Proofs!
about 1 year ago – Tue, Feb 14, 2023 at 03:53:55 PM

Turns out that the proofs were much closer to arriving than I expected!

I got the soft (aka digital) proofs last week and poured over them looking for any issues. There were a couple issues, particularly with black levels of some dark greys, but I've been working with the printer to sort that out.

Then today:

the hard proofs arrived!

At 452 pages plus the hard cover Beam Saber is going to be a very thick book! I'll be scrutinizing this physical copy for any flaws not found in the digital version.

CalazCon! reminder

The crowdfunding campaign for CalazCon! continues. If you'd like to support us financially you can do so on the IndieGoGo page or by sharing the project on social media. If you go to this Twitter thread I've been sharing one character summary per day along with art when possible. Here's an example of one of the squads and you can find out details about each of them in the thread.

FEBRUARY 2023 UPDATE - PDFs AND CALAZCON!'S LAUNCH
about 1 year ago – Wed, Feb 08, 2023 at 04:28:39 AM

Here's how things are progressing with Beam Saber

I sent in the PDFs to the printer and there was some back and forth as modifications were needed to better suit the realities of printing a physical book. This means that a) the physical book will be SLIGHTLY different than the digital versions (page edges are a bit wider to account for variations in page cutting and there's a new title page) and b) the POD version will benefit from these modifications as well.

The next step will be that I'll be getting physical proofs of the book which are unbound printed pages of the whole thing. Currently no idea when that will occur, but I'm guessing it'll be closer to the actual date of printing the book as they change their presses over to printing Beam Saber.

In the mean time...

CalazCon! launches on IndieGoGo

The crowdfunding for CalazCon! has begun and you can support it here. Here's a video explaining what the project entails and you can find more information by clicking through.

 I hope you'll all support this exciting endeavour whether that's with funding or by sharing it on social media!

JANUARY 2023 UPDATE - DEPOSIT AND CALAZCON!
over 1 year ago – Fri, Jan 13, 2023 at 03:21:29 PM

Here's how things are progressing with Beam Saber

This morning I sent a deposit to Sheridan Printing! This locks Beam Saber in to be printed by them starting in April. I know that it would be preferable for the printing process to start immediately, but unfortunately that's not how it works. So, printing in April/May and hopefully shipping in May/June assuming that nothing interrupts the process (which I will of course update you all on should something go awry).

This progress and now wait means that there won't be too much to update you all on in the next couple of months except for...

CalazCon!: A Beam Saber Mega Game Actual Play Series

CalazCon! is an actual play series that I've been preparing for over the last half year when I haven't been working on Beam Saber. It features 31 participants across 6 play groups who will take the roles of pilots and politicians in the Democratic Federated Systems' efforts to "liberate" the world of Logel from the control of the Jovangellian Empire. Here's the pitch for the series:

3 years ago the Democratic Federated Systems invaded Logel to liberate the world from the Jovangellian Empire. The people did not cheer the "liberators" and have resisted them at every turn. The DFS military forces are winning, it is just a matter of time, but how much time? With each day that passes they lose troops and supplies to a resilient insurgency. One city in open revolt against the DFS is a lynchpin to this insurgency: Hestiol. Intelligence reports that the remaining Jovangellian military leaders and forces have gathered there for a last stand. As a final confrontation between both exhausted sides is about to break out, a third belligerent enters the conflict.

CalazCon!, the nomadic convention celebrating the Calazar media mega franchise, arrives with a zealous assault. The DFS and Jovangellians are thrown into disarray as con attendees set up booths, run panels, and hold cosplay contests as they occupy the city of Hestiol.

Will this break the DFS' liberatory mission?

Will the Jovangellians rally in the confusion?

Will CalazCon! have its final year in this war zone?

Join us for CalazCon: A Mega Game Actual Play to find out!

If you want to know more I've conducted two interviews (plus more to come!) with The RPG Academy and Inside The Table about the project. Also the setting is a modified version of the CalazCon! that appears in Beam Saber: The Growing Conflict!

Starting in February or March I'll be launching a crowdfunding campaign to help pay for the costs surrounding the series. If you click that link and sign up, you'll be notified when it goes live. I'd also appreciate it if you share the campaign on your social media and with your friends!

I know that some people are going to have concerns about the fact that Beam Saber's physical copies haven't been delivered yet and I'm starting another crowdfund, but I want to assure you that the funds to produce Beam Saber remain intact and this new project will not affect the book's production. As I said above, money has been sent to the printer so they are legally on the hook to produce them. 

I hope you're all as excited about CalazCon! as I am about this experiment in actual play and will help it grow to its full potential!

DECEMBER 2022 UPDATE - PAPER SHORTAGE
over 1 year ago – Sat, Dec 10, 2022 at 08:11:24 PM

Here's how things are progressing with Beam Saber

Earlier this week I received an email from the printer I had selected saying that I was supposed to get an email saying that they were not going to take my contract, and that the reason is there's a currently a shortage of long grain paper. I've already begun reaching out to the companies that I got quotes from earlier this year to see if they would be able to produce the books. Additionally, I'm seeking quotes from new printers.

I know you all find this frustrating and please know that I am right there with you. I love Beam Saber but I want to see this project finished so I can work on other things without it hanging over me. Hopefully in the new year I'll be able to tell you that a contract is signed and printing will begin shortly.

NOVEMBER 2022 UPDATE - V1.2
over 1 year ago – Fri, Nov 25, 2022 at 01:11:11 AM

Here's how things are progressing with Beam Saber

V1.2 was just released.  The difference is mostly minor layout fixes, but it also corrects the number of marks on the XP track for pilot abilities in the main rulebook and on the pilot playbooks (it used to be 6, it's now been corrected to 8).

I'm currently waiting to hear back from the printer about quotes for the book.  The previous quotes I received from several printers was for an estimated number of pages and orders so that I could get a baseline for costs from each printer. After I chose a printer, I then needed the FINAL page count and order count for them, and I didn't have both until earlier this month. Once I hear back from the printer, I'll be signing the contract to get printing under way.

Talk to you all in December!