This week’s list includes projects that end between June 16 through July 12. Of this sampling, four of the RPG crowdfunding campaigns aren’t on Kickstarter. For those that faithfully follow this list, that’s quite a gain from the normal zero to two I’ve shared in the past. Is this a sign that crowdfunding really is diversifying? Only time will tell, but it does change the digital landscape for this week’s article.
Vermin 2047 - Survival Kit: A Post-Apocalyptic RPG In 2047 from Studio Agate
Over the Next Hill: 5 Plug-In Settlements for 5E from EN Publishing
See Issue X -- A Narrative Superhero RPG from Chris Longhurst
Coffee & Chaos by CobblePath Games
Adventurer's Agency from Headless Hydra Press
Mythos Monsters: 80+ eldritch evils for Pathfinder 1E & 2E from Legendary Games
Till Death Do Us Part from Gaming Ballistic
A Game to Remember - Volume 1 from Work Warthogs, Inc.
TravellerconUSA 2022 - - 14 - 16 October 2022
Egg Embry participates in the OneBookShelf Affiliate Program, Noble Knight Games’ Affiliate Program, and is an Amazon Associate. These programs provide advertising fees by linking to DriveThruRPG, Noble Knight Games, and Amazon.
Vermin 2047 - Survival Kit: A Post-Apocalyptic RPG In 2047 from Studio Agate
- END DATE: 6/16/2022, 12:00:00 PM
- SYSTEM(S): TOTEM system
- PROJECT TYPE: Core rulekit
- MOST POPULAR PLEDGE: €80.00 + S/H for the PDFs, artprints, dice, GM screen, survival kit, box, and more.
- CROWDFUNDING ON: GameFound
- WHY SPOTLIGHT THIS CAMPAIGN? The apocalypse came and it turned the natural order upside down as rats, plants, and insects mutated and developed a ravenous hunger. In the blink of an eye, they moved to the top of the food chain. The world went sideways in a short time and, depending on your gaming preferences, life is either set back to pre-industrial, making it harder to survive, or the world has been altered in massive, supernatural ways. This RPG offers both options. Coming from Studio Agate, the French RPG company behind Shadows of Esteren and Fateforge, this post-apocalypse RPG uses d10 dice pool options to emphasize how you want to play, more realistically or with more big screen sci-fi elements. It opens up a nice bit of survival horror for your gaming table. This is a quick campaign coming in at roughly a week, its the kickoff boxed set that they hope generates a large enough audience to warrant turning this French RPG into a full English line. Using a different type of post-apocalypse brought to life with beautiful artwork, it’s likely to find that audience. That said, the campaign ends the day after this article goes live, so check out the page while you can.
- END DATE: Fri, June 24 2022
- SYSTEM(S): Dungeons & Dragons Fifth Edition
- PROJECT TYPE: Sourcebook
- MOST POPULAR PLEDGE: £7 for the PDF
- CROWDFUNDING ON: IndieGoGo
- DISCLAIMER: EN World is a subsidiary of EN Publishing
- WHY SPOTLIGHT THIS CAMPAIGN? 30 pages of five small towns for your 5e campaign, this is a vital resource. You’ll get NPCs, locations, and, of course, plot hooks unique to the hamlets. The villages are divided between bases for your PCs to operate from for several adventures or even a whole campaign to towns to adventure in. To give that contrast, Rivereave is a fishing village abut an untamed forest, a perfect jumping off point for a big wilderness campaign. On the other hand, Varseldorf, is a village of doppelgängers, which could be considered less of a long-term stay and more of a short-term slay. If you need some fantasy towns for your players to burn… er, uh, rescue… Yes, rescue! Because they’re playing Lawful Good in this campaign… They promised! Hmm… If you need a collection of unique villages coming in at 4 or 5 pages a location, this is a great collection and worth checking out.
See Issue X -- A Narrative Superhero RPG from Chris Longhurst
- END DATE: 7/8/2022, 8:00:00 AM
- SYSTEM(S): An original system
- PROJECT TYPE: Core rulebook
- MOST POPULAR PLEDGE: £10 for the PDF of the game
- CROWDFUNDING ON: GameFound
- WHY SPOTLIGHT THIS CAMPAIGN? You’re a superhero, and this game is as much about your comic book backstory as anything. Using a deck of cards, you’re going to craft your backstory, combining elements to tell how you got through 100 issues of continuity. Along the way, you’ll generate so many odd elements from the story prompts that you’ll never be able to reconcile all of them, and that’s the fun. To sum it up, I have to quote this line from the campaign page: “When they bring the hero back from the grave because of their shared love of board games, you know you're working with high-grade, top-quality cape comic nonsense.” That is the heart of this RPG; go zany like you’re superhero Animaniacs. This is a solo RPG and a group RPG and, its best feature of them all, it’s encouraged to do both styles of play with the same character. In other words, do some solo adventures then teams ups so you have quite the backstory, much of it without internal consistency, but so much fun to tell.
Coffee & Chaos by CobblePath Games
- END DATE: 6/30/2022, 4:00:00 AM
- SYSTEM(S): An original system
- PROJECT TYPE: Core rulekit
- MOST POPULAR PLEDGE: £29 + S/H for the PDF and print versions of the game
- CROWDFUNDING ON: GameFound
- WHY SPOTLIGHT THIS CAMPAIGN? You’re running a modern day cafe when all of your previous characters walk in for a bite, then hilarity and roleplaying ensue. Using an original system, you either create new characters or adapt existing ones, turning their powers narrative instead of mathematical, and make with the laughs. This is for mid-campaign sessions when the players put everyone together for a night of gaming comedy. The finished product will come as a folded menu with the rules and a table talker with some situations to play through. If you’re looking for a quirky option to add some levity to your campaign, check this campaign page out.
Adventurer's Agency from Headless Hydra Press
- END DATE: Thu, June 30 2022 5:00 PM EDT.
- SYSTEM(S): Dungeons & Dragons Fifth Edition
- PROJECT TYPE: Adventure module
- MOST POPULAR PLEDGE: $25 for the PDF of the book and the digital maps
- WHY SPOTLIGHT THIS CAMPAIGN? Here’s the pitch: Player canceled on you? This campaign setting has you covered. For your next 5e campaign, if you want a world where players come and go and it fits into the narrative, try out Adventurer’s Agency and their world, Prataea. Here, absences are part of the expectation. No longer will their be pressure to show up, players being players adds to the atmosphere. In addition, the book adds some new mechanical options ranging from classes and ancestries to a system for ley line related options. If you need a setting that keeps the group going even as it changes week to week, check out the campaign page to download the free primer.
Mythos Monsters: 80+ eldritch evils for Pathfinder 1E & 2E from Legendary Games
- END DATE: Fri, June 24 2022 12:00 AM EDT.
- SYSTEM(S): Pathfinder 1e and 2e
- PROJECT TYPE: Sourcebook
- MOST POPULAR PLEDGE: $15 for the PDF of the PF2e version of the book
- WHY SPOTLIGHT THIS CAMPAIGN? Looking for over 80 Mythos monsters inspired by H.P. Lovecraft and August Derleth for your PF1e or PF2e campaigns? Legendary has you covered, bringing their strong track record of outstanding third party content for these systems. At the beginning of 2022, I spoke to Jason Nelson of Legendary Games (here and here) about their 2021 and 2022 projects including Boricubos: Latin American Monsters and Adventures, which was available for 5e, PF1e, and PF2e. For gamers using Pathfinder, it’s encouraging to see major third party support continue for the system. If you’re a fan of either edition and interested in getting more Mythos in your game, check out this campaign page.
Till Death Do Us Part from Gaming Ballistic
- END DATE: Mon, June 20 2022 11:00 PM EDT.
- SYSTEM(S): The Fantasy Trip
- PROJECT TYPE: Adventure module
- MOST POPULAR PLEDGE: $22 + S/H for the PDF and softcover of the book
- WHY SPOTLIGHT THIS CAMPAIGN? Need a solo adventure for Steve Jackson Games’ The Fantasy Trip RPG adventure? From third party publisher, Gaming Ballistic, this is an interesting option that uses the In the Labyrinth rules from TFT for a GM-less experience. Escort a wedding party, it’s a simple hook, but as a solo adventure, it might be an interesting turn. What made me report on this campaign is the positive response its received so far; hundreds of backers are grabbing this solo TFT adventure from a third party publisher. Sure, Gaming Ballistic might better be categorized as THE third party publisher for Steve Jackson Games, but that’s because their work is professional and they have an audience. It’s clear that SJG has a fandom eager for more content, and I applaud Gaming Ballistic for filling that niche.
A Game to Remember - Volume 1 from Work Warthogs, Inc.
- END DATE: Thu, July 7 2022 11:13 AM EDT.
- SYSTEM(S): System neutral
- PROJECT TYPE: Sourcebook
- MOST POPULAR PLEDGE: $25 + S/H for the PDF and print versions
- WHY SPOTLIGHT THIS CAMPAIGN? Do you need 50, one-page game session arcs, all system neutral, to cut down on GM prep time? If you need a one-shot, a kickoff adventure, or you’re having “GM block,” this book offers options to get you through tonight’s session. These include easy-to-skim ideas, opening narration, and at least one NPC, location, and treasure. On the facing page opposite of each of the adventures is a one-page map with a section to record notes. If you need hooks and crooks to fill in a night’s gaming, this may fit that bill.
TravellerconUSA 2022 - - 14 - 16 October 2022
- END DATE: Tue, July 12 2022 5:13 AM EDT.
- PROJECT TYPE: Tabletop gaming convention
- LOCATION & DATES: Lancaster, Pennsylvania from October 14 through 16 2022
- MOST POPULAR PLEDGE: $158 for a full weekend pass, image, shirt, and pin
- WHY SPOTLIGHT THIS CAMPAIGN? If you’re a fan of the Traveller RPG, here’s the convention for you. This is a celebration of all things Traveller, one of the oldest RPGs on the market. This year’s theme is Psionics, which gives you something to think on. If you’ve enjoyed Traveller for decades or you’re curious to try it out, you’re free mid-October, and in the Lancaster, Pennsylvania area, this convention may be worth the travel[ler].
Egg Embry participates in the OneBookShelf Affiliate Program, Noble Knight Games’ Affiliate Program, and is an Amazon Associate. These programs provide advertising fees by linking to DriveThruRPG, Noble Knight Games, and Amazon.
