Backerkit survey incoming, Preorder store, and development discord
about 1 year ago – Sun, Mar 19, 2023 at 05:07:57 AM

It's been a busy month, and I'm happy to report things are moving along well for the Cloud Empress project. Let's take a look at the project roadmap.

 Project progress map 

We started the rulebook's development editing in March. Two of the pamphlet adventures and the setting book start development editing this week. Development editing is the first step in the editing process where my (fabulous) editor Roz reviews the books/pamphlets looking at the overall content, organization, and tone. I'll be putting the rulebook and setting book through two rounds of development editing. Between these two development edit passes, I'm excited to announce Christian Sorrell (Meatcastle) will be putting the Cloud Empress rules through their paces, testing out edge cases, clarifying confusing wording, and oiling the Cloud Empress engine. Simultaneously Monroe Soto will provide a sensitivity reading of the material.

Backerkit Survey incoming

Expect an email from Backerkit confirming your order in the next two weeks. This survey helps me finalize the production numbers for the print run and is an opportunity to upgrade your pledge. You will have until mid-May 2023 to change or upgrade your order. I'll send a second Backerkit survey in May to charge for shipping.

Preorder Store Live

Know someone who missed the Cloud Empress Kickstarter? The Cloud Empress Backerkit preorder store is now live! Like backer copies, shipping for preorders will be charged closer to project fulfillment in May.

Preorder Cloud Empress Here

Cloud Empress Development Discord Server

As requested in the Kickstarter campaign, I've created a Cloud Empress Development Discord Server. Over the next month, I'm soliciting feedback on rules questions and session notes. To join the Cloud Empress Development Discord server email me at [email protected].

Plain text mess edition

I am passionate about making Cloud Empress a game that gets played at your tables. After hearing an interest for the full Cloud Empress rules, I have released a "plain text mess" version of the Cloud Empress rulebook. This is a document with all of the current rules in a pre-dev edit form. There are several significant revisions planned. If you have an upcoming Cloud Empress game, you can grab a copy of the plain text mess over at the Cloud Empress Newsletter. So that's March's update! Questions? Comments? Please leave them below!

The Cloud Empress launch is a smash success!
about 1 year ago – Thu, Feb 09, 2023 at 01:40:06 PM

Thank you!

Cloud Empress is a game about shared dreams. Today, over 2000 backers have supported Cloud Empress, the expansive Nausicaa inspired science fantasy setting for the Mothership RPG. In my biggest dreams I could not think so many people would pledge to create this game. I'm blown away by the kind words, support, and interest you have shared throughout the campaign. Over the next week I'll be thanking folks individually who have contributed to the project's success. To everyone who backed, thank you again, ang get ready for a great game!  

Bonus 2 mil thick containment bag

The most requested stretch goal by backers was something to hold all your Cloud Empress stuff together. I'm happy to announce that I have been able to source a compostable ziplock bag that *should* be able to hold all the Cloud Empress content, and it will be included in every pledge. It's not fancy, but this 2-mil thick ziplock bag will make shipping Cloud Empress a lot safer and keep all your goodies in one place.  It was essential to me that whatever I sourced was as eco-friendly as possible. I've still got testing to do, but I'm excited to report more in the next month or two.

What comes next?

• Over the next two weeks Kickstarter will finalize your payments. Please confirm that your payment went through as it is common for old credit cards to be left as default for Kickstarter pledges. Make sure to update your payment method as soon as possible if you card was declined.
• WIP plain text rulebook release. In the next three weeks I will share an updated plain text version of the rulebook so you can dig in and start playing. 
• Monthly updates. You'll receive a monthly progress report and the occasional time relevant update as needed. 
• Backerkit pledge manager opens. After the payments are finalized, you will have access to the Backerkit pledge manager, which allows you to confirm your order. Shipping will be charged near project completion.

So that's it for now, thanks again for the amazing experience so far and your overwhelming support! 

Final hours, fourth player aid, Cloud Empress creator fund, publisher interview, and Terminus
about 1 year ago – Wed, Feb 08, 2023 at 06:59:29 AM

Final Hours!

Just like that, we unlocked two more stretch goals! Thanks to everyone who commented on the last update, because of your input I will be moving forward with sew-on patches.  I am personally excited about sew-on patches because it's one less chemical used in the production and one less risk in a hot delivery truck!

We now have completed our set of players' aids. One or two players can now use what started as a rules reference for the table. 

I'm thrilled with everything we've unlocked. This is going to be a great product. 

I have two final stretch goals that are something special! 

Cloud Empress Creator Fund Unlocked

Inspired by the Wanderhome Kickstarter campaign, I will be creating a 2023 Cloud Empress Creator's fund. At 90K, I'll put aside $1,000 in total to help fund cool third-party Cloud Empress projects. The Cloud Empress Creator Fund money can be used by creators to commission artwork, print physical copies, pay for editing, or compensate their time. The Creator Fund will jumpstart amazing Cloud Empress third-party content and support the selected indie ttrpg creators. I'll create an accessible process for pitching projects in the next few months. 

 (Note: The Cloud Empress Creator's Fund Fund is not a charity, and does not conflict with Kickstarter's rules.)

Worlds by watt publisher interview

One of the jumps I've made over the last two years is becoming a publisher. With Cloud Empress, I'm not only publishing my own work, but also the adventures of five amazing authors/designers. 

Todd at Third Kingdom Games interviewed me about Worlds by watt. Below is a quick excerpt, and you can read the full interview here, where we talk about my writing themes, what it means to write politically, and Cloud Empress' actual plays. 

"What we choose to create, what stories we choose to tell, and who we center these stories on also say a lot about us.  I am a reflection of the moment I live in, and the world is constantly changing...

Cloud Empress is an expression of some foundational questions I have about humanity in our environment. I’m torn between the feeling that human beings may not have brains and social networks capable of addressing the rapid changes in weather patterns, natural disasters, food scarcity, and reduced natural resources. At the same time, it’s clear to me that there are significant political, economic, and social forces constantly reinforcing my beliefs that things can't change.

My favorite science fiction and fantasy works fundamentally examine different ways of being – author Ursula LeGuin is a genius in this regard. Some of my least favorite sci-fi/fantasy works uncritically transport all the social mores of the period they were created into the future. When I’m writing Cloud Empress I try to hold the phrase, ‘No easy answers.’ No one likes to be told what to think. Artwork, including tabletop roleplaying games, can create spaces for important questions to be explored, and for our answers to these questions to develop organically through play."

Terminus: A Tarot-Powered Ritual RPG

Finally, I'd like to share another neat tabletop roleplaying game project in Zine Month.  "Terminus is a tarot-powered, ritual role-playing game for one or two players. Originally created for a 1-page rpg jam, Terminus takes the journaling rpg experience away from the kitchen table and into the wild. Take it with you on walks through your favorite places, make observations, then find a comfortable place to sit, draw a few cards, and tell a story of magic and memory.  Terminus relies on the story-prompting potential of an illustrated tarot deck, allowing for an incredible variety of play experiences: Bring the same deck to different places, or different decks to a familiar place and discover what stories you, a liminal space, and the tarot can tell together."

Terminus has some rad artwork and writing and is created by some of my faves Jonathan Boyle and Bri de Danann (who also streamed Cloud Empress with me a few weeks ago!).

Take a look at Terminus on Kickstarter now!

Last Discussion Question: What are you most looking forward to about Cloud Empress?

As we draw close to the finish line, what are you most looking forward to about Cloud Empress?

Second players' aid, Cloud Empress newsletter, The Electrum Archive Issue 2, iron or sew on patches?
about 1 year ago – Mon, Feb 06, 2023 at 07:15:28 AM

Second players' aid unlocked

Congrats to everyone for another strong weekend, we're well on our way to 75K with about three and a half days left in the campaign! 

At 70K we unlocked another print players' aid postcard. My hope is we can unlock a full playset! 

At 75K we'll add a third players' aid!

Sign up for the Cloud Empress newsletter

Tomorrow I'll be sending out the free February Cloud Empress newsletter. Once a month, I share new Cloud Empress content, share news, and interview another tabletop roleplaying game designer.  Tomorrow's interview is with Karl Druid, the designer of one of my favorite new ttrpg's Frontier Scum!

Sign up at worldsbywatt.substack.com

Project you might like

Zine Month/Zine Quest is here! If you're not familiar, February is a celebration of exciting indie tabletop roleplaying games with dozens of projects supporting one another's crowdfunding campaigns. With so many cool projects this month, I wanted to highlight a few more you should check out.

The Electrum Archive Issue 2

Emiel Boven is back with the second volume of The Electrum Archive Volume 2. I found out about Electrum Archive in August of 2022 when Volume 1 was released. Both Cloud Empress and Electrum Archive have unique takes on Dune's spice. The Electrum Archive - Issue 02 is the second zine in a tabletop RPG zine series exploring the science-fantasy setting of Orn, a world where adventurers delve into ancient alien shipwrecks in search of magical ink which is used as both currency and spellcasting fuel. Issues 1 and 2 seem very adaptable to the world of Cloud Empress (and vice versa)!

Mothership projects incoming!

•  Hoss - Hoss liberated his planet from its corporate overlord years ago, but at what cost? What will he do to keep the power he's gained?
•  Warped Beyond Recognition - A Mothership RPG module from QUADRA. Explore a spaceship, hunt down psychics, learn the secrets of their powers, descend into madness.
•  Sins of Eden Prime - Survive the bio-mechanical sins of a fallen religious colony in this gothic sci-fi horror sandbox. Designed for Mothership RPG.

Discussion question: sew or iron on patches?

My question for today is about the Cloud Empress patches. Would you prefer the Cloud Empress patches be sew on or iron on? (Iron patches have an adhesive that activates when heated with an iron, sew on patches have no adhesive back)

Delivered Duty Paid for Select EU Countries, Stretch Goals, The Lost Bay interview, & the Cloud Empress Open License
about 1 year ago – Thu, Feb 02, 2023 at 07:58:59 AM

We had a big day yesterday, I can hardly believe I'm back so soon with another stretch goal update. 

Delivered Duty Paid for Select EU Countries

I have some good news regarding making the EU backer experience a bit better. Peregrine Coast our UK-based fulfillment partner now ships Delivered Duty Paid (DDP) to select EU countries. They are able to offer DDP (Delivered Duty Paid) on both tracked and untracked orders to the following EU countries:

• Germany
• France
• The Republic of Ireland
• Portugal
• The Netherlands
• Cyprus
• Malta
• Austria
   

What is DDP?

"Usually, we deliver items without customs charges or duty paid. The recipient receives notification from the postal service and pays the levied charges and an administration fee. With DDP, we pay any charges on your behalf before the border so your zines are delivered quicker, more reliably, and without the recipient having to take any action." (Peregrine Coast)

Lead artist bonus pay unlocked

At 65K we paid for bonuses for the lead art team Kattapulka (pbbeta and Garin). Kattapulka's artwork plays a vital role in showcasing the world of Cloud of Empress. I started commissioning work from them in the Summer of 2022 before Cloud Empress was even close to fully formed. Each commissioned piece I received stirred my mind and had me thinking about the expansive world of the Hereafter in new ways. I'm excited to give them a bonus because of the Kickstarter's success.

At 70K, we'll add a second Players' Aid to the Cloud Empress bundle!

The Lost Bay interview

As the Cloud Empress press tour continues, I had the amazing opportunity to talk to IKO on the Lost Bay Podcast about Cloud Empress, designing anti-violent games, and my gaming origins.  If you're a previous listener of podcast you know how amazing the show is. If you're new to The Lost Bay, you're in for a treat!

Cloud Empress open license

I've always wanted Cloud Empress to be a shared world of creativity. Sitting down to play a roleplaying game is a shared creative experience after all. Cloud Empress has an open license for creators to make their own games in the same setting. You can read the current Cloud Empress open license here. 

Cloud Empress third-party expansion

In fact, the first "third party" Cloud Empress pamphlets are on Kickstarter right now as part of a Mothership bundle called Cryo-Clones and Bio-Drones. Chris Airiau is one of the earliest Cloud Empress playtesters, and I'm excited to see what Chris has cooked up for Cloud Empress.  You can grab a new Cloud Empress biome "The Unseen City" and an adventure, "Circling Down the Snail's Spire" as part of the Unseen City Bundle.

Take a Look at Bio-Drones and Cryo-Clones on Kickstarter

Discussion Question: If you would write/make one thing for Cloud Empress what would it be?

Given that I shared more about the Cloud Empress open license, let me know what you would write/make for Cloud Empress? (Don't worry, no one will actually force you to make it)