Meeting with Iron Sky Oy!
over 4 years ago
– Tue, Nov 12, 2019 at 12:15:43 AM
Hi everyone,
Yesterday, we had an online meeting with Timo and Tero of Iron Sky Oy. Here's a few things we talked about:
- Character Sheet design: both like our Character Sheet designs, so those are a go and are probably an indicator of what the final book will look like (with metallic backgrounds and without the metal in the print-friendly versions).
- Rules: We've got a go ahead for the rules as well. Iron Sky Oy has given us full green light, which is great.
- Pregenerated Characters: Both like the 4 Pregenerated Characters we posted. They may want us to make minor tweaks in order to be sure they fit into the Iron Sky Universe well. The one thing Timo could think about is that Rick Morales used to wet his pants when he was a kid. Now, this isn't meant to be funny, but Timo thought it might be misconstrued as trying to be funny and Iron Sky Oy, like us, doesn't want us to laugh with problems like that. Timo will nog go over the pregens in more depth and let us know if anything else should be tweaked, so we will be waiting for that, do the tweaks and then post both the updated backgrounds and the Character Sheets with stats.
- Quick Start: We talked in-length about the Quick Start. All think it's a great idea to release the Quick Start. As you know, it'll be available to backers for free and we'll also sell it online. We talked about the storyline and we had several questions to Timo about if we got things right concerning some of the Iron Sky background that was never mentioned in either film or in the comic. Timo told us all of the answers are in a Finnish book that got translated into French and German, but there's only 1 copy left to be found on Amazon and the book doesn't seem to be available anywhere else, so he'll look for another way to send us the book today. We're fully expecting to be able to read it this or next week and get the background story for the Quick Start ready, so in the worst possible case we'll still release the beta version this month and the full version with original artwork included next month.
- Artwork: We also talked about the artwork we've commissioned, which will first pass by Iron Sky Oy for full approval.
So all in all great news, green lights for almost everything, minor tweaks for the pregens and a short wait for the full Quick Start.
Tero and Timo both agreed with me we should have these meetings on a more regular basis now, so we'll be able to advance nicely along the way. This also means we'll continue to post things every week!
Greetz,
Dirk
Posting 2 Pregenerated Characters daily!
over 4 years ago
– Thu, Nov 07, 2019 at 11:26:39 AM
Hi everyone,
You always have to have a back-up. The reason why we were able to churn out a lot of stuff despite our laptop taking forever to get here (it should have been here in September), is that we had a back-up computer, but it still was a lot slower and sluggish than the new HP we had ordered.
The day before yesterday, disaster seem to strike: the laptop arrived 9 days earlier than expected, but... didn't start up. Luckily, the company we're working with has been great, they picked up the device yesterday and brought it back today. We're only able to start it through the docking station (the HP team will be coming in next week to solve that issue), but we're typing this on the new laptop for the first time.
That also means typing is way faster, so we'll be posting the full background on 2 Pregens today, with 2 more coming tomorrow and the stat blocks coming in a day after that. We're doing it this way in order to focus on something that's been really important to us: the narrative element of role-playing.
All pregens come with a description of the character and his or her appearance, all of the Life Events and their Iconic Events.
An Iconic Event is a Life Event you've picked because it reflects what your Character is about really well. You don't have to choose one, but if you do, it'll give you more bonuses in-game if you're able to use the information narratively. It focuses on a specific moment in the Character's past and it allows you to tell a great, intriguing story that sets him or her apart from the rest.
If you've seen the Pregens before, the Iconic Events will be totally new to you, so even if you were amongs the ones who saw the inital designs, we encourage you to check them out.
More about the Pregens here soon!
Greetz,
Dirk
Equipment & Weapons sheet added to the Downloads section
over 4 years ago
– Tue, Nov 05, 2019 at 02:17:59 AM
Hi,
We've now also added the Iron Sky: The RPG Equipment & Weapons sheet.
Ranged weapons only have a Maximum Range listed because their range is mostly based on the eyesight and perception of the user, not the weapon. Thrown weapons have damage and range based on how far you're able to throw them.
To be perfectly clear, both the Damage Sheet and the Equipment Sheet we've posted are usable for both the Basic and the Advanced version of the game. We'll be posting different, more specific, versions, along the way. We're concentrating on getting the final version of the Quick Start and the rest of the writing in right now, so we aren't going to post different versions of sheets every day.
Also, Basic still allows you to pick and choose some options, so you'll be able to play with or without Locations and with or without different Damage Types, which is why we're still listing them here.
The current sheets are table-heavy, but we'll have different versions that are visually appealing. During playtesting, though, we've found the current sheets to be very handy. It's all a matter of opinion and taste, and we feel certain we'll be able to cater to everyone.
If you like gaming systems like Basic Roleplay/RuneQuest, you'll want to check out the Basic version of the game. If you prefer GURPS, HERO System, RoleMaster and similar games, you'll want to check the Advanced version.
Greetz,
Dirk
How to use the Iron Sky Damage Sheet
over 4 years ago
– Tue, Nov 05, 2019 at 01:30:07 AM
Hi everyone,
We've updated the Downloads section with the Iron Sky: The RPG Damage Sheet - a few hours later than expected. Our new HP Zbook came in 9 days earlier than expected and we were looking forward to designing on it, but... it's not starting up. At all. So we returned to our usual gear and got the Damage Sheet online.
Here's how you will be using it.
In Iron Sky: The RPG and all RPG's that will be using the Synthesis rules system, hit locations are determined by overlaying silhouettes with crosshairs/a bullseye, making sure you know exactly where an attack hits. Typically, the damage a weapon causes falls in one of five categories: Bludgeoning Damage, Chopping Damage, Cutting Damage, Piercing Damage or Gunshot Damage. Other kinds of injuries are also possible, including Barometric, Chemical, Electrical and Thermal Damage, but except for science fiction and superhero games, those types of damage are less likely to be caused by weapons and thus are included in the Special entry on a Weapon Stat Block if they come in play.
There are no Hit Points in the game and no need to keep track of numbered damage, so there's less math involved. You'll just need to mark the box that corresponds to the type of damage and the location hit with an X. There are 3 gradations of each kind of damage and let's just say the third one is very, very bad. If there's any kind of protection, like armor, in that location, the box will be checked with a slash so it'll be easy to see if your armor protects you against that kind of damage or not - not all armor will protect you against everything.
The Advanced Rules use more specific effects for each type of injury, while the Basic Rules have more general effects. However, if you want your combat to be even more abstract, that's possible as well: Iron Sky: The RPG - Basic Rules allow you to use general damage without hit locations, although we don't recommend that option as it takes away a lot of details and strategic combat options.
We'll post the Equipment Sheet later today. We'll have more graphic-heavy versions as well, but we suggest using these print-friendly sheets as wounds and conditions may change all the time throughout combat.
One more thing: some of you will probably think the silhouette uses too much ink, but it's integral to any session that uses Hit Locations, as it's the right size to use the transparent crosshairs with. Silhouettes are a major part of the game, which is why we're releasing the Silhouette add-on/supplement later this year as well, but again: there's an option to use general damage as well and in that case you won't need any of the silhouettes.
Greetz,
Dirk
More sheet options + upcoming things
over 4 years ago
– Thu, Oct 31, 2019 at 04:22:28 AM
Hi everyone,
We've added our alternative print-friendly Character Sheet page 2, which replaces pages 2, 3 and 4 if you're okay with less space. You'll be able to use either either the standard pages 1-4 or page 1 + the alternative page 2.
We've also added the print-friendly page 1 and the alternative print-friendly page 2 without the illustrations for those of you who prefer to save ink.
Next up: the Equipment & Combat Sheet!
As far as add-ons are concerned, the PDF versions of the Action Dial and the most of the Silhouettes have been finished for a year now, but we may make some changes based on feedback, as we've done in the past. Since we tweaked the Basic Synthesis combat system, both need to go through minor changes.
As far as possible refunds go: we know it's been a long wait, but as you can hopefully see, we're catching up. Things beyond our control (the legal proceedings, the wait for the sequel, the unfortunate passing of one of our lead designers, two deaths in our immediate circle, us being told there are more plans in the future that have not been divulged yet and the wait for our new gear, which will arrive on the 12th of November) have held us back, but we're regaining full control now so we'd like to take ownership of any further delays after the 11th of November, when we have a meeting with Iron Sky Oy.
In essence: if you've requested for a refund before today, we'll make sure to provide you with one on a set date (we'll refund everyone who's asked for it simultaneously). If you request for a refund after today, we'll refund if we can't publish on the deadlines we'll be able to provide right after the 11th of November, EXCEPT if the delay is caused by not getting a product green-lit by Iron Sky Oy. We'll post a full timeline a few days after our meeting on the 11th of November. Please communicate with us by E-mail if you're considering a refund and don't comment in the comments section - we always answer within 24 hours.
Please note: not being interested anymore is not considered a reason for a refund, us being late IS. We're very sorry the wait has been long, but we were just as eager as all of you to continue and we're glad to see everything is getting sorted out and we're able to provide you with content. We have been a little shocked at how little understanding 1 or 2 backers showed after people around us died, it's been a learning curve and it's shaken our view of humanity a wee bit, honestly, but we'll make sure to pour all of our feelings into the final product and get you the game you all deserve! That being said, we feel we have answered certain questions (why weren't you able to continue writing the rules system after the announcement that the sequel would be late, for example) many times now, so please check out previous updates before commenting on the same thing, as it detracts us from the writing process and we would love to be able to continue designing instead of having to continue to answer the same questions. We'll add some of our responses to the FAQ over the next week in order to make sure we can concentrate on the writing process.
Greetz,
Dirk
