overwhelmed him.  

Twisting the truth and twisting his, admittedly poorly chosen words, cut him to pieces. Carmen was never an employee of Palladium. He was a freelancer who worked off site, like all of our freelancers. He submitted the occasional book or contribution to a product like RRT. Carmen has never deliberately held back from making RRT great. Carmen was not trying to blackmail you to support his game. All he wanted to do was help, and he saw the Rift® board game as his way to start doing that. He wanted you to understand this. That your support for his Kickstarter – or at least not trying to undermine it – would enable him to help you and RRT, because he would finally have the time to devote to it, if he could quit his day job. He even shared his dream of being able to do a lot more work on RRT, Wave Two and future RRT releases, among other things. Carmen had a lot of big dreams and good intentions.  

Crushed and shell-shocked by your heated words and promises to do everything in your power to ruin his Kickstarter, Carmen’s dreams were shattered. And why? Because he was friends with Kevin Siembieda and had done freelance work for Palladium Books off and on over the years. 

He took your words to heart. Carmen believed you hated him. Believed you would work to destroy everything he had spent years building for himself, his family and for you.  

In a telephone call on Friday, he had told me he had never experienced this kind of hate and venom. He was clearly reeling from it. He said it was beyond anything he could imagine. He apologized, saying that all he wanted to do was help. Instead he had ruined everything. 

A short time later, at 2:07 PM, Friday afternoon, Carmen emailed me to say how much I have meant to him. That he was sorry he ruined everything by posting on the RRT board and stirring up unfathomable hate. He felt there was no way to undo the damage he had done. That he had ruined any chance for a successful Rifts board game Kickstarter and the launch of his company. That he had let his family down and every single person who was working so hard to make the Rifts board game and his company a reality. “I can’t take it, man ... I am so so so sorry. Good bye.” 

Carmen tried to kill himself moments later. 

It is only by the grace of God that his wife, a nurse, entered the room in time, that Carmen is alive. He is in the hospital, but in a bad way. He is a mess. The fate of the board game, his company, his dreams ... and most importantly, his life, are unknown. His family and all of us who know and love him are still in shock and praying to God that he will be okay. 

Words can kill 

On Friday, words on this board – cruel, vicious, condemning words – successfully crushed a man’s hopes and dreams and sent him spiraling into despair. Those words pushed him to the point of trying to take his own life. I would hate to think anyone may take pride in that.  

I’m posting this, with the permission of Carmen’s family, because you need to know that words of hate, spite, cruelty and intolerance, pushed a good man – a husband – a father – a friend – to attempt suicide on Friday. A simple gaming geek like every one of us, Carmen worked hard to support his family, found joy in gaming, and dared to pour his heart into making his dream come true for the betterment of everyone. 

Please realize that your words and tone may hurt another person as much as a bullet to the heart. Please, try to stop and think about what you say. Remember that human beings are fragile creatures. Try to find compassion and support for others, not tear them down. Try not to assume the worst or cast your assumptions and accusations against someone who does not deserve them. Not everyone is a bad guy. Not everyone is an enemy to be hated, attacked and ridiculed. Words matter. Lives matter. Kindness and tolerance matter. Perhaps more than ever before. 

A friend asked me if Carmen will be okay. We don’t know. Carmen will be in the hospital for a while. We don’t know for how long. We don’t know if he will ever be the same. We don’t know whether he’ll return to game design and try to launch his company or the Rifts® board game in which he has invested everything. If not, that’s a tragedy of another sort, because Carmen has so much to offer. Before his suicide attempt, Carmen regarded game design as pure joy and tackled it with a childlike sense of wonder. All he wanted to do was to make games. After this, I don’t know.  

I’m afraid this is not my most eloquent post. I am still shaken. I’m scared for him. Terrified. And saddened beyond words. 

Please pray for Carmen’s swift recovery, emotionally and physically, and that Carmen is able to find the strength to once again follow his dreams and dare to try to make them come true. I want that not just for Carmen, but because he has a treasure trove of wonderful games locked in his imagination waiting to come out. Games that will bring joy and laughter to all of us. 

I hope and pray there is a happy ending coming. Our love to Carmen and his family.  

Kevin Siembieda
President, Palladium Books

Self serving? Deflecting? Capitalizing on a suicide attempt? All that and more. The backers see it for what it is.

Edit: Here's Carmen's original comment that set up the backlash (I highlighted the line many backers have seen as blackmail):

Hello Everyone

I am Carmen Bellaire, I have started my own gaming company called Rogue Heroes, and as most of you know I will be doing a Kickstarter for a board game based on the Rifts IP.

So first off, I am a backer of this project too just like you, and I’m in the same boat as all of you. I know that some of you are pissed off at Palladium Books over the MASSIVE delay of Wave 2 of this project. I am disgruntled about it too. It is something of a sore spot between me and Kevin from PB. I too wish he would finish Wave 2 or resolve the matter in some way. Unfortunately, I have NO control over his business or Palladium’s conduct of in regard to this Kickstarter project. Kevin is a friend of mine, the way any one-time co-worker is. I once wrote for him and helped with the RRT rules, but my professional involvement with this project ended there. I have NO influence over this Kickstarter currently. So why am I posting here and now?

Well, you guessed it – I am going to release my Kickstarter soon (a few months) and wanted to state my opinion on things here for all the disgruntled RRT backers before I do.

So why me and Rogue Heroes for the Rifts: Board Game. A few years ago when things were going good and Wave 1 was just releasing Kevin was thinking about doing a Rifts board game and was looking to either do it himself or sell the IP rights to someone who could. Ninja Division either didn’t want to do it or was not asked, I really do not know. But in talk with me about finding the misprints in the rulebook for RRT Kevin let it slip that the IP rights for the Rifts: Board Game were available. I had just sold my first board game to another company for a big chunk of money and asked my wife if she would let me risk it on getting the IP rights for the Rifts miniatures and board games. She said yes.

So I gather a group of guys I know and get to work on it. Time goes on I make more money on other board games for various people and learn a ton about the industry. We continue to slowly get sculpts and art done, with me paying for everything as I go and I start to hear problems in the RRT KS. I don’t know much at first but watch as things get steadily worse (in my opinion). I don’t know why it is happening and hear from Kevin that it will all be fixed soon. More time goes by………………a lot of time and it's now. I have a nearly completed board game and have paid an amount that outstrips and individual backer on this KS project and most groups of backers too! And I see what a cluster-F things have become.

While I do still have faith in Kevin to make things right in the end, I don’t know how long that will take. In the meantime, I have to get my Kickstarter going if I am going to meet my contractual obligations to Palladium Books and try to make back at least some of the money my wife let me invest in the Rifts: Board Game. So that leaves me hear talking to you all.

While it is true I don’t want a hoard of mad RRT backers slamming my Kickstarter out for blood, I know that Kickstarter itself will regulate that. It did on the Savage Rifts Kickstarter which I also backed. I want to be on your side. I would love to pull a white knight and fix all the things going wrong with this KS, but first I have to get my Kickstarter started and funded to prove to Palladium that Rogue Heroes can do get our own project done. As they say money talks and bullshit walks.
My hope for the future would be to take over the miniature and board game rights to all Palladium Books, including Robotech (and in this case Harmony Gold through PB), and do them right! Not to throw stones but the Ninja Division chose the wrong manufacturer for the RRT, they forgot to charge shipping on the Kickstarter and made some other errors (in my opinion), while they meant good, mistakes were made. These were then compounded by Palladium and amplified to the point we are at today.

So where does that leave us, Rogue Heroes and the RRT backers I mean? Well, YOU as the other RRT backers have two choices. Either you can do everything in your power to try and kill the Rifts: Board Game OR you can allow me the chance to complete my Kickstarter in peace.

If you take option one, I will take all steps to prevent it, but calmly and by the rules. But I probably won’t ask for you to be banned unless you get too out of hand. But I believe you would be fighting an uphill battle anyway since all of Palladium loyal Rifts fans and many of the new Savage Rifts players REALLY want me to succeed. After all, Rifts hasn’t ever had really good miniatures, it had the old metal ones, but not the awesome figures we will be producing. And if you chose this route I will write you off, when Kevin asked me to help, as happened in the past on Wave 1, I will simply step away and let it burn. I am under no obligations to help with the RRT but I DO have the contacts and knowledge to help fix it.

Or you can take option two. I don’t ask anything from you, I don’t ask you to help or support me, or give me money or do anything at all. All I ask is please be decent individuals and give me room to succeed or fail on my own. And let those Rifts fans support me as they please. If you do this, basically do nothing, I will be all in for you. Even if my KS crashes and burns I will put my efforts into getting this shit straightened out!

While I cannot divert KS funds from a Rifts KS to the Robotech KS, or get anyone a refund. There is a lot I can do that will get things moving along again. I can help Palladium get the RIGHT manufacturer for Robotech and give them the advice and knowledge they are missing.

I have answered repeated questions on the Palladium forums about my project, including coming close to breaching my contract and NDA to be as honest and open as I can be. I want to show you that Rogue Heroes is different and that I can try and make a difference here. Which is also why I am posting here and will listen to the torrent of crap that will surely come of it.

After all, who else is helping? Contacting the FTC, or the Michigan Attorney General, or the Michigan BBB, or anyone else – who cares? According to Kickstarter they (PB) are doing their due diligence in working toward the goal of completing the project, as far as the law goes he has done nothing wrong (in my opinion, if I am wrong, invest in a lawyer). After all, it does say in the Kickstarter guidelines that the estimated delivery times are just that estimated, a project creator can take as much time as they require to complete the project as long as they work on it.

But in the end, it’s all up to you. Collectively you all have the opportunity to TRY and do some damage. Of course, you will be damaging Rogue Heroes, not Palladium, but it might make you feel better. Maybe? Remember, I already have the Rifts IP rights, Palladium got their money from me. Sure they will make some more money from my Kickstarter, but only AFTER I fulfill my rewards to ALL my backers! And you might blunt that a bit, but you will not be able to stop my Kickstarter. After all, my Kickstarter has nothing to do with Palladium and the folks at Kickstarter know it. As far as Kickstarter goes it’s no different that the Savage Rifts KS and that funded without a hitch.

I just felt that it was time that someone actually told you the lay of the land. Kickstarter is great, it’s F-ing awesome, but when things go wrong everyone needs to work together. It like all those with the loudest voice here thought they bought a product off a shelf, not backed a project. Things go wrong in all creative endeavors, then the creator gets things working again, or not. That's it.

Yea, I don’t want to battle with the RRT backers in order to complete my own KS, I am one of you after all. And you can call me a shill for Palladium if you want, call me a liar, call me whatever you want, but my Kickstarter will succeed. And when it does, do you want my next project to be straightening out the problems here. Or not? You decide.

Thanks for your time and attention

Carmen Bellaire
Rogue Heroes"

Gygax Memorial Fund - When Does Failure Become the New Reality?

You know, it blows my mind that it is 1 week short of 15 months that I first kicked the tires of the Gygax Memorial Fund. Admittedly, I should have been looking sooner, as someone "in the know" raised some flags with me over beers a few years earlier, but then we had Hurricane Sandy the next day and it got forgotten.

Not that an earlier look would have made a difference. I would have received the same non-answers then as I did in November of 2015.

Looking at 2016, the only Fund News on the website was the Tom deSanto announcement in July. What little info I had of going ons regarding that dried up months ago (I know someone that knows someone that...), and although I am not at liberty to discuss details, I think its safe to say there is little going on on that front right now.

As for Facebook, the Fund had two posts in 2016. The July deSanto Announcement and this:

Break ground in 2017? Sure. And @ConManKen is honest and kind to his backers,

Now, for some reason I can't find this post in the GMF Facebook feed:

Its from the end of April, 2016. That would make three posts. Now, Facebook can be finicky at times, so maybe someone else can find it. I'd hate to think it was deleted.

Nearly 10 months since the audit was announced. Yep. Not holding my breath, either.

Anyhow, about the statue that has no land (because Gail doesn't like the land designated by the City Council) and the bricks that were to have been sold years ago - this really has turned into one of those fucked up Kickstarters.

I'm still amazed that the money in the fund isnt invested in a low interest earning account. I mean, its free money, and as the Fund is no longer in the habit of raising money from donors, you think they would go for the low hanging fruit. If that isn't mismanagement (not criminal, put just piss poor) I don't know what is.

You know what is truly sad? If it weren't for The Tavern's posts, no one would even remember the Fund these days.

Zak S Goes Full Story Gamer - Main Author of Vampire the Masquerade: We Eat Blood (and other related drama)

Yep, Zak S has gone full on story gamer. Good for him. Its all about the Benjamins anyway ;)

Now, if you read the linked post, there is some vagueboooking about allegations dealing with Zak's behavior online. That alleged behavior was apparently directed at David Hill. I could guess as to where such postings were made but really, does it matter? White Wolf has conducted a full investigation and found nothing wrong. Because investigating your own is always on the up and up.

No research assistants were harmed in the composing of this post...

WizKids has a Mind Flayer "Trophy Plaque" for $449 - I Want one of Tsathogga!

Yep, There is a Mind Flayer head looking for a home. I kid (WizKid) you not.

It releases in May, 2017. Preorders are being taken now.

Take on one of the most feared beings in the Forgotten Realms and display your greatest achievement with the Mind Flayer Trophy Plaque. With four tentacles protruding from its octopus-like head, the Mind Flayer Trophy Plaque is sure to grab everyone’s attention (no mind control necessary). 

The Dungeons & Dragons Mind Flayer Trophy Plaque is made of foam rubber and latex that’s carefully hand-painted for realistic detail. The trophy plaque comes with everything you need to mount the plaque to your wall. 

Please Note: This wall hanging unit is a heavy object weighing approx. 14-16 pounds and we recommend professional installation. You must install this unit into structural elements (2”x4” wall studs).

Sadly, I am tempted.

Still, I want a Frog God I can mount on my wall...

edit: As pointed out by +Moe Tousignant , there is a WizKids Red Dragon Head at a slightly cheaper $399 on Amazon.

When Palladium Books Starts Licensing its IP (Along with a 3 years late Kickstarter) You have to Worry About the Cash Flow

First things first - I had no idea that there was a Rifts board game in the works, let along being developed and soon to be kickstarted by a third party until it was brought to my attention earlier today.

First we get Savage Worlds Rifts licensed to Pinnacle and now we are getting a Rifts board game, licensed to a Palladium freelancer (don't call him an employee - I guess that's a black mark or something)

Why would Kevin give up some of his IP control? He's infamous for holding that close to his chest.

Could it be Robotech RPG Tactics, the Kickstarter that over $1.4 million and still isn't fulfilled? Sure, some have their product but many don't and boy, are they angry. Seriously, the comment section is alive and well even of the Kickstarter isn't. 98,000 comments and popping another every few minutes. I guess over 5,300 angry backers can do that to ya.

It is a total fucking train wreck. A few years ago, a trusted business partner embezzled money from Palladium and the company almost went under. This time it may be the influx of $1.4 million that puts the nail in coffin.

Maybe this comment sums it up the best:

Any of my readers have pics of the horrible models from wave one?

Oh, and one update in 5 months:

So, if wave one was such shit, are they going to get new shipments with wave two?

To 3k and Beyond - State of Swords & Wizardry Light and Slinging some other Stuff ;)

We surpassed 3k downloads of the Swords & Wizardry Light rules earlier today. Huzzah! It really is gratifying to see the community embracing this little project.

Work continues on Swords & Wizardry Continual Light. +james spahn took SWL, built it up and now I'm tweaking and refining. I must say, its a blast to do so!

There has been movement on the Starslinger front. No details yet that I can disclose but I'm extremely excited. Wish I could say more. In due time...

I'll be running some SWL at GaryCon, off the grid. I'll be getting to Lake Geneva either Tuesday or Wednesday. Hoping to find a carpool from the airport (Milwaukee or Chicago - I'm flexible) hint / hint ;)

Kickstarter - Yarr! The Pirate ArrPG Hardcover : Make 100 Edition

I hear ye like pirates! Even better, you prefer your pirates "Old School" with old school sensibilities.

Well, Yarr! might be the came for you.

Based on the world's most popular RPG, Yarr! is a class/level d20 game rooted in the OSR. This rules-light game can be learned by kids and enjoyed by seasoned players alike. The core book is a complete RPG in one volume. This hardcover printing of only 100 copies will be an omnibus of the core book, all the supplements (including the Adventure Module "The Baron's Gold" and the expansion "Avast, Thar Be Ninjas!) And some all new material! 

Tempting to put some piracy in my SWL gaming.

Hardcover and PDF of the Ref Screen is $25

Loren Wiseman - Co-Founder Game Designer's Workshop - Passed Earlier Today

You can read Loren Wiseman's Wikipedia entry for a full account of his career. I remember him mostly from the GURPS Traveller line.

Cause of death appears to have been a heart attack.

Rest in peace.

Kickstarter - Dwarves of Iron Peak - Two Player Boardgame

Trolls are so big, all you get are the feet ;)

I've got a confession to make. I've backed a number of fantasy themed board game Kickstarters and have yet to play them. Most require three or more players and I'm just not getting that number of players at my kitchen table.

Dwarves of Iron Peak might actually get played. Why?

Small time commitment and two players? That's a win / win in my book.

Did I mention it has dwarves? Or that the boxed set buy in is 44 bucks?

Yep, the minis look damn good too.

Pin the troll's feet with the spears. That's actually pretty damn cool.

Now to find room on the gaming shelves...

Reminder - Tavern Chat - 9 PM - Time to Yap

Its Wednesday and that means another Tavern Chat.

Tonight I may spill the beans on an upcoming Mapping Kickstarter. Alright, not going to name it but I've seen the KS page and it looks good. If you liked Dunjinni, this will be right up your alley.

Of course we'll have the usual assortment of conversations going on. Always fun :)

9 PM Eastern using the Chat Box on the right side of this page.

2000 AD / Judge Dredd coming to EN Publishing

My first Judge Dredd RPG was published by Games Workshop. Later, I found the Mongoose version. Soon we will have an EN World version. Colour me very surprised (see what I did there?)

Here's some of the official announcement:

EN Publishing, under license with Rebellion, are developing a range of Tabletop Adventure Games and supplements based on the iconic characters and worlds found in the legendary British comic 2000 AD. 

“2000 AD has forty years of rich history and storytelling and this worldwide license allows us to explore those characters and stories and bring them to the tabletop” Angus Abranson, Business Manager of EN Publishing said. 

The first release will be Judge Dredd & The Worlds of 2000 AD Tabletop Adventure Game, a full colour hardcover book which contains the core ‘Worlds of 2000 AD’ rules as well as setting information enabling the players to not only play Judges, but also civilians and perps, in Mega-City One. 

“The rules system we’re using is our own WOIN (What’s Old Is New) engine that also powers our N.E.W. – The Science Fiction Roleplaying Game which spent some time as the #1 best seller on RPGNow” said system designer and EN Publishing Owner, Russ Morrissey. “The system is incredibly flexible and can cater seamlessly for the Celtic environs of Slaine to spacefaring hijinks of the Ace Trucking Co.” 

Judge Dredd & The Worlds of 2000 AD will be followed by a series of adventure sourcebooks giving players and Game Masters the opportunity to play through the story arcs that made Judge Dredd such an enduring character. 

“We’ll be publishing a series of books, starting with The Robot Wars, which will not only allow players and GMs to play through the events that took place in the comic arc, but also add to the game setting with additional rules or source material relevant to the period or location. So, for instance, Robot characters will be expanded in The Robot Wars whilst in Luna-1 we’ll be providing detailed information on the moon colony and life there” Nick Robinson, Line Developer for the Worlds of 2000 AD Tabletop Adventure Game said. “The idea is to move chronologically through the classic story arcs in the 2000 AD Progs providing adventures for not only Judges, but for those players who may wish to explore the Dredd universe from a different perspective – that of a Civilian or even a Perp. Each book will contain a core adventure, mini-adventures based upon the other story arcs at the time, as well as expanded settingand rules information.” 

In addition to the support material for the Judge Dredd campaign a series of ‘Campaign Guides’ are planned which will cover other 2000 AD settings.

You can read the rest of the announcement here.

I'm not a huge fan of the WOIN system, but many of us buy this still not for the system but for the setting.

Resources for the Time Crunched DM - City GeneratorBy CrystalBallSoft

So, your players need to know more about the hamlet they stumbled into. All you thought of was the name of the inn and now they want to know about a local thieves guild and can they hire some mercenaries.

City GeneratorBy CrystalBallSoft has you covered, more or less. There is as much information as most DMs could possibly need and its fairly system neutral - just ignore the levels assigned to the common folk and such ;)

One guard, one beer merchant, one thief and one prostitute. Its like "Cheers", just Hamlet sized.

They export doves. Now THAT is interesting!