Frank Mentzer's Empyrea Fantasy Setting on KS

[Juju EyeBall]

I hear Half Life 3 is coming out soon. May save my dollars for that.

[EOTB]

I'd even like to freelance for Loxley if the opportunity arises.

Got it.

[bobjester]

https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/ex ... for-10-rpg

10 RPGs seems like a lot of work unless this is going to be completely system neutral. Personally, I have no interest and I'm really not impressed with the artwork they're showing off. That funding goal seems pretty high, too, for what they are producing and $750 to get Frank and Darlene to sign your stuff is, IMO, laughable but YMMV.

Imma back up here a bit. I need to start over...

"Ten thousand!? At that price, we could buy our own starship!"

I must be living in a black hole. I never, ever guessed that KS would ask for amounts up to $10,000, let alone $750. Then again, I am way behind the curve when it comes to internet/gaming economics, but I can buy a decent boardgame with good art and plenty of replay value for less than $75, and that is what Kalex pledged to Empyrea.

Am I wrong? Do I not "get" KS in any way, shape or form?

[Kalex the Omen]

Could this Kickstarter have been accidentally launched prematurely? I've heard instances of that happening where the creator is building the KS page and accidentally launches. Some of the art and graphics seem very crude and preliminary, esp. when it is juxtaposed with a Quarter Million Dollar funding ask and the very aggressive July 2018 delivery date.

No. FWIW Frank publicized the launch date. From what I gather a lot of the team was assembled after Frank committed to this course (Zeb came literally in the last hour before launch), and I understand more system publishers are asking to be added to the list. Not sure who did the graphics and illustration, but we team assembled is a known quantity. They are professionals with long experience at this, and a large body of work to set expectations from.

You are involved with the KS, aren't you? I remember someone from Fire Born games involved with the KS posting heavily at Tenkar's supporting the hope that Frank had been hacked.

Not that it couldn't have happened, but just for the sake of clarity. It is obvious that you support Empyrea, and that's okay, but the only pimping going on here is Wheggi.

God I wish I was! I'd be in geek heaven! Sadly, no I am not involved. I defended Frank on Tenkar's Tavern because I consider him a friend and I couldn't believe he was responsible for what was posted. That simple. I am a supporter and I've had some private conversations with Frank about it. I just hope it funds so I can get my copy for 1E/2E.

What is Wheggi pimping? I suddenly feel like I'm about to see more money flying out of my wallet!

[Cloak n' Dagger]

So, I spent some time looking over the KS pledges because frankly (pun intended) this just looks...I don't even know...

So for $75 you get all of the printed stuff, which isn't all that bad but would be better if the core books were hardcover. Aside from that you then step up to a pledge of $100 which gives you he printed stuff plus high-res maps for a VIrtual Table Top, ok sure, still not terrible but could be better.

After that it jumps to $200 for everything prior but you also get to make a character that becomes a leader in the campaign setting. The next pledge is $200 more($400 total) for all of that plus another set of unfolded maps....um ok $200 for unfolded maps seems a bit excessive but whatever. Right, so then the pledge jumps up $350 ($750 total) and Frank and Darlene will sign your core book....$350 for two sigs. Seriously. However, if you add on another $250 ($1000 total) they will sign ALL of your books. I guess that's a bargain? Lol.

[EOTB]

Right, so then the pledge jumps up $350 ($750 total) and Frank and Darlene will sign your core book....$350 for two sigs. Seriously. However, if you add on another $250 ($1000 total) they will sign ALL of your books. I guess that's a bargain? Lol.

Should be a disclaimer written above those pledge levels that makes clear they're for Acaeum members.

[bobjester]

God I wish I was! I'd be in geek heaven! Sadly, no I am not involved. I defended Frank on Tenkar's Tavern because I consider him a friend and I couldn't believe he was responsible for what was posted. That simple. I am a supporter and I've had some private conversations with Frank about it. I just hope it funds so I can get my copy for 1E/2E.

What is Wheggi pimping? I suddenly feel like I'm about to see more money flying out of my wallet!

"Sly Pimp Wheggi" is his own thing, and is rooted in the Harlot Table of the 1e DMG.

FWIW, a lot of people couldn't believe what he PM'd either. However, it is possible that even the nicest people can lose their shit on the internet, and it's well documented that anyone can derive sinister intent when those words are not presented with the right mix of emotional context.

Look at Gamer-gate and Comics-gate going on right now. Wait, [EDIT: nevermind - those were bad examples] those others had very little to do with 'context' and a lot more on projection and doubling-down on compounded lies...

[T. Foster]

Frank's willingness to write people's characters (and/or forum members he doesn't like ) into the setting at this late date would seem to raise questions about how much writing has yet to be done for a setting that's other main selling point (besides the number of familiar names "contributing" to it in a yet-to-be-determined manner) is its 40-year pedigree. Are we to understand that Frank will happily toss aside details that have supposedly been established for decades in order to insert a bunch of vanity NPCs? Or are some fairly significant chunks of the setting (enough to accommodate all of these characters) still to-be-written? And, whichever of these is true, doesn't it undermine the 40-year pedigree?

[bobjester]

Frank's willingness to write people's characters (and/or forum members he doesn't like ) into the setting at this late date would seem to raise questions about how much writing has yet to be done for a setting that's other main selling point (besides the number of familiar names "contributing" to it in a yet-to-be-determined manner) is its 40-year pedigree. Are we to understand that Frank will happily toss aside details that have supposedly been established for decades in order to insert a bunch of vanity NPCs? Or are some fairly significant chunks of the setting (enough to accommodate all of these characters) still to-be-written? And, whichever of these is true, doesn't it undermine the 40-year pedigree?

If the formatting hasn't been set in stone, edits are as easy as posting on forum boards. Just write up a few paragraphs to insert into the word processor that Frank spent the last couple of years typing up.

I'd hate to type up my 80's Greyhawk campaign. It would take me more than a few years to do by myself. I'd have to have a KS just to pay someone up front to type up all my notes. With Frank's clout, he probably had all this help lined up and promises to pay once the KS is fulfilled.

[Cloak n' Dagger]

I must be living in a black hole. I never, ever guessed that KS would ask for amounts up to $10,000, let alone $750. Am I wrong? Do I not "get" KS in any way, shape or form?

Idk, but someone just dropped 10k for their pledge so I guess it's working as intended. Lol.

[Melan]

Right, so then the pledge jumps up $350 ($750 total) and Frank and Darlene will sign your core book....$350 for two sigs. Seriously. However, if you add on another $250 ($1000 total) they will sign ALL of your books. I guess that's a bargain? Lol.

Should be a disclaimer written above those pledge levels that makes clear they're for Acaeum members.

At $600, you get an extra box's worth of MINT shrinkwrap!

[Guy Fullerton]

FWIW, a reasonable predictor for an rpg Kickstarter's success, is its ability to get 1/3 funded by day 3.

And they'd be stupid NOT to offer high pledge levels. Even people outside the Acaeum want to be a patron.

[MageInBlack]

We'll see if it funds. If it doesn't get to 50% in the first 3 days I don't think it will have the legs. But who knows.

Sounds like you have "chosen to be irrelevant to the current market".

[EOTB]

Sounds like you have "chosen to be irrelevant to the current market".

A fate worse than death.

[Blackadder23]

IIRC he claimed in his promotional PM to EOTB at Dragonsfoot that it was "the biggest cross-industry event in 30 years"

"Promotional" is a charitable way to describe that PM.