Ballistic’s Report – March 3, 2023

Getting back into the swing of things, and moving forward into 2023 finally. A new kickstarter approaches from Gaming Ballistic in the Old-School Essentials space, a bunch of movement behind the scenes.

• The Foundry VTT module for Nightmare Fuel just needs some block and tackle on the admin side, then it will be finished and go out to backers. Expect that next week, I hope.
• Best Supporting Actors: Adversaries and Allies is going to launch next week! Over 172 characters, ready to play with stats, equipment, and enough description to make them interesting, but not so much as to be burdensome. Softcover book and quick reference cards are being produced.
• Two or three background projects made progress.
• I got my new sword! I’ve been waiting for it for two years, so this is a big deal for me. I’ve used it twice in practice and everyone who’s handled it loves it.
• My wife has been traveling to various places (mostly Texas and a jaunt to Europe) for seven or eight weeks straight. This has had deleterious effects on productivity.

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: 59 patrons and $435 per month.
• Special Content in February: None. February slipped by almost without me noticing it.

My plans to relaunch interesting content got pushed back a bit by the funk of the last two months. The Patreon needs to be revitalized and I have a few ideas here, but I need to get on it. That’s a recurring theme.

Currently Manufacturing/Fulfilling/Shipping

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

• I believe all bits of OSE solos have not only been picked but mostly delivered. There may be some outliers still in transit.
• The Foundry VTT module for Nightmare Fuel is ready, and we have to go through the listing process and then it can go out.

Crowdfunding and Product Launches

• I am getting ready to launch Best Supporting Actors: Adversaries and Allies for Old-School Essentials. I’ve got it approved on Kickstarter, and I have a layout format tested that I like. The key bit is now getting the campaign tuned and getting the word out. This project is a rare return to the “long-form” campaign for me, as I will be ready for the launch but really want to ensure that the end date wraps over a month as part of my new strategy. At least 172 characters in a 192-page book, A5 format and one character per page.
• We have OSE in March, TFT in May, Powered by GURPS in July, OSE again in September, and finally Powered by GURPS in November. With luck, there will also be some other “quiet” releases that don’t get full campaigns.

Product Announcements

The full Product Catalog is accurate as of Sept 3, 2022 but needs a refresh for new product and a Winter 2023 update. Look for that and dissemination of my new PbG products to all sales channels.

The Nightmare Fuel books are now available in print and PDF format on my shopify store!

• Serpents of Legend
• The Bugstiary
• Garden of Evil

In Development

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

Let’s see where we are on other things…

• Let Us Rejoice! Looking at my planned releases and the work required, this is either 2024 or “as time permits” in 2023…and I hope it’s a non-crowdfund release in 2023 and time does
• 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. I’m hoping for this one in July 2023.
• Artifacts of Norðlond. Working title and Marko Vujnovic as lead on this one. I’ve seen a first revision by Marko based on an original manuscript by CRR, and it’s in the middle of a second revision right now. I suspect this will be a “surprise” release when it’s ready and as funds allow to do the art, with an appearance as a crowdfunding pledge level in June as well (probably another All the New Things level, which was well received in Nightmare Fuel).

• Inns and Taverns; Two Warring Houses, by Douglas Cole. Systemless. 2024 is likely, and I’m probably going to solicit new authors on both.
• Infinite Archipelago is happening. I have the first plan here with the TFT books David is making right now, and big plans for late summer or early fall for bringing Nordlond into the OSE and TFT as part of this line. Heck, I think I even have a logo for it.
• “Gwalathar” TFT Setting by David Pulver. The solo books David wrote for me have an implied setting and there are a minimum of three books – likely more – planned and in writing at this time that blow out that setting as the first example of the Infinite Archipelago concept. April.
• Mission X: Working contract details with SJGames and I can’t really dig in on this until I have the formal list of materials accessible to me. I have been actively discussing this with SJGames and as one might imagine for a stand-alone RPG, the discussion of “what this will be” can get hung up on both macro and micro details. I’m still optimistic we’ll land on a happy place, but the trajectory to get there is non-trivial.

I actively encourage prospective authors to drop me proposals having to do with any of the above projects, but bear in mind that there are guidelines and strictures that must be followed to make a sale and move from concept to final.

Friction

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

• Still production slowdown due to extreme multitasking with the kids and more and more travel from my spouse. I love being the man on the scene with my children, but when I’m sitting at dance class or driving the elder one to and from jazz band, I’m not making games.
• Still working on the Mission X contract, which isn’t exactly urgent, but I’d sure like to have it in hand.
• I need to get my tax prep done in the next week or so. In fact, I have a few deadlines I need to race to meet, which is a non-trivial source of stress. Even so: the tax thing is irksome because it’s not all dependent on me (other entities have to get my forms to me), but there’s a massive admin overhead in getting all of the expenses and revenue bits classified. I need a new business process here in 2023.

Fair Winds

Information about things that move GB forward.

• Have started real work on the projects that need working, which is excellent.
• I’m collaborating on a project with an author I love collaborating with. He’s as busy as I am, so it’s a labor that’s very much bursty…but we have a solid method for passing manuscript control back and forth. It’s a topic I like, too.
• Whee! I got a sword! My first-ever commissioned sword, made as a training blade (2.2mm rounded edge at the blade root, 1.7mm rounded near the tip), is beautiful in its simplicity and handles very well. I have been waiting for this for more than two years, so when it finally showed up I was overjoyed.