This is very exciting! The art is almost complete for the Baroque Space Opera Fate Core setting. I'm about to sit down and write up the art direction for the book cover scene, as well as the last couple of bits of art filler for the book.
What's most exciting is that the Baroqueverse now has a frickin' logo!
Pretty cool eh?! This is the emblem of the Tyrantine Dominion, containing within it a zodiac of 13 Houses of the Pharistos (they got a rename recently), with the Tyrant Sun in the centre.
I am still working on the writing, it has been progressing much slower than expected - mainly due to work burn out. I'm going to be picking up the pace now that the art is pretty much done. We have done some mock ups of the cover during the logo design, and they look awesome.
Another thing that I want to throw out there is that I came up with a really simple gear system for Fate Core; one which can model anything from carried gear, companions, mounts, and vehicles even; all in one simple system. I'm very excited to play test this shortly. It is quite different from the Jadepunk Asset system, in case anyone is wondering.
That's all for now. This is very exciting, I can't wait to finish. One of the hardest parts is adding new things and ideas into the setting, which sometimes prevents me from finishing the work in progress. I guess that is not a bad problem to have.
Wednesday, August 6, 2014
Monday, June 30, 2014
Baroque Concept Art
What I really want to do is post all of the completed illustrations, but then I would have nothing for the book when it comes out. Rather, here are two scene concepts which have already been completed.
I previously introduced Baroque Space Opera in another blog post.
The Baroque Space Opera setting book will include 30 full colour illustrations to depict the Baroque universe, and the Fate Core systems to go with it. The book is a setting book, in the same vein as Day After Ragnorock, and will require the Fate Core book to play. Considering Fate Core is pay-what-you-will, this is a good deal! Not including rules reduces the time to completion, cost of printing, and the cost of the book.
Baroque Space Opera will include a write up of the Baroqueverse, character archetypes to base your character concepts on, additional Fate Fractals appropriate to the setting and an introductory adventure. Among some of the extras included are a psychic system, spaceships, vehicles, and a new take on gear. The rules will be open sourced to the community, because open source is the future.
The following scenes give some of the flavour of the setting.
A bit of Dune bleeds through here. The Arkship is a massive space vessel capable of conveying other starships to far flung locations in a matter of minutes. Arkships operate on the secret technology of the Void Weavers, a sect of Theors who uncovered the secrets of the fabric of space-time. Using massive gravitational singularities, the Loom Drive tears a hole in the fabric of space and falls through towards its destination -- falling out on the other side. A Dominion-wide transportation network of these Arkships ferry passengers, cargo and news to the hundred planets.
In this scene, a fleet of house ships embarks onto the Arkship. House cruisers and destroyers heading to some far-flung battlefield, no doubt.
There are other means of space travel within the Dominion; the Loom Drive is but the latest and quickest method. Many vessels utilize the superluminal drive, hurtling through space at faster than light speeds. Travel in the Baroqueverse is not limited to a set of jump gates, portals or routes. You can go anywhere, anytime.
This is a scene of the sacking of Baroque, the capitol planet of the Dominion, and seat of power for the Dominion. During the Second Nihilim Invasions, the third incarnation of the immortal Tyrant was slain when Baroque fell to the Nihilim. This scene depicts a Voor, a Voorish war machine and a Brood flier. The Voor are masters of bio-mechanics, constructing semi-living machines and breeding a host of Brood horrors, each adapted to their function on the battlefield. As servants of the mysterious Nihilim Presences, the Voor act as shock troopers and breeders of the bio-mechanical engines of war employed by the other Nihilim slave races. The Nihilim Presences are masters over a number of species who originate outside this universe and pillage in the name of their mysterious masters.
This is a small taste of the Baroqueverse, and all the strange people, places, and things found within. The book is scheduled to go out when its done, and no sooner. :) The art is close to completion and I have some more writing to do. There's much editing to be done. I expect to be finished sometime this fall.
I previously introduced Baroque Space Opera in another blog post.
The Baroque Space Opera setting book will include 30 full colour illustrations to depict the Baroque universe, and the Fate Core systems to go with it. The book is a setting book, in the same vein as Day After Ragnorock, and will require the Fate Core book to play. Considering Fate Core is pay-what-you-will, this is a good deal! Not including rules reduces the time to completion, cost of printing, and the cost of the book.
Baroque Space Opera will include a write up of the Baroqueverse, character archetypes to base your character concepts on, additional Fate Fractals appropriate to the setting and an introductory adventure. Among some of the extras included are a psychic system, spaceships, vehicles, and a new take on gear. The rules will be open sourced to the community, because open source is the future.
The following scenes give some of the flavour of the setting.
A bit of Dune bleeds through here. The Arkship is a massive space vessel capable of conveying other starships to far flung locations in a matter of minutes. Arkships operate on the secret technology of the Void Weavers, a sect of Theors who uncovered the secrets of the fabric of space-time. Using massive gravitational singularities, the Loom Drive tears a hole in the fabric of space and falls through towards its destination -- falling out on the other side. A Dominion-wide transportation network of these Arkships ferry passengers, cargo and news to the hundred planets.
In this scene, a fleet of house ships embarks onto the Arkship. House cruisers and destroyers heading to some far-flung battlefield, no doubt.
There are other means of space travel within the Dominion; the Loom Drive is but the latest and quickest method. Many vessels utilize the superluminal drive, hurtling through space at faster than light speeds. Travel in the Baroqueverse is not limited to a set of jump gates, portals or routes. You can go anywhere, anytime.
This is a scene of the sacking of Baroque, the capitol planet of the Dominion, and seat of power for the Dominion. During the Second Nihilim Invasions, the third incarnation of the immortal Tyrant was slain when Baroque fell to the Nihilim. This scene depicts a Voor, a Voorish war machine and a Brood flier. The Voor are masters of bio-mechanics, constructing semi-living machines and breeding a host of Brood horrors, each adapted to their function on the battlefield. As servants of the mysterious Nihilim Presences, the Voor act as shock troopers and breeders of the bio-mechanical engines of war employed by the other Nihilim slave races. The Nihilim Presences are masters over a number of species who originate outside this universe and pillage in the name of their mysterious masters.
This is a small taste of the Baroqueverse, and all the strange people, places, and things found within. The book is scheduled to go out when its done, and no sooner. :) The art is close to completion and I have some more writing to do. There's much editing to be done. I expect to be finished sometime this fall.
Tuesday, May 27, 2014
Introducing Baroque Space Opera
I'd like to introduce Baroque Space Opera, an RPG setting for Fate Core. This project was started exactly a year ago. The writing is mostly done, though it needs quite a bit of editing still, and the art is 75% completed. The setting will be self-published, in PDF format with some sort of print-on-demand available -- eventually. The book will be packed with 25 - 30 full colour illustrations. My gaming group has started playtesting some of the new Fate Core systems included with this setting.
The Baroque Space Opera setting is a mashup of ideas from literature, film, other roleplaying games, with unique ideas thrown in. The primary goal of the setting is to provide gamemasters with unlimited freedom. Baroque is designed to facilitate fast paced action in a fantastic and futuristic setting without any limitations. Anything is possible in Baroque, no matter how grand or world shattering. Setting concepts such as space opera, steampunk, cyberpunk, horror and fantasy are all meshed together to provide a perfect mix of gaming possibilities. Technology just exists, no matter how improbable or magical. Realism takes a back seat to action and adventure. This is Space Opera at its best!
Baroque Space Opera draws inspiration from many varied sources, among them: Dune, Chronicles of Riddick, H.P. Lovecraft, Simon R. Green's Deathstalker series, Scott Westerfield's The Risen Empire, Star Gate, Babylon 5, Lexx, Farscape, Gene Wolfe's Book of the New Sun, Warhammer 40K, the ancient astronaut hypothesis, alternate archaeology and ancient world myths and legends.
Below is a quick summary, likely to go on the back cover of the book, as well as a couple of the illustrations to give you an idea of the look and feel. Baroque is not your usual, run-of-the-mill space opera. It is a unique and strange setting, filled with awesome and crazy stuff to enable your adventures across the void!
The Baroque Space Opera setting is a mashup of ideas from literature, film, other roleplaying games, with unique ideas thrown in. The primary goal of the setting is to provide gamemasters with unlimited freedom. Baroque is designed to facilitate fast paced action in a fantastic and futuristic setting without any limitations. Anything is possible in Baroque, no matter how grand or world shattering. Setting concepts such as space opera, steampunk, cyberpunk, horror and fantasy are all meshed together to provide a perfect mix of gaming possibilities. Technology just exists, no matter how improbable or magical. Realism takes a back seat to action and adventure. This is Space Opera at its best!
Baroque Space Opera draws inspiration from many varied sources, among them: Dune, Chronicles of Riddick, H.P. Lovecraft, Simon R. Green's Deathstalker series, Scott Westerfield's The Risen Empire, Star Gate, Babylon 5, Lexx, Farscape, Gene Wolfe's Book of the New Sun, Warhammer 40K, the ancient astronaut hypothesis, alternate archaeology and ancient world myths and legends.
Below is a quick summary, likely to go on the back cover of the book, as well as a couple of the illustrations to give you an idea of the look and feel. Baroque is not your usual, run-of-the-mill space opera. It is a unique and strange setting, filled with awesome and crazy stuff to enable your adventures across the void!
Baroque Space Opera
For 149 millennia, the Tyrantine Dominion has weathered arch-heresy and war with terrible enemies who sought its downfall. The political and cultural stasis has bred deep seated corruption within the convoluted hierarchy of power. Humanity of a hundred planets chokes and laments under the immovable yoke of the Tyrant. The embers of rebellion grow brighter each passing day. The Tyrant extinguishes all opposition with his vast legions of genetically engineered warriors; created through the amalgamation of human and alien genetics.
Voidship fleets move into position. The pieces are falling into place. Which side will you choose? Will you enforce the will of the Tyrant to ensure the stoic Dominion stands for another hundred millennia? Or, will you become an Arch Heretic to tear down this suffocating and corrupt regime? The choice is yours. The Baroque universe awaits.
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