Wednesday, May 30, 2012

MEST 1.4 Beta - preview cover


Side-note: Another Human Enters the Fray!

Yah, it's true. I've been sort of out of it for the past month or so because I've been doing the new dad thing again.  I's gots me a new baby girl and wow I forgot how much effort that is even for a dad.  You can see the pics and blurbs on my other blog. =)

1.4 Overview

MEST Basic Game rules version 1.4 Beta are almost ready.  I'm awaiting aggro84's input on some details, but this next iteration has lots of small tweaks for typos, grammar, and some paragraph positioning. I intend to have this next version published by the end of this weekend; 2012.06.03 at the latest.

The biggest change is that I've made the PDF become printer-ready.  The booklet is no longer 8.5"x11.0"; it is instead 9.0"x11.5" with 0.25" bleed on all sides.  What this means is that if the document is to be printed out, be sure to set the option for "Auto-rotate and center" is checked; this will allow the bleed settings to be properly considered and the document will center and crop accordingly.  Why all this fuss?  Well, I've determined that a small print-run is fairly affordable and when the time comes I can generate that set and make them available at the various cons and local gaming stores to any takers.  Sort of like the "free RPG day" thing.

Changes

Here's a synopsis of the major changes that I remembered to document since 2012.05.01: 
  • CRITICAL FIX: Armor charts is too high by 1 BP
  • Added two more basic game genres "Retropocalypse" and "Inner City Jive".
  • Lightened background artwork near the center to allow text to have more contrast.
  • Altered page 11 to show the options on how to spend Initiative Points more clearly.
  • Increased by +3 BP any weapons in the sample assemblies which have the Modern trait.
  • Spray is now -1 Base die per OR Multiple.
  • Corrected price for Musketeer Leader.
  • Changed several assemblies to utilize more shotguns instead of pistols.
  • Wait is now 2 AP.
  • Updated Actions tables to show in big numbers how many AP for each action.
  • Musket is 5 + 2b at 26 BP, and Blunderbuss is OR 8" for 19 BP.  Adjusted sample assemblies accordingly.
  • Made all pages even brighter than before, tweaked colors in boxes and tables to better fit the brighter pages.
  • Emphasized the Initiative Points [ IP ] options by bringing it into a small boxed-out area on the same page.
  • Re-added Stun to Dynamite.  Corrected various assemblies.
  • Re-phrased Shoot X to "Ignore X penality dice for Attacker Range Combat Hit test".
  • Re-factored Fight X to include a similar clause, and removed the last rule providing for multiple Bonus actions.
  • Re-factored Passive Player Options; essentially allow Bonus actions, Counter-strike, or Negate if also in Wait.
  • Changed layout to 9.0"x11.5" with 0.25" bleed
  • Moved Assembly Record Sheet and the Reference chart to the inner covers of the booklet.
  • Added some decorative colors to many sections.


Cover Art

And ... here's the revised cover.  I altered the basic texture a bit and set the front-cover's tentacles to be more suggestive.  The back cover I'm still undecided and so I just threw in a big MEST logo at the center.  I'll need to work with aggro84 to get some enticing blurbs or bullet points for the rear-cover. 




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Saturday, May 19, 2012

LAM- Minis WIP

I received my LAM miniatures yesterday and they are really nice.
They are beautiful sculpts and they have been cast up very well.
 I've have not seen any mould lines, or other imperfections.

Normally, I'd start right in trimming off the slottas and mounting them on to metal washers.

However, some of the miniatures are in some really dynamic poses where they are leaning forward running.
I'm worried they won't be secure with their slottas removed.

I decided to trim down the slottas and mount them on washer bases built up with Sculpey.

Now I need to decide if I want to try to sculpt out brick work/cobblestone or go for the standard (outdoor) basing I've been doing.

Sunday, May 13, 2012

Retropocalypse Playtest 05/12/2012

Kitrok and I played a Retropocalypse game yesterday. My Chinese forces Vs. Kitrok's Cultists.

I took a bunch of photos, but I rushed them so most turned out like crap. I think I need to make some smashed up roadways and get a couple more buildings. Some lamp posts would be nice as well.

Here's a few less crap photos of the action.


















Sunday, May 6, 2012

Tuesday, May 1, 2012

MEST Basic Rules Beta 1.3 is Available!

I've just uploaded the MEST Basic Rules version Beta 1.3 to https://sites.google.com/site/mesttactics/downloads/

These are mostly minor changes as follows:

ERRATA page 10; clearly show what the Initiative Points can be spent upon
ERRATA page 26; reduce all Armor costs by 1 BP
ERRATA page 28-29; alter Armor and Bullet-proof traits to become affected by Concentrated attacks.
ERRATA page 39; Thugs faction the cost of 1 x Heavy is 96 BP instead of 104 BP
ERRATA page 39; All weapon with the Modern trait should cost +3 BP

ADDENDUM; inserted two more Basic Game sample genres ("Retropocalypse" and "Inner City Jive").
GLOBAL; I lightened the background artwork for all pages so that the text can have more contrast.