DiasExMachina 4ED Update

As the GSL now permits it, and considering we are moving into Pathfinder soon, we here at DEM have decided to allow customers the opportunity to stroll down memory lane with this piece of novel nostalgia. For only $3.99, you now purchase the original D20 Amethyst, published in 2008. It received numerous awards, including an honorable mention at the 2008 Ennies.

Fair warning to all, this version of Amethyst is no longer canon, and it is also not the Pathfinder version due out soon. But it does have that awesome Jaime Jones cover (before he became a celebrity in the art field), and it is nearly 400 pages of content, with most of its fluff still not covered by the 4th Edition version. I am hoping at that price point, people may be interested in seeing how it all started.

http://www.rpgnow.com/product_info.php?products_id=55253

DEM has recently acquired a handful of Amethyst Evolution hardcovers. They were promised to a local game store but they cut their order in half at the last minute. So now we're offering them to fans and supporters.

We are selling the books for $25 CDN each. This limited print run will also include an 8x10 full color image from Nick Greenwood (you'll have your choice of four images – Foundations Cover, Evolution Cover, Gebermach Vs. Amethyst, or Origins) and will be signed and numbered by the writer. If interested, email or message me with your address and I will get a shipping quote.

Payment will be accepted via Paypal.

Of the 25 Limited Edition Amethyst Evolution books I received, 10 have already been taken. That leaves only 15 (wait….carry the 5….yeah, that's right) for those people interested.

The other news to report is that the Amethyst Pathfinder edition, known as Amethyst: Renaissance has officially opened its playtesting phase. Interested parties will need join the forum on Dias Ex Machina and then message the administrator. They will gain access to the playtest forum where they will need to check up on occasion to find new and updated files as well as discuss the evolving rules. Initially, we only have races, but classes and equipment will follow soon after.

As some of you've figured out by reading Amethyst's facebook page or reading the articles on LivingDice.com, we recently made a relatively big announcement.

Ultramodern4, our universal 4th Edition science fiction / modern game system will be offered as an OGL. Anyone can download the bare files for free. Any publisher under the GSL can use them in their own game. We will not be distributing the final production for free, just the raw rules. So if you want the layout and the art, we hope you'll pick up the final product.

Call it an act of faith, so that people can download the rules, see if they like them, and purchase the game based on that opinion. Not only that, but we would do OUR part to help the GSL community…as much as we can actually do. The OGL files will be released a week or two after the release of the final production PDF / POD. As for the release of the actual book, I'm still hoping for a winter 2011 release. It will still depend on men who are not me, namely my layout guy, my editor guy, and my artist guy. Once all those come together, the final product will be released.

It all came about because of forum that was found distributing 3rd party D&D games. After talking with the men and women of the site, I began to consider a new business model, effective for those without the advertising budget of WOTC. Is it a risk? Sure it is; WOTC has privately disclosed that they thought the OGL for 3rd edition was a mistake. It might have been for them, but we are willing to give it a shot. Whether or not it succeeds will depend on many conditions, it not sucking being a pretty big one, the condition of the D&D 3rd party market being another. And finally there is the fan variable, whether or not after having acquire the free product a fan will still pay for it.

Meanwhile, Amethyst Renaissance is moving at a shockingly fast rate. If it keep on moving this fast, It'll out before Ultramodern4 (Renaissance requires little editing and no new artwork). If Renaissance sells well, I can see the next Amethyst book coming under both systems simultaneously.

On Sunday, October 18th, I was interviewed by the boys of Gamer's Haven. Fans will remember I was interviewed by them before, back in 2010, after the release of Amethyst Foundations. They had praised the final product with some caveats dealing with issues later addressed with the errata or with Amethyst Evolution.

Ethan Parker had stated they had done a review for Evolution and wanted to interview me on the details. Although, they were once avid 4E players, I definitely got the impression they had all shifted to other systems, namely Pathfinder and Savage Worlds. In fact, I believe the interview was extended from its standard 30 minute length to the 90 minute result based solely on me stating that our next Amethyst book was a Pathfinder update. Most of the remaining interview dealt with the development of Amethyst Renaissance as well as upcoming release of Ultramodern4, the latter being released as an OGL. After the interview, they go about discussing what they go out of it as well as praising Evolution in their official review. I can't wait and see what think of Renaissance, when it gets released.

You can listen to the podcast on the Gamer's Haven website.

Gamer’s Haven Episode 87 – Dias Ex Machina Games Gamer's Haven