As of this update, all three versions of Chapter 3 of Lords of Infinity are now finished, which means I’ve started working on the two versions of Chapter 4.
Both iterations of Chapter 4 are relatively large. Although I’m certainly going to try to get Chapter 4A done by this time next month, it may take somewhat longer than that.
As usual, September’s installments of A Soldier’s Guide to the Infinite Sea and An Adventurer’s Guide to the Fledgling Realms are now up.
As of this update, the second version of Chapter 3 of Lords of Infinity is now complete, which means I’m devoting my efforts to finishing the final version.
This third branch (Chapter 3C) is perhaps the most interesting of the three, at least, from a design standpoint. It’s going to be the rarest, since accessing it relies on the player making a series of very specific decisions in Guns of Infinity, and then importing that file over. My optimistic estimate is that maybe 5-10% of players will end up seeing it, or even knowing of its existence at all, unless they find out through forum posts or word of mouth (or this blog, for that matter).
However, this does not mean that this chapter is going to be any shorter or less fully featured than 3A or 3B. Nor does it mean that someone coming into the series fresh won’t be able to have a good time with the two chapters they will have access to (though the existence of the third version offers another incentive for newcomers to buy the whole series). It does mean that I’ll be able to essentially create what is going be a more or less “secret” storyline, full of unique content which will not only be a full chapter, but serve as a goal in itself, just like certain chapters of Guns of Infinity were.
In the meantime, August’s installments of A Soldier’s Guide to the Infinite Sea and An Adventurer’s Guide to the Fledgling Realms are now up.
This is just a quick heads-up that the March updates for A Soldier’s Guide to the Infinite Sea and An Adventurer’s Guide to the Fledgling Realms are now up.
In the meantime, I am still busy working on (one of the iterations of) Chapter 2 of Lords of Infinity.
Those of you who check the Patreon Content page today may find a new addition. As promised, exceeding $300 a month in patron pledges means I will be writing not one, but two monthly worldbuilding columns. In addition to the regular Soldier’s Guide to the Infinite Sea, I’ll also writing monthly installments of An Adventurer’s Guide to the Fledgling Realms, articles about the setting of The Hero of Kendrickstone and The Cryptkeepers of Hallowford.
If you have any interest in supporting more of this sort of worldbuilding work, consider backing my Patreon. Topics for these columns are suggested by and voted on by patrons at the $10 a month and $2 a month tiers respectively. In addition, $1 a month backers get access a week in advance.
The Cryptkeepers of Hallowford is now out on iOS Store, Google Play, Steam, and the Amazon App Store!
The sequel to 2015’s The Hero of Kendrickstone. The Cryptkeepers of Hallowford takes you to the town of Hallowford, where long-forgotten magic threatens the prosperity and safety of the those who live within the town’s walls. Choose to ally with the powerful Cryptkeeper’s Guild, the town watch, or other adventurers as you delve into the depths beneath the town in search of answers, but be warned that your erstwhile collaborators have agendas of their own.
As you delve ever deeper, the threat beneath Hallowford grows ever more powerful, and an ancient secret is revealed which might shake the town to its very foundations.
It’s the second week of the month, which means it’s once again time for another installment of A Soldier’s Guide to the Infinite Sea. This month’s article continues covering the governance of the Unified Kingdom of Tierra, this time regarding the various ducal governments.
Remember that thanks to my supporters on Patreon, next month’s issue of A Soldier’s Guide to the Infinite Sea will be joined by the first installment in a new column based on my second fantasy series: An Adventurer’s Guide to the Fledgling Realms. Those who pledge $1 a month will get access to both articles a week early, while those who pledge $2 a month get to vote on next month’s topics.
Speaking of the Fledgling Realms, The Cryptkeepers of Hallowford, the sequel to 2015’s The Hero of Kendrickstone, will release later this month. I’ll have a page up for it soon.
Last, but not least, I’ve written a development blog post on Burden of Command, regarding the importance of creating empathetic characters in narrative-based games, and how we are working to make sure that the members of the player’s company in Burden of Command will feel like complex and dynamic officers and men worth mentoring, leading, and protecting.
So, about two weeks ago, I submitted the text-complete version of The Cryptkeepers of Hallowford for review by Choice of Games. Since then, I’ve been receiving and incorporating feedback notes from both CoG and my regular beta testing group. Once the current cycle finishes (tomorrow or thereabouts), I’ll be doing one last round of revisions (which will involve mostly cutting or streamlining repetitive text and testing the import system) before doing the remaining art, the reference materials, and finally sending it in for copyediting, hopefully, sometime before the end of the month.
With luck, I should be able to get a release date sometime in December or January.
In other news, the latest installment of The Soldier’s Guide to the Infinite Sea is now up. As usual, you can support future articles by donating to my Patreon. Anyone contributing more than $1 a month gets access to new installments a week before they come out here.
Paul Wang 