Wolverine Posted December 8, 2008 Share Posted December 8, 2008 THE GOD MACHINE The God Machine is a dark fantasy setting in which men and women live in a heavily industrialised medieval world, where steam-powered machines, gas-lit streets, and sorcery and science live side by side. Pollution, belched out by these wondrous machines, has destroyed the natural world, leaving it dead, barren: a dystopia, a world where men cling onto a bleak existence by the tips of their fingers. Deep in the city of Fanghast, once the jewel in the crown of the mighty Assaldaar empire, religious fanatics of a cult known as the The God Machine build new machines to repair the damaged world. The real terror is, that unwittingly, the very machines they build do more harm, and day by day, the world dies a little more. The God Machine is a new campaign setting for Basic RolePlay, a game of Science and Sorcery set in a world of perilous adventure. The monograph will feature: A new campaign setting for Basic Roleplaying New magic system that can co-exist with those featured in the main rulebook A detailed overview of the city of Fanghast and it's dangerous Undercity Details of the society in general and criminal underworld Information about The God Machine cult and their worship A quick overview of the outside world surrounding the city The infernal machines and wondrous technologies of this medieval Industralised world An introductory scenario Quote Nathan Baron Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NickMiddleton Posted December 8, 2008 Share Posted December 8, 2008 THE GOD MACHINE The God Machine is a dark fantasy setting in which men and women live in a heavily industrialised medieval world, where steam-powered machines, gas-lit streets, and sorcery and science live side by side. Pollution, belched out by these wondrous machines, has destroyed the natural world, leaving it dead, barren: a dystopia, a world where men cling onto a bleak existence by the tips of their fingers. Deep in the city of Fanghast, once the jewel in the crown of the mighty Assaldaar empire, religious fanatics of a cult known as the The God Machine build new machines to repair the damaged world. The real terror is, that unwittingly, the very machines they build do more harm, and day by day, the world dies a little more. The God Machine is a new campaign setting for Basic RolePlay, a game of Science and Sorcery set in a world of perilous adventure. The monograph will feature: A new campaign setting for Basic Roleplaying New magic system that can co-exist with those featured in the main rulebook A detailed overview of the city of Fanghast and it's dangerous Undercity Details of the society in general and criminal underworld Information about The God Machine cult and their worship A quick overview of the outside world surrounding the city The infernal machines and wondrous technologies of this medieval Industrialised world An introductory scenario Sounds really cool Nathan - what sort of time frame are you looking at for submission to Chaosium? Is this a solo effort or is there a team involved? Cheers, Nick Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pulpcitizen Posted December 8, 2008 Share Posted December 8, 2008 Could be very interesting. To echo Nick's question is this ready for submisison, already accepted, or something you have just started working on? Whichever it is, good luck. Quote Very slowly working towards completing my monograph. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lawrence.whitaker Posted December 8, 2008 Share Posted December 8, 2008 Echoed by me, too. I know you've been working on this idea for at least a year, and I think its great you're looking at producing a monograph. I look forward to seeing it! Quote The Design Mechanism: Publishers of Mythras Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Merak Gren Posted December 10, 2008 Share Posted December 10, 2008 Sounds interesting and a little Moorcockian. I'll keep my eyes out for this one. Damon Quote Likes to sneak around 115/420 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Simlasa Posted December 26, 2008 Share Posted December 26, 2008 (edited) This sounds very cool... especially if the setting really reflects how that sort of technology could exist in a 'medeival world' and how it would transform it... rather than just having knights and horses shoveled in beside higher tech gizmos. It seems to me that it would be a fairly strange and alien place... Edited December 26, 2008 by Simlasa Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Byron Alexander Posted December 26, 2008 Share Posted December 26, 2008 This does sound really good. I might break the habit of a lifetime and buy a PDF (normally, if I'm going to buy something, I'll buy it in hardcopy or not at all - an eccentricity since I objectively consider the PDF market a really good thing for RPGs). Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dredj Posted December 27, 2008 Share Posted December 27, 2008 have you ever played the Thief computer games? The setting sounds a lot like the setting in those games. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Thief_(series) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Wolverine Posted December 27, 2008 Author Share Posted December 27, 2008 Thanks for showing an interest. This is not set in your typical medieval world with steam engines and mechanical monsters thrown in. If someone did want to play a Knight who rides a mechanical horse, however, the option is open to them. It will become clear once I can show you some of the concept artwork, which will give you a feel to what setting will be like. The artist is, unfortunatly, in the middle of moving home, so she's unable at present to scan in and send me the pictures she's completed so far. As for the Thief games, yes I played the first two. I drew inspiration from a number of sources to create The God Machine setting originally, ten years ago. The Thief series was one of them, Legacy of Kane was another; and a little bit of Moorcockian influence thrown in for good measure. Since then it has evolved, and has transformed itself, through several years of playing, into its own unique world. I'll be happy to answer any further questions if you have any. Quote Nathan Baron Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dredj Posted December 28, 2008 Share Posted December 28, 2008 As for the Thief games, yes I played the first two. I drew inspiration from a number of sources to create The God Machine setting originally, ten years ago. The Thief series was one of them, Legacy of Kane was another; and a little bit of Moorcockian influence thrown in for good measure. Since then it has evolved, and has transformed itself, through several years of playing, into its own unique world. That alone pretty much sells me on it:thumb: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cjbowser Posted December 28, 2008 Share Posted December 28, 2008 I realize I'm not adding anything new to the discussion, but I want to echo all the comments that say this sounds like a cool setting. I'll definitely be looking for it to come out. Quote Various RPGs I've worked on Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Wolverine Posted February 9, 2009 Author Share Posted February 9, 2009 Just thought I'd give you an update on how the God Machine monograph is progressing. I've completed the background section of the book. This weighs in around 30,000 words by itself. I've just got to put the last few pieces in place, then I will move onto the rule side of things. I've already completed the rules for one type of magic, and have worked out how another will work, but need to write it up. I have salvaged two old scenarios I wrote a while back. With a bit of reworking, they will suit the setting quite nicely. The only thing that I cannot tell you about is the artwork. I'm still waiting for the first pieces to be submitted to me. This is the part that may slow publication down. I will keep you informed. Quote Nathan Baron Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Trifletraxor Posted March 9, 2009 Share Posted March 9, 2009 Do you have an estimate of when you'll be submitting the manuscript to Chaosium? An ETA update for the blurb? :confused: SGL. Quote Ef plest master, this mighty fine grub! 116/420. High Priest. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Wolverine Posted March 16, 2009 Author Share Posted March 16, 2009 I'm hoping to have the manuscript ready for submission in October. I plan to have it ready in time for Furnace. So that's my intended eta. Quote Nathan Baron Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Conrad Posted March 17, 2009 Share Posted March 17, 2009 (edited) Sounds interesting and a little Moorcockian. One of my players tells me that The god Machine setting reminds him of the Silverheart setting by Moorcock and Storm Constantine. Edited February 5, 2010 by Conrad Quote http://www.basicrps.com/core/BRP_quick_start.pdf A sense of humour and an imagination go a long way in roleplaying. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Wolverine Posted November 26, 2009 Author Share Posted November 26, 2009 An update on The God Machine: The project isn't dead. I have been conducting some extensive play-testing and I have found that the setting seems to drift far too close to a conventional fantasy than I like it to. The games I've run have felt as if they were set in the world of Empires Rising, and that's not what I want for The God Machine. My next step for me is to re-write the setting from the ground up, and I will begin work on that once I've completed the Empires Rising book for Newt. Until then, I wont make any big announcements to what I am planning for the book. You will just have to be patient and watch this space. Quote Nathan Baron Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kaddawang Posted November 26, 2009 Share Posted November 26, 2009 Color me ..a little upset:p I was looking forwards to this. It sounds like a setting right up my alley. But I guess it's good that the author has a strong critical eye. Keep it up:thumb: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Wolverine Posted November 27, 2009 Author Share Posted November 27, 2009 It really depends on which direction I would like to take it. There is no point in writing something if its going to be just another stereotypical fantasy setting. I needs something to make it unique and stand out. Something that will make people go wow! So far, there has been very little interest in the setting. Only a handful of questions asked. If I want it to appeal to a wider audience, I need to come up with something that will appeal to them, and not just one or two people. At the end of the day, Chaosium need to be able to sell the books. Quote Nathan Baron Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Agentorange Posted November 28, 2009 Share Posted November 28, 2009 (edited) It's not that we're not interested, because we are ( well, I am at least ) it's just that it's your baby so we figured you'd tell us stuff when you're good and ready. EDIT Go on then tell us something then. :-) Joking aside, perhaps a little about the magic systems ? Edited November 28, 2009 by Agentorange Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Wolverine Posted November 29, 2009 Author Share Posted November 29, 2009 The magic systems that are featured will be staying the same, with one or two minor tweaks. Artificer and Necromantic magic are the two being introduced. It's just the setting that needs to be worked on from the ground up. Quote Nathan Baron Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Agentorange Posted November 29, 2009 Share Posted November 29, 2009 The magic systems that are featured will be staying the same, with one or two minor tweaks. Artificer and Necromantic magic are the two being introduced. It's just the setting that needs to be worked on from the ground up. Can you throw us a few bones about the systems without giving everything away ? Whatever you choose to divulge about the setting would be read with interest as well. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
skull Posted February 15, 2010 Share Posted February 15, 2010 Sounds AWEsome:cool:!!!! I am interested in learning more about this! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Wolverine Posted February 15, 2010 Author Share Posted February 15, 2010 I'm trying to rethink the setting just a little. I am looking to showcase the new version of the God Machine this year, probably at Continuum. I know what direction I would like to take, and it isn't a step too far off my original idea - dark fantasy meets steampunk . I will fill you all in once I start work on the re-write. At the moment I'm concentrating on writing Empires Rising for OpenQuest. That project is almost complete. Then I will look at the God Machine again. Quote Nathan Baron Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Trifletraxor Posted December 7, 2010 Share Posted December 7, 2010 Still working on Empires Rising or do you have time to look at God Machine now? SGL. Quote Ef plest master, this mighty fine grub! 116/420. High Priest. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AikiGhost Posted May 31, 2011 Share Posted May 31, 2011 Hey Wolverine any further news on this? Is it still a work in progress or has it gone by the wayside? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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