We're taking part in Zine Quest 2, with Shards: Worldbuilding Zine
about 4 years ago – Thu, Feb 13, 2020 at 07:55:43 AM

Lately we've been experimenting with writing things that won't fit on a playing card, and with Kickstarter's Zine Quest (and now Zine Quest 2) we've been doing them on Kickstarter.

If some more in-depth setting pieces interest you, or you'd like to see our insights on how to construct cohesive worlds, check it out

The Future of Concept Cards | Concept Cards of the Future
about 6 years ago – Tue, Mar 20, 2018 at 03:06:55 PM

Sci-Fi Concept Cards

As a backer here you already know what concept cards are, and I suspect you probably know what Science Fiction is (unless you're my brother who refuses to distinguish sci-fi and fantasy) - but you might not know that the two are combining.

We're doing three decks: Characters, Planets and Locations, but we need your help to push the Kickstarter over the edge and into the land of the funded.

In the further future we're looking at going on towards even more genres of Concept Cards - there are a grand mixture of different options - but Sci-Fi is the test bed to determine what sort of appeal there is outside of the Fantasy core of the RPG market.

So take a look, and let us know what you think of the Sci-Fi Kickstarter

Be Well

-Ste

Oh No, Not Freebies!
over 6 years ago – Fri, Sep 22, 2017 at 11:42:13 PM

Two free things? What is this, some kind of crazy scheme?

Yes, of course it is. We're crazy, and we have a scheme. But that's not the point.

"What is the point?" The voices in my head shout.

The Giveaway

We've partnered up with The Giveaway Geek to give away two sets of Location Cards just in time for my Birthday (It closes midnight on the 6th, I was born early on the 7th). So, if you want a gift for someone geeky, or if you just didn't have the funds to grab Locations from this project, take your chance to enter today!

 

Sumadratat Beach

Between the Oceans and the Deserts (the themes of our current Kickstarter) lies the beach. Sumadratat Beach to be precise.

The product of Loz's creativity, Sumadratat Beach contains some unusual, and hazardous, plants and animals as well as a hermit blessed by the sea.

 

So check it out, and let the subliminal messages within force you to back our Kickstarter

Mwahahaha

-Ste

A New Creation to Treasure
over 6 years ago – Fri, Sep 15, 2017 at 04:16:06 PM

A year ago we launched Jigsaw Fantasy on Patreon. 

A few Concept Cards backers joined us there, but many of you felt it was too big a change from our previous projects. Well, it's been a year now and we're still going strong - in fact we now want Jigsaw to make the leap into printed books, so we are turning back to Kickstarter. 

So, maybe you liked the idea of Jigsaw Fantasy but don't like working digitally. If so this is your chance to get the books printed. 

Maybe you like the idea of Jigsaw Fantasy but don't have a Patreon account, if so this is your chance to get some of the pieces through Kickstarter. 

Maybe you don't know what Jigsaw Fantasy is. If so this is your chance to find out.

Jigsaw Fantasy is akin to Concept Cards in that it is a collection of characters, items, plots, treasures and locations designed to be dropped into your games and stories. Unlike Concept Cards, though, we have much looser space constraints and can explore pieces in more detail. 

Each piece explores a concept in depth, describing the people, places and things that make it up. Then we have Jigsaw Links which give you idea on how to fit the pieces into your world, how to tie in plot hooks and characters, and how to build on them to create something new. 

 

 We are offering six pieces here, two of which have never been published before. They are: 

 The Floating City - a city of traders and warriors on the backs of giant jellyfish, travelling to the four corners of the world bringing exotic goods along for the ride.

 Red Lock Bay - a pirate island with a real community of criminals and misfits - plot hooks abound, though hooked hands may not.

 The Boiling Sea of Ice - Selkie migrate around the surface ice while kraken nest near the volcanic vents below. 

The Sivatag Desert - an expanse of sand with bloodthirsty cacti and monstrous lizards. 

The Emberek Tribes - Nomadic dwarven tribes of desert dwellers who will argue or even go to war over anything. 

 The Panoply of Annem Ka - The gods of an ancient civilisation are bound into powerful artifacts, and seek heroes to shape the fate of the world. There are also several free pieces including excerpts from the Floating City and the Sivatag Desert, so come and join us! 

 The Kickstarter 

The Patreon 

Facebook 

Join us on another journey of creation.

-Loz&Ste

Looking Sideways - A New Game
about 7 years ago – Thu, Mar 09, 2017 at 09:17:12 PM

Concept Cards are done, for the time being at least - we want to do other genres in future, but that's on the back burner for now (out of interest, which genres would you be most interested in?). 

We hope you're enjoying them, and getting as much use out of them as we are. Today we have launched our latest project - Emperor's Hand.    

 

It's a fun and elegant trick-taking game based around the ideas of the Wu Xing, or the Five Chinese Elements. The game play is simple - you pick a card from your hand and try to beat everyone else's card... but as every element is fuelled by one and harms another, every card on the table can influence your score. 

The end result is surprisingly deep for such a simple mechanic, and one playtester described it as somewhere between Hearts and Poker.  

The game itself is fully developed (we have learned), we are just after better artwork - at the moment it's pretty basic, and we want the game to be beautiful. Sadly the incredible Marcos Hidalgo (who did the suit symbols for all the Concept Cards) is not in our price range - he works in a business with far better pay than being an artist would provide, but we are confident we will get some great images from the other artists we are working with. Yes, artists plural - if we reach our highest stretch goal we will have unique art for all 54 cards!  

So why not take a look at the kickstarter?

-Loz