Wednesday, August 29, 2007

Project X returns in two parts....

OK remember when I was talking about Project X back a few months ago. Many of you thought is was NeoExodus: A House Divided. Well it wasn't. It was something else, that now has gotten back on track. Both of them. So this is part one of Project X. For now this will have the official name of GTE. When this is all all done a ready to go, you will know everything. For now all you get is this image of Niobe. Who is Niobe? What does this mean? Just wait and see. Talk to you later...

Monday, August 27, 2007

What is wrong with this picture...

Did I forget to mention that she JUST turned 18. Now the scarrier part, she is old enough to actually be my daughter. WOW. Now I am old.

Saturday, August 25, 2007

Another TV pilot winner

Due to the power of Bittorrent and the internet I have seen the first episode of Californication and I must say I loved it!!! David Duchovny was great in it and very funny. I am amzed to say this but I think Showtime is become what HBO was. Weeds, Dexter, and even Sleeper Cell, Showtime looks like they are trying to take over as the channel of pay TV. I like when a show / TV Network / comic book decides to up the quality of the work they are doing to take on the estiblished belief of what they are. It looks like they are moving in the right direct and I hope they keep up the work. Talk to you later...

Thursday, August 23, 2007

My life without TV and how helpful it has been...

It has beean roughly 6 to 8 weeks without any TV and I have to say that it has been good for my RPG business. I never realized how distracting TV is. While most people watch TV from 8PM to 11PM each night, I am working on my next big projects and get stuff read to release in the morning. I checked my stats and I have release 103 PDF RPG products this year so far. Most publishers don't release 10 products in a year. How is it that I put out 10 times the product that most manufactures put out? Why do I hear the a lot of PDF publisher saying sale are down, and mine are up? Even worst, most of the people who have down sales have not released an new product in months. Is it because of TV? I don't know. but if you have 3 extra hours every day, what would you do with it? Talk to you later...

Wednesday, August 22, 2007

Dark Knight stuff (Comic Geek Zone)

I am not sure about this upcoming Dark Knight sequel to Batman Begins. But I will say they got me interested from the start. I really liked Batman Begins and I hope Hollywood doesn't try to "help" the original staff by getting involved with it. Look what happened to the Matrix series. (Well it didn't help that the directly went crazy, but I digress...) So here is a spoiler link to some more cool pitures from the upcoming Dark Knight Film. Talk to you later...

Tuesday, August 21, 2007

Taking a break...

I think I might take a couple weeks off in September and not release anything. Just take a little time off. I have increased our release schedule of late releasing 2 projects at a time an this has hype up the interest. But I think September we might only release one or two products and maybe start that new line of products for D20 and OGL. New line I say, what will it be? Let's just say this is one that everyone missed and when we release it everyone is going to go, "Oh my God! That is so obvious!" Talk to yo later...

Monday, August 20, 2007

Blockbuster raises Prices, Netflix lowers their...

Maybe you don't know but Blockbuster just raised their prices, while at the same time Netflix lowered theirs. So basically I can pay roughly $24.99 for Blockbuster or $15.99 for Netflix. Which one to you think I am taking... The sad part is some idiot at blockbluster who makes a LOT MORE money than me though this would be a good idea. Well I hope the price raise covers me and a lot of my friends who just left them. Raise the price, with no improvement in the service. GREAT IDEA!?!?!?!?!?!

Sunday, August 19, 2007

Top Ten Things wrong with the Comic Industry

1) Pricing
2) Monthly Books that are not monthly
3) Continuity Issues
4) Too Many Crossovers. WAY too many!!!!
5) Stopping and Starting of Comic Book Series
6) Too Many individual writers working on multiple books (Geoff Johns, Mark Millar, and Brian Michael Bendis are prime suspects of this)
7) Cover artwork and Interior Artwork need to be the same person.
8) No "House Style" Artwork
9) Books never ends (I know this goes against #4 but there can be an acceptable middle.)
10) No real Artist & Writer teams any more. (Wolfman Perez, Claremont Byrne, Kirby Lee)

Friday, August 17, 2007

That is just dirty...

Go see: http://www.collegehumor.com/video:1769273

What 4the Edition means for me...

I don't know. Realistically I wll not know for 12 to 18 months. That is how long it is going to take to get the products out to customers and let them play with the rules to see if they like it. So as of right now, nothing is different. NeoExodus: A House Divided product is still being released under 3.5. Now this might change but I will let you know ASAP. Talk to you later...

Thursday, August 16, 2007

WOTC announces 4th Edition

Like we didn't see that one coming. Now on to the important stuff: When are they going to talk about the future of 3rd party publishers, OGL and D20? That is what I want to know.Talk to you later...

Less than 8 hours to 4dventures...

I hope you grabed you copy of the 3.5 SRD and the Modern SRD just is case. I sure did! Hey you never know...

4dventure... the countdown

Well this is the newest hottest things in the world of gaming: http://www.wizards.com/default.asp?x=dnd/welcome

Now we have to wait to see what it really means. Now if it 4th edition with No OGL and D20 then I will have a comment and strategy for that. If it is 4th edition WITH OGL and D20 then I will have a strategy for that also. Well we will know by 8 PM Thursday. I guess you will have to wait and see...

Wednesday, August 15, 2007

Coming soon to a church near you...

Looks like a double release coming soon...

What do you mean Xao isn't Wuxia?

Since I started working on Xao: Island of Iron and Silk a lot of people have been like, " I can't believe you are doing a wuxia setting game. There are already so many of those types of games on the market already." At this point, my response is somehting that shocks and surprises them. Because Xao: Island of Iron and Silk ISN'T a wuxia setting RPG game. It is a political thriller RPG setting with Kung-Fu Theatre movie elements and a "dash" of wuxia into it. Xao: Island of Iron and Silk is all about the political and government intrigue, mysteries and conspiracies that exist in the island of Xao and the world of Exodus. If you examine the history of China, the politics of the region has GREATLY effected the development of the county and Xao takes that same angle.

The two things that I think are going to make Xao: Island of Iron and Silk very unique to the majority of D20 and OGL RPGs on the market it is:
1) We are looking to have as much as and even more political intrigue as you could find in Paradigm Concepts' Arcanis: World of Shattered Empires and Living Arcanis. The Paradigm Concepts guys (being great friends of mine) have proved it is possible to do a interesting political based RPG and setting.
2) With exception of me, I plan for the enitre campaign setting to be writen by women writers. You heard me right, the ENTIRE campaign setting will be written by women writers. Now I am sure you are asking why is that. Simple answer. The majority of male gamers I know are a mix of 50 - 75 % hack -n-slash / 25 -50% "role players. Most of the women gamers I know are 50 - 75% role players / 25 - 50% hack-n-slash. Since this setting is about 75% role playing / 25 % hack-n-slash it only seemed logical to get people who are ready were interested in the role playing side of it. The other reason I wanted women writers only on this project is that (In my own personal feelings) I feel that women understand the whole political "backstabbing" and "assassinating someone's character" aspect I am looking to build better then men. Don't believe me, watch what happens when men fight versus when women fight. Men phyically attack each other; women get other women to turn on the person they are fighting and virtually ostracize them at any opportunity they can. Chris Rock said it best, "There is nothing more danger than a woman with a plan." Talk to you later.

Monday, August 13, 2007

$20 bucks for the Movies .. By Myself???

Working from home gives me the ability to do a lot of things most people can't. Like go to the movies in the middle of the day. But today I was OUTRAGED at how much I ended up paying for going to see the Bourne Ultimatium. With ticket, Medium Popcorn (which no normal human could finish) and a Medium Sprite (which was the size of a small Big Gulp) I paid $20!!!!! JESUS!!!!! I don't think I will EVER go to the movies again. $20 for one person is CARZY expensive. When I was a kid, you could go to the movies aand get loaded up on candy for $5. I guess I am OLD now...

Looks like I am back...

This is a little "Hello!" to some of my "friends", who just in case they did not or want to notice that I am am back! Back to doing Super Hero d20 & OGL material. I love comics and comic books stuff, so this gives me the opportunity to do all they stuff and not have to worry about personal politics and other game company licenses (You can't believe the level of that garbage). I think we are going to release some more classic stuff for this line, BEFORE we start releasing all new OGL & D20 Super Hero material. Hope you enjoy. Talk to you later...

Sunday, August 12, 2007

Friday, August 10, 2007

The Cover of Xao: Island of Iron and Silk

While working on Xao, I think about what the cover of this book will look like, A LOT. Being a graphic designer by trade, visually, I look how everything should look and how it relates to everything else. Since this is a part of the NeoExodus Universe I had to keep some visual elements the same: The red bars with asian designs on it, the Asian styled font we use for the logo, stuff like this. But at the same time, I needed to make slight variations to make the Xao related material.

Now artwise, I have a dream of what I would like to see in the way of the cover and characters on it. My top list of artist choices that I would love to do the cover would be Hoon, Jo Chen, Jim Lee, Udon artist like Andrew Hou, Jorge Molina Manzanero, Alex Milne, Kevin Yan and various others. I want this image to have a even more of a "Manga-ese" look to it then the normal NeoExodus stuff does. Well here is a little mock up of what I would like the cover to look like, with the image of people by Hoon for placement. This will be a lot of fun. Talk to you later...

Thursday, August 9, 2007

Artist I now willl NEVER work with...

I found a new artist who I was interested in working with. We had everything planned a ready. He did the artwork sketch and it looked perfect! I loved it and all he had to do was color it and we would be set. So I waited and waited and waited and waited... and he never sent me the colored image. I send him one, two, three, four, FIVE e-mails to ask him what is going on??? But still he never has answered me. So now I move him into the "I will NEVER work with this guy" file. This makes NO SENSE?!?!?!?!? And this happens more often then you would like to believe. Welcome to the world of becoming a RPG PDF Publisher. Talk to you later...

Wednesday, August 8, 2007

What do you mean we don't talk about Psionic in NeoExodus...

Coming Soon - Lexicon Chronicles: Section Omega

The people of modern Exodus fear and distrust psionic powers and those with it. The psion's ability to read or even control minds without even the scant visible trappings of wizardry - the wilder's unpredictable and spontaneous destructive powers - these mind-spawned mysteries are the stuff of nightmares for common folk from the Wyldlands of Bal to the deserts of Cordel. Even the widely respected, psionics-using Janissaries of the Imperial Alliance have not been able to dispel such superstitious fears - perhaps because the superstitions are all too often justified. Eventually, the Imperial Alliance with the help of Imperial Senate created an organization to address those fears - and to bring to heel those mentalists who misused their gifts. Thus was born Section Omega - the Imperial Alliance's regulatory and investigatory body for psionic affairs.

The Final First One: Exodites

And FINALLY the last of the first ones: The Exodites

A tall, ebon-skinned humanoid stands before you; his loose trousers and heavy cloak do not conceal a leanly muscular body, elf-like pointed ears, nor the ritual scars marking it. His eyes, black pits of night, watch you warily. Exodites are the most common of the races who once ruled Exodus, collectively called the First Ones. They may be Exodus’s first inhabitants; certainly they believe they will be its last. A hard, cruel people, exodites devote to perfecting their bodies and minds and consider anyone who does not share this passion little better than an animal. The religious among them believe they have the potential to reach a state of perfection rivalling that of their bloody god, Khayne. Outside of the hidden enclaves where the surviving First Ones dwell, exodites act as spies, assassins and bodyguards, moving through the shadows of Exodus.

Monday, August 6, 2007

What do you want to know...

Do you have a suggestion for a future topic? I’d be happy to consider your suggestions for topics you’d like to see discussed. Do me a favor and place a comment and tell me what you want and I will see what I can do to make it happen.

The Top Ten Comic Book Villians I Like!!!

In alphabetical order:

  • Brainiac -- Classic super villain with a GREAT modern update. Always and enjoyable threat to see.
  • Captain Cold -- Just read Geoff John issue when he tell you Captain Cold’s origin. Geoff Johns is my master now.
  • Charon -- Nothing better that a mad god like being who wants to take over the universe.
  • Doctor Doom -- Come on. It’s Doom!
  • Deathstroke the Terminator -- Captain America if he was a bad guy.
  • Lono -- All I can say is, “You ain’t the boss of me!”
  • Red Skull -- Captain American is my favorite hero, what did you expect.
  • Sinestro -- The universe’s greatest ego maniac with the universe most power weapon. Did you really expect he to turn out any other way?
  • Ultron -- If you are going to do killer robots who hate humanity then you have to start with the king of killer robots who hate humanity.
  • Zoom -- Nothing is more scary and crazy then some one who is willing to hurt you even kill you to help you to become a better person or hero.

Sunday, August 5, 2007

Paizo in now my ARCHNEMESIS!!!

As someone suggested in a comment to my "I found a new enemy" blog, I have decided to no longer call Paizo Publishing my enemy.

From now on the will be my ARCHNEMESIS!!!!! Bow in tremble in fear!!! Tlak to you later...

Now that is just cool...

Take a look...

Saturday, August 4, 2007

I found a new enemy...

On my old podcast series, the RPG Publishing Gauntlet, I told you if you are a RPG Publishing company, it is best that you find an "enemy" that is your "opposite" that you can used to help focus yourself as a company and rally yourself around with your fans. For a long time my "enemy" was Adamant Entertainment. He made a perfect foil for me and with our attitudes and personal dislike for each other it make it "oh so easy". But now since Adamant Entertainment basically a poor weak shell of its former self (I think being release as the Customer Service guy from RPGNow after the unification with DriveThruRPG really effected everything for them), I have decided to find a new "enemy" for me to take on, and focus my attention to. I think I have finally found them.

With their newly announced highly aggressive D20 publishing schedule, their high level of notoriety and influence in the RPG industry, their previous direct connection to WOTC and their upcoming RPG setting going to hit the shelves in 2008, I think I have found the company that will be perfect and out new "enemy. And that enemy is....

Paizo Publishing!!!!

This is going to be A LOT OF FUN. Talk to you later...

Friday, August 3, 2007

1:32 AM and I can't think straight...

Why do I have to sleep? I could be so more useful if I didn't have to sleep. Did I mention there is a monster in my closet? He drinks up all my Kool-Aid when I am sleeping. More Xao: Island of Iron and Silk to come. And just in cause you were wondering we have at least 8 new Prestige Classes for the setting. I want to have 100 feats for this one but I might be going for 200. Talk to you later...

Thursday, August 2, 2007

RPGNow & DriveThru RPG: Now One site!

After nearly 10 months, FINALLY both RPGNow.com and DriveThruRPG.com are now one site. This cuts down on half my work between these two sites, but not making sure everything else runs well has open up a can of worms. But at least people on the private vendo boards will stop complaining.

Still working on Xao: Island of Iron and Silk. I have just finished working on the Dai Lei Monastery; which is our version of the Shaolin Temple; Sheng Xaing; which is our version of Bodhidharma; and the Zhao Kuei – The Demon’s Claw; our version of Marvel comics, the Hand (FYI: Did you know that their is a Chinese version of ninja called the Lin Kuei. Very interesting). I also building and using Chinese archetypes from movies and book and adding them to the setting as main charcaters like the Bride with White Hair, The Bride from Kill Bill, Lady Shiva from DC Comics, the Jade Rat and the Silken Ghost from Crossgen's Way of the Rat (written by the comic book legend, Chuck Dixon) and even Nameless from the movie, Hero. This is becoming a lot of fun to work on. I can't wait to see it done. I am also hoping that I might pull off the coup of getting Jo Chen to do the cover. With her I think it would be perfect.

Wednesday, August 1, 2007

Realm of Kaga ... FINISHED

Afte have the cover done first (That usually never happens) and getting half of the project done then sitting on it for a few months (that happens more often them you can suspect) finally Lexicon Crhonicles: Realm of Kaga is completed. Owen K.C. Stephens started this MONTHS ago finishing his part. Then I decided that I wanted more stuff, so I ask our new writer Chris McCoy if he want to come in and "pinch hit" on this and he agreed. He turned in his work quicker than you can say SHAZAM! and then I finished the layout on this tonight. So another NeoExodus: A House Divided project in the can.

Now the next projects that I need to work on are Secrets of NeoExodus: Sanguine Covenant written by Owen K.C. Stephens and Chris McCoy and Secrets of NeoExodus: Section Omega written by Joshua Cole and Chis McCoy. Now that is in addition to the Xao: Island of Iron and Silk and starting Secrets of NeoExodus: Shadow Cabinet. Another busy month, for the folks at LPJDesign.

Waiting for NeoExodus...

I am waiting for all kinds of NeoExodus: A House Divided stuff to come in. There are rougly 4 to 7 NeoExodus project will be complete and ready to go by this weekend. This project is really not starting to gain and pick up speed. Plus while all this is going on I am working on the special spin-off / tie-in project to NeoExodus which I have officially named:

Xao: Island of Iron and Silk

This is a lot of fun doing the research and adding in all kinds of refences to tons of fun Chinese influences from the Shaw Brothers films of the 1970s and 1980s to even Kill Bill. This is going to be a cool special project. I might be asking some of my regular NeoExodus writers to help me on this one. I hope this can be a boxset that I release to stores when done. Talk to you later...