SDM: Eternal Return Key (Patreon)

Dear heroes,

Surprise! The free rules zine (or at least the free artless version) is writ and made. The goal with this was to provide a slightly more detailed overview of the rules (the artist formerly known as SEACAT) in UVG 2E / UVG than the 6Fold Rosetta 1-page.

however ...

I thought it would be terribly dull if all it did was provide a complete rehash of the UVG.

so ...

SDM: ERK is a 32-page zine that combines expanded rules (reading manga-style BTF) and a character generator for timelost interlopers / generated synthetics / defrosted corpsicles / postapoc semi-amnesiacs waking up somewhere (in the UVG) with a vague memory of home and a beeping in-mind HUD and magnetic field sense.

Where / when is home? Well ... that's up to the group to decide (but SDM: Our Golden Age will have plenty of tables to generate a strange land much changed from when our noble heroes left it.

Alternatively, it's just the Rainbowlands. Or the Rainbowlands of a past now gone.

Wait, wait ... what about Uranium Butterflies / SEACAT? You cut so many rules ...

Welp, over the past few months you've seen me struggle with how to reconcile the big massive UB/SEACAT book with ... this fork in the game. I'm pretty close to having decided what I'm going to do with that ...

The UB Book (let's call it BIGCAT) is going to be released as a limited physical edition through KS, along with some of my notes, as a kind of "designer's notes" kind of book for those who want it in a big size. I'll also release a digital version -- for that I have to figure out if I want to do it as a PWYW or what, and also what kind of license to cook up for people who want to use it as the base for their own books and publications.

The SDM (let's call it SDM) is the fork I'm going to develop further. Think of them this way:

• SDM:ERK - the UVG-compatible rules. Going to release a free art-free version, a for-money pdf version, and it will be printed by EF. Also going to make some kind of carrrd site or something, and maybe a BW POD.
• SDM:OGA (Our Golden Age) - the [•]quel to the UVG, the world-generator. This one, obvs, I'm writing as we speak :)
• SDM: Heavy Magic Albums (title TBD) - this is going to happen for all the 100+ spells in BIGCAT. A bit simplified, and rewritten, along with the full magic rules, so it can also be used as a modulo with your ruleset of choice.
• SDM:Vault of Artefacts - all the items from BIGCAT, adapted and probably categorized by tech level. Should probably add a random item / alien widget generator, yeah?
• SDM:Garden Variety Humans (title TBD) - I'm not throwing away all the backgrounds and skills and traits and mutations I've written up, haha.

Then there are a couple that I think aren't that exciting (maybe I've been writing rules for too long!):

• SDM: Uranium Moth Mods (title TBD) - the various complicated little rules and options, plus some discussion of what they do and how they work. Including the complicated multiple defences, betting initiative, conflict zones, scenes etc.
• SDM: Commentaries on the Metagame - the various pieces on the roles of different players, how player and GM are all just players, blablabla. Theory, not practical stuff.

Wait, what, why are you splitting all that out?

Well, there are two simple reasons:

1. I can make a 32-page zine faster than a 320-page book. Phew.

2. One challenge I could not overcome in BIGCAT was the problem of conflicting audiences and themes: running a hero, running a game, and commentaries on how the rules work and interact at the metagame level. I just couldn't get it to mesh (and those who've been patient with me, gosh, you know I tried). It's certainly someone can do it, but ... I am defeated.

TL;DR: Here's a poll! Which zine next?

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PS - I posted a first version of this pdf on the discord yesterday evening and ... a typo was already caught on page 3! Astounding.

I'll extend my art offer: first person to catch another silly typo in the zine and post it in the comments, also gets a say in what kind of art I'll use to doll up this booklet.

--/--

PPS - per some comments, here's a roadmap. Longer post, but I need to make some art for it and I tried twice today and both came out a little wrong.