Ballistic’s Report – Week Ending Oct 14, 2022

Has it really been three weeks? I guess so. I have, one might guess, been extremely busy. I would love to say “I’m going to keep this short,” but that never really works out for me. In this case, I have a plane to catch in a few hours, so type fast I shall!

The Nightmare Fuel bestiary project for the Dungeon Fantasy RPG went live on Backerkit Crowdfunding, hitting 50% funding in the first 24 hours. This is against a non-trivial funding goal; it’s also better than my projects usually do on day one (about 1/3), so that bodes well.
Special Note: As stated, this is on Backerkit Crowdfunding, not Kickstarter. Please check it out. Three new authors, and a single stretch goal that is lofty but actually in reach if we can come in just under the totals for the Nordlond Bestiary.
The OSE solos project is heading to its conclusion. All books have been ordered and sent to the printer(s). The quick-reference cards are proceeding to plan. Rules Tomes are in hand. As soon as the cards are done and the books arrive – both scheduled for late next week – they start going into the mail.
Shields Up! got a direct release and is on sale in both Print and PDF on the Gaming Ballistic Shopify Store. The comments I have (usually from shield enthusiasts) have been very positive
I am behind on art direction for Nightmare Fuel, but that is pretty much all I’ll be doing this weekend.

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: 66 patrons and $518 per month.
Special Content in October: The finalized PDF of Shields Up.

October brought the return of two Patrons who had to leave, but now are back!

Gaming Ballistic in Media

No new media this last week…been very head-down.

Currently Manufacturing/Fulfilling/Shipping

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

All OSE solo book orders placed. UK books may have already arrived at GamesQuest. US books to arrive end next week.
OSE reference cards proceeding nicely. Also expect those to be done next week. The only thing not done – including getting boxes and printing labels – is making and banding the cards, putting them in the box.

Crowdfunding and Product Launches

Nightmare Fuel

The campaign launched on Oct 13 at 11am.
We hit 50% funding on Day 1, which is stronger than usual. Nonetheless, we need roughly another 150 backers to fund, and probably 475 to hit the stretch goal. I’m optimistic though.
I have some cute placeholder covers that are not the real thing. Here’s an example of the real thing, a WIP by Brendan Lancaster.
Stretch goal? Yes, at $58,000 every backer who ordered a physical copy of the Nightmare Fuel books gets a hardcover omnibus at no extra charge.

Old-School Solo Adventures

Books ordered. Cards ordered. All other inventory including boxes in house.
This is ready for fulfillment as soon as product arrives and is checked in as “shippable.”
These will then go on sale in PDF and Print form on the GB Shopify Store and DriveThruRPG.

Product Announcements

The full Product Catalog finally got updated on Sept 3 for fall! I took the opportunity to normalize prices for my entire product line. PDFs in general went up by a dollar or two; most print books stayed the same, a few actually came down in price. But with a few exceptions, at least all my stuff is now on the same pricing curve.

Serpents of Legend, The “Bugstiary,” and Garden of Evil. All part of the Nightmare Fuel campaign.

Shields Up! Finalized, on sale, and print books should arrive soon.

In Development

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

With OSE Solos almost done, Shields Up! released, and Nightmare Fuel campaign live…it’s time to start on active development of some of these projects. Plus a few more.

Let Us Rejoice! is a systemless exploration of festivals and gatherings as great ways to make a world come alive. Uses and collects the Nordlond material that is scattered over several books as examples, but also goes further than that. This will be GB’s first systemless release. This one is definitely moving into 2023. That’s not a problem as such; having a robust “what’s coming next” is good.

Delvers to Grow Companion. Some new professions. A whole bunch of new disad packages. Epic Upgrades. Everyman Adventurer modules. Who knows what else will strike me? I know what I want to do with this one, and shall get writing as soon as this OSE project is finished.

Gear Catalog 1? Maybe. There’s a good start at what is probably a nice 32-page book, maybe a bit more. Also DFRPG. I’ve talked with a potential author on this one and we need to work out a few things, but not in a bad way.

Inns and Taverns, by Marshall LaPira. Systemless. Still postponed indefinitely. A good time for this would either be along with Let Us Rejoice (in a few months) or real close to the end of the year.
Two Warring Houses, by Douglas Cole. Systemless. On hold.
Infinite Archipelago is going to be my new framework for settings that should cross over systems. I have plans for TFT/OSE version of Nordlond, plus more, that GMs will be able to pick and choose and place what’s there. It implies sea travel in many ways, so there are ideas around that. Looking forward to this as a building block for 2023.
Secret TFT Setting by David Pulver. Chatted with David about plans for this, and there’s a hole in his schedule at the end of the year. Chatted more, and liking how it works.
Secret Nordlond-ish Setting by [CENSORED].
OSE Conversions of Character Collections. I don’t see why not. Monsters, ready-to-go PCs/NPCs with just enough background to make ‘em interesting. Some art for visualization. I may work on this together with two other CC volumes I’d like to make, so they hit as a six-book bundle.
Mission X: It’s time to get working on this. I’d anticipate late 2023 or early 2024 as it’s a big project.

The two settings are part of a grand plan you’ll be seeing more of next year.

I note that for new authors, Delvers to Grow and Bestiary entries are fantastic ways to get into the game, as such projects lend themselves very well to focused writing and fast turn-around. The new concept that I’m shopping around to my circle of authors and contributors will be another entry…but the nature of the concepts requires a firm hand on the wheel for gamer utility. Some of my early discussions with authors are fluctuating between “oh, I get it, that’s cool” and “…but surely those restrictions don’t apply to my cool idea!” Yes, they do.

Friction

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

I feel 1-2 weeks behind on art direction for Nightmare Fuel.
Still need to get cracking on editing on the three books, but that really needs to take second fiddle to art direction as I’m the rate-limit there.

Fair Winds

Information about things that move GB forward.

Really happy with how the manufacturing of OSE Solos is progressing at least for now.
The Day 1 funding of Nightmare Fuel was really good. We should at least fund. If we can get more attention on the campaign and folks start to come in – especially folks who might have missed the first Bestiary campaign – we have a reasonable shot at the stretch goal. A free omnibus compilation – in hardcover no less – of the books.