Alright, folks, it's mid-March and we're doing a full project status update of Ultimate Psionics from our successful Kickstarter campaign. Get settled in, this is a long update! For the tl;dr version, scroll down. Here are the full details on the Ultimate Psionics Kickstarter.
So where do we stand?
Things have actually come a long way since that January update. First, I'm going to go over the items outside of the main book.
Focus Tokens - done
d6s - proof approved and in production
d20s - pending the completion of the d6s
GM Screen - 3 of the 4 panel graphics are now done, with the 4th expected by the end of the month. Back-side content is being finalized.
Intro Adventure - still being written, but artists and cartographer have already been identified to get it moving quickly once the manuscript is done
Posters - pending finalization of the cover graphic (see below)
Character Sheets - done, just need to post the revised versions
Power Cards - template created, waiting for final version of powers
Item Cards - template created, waiting for final version of items
Psionics is Overpowered Sheet - roughly 75% completed
Psionics Embodied (Book of NPCs) - artwork is complete! All NPCs have had initial write-ups completed, level 5 stat blocks completed, and several have had their entire stat blocks completed. We are hoping to have this book completed this month.
Psionic Bestiary - roughly 50% completed. We have been ordering new artwork and coming up with quite a few new monster designs. We have also been making progress converting our existing B&W bestiary artwork into full-color artwork.
Classic Monsters - We have outlined the creatures to be included and have started work on the stat blocks for those creatures.
NeoExodus Adventure - I believe the adventure has been completed and is in editing.
Now onto the status of the Ultimate Psionics book
New Races - completed
New Feats - fully developed and in Beta playtesting
Advanced Race Archetypes - Elan, Half-Giant, and Xeph are all in playtesting. Some duergar, forgeborn, and maenad archetypes are also in playtesting. Design for the others is progressing.
Alternate Racial Traits / Favored Class Bonuses / Etc - roughly 50% completed
New Psionic Class Archetypes - Aegis, Cryptic, Dread, Tactician, and Vitalist are all in playtesting. The rest should enter playtesting this month.
New base class archetypes - Cleric is in playtesting, Bard and Sorcerer should be in playtesting within a matter of days.
New Items - about 30% completed.
GM Section - about 75% completed.
Alternate Theme Section - First draft done, second draft being finished.
Psionic Items of Legend - 50% complete, with Eric Hindley brought on to finish up the series to speed up the development.
New Layout - Done and ready for content!
Ultimate Psionics Graphics
Cover - the sketch has been approved and is being finished by Wayne Reynolds
Chapter Intro Graphics - 5 of 10 completed. Joe Shawcross, Gordon Napier, and Jason Rainville are working on the remaining 5, with three of them expected to be completed this month.
Base Class Iconic Graphics - 8 of 14 completed. The telepath, cryptic, tactician, and marksman should all be completed within the next two weeks, leaving only the aegis and shaper left. We are having the cryptic redone by Joe so that all of the iconics have a similar style. Why 14? Because of multiple psion iconics
Prestige Class Iconic Graphics - 10 of 19 are completed. One of them is pending the final cover art, as that iconic is actually on the cover (the metamind). At least three to four more should be completed this month.
Races Chapter Art - Done
Additional Spot-Art - We still need to get several half-page graphics done, but we have been in discussion with a design studio to handle most of those by mid-April.
Equipment Art - Done, with the potential need for 1-2 additional pieces.
Items of Legend Art - Not yet started, but should go fairly quickly.
So, where does that put us on time-lines?
We are likely looking at a late May release time frame, simply due to the time it is taking to get the massive amount of artwork completed. This has been a learning experience for us, especially trying to get the volume completed and trying to expand our stable of artists. We are actually thinking we might be able to get Psionics Embodied done this month and at least the PDFs distributed. Due to shipping costs, we don't expect to ship out items as they are completed - we estimated our Kickstarter costs based upon single shipments. But we will be distributing PDFs as they are ready. That does also give some extra time since you'll have the PDFs in advance, in case we miss something that needs to be fixed before we go to print!
We do apologize to anyone anxious to get the book or disappointed with the extended timelines, but as mentioned in January, our initial release date was based upon just including the material for the original project, and we've increased the scope by quite a bit of work, and even with bringing on contractors and additional artists, the volume of additional work is massive for two guys with full-time jobs.
We'll continue to keep you updated on a weekly basis as progress is made (I'm actually working on the next update side-by-side with this update) and just keep chipping away at the pile of work remaining to be completed.
Thanks for your patience, support, and feedback! We're doing our best to make this book top-notch!
So where do we stand?
Things have actually come a long way since that January update. First, I'm going to go over the items outside of the main book.
Focus Tokens - done
d6s - proof approved and in production
d20s - pending the completion of the d6s
GM Screen - 3 of the 4 panel graphics are now done, with the 4th expected by the end of the month. Back-side content is being finalized.
Intro Adventure - still being written, but artists and cartographer have already been identified to get it moving quickly once the manuscript is done
Posters - pending finalization of the cover graphic (see below)
Character Sheets - done, just need to post the revised versions
Power Cards - template created, waiting for final version of powers
Item Cards - template created, waiting for final version of items
Psionics is Overpowered Sheet - roughly 75% completed
Psionics Embodied (Book of NPCs) - artwork is complete! All NPCs have had initial write-ups completed, level 5 stat blocks completed, and several have had their entire stat blocks completed. We are hoping to have this book completed this month.
Psionic Bestiary - roughly 50% completed. We have been ordering new artwork and coming up with quite a few new monster designs. We have also been making progress converting our existing B&W bestiary artwork into full-color artwork.
Classic Monsters - We have outlined the creatures to be included and have started work on the stat blocks for those creatures.
NeoExodus Adventure - I believe the adventure has been completed and is in editing.
Now onto the status of the Ultimate Psionics book
New Races - completed
New Feats - fully developed and in Beta playtesting
Advanced Race Archetypes - Elan, Half-Giant, and Xeph are all in playtesting. Some duergar, forgeborn, and maenad archetypes are also in playtesting. Design for the others is progressing.
Alternate Racial Traits / Favored Class Bonuses / Etc - roughly 50% completed
New Psionic Class Archetypes - Aegis, Cryptic, Dread, Tactician, and Vitalist are all in playtesting. The rest should enter playtesting this month.
New base class archetypes - Cleric is in playtesting, Bard and Sorcerer should be in playtesting within a matter of days.
New Items - about 30% completed.
GM Section - about 75% completed.
Alternate Theme Section - First draft done, second draft being finished.
Psionic Items of Legend - 50% complete, with Eric Hindley brought on to finish up the series to speed up the development.
New Layout - Done and ready for content!
Ultimate Psionics Graphics
Cover - the sketch has been approved and is being finished by Wayne Reynolds
Chapter Intro Graphics - 5 of 10 completed. Joe Shawcross, Gordon Napier, and Jason Rainville are working on the remaining 5, with three of them expected to be completed this month.
Base Class Iconic Graphics - 8 of 14 completed. The telepath, cryptic, tactician, and marksman should all be completed within the next two weeks, leaving only the aegis and shaper left. We are having the cryptic redone by Joe so that all of the iconics have a similar style. Why 14? Because of multiple psion iconics
Prestige Class Iconic Graphics - 10 of 19 are completed. One of them is pending the final cover art, as that iconic is actually on the cover (the metamind). At least three to four more should be completed this month.
Races Chapter Art - Done
Additional Spot-Art - We still need to get several half-page graphics done, but we have been in discussion with a design studio to handle most of those by mid-April.
Equipment Art - Done, with the potential need for 1-2 additional pieces.
Items of Legend Art - Not yet started, but should go fairly quickly.
So, where does that put us on time-lines?
We are likely looking at a late May release time frame, simply due to the time it is taking to get the massive amount of artwork completed. This has been a learning experience for us, especially trying to get the volume completed and trying to expand our stable of artists. We are actually thinking we might be able to get Psionics Embodied done this month and at least the PDFs distributed. Due to shipping costs, we don't expect to ship out items as they are completed - we estimated our Kickstarter costs based upon single shipments. But we will be distributing PDFs as they are ready. That does also give some extra time since you'll have the PDFs in advance, in case we miss something that needs to be fixed before we go to print!
We do apologize to anyone anxious to get the book or disappointed with the extended timelines, but as mentioned in January, our initial release date was based upon just including the material for the original project, and we've increased the scope by quite a bit of work, and even with bringing on contractors and additional artists, the volume of additional work is massive for two guys with full-time jobs.
We'll continue to keep you updated on a weekly basis as progress is made (I'm actually working on the next update side-by-side with this update) and just keep chipping away at the pile of work remaining to be completed.
Thanks for your patience, support, and feedback! We're doing our best to make this book top-notch!
