Welcome back to our weekly look at tabletop roleplaying game crowdfunding campaigns! This week brings us a film noir RPG from a first time designer, the twenty-fourth installment of a 5th Edition adventure series from someone who's certainly not a first timer, a 5th Ed/Pathfinder setting, a d20/3.5 setting and a superpowered fiction anthology! Oh, and also my own latest campaign... If you have anything you’d like us to cover, or questions about anything we talk about, please don’t hesitate to leave a comment or contact me directly.
Frankenstein Faktoria Role Playing Game by Angus Abranson / Chronicle City
(Campaign Ends : Tuesday 16th January 2018; 15:33 UTC)
Kicking off the first column of the year with a campaign close to my heart. Frankenstein Faktoria is a game I have launched on Kickstarter myself. It's actually a translation of a Polish RPG that was published in 2000 by Portal Games (the company behind De Profundis who are these days much better known for their board games such as Imperial Settlers, Neuroshime Hex and First Martians) and plays very much into the 'New Style' of games that companies such as Hogshead Publishing (who originally translated and published De Profundis into English) were making popular at the time. Now, on the 200th anniversary of the first publication of Mary Shelley's Frankenstein it is time to unleash Frankenstein Faktoria on to the English speaking world...
Frankenstein Faktoria is a tabletop horror roleplaying game unlike any you have seen before. It might well contain the usual dead bodies, corpses, and demonical villainy, but in this case you are the corpse, or at least an amalgam thereof.
In Frankenstein Faktoria you and your friends play a Frankensteiner. One of the tortured creations of Doctor Victor Frankenstein, created out of a composite of body parts from cadavers and reanimated through science and electricity.
The Doctor, Doctor Victor Von Frankenstein, has constructed a small Factory in the town of Shalleymouth. Here in his infernal facility, unnatural Creatures, denying nature’s laws, Frankenstein’s children, are produced on an assembly line, endlessly, day-by-day.
Why does he do it? Nobody knows. The Doctor appears to have gone completely insane. He has severed his ties with the world outside and has shut himself up inside his crumbling castle alone with his experiments. He does not give his “children” much attention, instead he spends his time endlessly experimenting, synthesising chemical solutions, scribbling labyrinthine formulae on blackboards, and tinkering with mysterious devices. He is manifestly uninterested in the operation of the production line. Instead a hunchbacked servant, Igor, adopted by Frankenstein many years ago, oversees the day-to-day operation of the Factory.
During a Frankenstein Faktoria game, the players take on the role of the tortured monsters created by the Doctor. His hideous Frankensteiners...
Every Frankensteiner is composed of four basic elements: head (Mind), torso (Strength), arms (Agility), and legs (Speed). The player rolls a d3 four times and assigns the resulting values to their chosen Traits. Some of the body parts may have special characteristics, that can help of hinder the creature. Some of these abilities might originate from the original owner (such as Sprinter’s Legs or an Intelligent Face) which others may make the creature even more unnatural (like a Fish Tank Torso or an Additional Brain).
The campaign is not only for the translation of Frankenstein Faktoria though, although that book is already translated, edited, illustrated and just waiting to be laid out. The campaign will also be funding a brand new supplement looking at the town of Shalleymouth, which has the dubious honour of being the closest town to the Doctors Factory and Castle.
The game has a 18th century setting, although the date and location is left unsaid (in accordance with the dates in Shelley’s classic), and features interior art from Dave Allsop.
Nightcrawl – The Film Noir Tabletop Role-Playing Game by Joshua Ulmer
(Campaign Ends : Friday 26th January 2018; 17:36 UTC)
Set in a big city of your choice from an alternate timetime, Nightcrawl is a film noir RPG that allows you to play out a detective drama with “gripping action, stormy weather, and smooth jazz”.
From busting insidious mafia crime rings to tracking down the murderer of a famous actress, with Nightcrawl you will be able to run an in-depth and adaptive film noir movie of your very own. If you've ever wanted to wear a duster coat and trilby while you chase down a perp through a dark alley as rain pelts you, firing off sporadic shots from your snubnose revolver in an attempt to stop him, Nightcrawl is the system for you.
What if you want to use a tommy gun instead of a snubnose revolver? Don't worry, Nightcrawl will include a large table of weapons, implements, and other devices to use at your disposal. And if you can't find what you want in these reference tables guidelines will be provided to the DM and players on how to make your own.
Nightcrawl is designer Joshua Ulmer’s first foray in to games publishing and came about from some one-shots he developed for his gaming group. The core rulebook will not only provide all the rules required to play Nightcrawl but also includes multiple scenarios and a fully fledged campaign.
Dimgaard Vol. XXIV – 5e DnD Adventures by Dan Hass
(Campaign Ends : Monday 8th January 2018; 05:59 UTC)
Dan Hass returns with his twenty-fourth volume of Dimgaard’s 5th Edition Adventures. This volume features seven new adventures, across two story-arcs, and two supplements. The adventures are split between two ongoing campaigns, Encounters with Gold and Tyranny in Purple, whilst the supplements kick off a new series with NPCs Vol 1 (looking at more detailed information about NPCs who appear in the Dimgaard adventures) and also the Monster Slayer supplement.
Encounters with Gold has three adventures, EG5 Draconic Crimes, EG6 Draconic Wedge, and EG7 Draconic Evidence, which are for 1 to 8 characters of 5th, 6th or 7th level accordingly. Tyranny in Purple has four adventures for 1 to 8 characters to 14th to 17th levels with TP14 Choke Points, TP15 The Army’s Eyes, TP16 The Army’s Brain, and TP17 Tofarian Ambition.
Anthro-Adventures RPG Setting, Now for 5E & Pathfinder by T.J. Lantz
(Campaign Ends : Monday 15th January 2018; 03:58 UTC)
Anthro-Adventrues successfully funded back in June 2016 for a Pathfinder edition of this setting. Now T.J. Lantz returns looking to bring out a 5th Edition version of the book. Set in the Seven Realms of Layna Anthro-Adventures offers a unique setting, ruled over by animal-human hybrid races and written in order to be entirely suitable for children to play and explore the realms.
Anthro-Adventures accomplishes these goals by creating a setting where each race is created as a sociological experiment in a modern day human genetics lab. As part of the hybrid's development their education is focused around a single piece of Children's Lit chosen to instill desired traits in their newfound species. When a horrid accident sends the hybrids hurtling through time and space the only thing they have to rely on as they continue to develop on their own is those ancient stories once read to them.
Fast forward a thousand years and those hybrid races have flourished, using the tales they were once read as a basis for society. For example the Dog-kin have a powerful medieval theocracy based around dedication to the teachings of the Big Red God (they were read Clifford), Lion-kin prowl the land looking to exterminate evil in the name of the Great Mane (Aslan), and Rat-kin take science to dangerous levels in their Steam-powered cities (They were read Mrs. Frisby and The Rats of Nihm).
The Anthro-Adventures World Guide is 142 pages long and consists of the following:
· Detailed background on the creation of the Seven Realms, including maps.
· Background on each of the Seven Realms, including information on their Geography, Economy, Military, and Society.
· Background and information on 22 playable hybrid races, including stats, racial feats, spells, and equipment.
· 75 pieces of original artwork showing the visual nuances of each hybrid culture.
· A simple, easy to use layout for family friendly gaming.
An overview of the Seven Kingdoms of Layna:
· The Alliance of Woodland Creatures: Made up primarily of nomadic forest dwellers and protectors of nature, the races of the woodland alliance hold many of Layna’s oldest secrets, and they’re not willing to share. (raccoon, Hedgehog, Rabbit)
· Aviana: An isolationist nation off the southwestern coast, the birds of Aviana hold a great distrust for “walkers”, particularly those who wield firearms. They often attack unseen from the clouds and disappear again before enemies can respond. (Owl, Falcon, Swan)
· Empire of Rodentia: Led by the inventive Guinea Pigs and experiment obsessed Rats, Rodentia boasts the most technology in Layna. They also endure the most accidents, something that keeps their rapidly growing population and advanced urban centers from taking over the world. (Rat, Guinea Pig, Mouse)
· Ruminant Republic: The banking and trade center of Layna, The Ruminants and their allies enjoy unheard of prosperity. Unfortunately this wealth doesn’t always extend to everyone. While the royalty sits inside exquisite palaces, some of their starving people grow angry. (Goat, Cow, Wallaby)
· The Feline Federation: A desert and savanna dwelling nation, the Cats, masters of the arcane arts, and the Lions, masters of axe to the face, are in a constant state of conflict over who is more destined to lead. This is the only thing that keeps them from taking over the rest of the world. (Cat, Lion, Leopard)
· The Canine Kingdom: Content to sit behind their enormous stone walls and preach the word of the Big Red God, the Canines have never lost a battle on their own soil in their thousand year history. Supported by the Wolves’ Alpha squads, The Dog’s unmatched resilience, and the Foxes’ dedication to knowledge, the Canines are Layna’s immovable object. (Dog, Wolf, Fox)
· The Herptile Hegemony is a nation of swamp barbarians dedicated to the pursuit of glory and military victories. They do this to honor their ancestors and their imaginary friends. (Bullfrog, Poison Dart Frog, Turtle)
On the Shoulders of Heroes Campaign Setting by Windmill Slam Games
(Campaign Ends : Friday 19th January 2018; 15:50 UTC)
Dutch company Windmill Slam Games have turned to the 3.5 ruleset for their first Kickstarter to fund a new fantasy campaign setting. On the Shoulders of Heroes is inspired by old school roleplaying games, traditional fantasy, and Germanic and Japanese mythology.
The complete book is close to 230 pages. It features 12 new and redesigned races, class descriptions, new feats and language rules, a whole continent with 8 countries in great detail, 19 new and redesigned deities, trade rules, new items and weapons, 23 new magic items and artifacts, new and redesigned monsters, 9 specially crafted NPC heroes and suggestions on how they might fit into your campaign. It is beautifully illustrated in gray-scale by 4 talented artists and is bound in a sturdy hard cover.
The book is designed to teach you everything you need to know to about the continent of Bellög and its inhabitants, its history and state of affairs. Everything is designed to be intuitive, to make you feel right at home, but with small twists and redesigns that keep you wondering. It pays homage to the rich history of fantasy and D&D.
Join Us: Add YOUR superhuman to a new universe (Make 100) by Shades of Vengeance
(Campaign Ends : Sunday 21st January 2018; 22:00 UTC)
Shades of Vengeance are best known for their ‘Era’ range of games, such as their sci-fi epic Era: The Consortium, but have also published comics and card games. Later this year they’ll be running a Kickstarter campaign for their superhero ruleset and setting Era: The Empowered, which this fiction anthology is tied into.
This project, which funded in a few hours of launch, is aiming to bring 130 stories to print. 30 of the stories have already been written whilst the further one hundred will be written based upon backers character submissions. The backers can select a hero, villain, or neutral, the characters’ name and what power they have… and the writing team will create a story and include it in the book.
I’m actually writing some of the stories in this myself so, if you back, you might be unlucky enough to have your characters short penned by yours truly!
**********
Want to know what campaigns made the most money on Kickstarter in 2017? The campaigns that had the most backers? Check out my New Years Eve article, “2017’s Highest Grossing English Language Tabletop Roleplaying Crowdfunding Campaigns” here on EN World to find out!
**********
If you like what we do here at EN World (the Forums, Columns, News, ENnies, etc) and would like to help support us to bring you MORE please consider supporting our Patreon. Even a single dollar helps Thanks!
**********
If you have a forthcoming Kickstarter, or see one that excites you, please feel free to drop me an email on angus.abranson@gmail.com You can follow me on Twitter @ Angus_A or on Facebook where I often post about gaming.
Until next week, have fun and happy gaming!
Angus Abranson
Frankenstein Faktoria Role Playing Game by Angus Abranson / Chronicle City
(Campaign Ends : Tuesday 16th January 2018; 15:33 UTC)
Kicking off the first column of the year with a campaign close to my heart. Frankenstein Faktoria is a game I have launched on Kickstarter myself. It's actually a translation of a Polish RPG that was published in 2000 by Portal Games (the company behind De Profundis who are these days much better known for their board games such as Imperial Settlers, Neuroshime Hex and First Martians) and plays very much into the 'New Style' of games that companies such as Hogshead Publishing (who originally translated and published De Profundis into English) were making popular at the time. Now, on the 200th anniversary of the first publication of Mary Shelley's Frankenstein it is time to unleash Frankenstein Faktoria on to the English speaking world...
Frankenstein Faktoria is a tabletop horror roleplaying game unlike any you have seen before. It might well contain the usual dead bodies, corpses, and demonical villainy, but in this case you are the corpse, or at least an amalgam thereof.
In Frankenstein Faktoria you and your friends play a Frankensteiner. One of the tortured creations of Doctor Victor Frankenstein, created out of a composite of body parts from cadavers and reanimated through science and electricity.
The Doctor, Doctor Victor Von Frankenstein, has constructed a small Factory in the town of Shalleymouth. Here in his infernal facility, unnatural Creatures, denying nature’s laws, Frankenstein’s children, are produced on an assembly line, endlessly, day-by-day.
Why does he do it? Nobody knows. The Doctor appears to have gone completely insane. He has severed his ties with the world outside and has shut himself up inside his crumbling castle alone with his experiments. He does not give his “children” much attention, instead he spends his time endlessly experimenting, synthesising chemical solutions, scribbling labyrinthine formulae on blackboards, and tinkering with mysterious devices. He is manifestly uninterested in the operation of the production line. Instead a hunchbacked servant, Igor, adopted by Frankenstein many years ago, oversees the day-to-day operation of the Factory.
During a Frankenstein Faktoria game, the players take on the role of the tortured monsters created by the Doctor. His hideous Frankensteiners...
Every Frankensteiner is composed of four basic elements: head (Mind), torso (Strength), arms (Agility), and legs (Speed). The player rolls a d3 four times and assigns the resulting values to their chosen Traits. Some of the body parts may have special characteristics, that can help of hinder the creature. Some of these abilities might originate from the original owner (such as Sprinter’s Legs or an Intelligent Face) which others may make the creature even more unnatural (like a Fish Tank Torso or an Additional Brain).
The campaign is not only for the translation of Frankenstein Faktoria though, although that book is already translated, edited, illustrated and just waiting to be laid out. The campaign will also be funding a brand new supplement looking at the town of Shalleymouth, which has the dubious honour of being the closest town to the Doctors Factory and Castle.
The game has a 18th century setting, although the date and location is left unsaid (in accordance with the dates in Shelley’s classic), and features interior art from Dave Allsop.
Nightcrawl – The Film Noir Tabletop Role-Playing Game by Joshua Ulmer
(Campaign Ends : Friday 26th January 2018; 17:36 UTC)
Set in a big city of your choice from an alternate timetime, Nightcrawl is a film noir RPG that allows you to play out a detective drama with “gripping action, stormy weather, and smooth jazz”.
From busting insidious mafia crime rings to tracking down the murderer of a famous actress, with Nightcrawl you will be able to run an in-depth and adaptive film noir movie of your very own. If you've ever wanted to wear a duster coat and trilby while you chase down a perp through a dark alley as rain pelts you, firing off sporadic shots from your snubnose revolver in an attempt to stop him, Nightcrawl is the system for you.
What if you want to use a tommy gun instead of a snubnose revolver? Don't worry, Nightcrawl will include a large table of weapons, implements, and other devices to use at your disposal. And if you can't find what you want in these reference tables guidelines will be provided to the DM and players on how to make your own.
Nightcrawl is designer Joshua Ulmer’s first foray in to games publishing and came about from some one-shots he developed for his gaming group. The core rulebook will not only provide all the rules required to play Nightcrawl but also includes multiple scenarios and a fully fledged campaign.
Dimgaard Vol. XXIV – 5e DnD Adventures by Dan Hass
(Campaign Ends : Monday 8th January 2018; 05:59 UTC)
Dan Hass returns with his twenty-fourth volume of Dimgaard’s 5th Edition Adventures. This volume features seven new adventures, across two story-arcs, and two supplements. The adventures are split between two ongoing campaigns, Encounters with Gold and Tyranny in Purple, whilst the supplements kick off a new series with NPCs Vol 1 (looking at more detailed information about NPCs who appear in the Dimgaard adventures) and also the Monster Slayer supplement.
Encounters with Gold has three adventures, EG5 Draconic Crimes, EG6 Draconic Wedge, and EG7 Draconic Evidence, which are for 1 to 8 characters of 5th, 6th or 7th level accordingly. Tyranny in Purple has four adventures for 1 to 8 characters to 14th to 17th levels with TP14 Choke Points, TP15 The Army’s Eyes, TP16 The Army’s Brain, and TP17 Tofarian Ambition.
Anthro-Adventures RPG Setting, Now for 5E & Pathfinder by T.J. Lantz
(Campaign Ends : Monday 15th January 2018; 03:58 UTC)
Anthro-Adventrues successfully funded back in June 2016 for a Pathfinder edition of this setting. Now T.J. Lantz returns looking to bring out a 5th Edition version of the book. Set in the Seven Realms of Layna Anthro-Adventures offers a unique setting, ruled over by animal-human hybrid races and written in order to be entirely suitable for children to play and explore the realms.
Anthro-Adventures accomplishes these goals by creating a setting where each race is created as a sociological experiment in a modern day human genetics lab. As part of the hybrid's development their education is focused around a single piece of Children's Lit chosen to instill desired traits in their newfound species. When a horrid accident sends the hybrids hurtling through time and space the only thing they have to rely on as they continue to develop on their own is those ancient stories once read to them.
Fast forward a thousand years and those hybrid races have flourished, using the tales they were once read as a basis for society. For example the Dog-kin have a powerful medieval theocracy based around dedication to the teachings of the Big Red God (they were read Clifford), Lion-kin prowl the land looking to exterminate evil in the name of the Great Mane (Aslan), and Rat-kin take science to dangerous levels in their Steam-powered cities (They were read Mrs. Frisby and The Rats of Nihm).
The Anthro-Adventures World Guide is 142 pages long and consists of the following:
· Detailed background on the creation of the Seven Realms, including maps.
· Background on each of the Seven Realms, including information on their Geography, Economy, Military, and Society.
· Background and information on 22 playable hybrid races, including stats, racial feats, spells, and equipment.
· 75 pieces of original artwork showing the visual nuances of each hybrid culture.
· A simple, easy to use layout for family friendly gaming.
An overview of the Seven Kingdoms of Layna:
· The Alliance of Woodland Creatures: Made up primarily of nomadic forest dwellers and protectors of nature, the races of the woodland alliance hold many of Layna’s oldest secrets, and they’re not willing to share. (raccoon, Hedgehog, Rabbit)
· Aviana: An isolationist nation off the southwestern coast, the birds of Aviana hold a great distrust for “walkers”, particularly those who wield firearms. They often attack unseen from the clouds and disappear again before enemies can respond. (Owl, Falcon, Swan)
· Empire of Rodentia: Led by the inventive Guinea Pigs and experiment obsessed Rats, Rodentia boasts the most technology in Layna. They also endure the most accidents, something that keeps their rapidly growing population and advanced urban centers from taking over the world. (Rat, Guinea Pig, Mouse)
· Ruminant Republic: The banking and trade center of Layna, The Ruminants and their allies enjoy unheard of prosperity. Unfortunately this wealth doesn’t always extend to everyone. While the royalty sits inside exquisite palaces, some of their starving people grow angry. (Goat, Cow, Wallaby)
· The Feline Federation: A desert and savanna dwelling nation, the Cats, masters of the arcane arts, and the Lions, masters of axe to the face, are in a constant state of conflict over who is more destined to lead. This is the only thing that keeps them from taking over the rest of the world. (Cat, Lion, Leopard)
· The Canine Kingdom: Content to sit behind their enormous stone walls and preach the word of the Big Red God, the Canines have never lost a battle on their own soil in their thousand year history. Supported by the Wolves’ Alpha squads, The Dog’s unmatched resilience, and the Foxes’ dedication to knowledge, the Canines are Layna’s immovable object. (Dog, Wolf, Fox)
· The Herptile Hegemony is a nation of swamp barbarians dedicated to the pursuit of glory and military victories. They do this to honor their ancestors and their imaginary friends. (Bullfrog, Poison Dart Frog, Turtle)
On the Shoulders of Heroes Campaign Setting by Windmill Slam Games
(Campaign Ends : Friday 19th January 2018; 15:50 UTC)
Dutch company Windmill Slam Games have turned to the 3.5 ruleset for their first Kickstarter to fund a new fantasy campaign setting. On the Shoulders of Heroes is inspired by old school roleplaying games, traditional fantasy, and Germanic and Japanese mythology.
The complete book is close to 230 pages. It features 12 new and redesigned races, class descriptions, new feats and language rules, a whole continent with 8 countries in great detail, 19 new and redesigned deities, trade rules, new items and weapons, 23 new magic items and artifacts, new and redesigned monsters, 9 specially crafted NPC heroes and suggestions on how they might fit into your campaign. It is beautifully illustrated in gray-scale by 4 talented artists and is bound in a sturdy hard cover.
The book is designed to teach you everything you need to know to about the continent of Bellög and its inhabitants, its history and state of affairs. Everything is designed to be intuitive, to make you feel right at home, but with small twists and redesigns that keep you wondering. It pays homage to the rich history of fantasy and D&D.
Join Us: Add YOUR superhuman to a new universe (Make 100) by Shades of Vengeance
(Campaign Ends : Sunday 21st January 2018; 22:00 UTC)
Shades of Vengeance are best known for their ‘Era’ range of games, such as their sci-fi epic Era: The Consortium, but have also published comics and card games. Later this year they’ll be running a Kickstarter campaign for their superhero ruleset and setting Era: The Empowered, which this fiction anthology is tied into.
This project, which funded in a few hours of launch, is aiming to bring 130 stories to print. 30 of the stories have already been written whilst the further one hundred will be written based upon backers character submissions. The backers can select a hero, villain, or neutral, the characters’ name and what power they have… and the writing team will create a story and include it in the book.
I’m actually writing some of the stories in this myself so, if you back, you might be unlucky enough to have your characters short penned by yours truly!
**********
Want to know what campaigns made the most money on Kickstarter in 2017? The campaigns that had the most backers? Check out my New Years Eve article, “2017’s Highest Grossing English Language Tabletop Roleplaying Crowdfunding Campaigns” here on EN World to find out!
**********
If you like what we do here at EN World (the Forums, Columns, News, ENnies, etc) and would like to help support us to bring you MORE please consider supporting our Patreon. Even a single dollar helps Thanks!
**********
If you have a forthcoming Kickstarter, or see one that excites you, please feel free to drop me an email on angus.abranson@gmail.com You can follow me on Twitter @ Angus_A or on Facebook where I often post about gaming.
Until next week, have fun and happy gaming!
Angus Abranson
