RSP-BlogsI’d like to present my most recent collection of crowdfunding projects, covering projects started between 02 Jan to 09 of Jan.
You’ll find a cool fresh Cyberpunk RPG from Germany an interesting PbtA game, one about runaway hirelings and various other projects
German crowdfundings
1 Core rulebook
English Crowdfundings
3 Core rulebooks
1 Supplements
2 Dice projects
2 Various projects
1 Boardgame
German crowdfundings
Core rulebook
https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/1326310875/neomancer-a-cyberpunk-pen-and-paper-rpg
Neomancer – A Cyberpunk Pen and Paper RPG is a project coming from Germany that aims at funding a fresh tabletop system approach for classical cyberpunk.
With classical cyberpunk, in this case, refers to a setting without magic. One that’s inspired by movies like Blade Runner and – hopefully – Blade Runner 2049. I do picture dark, sprawling urban canyons, mega-corportation, the question „Who’s actually still human“, hacker, cyborgs, riggers and people living outside the system, fighting it.
The creators put an emphasize on creating a believable word, one where theres actually an answer to why the gangers got cybergear all over and the corporate security goons haven’t.
Next to ‚Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheeps‘ they do refer ‚The Expanse‘ and ‚Westworld‘ as inspiration. I assume for the ragged look of the first and androids of the former. My personal association does run more along the line of ‚Escape from New York‘ and ‚Ghost in the Shell‘ and the like.
Back to the system, it is d6 based. You role a number of black d6 according to your skills and count every 5 or 6 as a success. You role another number of red d6 according to the difficulty and every 5 or 6 deducts a success. It is a quite simple system and neatly demonstrated in a brief video (3:03).
In regards of design philosophy they aimed to create a system within an enjoyable and solid character development as well as the possibility of tactical, meaningful combat. Basically, from my understanding a system that’s not to narrative nor to complex. The core should end up sporting less then 200 pages.
In regards of experience. at the one hand they apparently do got quite some expertise in various tabletop systems, old and new. At the other hand they did manage to publish novels and stuff and they are about to be published in the (German) Call of Cthulhu publication ‚Ars Mathematica‘.
I do like the Kickstarter design. The videos are nicely done and fun to watch. The title graphic reminiscent of ‚Far Cry: Blood Dragon‘. The rewards are nicely done and I think the decision to focus on the product and only offer digital rewards is sound. I do like the wording, the deadline appears to be fitting and the communication has been excellent. A German edition has been requested and might be coming as a stretch goal.
I do totally recommend checking the Kickstarter and backing, I am already in for it myself.
English crowdfundings
Core rulebook
https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/179941520/pigsmoke-a-roleplaying-game-of-sorcerous-academia
Pigsmoke: A Roleplaying Game of Sorcerous Academia is a fresh & fun powered by the apocalypse tabletop game.
It offers the players the role of teachers, professors at Pigsmoke, Americas fines learning institute for the magically gifted. Putting a twist on the assumption that usually puts you in the shoes of Harry Potter or the X-Men.
Life as a teacher ain’t easy. Students mainly appear to exist to bring on trouble, the arch-conversative taskmaster will put its department in front of everything, the Decan’s got a whole plethora of ridicoulous rules that need to be followed, the Busar will try to cut your budget, peers want to steal your papers and it ain’t better back home. You might try to aspire to raise to tenure, avoid burnout and don’t get lured into adventure; might end in a rather embarrasing dead.
The PbtA engine is adjusted by offering a player two playbooks, one for the role and the otherone for a department. There are apparently some dynamically working threat-clocks, the opportunity to form the university with your group and it disincentivess violence (your playing teachers, academics not Rambos).
The Kickstarter is wellmade, the authorgot experience and it is a super-charming project, imho. Go, check it out. At least I am tempted to invest.
https://www.patreon.com/posts/playtest-packet-7711365
Playtest Packet: Runaway Hirelings! is a project by Thomas Novosel who’d like to use the Patreon to fund the continued development of his tabletop game.
The game puts the players in the shoes of hirelings. Who so happen to have followed the heroes into the depth of a dungeon. Just to see their employeers slayn by the evil mastermind in the last room. No match to either the evil within or the heroes fallen the hirelings will try to get home. Making the best of whatever little they can do.
The game is quite cooperative and judging by the 14 pages playtest package rather narrative. As such the players, along with their game master, will create the dungeon on the fly. Challenges will be resolved with some d6.
The patreon asks for a monthly subscription fee and the suggested entry level is at $4, though you might go for $2, to stay in contact.
I think its a charming idea and I like what I read from the playtest. I do recommend taking a closer look at the project.
https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/510893781/the-world-of-eenras-roleplaying-drawing-board-game
The world of Eenras – Roleplaying/ Drawing Board game would like to finance a game where ones does draw,.. like paint,.. various stuff to succeed at challenges with ones characters.
The idea itself sounds interesting. Sadly the project doesn’t elaborate on the idea and only offers, a quite brief, explanation of the idea. It does as well explain that the book is about half done and that the money is required for production, shipping and artists. Though the artists needs to be found.
For me, personally, the project offers to little insight and am quite wary of it.
Supplement
https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/1708940685/spheres-of-might-a-new-pathfinder-martial-system
Spheres of Might: A New Pathfinder Martial System is a splat who aims to improve onto the experience of ‚mundane‘ fighters.
Giving players some more to work with than ‚attack, move, attack, move‘ and thus making a battle more engaging and cinematic. All while avoiding to bloate the game or increase the complexity.
From what I understood the player may choose from a variety of ’spheres‘ when the character levels. Basically equipping the char with new talents. Which are further devided in ’sub-spheres‘ to offer a nice customization. I am not sure if I got it right, as I don’t got any PFRPG experience, but it does sound neat. Plus the creators did ‚Spheres of Power‘ previously – basically the same for magic wielders – and were successful.
Thus I recommend the project with quite some confidence. At least if you are a pathfinder player.
Dice projects
https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/hologo/hexoroll-dice-redesigning-the-way-you-roll-a-dice
Hexoroll Dice | Redesigning the way you roll a dice is a project by people who really like honeycombstructures and hexagons. Thus they created six sided dices that sport the form.
In my opinion the dice look like widened ’screw-nuts‘, which I consider … actually kind of cool. Despite the unusual form the creators claim the dice are balanced. In regards of material they went for aluminium.
I do think it’s a cool project for dice collectors. Thus for sure worth having a look at.
https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/laurentvergneau/soccer-dice-game-gooaaaaal-limited-edition-100
Soccer Dice Game GooaAAAal – Limited edition 100 is less of a dice project and more of a dice game.
Well, it does offer a ton of dice. I think I counted 26 sets of 9 six sided dice. Which look,… interesting? It might be a bit far fetched, yet maybe its of interest for dice collectors?
The previous campaign seemed successful?
Well, you’ll have to judge by yourself.
Various projects
https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/ainsleyyeager/high-fantasy-herps-artist-enamel-pins
High Fantasy Herps: Artist Enamel Pins offers cute, little, fantasy-creature pins made of enamel.
It might be nothing outstanding, yet I consider the designs of the pins quite adorable. Just the name ‚Herps‘ irritates me a bit.
Thus I recommend taking a look.
https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/160917904/virtuous-journey
Virtuous Journey is a UK based project who likes to finance a card game for their Larp.
It is rather scarce on information. The game is meant for the „Empire LARP System“ and the game is inspired by „GWENT“. I looked ‚Gwent‘ up and it appears to be a card game from the Witcher series.
The description does read a bit strange, at least to me. Plus the example card doesn’t quite meet my expections, I’ve seen better. Well, as the creators only ship to the UK I guess most can’t acquire it anyways. I can’t really say I recommend it.
Boardgame
https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/rubiogames/slaughterville-a-reprint-of-a-game-of-fun-and-horr/
Slaughterville – A Reprint of a Game of Fun and Horror is a (semi?)cooperative boardgame that caught my attention while looking for rpg tabletop projects.
The players assume the role of villagers who attempt to survive a horror scenario.
The game utilizes a board as well as serveral sets of custom player cards and reminds me somewhat of the Pathfinder Adventure Card Game.
The Kickstarters looks solid as well as professional. The first print apparently sold very well. The price range looks okay.
I do recommend checking it out. At least if you are interested in games next to tabletop rpgs.
Teylen's RPG Corner 
Thanks for the updates!