Wednesday, February 29, 2012

OFFICIAL ANNOUNCEMENT!

I'm excited to say that we have a coder for the project. Assuming the project gets funded, which of course it will because it's awesome, Josh Tischer of <Code Pyro> is happily on board! Not only that, but he's a RPG alumni with a solid understanding of the genre (he used to DnD it in his pre-college days) and jumped right in with some excellent ideas.
I can't overstate how excited I am right now!

So, Josh and I will be meeting next week to hash out the prelims, in the meantime I want to see more Followers on this blog. Early converts will be our select pool of testers, and you're sure to get some kewl free swag!

Everyone reading this please click the "follow" link at the top of the page, and spread the word any way you can! I want a massive wave of fans itching to hit that DONATE link on our Kickstarter page when we're ready for launch.

There will be a dedicated Aeranos website sometime soon, but in the meantime, this is HQ, Ground Zero, the LZ and the WTFIH site for all Aeranos related breaking news.

Brady, I hope your ready, 'cause you and I are going to be PROmoting fools.

My fingers are still shaking...

Tuesday, February 28, 2012

News!

Tomorrow is the day I meet with the potential app developer! Fingers crossed that it's all as realistic as I've hoped.

__________________________

Also, here's a preview into my in-the-works Kickstarter page.
Kickstarter Project Preview
All things are subject to tweaks and changes at this point. If you have any tips or comments, feel free to share, and BY ALL MEANS, if you like this project, share it with others, like right now. Please.

A new Description of the Project!

The gaming group comes to the rescue! Thanks to Michael for putting together the following awesomeness!

Welcome to Aeranos!
We are designing this app to work hand in hand with an original and complete role playing system. In the mystical world of Aeranos you can play any of your favorite fantasy role playing archetypes.
The app is not necessary to play the game, but works symbiotically with the game to create a seamless interface that does all the work for you. This app will work on any computer, tablet or smart phone, Windows, Apple and Android. You can create, amend and store all aspects of all your characters with the Aeranos app. It will also do all of your characters detailed math for you, so that your stats will be accurately displayed and kept up to date. All modifiers will be reflected and included in the interface. Furthermore, it will allow you to open a variety of sub screens and view detailed information about your character and all of his or her equipment.

Gamemasters will have their own screens, be able to run adventures, pull up NPC and monster stats and keep track of combat. The rules will always be a click away.

AND COMBAT WILL BE FAST & EASY. Look at a list of your enemies, pick one, choose your attack type and any particular special abilities you want to employ and hit the attack button. The GM sees your attack and chooses the enemy's defense the same way, the app handles the math and immediately shows you and the GM the results. On with the story!

The beauty of this app is that it will allow you to get together with your friends and play no matter where any of you happen to be, as long as your computer/smart phone has skype or conference calling you can simply dial into the game. The game master will be able to access all aspects of your character through the interface. The app will also take care of all of your dice rolling needs for you. The only thing you need to join the game is your app enabled device!

Now let's talk versatility. Want to meet your friends for some gaming during your lunch break, but don’t have the time to commute? The Aeranos app will bring the gaming to you. Sitting at home after the kids have gone to bed, and your missing out on your role playing session? Not any more. You can relax in style. It has never been easier to get together with your friends and play from anywhere in the world. But it's just as handy with everyone gathered around the gaming table! You never have to miss out on a gaming session ever again.

Around the table or around the world, the Aeranos app brings the whole group together.

Sunday, February 26, 2012

Sample Idea

Working on flow charts and pages. Thought I'd mock up a sample screen. Almost life size!


Thursday, February 23, 2012

SUBMISSION ACCEPTED!

Okay, I know this isn't huge, but it feels that way. My KS Submission for the Aeranos App has been approved. I just need to get my ducks in a row for the launch.

I feel all tingly.

Wednesday, February 22, 2012

Progress Report

Trying to line up some design meetings with possible mobile app developers.

Still waiting to hear back from Kickstarter.

In the meantime I'm sketching out some flow charts of how I think the app will work.

...And crunching away at the spell list.

Tuesday, February 14, 2012

As I start moving down the road to a smart RPG, which basically means incorporating the app functionality into Aeranos, I should tell you what I have already.

Basically that's a 80-90% complete system contained within a 117 page pdf. What's left to add is some spells (that spell list is a killer) and the art, which will hopefully be provided by my friend Brady, who is working on another Kickstarter graphic novel project. Hopefully one chore can make the other lighter and you'll see lots of his great art in both places. Many hands, light work and all that, especially when their talented hands.

Here's a few of his pieces.



So, the next step is get the app process moving. That is my goal.

Monday, February 13, 2012

Welcome!

Welcome to the Gamer's Cortex, a view into the inner workings of a hobby game designer's brain.

I've been a player of all kinds of games for years. In that time I've tinkered with a lot of my own games and concepts. From books to dice to cards to boards to video games to pdfs and back again I've tried 'em all. Okay, anybody into games knows the world has WAY too many different kinds for the above statement to be true, but I HAVE tried a lot of them. Aeranos is my fantasy based role-playing game that has probably been at the nexus of all my projects. It's seen many forms over the years and has given my friends and I many hundreds of hours of quality gaming time, but as a design, it's been waiting for something special to make it stand out from the hordes of other home-brewed systems out there. With the advent of smartphones and the App, I think I may have finally found the THING that'll make it shine.

So why am I telling you this? Simple, a gaming friend of mine recently introduced me to a thing called Kickstarter (Thanks Brady), and a read-through of the website has inspired me to take that next step in the design of Aeranos. It's time to kick this idea out of the nest and see if it has wings.

In the days and weeks to come I will keep the world updated on my progress here, as well as sharing other projects and ideas.

To start with, here's a primer of the world of Aeranos, along with a working logo.
You'll have to wait for the crunchy bits...


In the year 380 of the current calendar six great Kingdoms hold sway on the Isle.
To the South, in the Great Taigan Wood lies the Syvani and Faelinarie nation of Manawyn.
Surrounding the Bay of Fahl and taking up much of the middle and northeastern isle
are the three kingdoms of men, Argos, Deoria and Fom.
In the vast plains of the North, the Oroka tribes rule the Kingdom of Delek,
and in the oldest civilization, the Durin Empire rules deep within the Tintagel Mountains.
To be certain, there are other societies and minor kingdoms,
some that have fallen and yet others that are gaining in power.
The Knockfara tribes have many petty kingdoms within the forests and mountains.
The great Morodos clans once ruled much of the land and there giant-sized, hidden
strongholds can still be found in the harshest of wilderness.
Durin, Faelinarie, Fekra, Dinar, Meran, Kuranani and Trulla are just a few of the others that war and trade, weaving their own threads into the tapestry of the Isle.

The Durin, Syvani and Morodos brought the written word to men. The standard
text of the clans is an amalgam of those ancient scripts. Iron came from the Morodos, steel from the Durin, sorcery from the Syvani and divine power from the Elder and Namer Gods.
Many advances in technology came with the traders and raiders from Concordia to the East, while still others are being invented daily by the Dinar of Dragon Mountain to the West.
 
In all, the isle embodies a vast puzzle of cultures, secrets, traditions,
and the races that spawned them.
The unknown lurks near at hand and both the risk and reward goes
to those daring enough to seek it. This is not a place for the timid or fearful.
Only those with will in their hearts and steel in their stride
can make a difference.