So why have we been so quiet, you ask?

Well, we have been busy writing and designing games.

This post, I hope, will be the first of more regular posting by us. This post also serves as a good update on the status of Rogue Games. James and I want to be more communicative, but we are often faced with a dilemma: write or blog. I tend to write, after all, Rogue Games is a games publisher, and in order to be one, we need to, well, publish games. Also, for me, I like to keep my head down, and stay quiet. I will do better with the talking and sharing, but if you are looking for me to pontificate about various topics not related to games, well you are not going to get it from me. :)

Anyway, let me get to the meat of this post, a update.

Colonial Gothic

Have I said lately how much I love this game? Well I love this game. Ever since Graeme has come on board as the Line Developer, productivity has increased, and it is nice having someone who not only shares my vision on the game, but help with the work load. We have a lot on the docket for this game, and some exciting plans.

Gazetteer

Currently in layout is Colonial Gothic: Gazetteer. Said book is due out this March. It is a very tight book, and Graeme really has done a great job with the writing. The book is filled with maps, and info on the original thirteen colonies. Once the layout is done and approved, and it goes to the printer, I plan on having pre-order up and running sometime next month. In addition, this summer for Gen Con 2010, there will be a full color map available for sale. This map is the full scale version of the seven found in this book. Any copies that are left over post Gen Con, I plan on having them up for sale on the Rogue Games website, and hopefully IPR and the Studio2 online store. More details on this when the time is closer.

Campaign

I am working on the first part of the campaign. As much as I want to get this out ASAP, I want to make sure that it is good. It will be out this year.

New France

On tap for the end of the year, the New France sourcebook covers, well, New France. More on this later.

eBooks/PDFS

We have at least three planned for this year. The first will be fiction, another will be a player/GM aid, and the third a sourcebook. The fiction will be out April.

Thousand Suns

Revised

Revised is about to go into layout. James has been taking his time on the book, and that is because he wants to make sure it is perfect. This revision is not as extensive as Colonial Gothic’s was, and this should be the last one we tackle for a good long while. The revision is more of a polish than a overhaul, and James should be talking about it in a few weeks. The book will have a whole new layout, and this layout is a mark improvement over the current look of the Rulebook. This will be out in May.

Starships

Playtest has been underway, and the book will be in layout summer and out this fall.

eBooks/PDFs

Coming, we need to get the Revised Rulebook done first.

Shadow, Sword & Spell

The third game, and the one we have been working on the longest. This game, as far as I am concerned is some of the best work James and I have done. It hits the tone we are going for, and already we have ideas for follow ups for this game. Like Thousand Suns, and Colonial Gothic, Shadow, Sword & Spell will be fully supported, and scratches a design itch James and I have had for close to six-years. The rules are in playtest, and the rough breakdowns are done. The game is on target.

Basic

The first book, and it will be out in August in time for Gen Con. Unlike our other two rulebooks, this is a much smaller book, and everything you will need is found in Basic. Cover is done, and I will post that later. The book is 80% done, and the only thing left to do it tighten the setting information, and tighten the writing. The setting is something James and I have debated numerous times, but it is needed. However, the setting is designed to not be in your way. Think of the meta-setting found in Thousand Suns, and you will have an idea what we are doing design wise.

Expert

This book is about 60% done, and will be out either September or October. The reason for this is due to making sure the game is not only great, but to allow time for a major overhaul of the mass combat rules. One of the playtesters had such a good idea, that James and I sent him a contract, and he will be rewriting the mass combat rules. I will not go into details on this yet, but the rules will be fast, and allow you to quickly play battles at the table with little hassle. In addition, Expert answers the question: What’s the end game? By that, what do you do when your hero is a power unto himself? James has been thinking about this for sometime, and he is working on this now. Also, to answer the question, you will not need Expert to play SS&S. Expert is an add on, and expands your options found in Basic.

Advanced

This is roughly outlined, and a list has been made what we want to include. This will not be touched until after Basic is done. This book will not be out until next year.

City

This is my baby. This is something I have worked on for a very long time. I will deal with this at a later date, but this will be out next year. City (not the official title) is inspired by urban pulp fantasy.

If you’ve seen The Cursed Chateau, you know that we did something different. We plan on doing more of these experiments, and James and I have about six things we want to do. The plan we have is to do one of these a year, and release it at year’s end. These are small books, and that is due to the nature of the projects. I think we’ve agreed on the next one, but this is not going to be worked on heavily until April.

So there you go, this is the update. A lot on the plate, but a lot of this is either done, close to done, or being worked on.