Thursday, September 30, 2010

Red Dead Redemption DLC Undead Nightmare

LPJ Design hires Tom Baumbach, Marc Radle and JP Chapleau for the NeoExodus: A House Divided product line

We just hired three new writers to work on the NeoExodus: A House Divided product line: Marc Radle, Tom Baumbach and JP Chapleau. While Tom and Marc are working on a lot of crunchy bits for the setting (races and classes) JP and I have started working on Secret Project X. I hope to announce what this is by March or April 2011 but we will see.  Expect to see some very impressive work form them in the very near future.   Talk to you later...

Watch Avengers: Earth's Mightiest Heroes Micro-Episode 1

Wednesday, September 29, 2010

LEGO Warhammer 40K miniatures!!!!!

See them all here!!!

Black Diamond Games Little RPG Experiment...

If you are interested about Pathfinder form a retail percective you might want to read Black Diamond Games blog post "Our Little RPG Experiment".  I think you might find it eye opening. Talk to you later...

Various stages of NeoExodus artwork on Khaynites

Showing you a little behind the scenes stuff so you can see what the initial art looks like BEFORE we make all the choices to create the final piece. You can find may more pieces of work like this at the LPJ Design Facebook Fan Page.  Talk to you later...






Tuesday, September 28, 2010

LPJ Design Products/Projects from now until August 2011 for Paizo’s Pathfinder

Here is the current status list of projects that we are working on at LPJ Design:

NeoExodus: A House Divided Campaign Setting - We just got back the updated updated to Pathfinder seven races (Cavian, Cynean, Dalrean, Enuka, P’Tan, Prymidian, Sasori) and we are starting work in the updated prestige classes. We are about half way through the first rough draft of new spells and just started on feats.

Obsidian Twilight: A Place Beyond Hell - Is completed and all we are waiting on is 13 pieces of artwork. The last week of October is still looking good for release. Really happy with this one.

Pirates of the Bronze Sky - Chris and I have gotten on the same page with the initial creation of what on what we want to see in the setting. I plan to have some material for it coming in November and December. Have not assigned all the artist yet but I looks like Ean Moody will be doing more work on Pirates.

Enemies of NeoExodus: Folding Circle – Well the main five members, Seeker-in-Flame, and Axo the Wildstorm are done and updated to Pathfinder. I am still waiting/thinking about including/updating the Brotherhood and adding them to this product. Add the Brotherhood to this product is a good idea, just time consuming. We will have to see.

Enemies of NeoExodus: Crimson Hand – The rough draft should be turned in a few days. Then we will start on the artwork.

Monsters of NeoExodus – We have five monsters updated to Pathfinder completed (Annihilation Sphere, Bilewyrn, Caliban, Fleshweaver and Harvester of Sorrow) and ready to go. But I want to wait to release them. Plus I am planning for the Annihilation Sphere to be for free for those who pre-order Enemies of NeoExodus: Folding Circle.

NeoExodus Chronicles: Hostile Environment – Have not started yet.
NeoExodus Chronicles: Magic of NeoExodus – Have not started yet.
NeoExodus Chronicles: Secrets of NeoExodus – Have not started yet.
NeoExodus Chronicles: Bitter Fruit from the Tree of Woe – Have not started yet.
NeoExodus Chronicles: Dragons of NeoExodus – Have not started yet.

This list also doesn’t include any little PDF projects we have planned like our Two Dozen Dangers/Discoveries line. Plus we are working on a NEW Secret Project X that I can talk about in April of 2011 for its official release in July / August 2011. So even though you don’t hear a lot from us for a while, we are working. Talk to you later…

PS: We are still looking for Pathfinder writers & artists, so if you have always wanted to write, here is your chance. Send us a email and get to work!

Monday, September 27, 2010

[LPJ Design] Two Dozen Dangers: Insanity for The Pathfinder Roleplaying Game Released

Louis Porter Jr. Design has released its all new product for use with The Pathfinder Roleplaying Game called Two Dozen Dangers: Insanity at RPGNow.com and DriveThruRPG.com.  Here is information on this product:

Diseases of the body can kill, but insanity can do worse. It can turn a hero into a cold and dispassionate sociopath, a trusted lover or best friend into something too like an animal for comfort. Heroes confronted by horrific aberrations and monsters from beyond reality sometime go mad from the experience, and even the boldest heroes can be driven to insanity by battlefield trauma. Insanity is a new threat that must be faced and overcome by heroes in Pathfinder Roleplaying Game campaigns.  This product includes such dangers as Black Futility, Draconic Obsession, Dying Nostalgia, Dust Nihilism, Ergot Sickness, Mute Witness, Symbolic Compulsion, Temporal Isolation and Wretched Wilting. Written by Chris Field. Available at RPGNow.com here!


Pathfinder and associated marks and logos are trademarks of Paizo Publishing, LLC, and are used under license. 

How to get 5 million people to read your website...No really...

Sunday, September 26, 2010

DC UNIVERSE ONLINE Cinematic Trailer: Director's Cut!

See it here!!!

Great reviews, No sales...

As someone involved in  publishing, this is the one that always kind of irks me.  You keep hearing about these great games, everyone loves them, they win all these awards and then a few months later, the company closes down or they never release a follow up product to this "new line" of RPG products.  This seems to happen a LOT of places.  The Oscars. The Emmys. The Harvey Awards. The Ennies. Things get great reviews, but not that many people have actually seen it.  Hell even my personal favorite, The Wire, falls under this.  When the quality is high and the people should want to purchase or pay to see or do, they don't.  Are the reviews wrong? Or even better, do reviews actually matter?  Talk to you later...

Thursday, September 23, 2010

Stuff I'm working on - New Spell - Green Water

Something that I found that I wanted to update for Pathfinder,  Twll me what you think.  Talk to you later...

Green Water
Transmutation
Level: Clr 2
Components: V, S, DF, M
Casting Time: 1 minute
Range: Touch
Area: Water in a volume of 5 ft. by 5 ft. by 1 ft.
Duration: Instantaneous
Saving Throw: Will negates (object)
Spell Resistance: Yes (object)

This spell changes an area of water up to 5 ft. by 5 ft. by 1 ft. into green slime. A single 5-foot square of green slime deals 1d6 points of Constitution damage per round while it devours flesh. On the first round of contact, the slime can be scraped off a creature (destroying the scraping device), but after that it must be frozen, burned, or cut away (dealing damage to the victim as well). Anything that deals cold or fire damage, sunlight, or a remove disease spell destroys a patch of green slime. Against wood or metal, green slime deals 2d6 points of damage per round, ignoring metal’s hardness but not that of wood. It does not harm stone.
Material Component: A stone flask of water and green dye.

Upcoming from LPJ Design for Pathfinder for Paizo

Tuesday, September 21, 2010

[LPJ Design] Two Dozen Dangers: Drugs for The Pathfinder Roleplaying Game Released

Louis Porter Jr. Design has released its all new product for use with The Pathfinder Roleplaying Game called Two Dozen Dangers: Drugs at RPGNow.com and DriveThruRPG.com.  Here is information on this product:

From wealthy merchants and kings to lowly street urchins, people from all walks of life have become addicted to drugs both potent and mild. In some cities, entire gangs and even guilds are devoted to the creation and distribution of certain drugs, becoming ever more powerful as the masses become addicted. Other drugs are so rare or difficult to craft that those with sufficient wealth hire adventuring parties to seek out their ingredients. Some drugs give their users a mild euphoria, while other more powerful drugs have significant and even magical effects. Written by Michael Kimmel.


SAVE MONEY by purchasing the Two Dozen Dangers Bundle Right Here: http://lpjdesign.rpgnow.com/product_info.php?products_id=83492

Pathfinder and associated marks and logos are trademarks of Paizo Publishing, LLC, and are used under license. 

Stuff I'm working on - New Feat - Shape Master

Just a liitle thing I am working on.  Not that major, but could be a lot of fun.  Talk to you later...

Shape Master

Your training allows you to wild shape faster than usual.
Prerequisites: Wild Shape
Benefit: Three times per day you can wild shape as a free action without provoking an attack of opportunity. This does not add to the number of times per day you can wild shape, nor does it alter the shapes and forms you can assume; it simply allows you to change shape faster than usual.
Normal: Wild shape is a standard action that does not provoke an attack of opportunity.

Top 5 Sales Source Report for All Products form RPGNow.com

Here they are in order.

  1. RPGNow.com Front Page
  2. RPGNow.com Weekly newsletter
  3. RPGNow.com Featured Product
  4. RPGNow.com Drunken Goblin Section
  5. GM Day 2010

Now here is the interesting piece, my RPGNow.com FrontPage sales are over 15 times more than the RPGNow.com Weekly newsletter or RPGNow.com Featured Product listing. 15 times!!!  So every second I am on the front page in the new release section on the Front page, the more profitable it is to my company.  We all know the front page was valuable real estate for making money, but I didn't realize the number would be 15 to 1.  Guess I have to keep releasing product every week like I used to.  Talk to you later...

Monday, September 20, 2010

If I was you I would be on this eBook train and figure out how to make money with it...

"Ebooks are also allowing writers more freedom. We're no longer beholden or bound to the whims of editors, sales reps, distributors, coop, marketing dollars, chain-store buyers, and corporate folks who ultimately decide the fate our books. For the first time, we can directly reach readers without any gatekeepers or middlemen who impose their ideas on what works and what doesn't, and we can make 70% royalties, compared to the 8% royalties we've gotten for paperbacks." -- Joe Konrath talking to David Morrell

If you are "slightly famous" with a "small fan base" you could do VERY well.  The 1,000 true fans really comes into play at htis level.  So the question become are you looking for corporation to give you those big sales numbers where you get 8% with no control, or you get 70% where everything is all on you?  What kind of person are you?  I think I might have to look deeper into the eBook realm and think what LPJ Design should be doing differently.  Talk to you later...

Sunday, September 19, 2010

[LPJ Design] Chris Field hired as Project Developer on Pirates of the Bronze Sky

While I mentioned this on the Paizo forums, I thought it might be smart of me to make this completely official here. I have hired Chris Field to handle the complete project development of the upcoming Eberron / Spelljammer steampunk / steampulp inspired Pathfinder Roleplaying Game setting, Pirates of the Bronze Sky.  I have work with Chris for years and I know he is the perfect person to work on this project.  So expect to see a few thing for this coming up in the VERY near future...

...And I mean beside this image of this female pirate you keep seeing.  Talk to you later...

Saturday, September 18, 2010

Coming soon to you favorite PDF store - Ultimate Spell Decks - A Place Beyond Hell Spell Cards

With me finishing up the Obsidian Twilight: A Place Beyond Hell Sourcebook, you had to know that I would be working on Ultimate Spell Decks for A Place Beyond Hell.  So when we release the sourcebook just get ready to purchase you Ultimate Spell Decks too.  Talk to you later...

Friday, September 17, 2010

Obsidian Twilight - A Place Beyond Hell final draft just came in...

With the final draft in, we can move on to the assigning or art and getting everything ready for layout so we can have this out in time for Halloween and AMC's Walking Dead. Here are just a few things you will find in this sourcebook:
  • Over 20 feats including Black Blood, Empty of Life, Hollow Man and Mark of Darkness
  • Over 20 New spells including Antilife Bolt, Beyond Alignment, Immaculate Dissection, Mind Trap and Whispering Madness
  • Ten All New monsters including Abyssal Arm, Infected Land, Viral Macrobe and Nyxsus the Surgeon
  • New Organization: Cult of Black Glass
So if you Liked Obsidian Twilight, then get ready to get your Lovecraftian horror on with A Place Beyond Hell.  Talk to you later...

Thursday, September 16, 2010

With Mike Mearls admitting that 4E sucked, is this WOTC's idea to set up for 5E's success, by blaming 4E?

Dungeons and Dragons Core Rulebook Gift Set, 4th Edition

Well it worked for Obama why not in the RPG business? The Escapist interview with Mike Mearls has sent many a 4E lovers are in a tizzy (That was Geek Related wording of the situation, I would say that have gone completely abused victim in a battered relationship). What can I say to this? Well a bigger, more respectable man would say they did there best and it just didn't work out for them.  But what I say is WOTC is now discovering the important rule number #1 in a social media driven business economic with multiple choices to spend their dollars on: Don't kill the golden goose!

Now I am not going to tell you, I told you so, but I told you so.  Hell I kind told you so here, I definately told you here. What do I say to all of this? Should I gloat? Don't have to. Should I laugh at you over the bad business choices you made? Don't have to. All I have to do is the same thing I have doing from day one: Focus on making my buisness stronger by focusing on my customers needs. The customers didn't NEED 4e, WOTC WANTED 4E and WOTC got what they wanted. Now, they WANT their customers back, to bad those customers don't NEED them. The really sad point is I am sure some people internally who said doing 4E in this way was a bad idea and I'm sure the corporate environment of Hasbro were called "not team players" and were belittled for their views.  Some of those people were let go and downsided over the years and some most likely left.  And now you have Mike Mearls quoted saying, “Look, no one at Wizards ever woke up one day and said ‘Let’s get rid of all of our fans and replace them." That was never the intent.” I am sure is wasn't, but you didn't and now with Paizo in the mix you may NEVER get those people back.  I wonder how Mike's Christmas will be this year form WOTC

Now I guess we will start hearing the mumbling of 5E coming soon? Personally, it doesn't matter to me what happens to WOTC and 5E. It doesn't matter if WOTC and D&D as we know it fails and collapse and since business uphores a vacuum something will relpace it. I play and support Paizo and Pathfinder. One day this might change, as with WOTC, but so far so good.  Talk to you later...

Upcoming from LPJ Design for Pathfinder for Paizo


Coming soon to your gaming table.  Talk to you later...

Preview clip from Superman / Batman BATMAN: Apocalypse

Wednesday, September 15, 2010

Bestselling Author David Morrell Goes "Direct to Kindle" with 10 Kindle Exclusives Including The Naked Edge, a New, Never-Before Published Full-Length Thriller

The Covenant of the FlameRead it here. What does it mean, well read about that here. What does that mean for you as a writer? Looks like the barbarians are at the gates and the old world is on the verge of falling and being reborn. So what are you doing to do?  Talk to you later.

Looking for a job? WOTC is hiring, just live near Seattle

WOTC is looking for a Table Top Games Manager - D&D but you better live near Seattle because there is no money for relocation.  So if you are looking for a job, love D&D and are near Seattle here is your chance.  Good luck!

Tuesday, September 14, 2010

Stuff I'm working on - New Feat - Atheist

Just a liitle thing I am working on.  Let me know what you think about it. Talk to you later...

New Feat: Atheist


You disbelieve the existence of all gods to the point that divine magic has little effect on you.

Prerequisite: Cannot follow the tenets of any religion, cannot have class levels in a divine spellcasting class that requires the worship of a god (such as cleric).

Benefit: You gain a +2 resistance bonus on saving throws against spells cast by divine spellcasters.

Drawback: While you can still receive healing spells, your disbelief in an afterlife of any sort, or of any gods, prevents you from being raised or resurrected. You can only be returned to life with a wish spell.

Monday, September 13, 2010

[LPJ Design] Two Dozen Discoveries: Scars for The Pathfinder Roleplaying Game Released

Louis Porter Jr. Design has released its all new product for use with The Pathfinder Roleplaying Game called Two Dozen Discoveries: Scars at RPGNow.com and DriveThruRPG.com. Here is information on this product:


The bravest warriors have scars: scars of battles won and lost, and scars earned during agonizing ceremonies and barbaric rituals, scars that honor the gods and call down spirits. Scars are part of a Barbarian’s equipment- each heavy line scored into his flesh is a weapon, a tool, a protective fetish. Scars brand Rogues as members of a daring guild, and proclaim a Wizard’s allegiance to a specific college of magic for all time. Any character willing to suffer honorably can earn a scar… and wear it forever. The following new types of ritual scarification and mortification can be used in any Pathfinder Roleplaying Game campaign. Written by Chris Field. Available at RPGNow.com here!!!

[Rant] Start updating your blog you [CENSORED] lazy bastard!

Yes I am talking to you! Update your blog you [CENSORED] lazy bastard! What kind of person actual goes through the time to build themselves a blog and then is too [CENSORED] lazy to actually update it. Updating once a month? Y ou’re a [CENSORED] lazy bastard! Updating once a week a week? You’re a [CENSORED] lazy bastard! You need to update your blog EVERY other day AT LEAST. You life is not that busy that you can’t update your blog that often. Hell I have a wife, four month old, mother-in-law living in my house with a full time job and part time RPG business and I find time to update nearly once a day. So stop your [CENSORED] crying like a baby with a full diaper and update your [CENSORED] blog, you [CENSORED] lazy bastard. Talk to you later…

Friday, September 10, 2010

Guest Blog Post - What can third party publishers do to help improve their presence in the friendly local game store by Gary Ray

Gary Ray, owner of Black Diamond Games in Concord, CA was kind enough to write a a guest blog post for us here at In the Mind of a Mad Man about third party publisher (of which LPJ Design is one) and retail stores (which Black Diamond Games is).  Hope you enjoy.

What can third party publishers do to help improve their presence in the friendly local game store by Gary Ray

So what can third party publishers do to help improve their presence in the friendly local game store? The answer involves understanding your audience. I'm not talking about your customers, you intimately understand them, of course. It's the local game store that you may not fully grasp. First, lets get some perspective.


We are not in the '80's and game stores are no longer fantasy shops, as much as I wish they were. Hobby gaming has diversified greatly. My store is divided into five departments, including board games, miniature games, collectible card games, classic games and puzzles, and finally role-playing games. This means that role-playing games occupy about 20% of my consciousness, assuming they have an equal role to play (they probably don't, but I like them, so it's not far off). Of that 20%, about half my sales are Dungeons & Dragons and Pathfinder. I think this is fairly typical. In fact, many store nowadays don't go much beyond D&D and perhaps the next two or three top games. You have your work cut out for you.

So all non-D&D role-playing games are now occupying about 10% of my consciousness when it comes to purchasing. Of course, purchasing is probably about 20% of my job as a store owner, so in reality, all things RPG that aren't D&D are more in the range of 2%. I bring this up because there seems to be this misperception of the role of RPGs in game stores. They are far from a primary concern. From a sales perspective, they are relevant, but not overly so. I think I'm fairly typical in this regard and perhaps atypical in that I spend any time whatsoever with non D&D RPGs. At last count we carried over 30 different game systems, but most of the 3,000 or so stores out there that carry games probably have far fewer. I put myself in the top 10% of stores in this respect. I'm not bragging, just providing some perspective. Maybe 200-300 stores will have that 2% on their radar.

So how do you get on my radar? How do you capture the 2% of a store owners attention in about 10% of the stores? Here is where marketing to your customers comes in. The best way for your game to get on my radar is through our customers. A good game store listens very carefully to their customers. If a customer wants a product, we carefully gauge their true interest and may bring in one.

The best way to make this happen is to ask them to ask your customers to buy from us. This may seem against your own interests if you sell direct. It may seem futile if my numbers are correct and 90% of store owners won't care, but 10% of stores is 300 sales. I'm not saying you give up direct sales. Just tell your customers that if they've got a good store to support it by asking for your product and buying it there if the store owner brings it in.

Why give up half or more of your margin? The FLGS is yet another sales channel and can be a big source of marketing for you. Once we buy your product, we have some level of interest in generating further demand. That one guy might have bought it, but a hundred more people might see it on the shelf. You've also created a sales partner. We post your product info on Facebook, talk up your product with potential customers, and possibly hold events if it's a big enough deal. This all begins with getting that alpha gamer on board with your product with a commitment to buy from us. Without this, you're occupying 2% of my consciousness. With it, you're on my to-do list.

What else?

Do your own marketing, especially using social media like Twitter and Facebook. Adjust your web page with meta tags that work with Facebook so I can easily post your link on my wall. Foster your sales channels equally. If I visit your page and I see you encouraging direct sales over store sales, such as with discounts, early release or telling your customers to please buy direct and not from the grubby game store (this has happened), we're done. I am not afraid of the PDF product, but if I see you're already selling your print product before the release, I'll generally believe the demand is soft and probably pass.

Produce quality books in the format we can sell. Digest size books are popular, especially with the D&D Essentials line moving to them. However, many stores hate them. Think about how your book will be displayed. We use magazine racks, so your digest sized book is invisible unless it's in front. This means it's likely to be shelved on a book shelf instead, spine out. That's bad. Also make sure your book will hold up to wear. A successful RPG book will sell three times a year or more. How will your book look on the shelf after four months? If it's looking ratty, if the cover bows, or if it in any way looks like it's sliding into home and about to fall apart when it's bought in month four, it won't get ordered again.

Create hope in the future. If it's not a one shot RPG product, already begin marketing book two on the release of book one. Maybe you don't have the money for it yet. So what? Bang the drum. If you take a wait and see attitude, so will your customers and many won't buy your book. They have this crazy perception of what is alive and what is dead. They want "support" for the product line, reprints with errata, additional supplements to spur their imagination. If that's not forthcoming, they have deep suspicions. They've been burned too many times.

This might sound harsh, but the bottom line is we want to work with you. You're fighting an uphill battle. You're at best Dr. Pepper in a world dominated by Coke and Pepsi. That's alright. We run game stores. We're used to the long odds and making something from nothing.

Once again this to Gary for this great post and if you are in Concord, CA make sure you check out his store.  Talk to you later...

Firefall Video Game Trailer


Now see that is how I envision the Locari when they attack.  Talk to you later...

Marvel vs Capcom 3 - New trailer with cool Captain America moment!!!

Thursday, September 9, 2010

[LPJ Design] Two Dozen Discoveries: Plants for The Pathfinder Roleplaying Game Released

Louis Porter Jr. Design has released its all new product for use with The Pathfinder Roleplaying Game called Two Dozen Discoveries: Plants at RPGNow.com and DriveThruRPG.com.  Here is information on this product:

Fantasy worlds are filled with horrors beyond reality and imagination, but not every mystery an adventurer encounters is a dangerous one. In a world where magic exists and permeates the ecosystem, even the ordinary life of the world can do amazing things. Savvy rangers and druids have always known that eating certain plants, at certain times is every bit as effective as any man-made potion. The world’s most prosperous mages and hedge wizards make a good living selling the strange fruit of their even stranger gardens. Written by Chris Field. Available at RPGNow.com here!!!


Pathfinder and associated marks and logos are trademarks of Paizo Publishing, LLC, and are used under license. 

Two upcoming monsters for Obsidian Twilight - A Place Beyond Hell

Since I am waiting for art work to come it I thought I might let you take a look at the write-up on two all new monster created for Obsidian Twilight: A Place Beyond Hell.  Please let me introduce the viral macrobe and void elemental.  Talk to you later...

Viral Macrobe

The Viral Macrobes are the result of peculiar experimentation undertaken by the H'Laqu resulting in gigantic versions of diseases that can sweep the land in a manner perhaps even more grotesque than their normal sized counterparts. Viral Macrobes inject their prey with complex organic materials which rapidly deform and repurpose the flesh of their target into more of their own kind. An encounter with a single macrobe can rapidly descend into a desperate battle for survival as men fall and burst asunder into more of the infectious creatures. Viral Macrobes appear as almost spherical, football sized, free-floating orbs, covered in long, spines which are their method of attack. They are not remotely intelligent and attack on reflex, often operating in swarms that aggregate simply because they all act instinctively in the same way.

Void Elemental
Not everything that comes across from the void between the worlds is the H'Laqu. Nothingness grasps for form, something spontaneously appears out of nothing just as the worlds themselves have spun out of emptiness. As the H'Laqu push through from the other side they bring nothingness with them and this emptiness takes form, even a crude intelligence. The Void Elementals are bubbles of this intelligent 'nothingness', free to float and roam and consume in a simple, animalistic search for substance. Void elementals appear as free-floating 'holes', punched through reality, distorting light around them and granting a vision of the darkness of the void beyond. As they feed they become smaller and smaller until they are negated by the very substance that they seek to consume, tearing holes in material reality as they do so.

The Cost of doing a Comic Book - READ THIS!!!

You read it and you decide.  Talk to you later...



Labor Day and the Cost Of Doing Business in Comics

Wednesday, September 8, 2010

The Locari are scary, but not SCARY enough…yet...

While working with our newest writer, Benjamin Wenham, I discovery that the second revamp of the Locari (inspired by the Giger’s Aliens and Marvel Comics Brood) I created for NeoExodus: A House Divided, we not REALLY scary enough. I mean PCs would be worried but not have the level of fear I think they should have. And with that we scraped the 2nd version of them and started working on a 3rd version. But the sad part was that no one saw the 2nd version we were going to scrap. I didn’t like that, so here we are with the 2nd revamp of the Locari. Enjoy!

Locari

This creature resembles a man-sized insect, its chitin mottled with dark browns and grays. Its features hint at the moth, the mantis and the wasp, though it has no visible wings and its stance is undeniably humanoid.  The locari are a young race, a race of killing machines whose origins are shrouded in mystery – unlike the deadly danger they pose to all of Exodus, about which no rational being has the slightest doubt.  In poor lighting, a locari can pass for a humanoid shrouded by a heavy coat or cloak, but even a cursory inspection reveals its monstrous form. It resembles a giant insect standing on its rear legs, and its shape and armaments partake of many different arthropod ancestors.  Locari communicate with each other by means of a complex language of sounds, gestures and pheromones. Exceptionally intelligent specimens (Int 10+) have been known to convincingly ape humanoid languages.

Locari - CR2
XP 600
LE Medium monstrous humanoid (Locari)
Init +2 Senses darkvision 60 ft.; Perception +1

Defense
AC 18, touch 13, flat-footed 15 (+2 Dex, +5 natural, +1 dodge)
hp 19 (3d10+3)
Fort +2, Ref +5, Will +4

Offense
Spd 40 ft. (8 squares)
Melee 2 claws +5 (1d4+2) and stinger +5 (1d3+2 plus disease)
Space 5 ft; Reach 5 ft.
Attack Options: implant, pounce
Special Actions

Statistics
Str 15, Dex 14, Con 13, Int 7, Wis 12, Cha 6
Base Atk +3; CMB +5; CMD 19
Feats Ability Focus (Implant), Dodge
Skills Acrobatics +7, Climb +7
Language Locari

SPECIAL ABILITIES
Disease (Ex): Locarexis: Sting-injury; save Fort DC 12; onset 1d4 days, during incubation, the locari eggs can be removed with a Heal check (DC 30) or a heal spell; frequency 1/day; effect 1d4 Con damage; cure 2 consecutive saves. The save is Constitution-based.

Pounce (Ex): A locari can make a full attack at the end of a charge.

Combat
Created for the battlefield, locari make unsurprisingly fearless and formidable combatants. Since they have little or no instinct for individual survival, they happily throw themselves en masse against even the most stalwart Defense, hoping to overwhelm more skilled foes with numbers and ferocity.

The initial frenzied assault of a locari band is bad enough; far worse is the aftermath. Anyone stung by a locari risks becoming a host to its offspring, and the creatures willingly throw their lives away if they can sting a foe. Often, the implanted egg goes undetected until it is too late for medics or clerics to remove.

Locari seem to lack the intelligence and initiative to employ more complicated tactics, yet they have occasionally been known to employ them; like many aspects of these enigmatic terrors, the source of their occasional tactical expertise lies outside the knowledge of the wisest sages.

Talk to you later…

[LPJ Design] Two Dozen Dangers: Curses for The Pathfinder Roleplaying Game Released

Louis Porter Jr. Design has released its all new product for use with The Pathfinder Roleplaying Game called Two Dozen Dangers: Curses at RPGNow.com and DriveThruRPG.com.  Here is information on this product:

Curses are vengeance itself, a cruel and ironic punishment placed by an especially clever and cruel adversary. Curses rarely kill, unlike poisons. Killing would be too easy, too quick, and would not give the curse’s victim a chance to truly appreciate their fate…. And the cleverness of whatever nemesis engineered it. These two dozen new curses represent 24 new ways to introduce terror into your Pathfinder Roleplaying Game home campaign. Written by Chris Field.  Available at RPGNow.com here!!!


Pathfinder and associated marks and logos are trademarks of Paizo Publishing, LLC, and are used under license. 

Tuesday, September 7, 2010

Making the Scythian cool with bone razors...

I have a basic idea of what the history of the the Scythians are, but the biggest issue for me so far is creating their bone like blades.  So this is what I came up with:

Bone Razor (Ex): A Scythian can learn to create and manipulate their bones to create a sharp bladed object that can be used as a weapon. A Bone Razor is created from any bone spurt that might be covering the body of a Scythian. A bone razor once drawn is not attached or connected to the Scythian’s body. A Bone Razor can be used by others other than the Scythian that created it but it is considered simple weapon. A bone razor causes 1d4 points of piercing or slashing damage, plus any applicable modifiers. The critical threat modifier and critical multiplier for this weapon is that of a dagger (19-20/x2). A bone razor is considered to be a dagger and gains all advantages provided by feats affecting a dagger such as Weapon Focus (dagger) or Weapon Finesse. Abilities, spells, feats, and items that affect natural weapons affect a bone razor. A bone razor can be disarmed and sundered with a hardness of 10 and hit points of 2. A Scythian may keep the bone razor for a maximum number of rounds equaling to 5 + his class level. Once this time has elapsed, the bone razor will deteriorate to dust or may be merged back into the Scythian’s body that created it. Producing a bone razor is a free action, but a Scythian may only produce one each round. If attacked by their own bone razor the Scythian suffers no damage an the bone razor naturally merges back into their body.

Those is a rough draft of course, but the basics of the mechanic is based off of a mechanic we created for the P'Tan and have modified them to work for the Scythians.  Not so powerful, but interesting enough.  So tell us what you think or better yet tell us what we have done wrong. I can't wait to see the artwork.

Monday, September 6, 2010

Finally A map of Exodus for NeoExodus: A House Divided

For the last three years I have had ONE major piece of regret with NeoExodus: A House Divided, the lack of a world map.  Michael of Acacia Games is the cartographer for this project. While this is just a rough first draft map, you can at least tie in the areas we speak about in the NeoExodus: A House Divided Campaign Setting.  More to come late but enjoy this for now.  Talk to you later...

The Walking Dead Teaser


I don't know about you, but I am already afraid. I can't wait to see this. Talk to you later...

Sunday, September 5, 2010

A new race of the First Ones...who the First Ones attempted to exterminate but failed...

When I came with with the idea of doing a new race called the Scythians,  I didn't know what they actually going to look like and what would make them different as a race.  I knew they would fit into my all new and revamped Pathfinder created NeoExodus: A House Divided. I knew I wanted they to be a member of the First Ones but I want to make them "outsiders" to the First Ones.  And the best way to do that is to make the First One  think that the Scythians were weak and could not survive in the Twilight War with the new races.  So the rest of the First Ones did everything they could to to destroy them and exterminate them.  While most of the Scythians were killed, many did survive and escaped the First Ones attempt of genocide and hid themselves in Exodus.  From there, it gave the Scythian the motivation to hate BOTH the First Ones and the new races.  With their background created, I focused on what element to make them interesting as villainous NPCs for the setting.

It too time, but I finally came up with what the unique quality of the Scythians.  I was looking over things for inspiration for this race and I came over then mutant X-Men with the codename of Marrow.  Her power of bone manipulation had an interesting appeal to me so I added it to my Scythian race creation.  While I liked the ability, I didn't think she had the right visual look I wanted.  I remembered  the image of a Green Lantern named Turytt that had the look I wanted and with that, the visual inspiration of the Scythians was complete.  I will of course make some changes, but you can understand where the inspiration is coming from.

Don't expect to see the Scythians for a little while, most likely during Insurrection: The Rise of the Phoenix Guard NeoExodus: A House Divided adventure path.  But who knows.  All you need to know is, when they do it will be big. Talk to you later...

Saturday, September 4, 2010

The introduction to Obsidian Twilight - A Place Beyond Hell

There was nothing in the blackglass desert for leagues in every direction. Nothing grew there, nothing lived there. It was an endless expanse of ground glass, extending to every point of the compass, whipped up into storms that would scour the flesh from your bones in moments and tear you to ragged shreds.

The maggot-kin has been wandering this inhospitable place for weeks now, drinking their own piss to survive, but there was precious little to eat. So bad was it that falling into the company of a wandering band of glass-cut ghouls earlier that evening had been a blessing, rather than a curse. Now, for the first time in weeks, the maggot-kin had blood to drink, flesh to chew and bones to burn.

“Tell us, Blowfly.” They asked, in the flickering light of the burning bones. “Tell us of the H'Laqu.” Grown bold by their brushes with death and the remote, emptiness of the desert.

“You shouldn't talk of such things.” Grunted Blowfly, stripping the rotten flesh from a ghoul's finger with his filed down teeth, throwing back his hood to let them see his beady red eyes, how serious he was.

“Our luck won't hold Blowfly, we know you know about them. If we're all going to die anyway, what's the harm in telling us?”

“You won't know the harm until I tell you about them.” Muttered Blowfly, chewing on the stripped meat and sucking the rancid marrow from the bones. “Then it'll be too late, but I see I'll get no peace otherwise.” He sighed and tossed the bone onto the fire with the others to burn.

“They weren't here... before.” He grunted, nobody needed to ask what he meant by that. “They came with it, were never seen before it. They're not like anything else. They're not evil, not exactly. You know where you are with evil. Evil is relatable, there's a bit of evil in all of us and we know how it thinks, what it likes, what it's trying to do.”

He sighed again and poked their meagre, green-tinged fire with a shin bone. “The H'Laqu are different... indifferent. They just don't care about us, at all, they don't wish us harm, they don't wish us good. We're an asset or we're in the way and little – if anything – in between. They're not dark to light, they're not evil to good, they're not like anything you can think of. They corrupt, they twist, they use, they subvert.”

He paused a moment and leaned forward towards his gang of compatriots, emphasising his final point.

“They're just WRONG.”

The H'Laqu
The H'Laqu were not present on Abaddon until the disaster happened. They came with it, were the progenitors of it, were part of the meteor itself. They were – and are – the engineers of Abaddon's destruction. Now they're found, increasingly, all over the world. Insinuating themselves into air, stone, flesh and plants, subverting and spreading, wandering far and wide and engaging in strange and unnatural behaviours that nobody can understand. They're not of this world, not of this dimension, not of this reality in any way. Inscrutable, inimical to the very existence of this world, perhaps even insane, the H'Laqu are a growing presence, a growing influence and a growing concern to all the forces at work across Abaddon. A threat that can't be understood, controlled or even directed, beyond the schemes and plans of man and undead alike.

What are the H'Laqu?
The planes are all but cut off from the material realm of Abaddon now. Holes can open in the dimensions and allow things to fall through to Abaddon and get stuck there, but it's impossible for anyone to leave Abaddon's material dimension in any way. Even these other planes share common qualities with the material plane though, perhaps gravity, perhaps the flow of time. Essentially any person travelling from one of these planes to another can relate to it in some way. Those worlds are graspable, comprehensible, understandable.

The H'Laqu are not.

The H'Laqu defy normal defintion. They are one and many, bodiless and yet they inhabit the physical. They are everywhere and nowhere at once. They don't come from an alternate plane of existence but from the very membrane between the worlds itself, the gap between the spheres. Relentless, uncaring and utterly alien the H'Laqu regard the inhabitants of Abaddon as largely being beneath their notice, they have fashioned this disaster, this world as their experiment and they begin to infest and change it, more like a virus than anything that anyone has ever fought before, but it is reality that they infect.

Where do the H'Laqu Come From?
Between realities, between the planes and the material realities there are gaps, spaces, a thin membrane that divides one reality from another. Sometimes this opens up into larger gaps, but it still isn't a reality but rather a space of potentiality, emptiness, non-existence.

The H'Laqu come from this space between the worlds, whether they originate there or not is lost in the depths of time but these spaces had become their home – and their prison. They had been confined to one small portion of this 'gap' between realities, imprisoned, crystallised within this tiny space, reduced from infinite possibility to none. Time goes on forever though, things change, even in the vastness of the multiverse and the H'Laqu had beat against the walls of their prison so very long, observing the movement of the spheres, waiting for the moment that they could tear free a section of their prison and send it hurtling into a reality, sending some of their number through to pave the way for the rest, to find a way to free their brothers and to understand the material universe.

What do the H'Laqu Want?
The H'Laqu want nothing more than to be free but their very nature is separate from reality, distinct from it. They do not understand living or unliving beings. They do not understand the material multiverse and they need to understand it, to adapt to it and to enter it. They have laid waste to Abaddon in order to establish a beachhead, a research station to understand the material universe and to entrap samples from the broader multiverse.

Friday, September 3, 2010

The $6 to $8 PDF cashflow sweet spot

When talking about money, most people don’t talk about that sweet spot where you can make the most money possible while at the same time making the product the most reasonable for those you would like to purchase. I have noticed that spot to be $6 to $8. Dependant on your RPGNow percentage, you could receive between $4.20 to $5.60 for each product sold. While not a lot of money in a one off situation, you have 50 products at the average amount and each one sells 2 each that is $420 to $560 just off those sales. That is just TWO a month. A $6 to $8 ranged product should have between 32 to 54 pages in length (roughly 16K to 27K words). If you hire a writer to do this at 2 cents a word it would cost you $320 to $540 all you need to sell is between 77 to 97 copies to break even (Buy some stock art for $10 bucks for find free old images and use them to save money). If you want to save that money do the writing yourself. Better yet after to do this as a PDF you repackage this as a POD book thru Lulu.com and you can make any more money. While I am a HUGE fan of small PDFs, I know if you want to really start making the level of money which changes you from a non-name tiny PDF publisher no one has ever heard of to a well known PDF publisher who can hire people this is something you have to deal with. Cashflow is the life blood of you business. Always protect it and maximize it. Talk to you later.

You need to "Like" us on Facebook because you are missing all this...


Did you know there is TONS of artwork and stuff available to see and examine on all the cool projects that we are working on over at our Louis Porter Jr. Design Facebook Fan page.  There is A LOT of cool stuff over there.  If you are coming to the blog and not a friend of the Louis Porter Jr. Design Facebook Fan page than you are only seeing only half of the goodness that LPJ Design has in store for you.  How about this, if  the LPJ Design Fan Page gets 200 Facebook fans by September 15, 2010 I will give you something cool to look at or put something on sale for an incredible low price.  How does that sound?  SO go check us out and see what you have been missing.  Talk to you later...

Dead Rising 2: Case Zero Down Loadable Content Trailer


God I love zombies!!! Enjoy!!!

Thursday, September 2, 2010

Building a new race for Obsidian Twilight - What do you think about it...

I just got a email from a new writer (no, not Writer X) who is woking on a new race to be used for Obsidian Twilight in the upcoming A Place Beyond Hell. We are still working out the game mechanics and wanted to get your opinion on it. Here you go:


Okay, here are the mechanics I have so far:

Necromantic Energy Construct: XXXXX are a very unusual energy construct that is designed to imitate normal life. This gives them some very unique qualities:

  • Low-light vision.
  • Negative Energy (such as an Inflict spell) can heal a XXXXX. However, spells that would normally heal through the use of Positive Energy (such as a Cure spell) deal damage to a XXXXX.
  • Unlike normal constructs, XXXXX can heal damage on its own
  • XXXXX have a Constitution score.
  • XXXXX do make Fortitude saves.
  • XXXXX are subject to ability damage, ability drain, fatigue, exhaustion and energy drain.
  • XXXXX do not breathe or eat, but they do enter a cycle of necromantic “sleep”. Their sleep cycle helps the XXXXX keep their form.
  • XXXXX can be raised or resurrected.
+2 to One Mental Ability Score: XXXXX characters get a +2 bonus to their choice of Intelligence, Wisdom, or Charisma at creation to represent their highly educated background.

Medium: XXXXX are Medium creatures and have no bonuses or penalties due to their size.

Normal Speed: XXXXX's have a base speed is 30 feet.

Necromantic Phasing: For a number of rounds per day equal to your character level plus the modifier of your chosen mental ability, you can melt into pure Negative Energy, becoming slightly incorporeal. Entering or exiting this state is a free action. Necromantic Phasing has several effects, as follows:

  • You only take 1/4 (25%) damage from non-magical weapons. However, you take full damage from all magical weapons, spells, and spell-like abilities.
  • You can enter or pass through solid objects, but must remain adjacent to the object’s exterior, and so cannot pass entirely through an object whose space is larger than your own. You can sense the presence of creatures or objects within a square adjacent to your current location, but enemies have total concealment (50% miss chance) from you. In order to see beyond the object you are in and attack normally, you must emerge. You have total cover while inside an object, but when you attack a creature outside the object you only have cover, so a creature outside with a readied action could strike at you as you attack. You cannot pass through a force effect.
  • If you hit with a touch attack or unarmed strike, you deal one point of Negative Energy damage. The damage from this ability cannot be used to heal yourself or any other XXXXX.
  • Your insubstantial feet and equipment make less noise as you move around. Anyone trying to use a Perception check to hear you takes a -2 penalty.
  • While phased out, you can take a +2 bonus on any Knowledge check. This represents you using the knowledge of the inhabitants of the planar crack to supplement your own. A Knowledge check taken with this bonus requires a full round action.
Languages: XXXXX begin play speaking Common and Draconic. XXXXX with high Intelligence scores can choose from the following: Abyssal, Aquan, Auran, Celestial, Ignan, Infernal, Sylvan, Terran.

I moved the blink functionality from your initial notes into a feat. However, since they don't actually go between the Material and Etherial Planes, the random chance mechanic doesn't really make sense. I was thinking we could replace it with a Will save that increases as they travel through more spaces. As a rough outline:

While phasing, you can step through (but not see through) solid objects. To pass through the first 5 feet, you must pass a DC 16 Will save. For every 5 feet you pass through, the Will save DC increases by 2. If you fail any save, you are shunted off to the nearest open space and take 1d6 points of damage per 5 feet so traveled.
Another major thing I changed was how you activate the Necromantic Phasing. I changed it from a times per day system to something akin to the new Barbarian rage system. I like the rounds per day a lot more. It allows you to be much more flexible and tactical with your power.

So what do you think of this? Let us know!