Open Design Blog

The second of the outlines has been posted for patrons supporting the project, this one for the City-State of Zobeck, a worldbuilding project. If you'd like to become a patron, please review the final vote results and join today!

For more general information on Open Design, please see the Project Summaries.

Thanks to everyone who voted in the straw poll; I'm intrigued that the public results don't actually match the patron votes. The straw poll picked "City-State of Zobeck" as the front-runner, which makes sense given all the spells, monsters, and PC goodies that project offers, plus the worldbuilding essays.

However, "Empire of the Ghouls" is ahead among the patrons who have chosen to fund the work, so I've written a rough copy of that outline and posted it for the patrons to review and comment. If you'd like to offer your critique, please donate to the project today.

      
Senior Patron of the Arts
This is the inside track, with access to the manuscript, art, maps, and commentary not available with the standard membership. I'd recommend a minimum $60 donation. There is no upper limit.



You gain all the standard privileges listed below, plus:

• Acknowledgment in the credits
  
• Direct access to the project manuscript
  
• Access to Q&A sessions about RPG design
  
• Ability to suggest design essay topics
  
• Review sketches, art, maps, handouts, and other graphic elements

For those donating $100 or more, the following additional perks of patronage:

• A private game in Seattle
  
• An in-person or online review of your own adventures or game designs
  
• A prominent listing in the project dedication and credits
  
• Suggest a concept: your pitch may become the next Open Design project!

      
Standard Membership
As a standard member your vote determines which project gets written. You also receive:

• The complete adventure written with your influence, delivered as a PDF, plus all updates and errata.
  
• Access to private posts discussing the design.
  
• You influence the design from outline to final form, with polls and comments.
  
• Read in-depth design essays on topics chosen by patrons.
  
• Acknowledgment in the credits.
  
• The adventure will not be sold to the public.

      
Apprentice Member
This level of donation is intended for students, actively serving members of the military, or gamers who lack the funds for a regular membership. It provides access to the design site and a copy of the completed adventure. Please confirm by joining with your .edu or .mil account if possible; a limited number of apprentice memberships is available.


Join as a patron and feel like a Medici today!

In the past, Open Design projects have been chosen by the patrons who fund them. This time, I figured, what the hell, why not let everyone vote for fun? The votes won't determine which project wins (donations do that), but they do determine what project gets cut from the roster first.

Here are the three possible projects; vote for your favorite below, then donate to watch the design unfold.

The Black Prince
EDIT: Removed, did not win enough donations and support from patrons. Down to two!

The City-State of Zobeck: All Levels of Play
EDIT: Removed, did not win enough donations and support from patrons. Down to just one!

The Empire of the Ghouls: Suggested Levels 8-12
This Underdark adventure pits the party against a civilization of intelligent, shadow-powered, hideously strong ghouls who dominate the Underdark and have enslaved gnomes, dwarves, and even the drow. They are now ready to seize a city of cloakers, a place of hanging stalagtites and elder cloakers who control an ancient artifact. If the ghouls seize it, their power will double, and shadow-walking assassins will soon become commonplace on the surface world. The party must enter the Underdark, survive, and destroy the ghoul empire at its heart.
    Probably at least 60,000 words long, "Empire" will take a minimum five months to write.

To commission your choice and watch it being designed, join as a patron today! The memberships start at $30, and if the commission is not met by March 31st, you get a full refund. Click the button below for the standard membership, or review the Senior Patron memberships after the poll.As a standard member you receive:

• The complete adventure written with your influence, delivered as a PDF, plus all updates and errata.
  
• Access to private posts discussing the design.
  
• You influence the design from outline to final form, with polls and comments.
  
• Read in-depth design essays on topics chosen by patrons.
  
• The adventure will not be sold to the public.

Senior Patron of the Arts
This is the inside track, with access to the manuscript, art sketches, maps, and commentary and Q&A not available with the standard membership. I'd recommend a minimum $75 donation. There is no upper limit.


You gain all the standard privileges listed above, plus:

• Acknowledgment in the credits
  
• Direct access to the project manuscript
  
• Access to design Q&A sessions
  
• Ability to suggest design essay topics
  
• Review sketches, art, maps, handouts, and other graphic elements

For those donating $100 or more, the following additional perks of patronage:

• A private game in Seattle
  
• An in-person or online chat about your own adventures or game designs
  
• A prominent listing in the project dedication and credits
  
• Suggest a concept for Open Design #4: your pitch may become the next Open Design!