The Wildsea: Cutting through the rustling waves, an unending tree-top sea!

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Tawd: Oct 24, 2010

Hey all,

Despite having not been an active, participating, goon for a long while a buddy of mine has asked me to promote/shill his project on the forums.

Undoubtedly a labour of love, he's put the hours (years) in on this one and, to say the least, has a great deal of skin in the game. The rent is due, after all.

The response so far seems to have been universally positive! :3:

I wouldn't identify as an indie connoisseur, but the world he has created is genuinely fresh, the mechanics have been praised and the community that's building around the project is welcoming and super positive.

With mod blessings, banner ads made and dues paid, I'm genuinely pleased and honoured to present -

The Wildsea: Cutting through the rustling waves, an unending tree-top sea!
_{An innovative TTRPG from Felix Issacs}

TL;DR TL;DR TL;DR

:siren:

UPDATE The Kickstarter has been very successful so far, meaning that the following extras can be bundled in -

Extra content regarding origin classes!
Oher play options to do with the weirder side of the Wildsea (think wyrd and arcane)!
Expanded options for ship creation!
Details regarding odd hazards to be found while adventuring!
Extra Firefly (GM) guidance!
'Of Root and Sky', a set of materials regarding the upper skies and lower parts of the canopies!
Improved, fully coloured and expanded artwork created by artists!
- with better compensation for artists! Rumour has it there will be maps...
Professional layout design/typesetting!

Plus!
An SRD document!
Virtual play surfaces for online gaming platforms!
A full length, commissioned soundtrack!

The Wildsea home page, also featuring Felix's blog, offering a candid insight into the process.
Mythopoeia who have picked up the Wildsea for publishing!

A chill, friendly and inclusive Discord full of cool peeps.
Those who are interested in providing feedback are very welcome, as are those who are interested in participating in playtests, which run frequently!

:bandwagon:

The Wildsea's Kickstarter page.

:pcgaming:

The latest and most up to date Playtest PDF

:vrfrog:

See below, gentle goon!

TL;DR TL;DR TL;DR

There must be a teaser trailer?

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vjaOshV9Ym8&hd=1

Well, now I'm interested!

Check out The Rattling Roar, an actual one-shot of 'egg-carrying, plant-evading, crane-swinging madness', starring Felix himself, Ray Chou, Mistletoe_kiss and Ric Heise.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FccSksxTs4o&hd=1

I still have to take a two and a half hour bus ride into work despite COVID, is there anything I could listen to?

Check this podcast from Don't Forget Your Towel, which is a pretty clear introduction to the game.

A virus took my job, so I have plenty of time to read...
This is a quick re-hash from the playtest document, but it should whet your appetite.

So, what's the setting?
_{Basically, nature won.}

Felix Isaacs posted:

"It started with a ripple, a shudder of earth and stone, a snap of unbound seedlings. The Verdancy, a tide of rampant growth spilling across the world from the West.

Trees grew like inverted lightning, shouldering their way free from the churning earth, their roots winding hungrily through cities and vineyards, splitting mountains and drinking seas; mile-high trunks with iron-hard bark, a titanic canopy of leaves, petals and spores, thick with the howling of unknown creatures.

In less than a day, the forest had eaten the world.

The age of salt and spray was dead.

Now.

There is only the Wildsea."

Felix Issacs posted:

"Though that world is essentially one vast untamed forest, the features of the rustling waves vary massively from region to region. Your crew might find themselves sailing the gentle banyam-oak hybrids of the Foxloft, suiting up to withstand the parasitic spores of the Myconica or cutting their way through the snow-capped evergreen maze of the Northern Reaches.

When your ship or spirits are flagging there's always the option to make port - to stop at an archipelago of mountain-tops, the shattered remains of an old-world monument or a settlement sprawled drunkenly across a leviathan's back.

At its heart, the Wildsea is a game about stories."

Felix Issacs posted:

"The Wildsea is a tabletop RPG for two to six players. Your characters are Wildsailors, part of a crew brave enough to venture across the rustling waves of the world-forest on a ship of your own design.

You might be hunters, traders or guns for hire; salvagers of ancient wrecks, or explorers heading for the horizon. Your characters will develop and grow as they learn more about themselves, eachother and the wild world that they inhabit.

With your support, our goal with this Kickstarter is to create a beautiful print 1^st edition of the Wildsea RPG based on the existing playtest document. We have artists on board, a well-tested rule-set and a desire to make this the best book it can be.

All we need is you."

Felix Isaacs posted:

"The Wildsea draws mechanically from role-playing games like Belly of the Beast, Blades in the Dark, 13th Age and Dialect, and also from stories like Bastion, Sunless Sea, the Bas-Lag Trilogy and Subnautica. It has a heavy narrative slant, a dash of in-character world-building and a focus on dramatic action and exploration.

This is weird fantasy, through and through."

Felix Isaacs posted:

Here are the most important aspects of the world - the core concepts of the Wildsea...

The Treetops are a Sea

Though made up of branches and leaves rather than water, the treetops still act as a traditional sea in many ways; there are waves, formed by the natural contours and undulations of the canopy; ports, built upon what little solid ground remains; and a vast number of ships, their hulls supported by branches.

Land is Scarce and Valuable

Mountaintops and large chunks of earth or debris caught up in the canopy act as islands and archipelagos, fiercely guarded by their inhabitants.

Plant Growth is Rampant

The plants of the sea grow at a dramatically accelerated pace, but only when connected to the Ironroots, vast mile-high trees that act as the foundation of the Wildsea. A branch cut down will remain inert, but another will have replaced it within the hour.

Open Flames are Forbidden

Almost all cultures have prohibitions against the use of fire at sea, and for good reason. Flame burns fierce and long on Wildsea-wood, and spreads outward at a terrifying, voracious pace.

Crezzerin Corrupts on Contact

Secreted by some of the Wildsea�s more dangerous vegetation, crezzerin is a potent toxin. Brief contact does little more than sear the skin, but long-term exposure warps both body and mind in terrifying ways.

The Economy is Barter-Based

With much of the pre-Verdant world's technology and resources sunk in the obscure depths around the roots, salvage and recycling are particularly important. The economy is based on the bartering of services, food or materials in the main.

Tell me I can play a world-weary, heartbroken, warrior-poet cactus-man!
You can, and should!

Felix Isaacs posted:

"Here are the core four races most commonly found in communities and on the waves...

The Ardent

The post-Verdancy descendants of ancient humanity, forged by hardship and disaster. The Ardent vary in terms of culture, traditions and appearance, just as their human ancestors did; what they hold in common is the trait of perseverance.

They are a race of survivors; tough, weathered and attuned to the rustling waves.

The Ektus

Fibrous cactoids from the icterine East, the world-forest robbed the Ektus of the dunes and waterfalls of their ancestral home. Most now travel the seas, determined to prove themselves in a world that tried to snuff them out.

Though Ektus bodies come in a variety of shapes and sizes, they typically stand head and shoulders above the next largest person in any given room.

The Gau

The Gau are grown rather than born, cultivated within fungal colonies before being sent out into the world when they come of age.

Though each surviving colony has its own traditions and biological quirks, natural curiosity and a sense of adventure are common traits among all but the most conservative Gau.

The Tzelicrae

Each Tzelicrae is a hive-mind of spiders, thousands of them, whom has sculpted, bargained for, or stolen a humanoid form.

Many Tzelicrae spin themselves silken skin, or inhabit discarded clothes and armour much like the long-forgotten hermit crab huddling within a shell. A rare few win the Lottery of Skin, passing unnoticed among the communities of other bloodlines."

What about character classes?

Felix Isaacs posted:

"Your character�s background is a combination of three choices - their Bloodline, their Origin and their Post.

Bloodline sets your character�s race; origin determines how your character lived their early life and the kind of culture they were raised in; post describes the kind of niche they fit into within a crew, the particular set of skills that make them valuable as a Wildsailor.

Each of these choices also have an influence on how your character can interact with the world, and how the world will treat your character in turn. Some cultures may be far more accepting of a particular bloodline, for example, and others wowed by someone with the talent to take a particular post. Each choice carries with it a narrative risk and reward."

I'll avoid cluttering things up with the crunchy bits here, but here's a preview of the origins and posts detailed in the playtest document!

Felix Isaacs posted:

Origins

Rootless

In a world where solid ground is hard-won and reliable, clean water scarce, nomads are common. The Rootless are those that have fully embraced the nomadic lifestyle, drifting from place to place on family-owned ships handed down from one generation to the next. For many rootless, family ties are forever...but the call of the horizon is strong.

Rootless tend to be hardy sorts, raised among the perils of the open sea.

Ridgeback

In the earliest days of the verdancy many mountain-dwelling folk considered themselves divinely spared from the forest that ate the world. Unfortunately, their sanctuaries quickly turned to graveyards; the harsher weather and lack of food meant that many died from exposure and disease, and those that clung on too often found dark solace in cults or cannibalism.

Those days are over now, for the most part, but their influence still shows. Those raised on the Ridgebacks are built larger and stronger than their kin, and often worship strange, tenuous godlings.

Shankling

Tallshanks are trees titanic even by the standards of the Wildsea, their trunks spearing up through the waves, their crowns rarely less than half a mile wide. The Shanklings saw potential in the lofty reaches of these crowns, a separation from the predators of the
wider waves below. Their cities and airship high-ports sprawl across the branches, old ruins dredged from the depths now hanging from sturdy chains and linked by ropes and bridges.

Shankling citizens tend to be elegant, decisive and entirely unfazed by heights, typically dressed in clothes styled to resemble the birds and beasts of their towering homes.

Spit-Born

Your home is a spit, a port-colony built up around a ruin of the old world. You�ve lived a life of struggle and trade, suspicion and tenacity - strangers bringing both opportunity and danger.

Spits rarely last a lifetime, and a healthy knowledge that their entire home could be swallowed by the waves at any point encourages most spit-born to live without
many possessions and to travel light.

Felix Isaacs posted:

Posts

Corsair

Every Wildsailor is expected to be able to take up arms in a crisis, but the corsair elevates combat to an art form. Tasked with protecting their ship in close combat they
often focus their training on blades, hammers and axes.

Most corsairs follow the ancient wisdom that the best defence is a strong and punishing offence; it�s not unusual for corsairs to switch between a mixture of esoteric fighting styles and acrobatic feats to keep their foes off balance.

Dredger

The art of dredging is a difficult and painful one to learn, but the benefits are well worth the struggle. Dredgers make their living by diving into the waves of the Wildsea in search of valuable specimens and salvage, sifting through dangerous wrecks and
exploring ancient ruins.

Dredgers traditionally dress as lightly as possible, leaving as much space as possible free to carry their finds back to their ships. Most dredgers are easily distinguished by the stained, seared skin of their hands and feet - the effects of long-term crezzerin exposure.

Hacker

Your job is to clear the way for settlements, ships and exploration, plunging into the Wildsea to tear open paths and clearings.

The earliest hackers used fire, before quickly realizing that the ironwood boughs re-grew faster than they burnt. You know, like every other survivor, that fire is more trouble than it�s worth. Now sharpened metal, chemicals and honest sweat reign supreme; your worth is measured in snapped branches and rough-cut routes.

Hunter

As a hunter your role is to provide food and materials for the crew, usually in the form of animals parts. Some hunters prefer more complex prey, styling themselves as bounty hunters and roving the waves looking to bring down bounties for payment. Either way, stealthy movement and hidden snares often pay dividends.

Rattlehand

Hull-iron rusts. Sawteeth blunt. Engines cough and struggle. In a world of salvage and barter, nothing lasts forever...unless you have a good Rattlehand on your side.

A Rattlehand is somewhere between an engineer, a blacksmith and an artist, able to use the scrap of the seas to repair, reinforce and create. Many Rattlehands excel in crafting new and unique gear for their crew-mates, perfectly suited to the troubles they face.

Slinger

Usually found keeping a watch on the sea from the tallest vantage points on their ships, Slingers are the first line of defence against attacks from pirates and wild beasts. Lightly armoured and possessing heavy firepower, their aim is usually to drop their targets before they are close enough to fight.

Though most Slingers use hammer-pin and black-powder to make their mark on the world, traditionalists exist - bows, crossbows and even slingshots can all be just as deadly in the right hands."

Heck yes, give me chainsaw-ship-adventure or give me death!

Felix Isaacs posted:

"While some prefer to hole up in ruins or perch on mountaintops, some take to the waves and never look back. A few Wildsailors love the sea. Others respect it, or fear it - the healthiest approach, in all probability - but whatever their attitude, each of them is drawn, inexorably, to the waves.

Though they come in a variety of sizes and designs, most ships have some sort of saw or cutting edge at the front and a powerful source of propulsion at the sides or rear. While a fabled few can afford airships, most cut their way through the upper levels of the verdant sea, hulls held up by branches and their prows tearing a path through the leaves of the thrash.

Even the shortest journey across the seas is a dangerous prospect, but trade, mapping and exploration promise bounty enough to offset the risk. Though the waves are vast they are also crowded, and it�s rare that a journey between even the closest ports ends without crews sighting, greeting and, occasionally, skirmishing with eachother.

Current charts are a highly valuable resource when away from port. As the roots of the Wildsea writhe and quest for ever-deeper sources of nourishment the topography of the rustling waves above shifts and changes in kind. Trade routes alter, animal migrations change and entire spits of land are dredged up from below or lost to the depths."

Yes! Yes! More shipbuilding goodness!

Felix Isaacs posted:

"One of the core ideas behind the Wildsea is that you�ll have a ship to explore the rustling waves with, but you might not start with one - depending on how your game begins you might be ashore somewhere, crewing a ship on behalf of another captain or (if you�re lucky) in charge of your own vessel.

To create your ship you�ll need to spend stakes, a special resource used exclusively for ship-building and crew-hiring. You get six stakes as standard to create your ship, plus another three stakes for every player with a character on the crew. That way, every player at the table has a stake in creating it.

These stakes are spent on making choices about the ship�s design, fittings and any extra NPC crew-members sailing with you. Simple choices cost one of your stakes, whereas more advanced options may take two or even all three stakes to add
to the ship. Having your own stakes to spend allows you to ensure that if there�s an option you can�t live without you can afford it on your own, or lets you contribute something toward the basic functionality of the ship and keep a little back for personalized choices that better suit your own character."

What about my mechanics? Tell me I can roll some dice.

The core mechanic revolves around six-sided dice. Depending on how they falls, and which of your best rolls are cruelly Cut from you to represent adversity, the result could be Triumph, Conflict or Disaster, and Double rolls do strange things indeed.

Felix Issacs posted:

"Each session of the Wildsea slips between three distinct, but related, modes of play: Scenes, Montages and Journeys.

Scenes

Most Scenes focus on exploration, interaction or combat (often a mix of the three). As a player, you�ll be choosing which actions to take, rolling dice for them if they�re difficult, dangerous or dramatic, and engaging the Firefly* with questions and in- character dialogue.

_{* A Firefly is the Wildsea equivalent of a GM/DM; as the name hints, their role is different.}

Montages

A Montage allows each member of the crew to attempt a single task; a long, complex action kept mostly �off screen� to keep the game flowing smoothly.

The intention here is to evoke one of the most useful tropes of the big screen, where exploring new places, tooling up before a fight or long hours of study can be condensed into a short but informative series of moments.

Journeys

Journeys move you from one place to another, usually by means of a Ship. They also allow you to discover new locations and opportunities as you travel, and to define some truths about the Wildsea itself. After all, who knows what will happen on watch?"

What about the beasts of the air and birds of the sea?

Here is a preview of some from the hand of Katy Schmeckerel. Due to the success of the Kickstarter, there are going to be many, many more in the book!

Felix Isaacs posted:

The Pinwolf

Vicious pack hunters with stiletto limbs, pinwolves are a seemingly omnipresent threat across the various reaches and territories of the Wildsea. Bursts of uncanny movement, long twitching tongues. Coarse fur and smooth skin underneath. The sharp impacts of their pin-like limbs. Hissing when they're readying themselves to attack. Scraping and skittering if they move over metal. Their scent is musky - a mixture of sweat and old blood. Pinwolf meat is tough, and tastes bitter unless charred or fried, when it becomes surprisingly buttery.

Felix Isaacs posted:

The Lion's Mane

A burst of golden petals sitting atop four wide, spider- spread limbs, the lion�s mane is a hunting plant with a taste for blood. Usually moving in pairs they attack in tandem, one rampaging wildly through an area and the other leaping upon any prey that flee the carnage.

Toothmarks flecked with golden dust. Sun-coloured petals flexing and rippling in anticipation. A rattling lion-like roar. A sent of old blood and sweet pollen. A Hearty, earthy flavour for the limbs. Boiling the petals gives them an appealing sugary note.

Felix Isaacs posted:

A Pangoska variant living in symbiotic harmony with its environment, the Pangoska's precious scales are covered with a thick layer of moss and flower-bloom. Though placid by nature and subject to environmental preservation by several forward-thinking Wildsea communities (partly due to their genial moods and supposed ability to bring good luck), a Pangoska can deliver a bevy of powerful punches when threatened, their highly muscled arms as useful for brawling as they are for brachiation.

And who would dare mention Old Ornail, dread leviathan, squirrel?

Felix Isaacs posted:

All leviathaneers know the tales of Old Ornail, the squirrel to end all squirrels.

Birds, insects and smaller animals fleeing in a single direction, panicked and howling. A furrow moving through the treescape, as something titanic claws its way through the sink. Bristling, curving, claws like a ship�s prow. Dark, swift shapes moving through flame-coloured fur. A network of scars, punctuated with the blades and hilts of broken weapons. The calls and yelps of fleeing creatures. The creaking, bending and snapping of branches and boughs. A throaty chittering that sounds like an engine turning. Scent of a sharp tang of pure crezzerin running in rivulets down the creature�s fur. Tastes like old wounds and lost Wildsailors.

e: Grammar, more consistent marking of concept words, de-goonification.
e2: Additional beasts!
e3: News regarding Kickstarter progress and play-testing!

Tawd fucked around with this message at 20:32 on Nov 1, 2020

# ? Oct 28, 2020 15:47

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# ? Apr 24, 2024 00:51

Leperflesh: May 17, 2007

Good luck with this cool, goon-adjacent project, Tawd and Tawd's buddy! An ad has been purchased on SA, so this is not unpaid shilling: the forces behind this game have done the Right Thing and worked with TG administration to plan this Officially Sanctioned Thread about this game.

Also congrats on that kickstarter funding more or less instantly!

# ? Oct 28, 2020 19:02

Nemesis Of Moles: Jul 25, 2007

This looks rad as hell. I did a "big infinite forest" setting ages ago but this seems like it's way more and bigger and better. Backing when I get a mo, nice work!

# ? Oct 28, 2020 19:14

Asterite34: May 19, 2009

Oooh, cool, I think I saw the RPGNet thread for this! Kinda reminds me of that MMO thing Last Oasis, only with infinite forest canopy being traversed by weird walking machines instead of desert.

# ? Oct 28, 2020 19:41

GrandpaPants: Feb 13, 2006; Free to roam the heavens in man's noble quest to investigate the weirdness of the universe!

This seems pretty cool, but I'll throw two cents your way and say that the OP is written in a pretty obnoxious way and doesn't really do the sales pitch any favors. Try to like, tone down the "gooniness" of it all.

# ? Oct 28, 2020 19:47

Bieeanshee: Aug 21, 2000; Not keen on keening.; Grimey Drawer

I realise you folks are excited, but... what GrandpaPants said.

I like the idea though. I'll peek in on the KS.

# ? Oct 28, 2020 20:02

Serf: May 5, 2011

cool art: you had my curiosity
chainsaw ships: you have my attention

there's a lot of other neat stuff here too. i'll toss in some cash

# ? Oct 28, 2020 20:07

Tawd: Oct 24, 2010

Leperflesh posted:

...congrats on that kickstarter funding more or less instantly!

That's been today's shocker. At time of posting, we're nearly double the original funding goal and sailing past several of the stretch goals, meaning that there's already more Origins, improved artwork and a commissioned soundtrack in the bag. Cool tunes a la Bastion style are on the way!

On a personal note, I'm really hoping goons and others alike dig deep because we are
currently at $24,362 of a $25,000 stretch goal which would mean that a professional layout artist could be employed (to correct the lack of fully justified text in the book, which is, frankly, an unforgivable crime).

GrandpaPants posted:

...I'll throw two cents your way and say that the OP is written in a pretty obnoxious way and doesn't really do the sales pitch any favors. Try to like, tone down the "gooniness" of it all.

Bieeanshee posted:

I realise you folks are excited, but... what GrandpaPants said.

Yeah, I've been thinking about what's been said. It's maybe not so much excitement as Felix and I feel very weird about self-promotion, so it might have been a bit of a reflex when I was writing it, but I've toned it down a bit now. Only good vibes now. Thanks for giving it a look despite that.

Serf posted:

cool art: you had my curiosity
chainsaw ships: you have my attention

Frankly, the chainsaw-ships have been the number one draw.

Much of the art Felix commissioned out of his own pocket in the early stages of the idea-development, long before thoughts of a Kickstarter or publishing, so art and world have evolved together.

If you'd all like, I can get permission to do some higher(ish) resolution images and post them up so you can see these little banners in their full glory instead.

# ? Oct 29, 2020 01:53

zerofiend: Dec 23, 2006

My biggest turn off is landscape format for a rulebook. That's great for art, terrible for a rules reference.

# ? Oct 29, 2020 04:37

Tawd: Oct 24, 2010

Gorefiend posted:

My biggest turn off is landscape format for a rulebook. That's great for art, terrible for a rules reference.

It's been a controversial decision and not one that I'm one hundred percent sure on myself, I'd probably prefer portrait over landscape too.

Of course, as you say, the layout allows appreciation of the art which is an integral part of the project.

Moreover, having spoken to Felix about it this morning, the reasoning is thus -

As the Wildsea is a low-crunch, low-prep game with simple mechanics, you'll find that reference to the book in play (especially flicking to-and-fro) is minimal after a few sessions.

There is also a determination to avoid the the pattern of having multiple books in play - it's just one volume, no player's guide, monster manual, GM's guide, setting sourcebook

The landscape format also lends itself to viewing on most computer monitors and tablets, too, which is a Big Thing more recently.

# ? Oct 29, 2020 12:41

zerofiend: Dec 23, 2006

Tawd posted:

The landscape format also lends itself to viewing on most computer monitors and tablets, too, which is a Big Thing more recently.

That's not exactly a selling point for a physical book.

# ? Oct 29, 2020 22:14

Leperflesh: May 17, 2007

Yeah what I would have liked would be a normal-shaped book so it could go on my bookshelf in a convenient way, and then PDF could be available in either portrait or landscape; or perhaps an landscape-mode artbook could be a stretch goal. If I do get a hardback book, it'll have to sit spine-up on my shelf, which means I can't see the spine/label.

It's not a dealbreaker for me, especially since I'm probably just gonna back at the PDF-only level anyway, but a common pitfall of micro-press/small-production/indie products is special-snowflake decisions by the auteur project lead that, while justified in their minds by artistic considerations, actively make the product less convenient for customers.

# ? Oct 29, 2020 22:23

Nemesis Of Moles: Jul 25, 2007

I'm personally a huge fan of the landscape book. I'm backing the small production micro press thing specifically so I can have a bunch of special-snowflake decisions by the auteur project lead rather than the most optimal consumer thing, but I acknowledge that's not a universal thing.

Nemesis Of Moles fucked around with this message at 22:48 on Oct 29, 2020

# ? Oct 29, 2020 22:44

Tawd: Oct 24, 2010

Wow, I'll have to feed back just how strongly people feel about book layout. These are all totally valid points - for some people it's purely practical, for some people it's aesthetic, for most it's a very potent blend.

I've had a silly idea that might solve the bookshelf problem, and I'll put it to the team, even if it's just something to be considered for the future.

In other news, the Kickstarter is staying strong - stretch goals keep falling!

So, there's going to be a full soundtrack by Liam P. Vaughn and thank God, there's going to be a professional layout bod that I can harass about full-justified text; an expanded bestiary; art upgrades including full colour for all illustrations and the production of an SRD are in the bag; we're heading steadily toward a book quality upgrade too. :toot:

Tawd fucked around with this message at 00:59 on Oct 30, 2020

# ? Oct 29, 2020 23:06

Tawd: Oct 24, 2010

Leperflesh posted:

If I do get a hardback book, it'll have to sit spine-up on my shelf, which means I can't see the spine/label.

Nemesis Of Moles posted:

I'm personally a huge fan of the landscape book. I'm backing the small production micro press thing specifically so I can have a bunch of special-snowflake decisions by the auteur project lead rather than the most optimal consumer thing...

So, I have mooted the idea of some kind of hefty card outer sleeve that would a) look beautiful and b) allow the book to sit in the Correct Orientation on a shelf. It's not going to solve anyone's practical reading concerns but it seems a good concession to shelf issues. Apparently I'm not the only one, so who knows?

Tawd fucked around with this message at 01:31 on Oct 30, 2020

# ? Oct 30, 2020 00:58

Leperflesh: May 17, 2007

Well, this thread has like two or three points of feedback, while the KS has 661 backers, so really they should go with what the majority seem to want.
I don't mind the idea of a sleeve, I guess a bit like a dust jacket but oriented the other way, though. Might make a nice little stretch goal.

# ? Oct 30, 2020 03:21

Tawd: Oct 24, 2010

Leperflesh posted:

Well, this thread has like two or three points of feedback, while the KS has 661 backers, so really they should go with what the majority seem to want.
I don't mind the idea of a sleeve, I guess a bit like a dust jacket but oriented the other way, though. Might make a nice little stretch goal.

Apparently the sleeve idea was already discussed and hasn't been ruled out yet. While there seems to be no shortage of backers, you never know what turned those who didn't back away; why not accommodate? If things continue as they are there might be funds for such a thing.

Speaking of which, overnight the Kickstarter has rattled to $38k / �29k, so book quality upgrades are a go, along with more content on Arconautics,

Felix Isaacs posted:

"...the study of the weird and strange. Arconautics presents an array of additional options for both players and Fireflies that want to embrace the extraordinary - alchemists, augurs, ironbound automatons, manipulators of plantlife and metals. Includes new bloodlines, origins, posts, skills, and hazards!"

I'll update the OP with a couple of the spiffy full colour images of beasts, many more of which are to come from the pen of the Wildsea's beastiary artist, Katy Shmeckerel, as it occurs to me that I failed to post much about them before, and they're very cool. :toot:

# ? Oct 30, 2020 12:28

Snail Information: May 29, 2010; Snailmancy

This gives me real numenera vibes, definitely going to be trying a playtest of this with some friends.

# ? Oct 30, 2020 12:50

Tawd: Oct 24, 2010

Snail Information posted:

This gives me real numenera vibes, definitely going to be trying a playtest of this with some friends.

The creators very much value feedback - drop into the Discord, or if anyone wants to post their observations and comments here, I'll feed them back.

# ? Oct 30, 2020 13:45

Stoner Sloth: Apr 2, 2019

Tawd posted:

The creators very much value feedback - drop into the Discord, or if anyone wants to post their observations and comments here, I'll feed them back.

Just that this looks really good and wish your buddy every success with it, would definitely try a game!

# ? Nov 1, 2020 06:54

Tawd: Oct 24, 2010

Stoner Sloth posted:

Just that this looks really good and wish your buddy every success with it, would definitely try a game!

If anyone wishes to try a game, they are running most evenings on the Wildsea playtest channel, and it's a friendly and inclusive crew. :unsmith:

The Kickstarter appears to have blown things out of the water, more than tripling the initial funding target within six days, so further stretch goals are being devised; it'll be a relief for some to hear that Felix has already stated that they don't want to make promises they can't keep, however.

Personally, I have pushed the idea of the core creators rewarding themselves with some kind of pay equal to time and efforts, based with at least a passing nod to the concept of fair wages but that is dangerous talk. :ussr:

# ? Nov 1, 2020 20:03

Nemesis Of Moles: Jul 25, 2007

If they're looking for feedback on stretch goals and extras I'd like to toss my hat in the "split 100% of excess funds amoungst yourselves" ring

# ? Nov 1, 2020 21:51

Leperflesh: May 17, 2007

I would suggest retaining extra funding for a post-kickstarter marketing campaign to try to get more copies of the game into game stores. Maybe post-covid or something. Or the company could use extra money to help fund its next project.

# ? Nov 3, 2020 06:46

Tawd: Oct 24, 2010

My understanding is that Ray Chou of Mythopoeia, the other half of the project and publisher, was going to be doing a lot of in-person promotion for the Wildsea at conventions in the North America, which could occur post-COVID. No idea regarding Europe or Oceania at the moment...

# ? Nov 3, 2020 08:52

aldantefax: Oct 10, 2007; ALWAYS BE MECHFISHIN'

I managed to convince my FLGS to get a retailer package for the Kickstarter, so I'll be getting a collector's edition through them. Lookin' forward to it!

# ? Nov 6, 2020 06:17

Tawd: Oct 24, 2010

aldantefax posted:

I managed to convince my FLGS to get a retailer package for the Kickstarter, so I'll be getting a collector's edition through them. Lookin' forward to it!

Nice! I hadn't seen any movement on the FLGS direct promotion, I'll mention it to Felix and company.

In other news, the Kickstarter continues to climb steadily so new stretch goals and teirs are being made available, away with work at the moment but will update soon. There's definitely some new podcasts/let's plays to be added to the OP at least 🥳

# ? Nov 6, 2020 08:19

Splicer: Oct 16, 2006; from hell's heart I cast at thee
🧙🐀🧹🌙🪄🐸

Joined the discord and eyeballing a physical book tier. Are there any playtest scenarios knocking around or is playtesting purely roll your own?

# ? Nov 7, 2020 18:15

Tawd: Oct 24, 2010

Splicer posted:

Joined the discord and eyeballing a physical book tier. Are there any playtest scenarios knocking around or is playtesting purely roll your own?

The playtest document doesn't have a pre-done scenario as such, but it does have a 'starter setting', the Foxloft, that you can riff upon; it has a geographical overview, details the primary groups and their cultures, provides example NPCs and ships plus story hooks and a bestiary to get you started.

There's lots going on with the Kickstarter and the ongoing progress thereof, so I'll do a meatier post soon - been away with work for a few days.

# ? Nov 8, 2020 09:59

Tawd: Oct 24, 2010

Well, surprise me with a big stick.

$68,819 of $15,000
�52,304 of �11,400

That's quite something! :3:

New stretch goals and backing options have been rolled out in lieu of the trundling onward success of the project so far - at $60k, some money has been put aside to subsidise shipping fees. And at $70k, after much encouragement, some money has been allocated so Felix can receive a lump sum and pay the rent for a while at least.

The following goals are new...

At $70k, a raise on the per-word rate for all writers involved in the project.
At $75k, sets of custom, wooden Wildsea dice will be available to purchase as an add-on.
At $85k, another module of content will be released, namely 'the Farthest Reaches'.
At $100k, there will be further reductions in shipping costs and more payola for the project authors.

And there are also exciting new ways to sponsor the project! More 'Bestiary' and 'Cameo' slots will be made available, plus three slots will be created to allow the sponsor to create a Leviathan within the game! :aaaaa:

# ? Nov 8, 2020 16:33

Falconier111: Jul 18, 2012; S T A R M E T A L C A S T E

A neat and bizarre setting, from what I can see. I only had a limited time to scan the pdf, so I may have missed this; are there any major ideologies or religions or whatever left over from the old world, or was it all consumed and shifted around?

# ? Nov 9, 2020 01:53

neaden: Nov 4, 2012; A changer of ways

Falconier111 posted:

A neat and bizarre setting, from what I can see. I only had a limited time to scan the pdf, so I may have missed this; are there any major ideologies or religions or whatever left over from the old world, or was it all consumed and shifted around?

When I asked the author on rpg.net he said it was ambiguous on if this was supposed to be on our earth, but probably not. If I get a chance to GM it I'll probably include some random ephemera from our world/time though.

# ? Nov 9, 2020 14:53

Tawd: Oct 24, 2010

Falconier111 posted:

A neat and bizarre setting, from what I can see. I only had a limited time to scan the pdf, so I may have missed this; are there any major ideologies or religions or whatever left over from the old world, or was it all consumed and shifted around?

Within the narrative, the cataclysm occurred extremely quickly and fractured the existing societies soundly. Cultures and groups tend to be focused around one Reach (geographical area) and are highly varied, likely arising from the period of long isolation before ships began making their way across the treetops.

Out of the narrative, it's this way to avoid dominant culture narratives stifling flexibility of play.

Each documented Reach in the game will feature an overview of the cultures and groups therein, much like the example one in the playtest PDF, but more substantial and detailed.

e: grammar

Tawd fucked around with this message at 07:38 on Nov 10, 2020

# ? Nov 9, 2020 15:59

Froghammer: Sep 8, 2012; Khajit has wares
if you have coin

Just kicked. You had me at "giant demon squirrel"

# ? Nov 24, 2020 01:28

orange juche: Mar 14, 2012

Gonna back this at the 88 dollar tier, even if I don't have a group to play games with right now. Looks pretty cool, OP.

E: And backed :getin:

orange juche fucked around with this message at 10:33 on Nov 24, 2020

# ? Nov 24, 2020 03:20

neaden: Nov 4, 2012; A changer of ways

Less than a day left now.
Once the KS is over they will be releasing an updated playtest. Any interest in a PbP game once.that happens?

# ? Nov 24, 2020 21:12

mllaneza: Apr 28, 2007; Veteran, Bermuda Triangle Expeditionary Force, 1993-1952

neaden posted:

Less than a day left now.
Once the KS is over they will be releasing an updated playtest. Any interest in a PbP game once.that happens?

I'm in for a book, if I get a character inspiration I'll throw it into the recruit thread.

Sensei always said timing is everything, I almost missed this !

# ? Nov 25, 2020 04:27

Splicer: Oct 16, 2006; from hell's heart I cast at thee
🧙🐀🧹🌙🪄🐸

I nearly forgot but snuck in just under the line

neaden posted:

Less than a day left now.
Once the KS is over they will be releasing an updated playtest. Any interest in a PbP game once.that happens?

Yep

# ? Nov 25, 2020 19:42

Snorb: Nov 19, 2010

neaden posted:

Less than a day left now.
Once the KS is over they will be releasing an updated playtest. Any interest in a PbP game once.that happens?

I'd be interested.

# ? Nov 25, 2020 21:38

Dedman Walkin: Dec 20, 2006

neaden posted:

Less than a day left now.
Once the KS is over they will be releasing an updated playtest. Any interest in a PbP game once.that happens?

Yeah, I'd be up for a game.

# ? Nov 26, 2020 03:48

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# ? Apr 24, 2024 00:51

neaden: Nov 4, 2012; A changer of ways

Hollidays took up some time but I'm free now, so the Recruitment thread is up. If you are still interested.

# ? Jan 7, 2021 01:57

The Something Awful Forums > Discussion > Traditional Games > The Wildsea: Cutting through the rustling waves, an unending tree-top sea!

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