Ronin Round Table: Powers AGE

By guest blogger Brian Poel

Over a holiday drink, I was talking with the good folks at Green Ronin about my recent escapades in hacking the Fantasy AGE system into a modern-day superpowers game. Nicole asked me if I’d like to do a write-up for the web site outlining some of my changes. Of course I would!

Read more

Ronin Round Table: What is Best in Life?

gCRtnbVzidrPwv2VLfFTQ7W0aafBy Guest Bloggers Arnold T. Blumberg & Scott Alan Woodard

It all started at the horror store Dark Delicacies in Burbank, California back around 2011 or so. Arnold T. Blumberg (The “Doctor of the Dead”) was doing a signing for his guide book to zombie cinema, Zombiemania, when friend and fellow writer Scott Alan Woodard (The Sixth Gun Roleplaying Game, Doctor Who: The Juggernauts) discovered a copy of the Deathstalker II soundtrack in the store. Both of them noted how much fun it would be to write a book similar to Zombiemania but focused on their mutual love for the sword and sorcery genre. And the rest is history…ancient history, foretold in legends and destined to send the two men on the quest of a lifetime!

What would become the 400-plus page Cinema & Sorcery: The Guide to Fantasy Films began as a massive research project that involved choosing fifty feature films to cover with in-depth chapters packed with information on plot, production, soundtrack, and detailed ruminations and reviews; the chapters would also provide features on how to adapt characters, creatures, artifacts and more from the films to the reader’s game table. The rest of the book would catalog every other existing sword and sorcery feature film from the birth of cinema to 2015, cross-listed with alternate titles. No small feat, but a worthy adventure for two dedicated cinemaphiles!

The biggest challenge in working on the book was that since Arnold and Scott were 3,000 miles apart (Scott is based in Portland, OR, while Arnold lives in Baltimore, MD), they were denied the opportunity to sit together while plowing through the best and the worst of the genre. Fortunately, the era of social media and online communication enabled them to overcome the obstacle, and there was at least one occasion where a shared convention experience afforded them a bit of downtime to see one film at the same time. And what a film, a veritable conquest of all logic and sanity!

The sprawling sword and sorcery genre index would not have been possible without the book’s “secret weapon” – our third author, Rochelle Blumberg. And if the name looks familiar, it should, because Rochelle is Arnold’s mother! A powerhouse researcher in her own right, and a champion of list-making and attention to detail, Rochelle worked on compiling the index of all sword and sorcery films according to Arnold and Scott’s criteria in the same way that she had assembled the index way back when for Zombiemania. And lo, the quest was completed!

For the authors, the joy of working on this kind of project comes down to sharing a passion for film with fellow fans, and hoping that the next time readers revisit a favorite film, they check the book to see what they had to say about it. It’s the next best thing to Scott and Arnold sitting there and watching with you!

You can also hear Scott and Arnold chat about the book’s origins and features in a special episode of their G2V Podcast, which you can find here.

Rogues Gallery: The Amalgam (PDF)

Rogues Gallery: The Amalgam (PDF)

Rogues Gallery: The Amalgam (PDF)

Today we have a new Rogues Gallery issue for Mutants & Masterminds!

Long ago, Centurion and the Raven were simultaneously exposed to the Human Duplicator’s Doppelganger-Ray Gun. The result was the super-powerful being known as the Amalgam. With the powers of Centurion and the cunning of the Raven, the Amalgam suffers bouts of dim-witted confusion that make him one of the most dangerous beings on the planet.

Get the Amalgam today—just $1.95!

Rogues Gallery: The Waxman (PDF)

Today we have a new Rogues Gallery issue for Mutants & Masterminds!

Waxman has the ability to sculpt his own flesh just like he does his beloved wax sculptures! More than that, his touch allows him to sculpt or melt the flesh of anyone he chooses. Now a mad outcast, Waxman preys on the living in order to give him raw material for his wax creations.

Get Waxman today—just $1.95!

Ronin Round Table: Generational Games in A Song of Ice & Fire Roleplaying

BalerionA Song of Ice and Fire Roleplaying tends to have a distinct focus on families and legacies. It’s not surprising – the powers of Westeros are its Houses, and while they maintain their hold through economics and military, they establish their alliances and continue their legacies through family.

As such, there is a sense of importance to the families of the characters in a SIFRP campaign. So, it is perhaps no surprise that a particularly enjoyable style has come out of that sort of focus on the family: generational play.

With generational campaigns, the chronicle is less about individual characters, and more about the great legend that is one of the Houses. Wars and trials by combat meet on equal ground with intrigues to establish alliances – especially marriages – between the Houses, and most of the story is told through “flashpoints.” These are important moments in which the House’s legacy is imperiled, whether because it is endangered in some way, or because it has an opportunity to make itself great (although at what cost?). Read more

Ronin Round Table: The Art of Art Direction

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By Hal Mangold

Today’s Ronin Round Table draws back the curtain on some of the behind-the-scenes parts of creating our products. Art is an essential part of the look and feel of most games, and it’s the role of the art director (that’s me) to make sure all that art gets created. To give you all a little insight into the job, we’re going to answer a few common questions about what being an art director is all about.  

What does the art director do?

As the art director, my responsibility is to make sure that all of the art that goes into Green Ronin’s games and publications is up to the standard we’ve tried to set over the years. I select the artists, assign and approve the art, and herd cats to make sure it all comes into our hands by the deadline necessary for publication.  

How does the art direction process work?

It all starts for me with scouting out the artists who have the right style to fit the project. Games like Mutants & Masterminds have a radically different art style than Dragon Age or A Song of Ice & Fire. I contact the artists I want on the project, see if they are available during the timeframe I need them, and get them contracted if they’re interested in working on the project. Ideally, this is done about 4-5 months ahead of time, but circumstances often compress this a bit.  

The art order or brief comes next. This is a description or set of descriptions for the piece of art needed for the product. These can be written either by me or, more often, by the developer of the product, with my role being more to tweak or jazz up those basic descriptions. Sometimes the descriptions are general, sometimes really specific, and different artists work well with each type. In general, I try to art direct with a light touch when I can. I’m hiring the artist for their talents and inspiration, after all. I try to give them as much room to improvise as I can.   

The next step is to take that art order transfer it to the artist or artists. For a cover piece, this part is simple. For interior work with multiple artists, it’s a bit more involved of a process. The art assignments get broken up between the artists, taking into consideration both spreading the artists throughout the book for a unified look, and assigning the right pieces to the right artists based on their relative strengths.

Next the artists submit their sketches for the assignments. I review them to make sure the composition is as strong as it should be, that the basic look is right, that any characters depicted have the correct look, and so on. If revised sketches are needed, the artist submits them, and once everyone is happy with where the piece are going, the artist takes the piece to its final state.

If the project is for a licensed property, there’s one extra step: approval by the licensor. Most licensors require us to submit all of the original art we commission to them so they can make sure it depicts their world and characters properly. Some licensors want to see sketches, and some just care about the final result.

There was a time when there was another step: the artists physically shipping their work to us for scanning. Fortunately almost all artists today (even those working in non-digital mediums) submit digital files. Considering the international nature of the artists we work with, that’s especially fortunate today, with international shipping costs being what they are.  

Once all the art is approved, the art director gives it a look to ensure it’s in the proper color and file format, and that it will reproduce properly when actually printed. After that, the image file is handed off to layout for insertion into the product. The art director’s work is done.

Where do you find artists?

Anywhere and everywhere! The Internet is a fantastic source, of course. Sites like DeviantArt, Artstation and DrawCrowd give artists a place to put their portfolios, and I browse around on them quite often. Sites like Tumblr and Pinterest are also fantastic art resources, both for finding new artists, and building “mood boards” for how I want a particular project to look. It sometimes takes a little internet detective work to find out who created an image found that way, however. Not everyone is great about tagging sources for what they post.

Conventions are another great source for artists. Whether it’s a comic, gaming, anime or just overall sci-fi show, I always keep an eye out for creators whose style might work with one of our games. If we’re actually displaying at a show (like GenCon, for instance), portfolio reviews are another great source for me.

And finally, email submissions come in all the time, and have provided me with some great people I might not have noticed before.

Can I submit my art to Green Ronin?

Absolutely! Anyone is welcome to submit their work (or a link to an online portfolio, preferably), to art@greenronin.com.

Fantasy AGE Game Master’s Kit

Fantasy AGE Game Master's Kit

Fantasy AGE Game Master’s Kit

Today we’re pleased to introduce the latest product for the Fantasy AGE RPG: the Fantasy AGE Game Master’s Kit

Fantasy AGE Game Master’s Kit
Author: Chris Pramas
Artist: Brian Hagan
Format: 3-panel hardback GM Screen and 5 reference cards

The Fantasy AGE Game Master’s Kit is a key accessory for your Adventure Game Engine campaign. It features a three-panel hardback screen with all the essential game info you need at the table. It also includes 4 quick reference cards that put the stunts and actions at your fingertips, and a combat tracker that you can write on with wet or dry erase markers. The Game Master’s Kit is the perfect complement to the Fantasy AGE RPG and will help you kick off your game with style.

Order your Fantasy AGE Game Master’s Kit today!

M&M GM’s Kit, Revised Edition; Deluxe Hero’s Handbook; Cosmic Handbook; and Rogues Gallery: Tun

Mutants & Masterminds Gamemaster's Kit, Revised Edition

Mutants & Masterminds Gamemaster’s Kit, Revised Edition

We have been out of our Mutants & Masterminds Gamemaster’s Kit for a while, but were recently able to fit a reprint into our schedule. We took this opportunity to upgrade this trendsetting GM’s Screen and accessories while we were at it.

Mutants & Masterminds GM’s Kit, Revised Edition
Design: Steve Kenson
Art: Imaginary Friends Studio
Format: 3-panel hardback screen with 5 reference cards

The Mutants & Masterminds Gamemaster’s Kit is a key accessory for your superhero campaign. It features a sturdy and practical 3-panel hardback screen with all the charts and tables you need to play the World’s Greatest Superhero RPG. The kit also includes 4 quick reference cards and a combat tracker that you can write on with wet or dry erase markers. The Mutants & Mastermind’s Gamemaster’s Kit is the perfect complement to the Deluxe Hero’s Handbook and will help you kick off your game with style.

Speaking of the Mutants & Masterminds Deluxe Hero’s Handbook, it’s back in print!

In case you missed the news and didn’t pre-order it, Cosmic Handbook is available now!

Rogues Gallery: Tun (PDF)

Rogues Gallery: Tun (PDF)

And also for Mutants & Masterminds, we’ve got a new issue of Rogues Gallery for you! Tun is the Mistress of Ceremonies at the Game Station. She is responsible for entertaining the (once-)scientifically advanced race known as the Spigori. As they are now descended into lazy consumers of everything set in front of them, Tun is responsible for finding them new and exciting forms of entertainment. Sometimes that quest takes this powerful A.I. to other worlds, such as Earth-Prime! Written by Crystal Frasier and featuring at by Domenico Neziti.

Tun can be yours right now for just $1.95! (3-page PDF with 2 Hero Lab data files)

Two New PDFs: Apostate and Mountain Terrors

We have two new adversary PDFs for you this week, one Rogues Gallery entry for Mutants & Masterminds, and a compilation of Mountain Terrors for the Chronicle System.

Rogues Gallery: Apostate (PDF)

Rogues Gallery: Apostate (PDF)

Rogues Gallery: Apostate

Pushed too far, once-caring Talia Wilson decided the only way to really change the world, to bring about a true revolution, was to become a villain and inspire people to rise up and destroy a corrupt system! As Apostate, she does everything she can to blunt the effectiveness of the government and point out its weaknesses. She swears that some day, she’ll have her revolution!

Get Apostate today—just $1.95!


Mountain Terrors for the Chronicle System (PDF)

Mountain Terrors for the Chronicle System (PDF)

Mountain Terrors for the Chronicle System

There are more dangers in the highest mountains peaks than just avalanches, treacherous terrain, and foul weather. Here there dwell the terrors that make the highest reaches their homes, from the bestial alpingast to the nearly-unseen cloud leopard, from the legendary devouring shadow to the deadly skullcracker. Explore the dangers of the alpine reaches, in this compilation of the Mountain Terrors monsters!

Mountain Terrors is a bestiary PDF for the Chronicle System, the rules engine that powers our popular A Song of Ice & Fire Roleplaying game.

This product compiles all the high-altitude horrors from our Mountain Terrors PDF series, along with an all-new mountainous monster.

Get Mountain Terrors today–only $5.95

Ronin Round Table: Blue Rose Development

Blue Rose cover by Stephanie Pui-Mun Law

Blue Rose cover by Stephanie Pui-Mun Law

Welcome! In this week’s Ronin Round Table, we’re taking a look at the development of the new edition of Blue Rose Fantasy Roleplaying following last year’s successful Kickstarter, along with a preview of some of the ways Blue Rose uses and modifies material from the AGE (Adventure Game Engine) System rules found in Fantasy AGE.

Right now, Blue Rose is poised between the development and editing stages of the process: draft text is in, with AGE System Developer Jack Norris and I going over our respective sections of the book: Jack primarily on the game system material and me primarily on the setting and story material, although there’s some crossover on both our parts. The drafts we have include all of the stretch goals funded by the Kickstarter and the hero and villain submissions by our Kickstarter backers for inclusion in the world of Aldea.

We have Lynne Hardy on-board as editor (or “benevolent editorial tyrant” as we have chosen to call it), empowered to smooth the sometimes rough road of our text so you can enjoy your journey through Aldea. She’s working with the setting material that makes up the first third or so of the book, detailing the world, it’s history, mythology, and the current state of its nations and peoples, roughly a decade since the time described in the original edition of Blue Rose.

There have been some changes! Queen Jaellin of Aldis is married (and not all are in favor of her choice of consort) and has won a stunning victory over the dark kingdom of Kern. Aldis is regaining its equilibrium following that recent conflict, and hopes are high for renewed peace and prosperity, but there are still many challenges for the Sovereign’s Finest throughout the land. The forces of Shadow do not rest and their reach is wide and deep. The nation is still very much in need of heroes to aid the cause of the Light.

Preview: Personas

We also have a special preview of the Blue Rose material in the works (hopefully the first of several such previews).

In this case, it is a draft of the Persona section of the game rules, discussing the qualitative traits of characters: their good and bad qualities (embodied in their Destiny and Fate), their goals and overarching place in the world, the looming specter of corruption and its effects on the spirit, and—most especially—their relationships, the deep emotional bonds that define the characters and help to drive them, not only in the context of the story, but providing clear game system effects when the players focus on those relationships and how they motivate their characters.

Download the preview PDF and take a look! Keep in mind that this is fairly raw text, still going through the development process. Nonetheless, we think if offers a pretty good look at where we’re going. If you have feedback for us, visit the Fantasy AGE forum on Roninarmy.com and let us know!