Delvers to Grow (Dungeon Fantasy RPG, Powered by GURPS)
Created by Douglas H. Cole
Fast, modular character generation. Would-be heroes from 62 points and higher as player characters, henchmen, or supporting cast.
Latest Updates from Our Project:
Delvers Manuscript in Prelim Layout
almost 3 years ago
– Wed, May 19, 2021 at 01:37:54 AM
This is a below-the-waterline post, but there's been some fun progress behind the scenes.
Delvers to Grow: Clocking in at 40 pages
Kevin gave me his final manuscript for the basic book. I did an editing and formatting pass. Then, as I tend to do, I put it into layout so that I can start art direction. I make a habit of sending my artists the actual spread they'll be working on, so that if they want to get creative with composition, they know how much room they have.
In any case, the layout works out great at about 40 pages. Given that even with the modular presentation, a book like this can get very "wall of text," I made an effort to ensure the various blocks have room to breathe.
I'm going to spend time today putting in some art I already have, and then it's time to commission the new pieces.
Crypt of Krysuvik: Updated Final Draft Today
Peter and Marshall gave me their draft for Krysuvik a day early, and I quickly turned around a few corrections. Mostly pretty minor stuff, and I expect a final version this evening. I'll do a formatting and editing pass, and then get that into layout as well.
The first thing that will get turned into art are the maps, and then a few key bits of art that need to be pretty specific. These don't need layout to know what to draw.
For the rest, we're almost certainly looking at 24 or 28 pages, depending on how things plunk down. But that manuscript is in hand.
Example Books: Character Concepts
The always delightful Ksenia Kozhevnikova knocked it out of the park again, with "sketches" for the 12 characters that shall be detailed in various stages of their development. I say "sketches" because while technically true, her version of "sketch" is orders of magnitude more impressive than, say, my version.
You'll see more of these guys in a bit...but for now:
Oh, We're Almost Funded Too
As I type this, we have $670 before we fund, with eight days to go. That could legitimately get knocked down by a single Retail pledge and one more person selecting the PDF level.
Right now, the "backers not yet converted" plus "pledged" backers total 580 people, with BiggerCake predicting 450-475 total backers when we finish.
I hope that we can all take to the ether over the next week or so and help push this a bit. I'll be on a few more shows this week:
God Dammit Zach today at 7pm Central
Crit Academy Wednesday at 6pm Central
Nerdarchy Live at 11am on Thursday
If any of y'all happen to be friends with Wil Wheaton . . . he posted on his social media accounts a "shelfie" featuring a big slab of GURPS books and a nostalgic reminiscence. Wouldn't it be fun to get that sort of notice?
Manuscript Progress
almost 3 years ago
– Wed, May 19, 2021 at 01:37:05 AM
A short but important update.
Peter and Marshall turned in the draft of Crypt of Krysuvik last night, and since I wasn't sleeping anyway, I gave it a preliminary review. With minor tweaks to formatting and a few changes here and there, it's ready for editing and then layout. That's like a day's work, so I'll be able to proceed with art direction on that promptly. As one might imagine, several of those art pieces are maps.
Kevin and I were chatting about the final Build-a-Bjorn manuscript last night. VERY LATE last night, because apparently sleep is for other people. In any case, I expect to see the final product some time today. He's been writing in Office 365 so I've seen this one before - that's where the prelim copies used in the Meatgrinder I and Meatgrinder II blind tests came from - so it should be relatively straightforward at this point to get a near-final layout.
I do art direction AFTER layout, which seems unusual based on what I've heard but I can't imagine doing it any other way, at least for my stuff. I've given a "war warning" to my art team and so I hope to have many of them illustrating away as soon as the project funds.
Speaking of funding, we're just over $2,000 from the goal. Right now, there are more than sufficient "followers not yet backed" to push us over that vital milestone...but the real key is to keep getting the word out and drawing in new folks. That way we fund AND hit stretch goals.
Announcing: Delvers to Grow Omnibus Addon
almost 3 years ago
– Wed, May 19, 2021 at 01:36:47 AM
I have received a few comments about the "four books" method for Delvers to Grow.
While they are still the primary way I shall be delivering the physical content, I have dug into the details and determined I can make a Delvers to Grow Omnibus as a single book to be offered as an add-on.
It shall start as:
The four DtG books packaged into one volume
The covers for the three character books will likely see use as full-page spacer art or some other layout; I'm going to do a bit more than just 'staple the books together,' but not a ton
It will begin life as an 8x10 softcover book, perfect bound, at around 84-88 pages (48 pages of the examples, plus 36 or 40 pages of "Build-a-Bjorn."
I may work pagination such that references to the books - which shall always be to the four smaller individual volumes - still make sense. This will be in the manner of the Dungeon Fantasy Companion book.
If things go nuts and we wind up with something like 400 or more orders for the combined book (unlikely but who knows!) and it requires an offset print run rather than the softcover treatment at Mixam, I will upgrade it to hardcover at no extra charge.
The Omnibus will not include Crypt of Krysuvik; that adventure is best suited as a separate volume, especially since maps shall appear on the inside cover.
The add-on price of the Omnibus is $30 and it will be available to anyone with a pledge of $35 or more. It's a special add-on, not a stretch goal.
The spine is obviously stretched in the mockup; I suspect the book will be about 0.35" thick using 100# paper
Delvers to Grow: Media Roundup
almost 3 years ago
– Wed, May 19, 2021 at 01:36:16 AM
Delvers is getting frisky with media, and I wanted to give a list of all the places we talk about the offerings here, so that backers can point people to their favorite ones. PLEASE...point people to your favorite ones!
GCA and GCS Support Approved!
almost 3 years ago
– Wed, May 19, 2021 at 01:35:22 AM
Thanks to a quick-turn decision by SJGames, I am able to answer the question "what about digital support for GCA and GCS?" with a Minnesota "Yah, sure...you betcha!"
What's even better about the modular system than if one can existing tools to make fast chargen even faster?
Kevin is actually working up a lot of what he's doing in the GCA5 (now in public beta!) anyway. And after a very brief conversation with the GCS guru, it appears that doing the modular system in GCS should be possible.
I do not know, however, much much work and time this will take...and we will be delivering the PDFs and books on schedule, period. But eventually, all those who get Delvers in PDF will also get the GCA and GCS files needed to make it work even better. Again: this is "permission to do these things," not "these things are already done." My #1 first priority is to finish the production of the book/PDF. Digital enhancements come second...but they will come.
Thanks to vocal backers for giving this a nudge. Your wish has been granted. Mine too, really.
