FGG April 20 Update

April 20, 2012
Tsar is printing! Notices for shipment have gone out, so if you have not yet received one, please email me at bill@talesofthefroggod.comThis e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it . Books will ship May 28, with shipment from Paizo (if you bought from their site) about a week later. Greg flies up the week before so we can sign and number the copies ordered directly from us!

RA Reloaded is very rare and expensive…so yes, we are redoing both a Swords and Wizardry and a Pathfinder version (pre-sale in about a month)—including 20 or so new levels (I am finalizing the last 2 this next week). This puts it over 50 levels!

We added a number of lower level areas (character levels 1-10), a village, a Temple of Tsathogga with a three level dungeon of its own, and several deeper levels (wait until you see my treatment of the will-o-wisp on Level 12C). I am also making it a faux-leather, stitch bound hardcover that will look like a Bible, and we are doing a series of 50-60 battle maps (miniature scale) of key encounter areas. Everything is drafted except 2 levels I am behind on (5B and 13C)—maps are in, art is ordered, and editing is in progress! Go Skeeter, John (Stater) and Dawn! The SW version will feature a red cover, and the Pathfinder version will be blue. Retail price is TBD (probably about $100). We may do this as a kickstarter project so we canm print more and get it into distribution. Please let me know your thoughts about this. We could offer premium packages at higher donation amounts--not sure what all would entice folks (a trip to Dallas or PaizoCon with teh Frogs perhaps?).

In addition to what Bill mentioned, we have many new magic items (including artifacts), a few new PrCs, new monsters, the return of Bill's favorite spell from the Relics and Rituals days as an ability, and an overall tune-up of everything.

I have gone through several of the threads on the Necro forums to find issues/easy spots and eliminate them. Ever heard of the Ravager? Thought it was too easy? Not anymore.

How about demilichs? Advanced, and with class levels? Gotcha.

Have a party that could beat Orcus before? Well, now he has other minions to aid in the Final Fight.

A new template to thrash PCs? Yup, got that one.

Oh, and a tie-in with Slumbering Tsar? Hmmm, what DID happen to those guys that fled Tsar???? We know about the Army of Light, but not the Army of Tsar. Interesting.....

Kickstarter would be cool, that way we know people are interested...

SG

I know it can't happen, but I so wish there was a way to run the same group through both Tsar and Rapan Athuk...of course, I'm a mean GM, so I doubt my players would agree to such a thing anyway.

I like the idea of a Kickstarter project, but I'm a bit confused about how that would work with pre-ordering. Would you pledge there in lieu of a pre-order?

I don't have any good ideas for what would be good Kickstarter rewards. Some of the obvious ones are "you get your name listed as a contributor" at the lower end, and "we run a game for you in person" at the upper end. But mid-level rewards are trickier. It sounds too late to add a contributor's name or NPC to the adventure itself.

Of course, it doesn't matter too much to me because I'm going to get it no matter what.

As both adventures are sandbox-style games. I think it would be great for those GMs who have both books to allow players to go back and forth if they wish. Perhaps they notices a detail in one dungeon that makes them want to investigate in the other.
If I ever run these, I will certainly allow that for my players.

Not sure on the kickstarter idea yet--draining my brain on that one. Yes--its a pledge that funds the project--basically extra schwag and stuff for pre-orders--then the book goes on general sale later--but people who kickstart get something no one else can get...lots of details in process

Mainly I just want to give you some money and get the book. I'm an old fart. Extra whatever should either be included with the purchase of a book or should be an add-on pack. While I understand what kickstarter is, I think that's great for projects that are having trouble getting off the ground, not viable products. I'm far, far more likely to mosey on over to the FGG web site and slap still more money down than wade through a kickstarter page. But again, I'm an old guy. As long as I don't need to visit Facebook, I don't much really care what you do.

Oh, and $100 for what you're describing is fantastically awesomely delicious. I'd expect to pay much more. Of course... I will, but only because of shipping.

As both adventures are sandbox-style games. I think it would be great for those GMs who have both books to allow players to go back and forth if they wish. Perhaps they notices a detail in one dungeon that makes them want to investigate in the other.

If I ever run these, I will certainly allow that for my players.

Better use slow xp progression chart if you do so - otherwise you'll need rules for 30th level characters. :)

Thank you for the update Bill!

I like Kickstarter and I've backed a few RPG games/supplements at different levels- some just for the book and others for the book and perks. I'll spend the extra money on perks for things like developmental access and the ability to get a say in the final product. In the case of Rappan Athuk were it is already designed, I'd be more inclined to just kick in enough to cover the cost of the book. From the Kickstarters I've followed, the "play a game" with the designer tiers usually don't kick into effect until about $1000 and I've seen relatively few of those actually get picked up for RPGs. What is amazing is that for computer games I've seen people pledge to rewards one grand and more.

If you want to do a little more research, you can always view the successful projects to see what reward tiers were hit.

We may do this as a kickstarter project so we canm print more and get it into distribution. Please let me know your thoughts about this. We could offer premium packages at higher donation amounts--not sure what all would entice folks (a trip to Dallas or PaizoCon with teh Frogs perhaps?).

I'm not a huge fan of kickstarter (the commission disappearing just bugs me for some, not entirely rational reason). However, I have supported a couple of projects and been patron on a few open design books.

What would entice me would be additional material - separate booklet of maps, printed battlemats, booklet of "you see this" illustrations, half a dozen painted figures, etcetera. (not saying any of those things are doable, but those are the sorts of thing that would make me chip in a few hundred extra dollars in advance).

When you say "notices of shipment" is that different from the email to select shipping method? The last email I have is a receipt for payment on shipping.

I have one big complaint. Time is moving much too slowly. I want it now. And RA too for that matter.....

Bill Webb wrote:

We may do this as a kickstarter project so we canm print more and get it into distribution. Please let me know your thoughts about this. We could offer premium packages at higher donation amounts--not sure what all would entice folks (a trip to Dallas or PaizoCon with teh Frogs perhaps?).

I'm not a huge fan of kickstarter (the commission disappearing just bugs me for some, not entirely rational reason). However, I have supported a couple of projects and been patron on a few open design books.

What would entice me would be additional material - separate booklet of maps, printed battlemats, booklet of "you see this" illustrations, half a dozen painted figures, etcetera. (not saying any of those things are doable, but those are the sorts of thing that would make me chip in a few hundred extra dollars in advance).

+1 to this. I wouldn't be interested in any sort of travel or something along those lines. But some cool extras like those above I can have at the table that make the game even better would be a huge enticement for me.

btw--if you have not gotten a shipping notice for Tsar--please check your spam!

btw--if you have not gotten a shipping notice for Tsar--please check your spam!

Is the shipping notice different from the shipping billing?

Bill Webb wrote:

btw--if you have not gotten a shipping notice for Tsar--please check your spam!

Is the shipping notice different from the shipping billing?

They should be one and the same as the books have not shipped yet, it is simply a notice that you need to pay your shipping.

Wolf Munroe wrote:

Bill Webb wrote:

btw--if you have not gotten a shipping notice for Tsar--please check your spam!

Is the shipping notice different from the shipping billing?

They should be one and the same as the books have not shipped yet, it is simply a notice that you need to pay your shipping.

Ok, thanks. I was getting worried I might have missed one after that. Wasn't thinking about the fact that they're just in the printing stage.

As both adventures are sandbox-style games. I think it would be great for those GMs who have both books to allow players to go back and forth if they wish. Perhaps they notices a detail in one dungeon that makes them want to investigate in the other.

If I ever run these, I will certainly allow that for my players.

Actually, come to find out, there are more connections between RA and Tsar than originally thought....hmmm, diabolical indeed...

SG
Diabolic planner, deamonic worker, demonic partier...

Slipknot the Demonic Banshee?

Dawn R Fischer wrote:

As both adventures are sandbox-style games. I think it would be great for those GMs who have both books to allow players to go back and forth if they wish. Perhaps they notices a detail in one dungeon that makes them want to investigate in the other.

If I ever run these, I will certainly allow that for my players.

Actually, come to find out, there are more connections between RA and Tsar than originally thought....hmmm, diabolical indeed...

SG
Diabolic planner, deamonic worker, demonic partier...

*twitches

Ahh... there, I've resisted the urge to edit.

Skeet, your claim of being a demonic partier needs to be demonstrated in July.

Skeeter Green wrote:

Dawn R Fischer wrote:

As both adventures are sandbox-style games. I think it would be great for those GMs who have both books to allow players to go back and forth if they wish. Perhaps they notices a detail in one dungeon that makes them want to investigate in the other.

If I ever run these, I will certainly allow that for my players.

Actually, come to find out, there are more connections between RA and Tsar than originally thought....hmmm, diabolical indeed...

SG
Diabolic planner, deamonic worker, demonic partier...

*twitches

Ahh... there, I've resisted the urge to edit.

Skeet, your claim of being a demonic partier needs to be demonstrated in July.

Oh.

I consider the gauntlet thrown.

SG