It’s been a year?

I’ve been distracted by other projects. I recently brought my four novel Glyph series to a close. I wrote a non-fiction book. I moved. Excuses all around.

That doesn’t mean that nothing has happened in my silence. I’m on the third development print of the fourth edition. I’ve said this update is a big one, and to be honest, it’s usually easier to start something brand new than to buckle down and work on the new edition.

I think that after one more development print, I’ll have a coherent game that covers all the territory of third edition. You know what needs to happen then? Play testing!

That will also take time, but I think that I’ll also release the bare bones book for others to poke at before play testing is done.

I keep asking myself if this change is worth it. Is it worth upending a rule system that’s been in use for 27 years? I hope so. I think so. Even when it’s all done, there’s a few hundred pages of material that also needs to be adapted to the new system. Some of that will come easier, all that will need to happen is a scan through and update of values. In the case of the Player’s Handbook, the big thing that needs to be updated is the equipment building system. I have a few fans that absolutely love the detail of the extant system, but it’s impenetrable to most.

I’m currently just over half way through the third development print in my edits. The big thrust of this print is harmonizing all the changes and most of that is done. Now the thing I’ve realized is that a lot of the lore that we’ve built up over years of play isn’t available in the book. It really should be, so that’s my current project.

I really could get this done if I don’t start any new projects. I was lamenting that I didn’t have a coherent idea for my next novel. With that in mind, I’m taking this opportunity to focus on fourth edition. If I don’t get distracted again, I could be done before the game’s 30th anniversary.