RPG Crowdfunding News – The Wagadu Chronicles, Stargate SG-1 RPG, and more

This week’s article features RPG crowdfunding projects that end by November 5th. There are so many that end in this timeframe, I could not link them all. That said, check out the links in the “RPG Quick Hits” section for some great content. When I ran the Esper's Emporium of Esoterica Kickstarter two weeks ago, I left out an EN Publishing-centric piece of trivia, Esper, the individual behind the Emporium of Esoterica, wrote for EN Publishing’s EN5ider at the dawn of its run in 2015. It was nice to bring that full circle. Now, on to the RPGs!

The Wagadu Chronicles - Afrofantasy MMO for role-play from Twin Drums

• END DATE: Fri, October 30 2020 5:30 PM EDT.
• SYSTEM(S): Dungeons & Dragons Fifth Edition
• PROJECT TYPE: MMO and Sourcebook
• MOST POPULAR PLEDGE: €35 for the MMO and PDF of the 5e setting book

“An Afrofantasy world to explore both as an isometric MMO built for in-character roleplay and as a 5E-compatible tabletop setting! For the first time in gaming history we are building an online game 100% tailored to role-players, from lore to mechanics. The tabletop RPG books of Wagadu are crucial to this project because they flesh out the lore in a way that a videogame can't. If you want to truly experience and understand role-play in Wagadu, you'll have to take a look at the lore that is in the books. If you decide to focus only on tabletop role-play, your input and user generated content will affect the development of the MMO. Wagadu is an ecosystem of tabletop and videogame, which can be experienced in different ways depending on personal taste.”

Worlds Without Number from Sine Nomine Publishing

• END DATE: Tue, November 3 2020 11:59 PM EST.
• SYSTEM(S): Stars Without Number
• PROJECT TYPE:
• MOST POPULAR PLEDGE: $80 (free US S/H) for the PDF and print versions of the book and a PDF GM screen

“A sandbox fantasy role-playing game packed with world-building tools and GM helps, compatible with Stars Without Number. Worlds Without Number is a tabletop fantasy role-playing game from the creator of the hit sci-fi game Stars Without Number. It's built from the ground up to provide gritty, hard-edged adventure in the fathomless future of the Latter Earth, a fantastic realm of time-lost sorcery, savage foes, and barbaric splendor. The cold steel in the fists of your heroes and the half-understood sorcery in their tomes must suffice to overcome the monstrous remnants of ancient alien rulers and the present depredations of ruthless lords and hideous beasts alike. The riches of lost ages await in the subterranean Deeps that once held their kingdoms, and even the heavens above are not beyond the reach of the recklessly daring. Worlds Without Number and its fantasy tools are built to be fully compatible with the sci-fi gaming of Stars Without Number and other OSR games, using classic old-school mechanics such as the traditional six attribute scores, hit points, AC, classes, and levels, along with certain modifications and refinements meant to accommodate more modern tastes.”

Stargate SG-1 Roleplaying Game from Wyvern Gaming

• END DATE: Thu, October 29 2020 10:00 PM EDT.
• SYSTEM(S): Dungeons & Dragons Fifth Edition
• PROJECT TYPE: Core rulebook
• MOST POPULAR PLEDGE: $90 + S/H for the PDF and the leather-bound core rulebook
• SECOND MOST POPULAR PLEDGE: $10 for the PDF

“Stargate SG-1 Roleplaying Game is a sci-fi tabletop game where you assume the role of a member of Stargate Command on a Stargate Team. The Stargate SG-1 Roleplaying Game is an officially licensed sci-fi tabletop game where you assume the role of a member of Stargate Command. As an SG team member, you and your teammates will go on missions, guided by a Gatemaster, in the fight against the Goa'uld and other threats. The game is based on the D&D 5th Edition Open Gaming License. Backing this project makes you among the first to join up with the Stargate program at the Phoenix Site! The Core Rulebook will contain the options for creating and advancing your character, running a "season of episodes" as a Gatemaster for your friends, and new original content (planets, races, Goa’uld). Standard Edition is a full-color, hard-bound book, which contains over 360 pages of core rules needed to create characters and everything you need to run a Stargate SG-1 campaign, plus a foreword by David Read.”

Ghost Hunters for World of Darkness 20th Anniversary from Onyx Path Publishing

• END DATE: Sat, October 31 2020 2:00 PM EDT.
• SYSTEM(S): 20th Anniversary World of Darkness
• PROJECT TYPE: Sourcebook
• MOST POPULAR PLEDGE: $55 + S/H for the PDF, POD, and hardcover versions of the book

“Deluxe Ghost Hunters for World of Darkness 20th Anniversary Edition. World of Darkness: Ghost Hunters presents paranormal investigation from a mortal’s perspective. Chapters cover skeptical ghost hunters, well-organized groups, natural mediums, and their families and the equipment they use to uncover the “truth” that ghosts are real. In the World of Darkness, however, paranormal investigators may unwittingly stumble across any one of its other denizens, putting themselves (and the creatures they encounter) at risk. Whether they’re the protagonists of a chronicle or the antagonists pursuing a wraith or one of the Kindred, ghost hunters introduce a new way to tell compelling stories using the 20th Anniversary World of Darkness games. This World of Darkness: Ghost Hunters Kickstarter campaign is designed to enable Onyx Path to create a prestige hardcover rulebook. At least one bookmark, special edging for the pages, and a full-color, 130+ page interior featuring stunning artwork are all part of this Deluxe package.”

Flames of Freedom: powered by Zweihander RPG from Andrews McMeel Publishing

• END DATE: Wed, November 4 2020 10:56 AM EST.
• SYSTEM(S): Powered by Zweihander RPG d100
• PROJECT TYPE: Core rulebook
• MOST POPULAR PLEDGE: $50 + S/H for the PDF and physical core rulebook plus the PDF and physical world map as well as PDFs for the GM’s screen, and pawns
• TRY BEFORE YOU BUY: Flames of Freedom: Quickstart – Powered by Zweihander RPG is free at DriveThruRPG

“American gothic horror tabletop RPG set in the Thirteen Colonies of 1776. It is the dawn of the American Revolutionary War of 1776. A tangled web of conspiracy spans North America. In the war for survival, it does not matter what your creed, color, culture or gender is – all stand together. But as the Revolution has begun, something far more mysterious stirs. Agents of the occult entreat both the Rebel Continental Army and Loyalist Red Coats. Freemasons conspire in the City of Brotherly Love. Maryland is in the throes of a witch hunt by the Knights Templar. Amid the chaos, other grim fairy tales have emerged. In this game, most people have either chosen to deny the supernatural or rationalize it away. A rare few accept it for what it is and act. You are among those heroes, and are destined for greatness… or death. Welcome to Flames of Freedom, where your grim & perilous tale hangs in the balance! Flames of Freedom is an American gothic horror RPG, powered by the Zweihander RPG d100 game engine. Intensely researched by Richard Iorio and developed by a diverse group of game designers, this game explores a range of cultures beyond the history of Europeans in North America. Developed with Black cultural consultants in key decision-making roles, interwoven with Indigenous writers of the nations represented in the work and guided by RPG safety and trauma experts, this game will show that colonial horror can be represented in a mature way.”

Suzerain Legends from Savage Mojo

• END DATE: Sun, October 18 2020 3:00 PM EDT.
• SYSTEM(S): Savage Worlds Adventure Edition
• PROJECT TYPE: Core rulebook
• MOST POPULAR PLEDGE: $29 for the PDF

“The third evolution of MMK's award-winning Suzerain setting for Savage Worlds. Roleplay as powerful heroes saving the universe. Suzerain Legends isn’t one RPG, it’s every RPG. In this new edition of the Suzerain universe you are a hero battling the invading forces of elemental evil across multiple realms, from high fantasy to the fae lands, from cyberpunk alleyways to the wastelands of the post-apocalypse and more. There are so many worlds for you to explore and so many heroic roles to undertake. You are one of the few with the power to make a difference and to bring solace to a universe besieged by the Tempest’s darkness. Never has your help been needed more!”

Yonder: A Fantasy Tabletop Roleplaying Game from Samjoko Publishing

• END DATE: Mon, November 2 2020 12:00 AM EST.
• SYSTEM(S): An original system
• PROJECT TYPE: Core rulebook
• MOST POPULAR PLEDGE: CA$53 + CA$7 US S/H for the PDF and physical books

“Fugitives from a calamity venture into a magical land that transforms them as they reveal their inner nature. Yonder is a tabletop roleplaying game where you play people who are driven from a mundane land, spoiled by blood and war, into a magical land. There, each human is transformed as they reveal their nature. Acts of bravery or daring, cunning, or cowardice actually alter the person, both in how they look as well as the endowment of boons. You, the players of Yonder, decide what changes a person and in what way they are transformed, creating your own mythology for the world through play. Your group creates universal truths, which apply to the world at large, and individual truths, which apply to a single individual. Does every human who is consumed with greed become a dragon? Will all people who believe or behave a certain way become elves or dwarves or will every individual come to obtain any number of traits associated with those fantasy species? How does one become long-lived like an elf or develop tougher skin like a dwarf? Can people change so they move faster than everybody else, walk on snow, or other traits we see in the fantasy media and literature we consume? Are there moral absolutes in your world? Do people ever stop changing, even if they've done monstrous things, or have they changed into something of a monster? It's a simple notion that engages all the players at the table and creates investment by asking that people confirm the elements of fantasy they enjoy and want in their game and what they'd rather avoid.”

Ancient Undead Spider Wizard from Fish in the Pot

• END DATE: Sat, October 31 2020 11:59 AM EDT.
• SYSTEM(S): The Black Hack 2nd Edition
• PROJECT TYPE: Record and adventure
• MOST POPULAR PLEDGE: $25 + S/H for the 7-inch vinyl EP and dungeon crawl

“A limited press 7" EP wrapped in a rules light dungeon crawl. Ancient Undead Spider Wizard is a table top RPG dungeon adventure. Gather friends and some dice and delve into a dusty crypt to uncover magical artifacts and defeat the Ancient Undead Spider Wizard. The dungeon's story features the eponymous Ancient Undead Spider Wizard, a powerful undead magic user asleep for time untold. Will the Player Characters' entrance upon the crypt wake the eldritch threat? The crypt itself features four magical treasures, each protected by a powerful Guardian. Only by overcoming the Spider Wizard's Guardians can the PCs amass the power necessary to defeat the Ancient Undead Spider Wizard. Be wary! The Spider Wizard seeks to regain dominion over the crypt's hidden treasures and yearns for the power granted by wielding all four artifacts at once. The dungeon is written for use with The Black Hack 2nd Edition, but will adapt to your favorite TTRPG systems. The monsters are listed with reference to Hit Dice ("HD"), making the dungeon easily convertible to almost any system that uses HD with little prep. Even games that utilize more complex monsters will only require a quick "re-skin" making game-prep quick and easy. The dungeon layout is being completed to achieve a maximum space efficiency for its purpose: wrapping a 7-inch vinyl EP. The design work has begun, and by using templates made available by the potential manufacturer of the record sleeves, a legible and usable final product will be maintained.”

​

RPG Quick Hits

The Deck of Stories and NPC Cards

• END DATE: Sat, October 31 2020 10:09 AM EDT.
• “Storytelling accessories for your favorite TTRPG.”

The Labyrinth – New Narrative Art Book by Simon Stålenhag from Free League Publishing

• END DATE: Fri, October 30 2020 5:00 PM EDT.
• “From award-winning visual storyteller Simon Stålenhag, creator of Tales From the Loop, comes a unique vision of a dystopic future.”

Sig: City of Blades from Genesis of Legend Publishing

• END DATE: Fri, October 30 2020 10:00 PM EDT.
• “Cosmopolitan Planar Fantasy, Forged in the Dark.”

The Geneva Cavern Mini Setting & 5e Monster Folio from Firesidecrations

• END DATE: Wed, November 4 2020 9:54 PM EST.
• “The Geneva Cavern Mini Setting & 5e Monster Folio”

Gruesome Ghoulies™ RPG from Randy Angle

• END DATE: Sat, October 31 2020 2:59 AM EDT.
• “The spooky tabletop role-playing game of cartoon hijinks. Be a ghoul. Solve mysteries. Drive a hot rod. Play in a rock & roll band.”

Tempus Halloween Special - Witch & Vampire Zircon Glass Dice from Tempus

• END DATE: Sat, October 31 2020 8:50 AM EDT.
• “Handmade Sharp Edged Zircon Glass Dice - Beautiful and Elegant for your next Dungeons and Dragons (D&D) or Pathfinder / RPG games!”

Acheron: A Grimpunk tabletop RPG from Dark World Studios

• END DATE: Mon, November 2 2020 2:55 AM EST.
• “Acheron is a 1930s Grimpunk tabletop role-playing game where you must sacrifice your humanity to fight against the evils of the world.”

Era: Forbidden - an RPG for groups of 1-3 players plus a GM! from Shades of Vengeance

• END DATE: Sun, November 1 2020 4:00 PM EST.
• “Enter a world torn asunder by the war between Angels and Demons. Take on amazing powers and fight for Humanity’s survival!”

Creature Feature Quarterly Vol. 3 -for use with- OSE from Jeremy Hart Illos

• END DATE: Sat, October 31 2020 12:59 PM EDT.
• “A monster zine for the OSE/DnD crowd. 16 new monsters with lots of fluff to read, adventure seeds, paper miniatures and VTT tokens.”

Aaralyn's Stolen Notes to Velea (Reprint) - 5e Setting from Red Ink Caravan

• END DATE: Wed, November 4 2020 10:00 AM EST.
• “A 200+ page 5e setting formed by sin, virtue, and monstrous corruption. Produced by Anne Gregersen & Red Ink Caravan publishing house.”

Fright Nights: Wendigo RPG from The Valkyries

• END DATE: Sat, October 31 2020 6:00 PM EDT.
• “A horror themed one-shot tabletop roleplaying adventure! Ideal for beginners and advanced players alike.”

Orcs! A High Octane Adventure! from DIY RPG Productions

• END DATE: Sat, October 31 2020 8:49 AM EDT.
• “ORCS! A High Octane Adventure! is a 3rd level module for Hubris: A World of Visceral Adventure (or normal Dungeon Crawl Classics)!”

Zargoth's Tome of Familiars for 5e from Arcana Games

• END DATE: Thu, November 5 2020 1:00 PM EST.
• “A 5th Edition compendium of over 200 new familiars, pets, monsters, and more!”

Egg Embry participates in the OneBookShelf Affiliate Program and is an Amazon Associate. These programs provide advertising fees by linking to DriveThruRPG and Amazon.

 

[dave2008]

This also is causing me pause as well and why I am on the fence. I did download the free preview, and that looks amazing - so rich. But I could give a rat buttock about the MMO. And yeah, video game development (and any software development) can drain a fixed amount of funds right quick. Ideally, they would separate out the MMO funds and the RPG funds, and each has their own budget. But if they wanted to do that, then they probably would have offered MMO only products and RPG only products.

I'm in the same boat: no interest in the MMO. I think I might give them a bit just as a thank you for the free preview, but not back at a reward level.

 

[R_Chance]

OK. You guys have pretty much said what I wanted to WWN was automatic, $80 for the win. I love SWN, perfect for use with Traveller. I expect WWN to be the same for D&D (any edition). SG-1 because... I loved that show. And Wagadu... interested in the setting book, but not in an MMO. The video game development bit makes me nervous about it. Video game development is like a giant sucking black hole for funding...

Oh well, two I'm in on and one I'm thinking about. The big ones too, usually the small fry catch my attention. Pretty productive run this time

Thanks, Egg!

 

[stadi]

Ah, that makes more sense, but . . . .

It's not the main product of the crowdfunding campaign, it's an add-on. I'm not interested in the living campaign myself, although I don't have any issues with how it's structured.

The main product of the Stargate Kickstarter is the core book for $10 PDF or $60 print/PDF. Steep, but not unreasonable for the print book. A great price on a digital book.

Yes, the main book is reasonable. For people who that is enough, it's a fine deal.

I'm not interested in main books only unfortunately. I don't need new rules or settings, unless they are part of an adventure campaign. And when you look at their adventure campaign, that's not so ideal anymore:

• Not part of the basic package, it's a stretch goal
• Too expensive for PDF only
• I don't like the structure, the MMO mechanics, and that it's a living campaign.

 

[aramis erak]

"In-game reward in the Stargate SG-1 Living RPG Series of being awarded the title of "Founder" for the town of Haven. This gains you an advantage on social checks within the town of Haven." What is this supposed to be? Some kind of MMORPG? Sorry, but I'm not backing something like this.

Living campaign is a form of organized play. It's a case of your character, in organized play, gets that advantage. Nice but essentially meaningless.
That pledge level appears to be PDF & Dead tree corebook, and a subscription to monthly organized play modules.

 

[Matrix Sorcica]

The Stargate Kickstarter combines all the worst elements from other kickstarters I've seen.

*Most stretch/social goals unlock add-ons, you then have to buy separately.
*All but one stretch goal you're not getting at the digital pledge.
You have to pay 10 f*cking dollars US to get kickstarter credits in the book! I mean what the actual f*ck?! You're actively helping fund this, and then you have to pay extra to get the acknowledgement. This is a new low. (note, this is not the same as the WWN KS, where the higher price is because of the added page count. The Stargate book will include the credits no matter, as it's not PoD).

I do like that you get the option to cancel your pledge when you presented with the final shipping cost. More KS should learn from this.

I love Stargate, and what they have done with the system looks very interesting. But no way I can get behind a business model like the one presented. And the art looks both awful and amateurish!

 

[aramis erak]

The Stargate Kickstarter combines all the worst elements from other kickstarters I've seen.

*Most stretch/social goals unlock add-ons, you then have to buy separately.
*All but one stretch goal you're not getting at the digital pledge.
You have to pay 10 f*cking dollars US to get kickstarter credits in the book! I mean what the actual f*ck?! You're actively helping fund this, and then you have to pay extra to get the acknowledgement. This is a new low. (note, this is not the same as the WWN KS, where the higher price is because of the added page count. The Stargate book will include the credits no matter, as it's not PoD).

I've not seen a kickstarter that listed every backer. Almost all I've looked at put it in upper tiers only.

Add-ons is a smart business decision, even it it pisses a few non-backers off.

If you're buying for the art, then I'm glad you're NOT backing it. Because you'd be backing for a reason that is essentially superficial. The most important element in a game is the rules. Good art is for store shelves.

Oh, and I like the art style, tho' some of the art in the beta is a bit off kilter, I like the style, in the same way I liked the art style in the old Chamelion Ecclectic The Babylon Project.

And, for a licensed game, using painted art simplifies the royalties situation somewhat. Which is likely why CE did so for TBP, and FFG did so for Star Wars.

I'm just waffling on whether to buy the dead tree or not now, but I've decided I am going to back it, because the rules in the beta do interesting things to D&D 5E's mechanics, and have a good section of setting material.

 

[Matrix Sorcica]

I've not seen a kickstarter that listed every backer.

I have. A lot.

Add-ons is a smart business decision, even it it pisses a few non-backers off.

Smart enough to convince you, at least.

If you're buying for the art, then I'm glad you're NOT backing it. Because you'd be backing for a reason that is essentially superficial. The most important element in a game is the rules. Good art is for store shelves

Thank you for informing me of my misunderstanding.

And, for a licensed game, using painted art simplifies the royalties situation somewhat. Which is likely why CE did so for TBP, and FFG did so for Star Wars.

I'd thought it would be cheaper to use still photos, but that was not my point. It's not a question of style preference. The art is amateurish. Bad perspective. Bad body dimensions.

 

[Minicol]

I'm in the same boat: no interest in the MMO. I think I might give them a bit just as a thank you for the free preview, but not back at a reward level.

Honestly : regardless of how good the seeting might be : Who can believe funding an MMO with 100 KUSD while those are budgets in tens of millions usually ?

Not to be negative but I can see Dire Corbies gathering

 

[stadi]

If you're buying for the art, then I'm glad you're NOT backing it. Because you'd be backing for a reason that is essentially superficial. The most important element in a game is the rules. Good art is for store shelves.

Art is one of the more important aspects for me. And yes, this is really amateurish art. For an IP like this, they have to do much better. This is not some small indie project.

 

[R_Chance]

So the SG-1 art is not too great... it's all relative. I bought the original D&D in 1974