Blade Runner RPG on Kickstarter

 

You've heard the name. You've seen the movies. Here's Blade Runner as an RPG. 

As you also know, musically, Blade Runner is infused with Jazz elements. Check out their intro video (above) on Kickstarter. Catchy, right?

Catchy, yes.

So what does one do when you hear or see something we like? We imitate it. We bounce our own ideas and put our spin on them. Don't feel cheap about it. Musicians and artists have been doing it, "lifting" since Beethoven and since the KJV Bible, for that matter.

So, with that disclaimer out of the way, here's my version of this idea, which is nothing new anyway, but its simplicity and tone appeal to me so here goes.

Yes, it's raw and rough around the edges because it's just a sample I slapped together in about an hour on Filmora by Wondershare. But you get the idea. I think it works and I like it enough to improve it and use it when my own game, Asylum Earth debuts (one of these days) soon.

You know, I use several film editing programs, including iMovie on my Macbook Pro, but I really like Filmora because it's very robust and easy to use. Maybe you haven't heard of it but give it a whirl and see for yourself. You can get a lot done in a short period of time and it's quite flexible so you'll have a good choice of effects to choose from. 

One caveat, however, they've switched to a subscription model. I'm not sure if they sell any of their software outright anymore. In my opinion, since they're not Apple, Inc., why follow their lead? Personally, I don't like the subscription services and already canceled my Adobe Illustrator, at least for now. I'm running an old version of Filmora on my HP laptop but you can download a new trial version for Apple too. 

BTW, I think the Blade Runner Kickstarter is still live, so check it out. I'll admit it has its quirks about digital content but it's worth a look.

Okay, enough clickbait. I'm out for now.

I'm still working on the new Asylum animation but you'll see it posted here soon. Just getting it over to Image Ready. Now there's a throwback, young-guns.

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Asylum Earth - Supreme Survivor [New Cyberpunk Board Game]

 Asylum Earth-Supreme Survivor

Hey folks, here's the newest prototype box for the game. As you can see, the game title is now Asylum Earth as opposed to Remnants. I hope to print it soon with a matte finish and spotgloss titles and logos. It's hard to see here but it's going to look epic up close and personal on a shelf.

Again, in keeping with the theme, the new name speaks to the bigger picture and main theme, which is the survival of our species and the survival of our planet. Although Remnants are still a big part of the story and remain intact.

Hail The Theme

Asylum Earth rings true to the main theme by implying that this new earth after the apocalypse is hopeful and peaceful. Wouldn't that be a welcome change in our world? 

I first came up with EarthHaven, which I love but we all know that with the popularity of GloomHaven, that name wouldn't work. So I don't mind the compromise and I think Asylum Earth is unique and speaks volumes about the theme.

I also made several changes to the cover image, which now shows Andrea in a careful search for combatants in the midst of a terrorist attack.

New Card Decks

I've also added a number of card decks including bomb threat events with countdown cards and so on. This game is loaded with great play and I can't wait to put it all together and get it out there. But that's another chapter altogether and the name of that game is social proof. Period.

That starts with several influencers who champion this game and rave about it to their customer base or audience, if you like, and that's all followed by several other important things, such as awesome explainer and game play videos, conference appearances and demonstrations, and so on. 

Launch Time

It takes time and energy to launch a good game or product of any kind but the main thing is that the game itself is appealing visually and playable at first sight. There's no room for awkward moments or stale events that flow against the theme or genre. You've got to hit a grand slam right from the start. That's what makes a product go viral and amass interest, engagment, and ultimately, plenty of orders.

I hope to finish designing and developing Asylum by the end of this year. At that point playtesting will continue with a focus on finding its core audience of players and believers.

It's a long, winding road, my friends. Nothing comes easy or happens overnight. One day I'll be in full marketing and sales mode as the design and develpment stage winds down considerably. But, as I've  already said, you've got to get the right people involved. Great things don't happen in a vaccum. Great things happen in wide open spaces where your most guarded secrets are exposed for the world to see.

Share It

Share this game with anyone you believe might enjoy it and follow its progress right here as Asylum goes from a bunch of thoughts, to trial and error and eventually, a huge success in the gaming industry. Yes, you must think positive and act persuasively to meet your goals.

Strive to create the very best game you'd love to play and take chances because whenver you put yourself and your ideas out there, there's always a clash of ideologies at play between you and your audience and the point is that you've got to remain true to the genre but don't be afraid to add your own personality and points of view to a game because that's what makes it unique and different.

Come on back for so much more about Asylum Earth and tips on how to market your game and develop it along the way.

All products are experimental and this game is no different but as long as you expand the genre in your own way, you're on the right track. There are plenty of moving parts and synchronizing all of them is the name of the game.

Images that tell a story 

See you soon, right here where my next post will delve into what kind of images tell a story and hook your audience at first sight. I'll dissect my own cover to see what I think makes it great and what works to tell a story. If you're stuck designing your box cover, you'll want to get into this and see what makes a great cover tick.

Play on, folks.

Tabletop Apocalyptic Board Games (Remnants Supreme Survivor)

Remnants New Game Board

Here's an update for the new board. It's been a heck of an evolution for this game. This new board is actually a map featured in the first prototype. The USA map proved difficult to manage and that was apparent from the start but ambition can be not only daunting but sometimes a roadblock.

So now I'm back here and the game seems to flow much better with this new board. I never was a big fan of the full USA map because it looked trite and ordinary. With this new Manhattan city map, the game is more focused and familiar to me and far more interesting.

I've added another snarky card deck of explosions that include time clock events so it's all coming together in the final destination city where the girls, Andrea and Maria flee out of Austin, as told in the novel, Age of the Apocalypse, the hardcover edition.

I also started a new website to promote the three books tied to this game. So there's a lot going on and hopefully, I'll get to the end of it soon. No rush, no worries. I'd rather take my time and get it right.

As for the box cover, I've decided to print the next prototype with this image of Andrea, and subsequently, there will be more choices including boxes with Sergey Vasnev artwork.

Peace out.

UKRAINE'S DELIVERANCE IS AT HAND (Lap it up News Media)

 

UKRAINE FREEDOM FOREVER


A symbol to help spread a message of hope, unity, and strength against tyranny.
People of Ukraine and all the oppressed worldwide: You are in our prayers.

"Together, we must unleash hell and
return this war from where it came and upon whom sent it."

Forget the "Z" Wicked "P" will burn in Hades forevermore.

 
That's his punishment for everything he worked towards, and surely, 
the only thing he really deserves on earth. 

That's God's justice, God's vengeance, and God's promise. 

"AΩ"

Amen.

Cyberpunk Tabletop Games (Sergey Vasnev and Star Wars Ewoks)

 And the winner is. . . 

Drumroll, please. . . 

Right. You've heard this all before. And don't think that I'm not just as skeptical as you are. But there comes a time in the design and development stage of any product, board games included, that you have to decide on what you're going to publish. 

That's a big decision because everything hinges on your first impression. And as you know, you can only make, blah, blah, blah.

So after experimenting with dozens of designs and getting a feel for how this game should look and feel, I've settled on this image. (fingers crossed)

Battle for Endor

Chances are you're familiar with the Star Wars movies and characters like most humans on earth. In this image, Vasnev re-imagines George Lucas' Ewoks with an interesting fan-art like this.

Mmm. . . now it's all coming back.

And so if we remember, Ewoks hail from the moon of Endor, thus the battle you see hear.

When I saw this image I was struck at once with several questions and curious about the idea behind Vasnev's concept art.

As it turns out this was an art challenge of sorts, of which I don't know its outcome.

Star Wars

So all that aside, let's get in our time machines and travel back to the year 1983 and the movie, Return of the Jedi.

Many of you had not been born yet. But I'm sure you recall the Jedi movie as part of the Star Wars franchise and all the films that followed it. How many action figures do you own?

If you recall, those furry little bears, the Ewoks helped destroy the imperial shield generator in their forests and defeated the stormtroopers and scout walkers of the Empire. Nobody saw that coming.

Battle of Endor

Long story, short. 

I contacted Sergey Vasnev and asked if I could use this amazing image and he was gracious and generous enough to grant me the use of Battle For Endor, as a cover for the Remnants board game. (Thank you, Thank you, Thank you, Sergey.)

As it turns out if you visit Sergey Vasnev's website on ArtStation, most of his artwork lends itself perfectly to this sort of game. He's quite prolific and all the artwork is stunning. You must see it. So the idea is to incorporate more of his designs into the game (box, playing cards, etc.) so gamers have a choice of whichever design they like most. Collectors can collect all three boxes, for example.

That's the plan for now and I haven't run it by Sergey yet but, you get the idea. I hope he'll be on board and I think he'll agree so we'll see. Let me know what you think in the comments and what your favorite Sergey Vasnev work of art is. It'll be difficult to choose, I promise.

You'll notice the new game board with the city of Manhattan and new playing cards. I'm loving it so far. Overall I do like this current iteration of the game and I think it's a good place to be as I further develop the game.

At this point, I'd like to feature the game on Kickstarter.com but not sure if it will be ready for this coming April. That's what I'm trying to finish as we speak. Actually, I just might be able to pull that off because the new concept flows much better than anything I had tried before so hopefully, I'll be able to launch the game this coming year.

How exciting will that be?

I can hardly wait. 

Don't forget to sign up for updates (upper right column) about the game plus interesting reveals about Vasnev's art in upcoming posts.

Hey, check out the animation on the blog where you see the whole box in 3D and much more fun stuff.

Learn more on the blog:

New Tabletop Post-Apocalyptic Game (Remnants: Supreme Survivor)

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Kickstarter Made Easy (New Tabletop Family Board Games)

Kickstarter Campaign The Easy Way

How To Successfully kick off your Kickstarter 

How daunting is it to build a successful Kickstarter campaign?

The essentials are not rocket science at all. You'll need a long list of potential buyers and a great product to offer those buyers.

That's it in a nutshell. It's getting those potential buyers all lined up and primed to back, or buy before you launch. That's the tricky part.

Easy Pre-Launch Strategy

Not everyone is familiar with crowdfunding, let alone Kickstarter. So, first things, first. You'll need a primed audience on Kickstarter who understands the platform and is used to backing and funding campaigns. 

So how do you get that primed Kickstarter audience all lined up to buy your product? Easy, just get Kickstarter to feature your product and that will improve your chances of attracting a strong audience of potential buyers. 

No promises, but it's a headstart to kickstart your next crowdfunding campaign.

Read all about it on the Kickstarter Blog for in-depth information.