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:
https://www.drivethrurpg.com/product/409397/Dragonbane-Quickstart

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The Weekly LIVE 162 – Paizo PDFs Price Increase, Assassin’s Creed TTRPG by CMON, New Heroquest Hero Collection Expansion, Magic’s Universes Beyond and Mutant Year Zero Skirmish Game

Posted on October 24, 2022 by upturnedtable_sx8obi

Paizo will be raising its PDF prices following an increase in labor to produce them. Previously they just priced PDFs at flat percentage of the print books MSRP. The price increase seems modest and for some things, like flip mats, the price is actually going down in some cases. With the new found popularity of VTTs and nicer displays on tablets to read PDFs it seems inevitable to try to make more profit from the easier to produce digital products. We will see who else follows suit.

CMON is producing an Assassin’s Creed TTRPG based on the 15 year old video game. The game will involve playing both Descendants, the modern day characters and Ancestors, the assassins of the Brotherhood from various historical periods. This is done by using a virtual reality technology called the ANIMUS that taps into the genetic information in your DNA to access your Ancestors lives. It was a cool concept for a game and if done right may be really fun on the tabletop. The development is being overseen by the talented Francesco Nepitello for Guillotine Press, the CMON RPG studio.

Heroquest is getting a Hero Collection Expansion. The Rogue Heir of Elethorn, a nimble elf skirmisher. This set includes two miniatures (possibly a single character gender swapped) and cards. It retails for a hefty US$17 and I would call that overpriced just based on the quality of the Heroquest base game. At least they are supporting the game with new expansions.

Magic: the Gathering Universes Beyond is a “success” but annoying series for many serious MtG players. It involves reskinning cards using various popular IPs. The first of these being the Walking Dead television series. The series relies on FOMO, but has offered reprints. The main attraction to players seems to be the desirable cards and not the IPs themselves. Look forward to Warhammer 40k, Age of Sigmar, Lord of the Rings and other odd fits into the collectible card game system.

Free League is releasing a miniatures skirmish game based on the Mutant Year Zero TTRPG called Zone Wars. Games Workshop designer Andy Chambers, known for Warhammer Fantasy Battles, Necromunda and Battlefleet Gothic and Tomas Härenstam, designer for Mutant: Year Zero and the studio’s Alien: The RPG. You can use your characters from the TTRPG in the skirmish game and also play out the aftermath of the skirmish game in the TTRPG. Brilliant! Really looking forward to this.

#paizo #cmon #heroquest #freeleague #zonewars #mutant

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