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For all of you who were not at PaizoCon, you missed the little reveal/announcement that was made about out NEXT kickstarter, after we finish sending out our current two kickstarter; Free RPG Day 2013 & Obsidian Apocalypse.
This new kickstarter named Empire of Tears will be coming in early 2014 and it will be our 1st ever adventure path for Pathfinder. What makes Empire of Tears so different from any other adventure path out there? Well first off it is going to be completely written by Female RPG writers. Christina Stiles is heading this one up as the project manager and we have several other well-known and respected female RPG writers in the industry who are "available for this project". The Empire of Tears adventure Path will be easily to integrate into any generic, retail store run or homegrown Pathfinder campaign. This adventure path then takes your party on journeys to new and unique locations including the world of Exodus, campaign world for the NeoExodus: A House Divided Campaign Setting.
We are also looking to do some threshold goals that we will be teaming up with other well know 3PPs to provide great add-ons, encounters and side treks tied to this adventure path and their own campaign worlds.
Expect to hear more about this kickstarter project in coming months.
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Keeping an eye on this one so I can see who all's participating. Christina is definitely a plus.
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Keeping an eye on this one so I can see who all's participating. Christina is definitely a plus.
Well since Christina let it out of the bag at her facebook page I though I would do it too. Just in cause you were wondering here are some more writers who will be going this project: Amanda Hamon Kunz, Tracy Davis Hurley, and Miranda Horner! This is going to be AWESOME!!!
Great to hear.
Now, what is the plot? What type of adventure path is this going be?
Wow! Fantastic news! I await more information with anticipation. Good to see this happening...
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Great to hear.
Now, what is the plot? What type of adventure path is this going be?
The original ideas and concepts was influenced by comic book writer Warren Ellis and his comic series Planetary. As always we have place several writing tropes that have normally reserved for science fiction and incorporated them into a fantasy setting. We are not going to tell you everything now, but, you will get all kinds of information, sample artwork and behind the scenes stuff. So don't worry, this is going to be VERY cool.
Im always in for supporting those not of my gender, but quality comes first.
Can you look me in the eye and tell me that this adventure path will be GREAT?
=D
Oh, ujjjjjjjjjj, you doubt us? Miranda and I have been in the business for a very long time...and there's a reason for that.
I'm still pulling together all the details, but it will be good. In the meantime, if you'd like to check out my adventure work, please see Kobold Press' Midgard line.
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Afraid I'm not familiar with Miranda or Tracy, but Amanda I am and that's definitely another plus.
Im always in for supporting those not of my gender, but quality comes first.
Thanks for the support first and foremost.
Can you look me in the eye and tell me that this adventure path will be GREAT?
While I can not actually look you in the eye, I can tell you this is going to be GREAT. The reasons:
The people writing this are GREAT.
The people doing the artwork are GREAT.
The people doing the editing are GREAT.
The concept of the adventure is GREAT.
The kickstarter rewards are GREAT.
The kickstarter threshold goals are GREAT.
The danger your PC are going to face is GREAT.
The fear you will have for the survival of your PC will be GREAT.
The losses your PCs are going to suffer are GREAT.
The betrayal your PCs will suffer is GREAT.
The chance of your PCs failing is GREAT.
The possibility of destroying and entire world is GREAT.
Is that GREAT enough for you?
Well....I was about too pay full support for kickstarter until I realized that I only counted 14 GREAT's in your post. I needed 15.
Now I will be your mortal enemy, trolling your game, discouraging others from supporting it, and slandering and trying to hack your systems and destroy it!
Will wait and see what information will be given on this AP then. Thus far, the announcement is only telling of the gender of the writers, the title of the AP, and of a single inspiration.
Early announcements are nice, I will say, but what has been given thus far just makes me think that you've jumped the gun while it was still in the hostler.
APs aren't really my thing, but the title is exciting because of how much it could be. If it fits what I like, I'll guilt a friend of mine into running it.
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Never read Planetary... but I played in a long-running GURPS game run by a friend of mine that was very closely based on that series. Interesting to see what a Planetary-inspired Pathfinder campaign will be.
Also, a shout-out to Christina; I played in her "Beyond the Ghostlight Reef" game at PaizoCon, which was a hoot.
dot
Best of luck! I eagerly await more details.
Never read Planetary... but I played in a long-running GURPS game run by a friend of mine that was very closely based on that series. Interesting to see what a Planetary-inspired Pathfinder campaign will be.
Also, a shout-out to Christina; I played in her "Beyond the Ghostlight Reef" game at PaizoCon, which was a hoot.
Lol! Thanks much. I had a blast with that group! Endzeitgeist just posted up a review of the module, too.
Let me answer these one at a time:
Well....I was about too pay full support for kickstarter until I realized that I only counted 14 GREAT's in your post. I needed 15.
The chance we will have several 3PP participating is this kickstarter is GREAT.
Now I will be your mortal enemy, trolling your game, discouraging others from supporting it, and slandering and trying to hack your systems and destroy it!
I only battle immortal enemies like the Kurgan, Ra's Al Ghul or Tiamat so you have to step your game up.
Will wait and see what information will be given on this AP then. Thus far, the announcement is only telling of the gender of the writers, the title of the AP, and of a single inspiration.
Early announcements are nice, I will say, but what has been given thus far just makes me think that you've jumped the gun while it was still in the hostler.
You are correct we only give you a little bit here that is because we are not starting to actually start this kickstarter until early 2014. The main reason we are doing is to built up interest in the project. Way to often I have seen people say, "If I only new about this kickstarter earlier I would have supported it." Well we are spending the next 5 months getting the word out on what we are planning to do with this kickstarter. Plus is we gave you everything now, you might not be able to keep that excitement for the next 5 month with no new information.
APs aren't really my thing, but the title is exciting because of how much it could be. If it fits what I like, I'll guilt a friend of mine into running it.
This will not be a typical adventure path you are use to for Pathfinder. We are really focusing on the concept of perception as the basic core idea. The phrase that keeps coming up over and over again about this adventure path is, "believe nothing what you hear and 50% for what you see."
Never read Planetary...
That might be a cardinal sin to your gaming / comic cred.
but I played in a long-running GURPS game run by a friend of mine that was very closely based on that series. Interesting to see what a Planetary-inspired Pathfinder campaign will be.
Planetary has been tagged with the line: Archaeologists of the Impossible and I will say that has influenced on what I would like to see in this AP.
Planetary has been tagged with the line: Archaeologists of the Impossible and I will say that has influenced on what I would like to see in this AP.
"believe nothing what you hear and 50% for what you see."
The Immortal Words of the Martian Manhunter. ; D
The Immortal Words of the Martian Manhunter. ; D"believe nothing what you hear and 50% for what you see."
WOW! I never knew that. I heard that phrase roughly 20 years in college.
Do Adventure Paths always run from levels 1 to 12, or is a different range in the works for this?
First off this will be a 4 part adventure parts instead of the typical six parts. I am also planning for the AP to be run levels 6 to 12 or even 13. But there is a lot of danger going on in this "short" AP.
Perhaps this is a bit insensitive of me, why is the all female staff a selling point?
Why make the selling point of the game all about being an awesome game written by awesome GIRL writers, when you could just make the selling point an awesome game written by awesome writers?
Are there story and characterization aspects specific to female writers that a male writer could not duplicate, or that could not be incorporated if there were a man on the writing staff?
Nails, it's just something that has not been done before. There are very few women RPG writers, so having 4 on one project is RARE. Expect no differences in quality, but note there may be some people who are interested in this project because it is an all-female writing crew. And, there are others like yourself who could care less. Either way, I hope you will support the product when the KS opens. We will be able to provide you more details of its coolness as we get moving on it.
I certainly will, it looks awesome! I suppose the gender of your writing staff IS pretty novel. God knows I don't see too many gals around my flgs.
Keep up the good work!
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Never read PlanetaryThat might be a cardinal sin to your gaming / comic cred.
My comic cred is weak as is. I've read Watchmen, The Dark Knight Returns, and the Gaiman Sandman series, but that's pretty much it. Most everything else I know about comics comes from picking it up in conversation with nerd friends, or (like the rest of modern society) from movies.
I like to think of myself as a Renaissance Nerd (I'm a gamer, I have a PhD in physics, I read a lot of science fiction, if pressed I could probably name all of the original series Star Trek episodes, I can solve the Rubik's Cube, I play video games, I run Linux on all my computers, I program extensively in multiple programming languages, I have performed plays and given science talks in Second Life, etc.), but I have to admit that comics are the one area in which my background is sorely lacking.
Nails, it's just something that has not been done before. There are very few women RPG writers, so having 4 on one project is RARE. Expect no differences in quality, but note there may be some people who are interested in this project because it is an all-female writing crew. And, there are others like yourself who could care less. Either way, I hope you will support the product when the KS opens. We will be able to provide you more details of its coolness as we get moving on it.
Ditto!
My comic cred is weak as is. I've read Watchmen, The Dark Knight Returns, and the Gaiman Sandman series, but that's pretty much it. Most everything else I know about comics comes from picking it up in conversation with nerd friends, or (like the rest of modern society) from movies.
I like to think of myself as a Renaissance Nerd (I'm a gamer, I have a PhD in physics, I read a lot of science fiction, if pressed I could probably name all of the original series Star Trek episodes, I can solve the Rubik's Cube, I play video games, I run Linux on all my computers, I program extensively in multiple programming languages, I have performed plays and given science talks in Second Life, etc.), but I have to admit that comics are the one area in which my background is sorely lacking.
<<Semi-thread Jack>>
If you like science fiction then you HAVE TO READ Planetary. Here is the best quote I have heard to describe the series: "One hundred years of super hero history, slowly leaking into the modern world... Sometimes, ordinary people uncover things that are best left covered. Sometimes, things best left covered emerge into ordinary life and do not have the world's best interests at heart. These are the times when Planetary arrive - invited or not..."
Nails, it's just something that has not been done before. There are very few women RPG writers, so having 4 on one project is RARE.
Nobody is going to deny the gender disparity in RPG players, and it's one that carries over into RPG writers by default. I look at this more as a "fun fact; all female writing staff" than a true selling point. The fact that they're proven authors is far more important IMO. Writing is a hard way to make a living (or often, an under-paid side-job), so if you're known for quality work in the industry, that's a big deal.
OTOH, I understand why it's being trumpeted as 'A THING'; because hype draws attention and attention draws interest and interest draws sales. I doubt touting an all female writing staff would drive away sales, so it's basically harmless good press.
But for the extra mile, they could try for a an all female art staff too.
But for the extra mile, they could try for a an all female art staff too.
How do you know we have done that and just not announced it yet? <devilish grin>
I was sensing a pattern.
Do the vampires in it die in sunlight or sparkle?
First, vampires always die under ultraviolet light. They can tolerate sunlight (non direct) for a short time, but direct sunlight is like a laser beam.
Second, vampires only sparkle when glitter dust is cast on them.
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Second, vampires only sparkle when glitter dust is cast on them.
Amen, Louis! There is NO TWILIGHT in my writing.
First off this will be a 4 part adventure parts instead of the typical six parts. I am also planning for the AP to be run levels 6 to 12 or even 13.
How much prep will be necessary to get PC's 'ready' for this AP?
One of the nice things about starting at level 1 in an AP is the assumption that the PC's are just starting out & there fore have a minimum of 'past history baggage' to potentially hinder their interest in the events of the AP.edit: You will be linking to this Kickstarter once it goes live of course?
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I'm looking forward o this not because of the all female cast, but because I know hat Christina and Amanda can pull off some awesome stunts and NeoExodus has a lot of potential to be used as an intrigue playing ground addressing uncommon topics. So color me stoked! :D
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Keeping an eye on this one so I can see who all's participating. Christina is definitely a plus.Well since Christina let it out of the bag at her facebook page I though I would do it too. Just in cause you were wondering here are some more writers who will be going this project: Amanda Hamon Kunz, Tracy Davis Hurley, and Miranda Horner! This is going to be AWESOME!!!
While I'm not familiar with Tracy Davis Hurley, I DEFINITELY know Amanda Hamon and Miranda Horner! Both are excellent, top notch writers and editors who are fantastic to work with! It sounds like these are in excellent hands! :)
How much prep will be necessary to get PC's 'ready' for this AP? One of the nice things about starting at level 1 in an AP is the assumption that the PC's are just starting out & there fore have a minimum of 'past history baggage' to potentially hinder their interest in the events of the AP.
You are starting in a generic Pathfinder fantasy world, most likely there will be a back story to explain hwy and where you are stating this adventure path.
edit: You will be linking to this Kickstarter once it goes live of course?
Yes, but I hope to have some sample artwork to show you before we go live in 2014.
While I'm not familiar with Tracy Davis Hurley, I DEFINITELY know Amanda Hamon and Miranda Horner! Both are excellent, top notch writers and editors who are fantastic to work with! It sounds like these are in excellent hands! :)
Marc, Tracy has some work in KP's Lost City. She's most known on the 4e side of things, though, where she does a column for Wizards. She has a lot of followers.
I'm not sure why there's supposed to be a correlation between women authors and bad vampire fiction. I've been to fanfiction.net. There is no gender bias to the amount of suckage to be found.
And speaking as head writer for NeoExodus, I can assure you we won't be allowing any Twilight-level writing in this AP. Nor are we expecting any from this gathering of writers.
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I am looking forward to seeing this.
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All female? Seem alittle sexist. A good team should not be constructed based on sex, nationality, or color but on talent. Rather than have the title "Design announces 1st ALL FEMALE written adventure path", it should have been "Design announces all new adventure path featuring the best female talent".
It feels like the entire idea is fund a kickstarter project based on a gimmick. The entire idea of ALL FEMALE is obviously there to attract attention (i.e. $$$). I just want quality adventures.
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Contributor, RPG Superstar 2012
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If you're concerned about talent, Louis addresses that in the original post:
"...we have several other well-known and respected female RPG writers in the industry..."
So, there is no gimmickry here, since every author on this project brings years of experience and talent to the adventure path. I'm personally delighted to see something like this happening, and I'll be contributing to the Kickstarter when it launches.
Always good to see new options for APs.
Question though. I never really look at the author names for game books. Source books or modules, unless Dale Donovan or James Jacobs is the writer. So I never paid attention to the writer let alone the gender of the writer writing the module. I tell you all that so I can ask this question without seeming biased, sexist, or overly questioning. Is there really that much of a difference in the writing of a game module between female and male?
Question though. I never really look at the author names for game books. Source books or modules, unless Dale Donovan or James Jacobs is the writer. So I never paid attention to the writer let alone the gender of the writer writing the module. I tell you all that so I can ask this question without seeming biased, sexist, or overly questioning. Is there really that much of a difference in the writing of a game module between female and male?
I think different writers bring different type of game writing to their work. NeoExodus is a setting I build that does look like or feel like anything you would expect in "typical" fantasy. In my setting we have 5 different nations with 4 of them rule/run by women and the last a black male. I have NEVER seen that in any fantasy setting. Why not? I don't know. I sure no one thought it was that important to do that. But I did and that affects the type of stories and game people play in the setting. How men and women see things can be radically different on many thing and to say that there is no difference between the sexes is just not true and in my eyes not realistic.
Bringing different points of view whether they be base on sex, race, religion or whatever helps expand ideas in way that other my not have thought of. Amber E. Scott is the first woman to write a Pathfinder Adventure Path with #73: The Worldwound Incursion (Wrath of the Righteous 1 of 6) I can't wait to see what she brings to the adventure path.
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NPC, it is the opportunity that is new. Nobody touts an all-male AP because that is the standard. Do you realize AP # 73 by Amber Scott is the first one written by a woman? 72 have gone by with no female writers! I mean, we exist, right? Why has it taken so long? As a writer, I look for authors' names. As one of the FEW women in the industry, I look to see what my female colleagues are up to. I am happy that Louis is consciously choosing women writers for this AP, as the industry has unconsciously forgotten us or neglected to include us often. He consciously chose to set up many women-run nations in his setting, too. So why not let women write about them?
As we stated above, an all-female-written AP hasn't been done before. It is worth talking about, certainly; whether or not you find it a selling point, the AP is of historical significance in the industry. That's the importance of the subject line. As to writing, we all have our different styles. I'm known for quirky-but-deadly adventures myself. I've been in the industry for 13 or more years, and I've worked on well over 50 products, though you likely have never heard of me. If I was terrible at this, I don't think I would have won the right to lead 3 Kobold Press Open Design projects, nor would Super Genius Games have taken me on as a developer of my own line. So, keep an open mind. We are creating history, but your adventure won't suffer because of it. If you doubt me, ask Wolfgang Baur or Owen Stephens if I have the writing and developer chops to pull this off with the stable of writers We are offering up.
This is going to be fun, deadly, and interesting, I assure you. :)