Hi, native geeks. It’s good to see you, and I hope you’re well.
My sense is that quite a few RPG games companies are struggling. Conventions are cancelled. Game stores are closed. Kickstarters have been cancelled. Important projects have been delayed.
Money is tight for most people as lockdowns ripple across the globe, but if you can, then this is the week to pop over to an electronic store (like Itch.io, Gumroad, Lulu and OneBookShelf’s shops) and buy some downloads from publishers you want to help.
Plenty of publishers are doing what they can in the face of the outbreak too. This week’s summary of RPG news is laced with free to download supplements, accessories and even core rulebooks.
This might also be the week to watch some Twitch streams or YouTube channels from your favourite gaming groups or hosts. You can do this at no extra cost for yourself but might help edge up the advertising revenue or persuade someone else to subscribe to the channel.
Request mode deactivated. RPG news round-up engaged!
RPG news from Geek Native
- The online tabletop RPG convention Friends of ConTessa starts today.
- Troll Lord Games has made the 7th edition of Castles & Crusades free to download.
- There’s now a quickstart for Amazing Tales, and along with some one-page adventures is also free to download.
- Escape Box Games released a free Suited RPG bundle.
- Third Eye Games’ Apocalypse Prevention, Inc is also free to download.
- Onyx Path Publishing has released the second edition of Geist: The Sin-Eaters.
- A new Vampire: The Masquerade comic will have exclusive Vampire 5e material.
- Tabletop Scotland has rescheduled to avoid clashing with the UK Games Expo.
- Sadly, the Tabletop Events site will close.
- OneBookShelf changed how metal best seller badges are calculated.
- Chaosium has published an Open Gaming License and Systems Reference Document for the Basic Roleplaying System.
RPG news from around the web
- Wizards of the Coast published a set of remote D&D tips and tricks.
- Paizo Publishing has had to cancel Paizocon 2020.
- ICv2 2019 report shows a 23% growth in RPGs.
- Due to Covid-19, Onyx Path Publishing has had to cancel the LegendLore Kickstarter, for now.
- Paizo is planning a new Pathfinder 2e Beginner Box.
- The ENnie award-winning and Cthulhu-flavoured Harlem Unbound second edition have been published.
- Stephen Michael DiPesa of Green Ronin published player character rules for Blue Rose’s Mongrelfolk.
- Catalyst Game Labs announced the Sixth World Activity Book for Shadowrun. They are also running a Covid-19 sale.
- At Crit for Brains, Kevin Coffey shared a lukewarm review of Explorer’s Guide to Wildemount.
- Jared Rascher over at Gnome Stew reviewed Bite Marks by Becky Annison.
RPG ideas, tips and discoveries
- Two free Warhammer Fantasy Roleplay adventures.
- Music inspired by the D&D classic Expedition to the Barrier Peaks.
- Need some battle maps for your virtual tabletop? A handy free bundle of 45.
- Not enough? What about 20GB of maps and tokens?
- One button is all you need to generate whole marketplaces for your campaign.
- John Higgs of GameRant shared the best tools to play Dungeons & Dragons during self-isolation.
- Taking10 suggested that DMs, learn to take your foot off the brake.
- Sly Flourish’s Mike Shea also chipped in with shared experiences playing D&D online.
- Over at Nerds on Earth, Abram Towle helped with how do you build a Starfinder universe? You planet. Pun!
RPG Crowdfunding
You can see those Kickstarters and other crowdfunding campaigns that caught Geek Native’s attention over at Kickstarter watch. Here are some industry projects worth a mention;
- Rafael Moreno Dominguez has collected thousands for 3D Printable Fantasy Props.
- Frost Dragon Designs have raised many thousands for these cute Black Cat RPG – Hard Enamel Pins.
- Joseph Bleeker has a space western TTRPG called Gunship.
- Craig Campbell and Nerd Burger are kickstarting the retro-future space cops with superpowers RPG in the form of Capers Offworld.
- Juegorma has hundreds of backers for 32mm resin Creatures & Monsters.
- The Easy Roller Dice Company has a hit with their Elite Metal Dice of the Elvenkind.
Gamerati News Update
Marcelo Ferrari of Gamerati talks us through the news around the Lord of the Rings RPG, the Call of Cthulhu supplement Dead Light and Other Dark Turns, Star Trek Adventures and Helmgast’s Troubleshooters RPG.
If there’s a source or news you think is worth monitoring, please get in touch or leave a comment below.
