METAMORPHOSIS ALPHA: 1976

You may have heard the news already, but I’ve yet to chime in on the latest announcement by Goodman Games that emerged from the chaos of Gary Con VI. Yes, it’s true: the original METAMORPHOSIS ALPHA rules as written by James. M. Ward is being re-released in a deluxe collector’s edition!

Late last year, I started receiving some very cryptic emails from Joseph Goodman inquiring about my familiarity with METAMORPHOSIS ALPHA. I knew the game, and had the uncommon honor of adventuring aboard the Warden three times under Jim Ward’s mastery without the loss of life or limb. I was hoping these email were leading in the direction they seemed to be going, and, sure enough, once the legalities and contracts were obtained, I got the invite to climb aboard the doomed Warden for another go-around.

For those of you unfamiliar with METAMORPHOSIS ALPHA, it is the original science-fiction roleplaying game released by TSR back in 1976. You play the role of a primitive tribesman aboard the generational starship, the Warden, bound for a distant star. Generations ago, catastrophe struck the Warden, killing a large percentage of the crew and colonists, and mutating many of the survivors. Over time, those left alive on the Warden forgot their original mission and plunged into a state of barbarism. The decline of civilization was so thorough that the survivors forgot they were aboard a starship, and developed tribal communities in self-contained levels of the ship that defined their entire world.

As a player character, you begin the game in these small enclosed worlds but eventually discover the truth of your predicament, acquiring knowledge of the Warden and learning to use many of the weird artifacts (lasers, vibro blades, Geiger counters, etc.) left behind by the original crew. If you survive long enough (a difficult task given the hostility of the mutated creatures that prowl the ship and the lethality of radiation still lingering in places), you may eventually gain control of the ship and perhaps even guide it to safety on a new world.

Although METAMORPHOSIS ALPHA didn’t have a long printing life during the TSR days, the game, unlike the PCs who explore the Warden, proved notoriously hard to kill. METAMORPHOSIS ALPHA is the urtext for GAMMA WORLD, and many of the mutations, mutants, and technology found in that first post-apocalyptic roleplaying game first appeared in MA. And like GAMMA WORLD, a game which has gone through seven or eight editions, METAMORPHOSIS ALPHA endured beyond its original print run. TSR released a version of the game for it AMAZING ENGINE system in 1994, Fast Forward Entertainment published a 25^th anniversary edition in 2002, Mudpuppy Games produced the fourth edition in 2006, and there is currently work on a 5^th edition of MA by Signal Fire Games. On top of all this, the original 1976 rulebook is available for download and print-on-demand from WardCo.

“So why in the blazes in Goodman Games producing a deluxe collector’s edition of the original rules?” you might ask. The answer is based on playability, longevity, and historical importance.

The original rules, as available from WardCo., are identical to the 1976 TSR release—and that includes the minute font they were printed in. If you’ve never seen the original rulebook, the type is very small and the layout is in dual column format. That might have been a good idea in 1976, but as many gamers get older, their eyes aren’t what they used to be and the tiny type becomes difficult to decipher. The Goodman Games print run will be an oversized 10.5” x 14” book, allowing the original rules to be printed at 110% size. This will alleviate the eyestrain factor.

The Goodman Games version also collects a vast amount of material released for METAMORPHOSIS ALPHA under a single cover. Magazine articles about the game, James M. Ward’s short story, “Footprints in the Sky,” a new introductory adventure, special advice essays written especially for the deluxe edition, and other useful material will all be compiled in the Goodman Games edition. To ensure this material survives, say exposure to cosmic radiation (or regular game use), the deluxe edition will utilized high-quality binding, that used by collegiate text, to keep the book intact for decades to come. It’s a book you’ll be proud to have as part of your RPG collection, yet tough enough to actually use at the table.

The collector’s edition release also allows Goodman Games to provide support for METAMORPHOSIS ALPHA in the form of published adventures, something that MA has been lacking for many years. Four (and maybe five if the Kickstarter hits its stretch goals) adventures released by Goodman Games are planned for METAMORPHOSIS ALPHA in the coming year. The first, The Android Underlords, was available for purchase at Gary Con VI and was written by yours truly. The opportunity to contribute even a little bit to the Warden’s long history was a dream come true for me, and when the creator of the game praised the adventure, it was a fan’s dream come true. If Jim likes it, you know it’s both good and worthy of bearing the METAMORPHOSIS ALPHA title on the cover.

Once the Kickstarter funds, there will be another three adventures produced, one by Jobe Bittman, another by me, and a third by the captain of the Warden, himself, James M. Ward. Should the Kickstarter hit $37,000, a fifth adventure, author to be determined, will be published as well. Even if you decide that the collector’s edition isn’t your cup of tea, you might consider contributing to the Kickstarter to get the complete run of adventures, all of which can be played with the WardCo version of the rules or easily adapted to other RPG systems (like DCC RPG, for instance!).

Before I go, it bears mentioning that the deluxe collector’s edition is being produced under a license that allows a single printing of the book. Once this run is gone, so is the deluxe version. Those who don’t get aboard the Kickstarter now will have to rely on the secondary markets—where it will command an extravagant price—to obtain a copy.

Hopefully, my ramblings have piqued your interest enough to back the Kickstarter, but if not, there are other ways to get involved with the original science-fiction RPG. Consider checking out one or more of the following METAMORPHOSIS ALPHA forums for more information about the game and to meet like-minded mutants:

The Official METAMORPHOSIS ALPHA forum
The Goodman Games forum’s METAMORPHOSIS ALPHA section
The METAMORPHOSIS ALPHA Facebook Group
The Google+ METAMORPHOSIS ALPHA Community

DCC RPG #80: Intrigue at the Court of Chaos is now available for pre-order

At the mercy of Chaos! Abducted by the Court of Chaos, the adventurers face hard choices if they want to return home. The Host of Chaos desires a legendary artifact held by the Scions of Law and need patsies to retrieve it. Faced with an eternity of servitude, the party must sneak into the Plane of Law and steal the Yokeless Egg from under its guardians’ watch. But not all is what it appears when the Court of Chaos is concerned and serving the Host may destroy the party from within. Can they survive the Intrigue At the Court of Chaos? Link

Rules Set: DCC RPG

Writer: Michael Curtis
Cover Art and Cartography: Doug Kovacs

Dungeon Alphabet Pre-Order Offer

Just like the first time around, Goodman Games is offering a special incentive to pre-order the third printing of The Dungeon Alphabet: the chance to win a signed copy by either Erol Otus or Stefen Poag. Erol will sign the original cover edition and Stefen will sign the limited-edition gold foil cover. In order to qualify for the drawing, you'll need to do a little paperwork.

Dungeon Alphabet Pre-Order Offer – Place your pre-order now for the third printing of The Dungeon Alphabet! All pre-orders placed by Oct. 31 will be included in a drawing to receive one of two free copies autographed by cover artist Erol Otus or Stefan Poag! This offer applies to both the color cover edition and the limited-edition gold foil cover! Place your order online now or download the flyer to order in stores!

New Dungeon Alphabet Art

This just in from the "Please Make Mike Shut Up About His Books" Department:

Dungeon Alphabet Art Preview – The third printing of The Dungeon Alphabet is at the printer, with a great selection of new art! This expanded edition features new images by Russ Nicholson, Jeff Easley, Jim Holloway, Brad McDevitt, Peter Mullen, Stefan Poag, Michael Wilson, and William McAusland, plus the great art from prior printings. Check out the Dungeon Alphabet art gallery!

Here's but one example of some of the new pieces accompanying the expanded third printing. It's the new end sheet created by Peter Mullen. Looks great, no?

Affairs: See “State of”

It’s safe to say that August 2012 won’t go down as a banner month of posting here at the Society. Somehow, the entire last few weeks of unofficial summer here in the Northern Hemisphere slipped by without much activity around these parts. Such is the nature of blogging, especially when you’ve been doing it for four years now.

This dearth of regular postings does not reflect a lack of activity on my part, however. Quite frankly, I’m busier than ever writing, designing, planning, scheduling, corresponding, and brainstorming on new projects. If the OSR is in fact dead as the naysayers would have you believe, somebody neglected to inform my inbox of that fact! I’d appreciate it if you all kept it on the QT as well since I’m having a lot of fun keeping busy with the work.

So, like a neglectful boyfriend, I find myself needing to explain why I haven’t written you all lately. Hopefully, I haven’t damaged our blogger-reader relationship irrevocably, even if I’ve been catting around with other slutty projects on the side.

As long-time readers and fans of The Dungeon Alphabet undoubtedly know, Goodman Games and I are deep in cahoots. The lion’s share of work that’s been occupying my time has been for Joseph Goodman and the Dungeon Crawl Classics RPG. My adventure “The Undulating Corruption” debuted in this year’s Free RPG Day release from Goodman, but it’s not the first adventure I wrote for the game. That honor belongs to Emirikol Was Framed! which should be on the shelves of your finer FLGS either this month or next depending on when the printer gets finished with it. I’ve seen the layout of the adventure, including Doug Kovacs’ excellent maps and player handouts, and I’m mighty pleased how it’s all turned out.

When I took the job of writing Emirikol, I knew I was putting myself in the crosshairs. When you’re dealing with one of the iconic images of the hobby, you’ve got to accept that people are going to have their own expectations firmly in place before they even get a look at the damned thing. Early speculation pegged it as a parody module, but it’s absolutely not. It’s a solid, pulp sword & sorcery adventure, one where Conan or Fafhrd and the Gray Mouser would be at home. My hope is that once people get a chance to read it (or better yet, play it), Emirikol will be judged on its own merits. Time will have to tell.

In addition to Emirikol, I’ve completed two more adventures for DCC. One is The Sea Queen Escapes!, a nautical-themed adventure with a deliciously evil twist for the judge to spring on his players. The second is a more traditional “stop the evil brotherhood” dungeon crawl. I’m not sure if I can make any formal announcement regarding its content or title, but regular readers can probably speculate on its subject matter if you recall what I’ve play-tested at conventions this year.

These two are not the end of my scribbling for DCC RPG either. Contracts have been signed for at least two more adventures by yours truly and they’ll take us safely into the heart of 2013. I’m also doing work for a third-party DCC RPG release entitled Tales From the Fallen Empire to be published by Chapter 13 Press. Suffice to say, if you enjoy my work and DCC RPG, you’ll be a happy camper for the foreseeable future.

The DCC RPG stuff is in addition to two more books I’ve written for Goodman (well, one and half, really). Next month sees the release of the expanded version of The Dungeon Alphabet, available in both the regular and limited-edition covers. The third printing is 33% larger than the original and features new art in addition to eight more entries covering other classic dungeon tropes we couldn’t squeeze into the original. I think “T is also for Treasure Chests” is worth the price alone, especially when you see Holloway’s accompanying illustration, but there’s plenty more to inspire in there as well.

The second book in the schedule is The Adventurers’ Almanac, a title in the same vein as The Dungeon Alphabet. It’s not a “this is how you do it” text, but one written to inspire the referee and get the creative juices flowing. I had a lot of fun writing this one. A system-neutral supplement, The Adventurer’s Almanac provides an entire year’s worth of adventure seeds, monsters, interesting NPCs, magic items, weird events, strange celebrations, and other juicy morsels to season your campaign world. It’s also a big book, much larger than The Dungeon Alphabet, so you’re bound to find something in there to suit your purposes. The release date is not yet set on the book, but hopefully it’ll be available the first or second quarter of 2013.

As part of the grand plan to make DCC RPG your game of choice in 2013, I’m going on the convention trail throughout the fall and winter of this year and a lot of the next. I’ll be running play-tests, demo sessions, and regular games at various locales along the East Coast (or as we here call it, the “Right Coast”). The process of hammering out dates and appearances is still ongoing, but there’s a better chance than usual I might be in your neck of the woods in the months ahead if you rub shoulders with the Atlantic Ocean. More on these appearances as things get finalized.

Putting my Goodman Games projects aside for now, I still find I’ve got irons in the fire, on the anvil, or quenching in the bucket. As mentioned previously, I wrote an urban fantasy game for Goblinoid Games and the play-test period of that is at an end. No official word from Dan Proctor on it yet, but if you’re a fan of Hellblazer, Clive Barker, or classic film-noir, I encourage you to check this one out once it’s available.

I’ve not forgotten poor old Stonehell Dungeon either. I recently squeaked past the halfway point on the manuscript (thirteen quadrants are finished and there’s thirteen to go) and I’m desperately trying to ride the downhill inertia to completion. For those of you playing along at home, this means that Stonehell 2 is three quadrants larger than its predecessor. Even when the manuscript is finished, there’s still a lot to be done (cartography, editing, layout, and proofs) before it gets the green light for sale. I remain hopeful that it gets completed this year, but it’ll be close.

I decided that I won’t be doing a Kickstarter for the book, although that has been suggested. It’ll be in the same style as the original to keep the aesthetics identical and the cost down. If you own the first book, you know exactly what to expect. Perhaps, somewhere down the line, I’ll go back and combine the two books into a prestige version, but that’s so far over the horizon at this point you can barely even see it from space.

Finally, I’m writing my own role-playing game and expect to have the first draft of the rules and setting completed in the next two months. After that, I intend to spend a year in play-testing to make sure the wheels don’t fall off before offering it up for public consumption. It is not a retro-clone and it isn’t even a traditional fantasy game. Despite this, I’m designing it with old school sensibilities in mind. My goal is to keep it simple and flexible, and to leave as much agency in the referee’s hands as possible when running it. I hope to have a formal announcement as well as a design & promotion blog ready in October.

There’s more things going on, but I’ve already taxed your time and interest enough with this post. Besides, I’ve got work to do. I’m eagerly anticipating the fall months as they’re not only my most favorite time of the year, but also my most productive. Hopefully, you’ll reap the benefits of that intellectual harvest in the year ahead.

Third Printing of The Dungeon Alphabet Announced

Goodman Games added the third printing of The Dungeon Alphabet to their “Coming Soon” lineup today, and I’m passing the word along to you fine folks. To celebrate both the book’s selling out twice and winning the Three Castles Award last year, Goodman Games and I are proud to present you with a new and expanded printing of the old girl. Here’s what GG has to say:

The Dungeon Alphabet compiles inspirational tables on classic dungeon design elements to assist the game master in creating subterranean challenges. This third printing adds eight new topics to the existing twenty-six for thirty-four tables of inspirational materials.

A is for Altar, B is for Books, and C is for Caves: the Dungeon Alphabet has advice, hints, and randomized tables that bring new life to your adventures. 

The entries are accompanied by outstanding art from classic fantasy illustrators and are compatible with all fantasy role playing games. This third printing adds Russ Nicholson to the artist lineup, and also features new illustrations by Jeff Easley, Jim Holloway, Peter Mullen, Michael Wilson, and Brad McDevitt, including brand new endsheets.

In addition to the regular book, there’s also a limited edition gold foil cover available.

This limited-edition gold foil cover features a beautiful, thematic cover design by fan favorite Stefan Poag! The interior content includes all the improvements of the expanded third printing of The Dungeon Alphabet, including the addition of Russ Nicholson to the artist lineup, and new illustrations by Jeff Easley, Jim Holloway, Peter Mullen, Michael Wilson, and Brad McDevitt, including brand new endsheets.

With the additional content and art, The Dungeon Alphabet increases size from its former 48 pp. to 64 pp. The “regular” book will retail for $14.99 with the expanded content, which blessedly means the much-reviled “Nice Price” faux sticker is gone from the cover. The limited edition gold foil version will sell for $24.99. You can pre-order the book now at the Goodman Games website.

And since I already anticipate the question, no, I didn’t make up new letters of the alphabet to expand the book! New entries include “P is also for Potions,” “S is also for Stairs, and “T is also for Treasure Chests.”

Throwing Rocks in Texas (Part 1)

It’s been more than two weeks since NTRPGCon and I’ve yet to chronicle my exploits in Bedford, TX. Partly to blame was the inevitable post-con crash that afflicts most of us who spend four days in the company of our far-flung comrades in dice bags only to return to the mundane daily grind, but I also came home to find my internet connection on the fritz for a week and that took the wind out of my sails. Enough time has passed to fill my proverbial canvas anew, but that also means the following may be corrupted by time and faulty memory. Take this all with a small pinch of salt.

Unlike my journey to Gary Con, the trip down to Texas was a breeze. Once again, I got to fly in a turbo prop from Long Island down to Philly before graduating to a real, honest-to-goodness jet plane. Some folks might see that as a quaint means of travel, but with my love of the past, there’s nothing like taking a ride through the skies and watching the props whirl just outside the window. Plus, the guy sitting next to me had the largest carry-on bag in history, so the flight attendant (although I think I can call her a “stewardess” if the plane has propellers) moved me up to the front row in return for promising I’d open the emergency hatch in case of a crash. That is assuming a prop didn’t break free on impact and turn me into Wash in the closing half-hour of Serenity.

From Philly it was a nice flight to Dallas-Fort Worth. The young guy beside me, hailing originally from a formerly French-controlled African nation and having the most unique accent I’ve ever heard, spent the flight watching either that movie starring Real Navy SEALS™ or the longest Armed Forces commercial in history (it’s the same thing, actually) with French sub-titles. We arrived in Texas without trouble, but I learned that the previous evening saw Biblical thunderstorms in D-FW and interrupted the travel of fellow NTRPGCon attendees.

A brief wait (less than 15 minutes) had me in the Holiday Inn shuttle and en route to the hotel. Another con attendee was in the van with me, but was suffering through his own version of my trip to Gary Con. He apologized for his surliness later and now I must apologize because I can’t remember who that was. Sorry, brother. Refresh my memory if you’re reading this.

At the hotel, I learned that since I was technically two hours early for check-in, my reserved room with the rest of the con folks wasn’t ready and would I mind another room on a different floor? Knowing my gaming kin, “Yes, please.” So instead of being ensconced on the fifth floor, I had a quiet little room on the second floor right by the stairs down to the lobby. Again, after my room in Lake Geneva (literarily the farthest room possible from the action of the convention), it was a godsend. And those stairs meant I could avoid the elevator and work off some of the big Texas meals I figured I’d be eating while in town (more on that later). Mike Badolato, one of the con’s organizers wandered by as I was checking in, so I got to put names to faces from minute one. He was just the first of many folks I’d get acquainted with over the next four days.

With my bags safely stowed in my room, I wandered down to the ballroom and grabbed my con badge. I ran into Allan Grohe manning the Black Blade booth, saw a few other familiar faces from Gary Con, and got settled. The area was quiet. Vendors had yet to arrive and most of the gaming tables were vacant. I began to wonder if this whole North Texas thing was all hype, but then learned that the Charity D&D game was underway down in the “Longhorn Room” (what else would you expect in Texas?) and that’s where the masses were gathered. Rather than join the crowd, I hung around the ballroom for awhile chatting with the stragglers and new arrivals. Out in the common area beside the lobby, Jeff Dee was setting up his display table and I introduced myself. We chatted about his Kickstarter projects and Goodman Games for a bit before Jeff kindly taught me how to play Cavemaster, his new Neolithic RPG. Folks, Cavemaster would be one of the bright lights of the con for me and I can’t recommend picking up a copy strongly enough. The whole premise (“it’s an archeological recreation of the first RPG played by our caveman ancestors”) and game mechanics (it uses rocks. Really, rocks.) are unmitigated genius if you enjoy turning an off-beat concept into high art and unique but simple rule resolution. I’d get a more in-depth crack at Cavemaster before the con was over, but Jeff taught me the rules in less than three minutes.

The Charity Game finished not long after and who should I run into by my Gary Con partner in crime and soon-to-be fellow panelist Tim Kask. Tim and I caught up, talked shop, walked the parapet, and then, (and there’s no way to write this that doesn’t sound sleazy) went back to his hotel room so he could show me his Snakeriders. Tim and Frank Mentzer, his fellow Eldritch Enterprises compadre and my own convention buddy, were roommates for the con and Frank rolled in shortly after. We chatted about upcoming EE projects (I’m eagerly awaiting “Spider Bitch on the Rag,” although I’ve been told it will have another, more commercial title when it hits the market) before they invited me to dinner at the hotel restaurant. The three of us headed out to eat and encountered the plague of NTRPGCon: the wait-staff (emphasis on “the wait”). The slow service would become the running joke of the convention. It was obvious that the Holiday Inn was not prepared for gamer appetites—or merely human ones—and I suspect that this is the primary reason NTRPGCon V will be held at a new location.

Dinner was mind-blowing, the highlight of the con for little old me. Halfway through my burger, I realized that my table companions were Jennell Jaquays, Frank Mentzer, Tim Kask, Jim Ward, and (briefly) Erol Otus. That song from Sesame Street—“Some of these things belong together…”—started running through my head, but everyone was very welcoming and encouraging and we had a blast mocking Alien vs. Predator on the restaurant TV. Nevertheless, it was a reminder that somewhere down the line I had crossed a threshold and was now officially a game designer of very small renown. Thank you all so very much for warm welcome.

When dinner wrapped up, Tim, Frank, and I hung out on the patio and they told me secrets Man Should Not Know about the old days with Gary and TSR. I don’t actively ask about the Old Days when I’m with those guys, wanting to avoid being a rabid fanboy, but I’ve learned that just by hanging around with them and letting them talk, I pick up a few interesting anecdotes along the way. I’m like the Margaret Mead of the gaming industry. Luckily for the guilty, I don’t always recall all the tales the next day, but the ones I do remember are doosies. At last, the late hour and the flight caught up with me and I managed to get to bed at a respectable hour—but not before dropping $40 on some old Judges Guild stuff from the con store. It would be the first of several purchases I’d make before heading back to NY.

Next up: Emirikol is killed and the Tim & Mike Show makes its debut. 

In Case You Missed It

You might have seen that Goblinoid Games is continuing to gobble up Pacesetter titles for re-printing and to create new games using the Action Table system. Buried in the most recent announcement that Dan Proctor has acquired Sandman: The Map of Halaal (I put him in a head-lock at Gary Con and refused to release him until he agreed to buy it) was this:

Looking for more Pacesetter System^TM games? Michael Curtis has just finished writing and playtesting an all new game using this system. It will be opened for additional playtesting very soon to members of the Labyrinth Lord Society!

I can't release any details until Dan makes a formal announcement, but let me just say I had a blast writing this one. If I could only tell you some of the weird-ass books I used as reference material on it... I was worried I went a little too far into Bat Country, but so far, those who have seen the game really dig it. Forget D&D Next! Sign up to become a member of the Labyrinth Lord Society and get a first-look and chance to playtest it before it hits the shelves!

I'm Such a Sell-Out

Yeah, I know I said I wouldn't be posting until next week, but here's one piece of good news worth breaking radio silence for: The Dungeon Alphabet has sold out---again! The last of the second printings have left the warehouse and an impoverished nation must rely on what copies remain available through vendors.

Don't fret, however. A third printing is on the way and it might have some new surprises. Maybe those of you at GaryCon can ply me with black lotus powder and I'll let some details slip...

A Dungeon Alphabet Question

I’m very pleased to announce that The Dungeon Alphabet is heading for a third printing. Thanks to the interest of not only those who pitch their tents in the OSR camp, but to gamers of all ages and stripes who enjoy great art, useful tables, and low sticker prices, The Dungeon Alphabet remains a commercial success. I’m very pleased that so many gamers have embraced the book and consider it to be one of the better resources to have come out of the OSR in recent years.

To mark the occasion of a third printing, Joseph Goodman and I have been tossing around some ideas to make the next print run unique. But before anything is decided on, we thought we’d see if the readers who made the book a success had anything to say. So our question to you is “Readers, what would you like to see in a third printing of Dungeon Alphabet?" Some options are already on the table, but we’re interested in hearing from you before we forge ahead. Please feel free to use the comments section to leave your input or drop me a line at the email addy listed to the right. Thanks!

Miscellaneous is the Largest Category

Here’s a few bits and pieces that I wanted to touch upon before I forget. Look for real posts tomorrow and the weeks to come.

1) RPGNow and DriveThruRPG are having a Game Master’s Day Sale from now until next week (somewhere around Tuesday or Wednesday). Enjoy 25% off or more from a slew of publishers including old school favorites like Brave Halfling Publishing, Fat Dragon Games, GM Games, Goblinoid Games, Goodman Games, Rogue Games, and more (apologies to those I missed). If you haven’t picked up a PDF copy of say The Dungeon Alphabet (let’s get it to a Popular Electrum Pick, people!) or Realms of Crawling Chaos for that shiny new iPad, now is the time to do so. It’s also the perfect opportunity to buy something nice for your own poor, beleaguered game master who puts up with your antics week after week with no thought of himself…

2) Obfuscate and Deny: Remember that thing I said about starting the Stonehell sequel as soon as I finish my current manuscript? Well, forget it. Another gig stepped in to take its place in the queue. The good news is that it’s not only a funky fresh opportunity, but it’s something that any old school gamer would be a fool to not be a part of. The turnaround time is short so there will still be plenty of time for me to finish Stonehell before year’s end (crossed fingers knocking wood).

3) Local Gamers Take Note: To anyone in the tri-state area looking for something to do on the weekend of April 15-17, turn your browsers to the homepage of ICON-30, Long Island’s biggest science fiction convention. This year’s gaming guest of honor is Mr. Frank Mentzer.

4) All the finalists’ entries for the Three Castles Award have been sent to their doom the judges for adjudication. Quote one unnamed judge: "The package arrived today, in good condition. Since there were no gold coins hidden inside, I doubt any of them will win... In fact, I was astonished by the excellent quality and professional appearance! I was afraid I would be judging amateurish entries hand-written on legal pads (well, maybe not that bad). What a great group of products for the first award. I hope all five get good recognition from this. Looking forward to judging them." I knew I forgot to put something in my parcel…

Dungeon Crawl Classics RPG Now Available for Pre-Order

Today is Dungeon Crawl Classics Day over at the Goodman Games website.

Glory & Gold Won by Sorcery & Sword

You’re no hero.

You’re a reaver, a cutpurse, a heathen-slayer, a tight-lipped warlock guarding long-dead secrets. You seek gold and glory, winning it with sword and spell, caked in the blood and filth of the weak, the dark, the demons, and the vanquished. There are treasures to be won deep underneath, and you shall have them.

Return to the glory days of fantasy with the Dungeon Crawl Classics Role Playing Game. Adventure as 1974 intended you to, with modern rules grounded in the origins of sword & sorcery. Fast play, cryptic secrets, and a mysterious past await you: turn the page…

Rules Set: DCC RPG, an OGL system that cross-breeds Appendix N with a streamlined version of 3E.

Designers’ Diary: Learn more about the RPG design in our regular entries.

• Designer’s diary #1: What It Is, And What It Isn’t

Community: Discuss the DCC RPG on our forums!

Open Playtest: The core rules for the DCC RPG will be released in a free, open playtest in mid-2011. Watch this page for more details.

Support: Goodman Games will support the DCC RPG with an extensive line of adventure modules and select other materials going into 2012. More details coming soon!

Licensees: Select publishers will be offered licenses to publish supplemental material for the DCC RPG. If you are a publisher interested in learning more, please contact us.

Designer and writer: Joseph Goodman
Additional writing: Harley Stroh
Cover art: Doug Kovacs
Interior art: Jeff Easley, Jason Edwards, Tom Galambos,
Friedrich Haas, Jim Holloway, Doug Kovacs, Diesel Laforce, William McAusland, Brad McDevitt, Jesse Mohn, Peter Mullen, Erol Otus, Stefan Poag, Jim Roslof, Chad Sergesketter, Chuck Whelon, Mike Wilson Special thanks to the playtesters at DunDraCon, CondorCon, GenghisCon, GaryCon, North Texas RPG Con, Mount LeConte, GameFest, SaurusCon, Anaheim Mini-Con, Tacticon, Fal-Con, Dicehouse Games, Comic World, and elsewhere!

GMG5070, hardcover, $34.99. Pre-order now!

Video Review of The Dungeon Alphabet

The Dungeon Alphabet Now At Select Borders Books

Since Lord Kilgore reported a sighting yesterday, I may as well break the news: Borders Books has made arrangements with Goodman Games to stock select stores with copies of The Dungeon Alphabet. I'll err on the side of caution and not reveal anything more than that at the moment. Once I get the official O.K. as to what I can make public, I may follow this post up with additional information.

It's probably needless to say this, but I'm extremely proud of this development. I think getting the DA into the Borders Books' distribution chain is a milestone for the OSR. I won't claim it marks the start of a new Golden Era for old school games, but by putting in on the shelf next to 4th edition D&D splatbooks, it may get new people interested in what it is we're doing here--and that's always a good thing.

Having the books sell is also in my interest as well--there's no denying that. So if you happen to walk down the aisle at your local Borders and see a copy sitting on the shelf, why not pick it up for yourself or buy it for a friend if you already have one ($9.99 is a very reasonable price). At the very least, pull it out and "face" it on the shelves so that everyone can catch a glimpse at the Erol Otus cover and wonder what exactly this book is all about.

The Return of The Dungeon Alphabet

From all available indicators, the 2nd printing of The Dungeon Alphabet has entered the distribution chain. It's been officially moved off the "Coming Soon" line-up on the Goodman Games site and into "Newest Releases" without the accompanying preorder mumbo-jumbo, and it's being hyped along with Free RPG Day.

I got my author's copies last week and the book looks good. Other than the corrections, the only change is that Peter Mullen's incredible end pieces are now in TSR module blue rather than black and white, allowing the discerning collector to easily identify it as a second printing (well that and the big SECOND PRINTING on the title page).

If you've yet to pick up a copy, start pestering your FLGS to place their order now or visit your usual online retailers. I'll have additional information about the book in the near future. I'm just waiting for one last OK.

UPDATE: If you happen to be in Finland for Ropecon, please stop by the Lamentations of the Flame Princess table for all your OSR gaming needs. Pick up a copy of the DA and whatever else strikes your fancy.

Game Recap and a Brief Note

My gaming group did manage to get together over Memorial Day Weekend to squeeze a Watchfires & Thrones session in. They've now begun to explore the Black Gut, the campaign's megadungeon--and my second such humongous design project in two years. Some of the location will serve as testing grounds for material intended for the Stonehell sequel, but much of it is going to be very specific content to the campaign world. You can catch up on the party's wacky hijinks over at The Archive of the Rotted Moon.

In other news, I've received word that the second printing of The Dungeon Alphabet will be shipping this week, so with luck it will be available again soon from your finer FLGS and online retailers. I have another piece of news relating to the DA which just blows my mind, but I'm not sure if I'm permitted to spill that can of beans yet. But I will make a formal announcement hopefully by the end of the month.

Speaking of books that I've written, it's more than likely that no new posts will be appearing here on the Society for the next week or so. I've been engaged in fierce hand-to-hand combat with my next book and the bastard has been fighting me every last step of the way. But this week, I think I finally broke the damned thing and have now cowed it into submission. The words are flowing much more easily and in much better quality than they had done so previously. In order to take advantage of this inertia, I'm focusing all my efforts on that manuscript. Once I get the feeling that I've caught up to where I should be on the draft, I'll consider returning to writing blog posts. Sorry for this interruption but it needs to be done...and it's not like there's a shortage of other high quality web publications out there to take up the slack.

Be seeing you.

The Dungeon Alphabet Has Sold Out

And not in the “I signed a deal with McDonalds for Dungeon Alphabet Happy Meals™” sort of way.

The entire first printing of The Dungeon Alphabet is gone from the Goodman Games warehouse (which I picture looking similar to the warehouse at the end of Raiders of the Lost Ark). If you haven’t purchased a print copy and you see one on your FLGS’s shelf, snap it up because it’ll be a while before it’s back in print.

A second printing is in the planning for late May and Goodman Games is currently taking pre-orders for the second print run. The second printing corrects a few minor typographical boo-boos and will feature Peter Mullen’s truly groovy endsheets printed in a 1980’s-TSR-module blue ink.

To have The Dungeon Alphabet, my first professional gaming book, sell out in three months is just the latest in the long string of unbelievable events for me regarding the book. First, Goodman Games rounded up a cadre of great artists, some who are legends in the hobby, to contribute artwork. Then, “Zeb” Cook, a designer who has influenced my own writing, was lassoed into doing the introduction to the book. After its release, the Alphabet became one of if not the best reviewed products Goodman Games has put out. And now it’s burned through the entire first printing. To paraphrase Captain Renault, I'm shocked, shocked to find that you all have embraced the Alphabet to the extent you have!

I am deeply humbled and thankful.

A Peek Inside the Dungeon Alphabet

My favorite group of Spanish bloggers, Adventuras En La Marca Del Este, has done a photo review of The Dungeon Alphabet. If you've been curious as to why so many people have been praising the artwork within the pages of that tome, check out the review here for some fine examples of the artwork of Otus, Easley, Roslof, Mullen, and others (whom I can't identify only because their work is not signed, not because of a lack of talent and distinctive style).

Then go kick yourself for not buying a PDF copy during GM's Day.

Dungeon Alphabet PDF On Sale

As part of DrivethruRPG's GM's Day Sale, the PDF of The Dungeon Alphabet is on sale for $5.99. That's $2.00 off the regular price and nothing to scoff at in these troubled times. If you've been meaning to pick up an electronic version of the book, you might not see a better offer than this.

Click here to go and buy.

Realms of Fantasy Review and More

Helpful reader Tim Shorts has pointed out that the review of The Dungeon Alphabet from Realms of Fantasy magazine has been posted on their website. I've known what the review was going to say for a while and I'm still waiting to get my hands on a hard copy of the magazine, but you can view it here (just scroll down a smidge).

Meanwhile, Reviews from R'lyeth has a review over the book over here, Akratic Wizardry conjures up a review, RPG.net give the book a slot in its weekly reviews, and, lest I be accused of whitewashing things, Treebore doesn't get what all the fuss is about in this Enworld thread.

If I've missed anyone else's recent reviews, I apologize. It been a hectic week round these parts.