Jan
27
Aaaaaaand…we’re back. Or getting back, anyway. January is almost gone, and we’re finally getting out heads together here at the AOP offices. Rather than announce our plans for 2010 in one big posting, I think we’re probably better announcing them as we get them nailed down.
So today, we begin with our upcoming plans for Kenneth Hite’s The Day After Ragnarok. We have some really interesting stuff lined up for it up through the Summertime. Lengths and formats may very, so we’re just talking titles for now. Without further adieu…
Memphis: Gateway to the Poisoned Lands
(Winter 2010)
A City Pack for the Bluff City at the dawn of the new barbarism. Memphis makes a great jumping-off point for a “Wolves Across the Border” game of mercenary action and intrigue in the ruins of eastern America.
Capetown: Diesel and Venom (Spring 2010)
A dieselpunk City Pack for the dark side of the British Empire, where industrial ophi-tech spreads gloom — but doesn’t spread the wealth. Fight the power on the gritty streets with Nelson Mandela, or grit your teeth and double down for Crown and country.
The Belly of the Beast: The Speleo-Herpetologist’s Handbook (Summer 2010)
Get the inside story on the Royal Society’s elite band of dragon-delvers — and lots and lots of horrible things to kill and flee from. You think it’s bad outside? You ain’t seen inside, yet.
Behind the Serpent Curtain: The Soviet Sourcebook
(GenCon 2010)
Everything you need to adventure in Stalin’s dark empire, including details on the NKVD, the Jotun, and the Red Army. Will include a Moscow City Pack, and a Plot Point campaign: “Objective: Science City 14!
Serpent Scales: Fragments from
the World After the Serpentfall (ongoing)
Don’t want to wait for just one release per season for your favorite post-Ragnarok game setting? We’ve got you covered. Serpent Scales is an ongoing series of smaller releases, covering a wide variety of characters, organizations, items and monsters in the world after the Serpentfall. Watch for the first one debuting on February 15th!
So spread the word, there’s much more Ragnarok to come!
15 Responses to “More Ragnarok for 2010”
I figure the city packs will be released as PDFs, but is there any indication yet on what format Belly of the Beast and Serpent Curtain will be released in?
By Dean on Jan 27, 2010
Damn! Now I’ll have to find another gaming group to run all that stuff!
By Raf Blutaxt on Jan 27, 2010
Great stuff. I’m interested in ALL of it!
By Steve Moss on Jan 28, 2010
Behind the Serpent Curtain is planned as a print release. Belly of the Beast we are still debating the final format on.
By The Overmind on Jan 28, 2010
Will any of these books get a Hero 6E version, or will they be for Savage Worlds only?
By Rich Spainhour on Jan 28, 2010
I just read the book, and let me say it is one of the finest Savage Worlds books out there. Very original and inspiring.
What made you decide to make a sourcebook for Tehran first? It is only mentioned in passing in the core book. I get all the other sourcebooks, one for the Poisonlands, you set Capetown up to be really exciting, I can’t wait for the Speleo-Herpetologist’s handbook, and the Soviet sourcebook will be epic.
Tehran doesn’t fit.
By Sean on Feb 5, 2010
There will be PDF releases of all of these for Hero 6th.
By The Overmind on Feb 6, 2010
The Day After Ragnarok sprang from Ken Hite’s head, and I have discovered that the best way to get Ken’s most inspired work is to go with where his creative ideas are going at the moment. Tehran represents the sort of espionage type of play that is very much a part of the world after Serpentfall, so I think it does fit in quite nicely.
That said, if we had it to do again we’d probably do Memphis first, simply because it does fit the most iconic “Conan-esque” type of play that the world facilitates. But when Ken starts in on a topic, its best to just wind him up and watch him go, quite often.
Thanks for your compliments on the setting! We hope you’ll enjoy everything else we have coming up!
By The Overmind on Feb 6, 2010
This is going to be a little bit of a gushing fanboy post, so bear with me.
I just want to comment on how awesome I found DAR to be. Quite honestly, I haven’t felt the same sense of wonder and excitement for a new RPG setting since I discovered Deadlands ten years ago.
Between Ken’s amazing ideas and the way the game has been designed, I’ve found DAR to be truly inspirational, and there aren’t a whole lot of books that make me feel that way these days. It’s obvious that Ken has put a lot of thought into his craft, and is attempting to perfect the art of game design. It shows. DAR is a great example of how to make an RPG that is both player and GM friendly.
As an adult GM, I don’t have a lot of time to devote to world-building or scenario design, and as I grow older I’ve found that I prefer RPGs that make my job easier. DAR’s format does a wonderful job of providing me with the tools to come up with my own original campaigns while bringing the world of DAR to life with a minimum of effort on my part. Big thumbs up.
I love the fact that you are going to support this game with new products, and I’d like to put in my vote for a few plot point campaign books. I’ve found the plot point campaigns from other Savage Worlds games to be a great way to get the feel of how the game was intended to be played, so I like them even if I don’t always end up using them.
Keep up the good work.
By Dannyboy on Feb 10, 2010
aaaand it’s the 15th. No Serpent Scales. RPG time table, business as usual. Sigh.
By Manifold on Feb 15, 2010
A fair enough cop, sir. I would plead “AOP offices buried under 3 feet of snow”, and assure you that Serpent Scales #1 will be out this week.
Details on it tomorrow, in fact.
By The Overmind on Feb 15, 2010
No sweat. Just sayin’.
While I’m at it:
1. BAR ammo missed eratta: 20 shots, not 250. Cost seems wonky too.
2. Shotgun ranges: I respect what Ken’s trying to do, but 6/12/18 would at least respect the SW bent towards minis and maps. (that’s three inches in table terms.) 2/5/10? How’m I supposed to adjudicate that with all the adjacent opponent rules in SW?
3. What’s the deal with Gadgeteer? Requires a Weird Science AB; doesn’t exist in DAR. Not all of the Professional backgrounds suggested reflect a background in Ophitech. Follow me?
4. That said, I can’t wait to give you my money. DAR is, frankly, awesome. I love it. I have two con scenarios in mind already. I scour the Internet for diesel punk miniatures. I read Howard with Memphis on my mind. This is a winner; just the thing, just in time. Good fortune; you deserve it.
By Manifold on Feb 15, 2010
The only thing I knew for a fact I had to do at Gencon was pick up The Day After Ragnarok. The only thing that stood between me and it once I got into the exhibitors’ hall Friday was Wild Talents EE, mainly because I was afraid Greg might do something terrible to me (after all, have you seen the last Reign thread?) if I didn’t buy something at the Arc Dream booth.
Anyway, I’m about halfway through it (I know, I’m a quick reader, huh?) and I think I found my favorite part of the game, which I hope will become a Savage Worlds standard from now on: the Savage Shortlists. Each one is a “top five” of story hooks, mainly for GMs but also really great tastes of the setting for players.
By r4i sdhc on Feb 23, 2010
“2. Shotgun ranges: I respect what Ken’s trying to do, but 6/12/18 would at least respect the SW bent towards minis and maps. (that’s three inches in table terms.) 2/5/10? How’m I supposed to adjudicate that with all the adjacent opponent rules in SW?”
I’m not sure what you mean by the adjacent opponent rules. Is that the, “If someone you’re Shooting at is in close combat, on a Shooting roll of one you hit your buddy instead,” rule? I don’t remember any other adjacent opponent rules.
By Sean on Mar 9, 2010
Wait…are those ranges inches or feet? If they are inches, well, never mind. Rosanna Rosanna Danna moment.
Shooting in close combat: adjacent foes can only be shot with pistol-sized weapons, and they must hit the opponent’s parry rather than the usual 4. You may be able to use long arms, but at a -4, iirc.
By Manifold on Mar 10, 2010