The Dread Machine
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February Update!
🕑 Added 2024-02-19 20:20:51 +0000 UTCHello friends!
It’s been an exhilarating (read: nerve-wracking) few weeks at AstroFusion Command, and I’m thrilled to share the progress we’ve made on Plane, our first journaling RPG.
Artistic Evolution: First and foremost, Plane’s vibe has undergone a remarkable transformation. I’ve been refining the art style to better capture the mood of the game, which has been hard, because I’m a perfectionist and this is the first rulebook I’ve ever formatted, so I spend a lot of time doing the digital equivalent of this:
Rules Clarification: Early playtester feedback has been invaluable. The rules surrounding Crises and Teleporter Malfunctions have been clarified and expanded. I've added guidance for players who may be new to solo journaling games, too!
Exa Tetra’s Wisdom: I’ve added some quotes from AstroFusion’s visionary CEO, Exa Tetra. These snippets of wisdom and humor are intended to hint at AstroFusion’s true motivations behind the protocols employees are expected to follow.
Media Outreach: In preparation for our grand unveiling, I’ve crafted and (but not yet dispatched) emails to various board gaming media outlets. The story of Plane is ready to be told far and wide, but we need to do another round of playtests first.
Speaking of playtesting…
Join the Crew: As we gear up for launch, we’re calling on more brave souls to join our playtesting squad. With a tentative launch date set for March 10th, now is the time to dive in! Devoted Disciples and Arcane Advisors, you now have exclusive access to the draft in the dedicated Plane Discord channel (found in the Inner Sanctum). For our Arcane Advisors eager to help shape the game, we welcome your ideas for prompts! Just use the Google form pinned in the channel.
See us at VirtuousCon!
Kanishk Tantia and I will be hosting a virtual workshop at VirtuousCon. Join us on Saturday, February 24th, at 3:30 pm Eastern for “Culture: Beyond Set Dressing.” Kanishk will discuss his journey as an Indian immigrant breaking into publishing, offering strategies for meaningful cultural representation, and I’ll be sharing essential tips on making successful litmag submissions, from understanding editor expectations to navigating rejections. We hope to see you there!
Other News
We’re reevaluating our tiers on Patreon. The discontinuation of our quarterly magazine opens new opportunities to bring you into—and make you a part of—our creative process.
We're incredibly thankful for your support—the mere fact that you're paying attention is tremendously validating and motivating—so we're always looking for ways to share what we're working on (without annoying you with constant updates). Changes have been made to the Devoted Disciple and Arcane Advisor tiers. Now, instead of quarterly issues, Disciples and Advisors will receive game previews, lore documents, and high-res art drops...plus whatever the hell else we feel like throwing your way.
Thanks again for believing in this weird thing we're doing!
KITTEN PICS!
I saved these for last, because maybe not everybody is as obsessed with my cats as I am, but for those of you who are, here's the update I promised last time.
After two very tense days, my older Bengal (Lucy) decided to be Lola's mommy. They are BEST FRIENDS and they are SO CUTE and they go EVERYWHERE together and it is THE BEST THING EVER. For at least an hour of my evening, I get TWO purring cats on my lap!
Sorry. I can't talk about my cats without going into allcaps mode. Here are some pics. If you want to see more, join the Discord server and check out the #pets-and-adventures channel.
