Some more painted miniatures

These few pictures are of some repaints by Damon.

These were inexpensive oil paints applied heavily over a miniature, and then wiped down with a makeup sponge or Q-tip.

The ensemble.

Some close-ups.

3D-printed Mordheim-esque building.

Another MEST Tactics update

I received a few proof-copies of my MEST Tactics :: Quick Start Rules. 

Overview

These are the near-identical rules available at the MEST Tactics downloads page. The difference is that these have some full-color pictures!

• Each of these are 40-pages long. High-quality paper.
• The Front is full-color.
• The Back is a reference chart for Situational Test Modifiers.

I'm not sure if I want to make it an illustration or a painting instead of using a simple cropped-shot of some figurines. 

As for cost; these are really affordable compared to the 200-page Core rules book. The shipping cost is still a crazy $10 USD or so.

Outside Art proof-print version

Interior layout. 

A very brief set of Archetypes to choose.

Long-term

I got them printed via The Game Crafter, but I haven't decided on making them available for purchase either there or some place such as Wargames Vault. I'm not sure of pricing, availability, and others logistics factors. 

I'm not sure if I want to have a Kickstarter or Indiegogo or GameFound campaign.

MEST Tactics :: Updates

Big News!

I took the time to make many new components of the MEST Tactics game system which were previously unavailable become available.

Overview

These are the recent changes.

MEST Tactics QSR v2

This is an extraction of the MEST Tactics Core rules limited to 40-pages. It keeps the number of Archetypes (character profiles) to a small number and removes nearly all of the Intermediate rules, and all of the Advanced rules and traits. Again, this is from many, many, years of effort to edit and clarify. 

MEST Tactics on Tabletop Simulator

I've made public the MEST Tactics modules which I wrote and scripted for Tabletop Simulator [ TTS ].

TTS will require that the free playground container known as "Steam" be installed on your desktop or laptop. TTS is a separate purchase of about $15 USD for license.

Afterwards, each player can access the modules ("mods") which I created and made public in the TTS Workshop under the keywords "MEST" and "MEST Tactics". 

Launch the MEST Tactics - Baseline module first, and then any one of the MEST Tactics - Terrain modules to add interesting terrain.

The entire Introductory Scenarios, including character cards and the free TTS fantasy models are available for players that have mastered the QSR from above.

I've got bunches of other play-aides made available within the Baseline module as well.

MEST Tactics Site

I've updated the MEST Tactics Google Site with lots of content, including media shots and some history of the game design. The Downloads section is where you will want to visit for PDFs of everything.

see https://sites.google.com/site/mesttactics

A Viking Longhouse

 I created a variation of dutchmogul's Longhouse found on Thingiverse at https://www.thingiverse.com/thing:4245111

The original files were able to build the open shelters, but don't allow for a longer building. My modification allows for a longer building. Both are visible in my second picture below.

I will try to upload the STL files by this weekend. The location will be is https://www.thingiverse.com/thing:6613687

The view from Blender

Ready for a small engagement

A 3D Marx Vehicle

I really like Marx Cars of the Future designs.

They are hard to find on the market, and so I decided to design something and get more practice with Blender and my 3D printer.

The Plan in Blender

Here's my humble first attempt:

A stream-lines 50's future car

The Result

And here is the printed version, painted next to a 28mm Dragon Lady from Pulp Action (now Northstar) Figurines.

You can the Blender file and OBJ file here on ThingiVerse at https://www.thingiverse.com/kitrok/designs

MEST Tactics :: Updates

I've been working on several things at once, but I've got some time today to provide some news for MEST Tactics.

MEST Tactics > Quick Start Rules

These QSR 2.x rules are now available at the quick links on the right. They replace all of the version 1.6 and 1.7 rules. I've provided a booklet form as well. These are all very plain but number at 40 pages and 20 pages respectively.

MEST Tactics > Old 1.x Rules

These are now available in the Archives section under Downloads at https://matter-energy-space-time.blogspot.com/p/downloads-for-noble-pursuits.html 

MEST Tactics > 2.x Updates

I've been trying to clean up the working set of MEST Tactics 2.x. There's still a lot of churn on phrasing and the use of keywords. Some traits are streamlined as well. 

Here are the biggest changes:

Traits

• [Automaton] — Altered to work better with revised Controller and with Synchronized
• [Fragile] — Added as a trial. Added [Flint], [Bronze], [Iron], [Wood] as references to it.
• Bash — Cleaned up.
• Brawl — allows additional cascades equal to level for use with Bonus Actions. Unrestricted. The idea is that character with both the Fight and Brawl skill traits are incredible.
• Controller — Simplified to give 1 AP if Attentive to an Automaton.
• Fight — allows additional Bonus Action per level superior to target, every Combat action.
• Protective — Cleaned up.
• Synchronized — Clarified and expanded to work better with Controller and [Automaton+]
• Transfix, Torment, Terrifying — All of them cleaned up.

Other Areas

• Defend! — Cleaned up where possible, and rephrased to make it have a trade-off for usage.
• Facing — Cleaned up and expanded. It is still an optional rule, but I wanted to make it was more comprehensive than what I've seen in other rule sets. However, facing really messes with several traits such as Perimeter and Leadership, for example. Such as, can a [Winged] model fly backwards? 

MEST Tactics :: Core Rules

I'm still sourcing my prototype book from The Game Crafter, but I think their Perfect Bound Jumbo Book is limited and the glue I just don't trust to hold pages in. But the pages are beautiful.

I'm going to try DTRPG because they have an upper limit of 400 pages and also allow for hard-cover.

Tutorials

I've been creating a bunch of tutorial videos, but this has slowed a bit. I'll get them ready when I can.

Boxed Set

In the meanwhile, I'll continue with The Game Crafter to include the QSR (quick start rules from above) as a booklet in the boxed set I'm fashioning. Of course, all of the tokens and dice are available separately from this. 

Game Store

I don't have a game-store yet. I need to create a small business and file my fictitious business name, as well as get a separate account for managing costs and purchases.

Painted Miniatures 28mm

 I finally got back to some painting of my backlog of miniature figurines. These are 28mm (~ 1:56) from various manufacturers or vendors. I'll try to identify them where possible.

Reaper Orcs. In MEST Tactics and Sarna Len, these are known as Orogs or Orogsu. 

The front are Etsy. The back is an Ogre ("Oaghir"). I'm not sure of the vintage of either set. I'll update when I can.

Dawn People, I think. Maybe Northstar?

Lizard folk ... Yuan Ti? Dang. Not sure.

I always think Phraint, but I'm sure this is from D&D instead.

MageKnight soldiers from WizKids!

A few Lords of the Underworld for Dunjon of Death. I think these are all MageKnight except the orange one ... which I don't know who produced it.

A set of Commanders for the Great Underworld Empire for Dunjon of Death.

A set of archers. Nolzur's Marvelous Miniatures for most of them.

These are from Zombicide: Black Plague by CMON. I didn't paint them, but I did rebase them. Painted by D. Williams.

Not sure, but really cool for Mech, Beast, and Infantry. I could also use the for Near Future within MEST Tactics. 

Troglodytes. Not sure. Northstar?

RAFm Cthonian. A small one. SIZ 6 in MEST Tactics.

Cultist for scale next to a RAFm Shub-niggurath "Black goat of the woods".

Reaper Deep Ones next to a Cult Leader. They are much larger (SIZ 4 vs SIZ 3) than the RAFm ones.

I think these are Gremlins from Reaper. They are upon Megabases (as used within MEST Tactics) and are affixed by magnets. 

Also from Reaper. These are Mites.

Diplomacy 3D Glow-up

So, at one point I decided to create a gift for a friend who like the game known as Diplomacy.

I went at it for several weeks. I had thought I posted that information here on this blog site months ago, but I didn't find any evidence. 

After I completed the set, the plan was to get together seven (7) dedicated players from among our circle of gamer relations and do an all-day gaming session. Our industry (tech worker) is pretty harsh and fast moving. That plan never took off because people started moving away. 

Pictures

3D Printed via FDM for 7 players. WWI Tanks and battleships.

Labels for the supply center control tokens.

All of the ship bagged up.

A closer look at the set for the yellow player. Shown are the tanks and the ships.

I created this large frame of ferrous metal upon. Each section is collapsible and can be stored.

The map, mounted. I never created a frame.

A close-up of the map I created using Adobe Illustrator.

The interior of the large box I crafted using thick polystyrene foamboard. That tiny box holds the tanks and ships. The magnetic sections from the frame are kept at the bottom of this box.

The box exterior. Nice and portable.

The map and frame mounted upon the wall of my friend's flat.

Know More

The originally went to Boardgame Geek. Click on that link to get more imagery.

MEST Tactics :: Core Rules > 2nd attempt

 

Perfect-bound MEST Tactics 

So, I ordered and received my second copy of the MEST Tactics :: Core Rules. I'm nervous about using it too much for now, but I did take some pictures.

I'll check the quality with my co-developer this weekend. If the quality is still poor, then I will see about either continuing with The Game Crafter and making the perfect-bound smaller by having two books or just going for hard-cover version via Kindle publishing.

Here's pictures.

Exterior. 200 pages. Perfect-bound, soft-cover.

Side shot. About 0.50-inches thick for 200 pages. These are very thick pages.

Interior shot. The print color and page thickness is very high quality.

MEST Tactics :: Core Book proof-print

Perfect-bound MEST Tactics 

So, I received my proof-print of the MEST Tactics :: Core rules book. 

The exterior looks nice enough. The interior as well, though I think I could improve on the light ramp for most of the images ... they appear too dark in some placed.

A couple of observations:

1. Pages were falling out.
2. Text is larger-than-average for similar TTWG game books.

Letter to The Game Crafter

The Core Rules are about 200 pages in length. Lots of interior pictures, all of which illustrate the various rules in the game. I got this idea from the 3rd edition rules for "The Flames of War" game and I thought it would really help new players learn the game system.

The rules are perfect-bound in this case, and at 200 pages it is the maximum allowed for such a format by The Game Crafter. It is about 0.53-inches thick and the pages are glued to the book cover.

When I lay the book down with it opened, the pages started to come out (see below). As a result, I send a letter to The Game Crafter for suggestions and my options for recompense (if any).

I think that I'll need to re-think my package strategy for the rules. I am already considering Amazon's Kindle Publishing because they offer a hard-cover option and allow up to 500 (OMG) pages. I think I'll limit my books through them to be 250 or 224 or whatever. Most of the back of the books would be charts and tables regardless. For Missions, Scenarios, Archetypes, and maybe some print-and-play tokens and cards.

Text Larger-than-Average

I looked at my copies of Frostgrave and Malifaux. The first by Osprey Publishing, and the latter by Wyrd Games. I've been using Microsoft Cambria11-point and it looks very big. Actually, pleasant for a person my age and visual acuity, but about 20% to 30% larger than those other two books.

I may just keep the text that large as I think the market audience will likely be my age group (Gen X and Millenials). I'm not sure, of course, but I think the younger generation is more "casual-gamer" types if they were to play boardgames at all. Especially a game which requires collecting and painting figurines and terrain (for now ... though I think that will eventually change).

Next Steps

I'll continue editing the Core Rules book. It will be multiple tasks. In no order, these are:

• Redo the layout to fit the larger dimensions of Kindle Publishing. Not much change, but it is a labor-intensive process even when using Adobe InDesign.
• See about improving the light ramps on thoses images. This I can do with a macro, but I'd need to get another proof-print. Likely through Kindle Publishing.

Near Future Tasks

Done

• Create Tactics cards. 
• Create tokens and marker set.
• Create Grimoire Basic cards.
• CreateAgenda cards.
• Create Resource cards.
• Create Dunjon of Death tile cards.
• Create full-color layout of Core rules play-test. (see above)

Work-in-progress

• Create full-color layout of Core rules final version.
• Create full-color layout of Expansion rules.
• Create 2D play-set for Fantasy Genre characters.
• Create rules for Dunjon of Death genre book.

Queue

• Create Dunjon of Death tiles.

This is the most daunting set of tasks. I'll create the final rendition of the various genre and settings. The low-hanging fruit are those which I've already worked on, but I'll need to make them solid. For those of you following this (intermittently updated) blog, you'll know them fairly well. 

The first genre and setting books will be the Dunjon of Death. That's the one which is a work-in-progress. I'll see about maybe adding Of Werewolves and Tesla Coils, Retropocalypse, or some others. 

After I get everything ready, I'll see about a Kickstarter campaign. Maybe a total of another year for all of the above? I'll see about hitting Summer 2024.

Perfect-bound Exterior

Interior. Pages are falling out.