The bluelines (printer's proofs) of the Beowulf deck plans arrived today. Since Shawn Havranek and I had to inspect them anyway, we decided to lay them out and do a proper job of it. We soon drew a crowd, and we could have sold three sets to SJ Games staff right then and there. They look blue in the photos because they are blueline proofs -- the real deckplans will be printed in black.
The plans are very impressive, as the accompanying photos show (Shawn's in the first one, sitting by the bow of the ship, I'm in the second, leaning over in the green t-shirt). We decided to put out some Cardboard Heroes to see how things would look (that’s Deck 2, consisting of seven sheets -- Decks 1 and 3 have two and four sheets respectively). Wow, that cargo hold is huge!
-- Loren Wiseman
No recount will be necessary on the question of scheduling vs. quality. There were exactly zero votes for "get them out on time, no matter what." Thanks . . . you're the kind of customers Richard and I want to have.
Yes, the miniatures will eventually appear in Warehouse 23, but not right away. First we have to keep up with retail store demand. And we want to give the stores a short "exclusive" period with each set before the same figures appear for sale online. Remember, gang: support your local retailer or he'll close his doors.
And yes, initial feedback on the big maps has been good enough that we will do a giant-sized version of the G.E.V. map in an upcoming set.
-- Steve Jackson
Deluxe Ogre
We're introducing our new miniatures line with a bang! This big set
contains everything you need to play a basic Ogre scenario, with a
Paneuropean Ogre Mk III attacking a Combine command post - using 1/285 miniatures as the playing pieces. It includes the Ogre rules, a giant-sized version of the Ogre map, and all the
miniatures needed to play the game in three reusable plastic cases. Ogre Ogre miniatures have not
been available in years - and the original Combine figures were a very limited release - but
here they are again, with some vehicles resculpted and better than ever!
Miniatures in 3 video boxes, map, and rulebook with a slip cover, #10-5001, ISBN: 1-55634-464-3, $49.95
GM's Screen (for GURPS Traveller)
Put the Third Imperium at your fingertips with this fact-packed GM's screen. Two screens contain all the charts, tables, and other
essentials for the GURPS Traveller Game Master. And, since every GM needs a tavern to
start the adventure off right, here's a poster-sized floor plan for Brubek's, the starport bar . . . and a sheet of new Cardboard Heroes miniatures showing typical patrons.
2 two-sided screens with 1 floor plan and 1 sheet of Traveller-specific Cardboard Heroes. #6619, ISBN 1-55634-457-0, $10.95
In Nomine 2001 Calendar
Want to celebrate Quetzalcoatl's birthday? Or the Dalai Lama's? Or
the Emperor Norton's? Do you really need to know when the Egyptian
New Year starts, or when and what Whuppity Scoorie is? Look no farther.
The In Nomine 2001 Calendar features a new color cover by Rogerio Vilela . . . twelve beautiful ink drawings by Ramon Perez . . . and hundreds and hundreds of religious and secular holidays from around the world. There's at least one for every day of the year, collected and annotated by Micah Jackson and Ken (Suppressed Transmission) Hite.
It's beautiful, useful, and very, very strange. What more could you want?
Black & white interiors, color cover, #9011, ISBN: 1-55634-477-5, $9.95
Anybody out there work for a Playstation publisher? This just begs to be turned into a really tasteless two-player game for those who think Super Mario is just a little tooooo cuuuuuute. Send Joe some money and make the game.
-- Steve Jackson
Or just bookmark the page for Halloween next year, and be very afraid.
Adbusters takes everything sitting down. The only use they see for shopping centers is mall walking; beyond that, they want consumers to think twice about their spending habits. Consumerism, they claim, is out of control, and a cornerstone of their non-financial empire is the annual post-Thanksgiving Buy Nothing Day, aimed at the busiest shopping day of the year.
This, of course, does not apply to gaming stuff, which you should buy, buy, buy. Fnord.
-- Suggested by Clark D. Rodeffer
We are nowhere near caught up on filling the orders for the Deluxe Ogre set . . . we really need to hire at least one more miniatures caster! (If you're interested, check out the jobs page.) Initial reactions to the set have been very, very good. This is gratifying, but still leaves us in a crunch. We are now asking ourselves, quite seriously, if we should push back our miniatures schedule by a month or so and delay new releases until we get caught up. I hate it when we fail to ship on time, and I hate missing sales (the miniatures investment is quite a ways from paying off, even given the big start). But driving the staff crazy seems like a bad idea (and somewhat redundant). And if we rush too much, quality will drop, and that is NOT an option.
Stay tuned. I'm not quite sure WHAT we'll do. Have a happy Thanksgiving. Our offices will be closed until Monday.
-- Steve Jackson
GURPS Traveller: Starships is now in playtest! Pyramid subscribers can access the playtest files. And if you're not already a subscriber, subscribe today!
-- Keith Johnson
GURPS Spirits is now in playtest! Pyramid subscribers can access the playtest files. And if you're not already a subscriber, subscribe today!
-- Keith Johnson
The Nobody for President site would have come in handy this year. Consider it a cautionary tale you can use next election, assuming we finish this one.
-- Suggested by Curtis
A sneak peek at some of the Transhuman Space concept art is available on the GURPS Transhuman Space product page.
-- Philip Reed, Art Director
After many trials and tribulations, Deluxe Ogre is about to ship. Here's our heroic casting and assembly crew posing with the first completed copy (which is now in the auction). That's Minia
tures Department Manager Richard Kerr with the stylish Hawaiian shirt and manic grin . . .It ships next week, albeit in limited quantities. The week after that we'll ship enough more to complete the orders we have now. The casting crew will stay in overdrive to be ready for RE-orders . . . and to get the next sets out.
The figures look good. It's finally working, and I'm very pleased.
-- Steve Jackson
Visit the de Camp family site for an obituary, bibliography, and other information.
I had been reading Sprague's stories since I was very young, and I never ceased to enjoy them. I had the pleasure of meeting him at several SF conventions over the years, and it was a great honor to be allowed to publish a game book based on his work. He
was always very easy to work with, helpful and interested in the project. I'm glad that he got to see it.
-- Steve Jackson
Additionally, the initial cover draft sketch has been posted to the Alien Races 4 page. Keep in mind that this is not the final version, but it does give you an idea as to what it will look like!
Pyramid subscribers can access the playtest files. And if you're not already a subscriber, subscribe today!
-- Keith Johnson
What do you do if you can't afford the designer fragrance? You buy generic, of course. Since aliens don't have time to abduct everyone, anyone looking for a close encounter with EBEs need go no further than Alien Abductions Incorporated. They'll work with you to instill the baffling and frightening fragments of memory, and for a modest upgrade they'll provide claustrophobic surveillance, alien abduction encounter g
roups, a lecture circuit...the sky's the limit, but now you're on the outside looking in.
-- Suggested by Timothy McDowell
If you haven't started your Christmas shopping, here's depressing news: J.R. Mooneyham's essay, "An Illustrated Speculative Timeline of Technology and Social Change for the Next One Thousand Years," has our future history figured out to the tune of quadruple digits. He admits he's just guessing at some of this stuff, but considering NASA doesn't know where its next jar of Tang is coming from, you've got to admire the man's ambition.
-- Suggested by Joe Chaparro
It's too early to announce that we are working on another supplement, so I won't announce it, nor will we answer any questions about what if anything I might have meant by this hint fnord. So don't bother pleading, unless you are prepared to offer -- not
mere money, the Illuminati laugh at money -- but [NOT AVAILABLE AT YOUR CLEARANCE].
-- Steve Jackson
GURPS Bestiary, Third Edition
Rule the animal kingdom with GURPS Bestiary! This new edition of
the popular supplement includes many of the popular creatures from prior
editions, as well as dozens of new beasts. There is an expanded section on
using animals as PCs, with templates (and rules for making new ones) and
sample animal characters. GURPS Bestiary also includes animal folklore from
around the world.
Stock #6011, ISBN 1-55634-412-0. $19.95.
Ground Forces
(for GURPS Traveller)
When human worlds are threatened, people depend on the Imperial
Marines and the Unified Armies -- the Ground Forces. They are the only
soldiers most citizens ever see. People may follow orbiting battleships as
bright "stars" in the sky, but for the average man it is the Marine in
battledress and the imposing bulk of an Army grav tank that embody the
Imperium.
GURPS Traveller: Ground Forces covers the "ground pounders" of the Third Imperium and their comrades in arms, the sailors of the "wet" navy and the pilots of the Close Orbit and Aerospace Command.
Stock #6614, ISBN 1-55634-444-9. $20.95.
GURPS Fantasy Folk, Second Edition (reprint)
From the tiny, winged Ellylon to treetop-tall giants, this book
brings 24 nonhuman fantasy races to GURPS. This book includes new, expanded
versions of such fantasy "standards" as elves, dwarves, orcs, and
halflings, as well as exotic creatures such as savage minotaurs, four-armed
insect warriors, and magical, mischievious leprechauns.
Stock #6015, ISBN 1-55634-309-4. $20.95.
Deluxe Illuminati (reprint)
They're all around us. Secret conspiracies are everywhere, and
where can you find the only truth? Certainly not in the game of Illuminati.
Fnord.
The phone company is controlled by creatures from outer space. The Congressional Wives have taken over the Pentagon. And the Boy Sprouts are cashing in their secret Swiss bank account to smash the IRS! Two to six players compete to grab powerful groups and increase their wealth and power. No ploy is too devious, no stratagem too low, as you scheme your way to victory.
Stock #1305, ISBN 1-55634-384-1. $34.95.
Deluxe Illuminati Y2K Expansion Deck (reprint)
This supplement deck for Illuminati contains 110 more cards. New
Specials, new groups, and more blanks to let you create your own groups.
And two new Illuminati . . . you saw them in INWO, now they're in the
original game . . . Shangri-La and the Church of the SubGenius!
Stock #1325, ISBN 1-55634-374-4. $19.95.
