If you missed my post on Thursday you might not get why I’m so excited today. I announced the development of a new series of comics for our Era: The Empowered game last week and today I’ve got more comic news. So, it seems as though we’re hip deep in fantastic art and stories lately; which suits me just fine!

The project you’re likely to see the soonest is centered around the time of the Bug War and will be a full-length comic about Hai-Xang Hayden. Ed’s hired an artist and a colorist who have already started working. I’m hopeful that they’re going to have something ready for us to show off fairly soon.

As if that wasn’t enough, Ed is also working on another Consortium comic. This one is a bit more of a mystery. All I’ve been allowed to say is that Ed and John are writing this new series and it will reboot everybody’s favorite team, Stiletto Unit. It’s all very hush hush so I couldn’t even tell you if you begged me, though I won’t stop you from trying.

In expansion news, the development of stories is coming along nicely. Ed, Jennifer, and myself are grinding away on content and working to pin down just what makes the Pliangrathalon tick. Ed has even started to tackle Part 1 Section 5, an area that he refers to as the “fictional non-fiction”. More news on this one will be coming in the next few weeks so check back soon for updates.

That’s it for me!

-A

I’m sure the question you’re all thinking right now, besides how is Jon Snow going to come back to life, is “What’s next for Survival”? I have lots of little answers for you.

The core rulebook is finished! Ed just sent it to the UK printers last week and he’s currently reformatting it for the US printers right now. I’ll let you know just as soon as proof copies have arrived and hopefully we can power through that process relatively quickly.

The work doesn’t stop at getting out the core rulebook. Ed has begun development on the first source book already. There are still a great deal of unanswered questions in the Survival universe and Ed will be using these books to expand on some of this depth. The Swarm is first in line. Can’t wait to see where this all ends up.

Don’t feel bad if you missed out on the Kickstarter. There’s still a chance to get in on the fun. Ed will be bringing copies of the Era: Survival Core Rulebook as well as the Primer to MCM Comicon in May and to UKGE in June. Feel free to hunt us down and pick one out for yourself.

That’s all I’ve got today, see you next time!

-A

Two of our biggest conventions of the year are coming up quick, fast and in a hurry. In preparation for these big events Ed will be getting everyone together for some training this coming Sunday. It might not seem like it but there’s actually quite a bit that needs to go into these kinds of shows. We do a lot more than just throw up a poster or two and roll some dice. Ed goes into long hours of practice with our GM’s on how to run games and prepare for every possible scenario so that when it comes time for you to sit down and play a session with us we’ll be ready for anything!

While you’re waiting to come see us at MCM and UK Games Expo we’ll have something to keep you busy. Our Survival rewards are coming together and as of right now all of the Digital rewards are ready to go! Now that the Kickstarter is over and the rewards are finishing up, things in the world of Survival are going to get a bit quiet from here on out. I won’t be spending Mondays talking about the game but I’ll be sure to check back in when we’ve got big news.

So, that means we’ll be switching gears to spend more time discussing our next game; Era: Silence. Even though we haven’t passed along a lot of news, Ed and the team have been working on this game in the background for a while now. He tells me that the last two images have been completed and we can be expecting them soon! Join me each Monday as I talk about our latest game and what you can expect from Era: Silence!

See you soon!
-A

Someone who’s been a friend of mine for a few years came to me the other day and told me that he was writing an article about the internet and its effect on gaming companies. He asked me to write him a few sentences about what Kickstarter means to Shades of Vengeance in particular.

Me being me, I was not able to write only a few sentences and I thought that some of my thoughts might be interesting to you guys!

Kickstarter provides a unique level of communication with groups of people who are specifically looking for things that are new and different. If you have a unique product that you show off in the right way, you are virtually guaranteed some backers.

More importantly, it gives you that reassurance that people are actually interested in your game, and some level of measure as to how interested. If people flock to your game in the thousands (something I still hope might happen to me someday!), you’re virtually guaranteed that the game is going to sell. If you get 10 backers who are loyal but no-one else is biting, you should be looking at your game critically and figuring out what it is that isn’t right or isn’t coming across right.

Kickstarter is all about presentation. (Well, that and becoming a Staff Pick, but we’ll talk about that in another blog entry!) If people think your game looks good, they’re more likely to back it. So invest in an advance printed copy so you can send photos of it out, invest in an experienced graphic designer who can make your Kickstarter look good.

Kickstarter can mean life to a project that would otherwise never happen or it can be great indicator that maybe that’s not the way you want to go. I know that Shades of Vengeance wouldn’t be here without it and the people who have supported our work.

– Ed

There’s something inherently scary about science fiction, wouldn’t you agree? All that cold, endless space with nothing to protect you from death save for a bit of mechanical ingenuity. It’s the perfect setting for a horror game and I’m not the only one who thinks so. Quite a few of you have been asking for a bit more scare with your sci-fi.

Well, Ed has heard your request and he’s come up with an answer. This last weekend, he and John sat down to write out a chilling hybrid of our two most popular games. This latest expansion will be an Era: Survival style horror set in the world of Era: The Consortium.

Along with making this game properly creepy, Ed is also going to approach the styling of it a bit differently. He’s planning to include detailed maps of a Mining Conglomerate Mining Vessel in with this book as well. I’ve seen some of the early images and it looks great. I think it will give the expansion a much more immersive environment to play.

Altogether, this game is still very much bare bones and has just begun to get fleshed out but I will be keeping tabs on this one and will let you know the minute we’ve got something solid to show you.

Until next time!
-A

Happy Monday and welcome to the first day of Era: Silence news! This will be your one stop location for everything Silence related. I’ll be here to give you updates on the process, new images to check out as well as let you know a bit more about the game itself and what you can expect.

First things first. What is Era: Silence all about?

This game centers around a group of individuals who go to a remote island and face various challenges to “earn their name” as warrior of their tribes. This is going to be a High Fantasy game where magic will run rampant on the island. It’s a bit of a departure from what we’ve done in the past but I think by now you know that we’re all about trying new things and creating unique playable experiences.

The images for the game are being worked on as we speak and I even get to share a bit with you here. I think you’ll agree, this game is already looking awesome! I’ll be back next time with more details and information about our latest Era game.

Back with more next week!
-A

Did you know that GMs have almost as much fun as you do when playing Era games?

During their last convention prep meeting, Ed and the team heading to our upcoming MCM and UKGE events had a blast. From what I heard, good times were had by all as some players used teammates for human shields and at least one even rode around on Infected deer. That’s just a tiny example of the crazy antics you can expect from these guys!

The team is ready to go and all set to show you how much fun you can have with Survival as well as all our other games. I’m incredibly jealous that they’re going to be seeing all of you and showing off our games at such great conventions. Remember to tag us in your photos on Facebook as well as Twitter, @Shades_of_Venge.

Tickets for one or both of these fantastic events are already available. MCM is coming up 27-29 of May and UKGE will be the very next weekend, June 3rd-5th. We plan on seeing you there!

If you’re sitting around wondering just what you’re going to do if you can’t make it to MCM, I’ve got two words for you; Comic Kickstarter. The first in our series of Empowered comics is scheduled to be heading out to Kickstarter by the time we arrive at MCM. I’m not going to spoil anything for you here but frankly this is my favourite comic of all time. The fact that it’s based in a town not far from where I live or that I had a large part in writing this comic should in no way make you feel like I’m biased. Although, clearly that’s true as well.

The story and characters have been great to work with and I’m excited to show you what the team has put together. I’ll be dropping more details as we get closer to release.

Until then, keep on rolling!
-A

I know I’ve mentioned to you before that Ed is in the process of building out the Consortium universe to a degree even I hadn’t imagined. For those new fans who might not understand why, I’ll tell you.

Era: The Consortium is our flagship game. It was our first fully developed RPG and Ed’s passion project for years before seeing the light of day. Ed is devoted to bringing you more of this universe than any other in our roster. We keep expanding because of this background and the fact it’s just basically a massive game which deserves all the attention we give it.

Along with all the new expansions that Ed has planned we’ve also started looking at some interesting new ideas for more playable content. I’ve been spending a good portion of my time combing through the 400 some odd years of history searching for moments that we can revisit and explore. Ed’s also been in discussions with well-known writers in the industry to help flesh out and deliver a unique voice to what we’re creating.

This year is going to see an explosion of Consortium content so keep checking back as we go and I’ll give you as much detail as I’m allowed.

Until next time!
-A

Last week I gave you a quick synopsis of Era: Silence; warriors who have to earn their names by completing challenges. With this game we’re going to be heading over the edge of the world and coming up with a new way to play RPGs again. Just like the new experience we created with Era: Lyres, Silence is going to follow its own unique path.

Work on this game is nearly finished and right now we’re down to the final piece of art; the cover image. Once that’s complete, the game will head over to layout for some polish and finalizing work.

Because Silence is a new concept and a bit of a departure from what we usually create we expect you might have a few questions. To help you get an idea and a feel for what this game is all about, Ed is going to record a gameplay session over the next couple of weeks. If you’ve got questions or you’d like to see how specific mechanics might work in this game definitely send us a shout and Ed will do his best to answer you.

This game is moving fast and I know you’re excited to see how it works but before we get this out to you all we’re going to send it around to some reviewers first. Hopefully we can get their feedback quick fast and in a hurry so that I can share it with you!

More Era: Silence news next week!
-A

Hi everyone!

It’s Friday the 13th, and I thought I’d share one of my nightmares with you today – balancing card games!

Most of you don’t know yet that I’m working on a card game. Well, with a little help from another game designer, I am. I’m not quite ready to give out details, but we’ve tried a few games of it, a “pre-alpha” phase to test our ideas, just recently.

Balance became an issue, unsurprisingly.

It’s much harder to balance a card game than a roleplaying game. Why? Because in a roleplaying game, there’s a GM. Having someone who is working for the group and figuring out the story who everyone has fundamentally accepted is the correct conduit for the rules by even sitting down makes things much easier. You don’t have to worry about every possible scenario, you have a person who will ensure that things are done fairly and that no player will have a significant advantage over another.

In a card game like the one I am designing (and this applies to most board games, too), every player is out for themselves. This means that everyone’s interpretation of the rules instantly becomes very subjective – they are looking for their own benefit, their own best chance to win.

As a result, much more time needs to be spent making sure every possible situation is balanced.

The one piece of good news in all this is that playtests take much less time and can be specifically arranged to test certain combinations of events. Unlike a roleplaying game with a good GM, the number of possible games is limited within pre-set parameters and, as a result, the rules are simpler overall.

They just have to be more prescriptive than what I’m used to writing for RPGs.

That’s what I learned over the weekend!

– Ed

Welcome to WordPress. This is your first post. Edit or delete it, then start writing!

Someone who’s been a friend of mine for a few years came to me the other day and told me that he was writing an article about the internet and its effect on gaming companies. He asked me to write him a few sentences about what Kickstarter means to Shades of Vengeance in particular.

Me being me, I was not able to write only a few sentences and I thought that some of my thoughts might be interesting to you guys!

Kickstarter provides a unique level of communication with groups of people who are specifically looking for things that are new and different. If you have a unique product that you show off in the right way, you are virtually guaranteed some backers.

More importantly, it gives you that reassurance that people are actually interested in your game, and some level of measure as to how interested. If people flock to your game in the thousands (something I still hope might happen to me someday!), you’re virtually guaranteed that the game is going to sell. If you get 10 backers who are loyal but no-one else is biting, you should be looking at your game critically and figuring out what it is that isn’t right or isn’t coming across right.

Kickstarter is all about presentation. (Well, that and becoming a Staff Pick, but we’ll talk about that in another blog entry!) If people think your game looks good, they’re more likely to back it. So invest in an advance printed copy so you can send photos of it out, invest in an experienced graphic designer who can make your Kickstarter look good.

Kickstarter can mean life to a project that would otherwise never happen or it can be great indicator that maybe that’s not the way you want to go. I know that Shades of Vengeance wouldn’t be here without it and the people who have supported our work.

– Ed

I was recently asked by my friend and intrepid game designer, Ed Jowett, if I’d like to do a guest spot on his development blog. My initial reaction was something close to “seriously, you want me to give advice to real live people?” There’s not much that I adore more than writing a good story but when it comes to handing down wisdom I wasn’t sure that I had much to offer… and then I started typing.

Six hundred words later and I’d only covered the “getting started” part of my advice. It turned out I had more to share than I initially thought. So, instead of dragging you along through the entire process that I go through when I write a short story I’ve decided to break this down into the very first step of that journey.

Choosing the right moment to center your piece. Or, as I like to call it “Where am I and how did I get here?”

Finding the best place to start is the most important part of my process. A short story is different from a novel in many ways, length only being one of them. For this article I’m going to be referring specifically to short stories written in under 2,000 words. In something this size, you don’t get three hundred pages to tell your reader how the macroeconomics of Flibberty Jibbet are the entire lynch pin of why your main character grows up to be a xenophobic cop hell bent on revenge. Ok, that’s a nasty long example but I hope you get my point. The first thing to remember about a short story is just that… it’s short. This entirely dull revelation brings me to my first bit of advice.

Your short story should be like a child’s magnifying glass.

Maybe you’ve got this really fabulous idea for a story but the world you’ve made and the events you’ve created bust out of your target word count. Your writing muse went into overdrive and now what should be a simple action grabbing story is feeling more like George R.R. Martin’s never finished 6th book. You’ve got two options. Option 1 write out that bad boy and call yourself an agent. Option 2 get out your magnifying glass and start peeling apart your world.

When considering your starting point, imagine that you’re looking through the massive cityscape that is your world to try and find one small event which makes it all come together or highlights some very pivotal moment. There should be some deeper meaning or relevance to what you choose. To ferret out these potentially great moments, break your story into parts.

If you look at a broad cross section of a story you’ll notice three main acts.

Act 1 World building and character establishing stuff. None of that’s going in… toss it.

Act 2 Escalation of danger, challenges and hopefully some shattering change with possibly the darkest turn of events. This is short story gold mine… pocket that for later.

Act 3 The showdown where everything is revealed. Some good fodder… save only the best parts.

Optionally The epilogue where everything is back to normal. Obviously terrible… never use this bit!

By dissecting your story into these parts you can start to drill down deeper into where you want your events to explore. Is this one afternoon set in Act 2 or a collection of minutes that whiz by in Act 3? How far you dig and expand the timeline is up to you.

We’re not covering the entire fall of Rome; just the point when the first or last brick hit the ground.

Here’s an example of how I peel apart a story:

1. A fresh recruit’s first day exploring her new position on a starship.

2. That same recruit taking unsteady command of the helm as the captain gives orders.

3. The first inkling of something wrong in the ship’s design and our recruit now has to fight to maintain control.

4. An explosion somewhere in the ship because of the faulty design. Our recruit is barely hanging on as officers scramble to help the wounded.

5. In a moment of chaos, the deck is a confused jumble and as the smoke clears our recruit realizes all her training hasn’t prepared her for taking command after the death of the captain.

The closer you set your magnifying glass, the more emotion you tend to convey.

Now that you know the exact moment you’ll be placing your story, all the rest of the fun can begin. You get to decide if this is a third person story; great for showing a team of soldiers working together. Or, a first person story; perfect for small nuances and hiding things from your reader. You also get to decide if you’ll end your story with either a cliff hanger, the revealing of a secret, or a sudden surprise or twist. Options abound!

Writing short is a rewarding experience where every single word makes a difference. Paying close attention to how and where you choose to focus is the first step to making a good short story a killer one. Throw me a message and show me what amazing short stories you’ve created, I’d love to read them!

Hi everyone!

Today, I’m going to talk about Patreon – one of the most unsung heroes of our setup here at Shades of Vengeance.

Patreon is most easily described as “A monthly Kickstarter where you pay every month and your backers get a reward every month”.

We’ve had a small number of backers there who have supported us from the first day Era: The Consortium became available. In recent months, we’ve welcomed some more backers. Our offerings aren’t huge – we give them some wallpapers every month and we give a session to play for Era: The Consortium and Era: The Empowered.

They get wallpapers if they back for $1 per month and a session if they commit $5.

I think Patreon is a brilliant platform. It provides a lot of writers and artists a small amount of income, providing them with enough to eat or struggle on one more week. There have been a number of occasions where Patreon has allowed me to give that little bit more to someone as a thank you for good work…

There are a huge number of creators on Patreon who could use your support (including us!). So check it out if you have some spare time!

– Ed