Meigeall
Explorer
Made this handout for my players, thought others might find it useful.
ZEITGEIST Zeitgeist Newspapers
- Thread starter Meigeall
- Start date
Meigeall
Explorer
Just starting session 1, but I'll try to post directions and files tonight or tomorrow. It was done in InDesign, but I think it could be easily done in PowerPoint.
Last edited:
Meigeall
Explorer
Here's a link to the InDesign file, if you happen to have that program.
Here's a google slides template for a half-page version.
The key for the text is to use a good font from the era you're trying to copy. I went with Century and Centaur for that 1800s feel.
The picture was done in photoshop.
Here's a google slides template for a half-page version.
The key for the text is to use a good font from the era you're trying to copy. I went with Century and Centaur for that 1800s feel.
The picture was done in photoshop.
1. Take an image (like the coaltongue)
2. Image->Adjustments->Desaturate
3. Duplicate the layer (Ctrl+J)
4. Select the new layer
5. Set this new layer to 'color dodge' (top of the layer panel, just under the layer tab)
6. Invert the new layer (Ctrl+I)
7. Apply a gausian blur filter to the new layer (Filter->blur->gausian blur)
7b. Set the radius for 10 pixels or so (in the gaussian blur window that pops up)
8. Click on 'create new fill or adjustment layer' (center bottom of the layer panel)
8b. Choose 'levels'
8c. Slide the darkest marker under the graph up to sharpen/darken the image (in the adjustments panel)
9. Select all the layers
10. Flatten the image (Ctrl+E)
11. Copy the entire image (Ctrl+A then Ctrl+C)
11B. Seriously, copy the entire image, and don't put anything else in your clipboard, or go paste the image somewhere convenient so you can get it later
12. Set the image to grayscale (Image->Mode->Grayscale)
13. Change the image to a halftone bitmap (Image->Mode->Bitmap->Yes, flatten layers)
Don't mess with the resolution if that window pops up, just hit 'OK"
13b. Halftone Screen:
-Frequency: 16 lines/inch
-Angle: 45
-Shape: Line
14. Either:
A) you're done and like the lined halftone
OR
B) Paste that old image for a grainy, woodcut look
2. Image->Adjustments->Desaturate
3. Duplicate the layer (Ctrl+J)
4. Select the new layer
5. Set this new layer to 'color dodge' (top of the layer panel, just under the layer tab)
6. Invert the new layer (Ctrl+I)
7. Apply a gausian blur filter to the new layer (Filter->blur->gausian blur)
7b. Set the radius for 10 pixels or so (in the gaussian blur window that pops up)
8. Click on 'create new fill or adjustment layer' (center bottom of the layer panel)
8b. Choose 'levels'
8c. Slide the darkest marker under the graph up to sharpen/darken the image (in the adjustments panel)
9. Select all the layers
10. Flatten the image (Ctrl+E)
11. Copy the entire image (Ctrl+A then Ctrl+C)
11B. Seriously, copy the entire image, and don't put anything else in your clipboard, or go paste the image somewhere convenient so you can get it later
12. Set the image to grayscale (Image->Mode->Grayscale)
13. Change the image to a halftone bitmap (Image->Mode->Bitmap->Yes, flatten layers)
Don't mess with the resolution if that window pops up, just hit 'OK"
13b. Halftone Screen:
-Frequency: 16 lines/inch
-Angle: 45
-Shape: Line
14. Either:
A) you're done and like the lined halftone
OR
B) Paste that old image for a grainy, woodcut look
Meigeall
Explorer
Readied my book two newspaper
Corrected a few mistakes in the first issue as well while working on this one.
Corrected a few mistakes in the first issue as well while working on this one.
RangerWickett
Legend
Oh, you're labeling week by moon phase! Aaah! That's awesome!
For the headline, I think you want 'mourn' instead of 'morn.'
Damn, some of these snippets of affairs afoot globally are deep cuts. I wrote the campaign, and I had forgotten that yeah, there are names for the people responsible for the lighthouses being built. Nice job. I hope your players will keep these and look back to realize all the hints you were dropping.
For the headline, I think you want 'mourn' instead of 'morn.'
Damn, some of these snippets of affairs afoot globally are deep cuts. I wrote the campaign, and I had forgotten that yeah, there are names for the people responsible for the lighthouses being built. Nice job. I hope your players will keep these and look back to realize all the hints you were dropping.
RangerWickett
Legend
What in particular did they miss?
reighndragon
Explorer
Love your newspaper handouts. I'll be using some of your articles in my campaign for sure. Keep up the good work.
reighndragon
Explorer
So I took your newspaper and edited it, to fit my Zeitgeist campaign set in the Eberron world. Thank you again for the inspiration and work.
I send the newspaper to my players, and they all loved the newspaper. I received quite a few questions for the other pages, because they wanted to read the articles, but understood I can't write all of them. One of the funny replies was, they really liked reading short pieces about " normal" things happening in the world. Not realising almost all pieces reference something happening in the adventure path. Another player was excited to be famous, because he made the front page of the newspaper (Oxton Haldaran). I changed Xambria Meredith to be his elder sister
I sincerely hope you're campaign will stay ahead of mine, so I can burrow your newspaper to adjust it to my Eberron campaign. I'm planning to adjust the second newspaper in the coming weeks.
I send the newspaper to my players, and they all loved the newspaper. I received quite a few questions for the other pages, because they wanted to read the articles, but understood I can't write all of them. One of the funny replies was, they really liked reading short pieces about " normal" things happening in the world. Not realising almost all pieces reference something happening in the adventure path. Another player was excited to be famous, because he made the front page of the newspaper (Oxton Haldaran). I changed Xambria Meredith to be his elder sister
I sincerely hope you're campaign will stay ahead of mine, so I can burrow your newspaper to adjust it to my Eberron campaign. I'm planning to adjust the second newspaper in the coming weeks.
Newspaper are very "early modern" so I probably won't be able to keep the idea for other campaigns in the future, but my players love them. I agree that it conveys very well the idea that the players are becoming famous when they make the news. At first, credit was given to their boss and service, but at some point (level 7ish?) I had a (very anachronistic, but hey!) tabloid with a featured article "Who are really the constables?" with their bios (and a few unfounded rumours about them) and snippets of other other NPCS interviewed about them. They loved that and it made them feel part of the world.
Meigeall
Explorer
During the second day of canvasing the nettles while looking for the good doctor, they stopped to eat lunch and to go over their leads. As this is the point that the players remembered reading "Cippiano Coffee" in the first newspaper (the bit about the catering) and connected that with their recent interrogation of the philosophy club at the Thinking Man's Tavern, it became evident that they had chosen to eat fish n' chips, and someone's meal was wrapped in that old edition of the paper. This revelation preceded the quote.
reighndragon
Explorer
I took your 2nd newspaper and edited it for my campaign. First reactions of the players, the world is definitely doomed. Everything goes downhill. I think I will need to add some positive notes in the next edition. @Meigeall did you make a newspaper for the 3rd adventure allready?
As English is not my first language, did I make any glaring mistakes?
As English is not my first language, did I make any glaring mistakes?
Meigeall
Explorer
Remind your player's that newspapers print doom and gloom because it sells, not because that's all there is.
I have not made a third paper yet. Unfortunately for anyone waiting, my group only meets every other week, so we're only about 2/3rds of the way through the second adventure.
As for mistakes, I noticed ones I made that you copied ("‘Dockers of the world unite’ is the
cry often heard upon at the piers" /at/ should be removed).
In my game, I have revealed neither the Family's existence, nor Cippiano's connection to it. Linguistically, your additional article looks good.
I have not made a third paper yet. Unfortunately for anyone waiting, my group only meets every other week, so we're only about 2/3rds of the way through the second adventure.
As for mistakes, I noticed ones I made that you copied ("‘Dockers of the world unite’ is the
cry often heard upon at the piers" /at/ should be removed).
In my game, I have revealed neither the Family's existence, nor Cippiano's connection to it. Linguistically, your additional article looks good.
reighndragon
Explorer
I've finished the second adventure and I'm going to write my 3rd newspaper. Did you already make a third paper and are you willing to share it if you did? I'll share mine when I finish my first draft.
I did tell my player's doom and gloom sells, but I would like to add some positive notes in the next newspaper.
