March/April Update!!!
6 days ago
– Wed, Apr 01, 2026 at 12:59:43 PM
Greetings Chosen!
I apologize for not getting an update out sometime in the past couple of weeks. March was insanely busy. I had very little downtime, so progress was minimal. HOWEVER, I'm happy to say that I don't have another convention until Gen Con in late July.
The first weekend of March, when I was at GAMA Expo, a friend and fellow designer finally got a chance to play Chosen. In his words, "this is done. It's ready to go. Just get the book finished." This comes from a colleague whom I trust and know can give impartial advice. He's written and edited on projects much larger than Chosen, and is currently tagged to be one of the editors for the Ghost in the Shell TTRPG by Mana Project. I didn't need his approval, but it was great to hear.
That said, I think it's perfectly realistic for me to complete Chosen's development this Summer and have physical copies ready for Gen Con 2026. I've said it before, but I'll say it again. I appreciate you all sticking with me during this development period. It's taken much longer than I would've liked, but I've learned a lot. The longer "cook time" has definitely paid off, as I know you're getting a higher-quality product than what you originally ordered.
That's all for the moment. I will be in touch again soon, likely later this month. Stay safe and happy gaming!
Joe Weaver
February Update!!!
about 1 month ago
– Fri, Feb 27, 2026 at 10:54:23 PM
Hey Everyone!
February has seemed to fly by for me! I can't believe it's already almost March. As I prepare to attend my first convention of the year, I wanted to reach out to you all with an update!
The expanded Encounter Table I mentioned in the last update is coming along. Thanks to the new table, a couple of new things for the game have been born. Previously, taverns were only in locales (villages, towns, etc). Now, taverns can exist as solo-standing structures along roads and paths. This allows for more RP moments and encounters.
Another thing I've been considering is non-contract monsters that fit into the world. One of the new encounters was originally written to involve a cockatrice. However, I wanted something original.
I just happened to watch Predator: Badlands and got inspired by Genna "The Death Planet." If you've seen the movie, you probably understand why lol. So, after watching the movie, I got to brainstorming.
Soon, the Raamulath Deathbloom was born. It's a carnivorous plant with thick, 50-foot vines that function like tendrils in combat. Deathblooms dig in at locations that provide soil soft enough for them to burrow through and a decent amount of prey (pretty much anything that has blood pumping through it). When it attacks, the deathbloom attempts to wrap its prey from head to toewith its long, thick vines. These vines then secrete an otherworldly ooze that coats the creature wrapped within, paralyzing it and creating a barrier primed for energy transfer. Over the course of the next 18 hours, the deathbloom drains the creature's lifeforce. While this happens, a chemical reaction in the ooze also turns the trapped creature to stone. Once a deathbloom deems an area a weak food source, it moves on to a different area. Needless to say, these otherworldly plants are considered extremely dangerous.
Other than that, I've been working on term corrections (tedious work) like making sure all instances of "initiate" now say "acolyte." That sort of stuff. I also balanced all the pre-gens so that they were no longer legacy characters. With these, players can have an original name and choose their Origin (human, dhampir, or demon-kin), instead of it being supplied. It will also offer a more balanced group experience, since every character will be the same power Tier. I plan to upload these new character pre-gens to DrivethruRPG when I return from GAMA Expo.
March is going to be much busier than I originally anticipated. Next week I attend GAMA in Louisville to work a booth. I will also be going to Gary Con 2026 with a friend. Then, I'll work a booth again at the Chicago Comics & Entertainment Expo (C2E2) the week after Gary Con. Regardless, I'll get another update out sometime in between all that.
Stay safe and happy gaming,
Joe Weaver
January Update!!!
2 months ago
– Sun, Feb 01, 2026 at 02:49:09 PM
Greetings, Everyone!
I started typing this yesterday and never made it back to my desk after dinner. I haven't forgotten about you guys. I just wanted to wait until I had a little bit more to report before sending out an update. I know a lot is going on in the US, but I hope you're all having the best start to the year as possible. It's been one of the longest Januarys for me that I can seem to remember, but the show must go on.
As far as Chosen goes, the new exploration table written by my friend and fellow writer, Jillian, has been submitted. I would like to send a quick thank you to her, as it's been helpful having someone else working on the project. Aside from the increased production, having someone around to ask questions keeps a designer on their toes and increases product quality.
I'll be working on editing and laying out the table in the book this week. I've also been working on a few other things in the meantime. Writing backgrounds and adding stat blocks for the three special mounts in the game was at the top of my list over the past few weeks. I have to say, the magmawing and rockhorn are great, but the Bolamog has really grown on me. It was fun to add more lore to the Queens of Neroda, the three Chosen who went against the Order by siding with a demon for immortality and the freedom to practice magic without rules.
Lastly, I know I've had the sniffles lately, so I hope you stay warm, safe, and healthy! I'll get back to you guys again in a few weeks. Until then, I'll keep hammering on these keys to get this game finished.
Happy gaming,
Joe Weaver
December Update!
4 months ago
– Tue, Dec 16, 2025 at 08:28:48 AM
Happy Holidays, Everyone!
It seems like I've been trying to write this update for weeks now, and something always seemed to come up when I got started on it. The downtime I thought I would have between my last two conventions of the year and my Thanksgiving family trip simply didn't happen. At the end of all that, I got sick too, so I hope you're all staying well this holiday season!
The holidays have always been special to me. That said, the work-time vs. family-time balance has shifted more toward family over the past three weeks and will likely stay that way through Christmas. Finishing the game is top priority, but something about the holidays seems to make spending time with loved ones a bit more special for some reason. I encourage you all to do the same.
As for Chosen, I met with the colleague who will be adding their design skills to the game last Monday, and the format for the exploration tables was finalized. I know them personally, and after our conversation, I'm confident the tables will turn out great.
Speaking of tables, I ran two game sessions of Chosen at Pax Unplugged. I finally had the pleasure of running the game for two backers. We had a blast, and I learned something too. I had no idea how different it would feel to be told how much a backer enjoyed playing the game versus a random player at a convention. It was amazing to hear and makes me that much more excited to get the game into your hands!
Unfortunately, I did not get a picture with Koree and Cobi, but I did get a picture with my second table. Shout out to Paulina, Dan, and Luke for a great game as well!
Anyway, I just wanted to reach out to you all, since I had a moment. As I mentioned last month, with the year's convention schedule wrapped up, I have one more trip to make over the Christmas holiday. Between now and then, the plan is to hammer out as much of Chosen as possible. Then, when I return from my Christmas trip, my only focus will be wrapping up game development.
Because I'm leaving on my family trip next week, it's unlikely you'll hear from me again until January. I realize there wasn't much to report this month, but it's important to me to keep the communication consistent with you guys. Progress is progress.
I think that's all I really have at this moment. I'm so pumped to finish this game! I hope you all have a safe and enjoyable Christmas, if you practice that sort of thing. If not, well, I at least suggest you try the Egg Nog Latte from Starbucks. It's back, and it's my favorite! Anyway, I'll write to you again soon.
Sincerely,
Joe Weaver
November Update 1.0
5 months ago
– Mon, Nov 10, 2025 at 02:23:31 PM
Hey Everyone!
Not a lot has changed since Halloween. I'm just continuing to transfer the working documents I've been using at conventions to the book and, in many cases, elaborate on them a bit. I don't think you want my scratch notes lol.
Like I said in the last update, I have a busy November. I'll be travelling for the next three weeks, starting this Thursday. Then, I'll be travelling again for Christmas this year. It is still yet to be seen if I can finish the game by New Year's. That is the goal. We shall see.
I did recruit a friend and fellow designer/writer to the project last week. I felt like having an extra body to pick up some of the design slack was a good idea, since I'm so busy. She was the editor for my Chosen short story, The Return, and also works for Goodman Games outside of her day job.
I mentioned in the last update that I'll be at two conventions this month. This week is U-Con in Ypsilanti, MI. I'll be running games (CHEW TTRPG) for my friend and fellow designer, Suffety Games. It's a small con, but if you're attending, they will be at Booth 16.
Unrelated
Also, if you like Mothership, Suffety Games is making a new toolkit that is on its last call for crowdfunding. It's got 32 hours left, as of my typing this. I'll plug the link for you guys to check out, if you want:
What's Next
I plan to get at least one more update out this month. It will probably be two more, since I'll likely do one next week with the Pax Unplugged info and any new information I have on Chosen. Not sure if any of you were affected by the lake effect winter storm that hit last night, but I know I got several inches of snow. Stay warm, people! I'll reach out to you again soon.
Best,
Joe Weaver
