Messages

46

General Chaos / Re: Delta Green kickstarter

« on: September 30, 2015, 09:34:31 PM »

With all due respect Tim I don't understand your chain of reasoning.

You make the assertion that you don't see the value of backing the project "because it will fund anyway". The closest analogy I can draw is that of voting in an election where you assume the outcome is not in doubt; a certain candidate is very likely to win so why vote?

If we take the premise that you are a Delta Green fan and want to see the new DG 2.0 flourish, there's a lot of value in backing the project now, because Arc Dream has clearly stated that they are only going to produce books that are funded via this crowdfunding campaign. If you, and others like you, hang back and rely upon the fact that the project will fund and stretch goals will be reached without your participation, doesn't that have a significantly negative impact on the ultimate success of the game? Don't you want to see as many Delta Green books made as possible (go look at their Google document with all the potential books they have in mind!)? The only logical course of action, in my view, is to plunk down at least for one of the all-digital pledges and monitor how the campaign unfolds. You can always change your mind and reduce it later on.

47

General Chaos / Re: Delta Green kickstarter

« on: September 30, 2015, 06:53:47 PM »

Well since you asked for feedback, Tim, and I'm paid to argue in my day job, I'll point out the following:

1) go read Dennis Detwiller's update (#2, methinks). Go pledge $1 so you can, and follow the project along.

2) there are significant incentives to back the project now, as opposed to waiting for retail distribution. Mainly, the PDF reward tiers get enhanced for EVERYONE as stretch goals are hit. By spending now, you get more value, and so does everyone else who is backing at high enough levels. Essentially spend now to ensure books get made and you'll get at least digital copies of said books.

3) Ask yourself why are you annoyed.

4) repeat items 1-3.

More later when I have more time.

48

General Chaos / Re: Delta Green kickstarter

« on: September 30, 2015, 11:23:33 AM »

Sick brag.

I wonder if an episode of Unspeakable! will come out this month, or if Shane et al. will appear on any other podcasts to promote the Kickstarter?

49

General Chaos / Re: Delta Green kickstarter

« on: September 29, 2015, 09:40:42 PM »

I plan on backing it, just not sure for how much yet. I own so little of the present of Delta Green, and with how much everyone likes the fiction I'd like to pick up the pdfs of the old fiction (especially because it's still relevant, which I think is a great move for Delta Green II instead of retcon/new universe.), but it's a shit-ton of money for me to drop on the Agent's Handcover + pdfs + addons pdfs, not even mentioning the Fall of Delta Green or the Case Officer's Handbook and not even thinking about adding on Sense. Not sure what I'll end up getting, just might have to sell some stuff.

You don't own the old Delta Green stuff? Sacrilege! Worth every penny and pretty affordable now that Pagan has put out some PDFs of their back catalog.

The most cost-effective pledge might be full digital with add-ons for whatever you feel you want.

The old fiction stuff is listed as add-ons too.

Pelgrane's Fall of Delta Green will be great but you certainly can wait for that and buy it from Pelgrane later on as a PDF or book if you want to save some coin right now.

50

General Chaos / Delta Green kickstarter

« on: September 29, 2015, 02:22:42 PM »

It's live.

And it has just about raised its initial funding goal of 40K in 4 hours.

I'm now a bit poorer.

I wish Arc Dream had organized this campaign a bit differently - there is some lack of information at the outset for some key things - but there's no doubt this will be a raging success.

I wish I had the 5K lying around for the Alphonse Lives pledge level.

51

General Chaos / Re: What are you reading?

« on: September 28, 2015, 01:01:45 AM »

I'm reading the entire DG canon of fiction...for reasons. So far, I've read Strange Authorities, Through a Glass Darkly, Tales from Failed Anatomies, and Denied to the Enemy.

And now the bonus reasons for doing so are clear. Good luck with the submission, Ross. I have one in the pipeline too. I hope the  powers that be actually want to see a published scenario using M-EPIC.

52

General Chaos / Re: What are you reading?

« on: September 22, 2015, 08:20:02 PM »

Been waiting on Sevenses on hold for digital loan from the library.  Heard bits and pieces of a teaser and super interested to give it a read through....

Stephenson is on my shortlist of authors I buy in hardback. Seveneves grabbed me from the first page and never let go (unlike the Baroque Cycle). You can always count on Stephenson to present big ideas.

53

General Chaos / Re: What are you reading?

« on: September 15, 2015, 06:32:52 PM »

I had already read all of the DG RPG books and I had read some of the Tynes fiction, which gave me the wrong impression of the quality of the fiction. Tynes is a great designer (His Hastur mythos chapter is incredible in Countdown), but his short stories are kind of rough, especially when compared to Detwiller.

I agree the Tynes short stories are a bit uneven - but then so in my opinion are Detwiller's - but I really really liked Tynes' DG novel. Which is, nicely enough, reprinted in Strange Authorities.

54

General Chaos / Re: What are you reading?

« on: September 15, 2015, 04:20:31 PM »

Not exactly a full fiction piece, but just received "DG: Countdown" in the mail. Really wish I could find "Targets of Opportunity" either on the cheap or that it would come back in print. I love reading up on those factions and stories... and in dead tree format.

I agree it would be nice for Pagan to put out a softcover version of Targets of Opportunity, but since I missed out on the limited edition hardback, I just bought the pdf, printed it off and had it spiral bound at my local copy place. Worked out very well.

55

RPGs / Re: Freaky Architectural Stuff for Ruin

« on: September 15, 2015, 04:18:30 PM »

Robin Laws just gave High-Rise, a 2015 film adapting the famous JG Ballard novel, 5 stars at the TIFF. (this was mentioned a few posts and a few months ago in this thread)

This is going to be a must-see for Ruin development.

56

General Chaos / Re: What are you reading?

« on: September 15, 2015, 04:06:27 PM »

I'm reading the entire DG canon of fiction...for reasons. So far, I've read Strange Authorities, Through a Glass Darkly, Tales from Failed Anatomies, and Denied to the Enemy.

Colour me amazed you had not already done so!

57

General Chaos / Re: What Vidja games are you playing?

« on: September 08, 2015, 07:26:39 PM »

Speaking of Delta Green, my wallet has a sense of dread in regards to the kickstarter.

As if millions of wallets suddenly cried out in terror, and were suddenly silenced.

What's the ETA on the DG kickstarter? I know I'm going to splurge on some ridiculous high-end pledge level already.

58

General Chaos / Re: What are you reading?

« on: August 25, 2015, 11:19:21 AM »

Catching up on Delta Green fiction - Strange Authorities was okayish, but Through a Glass Darkly is damn good even halfway through.

Interesting take - I've always felt Tynes is a much more accomplished prose stylist than Detwiller: I really enjoyed Strange Authorities and I think The Rules of Engagement is excellent. But I like TAGD plenty too.

59

General Chaos / Re: What are you reading?

« on: August 24, 2015, 06:13:06 PM »

Tigerman by Nick Harkaway.

This is a great novel and confirms the bravura accomplishment of Angelmaker was no fluke.

Both books are very inspirational for gaming purposes.

When you consider that Harkaway is the son of John Le Carre, this latest book is even more intriguing as it has a very interesting take on the spy genre for which Le Carre was so popular.

As well, The Jaguar's Children by John Vaillant. An award-winning writer of non-fiction, this first novel tackles the subject of illegal immigrants from Mexico. It's a stunning literary accomplishment with a lot of horrific element as it tackles a big social issue with considerable rigour and nuance. And it begs to be used to help craft a cracker of a Delta Green scenario.

60

General Chaos / Re: Horrors of War

« on: August 20, 2015, 02:28:18 AM »

We are currently tunneling our way into Adam Scott Glancy's house.  We are averaging four feet a day.  When we break through we will assault and retrieve the Horrors of War books for ourselves.  At night we listen for the sounds of counter-tunneling coming from Glancy's home office.  Sam says he sometimes hears whispers in between the scratching.

If there was a like button on these forums this would get the big thumbs up.