Post by Mutant Lord: William McAusland on Apr 15, 2013 13:41:22 GMT -8
Where are we going?
by WillMcAusland » Wed Apr 04, 2012 7:04 pm
from our TME blog post April 4th 2012 themutantepoch.blogspot.ca/
Where are we going?
The Mutant epoch role playing game has been out for less than a year and going stronger than ever. Before I get any further in this post I just wanted to thank everybody who has supported the game, either as a buyer, editor, writer, artist, industry ally, SOE member, newsletter subscriber, twitter follower, play tester, family member, shop owner or friend.
As you will see below, we are only just getting started.
March was our second best month ever for sales, only a few copies behind December. The success and warm response by fans and industry professionals has greatly added to my motivation and dedication to the growth of the TME milieu, as well as the tabletop gaming in general. So where are we going as a company, at least along the lines of The Mutant Epoch? Larger source books is the answer.
While other writers are working on new source books and supplements, I am spending my days drawing then inking the art for Pitford Gateway to the Ruins and a third of the way through the completed imagery for the book. By the end of April I’d like to have all the 111 illustrations at least penciled if not inked. Once the art is done and inserted into the layout, the book will get one or two more editorial reads and then she’s off to press for mid May.
Larger books seems to be what the audience wants, although the Excavator Monthly Issues were a blast to do and about half the TME gamership purchase them. The thing is, as convenient and affordable as PDFs are, people seem like physical books, and to get real value from physical printing and shipping costs, a larger book is the way to go.
So here is what we are up to, showing what order the next books will be released:
Pitford: Gateway to the Ruins 188 pages
The Crossroads Region 330 to 460 pages
Mutant Beastiary One 104 to 132 pages
Adventure TME 2 Blood Road 164 pages
Adventure TME 3 Nuke Tower 200+ pages
Looking into our crystal ball, the months and years ahead have us working on the following titles:
• TME Expansion Rules Book
• Adventure TME 4 The Flesh Weavers
• The Shattered Region Gazetteer
• A novel Trilogy based in the Shallow Sea Region just north of the Crossroads Region
• The Shallow Sea Region Gazetteer
• Mutant Beastiary Two
Closely related to The Mutant Epoch and using the Outland System we will also be pressing on with our Fantasy RPG, the name not yet announced as we are still resolving copyright and trademark issues, not to mention domain name purchases.
Yes, this is a hell of a list and a lot of work ahead of us. The good news is that most of these books are written and in editorial and art phase, so they exist already, including the novel trilogy. This is, after all, my full time job. Outland Arts is something I have been working toward since I was in high school, many, many years ago, even though I didn’t always know it. Everything I’ve done in my creative and work life as been toward this dream lifestyle. What words can I use to describe how good it feels when Monday morning comes around and I get to come down to the new studio and work on The Mutant Epoch? I owe this rewarding way of life to those who’ve helped me get here, those I listed above. Thank you. I will do my best to see that Outland Arts releases more and even better products in the months ahead.
Now, back to inking….
Sincerely,
Will McAusland
Re: Where are we going?
by Blood axe » Thu Apr 05, 2012 3:50 am
Awwww man! I cant wait. I wish you could get the stuff out quicker! LOL.
I'll be buying them all (in print!). I have all the Mutant Epoch stuff in print thats been released so far. Great stuff.
Ive been thinking about writing an adventure myself. A homage to that great GW classic Famine in Fargo.
Re: Where are we going?
by mrsandcastle » Mon Apr 09, 2012 5:39 am
Awesome! I have all the books so far, and will be getting the future releases as well, although I prefer the pdf's. It's great to see that you are living out your dream by creating and putting out such a wonderful game!
Re: Where are we going?
by shrekgrinch » Mon Jan 28, 2013 9:58 pm
Adventure TME 2 Blood Road 164 pages
Adventure TME 3 Nuke Tower 200+ pages
So, with Beyond Red Crater out, am I guessing there will be no TME Blood Road or are they the same module just renamed?
Re: Where are we going?
by WillMcAusland » Tue Jan 29, 2013 4:10 am
Ah, well, Beyond Red Crater was supposed to be a smaller, later release, but it blossomed into a much more in depth adventure, took longer to publish, and inserted itself into the order of all upcoming books. Blood Road is still coming, but will simply have a different adventure number. Next is The Crossroads Region, then either Mutant Beastiary One or Plantoids. Kind of leaning toward the bestiary because much of the art is done, as is the entire layout with finished text. Although I believe the yearning for mutant plant characters is very, very strong.
Regarding the list at the top of this thread, my predictions last spring were more optimistic than reality would allow. Thing is, I think I have always suffered from an overdeveloped sense of optimism... which lead me to think I could ever be a write or illustrator, game designer or combine the three pipe dreams to do projects like The Mutant Epoch... thankfully.
Odd, however, that a person who loves to write, illustrate and game in a dark post apocalyptic world would consider himself optimistic, but... I find a lot of heroics, hope and triumphing of good over evil in these adventures... so maybe there is hope for me.
WM
by WillMcAusland » Wed Apr 04, 2012 7:04 pm
from our TME blog post April 4th 2012 themutantepoch.blogspot.ca/
Where are we going?
The Mutant epoch role playing game has been out for less than a year and going stronger than ever. Before I get any further in this post I just wanted to thank everybody who has supported the game, either as a buyer, editor, writer, artist, industry ally, SOE member, newsletter subscriber, twitter follower, play tester, family member, shop owner or friend.
As you will see below, we are only just getting started.
March was our second best month ever for sales, only a few copies behind December. The success and warm response by fans and industry professionals has greatly added to my motivation and dedication to the growth of the TME milieu, as well as the tabletop gaming in general. So where are we going as a company, at least along the lines of The Mutant Epoch? Larger source books is the answer.
While other writers are working on new source books and supplements, I am spending my days drawing then inking the art for Pitford Gateway to the Ruins and a third of the way through the completed imagery for the book. By the end of April I’d like to have all the 111 illustrations at least penciled if not inked. Once the art is done and inserted into the layout, the book will get one or two more editorial reads and then she’s off to press for mid May.
Larger books seems to be what the audience wants, although the Excavator Monthly Issues were a blast to do and about half the TME gamership purchase them. The thing is, as convenient and affordable as PDFs are, people seem like physical books, and to get real value from physical printing and shipping costs, a larger book is the way to go.
So here is what we are up to, showing what order the next books will be released:
Pitford: Gateway to the Ruins 188 pages
The Crossroads Region 330 to 460 pages
Mutant Beastiary One 104 to 132 pages
Adventure TME 2 Blood Road 164 pages
Adventure TME 3 Nuke Tower 200+ pages
Looking into our crystal ball, the months and years ahead have us working on the following titles:
• TME Expansion Rules Book
• Adventure TME 4 The Flesh Weavers
• The Shattered Region Gazetteer
• A novel Trilogy based in the Shallow Sea Region just north of the Crossroads Region
• The Shallow Sea Region Gazetteer
• Mutant Beastiary Two
Closely related to The Mutant Epoch and using the Outland System we will also be pressing on with our Fantasy RPG, the name not yet announced as we are still resolving copyright and trademark issues, not to mention domain name purchases.
Yes, this is a hell of a list and a lot of work ahead of us. The good news is that most of these books are written and in editorial and art phase, so they exist already, including the novel trilogy. This is, after all, my full time job. Outland Arts is something I have been working toward since I was in high school, many, many years ago, even though I didn’t always know it. Everything I’ve done in my creative and work life as been toward this dream lifestyle. What words can I use to describe how good it feels when Monday morning comes around and I get to come down to the new studio and work on The Mutant Epoch? I owe this rewarding way of life to those who’ve helped me get here, those I listed above. Thank you. I will do my best to see that Outland Arts releases more and even better products in the months ahead.
Now, back to inking….
Sincerely,
Will McAusland
Re: Where are we going?
by Blood axe » Thu Apr 05, 2012 3:50 am
Awwww man! I cant wait. I wish you could get the stuff out quicker! LOL.
I'll be buying them all (in print!). I have all the Mutant Epoch stuff in print thats been released so far. Great stuff.
Ive been thinking about writing an adventure myself. A homage to that great GW classic Famine in Fargo.
Re: Where are we going?
by mrsandcastle » Mon Apr 09, 2012 5:39 am
Awesome! I have all the books so far, and will be getting the future releases as well, although I prefer the pdf's. It's great to see that you are living out your dream by creating and putting out such a wonderful game!
Re: Where are we going?
by shrekgrinch » Mon Jan 28, 2013 9:58 pm
Adventure TME 2 Blood Road 164 pages
Adventure TME 3 Nuke Tower 200+ pages
So, with Beyond Red Crater out, am I guessing there will be no TME Blood Road or are they the same module just renamed?
Re: Where are we going?
by WillMcAusland » Tue Jan 29, 2013 4:10 am
Ah, well, Beyond Red Crater was supposed to be a smaller, later release, but it blossomed into a much more in depth adventure, took longer to publish, and inserted itself into the order of all upcoming books. Blood Road is still coming, but will simply have a different adventure number. Next is The Crossroads Region, then either Mutant Beastiary One or Plantoids. Kind of leaning toward the bestiary because much of the art is done, as is the entire layout with finished text. Although I believe the yearning for mutant plant characters is very, very strong.
Regarding the list at the top of this thread, my predictions last spring were more optimistic than reality would allow. Thing is, I think I have always suffered from an overdeveloped sense of optimism... which lead me to think I could ever be a write or illustrator, game designer or combine the three pipe dreams to do projects like The Mutant Epoch... thankfully.
Odd, however, that a person who loves to write, illustrate and game in a dark post apocalyptic world would consider himself optimistic, but... I find a lot of heroics, hope and triumphing of good over evil in these adventures... so maybe there is hope for me.
WM