Chosen

Origins Fair and Other News!!!
almost 2 years ago – Tue, Jun 25, 2024 at 06:27:35 PM

Greetings Chosen!!!

Let's start by apologizing for the delay in updating you. I usually aim to get the update out on the third weekend of the month. However, complications from moving that put me behind, followed by prepping for Origins Fair, pushed this one out a bit. 

Regardless, I'm starting to get caught up on everything, and man, am I excited! After going a week without internet (thanks Comcast), I was forced to make a choice. I either finished my side work, the surveys, and other forms for Chosen, or I created a working demo to playtest at Origins Fair. Ultimately, I chose the latter, and I'm glad I did.

Last Thursday saw Chosen get its first official playtest, and it was a smashing success! Players tested character creation, locale creation, combat, and path abilities in route to ridding a village of a werewolf infestation. I took the main map and cut a chunk from it for the purpose of the demo.

Dangloven and the Cuvon River are locations added to the demo to provide backstory. I haven't decided whether to keep it yet.

I also have all the Houses built out. Obviously, they can still change, but 4 different paths were used in last Thursday's playtest. The table was great and gave a lot of good feedback. The demo requires one player to take the role of a Den Raider, and I feel the path played like I wanted it to. Here's House Wylfenfis, as it was tested at Origins:

The layout of the Houses' abilities is likely to change. It's not as clear as I want it to be during character creation. However, once the play began, the players had a lot of fun with their abilities. The other three Houses that were showcased in the playtest were House Lunagladenscath, House Gehennavos, and House Vellonjavai.

We had a great time, and I can't wait to test out more of Chosen!

Coins

In my last update, I said the custom D2s/collectible coins were in production. I now have them, and they look great!!!

What's Next?

July is right around the corner, and a good chunk of the game will be hammered out between now and Gen Con. Now that I'm getting caught up on the work I missed during my week offline, forms and (hopefully) the survey will go out this weekend. If the survey doesn't go out this week, it should definitely go out next week.

With the demo at Origins complete, I've now seen the game in action with a group of players. I have some tweaks to make, but I can safely say that the game is on the right track. I was worried I might have to make some major changes for the solo play to translate well to group play. Those fears were unfounded. I'm now even more excited about where this is all headed.

For those who pledged more than just the physical copy + pdf, I'm really looking forward to seeing your ideas!!! You'll be hearing from me soon.

Remember...The Order provides, and the void shall give you strength.

Until next time,
Joe Weaver - Creator

Update: Journals, Coins, and More!!!
about 2 years ago – Mon, May 20, 2024 at 10:00:57 PM

Greetings, Chosen!!!

It's been a month since the campaign ended, which means it's time for an update!

I'm happy to say that the designs of both physical add-ons are finalized. By saying that, I mean the Vor (Order currency) collectible coins have completed manufacture and are currently on their way to Foam Brain Games! Foam Brain has been a pleasure to work with, so I can totally see myself using them for add-ons in the future. I'm excited to get the coins.

I intend to place the order with the printer for the custom journals this week. They've evolved a bit over the past month, so here's a peek at what those will look like:

The Covers:

Adventure Pages:
Each journal is broken into sections of 5 pages, with the first page marked by dark fantasy/horror clipart in the top left corner and the last page including two utility boxes that players can label and use for whatever they want. Want a place to list the relics you've collected that aren't in your stash? These boxes are just the tool for such a list.

Stash and larger holdings:
The last 2 pages of each journal are a series of larger boxes that can be used for whatever purpose the player desires. They were designed with player stashes in mind. There's also the potential that players can come into possession of larger holdings, such as abandoned houses they can take for themselves. The largest box would be an excellent place to keep track of what you have at your home.

Houses and Paths:

At this point, all seven houses have their paths. The next step is fleshing them out (abilities, loadout options, etc). Given that this is a dystopic, dark future setting, I like the idea of mixing future tech with fantasy for this world. I decided to emphasize that by making House Vos a technology-savvy House of Volrathi.  With tech in mind and the need for a land-based path to offset the Abyssal Guardian, the Cyberstrider of House Vos was born.

Lore:
Once Chosen of House Vos become old enough to survive the training, they learn how to separate their spirits from their physical bodies, but only momentarily. They must be able to control their spirit long enough to transfer it from their body into their chosen Skalyer (the cybernetic body they will have for the rest of their known existence). 

Next Month:

Over the next month, I'll be getting the Cyberstrider and all the other paths ready to roll. The goal is to have all seven Houses ready for Origins Fair. I'm so excited!!!

I also intend to start reaching out to those who pledged higher tiers with forms for their creations, as well as send out a survey. I can't wait to see where Chosen is a month from now! Thank you all for coming on this journey with me!!!

Sincerely,

Joe Weaver - Creator/Designer

Update #7 - Campaign's End!
about 2 years ago – Fri, Apr 19, 2024 at 03:30:25 PM

Greetings, Chosen!

Before I say anything else,...wow!!! Thank you so much for your support! I look forward to bringing you an amazing game you can share with your friends.

In the coming weeks, I'll be reaching out to those who pledged creative reward tiers. This could change, but I plan to do creative pledges in this order: Scourge of Demons, Child of Volratha, The Legend, and any Lightbringer pledge with creative add-ons last. I would like to take care of all creative add-ons when we do the session regarding your primary pledge.

One session per backer would be ideal; that way, we're not playing chess with schedules to fulfill all of your creative contributions. If we have to schedule more than one, then we'll just have to do what we have to make it happen.

I think the best way to accomplish the desired goal is to create forms for you to complete. I'll send those to you one to two weeks before reaching out to connect, at which time we can arrange a day/time that works for a voice chat on Discord. This is mainly for me to clarify any details or questions on my end.

An example would be if more than one person wants something very similar. That requires a conversation because I can't have 3 Soul Edges in the game. I can't do that anyway, but you know what I mean.

Also, please keep in mind this is a zine. I'm a creative writer, so I have no problem with you making an in-depth backstory for whatever you're creating. However, know that the entirety of what you make might not make it into the book. Whatever doesn't get used will be retained, possibly for later use in a supplement or expansion for the game. As the designer, I get the last say on content but will be as accommodating as possible.

With all that out of the way, let's talk about what's next!!

Next, I'll take a day or two to let my brain rest, and then it's back to the keyboard. I'm currently working on narrative scenarios and, as always, scouring for art. Unfortunately (fortunately?), I have discovered that Shutterstock may be a new addiction of mine.

For those who want a chance to playtest Chosen, I'll have it at Origins Fair in June. You'll be able to find me at the Imagining Games booth in the exhibit hall or Games on Demand. Feel free to come by and say hello.

It was brought to my attention on the Advent Chaos Discord that the example of play on my website doesn't fully match what I describe in my interview with on Honor Among Thieves. 

That's my fault because the website's example of play is the raw concept version of what I had in mind. After many conversations and feedback on what other players think about solo gaming experiences, the Chaos Engine system has evolved to a more narrative format. The charts are still there, but in most cases, they're there for your support.

The three Volrathi (children of the Volratha) Houses you unlocked through stretch goals have been transitioned to the updated graphic I intend to use in the book. The next phase for them is expanding on their backstory and designing their abilities. 

The current lore for the Volrathi goes as follows:

Long before the Volratha's collective vision of The Tear, 3 of them took spouses. Unknown to the Volratha, the descendants in these three bloodlines carried a much stronger seed than those spread later. Lumagladenscath later determined that it had something to do with prolonged exposure to demon contact.

When The Tear happened, the 3 strongest children of those bloodlines became able to feel the Volratha's existence and sought them out. In turn, the Volratha taught their children everything they knew. However, the Volrathi had their own gifts and pursued the paths to which they were suited.

Luckily, the Volrathi's existence escaped the notice of the Council of Demons. When the council came for the Volratha, the 3 children went into hiding. There, the Volrathi founded their own Houses of Thought and proceeded to give guidance to the other Houses in their parents' stead. 

In Summary

This has been a wonderful experience, and I look forward to continuing this adventure with you! Look for Chosen at Origins Fair. I'm super excited to be offering a public playtest. I'll be contacting some of you soon with forms and seeking to arrange a time to fulfill your creative rewards. For those of you not receiving creative rewards, I'll be posting monthly updates on the game's progress. I also intend to get a pre-order page up soon. If you have any questions, don't be afraid to reach out, and again, thank you all!

Sincerely,
Joe Weaver - Designer

Update #6 (Final Push w/ more options)!!!
about 2 years ago – Tue, Apr 16, 2024 at 10:55:13 AM

Greetings, Chosen!

We're reaching the end of the campaign, and I can't help but feel the excitement. Thanks to all you backers, Chosen will be a reality, and we've unlocked 2 stretch goals!!! We still have one more stretch goal to unlock, but I've been thinking about something I could give you as a way to show my appreciation. While I decide on that, I've received some feedback about some backers maybe feeling they missed out on the upper reward tiers.

Since the Child of Volratha and Scourge of Demon reward tiers are sold out, I thought it fair to offer a limited quantity of a new tier and a "build your own bundle" type of thing in case there were any interested or felt they had missed out. 

These new options allow backers to join in on the creativity fun, too. Not only will you make your mark on the game, but you'll actually help me in the long run by showing me what kind of stuff you guys are interested in seeing/expecting through your ideas.

With that said, let me show you what I'm offering.

New Reward Tier: The Legend

This new reward tier allows backers to work with me to create a discoverable NPC, weapon, and armor for the game. NPCs can be allies or enemies. For those Child of Volratha backers who want to create an armored-NPC to carry their weapon, this tier accomplishes that.

The planned mechanic for allies is that you can meet them during exploration, and they will travel with you for 1 contract (only 1 at a time). Players control both their character and allies during combat. "Lone Wolf" allies won't travel with the PC but are willing to trade gear with PCs.

New Add-On: Forgemaster

Create a set/piece of armor with me that is discoverable/attainable in-game. Dark fantasy wouldn't be dark fantasy without cool armor, right?

Note: This would pair well with the new Shadow Sentinel add-on, The Lightbringer Reward Tier, and the Scourge of Demons Reward Tier (NPC Creation).

New Add-On: Relic Hunter

Create a mystical relic with me that is discoverable in-game. Relics are mystical talismans carried by Chosen to buff a weapon, an ability, or bestow a power not previously possessed.

New Add-On: Shadow Sentinel

Create an NPC with me that is discoverable in-game. 

Note: This would pair well with the new Forgemaster add-on, The Lightbringer Reward Tier, and the Child of Volratha Reward Tier (Armor/Weapon Creation).

Hopefully, these will quench the desires some of you have of playing a larger role/getting your idea into the game. I can't wait to work with you and see what you come up with!

Almost there (67 hours to go)!!!

You guys have been awesome thus far, and I can't say that enough. I can already tell the next few months are going to be awesome. The playtest at Origins Fair keeps looking more and more entertaining. If you have any questions, don't hesitate to reach out. I'm always open to chat about what you're investing in.

In the meantime, remember to share the game, add your add-ons, and THANK YOU!!!

Sincerely,
Joe Weaver - Designer

Update 5.5!!!
about 2 years ago – Sun, Apr 14, 2024 at 11:15:50 PM

Greetings, Chosen!!!

It's been an interesting but awesome few days since I last spoke to you. I want to give a big thank you to the backers who have pledged since Wednesday! I also would like to give a shout-out to all the people at NWI Swarm for putting on a great convention Saturday. To my new pledges, I usually only do one update a week. I've been working on a couple of new add-ons, so I promised in Update #5 that I would give you all a mid-week update.

New Add-On

I'm still working on the character sheets. Once I was halfway done, I had to start over because I didn't like the way they looked. Initially, I was going to make House-specific character sheets. This would provide one character sheet that displayed the two paths of that House. I was halfway finished when I realized it was too crowded and looked messy. If I don't like it, I'm certainly not going to try to sell it to you.

Now, I'm redesigning the custom sheets to be Path-specific, which is a larger undertaking but will provide better page spacing and an even higher degree of encapsulating your Chosen. If you decide that your favorite Path is the Dread Knight or possibly the Wood Walker, then you can have a full-color character sheet that is custom-designed just for that Chosen's Path. 

I started this project thinking I would give you at least 3 add-on options. I don't know why it didn't occur to me sooner, but your third option has been staring me in the face since before the Kickstarter started. I carry little 3.5" x 5" notepads around to scribble ideas in when I have extra time. It occurred to me Friday night that I should offer you guys themed notepads to journal your adventures in. If you're like me, I always have to mark on mine or do something to the cover so I don't get them mixed up.

With a themed notepad featuring the Order of the Volratha's emblem on the front and the motto on the back, it's unlikely you'll confuse this with your other notepads. Each is a 40-page, 4.1"x 5.8" stapled booklet. For $10 USD, you get a bundle of four booklets. Since you're getting four notepads, the shipping will be the same as the zine. These are now live on the campaign rewards page.

I'm trying to keep my international buyers in mind with all of this. While the notepads will only ship in the states the character sheets will be offered as both physical and digital rewards. That way my friends up north and across the pond can get the custom sheets for themselves. Once the sheets are completed, I'll update you all and add them to the campaign. For those art lovers, I just keep coming across stuff that really works for this game. That said, some of the custom character sheets are likely to have additional art not included in the book.

Final Thoughts

I know I do this every update, but I want to thank you all again. This is just the first of many Kickstarters for me, but it's been a success because of you. I look forward to meeting and talking with those who pledged higher tiers. I also look forward to playing with any of you who make it to one of my convention tables. It's officially Monday now where I live. It's time for me to sign off, and I'll catch you lovely people in the next update! Have an excellent start to your week!

Sincerely,
Joe Weaver - Designer