The Last Time This Year I Talk About Chronicles of Darkness! [Monday Meeting Notes]

Monday Meeting, News

On Dec 12th, we announced that we were changing the nWoD brand title to Chronicles of Darkness. Which was not really that long ago, when you think about it.

I (and the rest of the Onyx Path crew) have talked a fair bit about this change, from the initial announcement through to an AMA we did, and in this Monday Meeting Notes blog: http://theonyxpath.com/cofd-c20-and-you-and-me-monday-meeting-blog/

Mostly we’ve explained the reasoning and how this change in title won’t affect the game lines everybody loves.

So today I’m going to talk a little bit about just what we mean by the title Chronicles of Darkness.

At heart, WW games have used the word Chronicle like other games use campaign; to denote a series of play sessions that together represent an ongoing setting. Some people’s Vampire: the Masquerade Chronicles have been running for almost 25 years, other folks play through one Chronicle and move right into another.

My point being, that when we came up with Chronicles of Darkness as an umbrella title we were thinking of all the Chronicles out there after over a decade of everyone playing and how they are all part of Chronicles of Darkness. A vast tapestry that weaves together all your stories about all the vampires and werewolves and mummies and other horrible creatures we all have so much fun with.

Using Chronicles also allows us to thematically tie into the featured Chronicles of each of the 2nd Editions of the game lines, like The God-Machine Chronicle for the CofD core book, and The Strix Chronicle for Vampire: the Requiem, and The Idigam Chronicle for Werewolf: the Forsaken. With more to come.

These are example Chronicles featured within the core books of the game lines that are designed to provide players with a default storyline should they choose or need to use it. Sometimes it is just easier to grok the rules and setting if you have an example there of how those things can be combined.

So a little background on the thinking behind that, and it’s a little long, so I understand if you skip to the Blurbs! below:

When nWoD first came out, we at the original White Wolf were trying to push the game lines into being more about the game; we encouraged players to use the rules and setting more as a toolbox to tell the players’ stories and not our stories. We thought, at the time at least, that this sandbox model would enable players to scale new heights of storytelling splendor.

And for some folks that total openness has worked that way. Which is awesome and very gratifying.

But for others, for a variety of reasons including time constraints, interests in creation tending more towards setting or rules but not both, and the enjoyment of having one backdrop of a story that they can all be a part of, getting into nWoD was a chore.

The thinking was that we’d include the a Chronicle section in each of the 2nd Editions we so very clearly needed to be creating after over 8 years, at the time, of discovering what worked and what didn’t about nWoD. When it came time to pitch our yearly slate of projects to CCP, who at the time owned all the WW properties and was in the process of trying to create the WoDMMO, I included the 2nd Editions.

They rejected them. Or I should say, they rejected the idea of the 2nd Editions at that time, but really liked the Chronicles idea. They preferred that we do 2nd Editions later, but we at Onyx Path felt that time was of the essence and that there were already enough people out there convinced that “White Wolf was dead”.

Therefore, I decided that we’d create a “Chronicle Book” for each line, and pack it with the rules changes we wanted to do for the 2nd Editions. That idea, CCP had no problems with. This was not the ideal situation, but it satisfied our license holder while allowing us to present the upgrade to the games and the default Chronicles I felt we needed to revitalize the nWoD games.

In the course of us launching the Chronicles Books, CCP cancelled the WoDMMO and told us that we could now call them 2nd Editions, which we all knew would reach more people because every tabletop RPG gamer intrinsically understands what a 2nd Edition is. It’s in our bones, our cultural knowledge. For folks who read this blog back then, or our social media, we had been in the process of steadily educating them about just what a Chronicle Book was. But if you hadn’t been following us, what the hell was a Chronicle Book?

So we started the changes to retitle the books as 2nd Editions.

And then Paradox Interactive bought all the White Wolf properties, including the name, from CCP.

Within a month we started discussing another change, to Chronicles of Darkness, and we were ready for the Dec 12th announcement.

A couple of years of us trading titles, but we’re done now, a good decision was made, and once we get Chronicles of Darkness in place everywhere, most of the branding confusion will be past. Hopefully, this blog also will alleviate confusion as to just what we mean by the Chronicles part of the title too, and folks can look forward to a new year full of 2nd Editions with anticipation and not dread and fear.

One more thing about Chronicles of Darkness! Thanks so much to everyone who contributed to the 12 Days of Onyx Condition Cards Contest! Your responses were amazing in both quality and quantity. Congrats to the writers of the 12 winning cards, and anyone can download the PDF version here: http://www.drivethrurpg.com/product/169493?affiliate_id=13&src=TheOnyxPath

Talk to you all next year!

BLURBS!

Starting today, check out the Mage: the Ascension 2nd Edition Bundle of Holding! One week left to get classic 2nd Edition Mage PDFs but you want to jump in there soon before the prices rise as more legendary titles are added to the Bundle! https://bundleofholding.com/presents/MageAscension A percentage of all sales goes to a very worthy charity to start the New Year!

KICKSTARTER!

The Changeling: the Dreaming 20th Anniversary Deluxe Edition Kickstarter has 2 WEEKS to go! We’ve added sections on How To Create Your Own Kith, two more bookmarks, and Kith from two international CtD books to the Main book! We’ve unlocked a new Reward Tier that will offer signed prints by Tony DiTerlizzi and a special Sound Board of C20 sounds and music! A C20 fiction anthology, and a How To Manage Your Freehold PDF, and more – we’re just getting started! Next up: C20 Deluxe Dice!

ON SALE!

V20 Lore of the Clans in PDF and PoD versions now on sale at DTRPG! Red (blood) and green (marble) for the holidays!

M20 How Do You DO That? is coming to DTRPG in PDF and PoD versions this week!

Mage: the Ascension 20th Anniversary Edition PDF & Standard and Premium PoD physical book editions are NOW AVAILABLE on DTRPG! http://www.drivethrurpg.com/product/149562/Mage-the-Ascension-20th-Anniversary-Edition

The Pugmire Pamphlet we had available at Gen Con is now ready for PDF download. Read about the world of Pugmire from the enthusiastic and optimistic pen of Princess Yosha Pug, as well as notes from the gruff and worldly hunter Pan Daschund: http://www.drivethrurpg.com/product/153518/Pugmire-Gen-Con-Brochure

There are also six Pugmire posters available as free PDFs or $.99 physical posters, suitable for framing:

Spike Mutt: http://www.drivethrurpg.com/product/150845/Spike-Mutt-Pugmire-Poster-6

Pan Dachshund: http://www.drivethrurpg.com/product/150844/Pan-Dachshund-Pugmire-Poster-5

Jack Rat-Terrier: http://www.drivethrurpg.com/product/150944/Jack-RatTerrier-Pugmire-Poster-4

Sgt. Leo Bulldog: http://www.drivethrurpg.com/product/150843/Sgt-Leo-Bulldog-Pugmire-Poster-3

Princess Yosha Pug: http://www.drivethrurpg.com/product/149750/Princess-Yosha-Pug-Pugmire-Poster-2

Sister Picassa Collie: http://www.drivethrurpg.com/product/148516/Sister-Picassa-Collie-Pugmire-Poster-1

Start spreading the Code of Man!

CONVENTIONS!

2 WEEKS TO GO! We’re one of the Contributing Sponsors at Midwinter Con this year this January in Milwaukee! RichT, Fast Eddy Webb, and Newlywed Neall Raemonn Price will be there at our booth as well as running demo games of Scion and Pugmire. Right now we are planning panels for What’s Up With Onyx Path?, WoD 20th Anniversary Games and a Pugmire/Scion/StoryPath System one. In the meantime, check out the show here: http://www.midwintergamingconvention.com/

And now, the new project status updates!

DEVELOPMENT STATUS FROM ROLLICKING ROSE (projects in bold have changed status since last week):

First Draft (The first phase of a project that is about the work being done by writers, not dev prep)

M20 Book of Secrets (Mage: the Ascension 20th Anniversary Edition)

Exalted 3rd Novel by Matt Forbeck (Exalted 3rd Edition)

CtL anthology (Changeling: the Lost 2nd Edition)

Night Horrors: Conquering Heroes (Beast: the Primordial)

Scion: Alpha (Scion 2nd Edition Playtest Alpha Slice)

Dagger of Spiragos (Scarred Lands)

EX3 Quickstart (Exalted 3rd Edition)

Shattered Dreams in-book stretch goals (Werewolf: the Apocalypse 20th Anniversary Edition)

Ring of Spiragos (Scarred Lands)

Ex Backer Charms (Exalted 3rd Edition)

DA Tome of Secrets (Vampire 20th Dark Ages)

Redlines

Mummy Fiction Anthology (Mummy: the Curse)

Wraith: the Oblivion 20th Anniversary Edition

Changeling: the Lost 2nd Edition, featuring the Huntsmen Chronicle (Changeling: the Lost 2nd Edition)

V20 Ready Made Characters (Vampire: the Masquerade 20th Anniversary Edition)

Cavaliers of Mars

Signs of Sorcery (Mage: the Awakening Second Edition)

Changeling: the Dreaming 20th Anniversary Edition

Second Draft

Arms of the Chosen (Exalted 3rd Edition)

The Realm (Exalted 3rd Edition)

Dragon-Blooded (Exalted 3rd Edition)

WtF The Pack (Werewolf: the Forsaken 2nd Edition)

Beckett’s Jyhad Diary (Vampire: the Masquerade 20th Anniversary Edition)

WtA Kinfolk (Werewolf: the Apocalypse 20th Anniversary Edition)

Development

StoryPath System Rules (Base rules set for Scion and the Trinity Continuum)

W20 Changing Ways (Werewolf: the Apocalypse 20th Anniversary Edition)

CofD Hurt Locker (Chronicles of Darkness)

VtM Lore of the Bloodlines (Vampire: the Masquerade 20th Anniversary Edition)

W20 Shattered Dreams (Werewolf: the Apocalypse 20th Anniversary Edition)

Beast Ready Made Characters (Beast: the Primordial)

Editing W20 Pentex Employee Indoctrination Handbook (Werewolf: the Apocalypse 20th Anniversary Edition)

Dark Eras Expansions (Chronicles of Darkness Dark Eras)

Beast Fiction Anthology (Beast: the Primordial)

Dark Eras Companion (Chronicles of Darkness Dark Eras)

Post-Editing Development:

V20 Ghouls (Vampire: the Masquerade 20th Anniversary Edition)

Secrets of the Covenants (Vampire: The Requiem 2nd Edition)

Scarred Lands Player’s Guide: Ghelspad (Scarred Lands 2nd Edition)

ART DIRECTION FROM MIRTHFUL MIKE:

In Art Direction

V20 Ghouls – Awaiting text.

– Awaiting text. W20 Shattered Dreams – Awaiting artnotes for Ch. 5.

– Awaiting artnotes for Ch. 5. Promethean: the Created Second – Pinging Ron to see where the splats are…



– Pinging Ron to see where the splats are… Scarred Lands PG – finals rolling in.

– finals rolling in. Dark Eras – Artnotes mailed out to artists. Art is working.

Dark Eras Companion – Still sorting through that buy.

Still sorting through that buy. The Pack – Contracting.

In Layout

Guide to the Black Hand – Working on it.

– Working on it. Chronicles of Darkness Condition Cards – After the errata pass is done on CofD core.

After the errata pass is done on CofD core. Beast Screen – Awaiting feedback but almost done.

Awaiting feedback but almost done. Mage: the Awakening Second – Once updated text is in, this will move into the layout queue.

Proofing



Beast: The Primordial – At Paradox for Approval.

– At Paradox for Approval. Demon STG – At Paradox for Approval.

At Paradox for Approval. Ex 3 core book – From RichT: Still reviewing Dev notes and adding my own art/design/backer names notes to the proofing PDF. Art corrections finishing up.

– From RichT: Still reviewing Dev notes and adding my own art/design/backer names notes to the proofing PDF. Art corrections finishing up. Dreams of Avarice – At Paradox for approval.

– At Paradox for approval. Truth Beyond Paradox – Proofing with Phil.

Proofing with Phil. Pugmire Early Access – Eddy is proofing the first round of the interior.

At Press

M20 – Deluxes printing (Screen is finished and awaiting book).

– Deluxes printing (Screen is finished and awaiting book). M20 How Do You Do That ?!? – Hopefully available this week.

– Hopefully available this week. Chronicles of Darkness – Available in PDF format and should be entering in errata in the next week or so.

Available in PDF format and should be entering in errata in the next week or so. Ex 3 Anthology – PoD files uploaded. PDF and Epub files updated.

Special- projects on hold in the art and production area until an external factor is resolved

Wraith 20 – Can’t go further until art notes come in, still being developed by Rich Dansky.

Can’t go further until art notes come in, still being developed by Rich Dansky. Pentex Employee Indoctrination Manual – Some added and amended text needs to come in.