Werewolf? There Wolf! [Monday Meeting Notes]

Monday Meeting, News

That’s right! The big news for us last week, beyond all the national and international doings, was the announcement from the new White Wolf Publishing that they had signed a deal for a Werewolf: the Apocalypse computer game for PC and console!

You can find the press release here: https://www.paradoxinteractive.com/en/white-wolf-partners-with-focus-home-interactive-for-a-video-game-adaptation-of-the-world-of-darkness-storyteller-game-werewolf-the-apocalypse/

We’re absolutely thrilled here at Onyx Path central, both because we can hardly wait to play it, but also because this is the first of the fruits of WWP‘s last year’s worth of effort in getting the World of Darkness licensed out (the way things should have been happening the last ten years).

In a lot of ways, they are playing catch up, but the point is that they’re actually getting contracts signed that gets WoD into different media. This is what they said they’d be doing, and what we said they’d be doing, and it’s just the start.

A brace of points, though, in response to things being brought up after the announcement:

Heart of Gaia was cancelled, what, 15-20 years ago? Let it go, people! Whatever it was going to be then, would look and play like crap now. Let it go… Like I said above, this is just the first of many cool licensed projects utilizing aspects of WoD. To some extent, WWP is limited to the offers and contacts they get, but considering the cult reputation of the earlier WoD games like Bloodlines within the computer game industry, I have no doubt more gamelines will get their projects too. It’s happening, just wait for your fave to be announced! The CCP-owned WoD MMO is dead. Dead and dead. WWP is using some concept art (and why not, those artists had incredible skills) but the code and assets are dated at this point. Maybe a different company will license the right to make an MMO, but the CCP one? Dead. Speaking of which, CCP has nothing to do with the current owners of the White Wolf properties. They can’t ruin it “like they did the MMO”, as they aren’t anyway involved. Similarly, White Wolf can’t drop the ball like they did on game X as the new White Wolf Publishing is a totally different company with different people working in it. Finally, just to clarify, Onyx Path Publishing is a fully independent company that is also licensed by the new White Wolf Publishing, but for us our license is to make tabletop RPGs. We have no connection to WWP besides that, and no connection to any computer game licenses unless the other company reaches out to us for some reason.

Anyway, very exciting times are just starting for WoD fans.

Semi-serious thoughts here. (By which I mean, it’s a serious topic, but let’s not get too intense about it). Had a lot of talks and some eye-opening experiences at MidWinter – most of which I talked about last week.

But, one thing that came up while hanging out with folks like new Vampire: the Requiem 2nd developer Danielle Harper (Congrats Danielle!), was the wide range of experience with and connection to the old White Wolf that folks had. Besides old codgers like myself from WW, there were fans there who had been playing since 1991. There were “medium experience” folks like Rose and Eddy who came aboard after the legendary days, and newbies playing and writing only for the past five years, more or less.

I was often asked to recount a story from back then of the crazy stuff we did one moment, and then was pulled into a huddle because one of our freelancers was having an attack of doubts about their work. Rose and Matt McElroy and I would be in a corner making decisions about how to get some projects rolling faster now, then I’d be talking with a fan who was at GenCon the year our tent-like White Wolf booth fell down on us, and then I’d be walking a freelancer back to their room because they had had way too much to drink.

The juxtaposition over and over again really put into sharp focus not just how ridiculously long I’ve been at this (as did John Wick as we compared our grey beards…dammit John!), but also that as Onyx continues to bring new talented folks into our projects, we’ve got to be aware that some of them have absorbed all those stories, good and bad, true and false. We have an obligation to encourage and empower our new creators, and to be aware that they might have expectations about how things work in “the biz” that were either exaggerated or which are just not possible in these times.

We’re going to work a lot harder to mentor our new creators internally, but as an outward sign of this thinking, I’m changing the venerable “Today’s Reason to Drink” at the end of this blog to “Today’s Reason to Celebrate”. I think that hits what we’ve been trying to say all these years, but while Celebrating includes Drinking, not all Drinking is a Celebration, so this change opens up what we can put there – and in today’s uncertain times in the US and around the world, we need all the celebration (drinking and otherwise) that we can find!

Finally, here’s a few things that people asked me about from MidWinter and this last week:

As you can see from the teaser art this week, we do have art for Changeling 20th coming in and Mirthful Mike just needs approval from WWP and he can get the layout started by handing everything off to one of our most talented and skillful old compadres from the WW Production & Design department, Aileen Miles. Who will be doing the layout and graphic design.

We just sent the text for Wraith 20th over to WWP for approval. More details in the Wr20 backer update coming before the end of the month, but we’ll be looking at starting art notes now.

The Scion 2e BackerKit page is almost ready, just need a few more touches and BK’s OK and out it goes.

You’ll note if you look at The Blurbs! section below that we’re offering two more separated chapters from Chronicles of Darkness: Dark Eras (this time one for Mummy chapter and one for a Mage and Werewolf chapter). No, we don’t have astounding sales figures on the first one, but we expected we’d need a half-dozen out there before we could really decide if folks like the option of just picking up chapters for the game-lines they prefer.

Yes, our Extended Media teams are working diligently behind the scenes to, uh, extend our media.

And with that, I’m outta here!

BLURBS!

KICKSTARTER!

We’re exploring card game Kickstarters, packaging, and components, for Prince’s Gambit. I’m starting the KS pages this week, and our video genius is assembling edits while Justin is picking music. Things look good, and we are all for starting the KS in late January/early Feb so long as the process of pulling the KS together cooperates. If so, then Monarchies of Mau KS would be next, after Gambit.

ON SALE!

Hunter: the Vigil explodes into the Bundle of Holding! Starting today, you can pledge for first edition Hunter: the Vigil PDFs at massive discounts and

Looking for our Deluxe or Prestige Edition books? Here’s the link to the press release we put out about how Onyx Path is now selling through Indie Press Revolution: http://theonyxpath.com/press-release-onyx-path-limited-editions-now-available-through-indie-press-revolution/

We’re preparing wave 2 of our Deluxe and Prestige print overrun books, including Deluxe Mage 20th Anniversary, and Deluxe V20 Dark Ages.

From the massive Chronicles of Darkness: Dark Eras main book, we have pulled this single chapter, Dark Eras: Ruins of Empire (Mummy 1893-1924). Perhaps the quintessential era of the mummy in the minds of Westerners, this period saw the decline of the two greatest empires of the age: British and Ottoman. Walk with the Arisen as they bear witness to the death of the Victorian age, to pivotal mortal discoveries in Egypt, and to the horrors of the Great War.

Available in PDF and physical copy PoD versions this Wednesday, the 25th, on DTRPG.

From the massive Chronicles of Darkness: Dark Eras main book, we have pulled this single chapter, Dark Eras: The Sundered World (Werewolf and Mage 5500-5000 BCE). At the birth of civilization, in the shadow of the Fall, the Awakened stand as champions and protectors of the agricultural villages spread across the Balkans. In a world without a Gauntlet, where Shadow and flesh mingle, the steady taming of the world by humanity conflicts with the half-spirit children of Father Wolf.

Available in PDF and physical copy PoD versions this Wednesday, the 25th, on DTRPG.

Night Horrors: Conquering Heroes for Beast: the Primordial is available now as an Advance PDF: http://www.drivethrurpg.com/product/202615/Night-Horrors-Conquering-Heroes

This book includes:

An in-depth look at how Heroes hunt and what makes a Hero, with eleven new Heroes to drop into any chronicle.

A brief look at why Beasts may antagonize one another, with seven new Beasts to drop into any chronicle.

Rules for Insatiables, ancient creatures born of the Primordial Dream intent on hunting down Beasts to fill a hunger without end, featuring six examples ready to use in any chronicle.

The PDF and physical book PoD versions of Reap the Whirlwind, the Vampire: the Requiem 2nd Edition Jumpstart swirls into being on DTRPG! http://www.drivethrurpg.com/product/201127/Reap-the-Whirlwind-Revised-VtR-2e

You are a vampire, a junkie. Every night, you beg and you borrow and you steal just a little more life, just a few more sweet moments. But there’s a guy at the top. The Prince. He’s got everything. The money, the secrets, the blood.

Tonight, you’re going to take it from him. Tomorrow, there’ll be hell to pay.

This updated edition of Reap the Whirlwind features revisions to match the core rulebook for Vampire: the Requiem 2nd Edition. Text edits and rules clarifications have also been updated.

Reap the Whirlwind Revised includes:

Rules for creating and playing vampires in the Chronicles of Darkness

The first two levels of every clan Discipline, the dark powers of the dead

A complete adventure by noted horror author Chuck Wendig

This new revised Reap the Whirlwind Revised includes an updated booklet, 7 condition cards, and the interactive Vampire: the Requiem 2nd Edition character sheet.

It is now the preordained time for Dawn of Heresies, the Mummy: the Curse novel written by internationally renowned author Brian Hodge to arise! Both PDF/electronic and physical book PoD versions are now available on DTRPG! http://www.drivethrurpg.com/product/198720/Dawn-of-Heresies

Open the V20 Dark Ages: Tome of Secrets now on DTRPG! Both PDF and physical book PoD versions are now available! http://www.drivethrurpg.com/product/197358/V20-Dark-Ages-Tome-of-Secrets

The Tome of Secrets is a treatment of numerous topics about Cainites and stranger things in the Dark Medieval World. It’s about peeling back the curtain, and digging a little deeper. Inside, you’ll find:

• Expanded treatment of Assamite Sorcery, Koldunic Sorcery, Necromancy, and Setite Sorcery

• A look at Cainite knightly orders, faith movements, and even human witchcraft

• Letters and diaries from all over the Dark Medieval World

Travel with us all the way to the Red Planet for the Cavaliers of Mars Jumpstart: A Festival of Blades, available in PDF and PoD on DTRPG! http://www.drivethrurpg.com/product/191678/A-Festival-of-Blades-A-Cavaliers-of-Mars-Jumpstart

Live, fight, and love on Mars, a world of red death and strange mystery, a world of savagery and romance.

Includes:

A complete adventure set in one of dying Mars’ greatest remaining cities.

The innovative DEIMOS rules, for high-flying, swashbuckling adventure.

Four pre-generated player characters, ready to get into the heart of the action.

The Locker is open; the Chronicles of Darkness: Hurt Locker, that is! The Advance PDF is now available on DTRPG! http://www.drivethrurpg.com/product/199275/Chronicles-of-Darkness-Hurt-Locker

Hurt Locker features:

Treatment of violence in the Chronicles of Darkness . Lasting trauma, scene framing, and other tools for making your stories hurt.

. Lasting trauma, scene framing, and other tools for making your stories hurt. Many new player options, including Merits, supernatural knacks, and even new character types like psychic vampires and sleeper cell soldiers.

Expanded equipment and equipment rules.

Hurt Locker requires the Chronicles of Darkness Rulebook or any other standalone Chronicles of Darkness rulebook such as Vampire: The Requiem, Werewolf: The Forsaken, or Beast: The Primordial to use.

Discover the long-awaited Secrets of the Covenants for Vampire: the Requiem 2nd Edition as we unearth the Advance PDF now on DTRPG! http://www.drivethrurpg.com/product/199280/Secrets-of-the-Covenants

This book includes:

A variety of stories from each of the covenants, all told in their own words.

Never-before revealed secrets, like the fate of the Prince of New Orleans.

New blood sorcery, oaths, and other hidden powers of the covenants.

CONVENTIONS!

Discussing GenCon plans. Every chance the booth will actually be 20? x 30? this year.

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)

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

Trinity Continuum Core Rulebook (The Trinity Continuum)

Trinity Continuum: Aeon Rulebook (The Trinity Continuum)

M20 Gods and Monsters (Mage: the Ascension 20th Anniversary Edition)

M20 Cookbook (Mage: the Ascension 20th Anniversary Edition)

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

WoD Ghost Hunters (World of Darkness)

CtD C20 Jumpstart (Changeling: the Dreaming 20th Anniversary Edition)

Ex Novel 2 (Aaron Rosenberg) (Exalted 3rd Edition)

C20 Novel (Jackie Cassada) (Changeling: the Dreaming 20th Anniversary Edition)

Pugmire Fiction Anthology (Pugmire)

Pugmire Pan’s Guide for New Pioneers (Pugmire)

Monarchies of Mau Early Access (Pugmire)

Hunter: the Vigil 2e core (Hunter: the Vigil 2nd Edition)

Redlines