First final copy done:

https://docs.google.com/open?id=0ByRDntFIy1GPYjFrRGZ2RGJ3bms

I will sit on this copy for a time to see if anything glearingly obvious occurs to me. Plus I have sent copies to several people (the playtesters) in the hope of feedback.

Its all a little stressful, the closer I come to a release copy the more I worry about the obvious being overlooked. I know that proof reading your own files is a dangerous thing, you are often too close to them to see clearly. But what the heck, its really not the end of the world, merely an exercise in fun.

Well I am close to a final draft of the SSUnderworld rules, they are off with my proof reader (who fell asleep after 5 mins of reading them, but that is normal, she is better in the early mornings).

Did some pictures for the startup.

This is to celebrate my 101st Kickstarter.

My success rate has been pretty good, not only with funding but I havent actually given up on any at this stage. 

Green ticks indicate received.

Blue >?< indicate in the mail.

Dates show last update in KS.

I've been throwing around the idea of a role playing game for quite some time. Its been through various iterations, evolving as I did. There was an early version that was tremendously complicated and very detailed, something I am sure many of us do. Since that version it has been down hill all the way toward simplicity, inspired by such things as The Fantasy Trip and Savage Worlds.  The latest incarnation I find quite appealing as I have finally come up with what I think is an original and interesting game world.  It has become obvious to me that the 'game world' is extremely important to a role playing game, it simply has to grab you, and grab you fast. Nearly all the games I have bought are because they had what appeared to be a fascinating environment. Bugger the rules, mostly, if the game world is unique, and presents something awesome then I am in (like Flynn!).

Your standard fantasy world of elves and dwarves and small people (so over done now) is still the standard on which everyone, mostly, builds.  With a few exceptions however they are all nice, barring dark elves etc. They all play the classic role of being man kinds allies against the 'dark foe'. Well not in my game!

The game will begin with a large fleet of humans landing in a new world. They are fleeing the total destruction of their old world. They make land fall and find themselves in a world with elves, orcs, goblins and dwarves. Only they are all hostile, after all this is their land, and humans are the invaders. Only there are 10,000 humans all in one concentrated spot, which makes for a formidable presence. Not to mention that they are completely unknown.  And it works both ways. Nobody knows what the other is, what they can do.

The players will be humans, the vanguard of the human invasion. It will be their job to explore, encounter, overcome, negotiate and trade with the occupants of the new world. It will be their job to ensure that nothing surprises the main colony of humans as they dig in and try to make a new home.

In the new world the elves are the really nasty bad guy. They have ruled the other races for a long time with arrogance and contempt. But over the last 100 years the dwarves and the orcs have been conducting a bush war whose aim was to kill as many elves as possible, to whittle away at their numbers whilst maintaining their own. This has worked, but it has depleted everyone. The world is sparsely populated, and even though orcs and goblins can replenish the numbers quickly they have been taking the brunt of the repercussions.

This will be the world that the players will have to deal with. Hostility, mistrust, constant violence and danger.

We are moving into christmas mode at work, had dinner with the team and such last night, so everything is slowing down.  I've printed out the latest version of the Underworld cards and arranged for a playtest next week.  Getting close to a version that I could put up on DriveThru. Probably start it at $10 to make some money, to make it attractive and to give me some room to add it to sales and such.  One thing I noticed from my first map offerings is that unless you find some way to keep them in sight they quickly fall into the dungeons.

Another KS game that looks interesting. I really like moody sound tracks and strange settings, so this game should suit me well.

Video: http://youtu.be/r5iv-YoC950

THe KS itself: http://www.kickstarter.com/projects/samread/dream-0

I have to admit I am a Kickstarter junkie.  I have over a dozen projects active at this time, and some of them have notable amounts of money, which can add up and surprise you.

The latest one I am happy about is the Fate Core rules:  http://www.kickstarter.com/projects/evilhat/fate-core.

I really like FATE, I even have a fair amount of a campaign for Spirit of the Century mapped out.  Roaring 20's and 30's and just such an excellent time to stage a rpg. Loose gun control and nazi's! What more can you ask for!

I forced myself to sit down tonight and redo all the artwork on the Underworld cards. Some of it I was not sure about copyright so rather than take the risk I stripped out a lot of it for stuff I know is safe, but not as attractive. Artwork is a big issue in a game, sadly it costs real money, maybe one day.

Oh and something exciting:  http://www.kickstarter.com/projects/224590870/the-guide-to-glorantha

My god something NEW on Glorantha! Runequest 2 was THE GREATEST GAME EVER MADE!

You might feel that I have an opinion of the best role playing game every made, and that it was RQ2.  You would not be wrong.  Only you have to tie in the fact that RQ2 came out at the peak role playing time of my life (20-25), and was played with a bunch of people who felt the same way.  Its a very sentimental opinion.

Sadly we will probably never capture those moments again, the age of wonders is past.

Hmmm, so should we have the 7 Wonders of the RPG World? Are we old enough for that now?

Let me see:

1. White box D&D, plus the 3 core expansion booklets.
2. RuneQuest 2 + Cults of Prax + Griffon Mountain + Borderlands + Trollpak + Prax (the Great Wall of Glorantha).
3. Dragonquest
4. AD&D 1e
5. The Fantasy Trip (a treasure lost in my opinion).
6. The Empire of the Petal Throne
7. Traveller

Not sure about Traveller, could put a few things in the last slot, GURPS, Chivalry & Sorcery, RoleMaster.