Update 12/10/2020

Hello! I'm back another week with more updates. This week has been basically the same as the previous one; I've just been focusing on the next Patreon release (which is coming along nicely), and my secret project, which I will be ready to reveal in a couple of weeks, most likely. I did have a couple of distractions: first, I have been dedicating a lot of time to thinking how to make a proper mapping deck for Seekers Beyond the Shroud, because to my surprise, a lot of people seem to have problems mapping the mission Sites. I thought it was a very simple system, especially compared to the one in Disciples of Bone & Shadow, but I guess that's my own biased. I've heard of several people who haven't really played the game precisely due to the mapping... So I think the cards would be a great help. The problem I'm having is that, due to the nature of the mapping rules, both fixed and random at the same time, I cannot come up with a satisfactory solution. If I want to include all the possible combinations offered by the rules, the deck is going to be hundreds of cards because I would have to have a corridor with one exit, a different one with two exits, a room with one door, another with two, and so on. I know, I could just leave them blank and you simply place a corridor card to a room card (for example) and assume there's a door connecting them, but that's just a cheap solution. I thought about simplifying the mapping rules for when you use the mapping deck, but the result is more alike a dungeon in layout than an actual modern place; you end up with a meandering layout, like the ones you get when using any other dungeon deck. So my last idea is to simply make 10 fixed layouts per Site and offer them as PDF or PoD tiles. So if you have a mission that takes you to an abandoned complex (for example), you simply take one of the Abandoned Complex tiles randomly, and that's were your mission takes place. Sure, eventually you'll go through all of them, but it would take 60 missions for that to happen, and it's not a big deal. What do you guys think, is this something worth pursuing? Or should I stick to the cards, and try to come up with another solution?

My second distraction was a new Archetype for Disciples that will be part of next month's Patreon content. I just had this amazing idea and I had to implement it; it involves joining a cult worshiping a crazed Tyrant called Vinnu the Forger. After some trials and tribulations, you'll be able to craft your very own magic weapons, but as always, this power comes at a price! I haven't finished it because it also includes some ruins exploration and I need to figure all that out, but I have all the basics written down, I just need to put all the pieces together and actually dedicate proper time to it. Next month, though!

I've also talked to a couple of very talented artists for future collaborations; it's always very exciting to have people working with my this way, bringing my ideas to life. I'll keep you posted!

Under Ashen Skies keeps suffering from my lack of focus, and on top of that James is still not answering me or Matt, so it really sucks. At this point, I hope he's fine; we live in shitty times and I can't help to think he's gotten sick or something, because it's really weird. I'm hoping I can get back to writing the game in about two weeks, as soon as I finish my secret project (you guys are going to be so hyped by all the secrecy and then it's going to be a let-down, I see it).

So that's it for this week, have a great one!