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December 21, 2004
Initiative Cards: Monster Set 1 Released!
After giving away blank Initiative Cards for two years, The Game Mechanics now presents Initiative Cards: Monster Set 1 with 384 filled-in monster cards. Initiative Cards, winner if the 2003 (silver) and 2004 (gold) Gen Con EN World RPG Awards for Best Free Product or Web Enhancement, are a GM tool that uses special 3x5 cards to track combat. They also serve as mini character sheets, holding all the information a GM regularly needs about the characters and monsters.
Monster Set 1 also includes a selection of cards from unique dragons that were created and aged by the Mechanics. For a sample of the completed cards, download one of the sample dragon documents available on our website. Now available: The Black Dragon, The Red Dragon (new today!), and The White Dragon.
December 17, 2004
Holiday Cartoons from Stan!
As many of you know, Rich, JD, and Stan! (our house Mechanics) are regular freelance contributors to the Wizards of the Coast website. This month, Wizards of the Coast is publishing D&D holiday cartoons from our own Stan! They'll be revealing a new card each day through December 25th.
December 13, 2004
Slave Drivers Gets Its RPGA Event Code
Slave Drivers includes material for those who want to play it as an RPGA-sanctioned event, but we've been lacking official Even Codes from the RPGA. Now we've received codes for Slave Drivers and the soon-to-be-released Flight 23.
November 29, 2004
Mechanics at Gen Con SoCal
Mechanics Stan! and Marc will be in Anaheim at Gen Con SoCal later this week. We have a pair of seminars, and we'll be hanging out at our own booth, just down the aisle from our print partners, Green Ronin. Stop in and visit us if you're at the show!
PDF Sale Ending
We've let the PDF sale run all month, and now it's time to bring it to a close. Before leaving for Gen Con, we'll be re-raising the prices on all our books on RPGNow. If you haven't taken advantage of the sale, this is your last chance!
November 10, 2004
New Notes from the Bunker
As many of you know, Rich, JD, and Stan! (our house Mechanics) are regular freelance contributors to the Wizards of the Coast website. This week, Rich has "Off the Rails" posted in his regular Notes from the Bunker series. You can find all of Rich's Notes articles archived on the Wizards website, too.
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November
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November 8, 2004
The White Dragon
Initiative Cards: Monster Set 1 will contain cards for unique dragons created by the Mechanics. Our latest freebie, The White Dragon, has stat blocks for all 12 age categories plus sample monster cards. Blank Initiative Cards have been our most popular download month after month since The Game Mechanics formed (and are still available on our Freebie page), and now we're working on sets of pre-filled cards for all the monsters from the Monster Manual that we're allowed to touch. Check out the Initiative Cards product page for more information, including a list of all the creatures in Monster Set 1 and a closer look at the cover illustration from Pete Schlough.
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November 1, 2004
Slave Drivers Released!
The first Bronze Head adventure, Slave Drivers, is now available through RPGNow.com. Written by d20 Modern Roleplaying Game co-designer Rich Redman, Slave Drivers is a stand-alone modern d20 System adventure that also serves as the introduction to the new Bronze Head campaign. While using FX, additional material is included so that Slave Drivers can easily be modified to fit any style of modern campaign. Also included is The Bronze Head Campaign Standards Document for those who want to play Slave Drivers as an RPGA-sanctioned event.
Big Sale Reminder
When you're shopping for Slave Drivers, check out the rest of our titles on RPGNow.com, all currently on sale! While we've just had to raise prices on our PDFs (find out why), we've got everything on sale for about two weeks.
October 30, 2004
Price Changes and the Halloween Sale
Changes in the marketplace have caused us to raise prices on our PDFs, but first we're going to have a Halloween Sale to soften the blow.
Halloween Hauntings
Rich Redman has written up a bunch of the material he's created for his weekly modern d20 System game, and we're giving it away for free. This first installment is called Ghosts of War, which fits in rather well for the time of year.
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November
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October 25, 2004
Slave Drivers Gets a Cover
The first Bronze Head adventure, Slave Drivers, now has its cover. Slave Drivers is a stand-alone modern d20 System adventure that also serves as the introduction to the new Bronze Head campaign. While using FX, additional material is included so that Slave Drivers can easily be modified to fit any style of modern campaign. Also included is The Bronze Head Campaign Standards Document for those who want to play Slave Drivers as an RPGA-sanctioned event.
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November
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October 18, 2004
Initiative Cards Cover and First Look
Initiative Cards: Monster Set 1 has a new cover, and our latest freebie, The Black Dragon, has a first look at our pre-filled monster cards. Blank Initiative Cards have been our most popular download month after month since The Game Mechanics formed (and are still available on our Freebie page), and now we're working on sets of pre-filled cards for all the monsters from the Monster Manual that we're allowed to touch. Check out the Initiative Cards product page for more information, including a list of all the creatures in Monster Set 1 and a closer look at the cover illustration from Pete Schlough.
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October 18, 2004
Legendary Weapons Released!
As promised, Artifacts of the Ages: Legendary Weapons is now available on RPGNow.com! It contains a new selection of legendary weapons contributed by industry regulars and emerging talents (Andy Collins, Sean K. Reynolds, the house Mechanics, and many more), working with the Legendary Weapons rules used throughout the Artifacts of the Ages Series. For a free taste, download Gamaliel, the Keeper of the White Sword, a legendary weapon by Modern Magic author Mat Smith. While you're at it, visit our Freebies page and download all our other free PDFs for the Artifacts of the Ages Series.
October 16, 2004
Legendary Weapons on Monday
The finishing touches are being put on Artifacts of the Ages: Legendary Weapons, and it should be released through RPGNow.com on Monday, October 18. It contains a new selection of legendary weapons contributed by industry regulars and emerging talents, working with the Legendary Weapons rules used throughout the Artifacts of the Ages Series.
October 11, 2004
Stan! and Public Radio
Stan! is busy working the phones at his local public radio station this week, and has donated some original cartoons. He'd also like to encourage public radio listeners to donate during pledge week: "Even if it's only $5 or $10, I can guarantee you that they appreciate (and NEED) the support."
October 10, 2004
Artifacts of the Ages: Rings Now In Print!
We've got our first copies in hand, so you can start checking your local game shops, too. Artifacts of the Ages: Rings introduces magic rings, gems, and jewelry that grow in power as wielders advance in level, allowing you to put artifact-caliber items in the hands of characters while maintaining balanced game play throughout a heroic campaign. Rings is written by JD Wiker and Gary Astleford, with interior art by Pete Schlough and cover art by Clarence Harrison.
October 9, 2004
Mechanics at Seattle Game Con
October 9 is Seattle Game Con. All four of the Mechanics will be at the show. If you live in the Seattle area, check out the Seattle Game Con website, then stop by to talk to us and support a local show. Hope to see you there!
October 7, 2004
New Notes from the Bunker
As many of you know, Rich, JD, and Stan! (our house Mechanics) are regular freelance contributors to the Wizards of the Coast website. This week, Rich has "Highly Motivated" posted in his regular Notes from the Bunker series. You can find all of Rich's Notes articles archived on the Wizards website, too.
October 6, 2004
Modern Adventure Writing Chat Log Posted
Our chat from October 5 centered on writing modern adventures in the d20 System. If you didn't make the chat, you missed a good discussion based on some questions we had posted on our message boards. Lucky for you, we've got the log posted now, and you can catch up!
October 4, 2004
How to Break into the Game Business
Rich Redman decided to respond publicly to some letters asking about how one breaks into the game business as a designer. Here's your road map.
September 23, 2004
Legendary Weapons Cover
Clarence Harrison has produced another great cover for us. Artifacts of the Ages: Legendary Weapons works with the legendary weapon rules found in Swords of Our Fathers (PDF) or Staves of Ascendance (PDF) from The Game Mechanics, Artifacts of the Ages: Swords and Staves (print) from The Game Mechanics and Green Ronin Publishing, or Unearthed Arcana from Wizards of the Coast. It contains a new selection of legendary weapons contributed by industry luminaries and friends of the Mechanics. The cover image depicts the origin of Godthump, a goblin legendary weapon written by Jennifer Clarke Wilkes.
September 9, 2004
New Notes from the Bunker
As many of you know, Rich, JD, and Stan! (our house Mechanics) are regular freelance contributors to the Wizards of the Coast website. Today, Rich has "The Criminal Mind", posted in his regular Notes from the Bunker series. You can find all of Rich's Notes articles archived on the Wizards website, too.
September 3, 2004
Legendary Weapon Sketches Posted
We've posted six of Jacob Elijah Walker's design sketches for Artifacts of the Ages: Legendary Weapons. AotA:LW works with the legendary weapon rules found in Swords of Our Fathers (PDF) or Staves of Ascendance (PDF) from The Game Mechanics, Artifacts of the Ages: Swords and Staves (print) from The Game Mechanics and Green Ronin Publishing, or Unearthed Arcana from Wizards of the Coast. It contains a new selection of legendary weapons contributed by industry luminaries and friends of the Mechanics, plus some new optional rules for weapon scions.
October 30, 2004
Price Changes and the Halloween Sale
Changes in the marketplace have caused us to raise prices on our PDFs, but first we're going to have a Halloween Sale to soften the blow.
Halloween Hauntings
Rich Redman has written up a bunch of the material he's created for his weekly modern d20 System game, and we're giving it away for free. This first installment is called Ghosts of War, which fits in rather well for the time of year.
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November
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October 25, 2004
Slave Drivers Gets a Cover
The first Bronze Head adventure, Slave Drivers, now has its cover. Slave Drivers is a stand-alone modern d20 System adventure that also serves as the introduction to the new Bronze Head campaign. While using FX, additional material is included so that Slave Drivers can easily be modified to fit any style of modern campaign. Also included is The Bronze Head Campaign Standards Document for those who want to play Slave Drivers as an RPGA-sanctioned event.
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November
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October 18, 2004
Initiative Cards Cover and First Look
Initiative Cards: Monster Set 1 has a new cover, and our latest freebie, The Black Dragon, has a first look at our pre-filled monster cards. Blank Initiative Cards have been our most popular download month after month since The Game Mechanics formed (and are still available on our Freebie page), and now we're working on sets of pre-filled cards for all the monsters from the Monster Manual that we're allowed to touch. Check out the Initiative Cards product page for more information, including a list of all the creatures in Monster Set 1 and a closer look at the cover illustration from Pete Schlough.
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October 18, 2004
Legendary Weapons Released!
As promised, Artifacts of the Ages: Legendary Weapons is now available on RPGNow.com! It contains a new selection of legendary weapons contributed by industry regulars and emerging talents (Andy Collins, Sean K. Reynolds, the house Mechanics, and many more), working with the Legendary Weapons rules used throughout the Artifacts of the Ages Series. For a free taste, download Gamaliel, the Keeper of the White Sword, a legendary weapon by Modern Magic author Mat Smith. While you're at it, visit our Freebies page and download all our other free PDFs for the Artifacts of the Ages Series.
October 16, 2004
Legendary Weapons on Monday
The finishing touches are being put on Artifacts of the Ages: Legendary Weapons, and it should be released through RPGNow.com on Monday, October 18. It contains a new selection of legendary weapons contributed by industry regulars and emerging talents, working with the Legendary Weapons rules used throughout the Artifacts of the Ages Series.
October 11, 2004
Stan! and Public Radio
Stan! is busy working the phones at his local public radio station this week, and has donated some original cartoons. He'd also like to encourage public radio listeners to donate during pledge week: "Even if it's only $5 or $10, I can guarantee you that they appreciate (and NEED) the support."
October 10, 2004
Artifacts of the Ages: Rings Now In Print!
We've got our first copies in hand, so you can start checking your local game shops, too. Artifacts of the Ages: Rings introduces magic rings, gems, and jewelry that grow in power as wielders advance in level, allowing you to put artifact-caliber items in the hands of characters while maintaining balanced game play throughout a heroic campaign. Rings is written by JD Wiker and Gary Astleford, with interior art by Pete Schlough and cover art by Clarence Harrison.
October 9, 2004
Mechanics at Seattle Game Con
October 9 is Seattle Game Con. All four of the Mechanics will be at the show. If you live in the Seattle area, check out the Seattle Game Con website, then stop by to talk to us and support a local show. Hope to see you there!
October 7, 2004
New Notes from the Bunker
As many of you know, Rich, JD, and Stan! (our house Mechanics) are regular freelance contributors to the Wizards of the Coast website. This week, Rich has "Highly Motivated" posted in his regular Notes from the Bunker series. You can find all of Rich's Notes articles archived on the Wizards website, too.
October 6, 2004
Modern Adventure Writing Chat Log Posted
Our chat from October 5 centered on writing modern adventures in the d20 System. If you didn't make the chat, you missed a good discussion based on some questions we had posted on our message boards. Lucky for you, we've got the log posted now, and you can catch up!
October 4, 2004
How to Break into the Game Business
Rich Redman decided to respond publicly to some letters asking about how one breaks into the game business as a designer. Here's your road map.
September 23, 2004
Legendary Weapons Cover
Clarence Harrison has produced another great cover for us. Artifacts of the Ages: Legendary Weapons works with the legendary weapon rules found in Swords of Our Fathers (PDF) or Staves of Ascendance (PDF) from The Game Mechanics, Artifacts of the Ages: Swords and Staves (print) from The Game Mechanics and Green Ronin Publishing, or Unearthed Arcana from Wizards of the Coast. It contains a new selection of legendary weapons contributed by industry luminaries and friends of the Mechanics. The cover image depicts the origin of Godthump, a goblin legendary weapon written by Jennifer Clarke Wilkes.
September 9, 2004
New Notes from the Bunker
As many of you know, Rich, JD, and Stan! (our house Mechanics) are regular freelance contributors to the Wizards of the Coast website. Today, Rich has "The Criminal Mind", posted in his regular Notes from the Bunker series. You can find all of Rich's Notes articles archived on the Wizards website, too.
September 3, 2004
Legendary Weapon Sketches Posted
We've posted six of Jacob Elijah Walker's design sketches for Artifacts of the Ages: Legendary Weapons. AotA:LW works with the legendary weapon rules found in Swords of Our Fathers (PDF) or Staves of Ascendance (PDF) from The Game Mechanics, Artifacts of the Ages: Swords and Staves (print) from The Game Mechanics and Green Ronin Publishing, or Unearthed Arcana from Wizards of the Coast. It contains a new selection of legendary weapons contributed by industry luminaries and friends of the Mechanics, plus some new optional rules for weapon scions.
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September 1, 2004
d20 Future Designer Interview
Wizards of the Coast has posted an interview with the designers of d20 Future. JD Wiker, one of the house Mechanics, was a designer on the product, as well as Rodney Thompson, one the contributors to the upcoming Artifacts of the Ages: Legendary Weapons and author of The Mind Scion, a free web enhancement for Artifacts of the Ages: Swords and Staves. Find out what they have to say about d20 Future.
August 26, 2004
Gen Con Indy Wrap-Up
The Game Mechanics had a great show at Gen Con Indy '04, including three ENnie awards, five seminars, and a lot of time on our feet in the Green Ronin booth.
Temple Quarter Gets a Page
With two ENnies for the series and the first maps starting to come in, it seemed like a good time to give Temple Quarter its own page.
August 13, 2004
Artifacts of the Ages: Rings Released!
We know this is good, or we wouldn't release it on Friday the 13th! JD Wiker and Gary Astleford provide nearly thirty new legendary magic items in this 80-page book. Artifacts of the Ages: Rings introduces magic rings, gems, and jewelry that grow in power as wielders advance in level, allowing you to put artifact-caliber items in the hands of characters while maintaining balanced game play throughout a heroic campaign. Interior art by Pete Schlough and cover art by Clarence Harrison.
August 9, 2004
New Freebie: Forensic Occultist
Modern Magic includes the Arcane Investigator, a class for non-casters who want to investigate magical crimes. Now Rich Redman introduces her magical sibling, the Forensic Occultist. You can choose this prestige class if you want your hero to dedicate himself to solving crimes that no one else can, either because he uses magic or because the criminals did.
August 6, 2004
Rings Gets a Cover
Clarence Harrison has produced another great cover for an Artifacts of the Ages book. Artifacts of the Ages: Rings now has a cover page, and you can see a close-up on the product page.
ENnie Voting Now Open
ENnie voting is now online. If you have seen our Thieves' Quarter: A City Quarters Sourcebook or use our free Initiative Cards, please swing on over to the ENWorld site and rate our products for their awards.
August 3, 2004
TGM's ENnie Nominations
The ENnie Nominations are up, and we've pulled in three this year. Thieves' Quarter: A City Quarters Sourcebook was nominated for Best Setting Supplement and Best Cartography, and Initiative Cards for Best Free Product or Web Enhancement.
Chat Tonight
We're going to be in our Psionics.net chat room tonight. Stop in and talk to us between 5:30 PM and 6:30 PM Pacific (GMT-800), though some of us may stick around a little later.
July 30, 2004
New Jedi Counseling
As many of you know, Rich, JD, and Stan! (our house Mechanics) are regular freelance contributors to the Wizards of the Coast website. Thursday, JD had his latest Jedi Counceling column posted on there, including several questions about shapeshifting aliens.
July 21, 2004
New Notes from the Bunker
As many of you know, Rich, JD, and Stan! (our house Mechanics) are regular freelance contributors to the Wizards of the Coast website. This week, Rich has a new Notes from the Bunker column up. It covers crime and how a GM can use it to build realistic adventures and campaigns.
July 19, 2004
Rings Page and Sketches
We've published a page for Artifacts of the Ages: Rings, including some early sketches of the artifacts inside. Pete Schlough, the artist, also worked with us on Modern Magic, where his work included the art from the Military Magic and Voudoun Magic chapters.
July 13, 2004
TGM's Gen Con Indy 2004 Seminars
As of today, JD, Marc, and Stan! are all planning on attending Gen Con 2004. We have 5 seminars on the schedule this year, including "Starting an Electronic Publishing Company" and "Internet Piracy: Impact vs. Ethics". Check them all our on our Gen Con Indy 2004 page.
Chat Tonight
We're going to be in our Psionics.net chat room tonight. Stop in and talk to us between 5:30 PM and 6:30 PM Pacific (GMT-800), though some of us may stick around a little later.
July 8, 2004
A Friendly Warning
As many of you know, Rich, JD, and Stan! (our house Mechanics) are regular freelance contributors to the Wizards of the Coast website. Stan! just had a new adventure posted: "A Friendly Warning, an adventure for 18th-level characters by Stan!, explores what happens when such experienced heroes become the targets of a man bent on proving that they are still vulnerable."
July 6, 2004
Chat Tonight
We're going to be in our Psionics.net chat room tonight. Stop in and talk to us between 5:30 PM and 6:30 PM Pacific (GMT-800), though some of us may stick around a little later.
June 28, 2004
Odds Breaker: A New Fantasy Prestige Class
Stan! offers up the latest in our large collection of web freebies. One of the hardest things to simulate in a d20 System game is luck. This publication presents a new feat and a new prestige class for use in fantasy d20 System games, and then introduces Destiny Boudreau--a sample character made using these new features--for GMs to use as they see fit in their campaigns.
Legendary Weapon Authors
We've posted a new product page for Artifacts of the Ages: Legendary Weapons. There, you can find out a little about all the authors who have provided new legendary weapons for the PDF: Gary Astleford, Eric Cagle, Jennifer Clarke Wilkes, Andy Collins, Brian Cortijo, Darrin Drader, Sean K Reynolds, Rich Redman, Marc Schmalz, Mat Smith, Owen K.C. Stephens, Rodney Thompson, and JD Wiker.
June 14, 2004
A Modern Magic Web Enhancement: DXM CDs
Additional material we wish we could have included in Modern Magic! Compact discs with the Deus Ex Machina (or DXM) label offer more than just the hottest underground music. The CDs themselves are magical, and playing them creates magical effects that affect one or more listeners. DXM CDs is written by Mat Smith, author of most of the spells and FX items found in Modern Magic, Volume One and Volume Two.
June 9, 2004
New Notes from the Bunker
As many of you know, Rich, JD, and Stan! (our house Mechanics) are regular freelance contributors to the Wizards of the Coast website. While it's only been a week since the last column appeared, there's a new Notes from the Bunker already up on the Wizards website. This month's topic is action scenes in games, and why they don't usually turn out like the movies.
June 8, 2004
Chat Tonight
Did you happen to see those chat logs we posted yesterday? Well, we're going to be recording again tonight in our Psionics.net chat room. Stop in and talk to us between 5:30 PM and 7:30 PM Pacific (GMT-800).
June 7, 2004
Chat Logs Posted
We've posted the almost-raw logs from the past two Tuesday chats for you to review. We're very social in our chats, but you'll also find some good bits on modern d20 System support and a couple of developer topics.
June 2, 2004
Notes from the Bunker
As many of you know, Rich, JD, and Stan! (our house Mechanics) are regular freelance contributors to the Wizards of the Coast website. This week, Rich has a new Notes from the Bunker column posted which covers the transplanting of fantasy characters to a modern setting.
June 1, 2004
Modern Magic Chat
Tonight, the Mechanics will be gathering in our Psionics.net chat room to talk about Modern Magic, Volume Two between 5:30 PM and 7:30 PM Pacific (GMT-800). Stop in and let us know what you thought of the book, ask any questions you might have about it, and maybe even ask about what's coming up next at TGM.
May 31, 2004
Coming Soon...
It's about time we told you what's coming next. We hope to have the following (and maybe more) done prior to Gen Con: Slave Drivers is the first in a series of modern adventures we'll publish over the summer. In the fantasy category, we have two PDFs building on the legendary weapon rules written by JD and Rich, and re-published in Unearthed Arcana from Wizards of the Coast. Artifacts of the Ages: Rings covers magical jewelry, and Artifacts of the Ages: Legendary Weapons contains a set of weapons contributed by some of our gaming industry friends, plus some new optional rules. More information on all these titles, including a list of authors for Legendary Weapons, will appear on this site in the next couple weeks.
May 25, 2004
Another Interlude--Moving Violation
JD's third Interlude is now online. What's an Interlude? Read the news from May 6 or check out our Freebies page. Moving Violation puts the heroes in a situation no one enjoys: being stopped in their car by the police. In this case, though, its the worst possible time--the heroes are on their way back from a combat encounter.
May 24, 2004
Modern Magic, Volume Two Released!
Your patience has paid off. The Game Mechanics announce the release of our 11th PDF book: Modern Magic, Volume Two. Inside, you'll find more great resources for modern d20 System campaigns using FX. Volume Two includes: new spells and FX equipment; rules for Voudon spellcasting, the Loa, and ritual possessions; details on using forensic science to investigate magical crimes, including the new Arcane Investigator advanced class; and talismans, natural elements, and rituals that nonspellcasters can use to protect themselves from magical attack. For a taste, check out the updated Modern Magic Preview, now containing spells and FX equipment from both volumes.
May 20, 2004
Crisis on Canyon Road
As many of you know, Rich, JD, and Stan! (our house Mechanics) are regular freelance contributors to the Wizards of the Coast website. This week, Stan! has a new adventure posted. In Crisis on Canyon Road, an adventure for 17th-level characters, the heroes have the opportunity to show whether or not they have what it takes to be heroes in the truest sense.
May 12, 2004
More Modern Magic
You've all been very patient about Modern Magic, Volume Two, and the Mechanics appreciate that. We've just posted the cover and some sample art for you, and the PDF should be out in the next two weeks. Check out the updated product page for specifics! We'll try to update our Modern Magic free preview with material from Volume Two in the next week, too.
Another Interlude--Class Reunion
JD's second Interlude is now online. What's an Interlude? Read the news from May 6 or check out our Freebies page. Class Reunion catches one of the heroes in an airport cocktail lounge while waiting for a connecting flight, and bumping into an old high school friend.
Thieves' Quarter in Print
We have reports that the print version of our Thieves' Quarter PDF has been seen in shops. Check for it with your local retailer and download our free preview material--we think that GMs will really appreciate this book!
May 6, 2004
A New Kind of Freebie: Interludes
Interludes are opportunities for heroes to tackle life's little problems in their own extraordinary way. These brief encounters give the heroes a chance to shine in situations that don't involve a campaign's grander themes. Dinner and a Show puts the heroes in an ordinary restaurant, and interrupts their meal with a loud and aggressive fellow patron who's had a few too many.
May 4, 2004
Back In Chat
A quick reminder: The Mechanics will be making an effort spend more time in our Psionics.net chat room on Tuesdays between 5:30 PM and 7:30 PM Pacific (GMT-800). That'd be today.
April 28, 2004
Thieves' Quarter (Print) News
Green Ronin has announced that Thieves' Quarter is printed and ready for distribution. They have also posted a four-page free preview, including two Thieves' Quarter businesses, Tymdrin's House of Fortune and the Dancing Kegs tavern. Of course, we have already the Sea-Wolf Tavern and the Lover's Quarrel available as free downloads for the PDF version.
April 26, 2004
Hellboy Movie Review
Rich Redman really appreciated the small details he saw in Hellboy, the sort of details he likes to use when crafting an adventure or building a campaign.
April 15, 2004
Tuesdays: Back In Chat
The Mechanics will be making an effort spend more time in our Psionics.net chat room. Each Tuesday, one or more of us should be there between 5:30 PM and 7:30 PM Pacific (GMT-800). Stop in and let us know what you're thinking.
April 5, 2004
New Modern Spell Sheets
Our latest free download combines all the spells from Modern Player's Companion, Modern Magic, Urban Arcana, and the d20 Modern Roleplaying Game into a single tracking sheet for each modern spellcaster.
March 24, 2004
Latest Notes from the Bunker
Rich Redman, one of the owners and authors here at The Game Mechanics, has his latest Notes from the Bunker column up on the Wizards of the Coast website. This month, he shares a system for creating stats for real-world vehicles in the d20 Modern Roleplaying Game.
March 15, 2004
Cue Rant Mode
Another opinion piece from Rich Redman. Surviving years of feedback from gaming customers, Rich knows a few things you should and shouldn't do if you really want a company to pay attention to you.
March 10, 2004
New Helpware Cause: The Daniel Fund
The free material on our Freebies page is Helpware: It's free for the taking, but we ask that you consider donating to a good cause if you think it has value. Our new cause is the Daniel Fund, organized by Andy Collins and Gwendolyn Kestrel.
March 8, 2004
Modern Magic, Volume Two Information
What's coming in the second PDF volume of Modern Magic? More new spells and magic items! Rules for Voudon spellcasting, the Loa, and ritual possessions! Forensic science for magical crimes! As you can tell by all the exclamation points, we're excited about all this.
March 1, 2004
Chat Tonight
Tonight's chat starts at 5:00 Pacific (GMT-800). In addition to the Mechanics, we'll also have contributing authors Eric Cagle, Mat Smith, and Christopher West, and a few others may show up as well. Chat will focus on Modern Magic (Eric and Mat) and Thieves' Quarter (JD and Chris). Our Feedback page has instructions on how to access the chat.
February 27, 2004
February Bundles Almost Over
As the name implies, our February Bundles will be going away soon. We'll leave them up for our chat on March 1 (so we can remind you one last time!) but they'll disappear shortly afterward. If you've been putting it off, now is the time to jump on these PDF package deals. Get Modern Player's Companion, Volume One with Martial Arts Mayhem, Volume One, or get Swords of Our Fathers or Staves of Ascendance paired with Cromagh's Guide to Goblinoids. Each pair is only $8, which is $2 less than individual cover price!
February 26, 2004
Latest Notes from the Bunker
Rich Redman, one of the owners and authors here at The Game Mechanics, has his latest Notes from the Bunker column up on the Wizards of the Coast website. This month, he writes about creating weapon stats for use with the d20 Modern Roleplaying Game.
February 25, 2004
March 1 Chat Guests
The chat on March 1st (5:00 Pacific [GMT-800]) will have a number of special guests in addition to The Game Mechanics. Confirmed are Eric Cagle, Mat Smith, and Christopher West. Eric and Mat were authors on Modern Magic, Volume One and Chris worked with JD on Thieves' Quarter, as well as doing cartography there and in Come for the Reaping. Our Feedback page has instructions on how to access the chat.
February 17, 2004
Thieves' Quarter Released!
Our latest book from authors JD Wiker and Christopher West is finally out! With two dozen lushly-created maps by master cartographer Christopher West, dozens of fully-developed NPCs, and extensive encounter tables loaded with adventure hooks, the Thieves' Quarter is a ready-made mini-setting designed to be dropped into nearly any d20 fantasy campaign at a moment's notice. Need a tavern in a hurry? An inn? An alchemist? A conspiracy? How about a Thieves' Guild? From a single street urchin to the full Thieves' Quarter, our fantasy urban setting is designed so GMs can choose as little or as much as they like for their home campaigns. For free samples, go to the Freebies page and check out The Lover's Quarrel and The Sea-Wolf Tavern.
February 15, 2004
Thieves' Quarter Gets Its Cover
The PDF version of Thieves' Quarter finally has its cover, featuring the art of Clarence Harrison. As usual, we've posted a full-sized, screen-resolution version for you to see.
Next Chat: March 1
The Mechanics will be in our IRC chat room on March 1. Things will get started at 5:00 Pacific time (GMT-800) and run for an hour or so. We'll talk about our products (especially Thieves' Quarter and the next Modern Magic book) and anything else related to hobby gaming. The Feedback page contains easy instructions for accessing the chat.
Seven Sacred Mountains School
Rich Redman wrote this new martial arts school to promote the print version of Martial Arts Mayhem that Green Ronin has published for us. We're finally getting it posted on our own site. While the majority of the schools presented in Martial Arts Mayhem were inspired by real-world styles of martial arts, Seven Sacred Mountains School teaches a style of "divine martial arts" that might exist in a world where the devout can accomplish miraculous things through faith alone.
February 13, 2004
Thieves' Quarter is Imminent
The Game Mechanics have been working on Thieves' Quarter for almost a year now, and it's now in proofing. Look for it on RPGNow early next week! By the way, it's new full name is "Thieves' Quarter: A City Quarters Sourcebook."
Our designers learned from years of experience that most GMs treat setting materials as a smorgasboard, picking and choosing the tastiest bits for their own settings. Thieves' Quarter (and the rest of the City Quarters Sourcebook series) present a deeply-detailed section of a fantasy city, usable as a whole but modular and designed for easy "mining." Whether you need the full city, a single merchant, or anything in between, Thieves' Quarter and the other future City Quarters Sourcebooks have what you need for your homegrown fantasy d20 setting. Check out The Sea-Wolf Tavern on our Freebies page for a free sample!
February 10, 2004
The Game Mechanics and Unearthed Arcana
Not only do TGM authors contribute to official Wizards of the Coast products, but Wizards is also using TGM material in Unearthed Arcana. First, Swords of Our Fathers is cited in the OGL page for Unearthed Arcana. In addition, Rich Redman has a credit in the book, and is interviewed with the rest of the book team on the Wizards site.
February 5, 2004
The Game Mechanics have been very fortunate to have Christopher West help us with our cartography needs, but come on--he's just one guy and we're not his only source of projects! We've got an ambitious schedule for 2004, and we need to grow our pool of mapping resources. If you're interested in working with us, send a sample map to . Use a telling subject: There are too many viruses out there and we don't want to accidentally delete your submission. Please use a universal format like JPG rather than a proprietary file. Links to websites showcasing your mapping skills are also acceptable. Thanks, and we look forward to hearing from you!
Plus Ça Change
By Rich Redman. "The more things change, the more they stay the same." TGM's just-passed anniversary gives Rich an excuse to talk about change.
February 2, 2004
February Bundle Specials!
The Game Mechanics release our first product late in January, 2003. To celebrate our first year in business, we're offering special product bundles during February. This month, get special two-PDF bundles, normally $10, for only $8! Bundles include Swords of Our Fathers with Cromagh's Guide to Goblinoids, Staves of Ascendance with Cromagh's Guide to Goblinoids, and Modern Player's Companion, Volume One with Martial Arts Mayhem, Volume One. From all of us at The Game Mechanics, thanks for helping us make our first year a success!
January 28, 2004
Stan! at the Meadowlands
Look for Stan! at Winter Fantasy at the Meadowlands Exposition Center in Secaucus, New Jersey. Weather permitting, Stan! will be running "The Ghost In The End Zone," a new modern d20 System adventure of his own design, throughout the weekend. And next week he'll be hanging around NYC, so look for him at all the city's poshest games and comics emporiums.
January 26, 2004
Modern Magic, Volume One Released!
Modern Magic, Volume One brings brings magic and spellcasting into the 21st century. Including new spells and items crafted with a modern perspective, expanded rules for ritual magic, and new options for magic in today's military, Modern Magic, Volume One brings a fresh, contemporary feel to the magic and spellcasting in your modern d20 System game. Get a free sample of Modern Magic, Volume One by downloading the Modern Magic Preview from our website.
Mechanics and the Modern SRD
With the recent update to the Modern System Reference Document (Modern SRD), all three of the TGM staff authors now receive credits! So, when you're looking for independent books for modern d20 System games, we think you should start with the people who helped write the modern d20 System rules. Find out more about our staff authors in their bio pages: Rich Redman, JD Wiker, and Stan!
New Martial Arts Mayhem Material
We're catching up with Green Ronin Publishing, where they have three sample pages from the print version of Martial Arts Mayhem available. Now you can get those sample pages through our Freebies page, too.
January 16, 2004
New Free Adventure from Stan!
Wizards of the Coast has published Resolutions, the final installment of the Heartless mini-campaign by Stan!. So stop in at the Wizards website to get the latest modern adventure by a Mechanic, and while you're at it, check out The Stannex for a set of illustrations by Stan! for use with the adventure.
Game Mechanics are the d20 Future
When you purchase TGM books, you're getting d20 material from the same people that Wizards of the Coast uses to write the "official" books you love so much. This time, JD Wiker has a cover credit on the upcoming d20 Future, and Stan! is also a contributor. For more info on the Wizards books our writers have designed, check their bio pages: Rich Redman, JD Wiker, and Stan!
January 11, 2003
Modern Magic Gets a Cover
Modern Magic, our sourcebook for magic in the 21st Century, now has a cover. The product page also has rotating sample development sketches of art from inside the book.
January 5, 2004
Reminder: Chat Tonight
A quick reminder that The Mechanics will be in our IRC chat room on tonight, starting at 5:00 Pacific time (GMT-800). The Feedback page contains easy instructions for accessing the chat.
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