Crystal Spheres: Looking for Playtesters

[Kester Pelagius]

Greetings All,

I am slowly approaching completion on the first rough draft of Crystal Spheres and am looking for anyone who thinks they may be interested in 1) playtesting the game, or at least offering their informed opinions about the mechanics, and; 2) able to provide feedback about matters celestial slash cosmological.

The playtest rules will be made available in PDF format.  In addition to the core rules file there will be sample ship card files and a quick reference sheet, all in PDF, hopefully all printable.  Lots of color though.

I'll be e-mailing the PDFs, or ZIPs of all the files if you prefer and have an account that can accept them, to those who sign up.  If you're interested and want to sign up let me know in a PM.  That's it.  All I ask is that you do not forget that I will need a valid e-mail address to get the alpha playtest to you when it's ready.


Kind Regards,

Kester Pelagius

[Christoffer Lernö]

Why not GM it on #indierpgs? I would be there to try it out. Check out indie-netgaming on www.yahoogroups.com

[Kester Pelagius]

Greetings Christoffer,

Fair enough question.

Why not GM it on #indierpgs? I would be there to try it out. Check out indie-netgaming on www.yahoogroups.com

Especially since I did sign up with the group.  But the answer is a simple one, I was fair to marginal as a 'face-to-face' GM but only a mediocre PBeM (or over forum) one.  It's just a totaly different dynamic.  And I feel/fear that will carry over to this medium as well.

I've heard you're pretty darn good in that environment though.  So maybe you can set my apprehensions scurring back into the deep dark, unless someone else here wants to volunteer to run a game?

BTW:  1) What happened to Pale Fire?  (You can answer that in a PM if need be.)


Kind Regards,

Kester Pelagius

[Christoffer Lernö]

I haven't done much playing online either. I jumped in head-first with playing a long session with my horror game. I didn't know if it would work or not. Just tried my best. That's all.

Oh, about the name. Finally giving in to peer-pressure I guess :)

[Kester Pelagius]

Greetings Chris,

I haven't done much playing online either. I jumped in head-first with playing a long session with my horror game. I didn't know if it would work or not. Just tried my best. That's all.

Ah, and did you get good feedback about your game?  Or was it really feedback about how well you GMed?

See, that's the problem I'd have with running my own playtest.  I can probably fudge things to get them to work, and would likely do it without consciously realising it.  What I really would like is feedback from a third party.  Someone who can tell me if I wrote the game comprehsively, and if not what I left out.  A critical eye that isn't invested in what's written.

For instance I've been putting the spit and polish on getting the magic rules section usable, but for all I know the play testers may not even use it, or feel it was necessary.  Or they may think I didn't include enough!

ANYway, if you're reading this, there's still time to put your name on the list to recieve a playtest copy.  Inf act the more the merrier!  ;)


Kind Regards,

Kester Pelagius

[Christoffer Lernö]

I got very good feedback on the game. I've done everything from a little mechanics testing to full-blown adventures. People have been very generous I think.

About Crystal Spheres, why not simply upload it somewhere so we only need to click on a link to get it?

[Kester Pelagius]

Greetings Chris,

I got very good feedback on the game. I've done everything from a little mechanics testing to full-blown adventures. People have been very generous I think.

About Crystal Spheres, why not simply upload it somewhere so we only need to click on a link to get it?

Because it's a playtest not a full fledged freebie game, per se?

The longer answer:  It would require me setting up such a place.  On someone else's machine, out of my sphere and ability to monitor and control, and I'm not sure if I want to really do that.  Unless I could set up a board to put up files and have discussion forums.




Kind Regards,

Kester Pelagius

[Christoffer Lernö]

You mean it's not supposed to be free or it's not finished? If it's the latter then no problem, just write that explicitly. I could help you if you only want some place to put it for public download.

[Kester Pelagius]

Greetings Chris,

Thanks for the input so far.

You mean it's not supposed to be free or it's not finished? If it's the latter then no problem, just write that explicitly. I could help you if you only want some place to put it for public download.

That's a nice offer, and it's much appreciated.  Just be aware that the files are likely to weigh in at well over 4 MB.  That's figuring that the ZIP of the ship pack is about 1.60 MB and the test PDF of Crystal Spheres weighed in at almost 800k (WITHOUT the cover and title pages) and since some folks might like to grab files seperately or as ZIPs. . .

Of course for all I know there's probably account space available to set up a web page with the ISP I have.  Least I'd think there should be, but who knows the mysterious inner workings of the behmoth that is MSN?

As to what I intend to do with the final version of the game. . .  that depends largely on the level of interest in the project.  Granted, several of the internal mechanics I sort of 'borrowed' from other works in progress and reworked for it.  So whatever happens it should be compatible with any future work of mine.

As to where the rules are at, about 90% ready to go.  Right now I am taking a break from detailing the TN and resolution numbers for the spells.  Can't cast them without the TN to indicate success or failure!

Also I'd like to give the ship-to-ship section one more 'once over' to see if I have any additional thoughts to add to it.  Not happy with that at present, since I intended to do up explanitory hex graphics.  But right now I'd like feedback on the system as it stands and, quite frankly, I think I've spent too much time fiddling with graphics.

Way too much time, and seen way more blue screens than any person should have to endure.

Can you say terminal SAN loss? ;)


Kind Regards,

Kester Pelagius

[Christoffer Lernö]

Just put it out man. If you give it to me I can do the hosting for you. Just mail me about it.

[Kester Pelagius]

Just put it out man. If you give it to me I can do the hosting for you. Just mail me about it.

Done.  And done.

[Emote Control]

I'd like to take a look as well.

[Emote Control]

I'd like to take a look as well.

[Kester Pelagius]

CS003.PDF is now up.

Essentially just CS002.PDF with bookmarks and a glossary.

Will update as time permits.