Preliminary PDF Sent Out!
about 5 years ago – Mon, Jan 28, 2019 at 08:37:30 PM

It's Happening

The pre-final PDF has just been distributed to everyone who ordered Lost Hall in all of my Kickstarters. 

Please take a look! Check it out, read it, see if you can find any typos (I left at least one as a test . . . can you find it?)

I'm going to give a week or so to get error reports in the file so that the version that goes to print is as perfect as we can make it.

What can you do?

There are several things I need you to do:

• Check your name in the Kickstarter backer list. I tried to keep the surveys blazingly short this time, so I used other information to credit you as a backer. See if I got it right. Email me at [email protected] if I didn't.
• Check for typos. Please. My eyes blur over with too much staring at the screen.
• Look for "oops, you forgot to convert that." The 2nd edition of Lost Hall owes a lot to Hall of Judgment, which is Powered by GURPS. I think I got all of that converted back to Dragon Heresy . . . but since I'm so familiar with both systems, I might have missed a few.
• Read it, comment on it, and review it. Ideally in public. We're really not that far away from the big offset print run, and if you like the new version, please say so loudly and frequently.
• Play it!! I can't emphasize this enough, but the more it gets played, the better I'll know what works (and I should repeat in the future), and what doesn't. 
• Check for WTF moments in DCs. I'm pretty sure I got 'em right, but if there's a TPK hidden in there or the thing's a cakewalk . . . I kinda want to fix it.
• Finally: Play it in 5e or Swords and Wizardry! It should be straight-forward, but if there's a bit more conversion work that needs to be done, well, I've got a blank page at the end and I can do something, whether it's a quick afterword or a more detailed conversion note.
• Show it to your Favorite Local Game Store owners and buyers. A few retail purchases will get us to an even higher quality printing.

The Beginning of the End

The distribution of the pre-final PDF marks the beginning of the end of this campaign. I think we made a great book, and I'm thrilled how well Juan and Glynn delivered on their part of the tasks. 

Once we settle the PDF, I'll send it to print. I expect a six to eight week turn-around if we go digital (as I expect), but if a few folks throw in for retail levels, or we get one or two shields . . . we're there. That would push print receipt to the 12-16 week delivery zone, but we'll ALL be happier with the result.

Thank you so much for helping make this happen!

The New Cover is HERE!!
about 5 years ago – Fri, Jan 25, 2019 at 10:03:18 PM

Juan Ochoa has been my partner in crime on a lot of the work at Gaming Ballistic. He did some of the original images on the previsualization art for Dragon Heresy long  before the Kickstarter happened, and has contributed between "some" (Dungeon Grappling) and "a whole lot" (every other book) of art since, including the cover of the original Lost Hall, Hall of Judgment, and the update of the cover for the 2nd Edition of Lost Hall, the original version of which you've all seen.

He never really liked it though. The color balance was off, he didn't like our spear-wielder's face, and a few other things. We talked about it, and he said he didn't like it enough that he didn't want to look at it on the final product - he knew he could do better.

We chatted about the new version, and then . . . he went away.

And now he's back, just in time to upload a new cover on this last day of the Backerkit phase. Good timing, that.

I like this one. I like the extra detail on the spear-wielder, the increased detail on the undead, and keeping fewer figures in the image.

I hope you like it too - this will be the one that goes to print.

Which reminds me: back to work for me!

(Most) Orders Locked, Cards Charged
about 5 years ago – Fri, Jan 25, 2019 at 12:22:02 PM

This morning I locked existing orders and charged cards. There were a few that didn't go through, and there are still six or seven folks that need to complete their surveys. Even so: if your card was charged, you should find an email with your digital downloads for your PDF files in your mailbox. I have one or two more files to send out: the map packs for those that got Hall of Judgment in digital form, which will be tonight. I'll also prep the map packs for the NEW maps for Lost Hall 2, and everyone will get those . . . they're done, while the final checks on the actual game PDF will be my task this weekend.

And so it begins.

Backerkit Closes Tomorrow
about 5 years ago – Thu, Jan 24, 2019 at 10:39:19 PM

Pretty much the headline says it all! The Backerkit phase of the project closes tomorrow. There are eight people who have not completed their survey, and seven of those folks have ordered physical goods for which I need a shipping address to get 'em to you!

Otherwise . . . tomorrow Backerkit closes, and then I start working on finalizing the document. I'm still working with my artist on the improved cover . . . not sure if that's going to come about or not, but I'm going to try and make it happen. The maps are done and inserted, both "maps as art" and "full-sized pages." I've got a small bit of writing to do, plus a bit of shameless promotion in the back . . . then to make sure the index and ToC are solid.

Those that already ordered PDFs of various games will get them this weekend. 

The pre-final PDF of Lost Hall should be ready in a few days, maybe middle of next week. The ToC/Index checking is an area y'all can help me with . . . plus looking for your names in the credits and correcting your entry if needed!

Then that'll be it. Unless something special happens in the next 36 hours or so, we'll be doing the digital print run. Given the quality of the digital run for my prior Hall of Judgment, it'll still be a very nice book.

Until then: thanks again. We're almost there.

Backerkit Closes Friday Jan 25
about 5 years ago – Mon, Jan 21, 2019 at 10:31:45 PM

We're coming down to the end now. 

This Friday, on Jan 25, the Backerkit phase of the project will end. What does that mean?

1) I will lock all orders currently placed, and start the process of charging cards.

2) For those folks whose cards successfully go through, I will immediately send out the electronic copies of all existing files: Dragon Heresy, Dungeon Grappling, and Hall of Judgment PDFs

3) I will get to work finalizing the last stages of the 2nd Edition of Lost Hall of Tyr, which mostly involves calculating experience point totals for encounters, a bit more DC conversion, and writing conversion guidelines and some flowcharts to help with Dragon Heresy stuff.

Then I'll send out the pre-final PDF, and give y'all some time to look at it and comment on any typos and whatnot. When those are fixed, I'll update, send out the final PDF, upload that same new PDF to DriveThru for sale, and place the print order. 

At this time - though we're only about $500 shy of the $6,000 offset goal - it appears that the print copies will be done by short-run digital printing. It'll be a nice run, so no worries.

There are only ten people who haven't yet filled out their survey, and maybe eight or nine of those have physical product coming, so I must have your information to get you your books.

So if you're going to do add-ons or get one of those sweet shields, now is the time. If you're not getting anything else . . . now is still the time.

Thanks! I look forward to finishing up this project for you and getting on to what is shaping up to be an amazingly busy 2019.

Douglas