Saga of Dragonstar Kickstarter

Pledges have not only stalled but are being pulled. We need to get this project back on track.

"Help me Obi-Ron Kickobi!" 

The N.R.G system is pretty unique in its approach, and they just announced that Saga of Dragonstar would now be N.R.G system as well, so it would be supported with a setting.

There's 8 days left, let's kickstart a revival of this great product. I have dealt with lots of Hank Woon's writing, and he is very prolific and makes great products.

Don't make them send this guy over to rough you up...

NRG Wayne Reynolds Art giveaway (GameSmiths, LLC)

Hank Woon just sent this over, from the Game Smiths LLC Forums.

WAR PAINT! Original Wayne Reynolds N.R.G. Cover painting sweepstakes!
Are you planning to participate in our Kickstarter and want a chance to win the original WAR painting of our N.R.G. Core Rulebook cover? If so, here's all you have to do:

First, Comment on this post: http://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=377198982356188&set=a.377198979022855.87886.372058312870255&type=1&theater
In your comment, tell us that during the first week of our Kickstarter (Monday, November 12th through Sunday, November 18th), you will pledge $25 or more.

Second, Share this post on your Facebook Wall!

Third, message us with your name and e-mail address.

Fourth, when our Kickstarter goes live, follow through with your pledge by backing $25 or more before 12 a.m. Monday, November 19th, Pacific time.

When our KS finishes (if we are fully funded, of course) we will confirm everyone who participated and followed through during the above dates specified. For every $25 such persons pledged by the time the KS finishes, that person will receive 1 entry into the sweepstakes.

Furthermore, as each iconic is unlocked, such a person will gain the same amount of entries into additional sweepstakes--one sweepstakes for each unlocked iconic--to win the original WAR painting if that iconic!

That means if all 9 iconics are unlocked, qualified persons will have 10 chances to win an original WAR painting! The cover + the 9 iconics! And yes--you can win more than one!
All you have to do is follow the steps above and be sure to follow through with your Pledge before the end of the day, Pacific Time, Sunday, November 18th!
Thank you, and good luck!

Note: This is not my contest, I am not giving this wonderful art away.  

Press Release: Gamesmiths LLC

Here's the official press release from Hank Woon:

FORMER PAIZO INTERN AND EARTHDAWN GAME DEVELOPER LAUNCHES NEW FANTASY RPG & CAMPAIGN SETTING COMBO

Game Smiths LLC offers Kickstarter backers their choice of a new campaign setting or RPG system—or both, along with a very long list of stretch goals, in conjunction with renowned fantasy illustrator Wayne Reynolds.

October 15th, 2012

BELLEVUE, WA—Game Smiths LLC, a new indie tabletop RPG publisher based out of Bellevue, WA, has launched a “mock” Kickstarter campaign on their website nearly one month before their actual Kickstarter campaign goes live.

“Our company vision is all about community involvement,” says Hank Woon, Game Smiths’ Managing Member and Editor-in-Chief. “We’re putting our Kickstarter up early to get feedback on both our tier rewards and stretch goals so we can make the real deal as perfect as possible for backers.”

Hank Woon, whose day jobs include screenwriting (with two film credits currently to his name) and working at The Pokémon Company International, has been involved in the tabletop RPG industry for nearly a decade with credits including the Pathfinder RPG Core Rulebook, Earthdawn Third Edition, Warpath, Dungeon Magazine, and Kobold Quarterly, among others, as well as two published fantasy novels for the Earthdawn campaign setting. For his first efforts with Game Smiths, he is focusing on a new game system as well as a supported campaign setting, turning to other industry professionals to help bring the games to life.

“Wayne Reynolds helped us with our new core rulebook by making a beautiful, beautiful cover (the original of which will be available as its own tier reward in our Kickstarter!), and he’s also participating in our stretch goals by offering to illustrate our 9 iconics for each of our core 9 classes, doing each in turn as we hit our various stretch goal levels. And as each is opened up, the original painting of that iconic will be immediately available as a new, unlocked tier reward as well.

“In addition, our original campaign setting will be available not only in our flagship game system, but also in Pathfinder and Savage Worlds. We want to make all versions as perfect as possible, which is why we enlisted the help of Shane Hensley (Savage Worlds creator) by having him attach his name to an early stretch goal and agreeing to oversee the design the game mechanics for the Savage Worlds version once that goal is reached.”

*THE SAGA OF DRAGON STAR COVER BY Gonzalo “Genzoman” Ordoñez!

The Kickstarter, which is set to run from Monday, November 12th through Friday, December 14^th, also has a few other innovations.

“Anyone who pledges at the Adventure Lord level or higher during the first week of our run will receive an extra hard cover copy of the N.R.G. Core Rulebook,” says Craig Guarisco, Game Smiths Creative Director. “And we also have our Black Friday Challenge—if backers unlock all of Wayne Reynolds’s iconics by the end of Black Friday, which is 12 a.m. Saturday, November 24th, then every backer who has pledged $25 or more will receive one 28mm metal mini of each Wayne Reynolds’s iconic, produced by Iron Wind Metals, and everything will come in a beautiful traditional boxed set.”

To learn more about Game Smiths and their Kickstarter, please visit www.gamesmithsllc.com. Also be sure to visit their forums at http://forums.gamesmithsllc.com/smf/index.php?topic=3.msg7#msg7.

Gamesmiths LLC

Hank Wook contacted me letting me know about their new project: (If you don't remember, Hank Woon was the primary writer for the Cathay Setting books for Earthdawn.)

Come check out our new company, Game Smiths LLC!

We are an indie publisher of tabletop roleplaying games and board games and have what we think is a very exciting lineup of new games in development including The N.R.G. System Core Ruleboo

k and The Saga of Dragon Star.

Visit us at www.gamesmithsllc.com where you can watch our pre-launch video, review the beautiful art we've commissioned from some of the best fantasy artists around, and join our forums to discuss and stay in the know on these products and more.

Game Smiths LLC - Forging Realms of Adventure!

 — with Hank Woon and Craig Guarisco.

Their new N.R.G. system is also in Beta Testing:

The N.R.G. System is your key to worlds of epic adventures, fantastic dangers, and untold treasures! Within these pages, countless realms lie at your fingertips ready to explore, as well as rules for creating a band of adventurers to seek out lost artifacts, discover forgotten tombs, or battle strange and terrible monsters. Play an elven mage who manipulates powerful arcane energies; a human bladesman whose elegant swordplay leaves his enemies in ruin; a thrall warrior who devastates opponents on the battlefield; or countless other wondrous combinations.

The lean rule system encourages strategy and is designed to keep players engaged during combat, rewarding them for clever tactics and Maneuver selections. Designing a character as he or she increases in power becomes part of the playing experience, allowing for endless customization possibilities and versatility. With the N.R.G. System, Game Masters are free to convert an existing campaign, create their own, or use one of our original remarkable settings, such as The Legends of SinbadTM or The Saga of Dragon StarTM.

The N.R.G. System core rulebook features 8 classes, equipment, and hundreds of player options for detailed customization. Join the adventure today!

After glancing through the Beta, I must say it has elements that are sort of familiar from many other systems, but as a whole, it is very interesting and refreshing. Download the beta preview and make up your own mind.