A Preoccupation With Death

I am the Warden!!

Apparently, I have a preoccupation with death. (What? The title didn't give that away?) I'm not going to get into where it came from or why that person brought it up, only to say that it came up in conversation nonetheless and with good reason. The comment - an observation, really - was a result of Killshot itself, a game centered primarily on assassins killing people as the primary objective. It didn't strike me as being overly provocative at first until that person clarified their remark.

"Considering the past year-and-a-half of your life has been confronting a near-death experience, doesn't it seem a bit ironic that you're writing about it on a near constant basis?"

The question's haunted me for the past couple of days, burrowed deep inside my consciousness to the point I haven't been able to concentrate on my work. This normally means there's a disturbing truth to it and the issue is not that I recognize it, but that I don't quite understand it. I consider myself a very insightful person, particularly when it comes to my own thoughts and emotions. Nothing slips by me and few and far between are the moments when someone else spots something I failed to catch. Not that I'm trying to brag, but all the observations brought up in recent therapy were not revealed by the therapist, but by me.

Am I only writing Killshot because of a deep seeded need to confront my issues with mortality or because my subconscious lingers on the topic so much that it leaks into my work?

Keep Your Assassin Organised: The Killshot Character Sheet

I am the Warden!!

The Kickstarter project for Killshot has been going phenomenally well, more than I had hoped. When I made the decision to use Kickstarter, it was done with what I believe to be realistic expectations, meaning I expected it to fail. Not horribly, exploding in a ball of fire, but that I wouldn't quite hit the mark. Today is only the 9th day and it's already at 43% of its goal. Not only could Killshot goal of obtaining original artwork come to life, but could exceed expectations on my very first time out.

Today's post is in response to a request by a backer calling himself a "sucker for character sheets." Far be it from me to show off something I'm rather proud of because I like to consider myself a character sheet junkie. I make a point of downloading multiple versions of character sheets, including official releases to homemade fillable forms to building my own to suit my own playing style.

A good character sheet can not only enhance a game for players, it can define it. Particularly in a game with some level of complexity and variable character builds. What you'll see here is still a work-in-progress (much like Killshot itself) but the changes currently slated for this sheet are repositioning only. And whatever else needs changing due to rule revisions. And considering how well things are going, I'll likely bump up the graphics on the sheet.

More Than Individuals

 I am the Warden!!

Yesterday's D&D game wrapped up a little early (only because the DM figured we couldn't possibly complete the massive encounter he had in store for us with only 2 hours of game time left), so we did what all 40-year old gamers do: we talked mechanics. As you can imagine, we talked about the next version of D&D.

Each of us took turns reminiscing our favorite editions, moments, and characters, reflecting back on the changes over the years and any optimism or pessimism each had for the future of the game. What struck me as odd was how everyone talked about individual characters and not about the team dynamic. "Fighters are designed to swing a sword or an axe, not use powers." "My mage used to do this..." "It was so hard to play a 1st-level character because you'd die with just one hit." All of these statement reflected how every individual piece of the puzzle - the characters - worked within the game. Yet the game is built around the concept of an entire party of heroes defeating evil... so why isn't there enough team mechanics in most RPGs?

Kickstarter Updates: 15%, Baby!!

I am the Warden!!

It's been two days since the Kickstarter project started and already Killshot: An Assassin's Journal sits at 15% of its goal with just two backers to date. At this rate, it's possible to hit $800 within the next 10 days, though I'm not inclined to actually believe that'll happen - I'm a pessimist through and through. Still, it's off to a very good start and I'd like to thank those who have taken the leap of faith so far.

There's a lot more work to be done on my end to keep the word alive. This is the real challenge and one I'll have to repeat throughout my career: to keep plugging a product long after it's been released. For now, aside from the usual blog posts, Facebook, G+, and Twitter, I've placed the video for Killshot: Proposal on YouTube with links to the Kickstarter page in the hopes of gaining attention from the video alone. Next week, I'll be hunting the forums of sites like EN World, RPG Net, and more to get as many eyes on that page as possible.

Without a finished product to distribute or an existing reputation (something I've noticed quite a few projects have), the video is truly the selling point for Killshot. It shows a level of commitment and dedication to the idea, or at least enough to make someone say "Hmm, this looks serious." On that note, I've posted a copy of the final cut for Killshot: Proposal below... because you're all beautiful and deserve it.

Firing the First Shot: Kickstarter Begins

I am the Warden and THIS is my Kickstarter drive!!

Just a few minutes ago, the Kickstarter drive to raise $800 for Killshot: An Assassin's Journal began. After busting my hump until my fingers bled on the promo video and pages upon pages of material written for Killshot, plus the countless hours of development in the Optional System from its original genesis to its current form, it's been a long road to today... and it couldn't have come on a better day. But I won't get into that here.

At the moment, I'm working on an alternate funding source to work alongside Kickstarter for those outside of the US who want to contribute but don't have the means or citizenship to kick in a little. When those details are worked out, I'll post them here. Meantime, feel free to ask any questions here, on the Broken Ruler site, or on the Kickstarter page and I'll answer them promptly. To those who have already taken the time to contribute, thank you and I shan't let you down.

Playing in Stages

I am the Warden!!

With all the Kickstarter prep out of the way, it's time to get back to the real work and make playtest revisions to Killshot. Last Friday's run-through of the Drug Dealer Job went very well and resulted in a crack pusher lying on the front steps of his apartment building with his brains for a pillow. Suggestions were made to fix a couple of glitches/discrepancies and after a review of all my notes, I'm looking forward to getting my hands dirty again.

(On that note, I've started up an advice column on the Broken Ruler site called The Director's Chair suggesting how to read the dice for descriptions on successful or failed dice rolls. Highly recommended for those running playtests at the moment.)

As I write this, I'm sitting in a hospital waiting room for a follow-up appointment regarding my accident thinking about how players have learned about the game. Simply put, do new players really need to learn the entire game in one fell swoop?

Killshot: Proposal (First Cut)

I am the Warden!!

This past weekend was incredibly busy, stressful, time-consuming, repetitive, and finally, rewarding. With so many other factors, rewrites, and difficulties dealt with and factored, production finally began on Killshot: Proposal, the opening video for the upcoming Kickstarter drive for Killshot. On Saturday, we started and wrapped up principal filming. Saturday evening into Sunday night saw countless hours of editing and rendering to create this initial cut.

There are still a few tweaks to make, particularly with the first 10 seconds and whatever that crap is about, plus the sound issues in the initial dialogue, but I'm incredibly happy with how it's turned out. Oh, and I have some updated rough sketches made by Kieron O'Gorman, the artist who will take on the task of bringing Killshot to black-and-white life if the funding goes through.