Atomic Age Kickstarter & Wonderfilled Threats
TLDRIn this episode of the Vlog of Many Things, hosts Don and Tom welcome David Flor, known for his Kickstarter projects, to discuss his latest venture, a post-apocalyptic RPG called Atomic Age. The game is set in a post-World War III United States and allows for various scenarios like war, plague, or alien invasions. David, a software architect with a background in math and computer science, has developed a system that blends mechanics from D20 and 13th Age. The game features six classes, including the Channeler, Engineer, and Scion, with each class offering a unique gameplay experience. The discussion also touches on the challenges of using AI in art for the game's Kickstarter campaign and the importance of responsible AI use. With a funding goal of $166,000, the Kickstarter offers various rewards, including digital and hardcover editions, character sheets, and a GM screen. The conversation highlights the dedication and effort put into creating a high-quality gaming experience while navigating the complexities of crowdfunding and art creation in the tabletop RPG industry.
Takeaways
- 🎲 David FL, a software architect and game designer, is developing a post-apocalyptic RPG called 'Atomic Age' which is currently on Kickstarter.
- 🌐 The game setting is open-ended, allowing for various scenarios like war, plague, or alien invasions, including a zombie apocalypse.
- 🔧 'Atomic Age' combines mechanics from D20 and 13th Age, offering six classes with unique abilities and a blend of traditional and complex gameplay.
- 🤖 The Engineer class is inspired by cyberpunk, using an 'engineering deck' where spells are executed as computer programmers.
- 🚗 The game includes vehicle rules and references to Mad Max, with a barren United States landscape and elements of Fallout and Gamma World.
- 🧬 Players can choose their character's 'genotype', which includes characteristics like being a robot, anthro, or a cyborg, affecting gameplay mechanics.
- 🎨 There was controversy regarding the use of AI in creating artwork for the game, which the creators deny, emphasizing the importance of original art.
- 📈 The Kickstarter campaign has a goal of $166,000 and offers various rewards, including digital and hardcover editions, with a focus on high-quality production.
- 📚 The core book is about 80% complete with 220 pages, and a bestiary with over 140 monsters is planned as a stretch goal.
- 💡 David is committed to delivering the game regardless of the Kickstarter outcome, but funding will help in maintaining the quality and scope of the project.
- 🌟 The creators emphasize the importance of community support for indie publishers and the value of critical feedback in improving their products.
Q & A
What is the name of the post-apocalyptic role-playing game that David Flor is developing?
-The name of the post-apocalyptic role-playing game that David Flor is developing is 'Atomic Age'.
What is unique about the 'Atomic Age' RPG setting?
-The 'Atomic Age' RPG setting is unique because it is open-ended, allowing players to choose different scenarios like war, plague, or even alien invasions. It combines traditional D20 mechanics with 13th Age style class definitions, offering a blend of simplicity and complexity in gameplay.
How does the 'Atomic Age' RPG handle character classes?
-In 'Atomic Age', character classes are defined in a 13th Age style, with each class being functionally different at 10 levels. There are six classes in the game: Channeler, Engineer, Scion, Marauder, Scout, and Veteran.
What is the role of the Engineer class in 'Atomic Age'?
-The Engineer class in 'Atomic Age' is influenced by cyberpunk and is treated as a Caster class. Engineers have an 'engineering deck' where their spells are actually programs that they can execute, adding a technological aspect to magic.
What are the 'genotypes' in the 'Atomic Age' RPG, and how do they differ from traditional races?
-In 'Atomic Age', genotypes are used instead of races. They allow players to define their character's species with characteristics such as being light, heavy, agile, or the ability to fly. Genotypes include humanoids, synths (robots), and cyborgs (a hybrid of the two).
What is the controversy surrounding AI art in the context of the 'Atomic Age' Kickstarter campaign?
-There was a controversy because some people believed that the art used in the 'Atomic Age' Kickstarter campaign was created using AI. The creators had to clarify that the art was not AI-generated and that they were against the unethical use of AI in art.
What are the different components and goals associated with the 'Atomic Age' Kickstarter campaign?
-The 'Atomic Age' Kickstarter campaign has a goal of $166,000 and offers various components such as a digital version of the game, hardcovers, a GM screen, and potentially brass D6 bullet dice for premium backers. The campaign also has stretch goals for additional content.
What is the estimated funding needed for David Flor to comfortably publish the 'Atomic Age' RPG without being in the red?
-David Flor estimates that he needs around $21,000 to comfortably publish the 'Atomic Age' RPG without being in the red, covering costs such as editing, printing, and other production expenses.
How does the 'Atomic Age' RPG handle the mechanics for bonuses and penalties?
-Instead of using advantage/disadvantage mechanics, 'Atomic Age' uses a bonus/penalty system where players roll a D6 as a bonus die and add its value to the D20 roll.
What are David Flor's plans for the 'Atomic Age' RPG after the Kickstarter campaign, in terms of additional content?
-David Flor has plans for at least four adventure modules and is considering supplements and lore material for various aspects of the United States within the 'Atomic Age' RPG setting.
What is the attitude of the creators towards criticism and how do they handle it?
-The creators are open to criticism and see it as an opportunity to improve their work. They believe in acknowledging mistakes, learning from them, and not resorting to negative reactions or legal threats.
Outlines
😀 Introduction to the Vlog and Guest
The host Don introduces the vlog, mentioning a potential change in the banner from 'wizard tower games' to 'R banner'. He acknowledges their professionalism and introduces himself and his co-host Tom. They welcome David Flor from Kickstarter, Atomic AG, and comic AG DL media. Don uses a Monty Python rabbit icon as an avatar for an AI in an alternate reality game he ran a decade ago. The conversation shifts to David's current project, a post-apocalyptic RPG called Atomic Age, which is open-ended and can be adapted to various scenarios including war, plague, or even alien invasions.
🎲 Mechanics and Classes in Atomic Age
David discusses the game mechanics of Atomic Age, which are a blend of D20 and 13th Age systems. The game features six classes including the Channeler, Engineer, Scion, Marauder, Scout, and Veteran. The Engineer class is unique, using an 'engineering deck' where spells are executed as programs. The game also includes a separate mechanic for hacking. David mentions the influence of various genres like Gamma World, Shadowrun, and Mad Max in designing the game.
🤖 Genotypes and Cyberpunk Inspirations
The conversation covers the game's approach to character creation, focusing on 'genotypes' rather than races. Players can choose to be humans, robots, or anthro-characters. The game also features a cyborg genotype, which is a hybrid of human and robot, with attributes that affect how the character interacts with psychic and electromagnetic damage. David talks about the game's development over 10-12 years and the integration of diverse genres into the game's lore.
🎨 Artwork and AI Art Controversy
The hosts discuss the artwork for the RPG, mentioning that Don is doing the pencil artwork and book covers. They address the controversy surrounding AI-generated art, explaining that despite accusations, the art for the project is not AI-generated. They share their experience with BackerKit, which led to them switching to Kickstarter due to BackerKit's policy against AI art. They clarify that a placeholder image on Kickstarter was mistakenly thought to be AI-generated; it was actually sourced from Freepik.
📘 Kickstarter Launch and Reward Details
The hosts talk about the Kickstarter campaign for Atomic Age, detailing the different reward tiers and explaining that the campaign has digital, hardcover, and softcover options available. They mention a GM screen and a stretch goal for brass D6 bullet dice for premium backers. The campaign has a goal of $16,000, and they discuss the progress made so far, emphasizing the quality of the book's production.
📈 Budgeting and Future Plans for Atomic Age
David explains the financial breakdown for the Kickstarter, including the costs of editing, printing, and binding. He mentions that the funding goal is set to avoid being in the red and that he has future plans for adventures and supplements for the game. David assures that the product will be released regardless of the Kickstarter's outcome but admits that it might require cutting some corners if not fully funded.
🤝 Support for Indie Publishers and Community Service
The hosts discuss the importance of supporting indie publishers and highlight David's contributions to the gaming community, particularly his reporting on new TSR issues. They encourage the audience to back the Kickstarter not just for the product but also to support David's service to the community. They also mention other indie publishers who have pledged support for the project.
📊 Kickstarter Success and Future Goals
The conversation wraps up with a discussion on the success of the Kickstarter so far, noting that it has become David's biggest Kickstarter project. They talk about David's history with Kickstarter, his commitment to delivering on promises, and his transparency with backers. The hosts express optimism for the project's future and encourage the audience to back the project or share the Kickstarter link to help it succeed.
📝 Handling Criticism and Legal Threats
The hosts address a legal warning letter sent to David by a representative of Wizard Tower Games, discussing the importance of accepting criticism and the inappropriateness of the legal threat. They contrast the situation with a positive example of how another company handled criticism and a spelling mistake on their website. The conversation emphasizes the need for public figures and companies to accept and learn from criticism rather than resorting to legal action.
💯 Commitment to Quality and Professionalism
The hosts and David discuss the importance of quality in publishing, with David sharing his commitment to editing and professional publishing standards. They talk about the challenges of finishing creative work and the importance of presenting a polished product to the public. The conversation also touches on the value of editors and the process of handling mistakes and typos in published works.
🎲 RPG Components and Future Support
The conversation concludes with a discussion on the components needed to play Atomic Age, emphasizing the importance of D20 and D6 dice. David shares his plans for creating an online platform for character creation and accessing the beastiary. The hosts encourage the audience to support the Kickstarter, even if it's just by sharing the link, and they express their appreciation for David's appearance on the show.
Mindmap
Keywords
💡Kickstarter
💡Post-apocalyptic
💡Role-playing game (RPG)
💡D20 System
💡Classes
💡Engineer
💡Cyberpunk
💡Genotypes
💡Mad Max
💡Fallout
💡AI Art
Highlights
David Flor, known for his Kickstarter fame, discusses the development of his post-apocalyptic RPG 'Atomic Age'.
The game setting is left open-ended, allowing for various scenarios like war, plague, or alien invasions.
Atomic Age combines traditional D20 mechanics with elements from 13th Age, offering a unique system.
The game features six classes, including the Channeler, Engineer, Scion, Marauder, Scout, and Veteran.
The Engineer class is influenced by cyberpunk, using an 'engineering deck' and programming as a core mechanic.
The game incorporates various genres, including Gamma World, Mad Max, and Shadowrun, for a diverse experience.
Players can choose their character's 'genotype', defining whether they are human, robot, or anthro with specific characteristics.
The game has been in development for 10-12 years, with a focus on both mechanics and lore.
The Kickstarter campaign faced issues with BackerKit regarding the use of AI in art, which was mistakenly identified as AI-generated.
The actual cover art for the game is being done by Eric Lofgren, who does not use AI in his work.
The Kickstarter offers digital and hardcover versions of the game, with additional content as stretch goals.
The game's core book is about 80% complete with 220 pages, and the bestiary is around 100 pages.
David Flor emphasizes the importance of supporting indie publishers and the unique value they bring to the gaming community.
The game includes a unique mechanic using a D6 as a bonus or penalty die in addition to the D20 roll.
David Flor has plans for future adventures and supplements for the Atomic Age RPG, even if the Kickstarter does not fully fund.
The first adventure module, 'Fire from the Sky', is a reimagined version of a previously争议ed adventure.
The discussion touches on the challenges of publishing, including the importance of editing and responding to criticism.
David Flor's commitment to quality is evident in his meticulous budgeting and planning for the Kickstarter campaign.
