The Weekly LIVE 214 – Games Workshop Sells Out, Nightshade Poisons AI, Lost Mountain Saga Pre-Order and Roll20 Humble Bundle

Posted on October 30, 2023 by upturnedtable_sx8obi

Games Workshop has made significant changes to how local game stores can order new releases. They have moved to a two-week pre-order system, and stores must wait for GW’s approval before knowing what they can purchase. This has caused challenges for stores trying to order GW products. The recent ordering issues with Games Workshop’s ordering system include delayed orders and issues with pre-ordering directly from the GW website.

Games Workshop Sells Out, Nightshade Poisons AI, Lost Mountain Saga Pre-Order and Roll20 Humble Bundle

Researchers at the University of Chicago have developed a tool called “Nightshade” that can poison AI models by subtly altering images at the pixel level. This can cause AI models to misinterpret or hallucinate images. The tool is intended to protect artists’ work from being used without permission to train AI models.

Lost Mountain Saga for Vaesen is available for pre-order on the Free League webstore. This is an epic campaign for the Vaesen Nordic Horror Roleplaying game, consisting of five mysteries set in 19th-century Sweden. It involves ancient mysteries, Nordic folklore, and unspeakable horrors. The eerie adventure campaign is based on the popular podcast The Lost Mountain Saga that was written, produced and edited by actor and podcaster Ellinor DiLorenzo. The podcast reached more than 200,000 listeners during its limited run of two seasons in which Ellinor DiLorenzo acted Gamemaster for her fellow actors Anne Richmond and Sydney Amanuel as the party ventured into the Mythic North.

Humble Bundle exclusively offers the Everything for Your Adventures Bundle. This offering features digital assets and resources for playing tabletop roleplaying games on the Roll20 platform. It includes various resources, such as rulebooks, adventures, maps, and more for different RPG systems. Support for Extra Life: A portion of the Humble Bundle’s cost goes to Extra Life, a nonprofit organization dedicated to helping sick and injured children in the US.

The Lost Mountain Saga Podcast:
https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/thelostmountainsaga

Pre-Order Lost Mountain Saga for Vaesen:
https://freeleaguepublishing.com/en/store/?product_id=8625430233411

Roll20 Humble Bundle:
https://www.humblebundle.com/software/roll20-bundle-software/?partner=upturnedtable

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Dragonbane Actual Play Episode One:
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The Weekly LIVE 213 – Mythic Games Plays Catchup, Mistborn Leaving, TMNT TTRPG Returns and Candela Obscura Release

Posted on October 24, 2023 by upturnedtable_sx8obi

Mythic Games, a board game publisher, faced criticism and backlash from the tabletop gaming community due to unfulfilled crowdfunding campaigns. The company, in response, cited internal sacrifices such as selling intellectual properties (IPs) and reducing staff to meet crowdfunding commitments. Backers of projects like “Rainbow Six Siege: The Board Game” and “Darkest Dungeon: The Board Game” were asked for additional payments to cover unexpected expenses attributed to the COVID-19 pandemic and the war in Ukraine. The company has faced delays and criticism from backers and industry figures.

Mistborn Adventure Game, a tabletop roleplaying game (TTRPG) based on Brandon Sanderson’s novels, will no longer be available digitally on DriveThruRPG after December 31, 2023. The Mistborn series is a popular fantasy franchise, and the TTRPG adaptation will be leaving digital stores, creating a time constraint for fans to acquire digital copies.

Palladium Books announced the return of the official Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles (TMNT) roleplaying game, originally published in 1985, through a Kickstarter campaign. The classic TMNT RPG will be republished as two deluxe hardcover collections with new artwork and exclusive Kickstarter items. The campaign is set to launch on October 31, 2023, and will feature miniatures, dice sets, variant book covers, art prints, and other exclusives.

Critical Role’s publishing imprint, Darrington Press, announced the release date for “Candela Obscura,” a horror-themed tabletop roleplaying game. Co-designed by members of the Critical Role team, the game uses the Illuminated Worlds System and is set during the early 20th century. The core rulebook is scheduled for worldwide release on November 14, 2023, and includes rules, character options, campaign details, and exclusive editions. The game follows investigators operating in a world of occult occurrences and mysterious events, with a focus on horror elements.

TMNT and Other Strangeness Kickstarter:
https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/palladiumbooks/teenage-mutant-ninja-turtles-and-other-strangeness

Shop at Noble Knight Games (affiliate link)
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Dragonbane Actual Play Episode One:
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Dragonbane Core Set:
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The Weekly LIVE 212 – AI Stealing Jobs, Magic Kills Druids & Shaman, Dark Horse Publishes Lancer, Alkemy 2E and Dragonbane Bestiary

Posted on October 15, 2023 by upturnedtable_sx8obi

The increasing use of AI in the creative industry, particularly in the field of digital art. It highlights a case where an advertising company considered using AI tools instead of hiring an experienced artist. The article raises concerns about the impact of AI on artists’ livelihoods and suggests that art may become a hobby for the wealthy rather than a profession. The BBC also outlines its principles for using generative AI in journalism, focusing on transparency and respecting artists’ rights. Getty Images CEO claims to have developed an AI tool that respects artists’ copyrights and rewards them for their work.

The possibility of removing the Druid and Shaman creature types from the game Magic: The Gathering (MTG) due to their association with real-world religions that practice druidism and shamanism has come up on a designer’s blog. The head designer of MTG, Mark Rosewater, hinted at the potential removal in response to a question about the exclusion of the “witch” creature type. Wizards of the Coast, the company behind MTG, has been actively removing content to avoid accusations of racism and intolerance. Some players argue that the representation of druids and shamans in the game provides balance against Christian symbolism, and they express a desire to keep these creature types. However, there are no plans to remove angels or demons from the game at this time.

Dark Horse Comics and Massif Press are collaborating to release the LANCER Tabletop Roleplaying Game Core Rulebook. Originally funded on Kickstarter with over $400,000, the game is set in a far-future science fiction world where players pilot unique mechs. The rulebook, set to be released on June 11, 2024, features a deep and story-rich setting with lore attached to every choice and weapon. Preorders are available for $59.99 through various retailers.

The second edition of Alkemy, a 28mm tabletop skirmish game with unique rules such as guessing the range for ranged attacks and models becoming less effective as they take damage, is currently crowdfunding. Despite changing hands multiple times over the past 10-15 years, the game has a strong cult following in France and is attempting to break into the English-speaking market once again.

Free League has announced the upcoming release of a bestiary for their recently released fantasy RPG, Dragonbane. The book includes 63 creatures, nine of which are new playable kin with unique abilities, and is available for pre-order in standard and premium collector’s editions with immediate PDF access. The full-color hardcover book is illustrated by Johan Egerkrans and David Brasgalla. A complete cardboard standee set for the creatures in the bestiary will also be available separately. Additionally, Free League will release a hardback version of the Dragonbane rulebook with an added introductory adventure. Dragonbane is a fast-paced tabletop RPG designed for mirth and mayhem roleplaying, and players are invited to design and publish their own supplements using the third-party license for the game.

Confessions of a Wee Tim’rous Bushi Podast:
https://open.spotify.com/show/0NF1sMhWGIllBFS2u2w14G

Alkemy 2E on Kickstarter:
https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/alkemy/alkemy-version-2-in-english

Pre-order Hardcover Dragonbane Rulebook and Bestiary:
https://freeleaguepublishing.com/en/store/?collection_id=600088576323

Shop at Noble Knight Games (affiliate link)
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Dragonbane Actual Play Episode One:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jC9u841QuXM

Dragonbane Core Set:
https://www.drivethrurpg.com/product/418106/Dragonbane-Core-Set

Dragonbane Free Quickstart:
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The Weekly LIVE 211 – Netflix Sued by Evil Genius, Backerkit Bans AI, Undaunted Goes Scifi, Random House Drops D&D and Art by Nohr

Posted on October 9, 2023 by upturnedtable_sx8obi

Evil Genius Games is suing Netflix for allegedly backing out of a deal to create a tabletop role-playing game (TTRPG) based on Zack Snyder’s Rebel Moon movie. Evil Genius Games claims they delivered the game and related materials but Netflix canceled the contract and asserted ownership of the intellectual property without fair compensation.

BackerKit, a crowdfunding platform, announced a policy against AI-generated content on its platform, citing concerns about fair compensation and permission issues. The policy will restrict solely AI-generated content, but AI-assisted tools in editing and refinement will still be allowed. Essen Spiel, the world’s largest board game expo, admitted to using AI-generated artwork in promotional material for its 2023 event. The admission follows public criticism of other companies using AI-generated art, such as FryxGames and Stronghold Games for Terraforming Mars.

Osprey Games announced a new entry in the Undaunted board game series called “Undaunted 2200: Callisto,” moving away from World War II settings to sci-fi mech battles on Jupiter’s moon Callisto.

Penguin Random House will cease distributing Dungeons & Dragons products in mainstream bookstores from 2024. The distribution responsibility will shift to other distributors like Alliance, Diamond, and GTS.

Johan Nohr, the artist behind MÖRK BORG, launched a Kickstarter campaign for an art book containing over 300 illustrations, annotations, and behind-the-scenes content. The book will showcase Nohr’s artwork since the release of MÖRK BORG in 2019 and will be a large coffee table book with high-quality printing.

Art by Nohr:
https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/jnohr/art-by-nohr

Shop at Noble Knight Games (affiliate link)
https://www.nobleknight.com/affiliate/aw.asp?B=3&A=1312&Task=Click

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Dragonbane Actual Play Episode One:
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Dragonbane Core Set:
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The Weekly LIVE 210 – AI Art Backlash, Tainted Grail RPG, Ad Astra and Cohors Cthulhu

Posted on October 1, 2023 by upturnedtable_sx8obi

FryxGames CEO, Enoch Fryxelius, defends the use of AI in the Terraforming Mars project on Facebook. The company’s next board game, “Fates,” will not include AI, addressing concerns raised in an interview transcript by Polygon. Fryxelius emphasizes that AI was used for artwork in Terraforming Mars but assures that no jobs were lost, though he acknowledges potential impact on illustrators. The next game, “Fates,” will feature exclusively human-made graphics, with a focus on paying a living wage to illustrators.

Tainted Grail, a dark fantasy board game, is getting a tabletop RPG adaptation called “Tainted Grail: Song of a Dying World.” The RPG, based on the Shadows of Esteren system, explores the world of Avalon and introduces new characters known as Guardians of Avalon. The game system emphasizes roleplaying, character progression, and includes mechanics from the original board game. The RPG is being developed by Studio Agate, with a crowdfunding campaign planned for November.

Free League announces the expansion “Ad Astra” for the Mutant: Year Zero tabletop RPG. The expansion takes players from Earth’s surface into orbit, introducing a space-themed campaign. A pre-order for Ad Astra is available, offering early access to a full PDF ahead of the physical release next year. In addition to the expansion, there is a reprint of all Mutant: Year Zero core books, including Mutant: Mechatron.

Modiphius Entertainment introduces Cohors Cthulhu, a game using the 2d20 system, set in ancient Rome. Changes to the system include the addition of the attribute “Gravitas” for serious and dignified actions. The focus shifts from firearms to melee weapons, with a robust combat system and hidden facets of player characters. Cultural and caste choices play a crucial role in character development within the context of ancient Rome.

#strongholdgames #taintedgrail #adastra #YZE #cohorscthulhu

Cohors Cthulhu Kickstarer:
https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/modiphius/cohors-cthulhu-tabletop-roleplaying-game/

Shop at Noble Knight Games (affiliate link)
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Dragonbane Actual Play Episode One:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jC9u841QuXM

Dragonbane Core Set:
https://www.drivethrurpg.com/product/418106/Dragonbane-Core-Set

Dragonbane Free Quickstart:
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Support Us by Shopping on DTRPG (afilliate link):
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