Swords of Central Genertela

[Neil Patterson]

On 12/3/2019 at 9:16 AM, M Helsdon said:

MOB has said there will be a POD option.

Any idea on timescales for a PoD option?

When the previews were sold out, my initial thoughts were to explore getting the pdf printed (purely for own use), but that takes you into grey areas around copyright and permission. It's just I prefer paper copies of reference material.

The cost would take you into the same ballpark figures as buying a PoD version of the book, so I'd rather stay on the right side of the law and ensure the author gets their proper commission.

How long do I have to persuade myself to resist the temptation of getting the pdf as well as holding out for a PoD? 😉

Neil

[pachristian]

No complaints here.  I really do think it is a trivial point, and I apologize for raising a fuss. But I hate inconsistencies. I couldn't find the reference in the Guide about the weight of coins, other than the inset on page 10, which does not give grams. Likewise, I couldn't find a mass reference in RQG. I'd be inclined to go with RQG as the definitive source.

I'm still working my way through your (outstanding) book, and really hope to buy one or two hard copies once they become available. I like being able to show my players what their world looks like. Some other great components:

1) Discussion of size and composition of clan war bands is valuable to my game, where players often are part of a war band, or are evading them. I've got a player who put together his own cavalry unit in a previous game, and now I have extra resources to help him detail how that unit fits in with other units.

2) The discussion of making weapons, and the mystery around smiths helps my trading-minded players by giving us a whole new set of ingredients to go after, and my detective-minded players a new set of material clues to follow up on.

3) The pictures and details if weapons and armor have helped my players get a better image of their character, and they can now identify different units and regiments based on consistent descriptions. 

4) The Breakdown of traditions by region is not only useful in and of itself, it means that I as a GM have a good idea of how to arm the farmers (mostly retired veterans of the Empire) who move into the Grantlands. And the "Heroic Light" notes were just fun, as now I have a consistent way for the PC's to identify powerful leaders in combat.

*********

Basically I'm only half-way through the book and it's a complete treasure trove! I rate this as an essential book for any GM running a game in Glorantha/Dragon pass region. Once the hardcopy is available, I will give copies to a couple of my friends who also run in Glorantha.

[M Helsdon]

4 hours ago, Neil Patterson said:

Any idea on timescales for a PoD option?

I'm sorry: no.

3 hours ago, pachristian said:

No complaints here.  I really do think it is a trivial point, and I apologize for raising a fuss.

Your were correct to raise it: not being used to handling bullion, troy ounces aren't a measurement of weight I am familiar with.

Please to hear the book is proving useful. At one point it had sidebars of scenario ideas, but I decided they didn't fit, and any GM could use the material to generate scenarios from.

Have heard from Jeff that the Char-un worship Yu-Kargzant, not Kargzant so I will be changing that. Will probably upload a new version every week to DriveThruRPG.

Edited December 8, 2019 by M Helsdon

[pachristian]

Not used to handling bullion? What, you mean game designers are incredibly rich and wallowing in gold? Darn. There goes my retirement plan.

BTW, I just took my comments above, and posted them in drive thru rpg as a a review (with some minor edits).

[M Helsdon]

34 minutes ago, pachristian said:

Not used to handling bullion? What, you mean game designers are incredibly rich and wallowing in gold? Darn. There goes my retirement plan.

In the ancient world currency bars of bronze, copper and tin were valuable commodities, and bronze armor was valuable, because of its metal, which could be made into all sorts of useful things, which is why finds of bronze armor are very rare. Sadly I have no gold or silver, but the book seems to have received a silver medal (sales over 101+).

34 minutes ago, pachristian said:

BTW, I just took my comments above, and posted them in drive thru rpg as a a review (with some minor edits).

Thank you.

Edited December 8, 2019 by M Helsdon

[M Helsdon]

The cover of a slim booklet I have put together of files languishing on the data stick for a year or two...

Additional: It has been pointed out to me that the figure should be in the middle... Will see if I can extend the picture.

Edited December 10, 2019 by M Helsdon

[M Helsdon]

I have found up some more 'architecture' files and am slowly adding to 'Temples & Towers'. Hopefully will upload some more additions over the weekend.

File now includes rural 'Ernalda houses'.

[Sir_Godspeed]

I know you're working from mostly already existing texts that were cut from Armies & Enemies, but damn, don't forget to give yourself a break! 
(I do look forward to seeing more, though.)

[M Helsdon]

Finished all the material I have that is publishable. Now to return to... more armies.

https://www.drivethrurpg.com/product/298116/Arrows-of-War?cPath=74_34170

[M Helsdon]

Am (slowly) working on a Western supplement (which might be overturned by new canonical material at any time). As with the Regional Warfare chapter in A&EoDP, the method is to gather up information, and then rewrite/condense it down. Whilst my assumptions are doubtless non-canonical, what I deduce about the Brithini Horali makes them very very powerful - at least two centuries of training and experience, subject to numerous zzaburi spells, ditto for their arms and armor, and frankly they make me think of Charles Stross' alfar (and in his novel, a depleted brigade of invading elves riding unicorns (flesh eating unicorns) do severe damage to Leeds and south Yorkshire (but then the UK is a desirable residence compared with their home Earth which has a severe case of 'Return of the Old Ones')).

So... I have a page on the Brithini Horali, a few more pages on the Brithini generally and am now wading into Seshnela... The West is far more complicated than I'd imagined.

No news on POD as yet.

Edited December 20, 2019 by M Helsdon

[Bill the barbarian]

1 hour ago, M Helsdon said:

No news on POD as yet.

Until then, perhaps kirinyaga has a solution...

kirinyaga shows a way of creating your own POD books, just click on the link above and scroll down to the pretty pics and Bob’s yer aunt (it is the 21st century after all).

Edited December 20, 2019 by Bill the barbarian

[Neil Patterson]

13 hours ago, Bill the barbarian said:

Until then, perhaps kirinyaga has a solution...

kirinyaga shows a way of creating your own POD books, just click on the link above and scroll down to the pretty pics and Bob’s yer aunt (it is the 21st century after all).

There are commercial printers who will turn a pdf into a hardback or soft back for around £30-40 GBP; that's not the main issue for me, as I think there are all sorts of copyright and moral issues with this approach. It may appear "harmless" to print off a hardcopy for your own use. Given the availability of printers, assuming you have access to one will turn out a nice copy assuming you use nice paper. What if a friend wants a copy? More seriously what happens if someone unscrupulous buys a pdf and then has 20 copies printed?

The author receives royalties on 1 pdf. This has always been the issue with pdf copies; I have no doubt it will soon appear as a download on the internet somewhere.

I'd rather wait for the PoD.

Neil

[Bill the barbarian]

3 minutes ago, Neil Patterson said:

There are commercial printers who will turn a pdf into a hardback or soft back for around £30-40 GBP; that's not the main issue for me, as I think there are all sorts of copyright and moral issues with this approach. It may appear "harmless" to print off a hardcopy for your own use. Given the availability of printers, assuming you have access to one will turn out a nice copy assuming you use nice paper. What if a friend wants a copy? More seriously what happens if someone unscrupulous buys a pdf and then has 20 copies printed?

 

A quick question, did you actually click on the link and read the posts in question? At no point do I or should I say the OP, use a commercial printer. Just a check... The method recommended would not be a very good way to  make two printed copies never mind 20... Thus, I am unsure if it it bends never mind breaks the copyright rules.

cheers

[Prinz Slasar]

57 minutes ago, Neil Patterson said:

I'd rather wait for the PoD.

Same. No need to rush things.

[Tindalos]

19 hours ago, M Helsdon said:

Am (slowly) working on a Western supplement (which might be overturned by new canonical material at any time). As with the Regional Warfare chapter in A&EoDP, the method is to gather up information, and then rewrite/condense it down. Whilst my assumptions are doubtless non-canonical, what I deduce about the Brithini Horali makes them very very powerful - at least two centuries of training and experience, subject to numerous zzaburi spells, ditto for their arms and armor, and frankly they make me think of Charles Stross' alfar (and in his novel, a depleted brigade of invading elves riding unicorns (flesh eating unicorns) do severe damage to Leeds and south Yorkshire (but then the UK is a desirable residence compared with their home Earth which has a severe case of 'Return of the Old Ones')).

So... I have a page on the Brithini Horali, a few more pages on the Brithini generally and am now wading into Seshnela... The West is far more complicated than I'd imagined.

No news on POD as yet.

As someone really into the west -- especially Seshnela -- and working something myself, this is really good to hear as you do some amazing work.

[Sir_Godspeed]

BRTHNI OP PLZ NERF

[M Helsdon]

2 hours ago, Tindalos said:

As someone really into the west -- especially Seshnela -- and working something myself, this is really good to hear as you do some amazing work.

This is probably going to take six months to complete. Am writing about a thousand words a day - and when the first draft text is done, it has to be illustrated. 

At present I have about fourteen thousand words, and have just got to the point where Arkat enters the stage.

Edited December 21, 2019 by M Helsdon

[g33k]

17 hours ago, Neil Patterson said:

There are commercial printers who will turn a pdf into a hardback or soft back for around £30-40 GBP; that's not the main issue for me, as I think there are all sorts of copyright and moral issues with this approach. It may appear "harmless" to print off a hardcopy for your own use. Given the availability of printers, assuming you have access to one will turn out a nice copy assuming you use nice paper. What if a friend wants a copy? More seriously what happens if someone unscrupulous buys a pdf and then has 20 copies printed?

The author receives royalties on 1 pdf. This has always been the issue with pdf copies; I have no doubt it will soon appear as a download on the internet somewhere.

I'd rather wait for the PoD.

Neil

A humble suggestion:  for a single copy for personal use, you can send the print order to your printer of choice ... then DIY a direct donation to the author, too.  And Chaosium, as well (e.g. buy a PDF from them for a product you've already bought).

Be Ernaldan about these things -- there is always another way!

Edited December 22, 2019 by g33k
Hating the mobile-device editor!

[Bill the barbarian]

34 minutes ago, g33k said:

A humble suggestion:  for a single copy for personal use, you can send the print order to your printer of choice ... then DIY a direct donation to the author, too.  And Chaosium, as well (e.g. buy a PDF from them for a product you've already bought).

Be Ernaldan about these things -- there is always another way!

Nicely done!

A great craft project one you will treasure for life if all goes well, Creators and IP owners compensated, something DIY accomplished (as a youth I used to shout DIY or die, so..) , might be a win, win, win win situation! 
Get the kids involved and Bob is related to someone, stands to reason, he just has to be...

Cheers

[Neil Patterson]

19 hours ago, Bill the barbarian said:

A quick question, did you actually click on the link and read the posts in question? At no point do I or should I say the OP, use a commercial printer. Just a check... The method recommended would not be a very good way to  make two printed copies never mind 20... Thus, I am unsure if it it bends never mind breaks the copyright rules.

cheers

Yes I saw the topic long before your post.

I never suggested that you were advocating using a commercial printer. All I was attempting to do was point out the issues around pdf printing; for me, being old, I'd rather have a hardcopy. However lacking access to a good quality colour printer, I have the choice of a poor home printed version or using a commercial printer to get something professional. I am uncomfortable about this for the reasons I gave.

Neil

Edited December 22, 2019 by Neil Patterson

[Bill the barbarian]

18 minutes ago, Neil Patterson said:

I never suggested that you were advocating using a commercial printer. All I was attempting to do was point out the issues around pdf printing; for me, being old, I'd rather have a hardcopy. However lacking access to a good quality colour printer, I have the choice of a poor home printed version or using a commercial printer to get something professional. I am uncomfortable about this for the reasons I gave.

 

Alas, Well I have given you my thinking, so I hope we are good. I have a great deal of respect for artists, moi.

Are there any amongst the wise who can tell me if this is kosher. I had never thought that printing one’s own PDF that is not available by any means otherwise and then custom binding it having it costing more and taking considerable more effort than it would to illegally print and bind it or legally for that matter if using a commercial printer. So is this well within fair practice?

Must one add g33k's very generous and well thought out amendments to stay on the right side of copyright?

@M Helsdon. seeing as we are squatting and debating on your porch (nice villa, very tastefully decorated and nice art... cheers!) have you an opinion as the author of someone taking the time and effort to create a home built book of your non POD and non printed doc?

Cheers

Edited December 22, 2019 by Bill the barbarian

[g33k]

1 hour ago, Bill the barbarian said:

... Must one add g33k's very generous and well thought out amendments to stay on the right side of copyright? ...

IANAL, and do not pretend to give legal advice, but admit I'd be a little surprised if my "amendments" stayed within (c) restrictions.  The modern sphere keeps tossing up methods that make the old laws go "WFT!?!  srsly?  I can't even... dude, where did u GET this crazy notion??!"

All I meant to offer was a very modest moral-compass measure trying to sustain the spirit of the thing, a fair reward to the creatives and the (c) & license holders.

[Bill the barbarian]

1 minute ago, g33k said:

All I meant to offer was a very modest moral-compass measure trying to sustain the spirit of the thing, a fair reward to the creatives and the (c) & license holders.

If I can’t find a law give me a moral compass at least.

[g33k]

Just now, Bill the barbarian said:

If I can’t find a law give me a moral compass at least.

Say Bill... I, uh... I notice your moral compass has some ... Interesting features.

It, uh... it seems to be pointing at the corner bar.

[Bill the barbarian]

1 minute ago, g33k said:

It, uh... it seems to be pointing at the corner bar.

Pretty cool, eh?