Hi there,

I got it! I own Orbit!

Those of you who've arrived at the Forge in the past couple of years may not know the story behind all of this.

But way back when, oh golly, five years ago, there really weren't many internet-available RPGs around. Well, barring a whole bunch of two-page versions of GURPS, or (shudder) 900-page versions of GURPS.

They included Orbit, which you could send away for and get mailed to you, from Jeff. It was spiral-bound and color-photocopied, and you paid $25 for it.

My friends, Orbit was playable and there were lots of things to like about it. It also had some features that made me want to turn the book upside and read it again, 'cause they didn't seem to fit and I must be missing something. We played it, in 1999, when the Forge was called Hephaestus' Forge and didn't have forums, and it was one of the first reviews there, after Ghost Light and Army Ants. It got reviewed in Paul Mason's imazine, too.

Jeff and I got to be friends. He did the brilliant and wonderful art for Elfs, and I bounced lots of ideas about how I'd publish Sorcerer off him. We didn't have much clue about the whole self-publishing thing, although somehow we managed to do it.

Jeff started revising the game in earnest, and I've been waiting, at first impatiently, and then, more appropriately, patiently. It's been worth it. This is what self-publishing is all about.

My game design. My vision. My way. My money.

Or rather, Jeff's, from him to us. I'm happy.

Best,
Ron

Thanks Ron. And thanks to everyone here who really expanded my mind about play priorities, what's possible in a game, and how to get from one to the other without doing a millionth re-writing of AD&D2.

As for the business side of it all, a big chunk of thanks go to Ron again. I tell anyone who asks about how to self-publish to read his article "The Nuked Applecart". That's a cornerstone of indie-ness and should be required reading for all indie game designers.

Thanks again Ron, you know how long and rocky the road has been.

As a service to the curious, the article Jeff mentions can be found here.