Polishing PDFs and COVID-19 Quarantine!
about 4 years ago – Mon, Apr 06, 2020 at 10:30:29 AM

Greetings and salutations, friends!

I've an update for you, if you'll take it!

First, let me urge everyone reading this to stay indoors and stay safe. Don't go out, don't risk the lives of your loved ones or someone else's loved ones. Just don't do it. I've never met you, but I'd love it if you stayed alive and safe and un-sick. 

We've hit some snags along the way, but I'm happy to inform you that we are polishing off the final PDF of Monsters of Murka. I cannot emphasize enough how thrilled I am, so I decided to drop some screenshots instead and let the book do the talking.

I KNOW, RIGHT?!

I know, I know. We're stoked too. Our new layout artist, DropTheDie, is absolutely KILLING it on this book. So be sure to shoot him a follow and hire him for your projects. Because he clearly kicks ass.

Okay, okay. So what does this mean for PDFs?

PDFs are IDEALLY out by the end of this week. We're struggling with formatting on the final chapter of the book. If what we have right now winds up working, and we're all satisfied with it, then that'll be that and the PDFs will be done. In the event that we're not satisfied, there is a chance we'll need to go back and commission a few more art pieces to fill out this chapter so it's not a giant wall of unbearable text. I'll be able to update you all as soon as I know more, right now it's something our layout artist and I are discussing. We should have a better idea of how we'll proceed in the next few days.

And what about physical prints of the book?

Well, we're using PrintNinja for our prints, and right now, they have this message at the top of their website:

We have yet to hear back what that will mean for us. Our plan now is to ship from PrintNinja to us, so that we can then disseminate the books (which is required especially for those of you who requested signed books, but also so that we can take excess stock to conventions). Once we have a very clear idea of an estimated date of arrival, we'll be able to provide clear guidance on when to expect your books in the mail.

It is for this reason that we have still not closed our BackerKit surveys. If you have moved or expect you will move in the near future, please consider updating your BackerKit survey. That way you're sure to get your books! And of course, since we're shipping the books to us first, THEN to you all, you can always message me via Kickstarter, on Twitter @JaronRMJohnson, or on Discord at Syntax#7777 to let me know that you've moved, and we'll update your mailing address accordingly.

Stay safe during this quarantine! Feel free to reach out to myself or any other members of the team during this time if you feel like you're in need. Reach out to your extroverts, they're probably going nuts. And finally, if you have questions, comments, or concerns, please feel free to leave a comment below and I'll address it promptly. 

See you all soon!

Update on PDFs!
about 4 years ago – Sun, Mar 01, 2020 at 10:50:07 AM

Video update below!

Hey everyone! We've prepared our most recent update for you in the form of a video:

PDFs are currently expected to go out at the end of March!

Also, come find us at Gen Con!

Update on Backerkit and Deliveries!
over 4 years ago – Tue, Jan 14, 2020 at 10:52:32 AM

Hey, guys!

Super stoked at how close we are to the finish line on this! We've really only got a few more weeks until Murka is stamped, signed, and marked as "complete!" I do have some news to share with you all.

Backerkit Surveys Have Gone Out

As 85% of you know, Backerkit surveys have gone out! In fact, we're a little past the lock-order date for them right now. This is on purpose. For two reasons, I'm pushing back the lock-order date on the Backerkit surveys.

• Only 85% of folks have responded to the survey, and I want to ensure that folx have a chance to get their products
• There is likely to be a delay in deliveries (please read on)

If you haven't yet, please PLEASE fill out your Backerkit surveys so we can make sure you get your products! I want you to have them, you want you to have them, let's make it happen!

Jaron, I definitely read "there is likely to be a delay in deliveries." What gives.

I know, I know. Here's the fully transparent version.

I was overconfident, and believed I could use GMBinder to create a 200+ page document in 6 months. GMBinder will one day be the kind of tool that can do this, and I cannot wait to see it when it is that tool (I backed their Kickstarter for a lifetime subscription because I fully believe in that tool as part of the DnD/indie-pub future). However, it is not currently that tool.

There is a version of Monsters of Murka sitting at ~160 pages in GMBinder that I have had to abandon, as it cannot print to PDF due to the filesize, and there are numerous bugs between how GMBinder parses certain elements, and how Chrome (the only browser which supports GMBinder) interprets those elements. When I realized I would have to abandon this and start from scratch, I knew I needed to find someone who could do layout REALLY quickly and REALLY well.

I attended PAX Unplugged where I met several AMAZING people. One of the people I met is the lovely Adelaide, who is now not only the newest member of Action Fiction (more on that in a future update), but also my romantic partner.

I also met the amazing, incredible HTTPaladin, who is now Murka's amazing layout person. Josh has been working on the layout for Murka for several weeks now, and is returning a draft to me in the very near future. Which means the book is VERY nearly complete. However, Josh faced an unfortunate series of events towards the end of December which lead to a delay in his work. He's fine now, and he's back on track, which means Murka is on track.

Additionally, Josh is redesigning the Murka logo, as well as developing Murka-themed character sheets. Basically Josh is the saving grace of Monsters of Murka, and so if you have a free minute, consider tweeting to him and thanking him.

But JAAAAAARON, it's MY Murka and I want it *NOW.*

Hey, I've got great news! All of our subclasses—ALL 15 OF THEM—as well as our gun rules, spells, feats, and subraces—can be found in completion and for free in the playtest channels of our Discord! Our subclasses are:

• Artificer - The Illuminated (American inventors galore!)
• Bard - Warrior Poet (Spit some fire rhymes!)
• Brobarian - Path of Gainz (Do u even lift, bro?)
• Cleric - Explosion Domain (Boom.)
• Cleric - Freedom Domain (FOR FREEDOM!)
• Druid - Circle of the Fursona (uwu~)
• Fighter - Action Hero (Play as Rambo. Do it.)
• Monk - Way of the Wild Ensemble (Ever wanted to play as Macho Man Randy Savage in DnD? Now you can.)
• Paladin - Oath of Independence (*eagle screech*)
• Paladin - Oath of the Peacemaker (Make peace, or make your peace. Your choice.)
• Ranger - The Lone Ranger (Yeehaw, pardner.)
• Rogue - The Faceless (They do not forgive. They do not forget. Expect them.)
• Sorcerer - Affluenza Bloodline (Money is power. Literally.)
• Warlock - Crowd Patron (Play as your favorite Influencer and get power from your fans! Or don't!)
• Wizard - School of Interfacing (Thanks for calling Magic Help Desk. Have you tried dismissing and re-summoning it?)

TLDR;

• Please fill out your Backerkit Surveys (don't forget to check your spam folder)
• Book no longer being made with GMBinder
• Slight delay on book delivery
• All subclasses announced and available in Discord

GARGANTUAN UPDATE! Backerkit surveys going out! Preview pages! PAX UNPLUGGED!!!
over 4 years ago – Thu, Nov 28, 2019 at 02:18:33 PM

Get ready, this one's a doozy...

Alright guys,  apologies for the delay on this update, but let me tell you, it's because we have been SUPER hard at work. Brad, CJ, and I have been in a serious work crunch for the last several weeks (as evidenced by the fact that, instead of celebrating Thanksgiving, I'm here on Kickstarter writing to all you lovely backers), and it is paying off in dividends. I have never been so proud of a project, nor of a team, than I am of Murka and its contributors.

So, without further ado, let me drop some knowledge on you.

PAX Unplugged. We'll be there. Look for us!

We will be at PAX Unplugged this year! It's coming up very soon! If you'd like to get in on a game with Murka's creators, find us, or contact Brad, CJ, or Myself on Twitter during the convention! We're planning on running three games per day, and these games will be part of an on-going, three-part one-shot. Want to see the whole story? Come back every day of the convention and watch the story unfold! The campaigns will increase in level (and dramaaaa) from day to day, and you'll be able to carry over your character from one game to the next with ease.

Out tentative plan is to run a game each day at the following times:

• 12:00 PM
• 3:30 PM
• 7:00 PM

Seats at tables are likely to fill up, so be sure to let us know if you have a preferred timeslot, and we'll jot your name down as a reservation! If you want to find us at the convention, look for the dorks walking around with a giant Murka sign on their backs. Alternatively, just, y'know, hit us up on Twitter and let us know you're looking for dorks walking around with a giant Murka sign on their backs.

BOOK PROGRESS AND SNEAK PEEKS

I know a lot of you guys have been waiting for this one, so here it is. PROGRESS UPDATE ON THE BOOK.

We have jam-packed this book with monsters, subclasses, race options, backgrounds, feats, spells, items, locations, maps, and MORE (Also, tons of really, really stupid jokes).

We're really stoked to see it all come together. It wouldn't be possible if not for our unwavering playtesting group and the rest of our Discord community, as well as our incredible artists (including some we've hired only in the last few weeks for our crunch time!), and our amazing guest writers and sensitivity readers, who have offered a great deal of their time and energy to help us ensure this book turns out precisely the way we intended it to—as a fun, inclusive place for you and your friends to get your fill of silly satire.

We're all so excited to share this with you guys, and we really hope you enjoy it as much as we've enjoyed creating it.

Backerkit Surveys are on their way!

Some of you may have gotten them already, and some of you may have not. Don't fret if you haven't gotten yours! Rest assured, they are on their way. 

For transparency's sake, the way Backerkit surveys work is: 

• Creators (Us) prepare the survey, set up all the details, and then send it to Backerkit's support team. 
• The support team goes over it, makes suggestions for creators to change, and then they give us the okay to do what's called a Smoke Test. A Smoke Test is essentially where a small percentage of surveys are sent out just to see if anyone experiences a glaring issue, so that the creators have a chance to fix it before sending out the rest of the surveys. 

So, right now, we're in Smoke Test mode. In a few days, when we've collected a suitable amount of data and are comfortable with the survey experience, we'll send out the rest of the surveys!

WOW! This seems like a whole lot of good news without any bad news! I feel a catch coming on!

Curse you, clever backer. You caught us dead-to-rights. We have experienced some delays in artwork and layout (I am juggling writing, editing, laying out the book, directing the art, and writing these charming updates, and both Brad and CJ are juggling an equal amount of insanity on their own plates for this project). I take full responsibility for these delays—This is my first TTRPG project, and setting out to complete a Campaign Setting book in 8 months was... perhaps overly ambitious. As a result of this, we will be making some changes to the book. HERE ARE THE CHANGES!

• Shipping delays. Ugh, I know. Kickstarter shipping delays suck. BUT! Fear not, for your digital products will arrive precisely when we promised. Digital campaign setting, digital maps, and all my digital love, delivered straight to your inbox. The physical products are much more likely to arrive sometime in February, depending on our printer and shipping speeds. The nice part about this is, since we were originally shipping during (and accounting for delays as a result of) the holiday chaos, we didn't actually lose that much time.
• Content adjustments. Our adventure paths will unfortunately have to come out after the Campaign Setting book. BUT! We will be offering these campaign settings for FREE to our backers as they come out. We're actually demoing part of the adventure paths at PAX, so if you want to get a taste before the long wait, now's your chance!
• Page Count/content. This one is actually a good sign. Because we cut out the adventure paths, but still wanted to have around 200 pages of content, we made room for TONS and TONS of new magic items and spells and race options and all kinds of good stuff!

I understand some of this might be frustrating. Again, this is entirely on me. I was characteristically over-ambitious on my ability to make this happen in such a short time, especially as someone who is brand-new to TTRPG publishing. BUT, I think you guys are going to be REALLY pleased with the results. So I hope you understand.

Further Questions

Please feel free to reach out to us on Discord if you have further questions! We're always monitoring those channels, and we love hearing from you guys. Even if you're coming into the server to chew our heads off for delaying our stuff.

Thank you all so much. You guys have changed my life.

Regards,

Jaron R. M. Johnson

Creature Design Contest, open to everyone!
over 4 years ago – Mon, Sep 16, 2019 at 04:53:25 PM

Do you have a great idea for a monster/creature design for Monsters of Murka?

WE WANT TO HEAR ABOUT IT! 

Head over to our Discord and check out the Creature Design Contest, which is open until October 4th! You don't have to be an artist, you just have to tell us about your cool idea. If you are an artist, well, then we want to see your art, too!

• Here is the Discord server.
• Here are the rules.

Less relevant links:

• Here is my Twitter.
• Here is CJ's Twitter.
• Here is Brad's Twitter.

Completely irrelevant links:

• Here is a cool Kickstarter you should check out for GMBinder, which has been instrumental in the creation of Monsters of Murka.
• Here is... heh.