Okay, we've got a handful of project currently, and I thought I'd let all you guys know where we're at with each of them.

1) Of Beasts and Men - This is obvioiusly our first priority. We're collecting art (still) and preparing layouts and final editing. Expect it either here and on shelves in March (maybe April in your FLGS). Softcover. 128+ pages. Lots and lots of high-quality art.

2) A Hint at the Riddle (TROS QS Rules) - Playtesting is essentially finished (I need your reports, guys), and we'll be editing and doing layouts. I want this up before X-mas.

3) More Player Aids - There's a Chargen program, a damage table program, revised Master-Screen inserts and character sheet stuff, not to mention some really cool maneuver Quick Ref Cards...all going up this week or next.

4) Revamped Website - I'm really not sure why this is taking so long...expect it up sooner or later. I'll be tidying up the existing site more for now, along with the Player Aids next week.

5) Sorcery and the Fey - This one's been sort-of put on a back-burner at present. We're amassing copious notes for the Fey Section, and this Forum has been an excellent sounding board for the Sorcery section. I want to release these as seperate PDFs early next year and later as a combined print supplement.

6) The Flower of Battle - Summer, guys...summer.

7) Non-TROS stuff from Driftwood - Okay, so this is going to be more for fun than anything else, but I'd *love* to finish some of my other game designs and PDF them for cheap or for free. Those'll include THIRST, our controversial (I guess...) vampire game, Gods of War, my blow-the-hell-out-of-everything action game, and The Fires of Heaven, an angelic setting for Clinton Nixon's Paladin. They'll be done when they're done.

Just thought you'd like to know.

Jake

5) Sorcery and the Fey - This one's been sort-of put on a back-burner at present. We're amassing copious notes for the Fey Section, and this Forum has been an excellent sounding board for the Sorcery section. I want to release these as seperate PDFs early next year and later as a combined print supplement.

Well, Fanboy, that *was* spooky...

I've mentioned a few of the reasons for setting SatF back a little elsewhere on the forum (but I'm notoriously bad about posting links to stuff). Basically, we'd *like* to have it ready earlier, but it didn't turn out that way. You will find a lot of fascinating (and cool, and inane, and frustrating, and over-the-top) discussion of sorcery here. Have fun digesting it all.

Jake

Jake Norwood wrote: Well, Fanboy, that *was* spooky...

I've mentioned a few of the reasons for setting SatF back a little elsewhere on the forum (but I'm notoriously bad about posting links to stuff). Basically, we'd *like* to have it ready earlier, but it didn't turn out that way. You will find a lot of fascinating (and cool, and inane, and frustrating, and over-the-top) discussion of sorcery here. Have fun digesting it all.

Jake

Great!

I'm looking forward to the QS rules, so that my lazy players perhaps can learn the rules a little...

Be careful with The Fires of Heaven though. Robert Jordan has written a book with the exact same name, and he can probably afford som kickass laywers.

Jake Norwood wrote: You will find a lot of fascinating (and cool, and inane, and frustrating, and over-the-top) discussion of sorcery here. Have fun digesting it all.
Jake

Mokkurkalfe wrote: Be careful with The Fires of Heaven though. Robert Jordan has written a book with the exact same name, and he can probably afford some kickass laywers.

Mokkurkalfe wrote: Be careful with The Fires of Heaven though. Robert Jordan has written a book with the exact same name, and he can probably afford some kickass laywers.

hey, i had a question about the master screen...

well the tri fold thing listed over at... i think citizingames (or something like that) shows room for 6 pages... well only 1 of the pages from the master screen thing is a pic (im currently downloading the other pics).. thats 5 pages of info... im guessing at least 2 pages would go on the outside?

or do you know if they have the D20 style screens..... that have 4 panels, and room for 8 pages... i looked for some stuff, but they seemed to only have the tri fold, and they were out of stock

I personally put the 2 sorcery pages on the outside of mine, so that PC sorcerers can get to it quick. I also tend to use mine as a quick reference more than a screen, as I generally have nothing to hide behind the screen (rolling my dice in public, for example, scares the hell out of players 'cause they know I can't cheat).

AFAIK, they only come in 3-panel version.

Oh, and we have a new masterscreen download that'll be up soon, and which is about 3 Meg smaller.

Jake

that'd be nice...lol, course i still havent finished the extra pictures thing... good thing im using getright


i just hope they hjave some screens soon, im probably going to get one fairly quickly....

i also dont use them to hide my dice, i tend to use them alot for quick reference, especially for things that are a pain to find.... like finding the poison saves, for d20 games.....lol

or the amount of damage a peice of paper can take before it croaks.....lol

Update:

The QS Rules are done. We're having some idiotic problems with Adobe and the Fonts that's slowing us down, but if we fix that the final thing (version 1.0) will be up tonight or tomorrow. Hurrah.

Jake

what exactly does QS mean?

prophet118 wrote: what exactly does QS mean?

i shoulda figured thats what it meant...lol

well hopefully it does help get people addicted....lol

Just added:

*Brian's updated Combat Sim
*Gene Ha's groovy condensed damage tables and his maneuver cheat cards*Stephen Barringer's excellent QuickStart Rules
*Mark Winkleman's Errata with my notes.

Go to www.theriddleofsteel.net/support

Jake

Hey Jake,

Were you going to put my damage table reference program up there too?

Just curious.

Brian.

Brian-

I will after the break. Forgot about that one...


Jake

Jake Norwood wrote:


6) The Flower of Battle - Summer, guys...summer.

Yeah...

it's like this:

TROS is doing well sales-wise and compared to the industry (yay)

But the industry isn't doing that well, and not all of our customers pay on time (go figure)

So there's a lull in budget for expansion. TFOB is also going to be a *big* book, which means not cheap, hence the weight. I could get it out sooner, but it would be crap.

OBAM *is* really cool, though.

Jake

Jake Norwood wrote: OBAM *is* really cool, though.

Jake

Jake Norwood wrote: OBAM *is* really cool, though.

Jake

OBAM will be out around Early April, although maybe not in stores until a tad later. We'll see...

Jake

Jasper's written a spreadsheet-based CharGen assistant. It requires MS Excel to use, and it's pretty cool. Check it out.

www.theriddleofsteel.net/support

Jake,
Any further thoughts on releasing any of the rules on PDF? If OBAM iscoming out in early April I'm in Australia and not likely to see it until June. Thats another six months! Not to mention the other two books. what can I say, I'm exicted about the game, am playing it but don't want to wait.
Now this is just a thought but with regards to the pdf this is what I was thinking. Maybe something along the lines of an advanced order. We pay you for a copy of the game at whatever the retail price is plus postage as well as a little extra for the pdf. Now this would mean I'd get the rules now, you'd get the money now and then you'd send me a copy of the printed book once it's published.
Anyway there is no harm in asking :).
Aaron.

Aaron,

If you order the book when it comes out (either from Jake or from one of the online places), you'll have it just a couple of weeks later. There's no need to have to wait for it to hit your local shops.

Brian.

Brian Leybourne wrote: Aaron,

If you order the book when it comes out (either from Jake or from one of the online places), you'll have it just a couple of weeks later. There's no need to have to wait for it to hit your local shops.

Brian.

Aaron wrote: Thats true but its still a 4 month wait then huh Brian? I'm guessing you don't think much of my idea, and thats fine, it was afterall just a thought from a fan.

No insult taken Brian. As I said it was just a thought...

Brian Leybourne wrote:

p.s: Would it make you really jealous if I mentioned I was reading through OBAM just a few minutes ago? Sorry, couldn't resist - you being an Aussie and all :-)

I have *finally* added Brian Leybourne's truly awesome Damage Table program (holy crap, Brian--I hadn't even compiled it until today, I've been so busy...this program rocks!).

It's a must-have for TROS fans.

http://www.theriddleofsteel.net/support

Jake

Aw man, now my heads too swollen to fit through my office door :-)

Seriously though, it's just something I knocked up because I thought it would be useful for ME, only afterwards thinking about tidying it up for the webpage. I find it bloody useful, but of course it's of limited application unless you're a GM who has a PC or laptop nearby while running a game, as I like to.

The most difficult part was calculating mouse zones so that the program would know what zone you were pointing at on the picture. It turns out that it was good experience though, because I was able to use that newly learned skill to good use in the charafcter generator I've been (slowly) working on - instead of just typing in your nationality, it brings up the map of Weyrth and you can mouse-over the picture, seeing information about each country as your pointer touches it, and then you just click on your selection. It's pretty cool really :-)

Don't know when it'll be finished though.

Brian.

That sounds damn cool, Brian. We oughtta put all this stuff on a CD one of these days and send the proceeds to ya.

Jake

Jake Norwood wrote: We oughtta put all this stuff on a CD one of these days and send the proceeds to ya.

Jake

By the way, just grabbed the TROS quick start. Excellent work, and it certainly did its job. Once the budget loosens up, I'll be ordering a copy of the full meal deal.

Best,

Blake

There is now a d10 die-pool probability calcluator, courtesy of Tony Hamilty (Durgil), a www.theriddleofsteel.net/support

Jake

There's more new stuff on the Page.

(1) There's a QuickStart Character Sheet by Richard Fortuna [tunaman9000@yahoo.com] up now at www.theriddleofsteel.net/support

and

(2) There's the early draft of my current Pet Project, La Famiglia, up for viewing as well. It's not currently linked anywhere on the site, so go straight to it at www.theriddleofsteel.net/otherstuff/lafamiglia.htm

There's a discussion going about it in the Indie Game Design forum.

http://www.indie-rpgs.com/viewtopic.php?t=5284

Jake

Jake Norwood wrote: (2) There's the early draft of my current Pet Project, La Famiglia, up for viewing as well. It's not currently linked anywhere on the site, so go straight to it at www.theriddleofsteel.net/otherstuff/lafamiglia.htm

Gah...damn site...

I posted it in full on the thread in indie game design.

Jake

Jake Norwood wrote: Gah...damn site...

I posted it in full on the thread in indie game design.

Jake

We updated the Character sheet download to match what's in the book, and replaced the Sorcerer's reference sheet with Ben Moore's more functional one.

Jake

Jake Norwood wrote: We updated the Character sheet download to match what's in the book, and replaced the Sorcerer's reference sheet with Ben Moore's more functional one.

Jake

So is OBAM still on track for early April?

Jake Norwood wrote: We updated the Character sheet download to match what's in the book, and replaced the Sorcerer's reference sheet with Ben Moore's more functional one.

Doh! That's so me...

Jake

J'ai returné.

So, what's this I hear about OBaM coming out as an early birthday gift for me? How thoughtful! You really shouldn't have...

Wolfen wrote: So, what's this I hear about OBaM coming out as an early birthday gift for me? How thoughtful! You really shouldn't have...

Of beasts & Men- is a pdf version going to be released, or just a hardcover?

And any sort of a release date?

Here's the current schedule. OBAM is released in print 4 months from right now. I know I've been saying that for a while, but next week I tell the distributors so, and so it *has* to be true. In truth, though, I'll make the print version available on-line as soon as I have them in my hands--that'll be much sooner. It will probably be paperpack.

The PDF version...I'll have that out in April, I believe.

Jake

That reminds me, on the cover of OBaM.. Did you decide to go with the awesome border effects (so that the picture looks like you're looking into a crystal or some such) that you have for TRoS-main and the cover art for SatF? I really hope so. Unity of design like that really brings something to a line of products, in my opinion.

while it's never too late to change it to the crystal effect, we actually dropped it for a number of reasons on this cover.

Jake

Jake Norwood wrote: Here's the current schedule. OBAM is released in print 4 months from right now. I know I've been saying that for a while, but next week I tell the distributors so, and so it *has* to be true. In truth, though, I'll make the print version available on-line as soon as I have them in my hands--that'll be much sooner. It will probably be paperpack.

The PDF version...I'll have that out in April, I believe.

Jake

Well...yeah. I'm still planning on One of the next 2 supps out near the end of summer. The problem is 1st money and 2nd time. I have really limited (or negative, even) supplies of both. It's not lack of desire or of things to write, I assure you!

Jake

Jake Norwood wrote: Here's the current schedule. OBAM is released in print 4 months from right now. I know I've been saying that for a while, but next week I tell the distributors so, and so it *has* to be true. In truth, though, I'll make the print version available on-line as soon as I have them in my hands--that'll be much sooner. It will probably be paperpack.

The PDF version...I'll have that out in April, I believe.

Jake

April is going to be an expensive month, for me.

Good, too, mind you... but gah

Jake Norwood wrote: Well...yeah. I'm still planning on One of the next 2 supps out near the end of summer. The problem is 1st money and 2nd time. I have really limited (or negative, even) supplies of both. It's not lack of desire or of things to write, I assure you!

Jake

Yeah...the whole industry is really a mess. I'm treading water (as I think all of the "successful" companies are), but I'm not gonna be crossing the channel anytime soon.

Jake

Jake Norwood wrote: Yeah...the whole industry is really a mess. I'm treading water (as I think all of the "successful" companies are), but I'm not gonna be crossing the channel anytime soon.

Jake

Just keep doggie paddling, and imagine the day when you'll actually be able to live off of Driftwood Productions, and all that training as a linguist can just be a hobby.

Jake Norwood wrote: Yeah...the whole industry is really a mess. I'm treading water (as I think all of the "successful" companies are), but I'm not gonna be crossing the channel anytime soon.

Jake

Noon wrote: Anything we can do about that

[Less serious mode]
Also, you should all buy 2+ copies of OBAM each and tell Jake how fantastic it is and that he should get me to write more books
[/Less serious mode]

Valamir wrote: If its half as good as you keep teasing us it is, I will. Heck I have to do something to keep my 2 copies of the core book company.

I wasn't sure I was going to buy it, but after looking at some of the artwork and hearing some of the cool stuff that's in there...well now I just have to buy it. I really can't wait to try the pack rules out on some players.

Ive seen some of brians work, its good, should be fun.

Hey y'all. I'll be posting some of the artwork on the website this week if you nag me about it. It's *good.*

Jake

Jake Norwood wrote: Hey y'all. I'll be posting some of the artwork on the website this week if you nag me about it. It's *good.*

Jake

Hey, I'm a senechal for the riddle of steel, and this is the first time visiting this forum. Does anybody know when the "Of Beasts and Men", and "Sorcery and the Fey" is supposed to be out? I can't seem to find any info. Gen Info: I love the system and so do my players.

kakitaryou wrote: Hey, I'm a senechal for the riddle of steel, and this is the first time visiting this forum. Does anybody know when the "Of Beasts and Men", and "Sorcery and the Fey" is supposed to be out? I can't seem to find any info. Gen Info: I love the system and so do my players.

kakitaryou wrote: Hey, I'm a senechal for the riddle of steel, and this is the first time visiting this forum. Does anybody know when the "Of Beasts and Men", and "Sorcery and the Fey" is supposed to be out? I can't seem to find any info. Gen Info: I love the system and so do my players.

Ah damn, sorry, my bad. When I said "try reading this thread" I though you had posted in the OBAM thread, not the general progress report thread.

What can I say, I'm an idiot. :-)

Welcome to the forum. Don't take my example as gospel, most of the folk around here are not as thick as me...

Brian.

I can't speak for anyone else, but I'm actually rather thin. And I imagine Jake's got a fairly athletic build as well, being a swordsman and all.

...err, and welcome to the Forum.

Thanks for the info Jake. I'll wait as patiently as humanly possible or as a two year old with ADD.

Brian Leybourne wrote:

Noon wrote: Anything we can do about that

TROS is already doing pretty well. Unfortunately, it's doing pretty well for an RPG (an Indie RPG at that) and the RPG industry has sucked since the mid 80's boom. The D20 thing has re-energised the industry a bit, but what it has really allowed is a lot of publishers to peddle a lot of crap (which would otherwise have never seen the light of day) which sells really well because it has the D20 logo on it. There's going to be a backlash, and soon. It's also not doing a lot for non D20 stuff. That's all IMO of course.

Well, if that's the case then hopefully they don't waste too much time/money on 3e before they learn about the wide world of actually really good RPG's out there (not only TROS, but TROS certainly included).

And welcome to the forum.

Brian.

Thanks for the welcome Brian. I'm going to get back to reading the book now. The next phase in my evil plan is to convert the rest of the gaming group... ;)