🐊🌙 Huzzah ! Crescent in the making!
15 days ago – Thu, May 02, 2024 at 02:15:48 AM

Hey all! Thank you for the warm reception on Exile's digital release. Here's a quick update on how things are going:

Crescent's script is done

Down to the last period and comma, Crescent 2e is written. This morning I just received a very last round of editing notes from Michael, after which all words are officially locked in.

Art!

I have also begun illustrating now that the script and design are out of the way!

Tees!

Last thing: In case you missed it, a couple days ago I launched some new tee designs to celebrate 2e's coming release. It features art in the new style and comes as a t-shirt and crewneck.

The pre-sale campaign is hosted on Print Social and will wrap up next Monday, May 6th—at which point all orders will be processed and shipped by them! Here's a link if you want to check it out.

Next update I should have at least some more pieces done, work allowing. Catch you around!

em

EXILE Digital edition is OUT ! Crescent going full steam ahead
about 2 months ago – Fri, Mar 29, 2024 at 01:53:23 PM

The EXILE PDF is in your inbox!

Everyone! This is a very exciting moment. As of noon today, I have sent out EXILE download codes to all of you lovely backers. You should have received it to the e-mail you used on your Backerkit survey.

It feels great to be at a point where I can finally share the game with you. I truly cannot wait for you to play it <3 Let me know what you think!

Codes: You'll need to sign up to itch.io to claim a digital key to the game's page. 

Sick Website: I've also gone ahead and created a website to host all sheets and info (as well as future endeavors!) over at exilerpg.com. Check it out!

If you cannot find the email with the code...

Chances are you may be using a different email than the one you filled out your survey with. Please let me know by messaging me here on Kickstarter, or shooting me an email to [email protected]

Crescent

Now that EXILE is behind us, I'm pouring my effort into getting Crescent to the same point. At the moment, I'm typesetting the script into the layout. Illustration should start on April.

Timeline

Last time I updated you, I said I was on the lookout for a job. Turns out, getting a job is pretty hard these days! The good news is that means I get to concentrate all my efforts in getting the books to you as soon as possible: I am looking at fulfilling both books over the summer. 

In the meantime (but definitely after I recover from this week's release marathon) I'll be trying on some new things on Patreon: Beginning next month I'll be posting special video features, and maybe a book club! We'll see. If you're interested in keeping up with this, as always you can follow me directly on the Patreon page (which now accepts free subscribers) or on the newsletter. By popular demand, I'm also back on Bluesky since that seems to be the place RPG circles have stuck to.

Catch you soon! Hopefully there's some Crescent art already in the works by the time of next update :-)

em

❤️‍🔥 EXILE Finished — Moving onto Crescent
3 months ago – Tue, Feb 20, 2024 at 12:03:18 PM

Hey all!

Exile is done

I have put the last period and comma into the script, finished all interior illustrations, and sent it off for a final round of proofreading <3 Save for the cover art and print prep, the book could be sent off to the printers tomorrow.

Crescent

The playtest I started last year has also come to an end, which means I'm ready to tweak the ruleset based on feedback, and launch into the same process EXILE went under sometime next month. For a rough timeline, see my previous update.

Plans for '24

I'm now dipping my toes into the wider realm of graphic design (and god forbid, trying to get a job. In this economy!). A lot of my skills from illustration and game design have turned out to be pleasantly applicable, and I'm excited for what the future holds for me in these new horizons. If you'd like to see my delve into vector-based visuals, I sometimes post on Threads (and as always, Instagram).

Catch you guys in March for another update!

👹 em

More art + Roadmap for 2024 🐉
4 months ago – Fri, Jan 19, 2024 at 06:05:16 AM

Hey all,

EXILE Progress

I came back to the office January 2nd. Ever since then I've finished 5 more art pieces for EXILE and polished up some of the book's graphics. Here are some of the new illustrations:

It's all feeling really close. I foresee about one more month of making left for doing the remaining pieces, illustrating the cover, and updating the first illustrations I drew to match the final style (which I feel I've just about cracked). After that, only a last round of proofreading remains before moving onto preparing the files for printing.

CRESCENT Progress

CRESCENT is finally getting some playtesting love! Though getting this last campaign underway was a challenge, it's been well worth it, as it has allowed me to move a couple +1's and +2's, and catch the kind of small details you're only able to notice when running the engine. We're only about 2 sessions from finishing, and after that I get to typeset and illustrate the game once I'm finished with EXILE. Luckily, both books are built on an almost identical template, so the process will be considerably faster than what EXILE has taken.

On dates,

At the rate I'm going (and assuming I continue to be able to pour all my time into production, which may change as I'm also applying for design jobs):

• EXILE will take ~4 weeks to be finished (this includes completing all art, final document touches, and proofreading).
• CRESCENT is harder to tell, but I'd conservatively estimate ~8 weeks (this includes ~1 week of typesetting the document and reviewing the rules, ~6 weeks of illustrating, and ~1 week of final document touches and proofreading).
• Print-prep for both books is hard to tell, but I'd estimate about ~3 weeks of going back and forth with the manufacturer to make sure both documents comply with their guidelines, as well as potentially reviewing some print proofs (which they'd send from Lithuania to Portugal). 
• Production time on both books is hard to tell, but I'd assume it may take about 3~5 weeks from the moment the order is placed, to when the books arrive.

After adding up all these estimations, we're left with about ~20 weeks between now and the start of shipping. In other words: June 3rd! Do note that,

• Digital copies will go out as soon as the PDFs are ready, which should be in early April.
• Interestingly enough, due to some fateful coincidences it is very likely that I will be personally shipping all North American books (or potentially the entire order) from the rocky bay of Massachusetts. This means that: a) I will go much faster as I don't have to fill out endless Portuguese international shipping forms, and b) ~80% of you will get your books much faster, as they will ship locally. Fingers crossed! I'm manifesting for the dates to line up so this arrangement is possible.

See you soon

I will keep up monthly updates throughout this last leg of the journey. As such, you can expect to hear from me again in February. ⚔️🖤

May the stars orbit in your favor for this new cycle,

em

Art !
5 months ago – Fri, Dec 15, 2023 at 09:28:59 AM

Hey all,

On Progress

Since November's update, both CRESCENT and EXILE have been edited. Exile is already fully laid out and down to the last comma—except for a last round to catch any minor typos once all the art is in. Crescent is to receive the same treatment once I finish up illustrating Exile.

I've also just signed on the contract for printing! Things are starting to feel real.

The Art Drop

Some of the pages I've illustrated so far:

I'm not keeping count of how many illustrations I'm making, but I'd wager I'm about halfway through. If I had to describe it, right now it feels I'm at the height of a long rollercoaster climb where I've been getting a grasp on the style of the project, and I'm about to start going downhill.

I've bene posting these snippets on Instagram, the Hedgemaze discord, and most recently, Threads. (As it has just gone public on Europe!) We're still on track for shipping next March, provided the good wind continues to blow our sails.

But first...a little break

Oh, how I've been counting down the days for this vacation. Beginning tomorrow, I'll be out-of-office spending some time with my partner up until December 28th. Any email queries will be picked up after that.

See you all 2024. Can't wait for what's in store. 🖤🗡️

all the best,

em