[Cryptworld] "Creepy Comic Conversion" Issue 5 Now Available

Once again Boils and Ghouls, it's time to crack open another terror tale from the 1940s-50s and see how your Cryptworld players manage to face their fears! In other words, a new issue of the Creepy Comic Conversion series for Cryptworld is now available!

I love horror comics, especially the long-forgotten ones that have entered the public domain. As a way to bring these amazing terror tales back to life, I’ve grabbed one at random and converted one of the stories as a mini-Cryptworld adventure. In this full-color 20-page zine, you first read the short comic story, then the back-half is that same tale now fleshed out and statted up for an evening’s gaming.

Presenting Issue 5 in the "Creepy Comic Conversion" series, this time featuring "The Subway Terror" from Mister Mystery Number 2 (1951):

In "The Subway Terror",  people have been vanishing from the manmade tunnels under the city for years: sewer workers, water and electrical linemen, and – more recently – subway patrons. Some theorize they’ve become lost in the maze-like depths. Others believe the legends of pets flushed long ago that grew to become giant alligators or snakes inhabiting the sewers. The truth is more disturbing…and dangerous. The players are tasked with investigating the disappearances with the assistance of the mysterious "Department G".

Issue 5 of the "Creepy Comic Conversion" series is now available in PDF at Drive Through RPG! (Full-color print copies will be available very soon there too!)

[NaGa DeMon] This Year's Projects: Cryptworld, Quill, and MCC RPG

As National Game Design Month gets underway, I've already got a good start on three seperate projects! Will I get them all completed? Well, no, probably not. But my goal is to get one, maybe two across the finish line before this month is up! Here's a sneak preview of my works-in-progress:

First up, I'm working on Issue 5 of my Creepy Comic Conversion series. For this series, I take a classic horror comic in the public domain from the 1940s-1950s and convert the tale into an adventure for the Cryptworld RPG. In this story from Mister Mystery magazne, the players will join "Department G" in their quest to rid the New York subway tunnels of "The Subway Terror!"

Once that's done, my next project will be to finally get my follow-up to Quill Quest written up. This adventure is "Quill Quest II: Tomb of the Raven Queen" for the Quill Letter-Writing Solo RPG. (A system I particularly like, having also written Quill Noir for the system.)

And, time willing, I plan to clean up my notes and adventure script to my next Mutant Crawl Classics adventure currently in playtesting, "The Desk in Room 8-10"!

So, how about you all out there? What do you plan to hammer out in the next 25 days?

Beware Of The NaGaDeMon! (National Game Design Month 2019)

It's November, and while others churn out their Great American Novel during NaNoWriMo, I prefer to focus my efforts during the National Game Design Month, or "NaGaDeMon." In 30 days, you are encouraged to imagine, design, write, and play a game of your own design. It can be anything: a board game, a video game, a card game, or an RPG. In years past, I've written RPG adventures and supplements during NaGaDeMon, and this year, I plan to focus on my next MCC RPG adventure: Plague From Below. (More on that coming soon!)

NaGaDeMon is a fun exercise for many folks, as they endeavor to create a new game whole-cloth within one month. However, others use the opportunity to finally create that fantasy heartbreaker they've imagined or put the finishing touches on a newly considered adventure. Whatever you've had in mind, take the next 30 days and try to get it done and in the hands of a waiting public! For more information, check out The NaGaDeMon website or The NaGaDeMon facebook page.

The NaGaDeMon Strikes Again! (National Game Design Month 2017)

It's November, and while others churn out their Great American Novel during NaNoWriMo, I prefer to focus my efforts during the National Game Design Month, or "NaGaDeMon." In 30 days, you are encouraged to imagine, design, write, and play a game of your own design. It can be anything: a board game, a video game, a card game, or an RPG.

NaGaDeMon is a fun exercise for some folks, as they endeavor to create a new game whole-cloth within one month. However, I use the occassion to wrap up and release some long-ignored project that I've been noodling around with during the previous 11 months.

This month, I'm focusing on my Creepy Comic Conversions for Cryptworld. Issue 3 is nearly done, and I have one or two other issues in mind as well. And, if I get lucky, I might have time to compile and release the first Creepy Comic Conversion COMPENDIUM!

Sound off in the comments if you plan to participate this year! It's always great to see who's working on what. And NaGa DeMon is a great way to get motivated to actually produce something for your favorite game!

And here are a few places you can go for more information:

The NaGa DeMon website
The NaGa DeMon facebook page
NathanRussell.net (NaGa DeMon's founder)

Attack Of The NaGaDeMon (National Game Design Month 2016)

It's November 1st and time to get your Great Gaming Project underway and completed! While others churn out a novel during NaNoWriMo, I prefer to focus my efforts during the National Game Design Month, or "NaGaDeMon." In 30 days, you are encouraged to imagine, design, write, and play a game of your own design. It can be anything: a board game, a video game, a card game, or an RPG.

I always look forward to NaGaDeMon as it pretty much forces me to focus on some long-ignored project and get that Bad Boy wrapped up and in your hands. For this month, I'm focussing all of my efforts to get Issue 2 of the Creepy Comic Conversion wrapped up and in your hands:

 And once I've finished up this Cryptworld offering (which should only take a day or so of focused "get'er done"), I plan to finish out the month with Issue 3 hot on its heels. And here's the planned cover/concept for the third CCC:

So sound off in the comments if you plan to participate this year! It's always great to see who's working on what. And NaGa DeMon is a great way to get motivated to actually produce something for your favorite game!

And here are a few places you can go for more information:

The NaGa DeMon website
The NaGa DeMon facebook page
NathanRussell.net (NaGa DeMon's founder)

National Game Design Month Kicks Off Nov. 1st! So What're YOU Creating?

It's nearly November and time to get your creative juices flowing! While others are trying to churn out their Great American Novel, I and other gamers will be participating in National Game Design Month, or "NaGa DeMon." In 30 days, you are encouraged to imagine, design, write, and play a game of your own design. It can be anything: a board game, a video game, a card game, or an RPG.

For the past few Novembers, I've participated in NaGa DeMon, which is a great kick-in-the-pants to actually get some long-neglected project out of my head and onto the page. My first Deviant Database and One Year in the Savage AfterWorld both started as NaGa DeMon projects and, in fact, one of my Cryptworld contributions was also created during the event. (The Smithsonian's SCD, in case you were curious.) So I'm calling out everyone who has a game in mind, an adventure they've been meaning to create, or a project they've never found time to start. For 30 days, get pen onto paper (or start hammering at the keyboard) and get that gaming masterpiece out of your head and onto the gaming table!

Oh, and what am *I* doing for this year? I have two projects I'm working on. One is a supplement for Cryptworld that's in the final stages of completion. I need to finalize one last chunk of text, and it's done. And the other project is one I've been noodling around with, and November is the month it gets finished, printed, and out to the public. Here's a hint-slash-preview-slash-logo:

So sound off in the comments if you plan to participate this year! It's always great to see who's working on what. And NaGa DeMon is a great way to get motivated to actually produce something for your favorite game!

And here are a few places you can go for more information:

The NaGa DeMon website
The NaGa DeMon facebook page
NathanRussell.net (NaGa DeMon's founder)

Don't Just Sit There -- Write Something! (In 30 Days)

We're a day into November and I nearly neglected to mention that we're now 24 hours into three consecutive "Get off your keister and write something, dammit" events!  All three of these month-long exercises have one thing in common -- they each encourage you to put pencil to paper (or fingers to keyboard) and get that spark of creativity splashing across the page. With the self-imposed deadline of 30 days, it motivates the brain to stop frittering about with minutiae and get your Great Work out into the public eye. Here's a quick summary of each event:

National Novel Writing Month (NaNoWriMo) -- The grand mack-daddy of writing events. We each have a Great American Novel burbling inside us. Well, NaNoWriMo encourages you to get it out. In 30 days, you must write a 50,000-word novel. It doesn't have to be good or even make sense. But if you're able to get 50,000 words on paper in one month, you can prove to yourself that you are capable creating that masterwork. You have accomplished what others have only dreamt of -- you wrote a damn BOOK.

National Game Design Month (NaGa DeMon) -- For the game designer in all of us, NaGa DeMon encourages you to create that board game, fantasy heartbreaker RPG, RPG supplement, card game, video game, 40-level dungeon delve, anything you desire. The trick is that you have to write it and play it within 30 days. C'mon, you must have a game you've considered creating. How about that RPG adventure you think would entertain and/or freak out your players? This is the time to get it out there and play it! (And possibly get it into the hands of the public as well!)

National Blog Posting Month (NaBloPoMo) -- If you'd like to stay online for your writing efforts, NaBloPoMo encourages you to post every day for the 30 days of the month. It doesn't matter what you say, just that you say it. The philosophy is that the more you do something, the better you get at it. So, to become a better writer/blogger, you need to break down the barriers between thinking about writing and actually doing it. So fill your blog with 30 daily posts during November!

At some point, I have participated in all three. I've written two novels, created three RPG supplements, and had one month of daily blog posts. Each one has proven to me that I'm capable of great creativity. We all are. So, as Wil Wheaton says, "Get excited and make things!"

P.S. My participation in 2011 in a combination NaNoWriMo/NaGa DeMon project will directly result in tomorrow's Big Announcement. Stay tuned!

At Gary Con V, There Will Be Mutants, Time Travelers, SAVE, And Thundarr!

We're less than 100 days away from Gary Con V to be held in Lake Geneva, WI, on March 14-17, 2013! Sounds like next year's celebration of gaming's roots will once again be The Convention Not To Be Missed! Gaming legends playing and hosting classic (and more modern) games in the town where it all started? Everything from OD&D to Pathfinder and everything in-between? A true "OSR feel" to the event and amongst the attendees? Why haven't you signed up yet?

I've turned in the games I'm planning to run. I'll be running one game for the Dead Games Society, and the rest of my events will be Goblinoid Games / Pacesetter events (presented by the Labyrinth Lord Society). Here's a sneak-peek of the Gaming Goodness I'll be hosting this year:

DGS Presents: Arbor Day
Chill - 1st edition
Horrific axe murders committed in Oregon’s Tillamook State Forest are identical to those committed by the legendary "Paul Bunyon Killer" 40 years earlier. However, the original murderer -- now elderly and feeble -- remains behind bars. Has a copycat killer surfaced, or is this the work of the Unknown?

The Day The Sky Fell
Timemaster
It’s 1979 and Topeka, Kansas, has been burned off the face of the Earth. Surviving victims claim they saw the Sun itself cut a path of destruction through the city, killing tens of thousands. Tensions between the U.S. and USSR have never been higher, and World War III is imminent unless Time Corps agents can determine what happened and stop it before it ever occurred. This is a Labyrinth Lord Society production.

Thundarr the Barbarian: Warlord of the Sacred Library
Mutant Future
Lords of Light! Drakexx the Unstoppable has established a stronghold in the forbidden Congers Library where thousands of Ancient texts are stored. What use does a warlord have with these tomes, and what secrets does he hope to unlock? The tribal shaman of the village of Linkon has tasked Thundarr, Ookla, and Princess Ariel with stopping and driving out the mindless brute! This is a Labyrinth Lord Society production.

Dead in the Water
Mutant Future
Mindless, water-logged abominations have been coming ashore, attacking fishing villages along the coast of The Rainbow Sea and dragging their victims off to a watery doom. Can a ragtag party of post-apocalyptic miscreants discover the answers on the Island of Fire? This is a Labyrinth Lord Society production.

You Oughta Be In Pictures
Antiquities & Arcana
Curators of the Smithsonian Institute’s “Special Antiquities Collection Division” are tasked with retrieving any historically significant items imbued with unearthly abilities. Two days ago, 27 audience members at an all-day film festival in Louisville, Kentucky, vanished without a trace. The PCs must discover what caused the mass disappearance and secure any responsible “heirlooms.” After all: “Magic is all around us. Your job is to find it and lock it down.” Come playtest this setting using the Pacesetter Action Table System. This is a Labyrinth Lord Society production.

NaGa DeMon Now Underway! And Here's My RPG Project...

And we're off!

I try to keep this blog on-target with new Mutant Future supplemental material or news of a "post-apocalyptic RPG" nature, but for this year's NaGa DeMon, I'm working on wrapping up an RPG I've been twiddling with for a few years that has nothing to do with mutants, radiation, or the Apocalygeddon. I'm quite pleased with the concept as it's an RPG setting that I don't believe has been addressed before. Here's the pitch:

****

There are more than 136 million items in the historical collections held by the Smithsonian Institute, scattered throughout 19 museums in Washington DC. Many of these items are culturally significant. Most are historically significant. And then there are the items kept under lock and key in the "Special Antiquities Collection."

These items are magically significant.

PCs are curators for the Smithsonian’s “Special Antiquities Collections Division” (SACD), a subdivision of the Smithsonian Institution Office of Protection Services. Their official job description is to “identify and acquire items of significant historical importance.” Their unofficial job description is to “investigate events of an unexplained nature, identify any items imbued with unearthly abilities, and retrieve/secure these items.”

Magic is all around us. Find it and lock it down.

****

I always loved the concept of a team of "Magical Item Retrieval Specialists" trying to secure some mystically-imbued bauble before it wreaks havoc on an unsuspecting public. There have been several TV shows focused on this very conceit, such as Warehouse 13, The Lost Room, The Librarian TV movies, and Friday the 13th: The Series. So, this November, I'll be working on bringing to life my vision for:

You Design, You Play, You Win! NaGa DeMon 2012 Starts In Two Weeks

November is nearly here, so you know what that means! Yup, a month's worth of churning out that great work of yours to share with the world! No, I'm not talking about that other month-long writing marathon. For gamers, November is National Game Design Month, or "NaGa DeMon." In 30 days' time, you are encouraged to imagine, design, write, and play a game of your own design. It can be anything from a board game, to a video game, to a card game, to -- of course -- a role-playing game. This month-long event is always the "kick in the pants" I need to motivate myself to get pen to paper and create some of those modules and supplements I've blathered on about. The Deviant Database I created is a direct result of last year's NaGa DeMon, in fact.

For this year, I have two projects in mind. Both are "underway," but both could use that final push to become a finished product. Hopefully, one will be finished by the time December 1 rolls around. More details as we get underway. Sound off in the comments if you plan to participate this year! It's always great to see who's working on what. And NaGa DeMon is a great way to get motivated to actually produce something for your favorite game!

Here are a few places you can go for more information on this fun event:

The NaGa DeMon website
The NaGa DeMon facebook page
NathanRussell.net (NaGa DeMon's founder)

NaGaDeMon / NaNoWriMo Winner! (And What's Next)

At 50,472 words, I officially crossed the finish line of National Novel Writing Month shortly after Thanksgiving. Yay me! And, because I was participating as a Na No Rebel as part of National Game Design Month, I also consider this a "win," as I was able to churn out the following:

• A Mutant Future “monster manual” with stats and descriptions of over 80 creatures...
• A compendium of 45 one-night Mutant Future adventures for quick pick-up games or for running at conventions (still need seven more)…
• An outline of a new RPG to be announced next year...
• A good start on TWO full-length adventure modules for Mutant Future…
• And fleshed-out outlines for TWO full-length adventure modules for Goblinoid Games' recently acquired Timemaster RPG!

Whew! So, with all of this material now on paper (realistically in electronic ones and zeroes), what's the next step? To actually get some of these laid out, illustrated, and distributed. Zak S, blog-meister of Playing D&D With Porn Stars, inspired me with this post to get something -- anything -- out there into the hands of OSR aficionados. So stay tuned for updates on these projects!

NaGaDeMon Midway Status Update

Just reporting in with a status report on this year's NaGa DeMon project. Thus far, I’ve cranked out/compiled well over 30,000 words towards these projects:

• A “monster manual” with stats and descriptions of over 80 creatures for Mutant Future...
• A compendium of 32 one-night adventures for quick pick-up games or for running at conventions (Aiming for 52)…
• A two full-length adventure modules for Mutant Future…

With this one-month drive, I’m finally getting some real progress accomplished on a myriad of projects I’ve been trying to motivate myself to write. With luck, I’ll have the rough drafts of everything ready by month’s end, with the winter months spent editing, laying out, illustrating, and producing with releases (finally) planned for spring. Will be contacting playtesters, proofreaders, and artists sometime in December.

2011 NaGaDeMon Website Updated

After stumbling across this post at The Free RPG Blog, I discovered that there was a new website for the 2011 NaGaDeMon event. (I was afraid it had been cancelled as last year's site hadn't been updated.) But it appears that Nathan Russell, NaGaDeMon overlord and coordinator, simply moved the site to his primary account. So for those who want more info on National Game Design Month, what it is, how to participate, and if you can tie this into your 2011 NaNoWriMo project, simply click this year's banner (over yonder to the left) or click on this link.

As for me, I'll still be using my combination NaNo/NaGa logo to tag any news and announcements as I plan to combine both events into this year's maniacal writing push.

Why NaNoWriMo When You Can NaGaDeMon?

(NaNoWriMo logo shamelessly lifted and tweaked...)

As many of you know, November marks National Novel Writing Month, or NaNoWriMo. (I won't bore you with a lengthy explanation as I figure you either know about it, or can follow the previous link for details if you're not.) I've thrown my hat into the ring for the last 4 years, "winning" only once. (Got bored with my plot half-way through on two occasions, and just dropped the ball a third time.)

However, last year, I stumbled across another November-long writing blitzkrieg known as National Game Design Month, or NaGaDeMon. In 30 days, create, write, and play a game of your own creation, whether it's an RPG, board game, choose-your-own adventure book or whatever. For those folks who have a sourcebook or an adventure or other project peculating in the inner reaches of their brains, this is a great 30-day drive to getting that idea out and on paper.

I kinda missed the boat last year as I discovered NaGaDeMon shortly after NaNoWriMo 2010 launched. But I planned to revisit it in 2011. Upon first look, it seems that the NaGaDeMon site hasn't been updated since last year. So I'll take point this year and invite readers of The Savage AfterWorld to pick up the banner and run with it. Spread the word throughout the forums and blogs that November 2011 is the month of unbridled gaming creativity and construction. I challenge you to get that epic adventure module written and printed. Create that new gonzo western RPG and run a party through it. Whatever you've been mulling over creating, November is the month to make it a reality.

For those committed to NaNoWriMo, how's about becoming a NaNo Rebel and treat your NaGaDeMon project as your 50,000-word project? NaNo encourages participants to churn out a novel-length work of fiction, but NaNo Rebels take liberties with the established "rules" of the event and write what they want, when they want, how they want.

For me, November is MutFutWriMo as I have a handful of projects I plan to tackle and flesh out before the month is up. I may post updates as we go, but my goal is to have some exciting announcements by year's end.

So, you have 3 weeks to prepare before we launch. Time to get that Ennie-award-winning opus in the public eye. Or, at least, time to create that TPK dungeon grind to run your PCs through. Who's with me?

NaGa DeMon Status Update

As per my announcement of intent last month, I'm treating the month of December as my own personal National Game Design Month. I have several Mutant Future projects in the works (and one for Mini Six) that I'm working on and I shall post my status reports on a weekly basis. (I've found I'm more productive when I feel folks are watching me.):

• "A Year In The Savage AfterWorld" -- A compendium of Mutant Future micro-adventures and creatures. Fifty-two Dangerous Encounters; enough for a full year's worth of weekend role-playing. (STATUS: 50% written; well over 30 one-page encounters with full-page stats for a dozen new creatures.)
• "Antique Americana" -- A mini-setting for Mini Six as the PCs become retrievers of historical artifacts. (STATUS: 50% written; setting fleshed out and written; artifacts and enemies now being constructed.)
• "Dead In The Water" -- A full-length Mutant Future adventure taking place on a fiery manmade island overrun by mindless mutants...or are they? (STATUS: 30% written; decided to redesign the format of the adventure so I need to remap some major encounters.)
• "The Wackyworld War" -- A full-length Mutant Future adventure as the PCs find themselves between warring factions. (STATUS: 10% written; in the conceptual stage only; will be the first to go if time runs short.)
• And, of course, there will be another update to "The World of Thundarr the Barbarian Sourcebook." (STATUS: Will be an easy release for December as the material is compiled from Thundarr posts on this website.)

My Project(s) For December's NaGa DeMon

As per my announcement of intent last month, I'm treating the month of December as my own personal National Game Design Month. I have several Mutant Future projects in the works (and one for Mini Six) that I've just not found the time or drive to finish up. So, during December, in the spirit of NaGa DeMon, I shall be trying to churn out the following:

• "A Year In The Savage AfterWorld" -- A compendium of Mutant Future micro-adventures and creatures. Fifty-two Dangerous Encounters; enough for a full year's worth of weekend role-playing.
• "Dead In The Water" -- A full-length Mutant Future adventure taking place on a fiery manmade island overrun by mindless mutants...or are they?
• "The Wackyworld War" -- A full-length Mutant Future adventure as the PCs find themselves between warring factions.
• "Antique Americana" -- A mini-setting for Mini Six as the PCs become retrievers of historical artifacts.
• And, of course, there will be another update to "The World of Thundarr the Barbarian Sourcebook."

Will I be able to complete all of these projects in 30 days? Probably not. But my hope is to have at least half of these fully written by the end of the month with plans of having them laid out and released by Spring. Two of these are nearly finished, but just need some polish. Updates as to progress will be posted here to keep me motivated (and honest). Stay tuned!

In December, Will You "NaBlo" or "NaGa"?

The month of November is always a busy time for me, as I usually participate in the yearly National Novel Writing Month, AKA "NaNoWriMo." My blog posts drop off significantly, and my game design plans are back-burnered as I desperately try to crank out yet-another "Great American Novel." Of course, I could use NaNo as the catalyst to focus on one of my hobbyist projects, but I really do enjoy the challenge of generating a 50,000-word book in a month. So November is filled with great writing productivity, but no RPG-related productivity. However, the month of December, that all changes. This post serves as both an announcement of my intentions as well as a call to other blog-meisters and would-be game designers to join me.

There are two NaNo-similar events that we as RPG enthusiasts can participate in--either one of which will increase our creativity and productivity, ending with something substantial of use to the RPG-playing community.

National Blog Posting Month, AKA "NaBloPoMo," is not held on a regular schedule like other "National Blah-blah Month." Rather, bloggers are encouraged to pick one month of the year and, during that time, post something each and every day. Bloggers from throughout the blogosphere with a wide variety of interests commit to posting something substantial on a daily basis for 30-31 days (or 28 days if you're a February slacker). In December, I challenge all RPG bloggers to commit to a daily post throughout the month. To make this useful for your readers though, I suggest that all entries have some kind of use to the RPG community, ie, new monsters, characters, rules, etc. Or if you'd rather create something more substantial...

National Game Design Month, AKA "NaGa DeMon," was founded by Nathan Russell of Peril Planet. His challenge is for you to create a game within 30 days, whether it's an RPG, boardgame, computer game, or other project. You "win" by actually creating and playing your game within the month. Now, NaGa DeMon is being held in November 2010 (in other words, it's currently underway) and so it collides with NaNo. (Nathan has suggested he may run the next event in February 2011.) Anyway, I plan to tackle NaGa DeMon in December, wrapping up 2010 with one (or two!) RPG projects I've been dragging my feet on. If interested in this challenge, why not try to finally hammer out that rules supplement for your favorite system? Maybe you have an adventure module you'd like to write, produce, and publish. Maybe you'll just come up with that ultimate RPG rule set and, once complete, release it for free to the world. The object is to finally put pen to paper and create that RPG game or supplement you've always planned on writing. (And really, a name like "Naga Demon" just SCREAMS for RPG involvement!)

Anyway, those are the challenges for December. You have two weeks from today to get planning on which you'd like to tackle. I'd really like to see an explosion of blog posts and/or multiple RPG projects coming to fruition during the month. Chime in if you plan on taking up the Gauntlet of either one! And watch for updates throughout the month as to my personal progress on my projects.