u/God_Boy07

Tomorrow is a big day - not only will there be a new STL sculpt (a Palantor assassin) for Patreon supporters, but this will also be the first public showing of the new Wexian species for the Fragged Empire (the first major new species in about 8ish years!).

The initial Wexians lore/rules/art will be revealed to all Patreon backers, but I will show their art and a lore primer here for you all.
The plan is to slowly roll out 4 new core species as I work towards a new FE2 book (still a long ways off).

https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/wadedyer/fragged-aeternum-2-ttrpg

Sign up here: https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/wadedyer/fragged-aeternum-2-ttrpg

If you are looking forward to FA2, please be sure to share the pre-launch page with your friends and gaming clubs!! The first 48 hours of the campaign is REALLY important, and the more backers the better we can make the books!!

And if we can gain enough support I would LOVE to make a RAG-TAG rules-light book for Aeternum!

Lets do this team!!!
https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/wadedyer/fragged-aeternum-2-ttrpg

One of the PCs was a secret double agent for a Fiend, a big bad guy was a psychic goldfish (who was a god-emperor of a intergalactic fish empire in another dimension), the final fight was INSIDE a moon that was the giant floating eye of a super Fiend, they exploded a lord's manor, drained all the water out of a river, a mortal 'Jonathan the Guard' became a hero, got kicked around by vampire maids, discovered an underground city, and so much more.... lots of wild adventures.

Campaign launches on the 25th (if all goes well): https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/wadedyer/fragged-aeternum-2-ttrpg

Downloadable via DriveThru, Patreon and MyMiniFactory for free. There is also a free community made app.

• Mostly just adding more clarity to the rules, but also a strong nerf to Take & Hold to allow for more counterplay.

I know most of you guys are here for RPG content, but I just wanted to post this here to show that DT is going strong and is being supported :)

Well.... this is going to be a big month :P I have two conventions (this weekend and then PAX Aus), launching of the Aeternum 2 campaign later in the month (maybe the 25th?) AND the Patre0ns supporters just voted to introduce a NEW species into Fragged Empire (one of four that I have planned)!!

All four species have already been hinted in the printed books... but the Wexian hint was so darn subtle that no one would see it.

Aeternum’s wildlife has not been forced to adapt to an urban environment, because they have known no other. Those animals that occupy the city’s parks and waterways are the exception to the norm, as all other animals share the same spaces as humans.

"Mimic" is a broad academic term used by naturalists to describe creatures that have the shape of inanimate urban objects. There are many types of Mimic and many methods: some have colour and texture-changing bodies, others are shaped like specific objects, and some even use magic. Mimics are seen as strong evidence that the city’s urban aesthetics have never greatly changed, though some are rumoured to be the result of selective breeding by mages.

Treasure Chests are the most famous and dangerous of the Mimics. Their lids are giant slobbering mouths with a massive tongue, and their bodies are capable of jumping and bouncing many metres at a time. Treasure Chest Mimics are incredibly aggressive and can swallow a whole human in seconds, and will usually try the moment someone attempts to open them. Treasure Chests digest their victims slowly, taking care to preserve any valuables they swallow in their cheek pouches. These stolen trinkets are rested on their tongue to give them the appearance of a treasure-packed chest.

Treasure Chest Mimics are solitary hunters by necessity - once a single chest tries to eat an explorer or thief, few people will try a second time without first stabbing a curious chest. At times a pack of Common Mimics may set up around a Chest Mimic and feed off its scraps in exchange for protection, but Treasure Chests make this a risky proposition as they have been known to eat other Mimics. However, they do have one creature they’re on peaceful terms with: the Coin Bug. Who makes themselves useful as bait and cleans the Chest’s mouth.

(Kickstarter launches later this month!)
https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/wadedyer/fragged-aeternum-2-ttrpg

"A violent and dark gothic ttRPG that plunges immortal PCs into the endless city of Aeternum to fight vile Fiends and otherworldly foes."

"After ten thousand thousand generations have each walked ten billion billion years towards the horizon, they shall stand no closer to the city's edge then whence they began."

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G'day all!

I'm nearing the launch of my Kickstarter for the 2nd edition of my Aeternum game. If you like Bloodborne, eldritch horror, blood-soaked combat, TPKs, being immortal and endless gothic cities built by divine beings, then this may be worth your time.

I've been working on Aeternum for a long time now (and almost two decades on Fragged games in general), and I'm really proud of this project.

If I were to single out just one unique feature to draw you in, its that its a really fun and unique experience to GM given that the PCs are immortal (they turn into spectres when they die, and can be resurrected by an ally or back at base). Death and TPKs are not a fail state, failing the mission is (which is usually saving mortals) - which can result in lots of epic moments of self-sacrifice and drama.

Thanks for giving my work a look,
Wade D.

Kickstarter pre-launch page: https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/wadedyer/fragged-aeternum-2-ttrpg

Ps: All art is human made.

https://www.patreon.com/c/fragged

G'day! I thought I would just pop over to say hello to my brothers and sisters in the board game design world from the ttRPG design world!

How long have I been working fulltime as a game designer:

11+ years.

What I've made:

This is a shelfie of the books I've self published to date (14 hardcover, 8 softcover, over a dozen PDF only, and loads of miniatures (not shown here)). I've also got a miniature skirmish game, and I've been working on a board game with another designer for a couple of years now (I'm not quite ready to share that one publicly)). I've always loved to make stuff :)

I'm mainly known for my post-post-apocalyptic sci-fi work, but I've also made techno-magical fantasy, gothic horror, eldritch pirates, dieselpunk, and more

Where do I make money (in order):

1. Most of my income comes from Crowdfunding.
2. Conventions (I live in Australia... I'm crazy jealous of you guys in the USA and Europe!).
3. Distributor (I work with Modiphius who sells my books overseas).
4. PDF sales (via DriveThruRPG).
5. Patreon.
6. My own webstore.

I would also like to add that a MASSIVE part of my cost saving (so not income, but of equal value) is that I do as much myself as I can. I do all the graphic design, nearly all of the writing, all of the marketing, etc... I hire illustrators, and a couple of writers who do what I cannot.

My important marketing methods (in order):

1. Mailing list (start building yours now!).
2. Community building (Discord).
3. Social media (facebook is top).

I've not included crowdfunding here, as I see that primarily as a point of sale and not an audience builder.

Some non-standard advice (I posted this 5+ years ago on the RPGdesign subreddit):

1. Get incredibly good in at least one game during your life.

Not just good in relation to your friends, but good enough to compete competitively. Games have layers, and you will only start to see the deeper flow and structure once you ‘see the matrix’ of a game. For me, this was Company of Heroes 1.

I will note that if you're older (30+ years old at least) you may be able to achieve this level of insight without actually achieving this level of skill in a game.

• 2. Don’t get so caught up playing lots of different games.

Looking at what other people have already done is a great way to see how others have answered various design questions/problems. But finding your own unique design solutions will require you to sit in a mental void and to draw upon atypical sources of inspiration from your own life. Leaning on the work of existing designers may lead to the creation of a good and popular game, but never a ‘special’ game.

Play a range of games... but don't get too caught up in other people's work. Its a balance that is hard to describe.

• 3. Originality is good, but people don’t want it as much as they say.

If something is too original it will be hard to digest, and very few people will play it enough to see its depths. People have a ‘game language’ that they unconsciously use to quickly understand a game, this is created by the ecosystem of games that they’ve played. I like to use a rule of thirds for my games; 1/3 commonplace, 1/3 familiar and 1/3 original.

• 4) More content is a bad substitute for quality.

But it is a temptation because it’s a quantifiable way to solve unquantifiable creative process questions. Avoid bloat at all costs, cut out EVERYTHING that does not add value to your game. Your first game should be small and good, this was a mistake that I made.

I'm constantly cutting OK ideas for GOOD ideas, and then cutting GOOD ideas for GREAT ideas. This is 99% of the design job.

• 5. Be kind; to your team, your fans, your suppliers, and your rivals.

Bringing a creative vision to fruition requires a large amount of willpower, and this often comes in the form of ego. The creative fields are also focused on personal skill and the celebration of fans; this can also swell a person’s ego. But ego is a corrupting force, not just to a person’s character but also to their creative works and their ability to understand people. Fight the growth of ego through humility and kindness.

• 6. Ideas are cheap; the real value sits in a person’s ability to bring ideas to completion.

Don’t be precious with your ideas and solutions, sharing them openly with others will prevent you from becoming stagnant and will force you to continually grow. Being an open book with my thoughts and processes has been incredibly healthy for me. Also, learn to FINISH things. That final 10% of a project can suck, but learning to complete things is rare and valuable skill.

Hiring Artist:

When hiring an artist they MUST be 2 of these 3 things:

• Good (skilled at drawing cool art!).
• Cost Effective (this does not mean cheap, just that their pricing is competitive for the quality of their work).
• Professional (clear communicator, prompt, understands briefs, etc...).

If an artist is just 1 of these then they will be a drag on your project. If they're all 3 then they will learn to increase their price or move onto projects that pay more (I've had many of my artists move onto film and digital games to make great money, and it was a privilege of mine to have been a stepping stone on their path!!).

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I hope some of this is of some help :) I'm happy to answer any questions, and I will be sure to be back here once I'm ready to share my board game.

My socials:

• Facebook
• Instagram

Ideal for players who want to go all beast-mode during combat for a sudden boost of damage, or who like to skirt the edge between human and monster.

• +1 Strength, Resolve and Nature.
• Going Beast: Once per Combat you may transform, gain +4 Momentum, all allies suffer 4 General Damage (only 1 damage to Companions and Henchmen).
• Always have at least 1 Corruption.

https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/wadedyer/fragged-aeternum-2-ttrpg

I'm super happy with these, as I know Fragged sheets can be quite full 😁
Illustration work by "licopeoart" in Instragram (he also did my RAG-TAG sheets!).

And yes, there will be a plain version without the illustrations.

Also, just 1 month until our campaign launch: https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/wadedyer/fragged-aeternum-2-ttrpg

I really love working with MDF, and have been using conventions as motivation to slowly improve my terrain setup!

• Buildings: Brutal Cities and Sarissa Precision.
• Vehicles: Miniature Scenery.
• Miniatures, signage, graffiti, ground and nearly all of the little bits: Me.
• Mural painted by my wife (she's not into any of this nerd crap... but I bribe her with art supplies and happiness!).

Edit: My Instagram.

G’day everyone, I hope you don’t mind if I do some self-promotion, and a little public self-reflection (for those who like to glimpse at how the sausage is made).

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A post-post-apocalyptic sci-fi skirmish game set in the richly detailed universe of the Fragged Empire ttRPG, Double Tap emphasises tactical decision-making, clever use of terrain and reaction attacks. Unlike many miniature games, Double Tap employs a flexible action and reaction system that keeps both players engaged at all times. With its deep lore, customisable forces, and an expanding range of miniatures, Double Tap offers an immersive experience that rewards strategy and respects your time.

Players: 2.
Duration: 90min.
Game Area: 30”x30”, Dense terrain.
Miniatures: 32mm heroic, Approximately 8 miniatures per player, STL files available.
Rules: Simple, Fast, Scalable complexity based on your unit choices, Variable objectives.
Turns: Alternating activation (activate ANY unit during your Turn), 20 turns per player per game.

Rules PDF (free): https://www.myminifactory.com/object/3d-print-fragged-double-tap-skirmish-game-rules-765067
App (free): https://3darkman.itch.io/double-tap-armory
Physical Unit/Upgrade Cards (posted from Australia): https://fe-store.square.site/
STLs: https://www.myminifactory.com/profile/FraggedMiniatures
Patreon (RPG stuff and new monthly STLs): https://www.patreon.com/c/fragged

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A year in review:

I’m mainly known for my ttRPGs, but its been interesting to put a miniature skirmish game out into the wild conventions here in Australia and online. I’m happy to say that I’m actually making money off sales (which is nice!), but it has been far harder than I expected to peel people away from ‘their game’ to try something new.

Conventions have been super helpful, as they give me a chance to refine my sales pitch and demo the game to people. A few YouTubers have briefly covered my game, which was great for sales.

I’m finding that my customers are primarily 3 types of people: Those who are already a fan of my RPG universe, those who love to try new indie games, and those who like the idea of Infinity but have bounced hard off their dense rules.

My action system and simple core rules (just a dozen page long rules book, which is mostly diagrams and examples) has been a big draw, as has the small game area (3ft x 3ft) and scalable tactical depth (you can take  more complex units if you want). But I think my lack of product boxes is a drag.

My future plans: continue to expand my range of STLs, create ‘starter’ boxes to sell at conventions, and slowly gear up for a  roster expansion/update next year. I also know I need to reach outside of my country.

As an Australian I know my reach overseas will always be limited, but as an indie creator I don't need a large audience to sustain my project. But one day I would love to get over to GenCon or Adepticon.

(And yes, all of my art is human-made!)

BUT, I'm still looking for 150 more signups to the Kickstarter pre-launch page: https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/wadedyer/fragged-aeternum-2-ttrpg

Lets make this campaign big howlin’ success!

Yay, more people love Thud Cows!!!
These derpy creatures have always been a favorite of mine :) Big fat cow creatures with 3 legs, beaks with a self defense mechanism that makes them explode in a giant THUD!

Art by Zinthings on X and bsky!!!