Coming Releases - Let Your Thoughts Be Heard

I wanted to talk about my primary projects and let everyone know what the plans are and field any questions people might have regarding any of those materials. FRONTIER UNLIMITED PUBLISHING™ <a href="/node/2618" target="_blank">Frontier Unlimited Publishing™</a> will be the project through which all the books I've planned will be presented as PDF's. It is also a service through which I will provide PDF design for your finished projects (detailed on the Front Page). You might recognize this from the name of the temporary Frontier Unlimited Magazine that was being planned for a short moment the other week. Since the name was my idea, I decided to turn it into the publishing project I had planned. You can find a <a href="/node/2619" target="_blank">schedule</a> for planned publishing dates in the documents section of that project. No one project I've started is set in stone until it's published. Each member of this site has an opportunity to help shape how each of those books turns out. But once those projects are laid out and bound into a PDF, it will be too late to influence it. Few, if any, changes will be made after that. Story Based Strictly on Canon Each book is meant to build upon canon (previous printed material), with Alpha Dawn as the guiding principle. Thus story will not be changed at all except where the story element would be impossible or contradicts other elements. In each publication, story material will be compiled and expanded from original Star Frontiers canon, including rulebooks, modules, and original printed magazines. While many story elements will be added for that expansed material, it will not exceed the canon through contradiction or rewrite. Flexible Mechanics Mechanics is a different story. There are a lot of mechanics in Star Frontiers that works fine, but there are several that are often changed by many for their own purposes because the original mechanic is cumbersome, unrealistic, too mild to justify, useless, or just unplayable. Such a mechanic will be improved, updated, redesigned, replaced, or cut altogether. Options are provided that allow the Referee to loosen their belt a little so that the Referee doesn't have to create new mechanics, but can choose a mechanic that best suits their game. This is most prevalent in the skills in the <a href="/node/320" target="_blank">Alpha Dawn 25th Anniversary Edition Rulebook</a> (AER), which allows the Referee to control how powerful the skills are in every way, and allows the referee to use the preset success rates, ability-based success rates, or the optional resolution mechanic of ZG. Another standard thing seen in all the books will be the division of the Basic and Expanded games so that players can stick with the Basic game in using all the books if they so choose. Appropriate Distribution of Material Now, even though the AER groups Alpha Dawn, Knight Hawks, Zebulon's Guide to Frontier Space (ZG), and Dragon Magazine articles into one amalgamated volume, not everything that appears in those books will appear in AER. Some of those things are being sent to other books. For instance, I just got through putting the Organic Computer rules from the Dragon article "A Fistful of Credits" into the <a href="/node/1116" target="_blank">Bioware</a> section of the <a href="/node/1086" target="_blank">Gamma Dawn Sourcebook</a>. I also put the Mentalist discipline from ZG into that same book a while back. SCHEDULED PUBLICATIONS IN PRODUCTION The preliminary release schedule I made is fairly optimistic, but I'm going to try to hold to it as best I can. With your help, we can all make it happen. Remember, too, that if you choose not to contribute to one of these, and through the graciousness of the community it becomes a staple of Star Frontiers game play, then the only person you can blame for any mechanics slipping into it that you don't like is yourself. Now is your chance to influence the project. If a person doesn't make an effort to make their voice known, then any opposition posed by that person when the PDF is released won't mean anything at all. Below is listed each planned book and a brief description. If you want to know more about the project, just click on the link to go to the project. You will find a breakdown of each project and its intended materials in a Read Me post in each project's forum. <a href="/node/320" target="_blank"><img src="http://starfrontiers.us/files/proj_img/ad-AER_sm_0.jpg" align="left" hspace="10" vspace="5" />Alpha Dawn™ 25th Anniversary Edition Rulebook (AER)</a> - Inspired by the game by David Cook and Lawrance Schick, this book combines essential elements of Alpha Dawn, Knight Hawks, Zebulon's Guide to Frontier Space, and Dragon Magazine articles for a comprehensive Star Frontiers™ gaming experience. Provides complete Basic and Expanded game rules, and provides a wide range of flexbility in game play without becoming too unbalanced. Choose your own way to play. Though I have closed this to outside manipulation, your input is still very much desired, as a book of this nature won't be popular unless those who it is intended for like it. <a href="/node/2097" target="_blank">READ ME</a> <a href="/node/134" target="_blank"><img src="http://starfrontiers.us/files/proj_img/betadawn_sm.jpg" align="left" hspace="10" vspace="5" />Beta Dawn™ Sourcebook</a> - Provides cybernetics, bionics, and cybernetic organism rules. Inspired by the transhumanist movement and the cyberpunk genré, Beta Dawn is designed to take your Star Frontiers game to a whole new level of science fiction. Elements of Disney's Tron™, the Matrix™, The Lawnmower Man™, Ghost in the Shell™, and the works of William Gibson can be found in this book. Everything for turning your character into a cyborg is provided. We need fans of hard science and of cyberpunk to expand this book. If you're interested in contributing and seeing these elements in action, it's waiting. <a href="/node/2106" target="_blank">READ ME</a> <a href="/node/1086" target="_blank"><img src="http://starfrontiers.us/files/proj_img/gammadawn_sm.jpg" align="left" hspace="10" vspace="5" />Gamma Dawn™ Sourcebook</a> - Originally inspired by TSR™'s original Gamma World and initially compiled for Star Frontiers by Steve Ireland, Gamma Dawn focuses strictly on physical and mental mutations, cloning, and bioware. Everything you want to know about how to create new creatures or mutant freaks is provided here. Two of the most popular aspects of this book are bound to be the bioware devices and mentalist capabilities. Right now, the book is in need of some balancing. You have a chance to take part and say "I helped make the mechanics that balanced that out". Even if you are not interested in the fanciful concepts of mutants and psionics, bioware is a serious field of study in today's scientific community and could be a great addition to your game. <a href="/node/2095" target="_blank">READ ME</a> <a href="/node/1507" target="_blank"><img src="http://starfrontiers.us/files/proj_img/deltadawn_sm.jpg" align="left" hspace="10" vspace="5" />Delta Dawn™ Sourcebook</a> - Expanding the board game theme, Delta Dawn introduces rules for large scale combat with squads, squadrons, platoons and fleets, and even provides a host of new vehicles and warbots, as well as rules for conducting roleplaying war games and extended flight rules. It provides details on LandFleet battles and on historical wars fought by the UPF, as well as making scenarios. Fight battles like they've never been fought before with a list of battle equipment that would make your war-hardened uncle blush. Get in on the ground level of this publication to participate in the many conversations that have already been started on this book, and help turn it into something to be proud of. <a href="/node/2092" target="_blank">READ ME</a> <a href="/node/367" target="_blank"><img src="http://starfrontiers.us/files/proj_img/starlawcampaign_sm.jpg" align="left" hspace="10" vspace="5" />Star Law™ Campaign Book</a> - Inspired by the Star Law emphasis of Alpha Dawn, this book provides the backdrop and materials you need to conduct and improve your Star Law adventures. There you will find real police equipment and vehicles designed for criminal apprehension and the skills necessary to be a successful Star Law officer. But this book doesn't just benefit Star Law; it also provides details on local law enforcement for individual star systems, as well as material for running campaigns in the other emergency services such as medical and fire rescue. This is raw material ready to be built from the ground up, and you have the opportunity to be a part of its development here and now. <a href="/node/2094" target="_blank">READ ME</a> <a href="/node/2700" target="_blank"><img src="http://starfrontiers.us/files/proj_img/T&Fcover.jpg" align="left" hspace="10" vspace="5" />Traders & Freighters™ Guidebook (TFG)</a> - The latest addition to the lineup is the Traders & Freighters Guidebook, which focuses on trade in the frontier and provides the first newest boardgame element to Star Frontiers in twenty-four years. Inspired by Dragon Magazine and Star Frontiersman Magazine articles on trade, this book will take trade from the mundane to the fringes of heartattack. Look out for pirates and underworld kingpins, or become one yourself. Amass riches in any way you want and conquer worlds with the power of the credit. Though I have closed this to outside manipulation, as with AER, I am hoping for lots of input, particularly on the pirates and organized crime syndicates, as well as creating the boardgame of corporate intrigue and planetary acquisition. <a href="/node/2703" target="_blank">READ ME </a> There are several other works in the pipeline. These are simply the ones opened to production at this time. QUESTIONS? If you have questions about any of these projects, let me know here, or sign up for the project in question and get started helping to expand this great game of ours. I look forward to hearing from everyone. And remember, just because I counter an idea, doesn't mean that idea is automatically conquered. I expect lively debates and counter-arguments from all sides in each and every project, and the best idea will win.

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