Two weeks since the last one, but a very important two weeks.

Why?

• I more or less worked something like 10 days straight, minimum 12 hours per day, to get the Bestiary preliminary Backer-ready PDF out on Tuesday.
• I did take a small breather, but I got some great errata reports from folks, corrected them, and did an update to the file. I didn’t send out emails for it, because those are annoying, but there will never be copies of the file in Backerkit…just the updated version.
• I’m still pending a few images, but I am informed by the artist that they are, in fact, finished and as soon as he gets home from The Land Bandwidth Forgot he’ll upload them for me. I’ve seen one of them, and it’s really fun.
• I went through and closed out all Backerkit folks with $1 pledges, or digital pledges with no pending charges. That leaves FOUR folks with physical orders who haven’t done their surveys. I’m going to be sending files to the printer on Feb 15, and will probably close out all Backerkit accounts Sunday night, Feb 13.
• We continue to run test-fights against a few of the apex monsters, a few of which are proving challenging to tweak out. Getting some really fun insight into monster design and rules interpretation (and a few things that were there all along) from Kromm as we go.
• Initial response to the file has been sparse but positive.
• One request I’m giving serious consideration to is adding a not-Norse name for every creature.
• Most folks are using the errata sheet like I asked. This is good as it keeps me sane.
• Paid the final licensing fee installment for 2021; SJGames did reasonably well by Gaming Ballistic in calendar 2021, I think. I hope they think so too.

Gaming Ballistic Patreon

To help with ongoing funding of art and speed eventual time to delivery, Gaming Ballistic started a Patreon in January 2021. Here’s the weekly update on Patreon status.

• Membership status: 63 patrons and $504 per month.
• Special Content: First looks at the entire bestiary. Insight into next projects. And invites to test-fights and other trials to help make things better.

Steady going and lots of help this month.

Gaming Ballistic in Media

• Rory Fansler wrote a review on his blog about his initial thoughts about the book.
• I’m planning to post a few test-fight reports coming up shortly.

Currently Manufacturing/Fulfilling/Shipping

Projects where hardcopies and PDFs are going out or scheduled to do so.

Nordlondr Ovinabokin: Bestiary

• Initial distribution of the Bestiary PDF has begun, with an update already posted. During the campaign, the files are always located in the Digital Downloads section of the Backerkit account for a person, and afterwards, when the files go to the printer, I’ll “comp” a copy of the PDF to all backers using DriveThruRPG, because Backerkit stinks as an archival “oh my HDD died” resource and DriveThru is better for that by far.

Crowdfunding and Product Launches

The Bestiary Kickstarter is in the fulfillment stage, at least the beginning of it:

• Initial PDF and one update have gone out to all backers
• The next thing that’s likely to be complete are the VTT token packs (not the full Foundry aid, yet), which “only” require all the art to be in hand, which is shortly.
• After that, I’ll have to spend some tedious time updating the spreadsheet with the final copy of all text in the book. That’ll take a bit (days, not weeks) but is required before the next two steps.
• Once the sheet is accurate, I’ll spool out and edit the formatted-as-cards versions of the creatures, and then get those printing. I expect to have the cards in hand long before the books arrive in the USA.
• Finally, as soon as the card spooling is done, I’ll work with Nick and Nose to tweak the sheet into a form that Foundry can eat, and we’ll compile the Module that becomes the Foundry Game Aid (Unofficial) support for the Bestiary. This happens last because while the other bits are MY time, which is mine to waste, I don’t want to waste a single moment of N&N’s time.
• Finally, I expect the files to be at the printer on Feb 15, and hopefully minimal corrections and adjustments from Feb 15 through Feb 22. Then ink is scheduled to start hitting paper on Feb 23. I have no idea if Life will throw a monkey into this wrench, as it bumps right into all the supply chain stuff we hear about. When the books are done, most will come to the USA, and some will go to ShipQuest in the UK. I’ll also pack up international shipment of non-book physical stuff at the same time and work with Nord Games and ShipQuest to properly import it. Then physical fulfillment can begin. I’m expecting it to be very expensive; we’ll see how far beyond what I’ve charged for shipping that it winds up going.

Product Announcements

The full Product Catalog is still out there.

I still need to update the catalog. It’s been that kind of month.

In Development

Writing and content creation for announced projects. Some of this may be cryptic.

• Inns and Taverns, by Marshall LaPira. Systemless. Revised tavern submitted on Nov 11, returned with comments in early November. Nothing since then.
• Two Warring Houses, by Douglas Cole. Systemless. Outline stage and writing, starting to get more ideas on this, and writing starts again next week.
• Nordlondr Bestiary, by Douglas Cole. Dungeon Fantasy RPG. See above, workin’ hard.
• Secret Stuff: I’m in communication with other authors and working on my own ideas for 2022. Now that Bestiary is in the final stages, more of my time needs to go to creating new things.

Friction

Bits of news and items that put a monkey in the wrench.

• The biggest irksome thing is some of my apex monsters are getting bimodal feedback. Some groups are saying “wow, this cannot be beat” while others are finding “this monster is a chump that died the first round without getting a turn.” Some of this is simply approach to the game, and experience in taking advantage of every possible breakpoint or buff, some is just “yeah, oops.” But it’s an iterative process that very much turns on rules interpretations, which can be contentious.
• Well, it’s Feburary, which means April is around the corner. Time to start thinking about taxes.

Fair Winds

Information about things that move GB forward.

• Had a few great conversations with Kromm on things that help clarify monster design, rules, and philosophy for stuff. Been very helpful.
• Good conversations with one of my frequent collaborating authors about 2022. That shall continue.
• Still on schedule. Woot.

Calculated and paid SJGames license fees for Q42021, and it was a nice amount. Overall I think 2021 was a solid payout to them for TFT and hopefully it’ll keep up or grow next year.