Inching Forwards, Closing In ... The Cat (Patreon)

I can't believe it ... we're actually creeping slowly but surely towards the $1,000 mark, where I get to hide the number so that future patreons feel encouraged to keep signing up (but, seriously - I wonder if that ... has much influence?) ... and meanwhile layout also inches forward. Page 116 of 192 is now ... done for the first pass.

But Before That: Backerkit

About 80 folks still haven't filled out their Backerkit survey, to decide which dice they want, and to give us their address! If you're one of those—please fill it out! You can check by going to this address: https://the-ultraviolet-grasslands.backerkit.com/ -- THANK YOU!

Now, more UVG Details

I've let everyone over on the kickstarter know it looks like layout will take me two weeks longer than I'd initially planned. Partly it's simply life stuff that meant I got a solid start later than I'd hoped, and partly it's that the feedback of the editors—and you, the heroes—has actually been incredibly solid overall.

There were places that were unclear, things I'd glossed over (like overall weather! or how far a traveller has to go in the UVG before the stay-at-homes start thinking of them as an epic wanderer!), things I'd skipped (more carousing tables ...), or details I'd not thought would be necessary before (people wanted to play Vomes and Ultras! Uhm. Ok!).

More crucially, we made a decision during editing to switch the notation style from "semi-OSR-generic" Statblock Knight (AC 15, HD 4+4, atrocious) to SEACAT DM-screen-informed Stat-Table Schlub (L3, apropos of nothing). This meant that I had to rebuild a lot of the early part of the UVG (the rules) and add a section that explains how they work (like in Red Sky). That took a while. It also means that I'm going through the text with a fine-tooth comb as I edit (and thanks to all the volunteer Typo Hunters over on the Stratometaship Discord! I'm keeping track of your help, oh yes) ... and often adding or revising elements. It also means adding an abbreviated, 1.0 version of the SEACAT Skeleton (the rpg system) to the book. I've got the spread covering the basic mechanics and Stats done ... now need to finalize the character generation spread. It's going to have stuff like this (but, you know, prettier ... and probably just for the Skeleton class):

What this means is that ... umm ... the UVG is going to be more than a setting book, it's going to actually be a playable rules lite RPG dangling like a remora off the bulk of a vast steppe crawl. And that I'm also going to add basic conversion mechanics for a couple of game systems I know: 5E and OSE, for example, and if somebody would like to help, a couple of others too.

Oh god, that's going to be so shit!

Uh, no, actually ... the rules are pretty tight and light and work quite nicely, I've ... uhh ... well, I've been running games with them for like eight years, and they interlock with minimal adjustment with both 5E and OSE.

Fine, Fine, What Other News?

Well, actually, now that you mention it ... I am amenable to some playtesters to take the rules doc in hand once it's ... nicer ... and try it out.

How Hard Multi-Tasking Is ...

I did want to mention one thing I'm explicitly learning for later projects. I'm going to have to split the game design, writing, and final print design production much more cleanly—and possible work with an outside layout specialist—because switching between different parts of the process: adjusting the writing, checking the rules fit, doing layout, is much, much ... well, it's hard. Frankly, it's not multi-tasking, it's task switching, and it's mentally truly exhausting. If, while just writing, I can do 2,000 words in a day easily, here 1,000 is great. If just doing layout, I can hammer out 40 pages a day, here 10 is amazing. So, it's truly a lesson: value your experts and specialists, folks, value and treasure them!

But, let's end on a more fun note: Marmotfolk

Yep, the chubby, fluffy marmotfolk got the playable faction treatment. And, for bonus bennies ... that thing about phenotypes? You can make marmotfolk who are 6 feet 11 inches tall, covered in protective fur, and strong enough to pull a baseline human's arms right out of their sockets. Who knows, maybe marmotfolk also live hundreds of years?

Thank you for your patience, heroes!

±Luka

P.S. - Backerkit Survey, please: https://the-ultraviolet-grasslands.backerkit.com/