Sunday, November 22, 2015

Dungeons in Blue: The New Stuff

It's been quiet here since the TPK in the Wilds, and the last Tile of the Week post in the series, at least for now. It's nice to have a posting break, especially since work's been a bit hectic lately.

I took a look at my schedule of releases for 2015 and realized I need to push out some new products if I'm going to make my goal for the year. Here's a quick update on new Dungeons in Blue releases on DriveThruRPG.

I've added three new expansion sets: Set D, Set E and Set F, along with the discount bundle that contains all three. Expansion sets are collections of varied geomorphs that include all the features and tunnel styles available in Dungeons in Blue. You'll find sewers, mines, extra wide corridors and caverns and cross-tile water features in these products. You'll also start seeing tiles that include...

Lava! There are already lava tiles in Dungeons in Blue, but the new Lava Flows geomorph sets add cross-tile lava rivers and lakes that are perfect for a volcanic dungeon or a visit to the plane of fire. Lava Flows One, TwoThree and the discounted Lava Flows Triple Pack kick off this fiery addition to Dungeons in Blue.

Here are a few preview images (one-third scale), to show you what these tiles look like.

Expansion Set E Preview
Lava Flows Two Preview
That's it, for now! Thanks, as always, for reading!

Monday, November 16, 2015

The Wilds - An Ending, of Sorts

So, last week saw the end of my Wilds play by email Labyrinth Lord campaign. The party was completely wiped out in the depths of Blackpool Maze. This is just a final note to put a bow on the package, so to speak.

Friday, November 13, 2015

Tile of the Week #100

One hundred tiles. That can't be right, can it? I guess so. Here's the latest Tile of the Week geomorph. It's a four-way intersection with a built-in elevation change.

Player Version



All Tile of the Week images are free for private use. You can download the images above using right-click/save as. Each tile is a 100px per five-foot square image, sized for compatibility with Dungeons in Blue geomorphs. The entire Tile of the Week Collection is also available as a pay what you want bundle if you're feeling lazy.

With 100 tiles in this set, I'm going to take a break from new tiles, at least for a while.

Monday, November 9, 2015

Wilds - Death Count Holding (For Now)

In which, the party continues to stand in the middle of the prepared ambush slugging it out. It does not go well, but no one else is dead, yet.

Saturday, November 7, 2015

The Wilds - Tasty Cleric!

Things are getting complicated for the party. One dead, one held, and one being dragged off by giant lizards (OK, he's dead too). This fight is getting pretty complicated and deadly. It started way back here.

Friday, November 6, 2015

Tile of the Week #99

Here is today's Tile of the Week entry, a corridor corner and pillared chamber with a fountain and two staircases.

Player Version



All Tile of the Week images are free for private use. You can download the images above using right-click/save as. Each tile is a 100px per five-foot square image, sized for compatibility with Dungeons in Blue geomorphs. The entire Tile of the Week Collection is also available as a pay what you want bundle if you're feeling lazy.

Friday, October 30, 2015

Tile of the Week #98

This week's Tile of the Week entry is a well-defended dungeon passage. Plenty of arrow slits and a couple secrets make for tough going here.

Player Version



All Tile of the Week images are free for private use. You can download the images above using right-click/save as. Each tile is a 100px per five-foot square image, sized for compatibility with Dungeons in Blue geomorphs. The entire Tile of the Week Collection is also available as a pay what you want bundle if you're feeling lazy.

Thursday, October 29, 2015

The Wilds - Death Pit, Round Two

This is a double-header update from The Wilds. The last turn involved a lot of maneuvering to little effect, but that all changed today.

Sunday, October 25, 2015

Minecraft City Builder: Stage IV Report

Stage four of my Citybuilder Challenge city is now done. This was a fairly easy stage to complete because most of the groundwork was in place when I started. I also had a bunch of materials stockpiled so the building was fast. As I mentioned in my last report, I upgraded my existing town hall to the city hall, and I'd already started on some of the fortifications. So, without further ado, here are some progress shots:

Friday, October 23, 2015

Tile of the Week #97

Here is today's Tile of the Week entry. This is a simple four-way intersection with a pool in the center. A number of statues are scattered around the central chamber.

Player Version



All Tile of the Week images are free for private use. You can download the images above using right-click/save as. Each tile is a 100px per five-foot square image, sized for compatibility with Dungeons in Blue geomorphs. The entire Tile of the Week Collection is also available as a pay what you want bundle if you're feeling lazy.

Thursday, October 22, 2015

The Wilds - Knock Knock Necro

Finally, the party gets moving. There's absolutely no chance the enemy has set an ambush after they wasted time wandering around, spiking doors and searching bodies...

Tuesday, October 20, 2015

Wilds - Two Steps Forward

The party has fallen into one of their periodic we move 10 feet and see what happens cycles, which I find kind of annoying, so this is a pretty short turn. I may have to implement the RFED (*) stress track for this game to get the group to move faster.

Sunday, October 18, 2015

Minecraft Citybuilder: Stage Three Fini!

No, I haven't given up yet. Stage three of my Minecraft Citybuilder Challenge is now done, with some extras in place that put me part way through stage four out of the way too. Of course, that might be cheating, but I'll have to see how I feel about pushing through to the final stages of this challenge.

Friday, October 16, 2015

Tile of the Week #96

Here is today's Tile of the Week entry. A bit of a change of pace, this full-sized geomorph shows a surface area with a few simple buildings and a mine entrance.


Player Version



All Tile of the Week images are free for private use. You can download the images above using right-click / save as. Each tile is a 100px per five-foot square image, sized for compatibility with Dungeons in Blue geomorphs. The entire Tile of the Week Collection is also available as a pay what you want bundle if you're feeling lazy.

Thursday, October 15, 2015

The Wilds - Mop Up

Things are looking pretty good for the party, but there are still a few loose ends.

Wednesday, October 14, 2015

Wilds - Broken Ambush

The party was off to a shaky start, with a few people getting hammered hard by the giant lizard ambush. It didn't help that they lost initiative every round. Maybe things change.

Saturday, October 10, 2015

Minecraft Citybuilder: Stage Two and Beyond

I'm still progressing on my Minecraft Citybuilder Challenge. Looking over what I've built and written about to date, I've realized I never posted about completing stage two. Guess what? Stage two is done!

City Hall at Night

Friday, October 9, 2015

Tile of the Week #95

Here is today's Tile of the Week entry. This week's entry is a somewhat simple half-tile dungeon corridor, with stairs down to a sewer complex.


Player Version



All Tile of the Week images are free for private use. You can download the images above using right-click/save as. Each tile is a 100px per five-foot square image, sized for compatibility with Dungeons in Blue geomorphs. The entire Tile of the Week Collection is also available as a pay what you want bundle if you're feeling lazy.

Wednesday, October 7, 2015

Making NPC Decisions with the Mythic GM Emulator

The Mythic Game Master Emulator is a well-known system for running RPGs without a GM, or for providing extra plots twists and scene detail for GMs that lack planning time. It uses an ingenious scene, chaos and table system to spin out answers to yes/no questions and insert plot twists into the game as you play. I use Mythic GME quite a bit, both to inspire myself as I run games or for solitaire play.

Tuesday, October 6, 2015

PBE Games - August/September Review

Time for another update on PBE Games releases. This post covers products published in August and September.

First on the list are two new Uncommon Ground textures: Grated, a roughly hatched pattern that includes some funky color variants, and Fabricated, an abstract cloth pattern. Both these textures include four different versions and are licensed for private and commercial use.

Next up are several Dungeons in Blue tile packs. I've released three new Expansion Packs, standard tile sets that use all the various corridors, waterways, sewers and other features found in previously released specialty packs. Expansion Packs are available individually or in a triple pack discount bundle. I've also released Border Bits, a collection of edge tiles to tidy up the dungeon perimeter.

Expansion Set A Preview

Finally, I've published the first discount bundle of Hexed Places. This product contains the first five Hexed Places outdoor encounter areas.

The next couple months should see six new Expansion Packs, five new Mega Tiles, more Small Dungeons and a set of lava-based geomorphs for Dungeons in Blue hit the shelves. I also have a couple new Uncommon Ground textures and at least one more One Page table in the queue. I have more Hexed Places in the works too, but my progress on these is slower than I'd like, so no promises on delivery dates yet.

That's it for now. Thanks, as always for reading.

Monday, October 5, 2015

Wilds - In the Dark

Raúguey says, "Did we come here to get the necromancer or hide? What's the plan? We're not running again, are we?"

Grendor takes the lead, “Form up everyone, we’re pressing west. Normal marching order. We’re heading to the northwest diagonal corridor and then south down West Hall. We’ll engage the enemy when we spot them, but keep your eyes open for possible ambushes. Let’s not let them decide where the battle is joined.” With grins on their faces, Strom and Raúguey move up to start the push.

Thursday, October 1, 2015

The Wilds - Tactical Retreat

Last turn, the party discovered an ambush set by a pack of kobolds in the pit. The kobolds fired once, retreated and barred the doors behind them. Confused party is confused.

Wednesday, September 30, 2015

Minecraft - Citybuilder Stage One: Complete!

First Settlement
The first stage of my Citybuilder Challenge is now complete. It took more time than I'd hoped, mostly because I was too lazy to upgrade my house while I messed around with the town wall design (you can see it in the background of the image above. Let's check the list.

Tuesday, September 29, 2015

Minecraft - City Builder Challenge

I haven't played Minecraft in a while, since patch 1.8.0 or so, and I feel like building something, so I've decided to take on a City Builder Challenge. The basic idea of this challenge is to build a complete city using guidelines and limits outlined on the linked page. There are five phases, plus a bonus phase. Hopefully using this as a structure for my play will get me past the usual "build a few buildings, get bored and start over" ennui I usually encounter in Minecraft.

Monday, September 28, 2015

The Wilds - Kobold Ambush

After exploring most of the level without encountering anyone, the party finds themselves engaged with missile using kobolds in the arena-like pit room.

Friday, September 25, 2015

Tile of the Week #94

It's time for a Tile of the Week post! Today's tile is a watery cavern that runs right past a small finished chamber with double doors. Connected? Maaaaybe.

Player Map



All Tile of the Week images are free for private use. You can download the images above using right-click / save as. Each tile is a 100px per five-foot square image, sized for compatibility with Dungeons in Blue geomorphs. The entire Tile of the Week Collection is also available as a pay what you want bundle if you're feeling lazy.

Thursday, September 24, 2015

Wilds - Hall Crawl

Ohwatoo warns everyone to avoid the refreshed summoning circle as Durego examines the doors in the statue room for traps using his spell. No magic is detected, so the group opens the north door and works their way across the pit [I'm not going to mention the trap checking on each door]. There's nothing in sight in the east-west hall, so Raúguey, Durego and Strom keep watch while Ingvild and Mordikarr check out the secret passages and Maro and Grendor check the east hall that leads back toward the entry. It's all empty, as is the small room in the intersection.

"It's as if the place is abandoned," whispers Dagmarten.

"Maybe we scared them off, or deeper?" says Rawon. The cleric nods and falls in as the others move west toward the grate room, checking passages and rooms as they go.The rooms along the hall and just to the south are all empty, and most of the doors are open (the lever room is closed and appears undisturbed when Ingvild peeks inside).

Monday, September 21, 2015

Wilds - Fooling About

After the split-party misadventures of the last few turns, the group is ready to get back to the dungeon and put an end to the Necromancer once and for all. As usual, the random weather generator has the last laugh.

Start Date: April 1
Start Status: We won't get fooled again
Start Location: Outside Blackpool Maze

The Turn

"At least the rain will wash away our tracks," mutters Rawon as he watches Strom try to keep the small camp fire alight in the downpour.

"Always looking on the bright side, ain't ya," grumbles the dwarf as he succeeds in getting yet another piece of soaked wood to catch fire.

Sunday, September 20, 2015

Wilds - Divide and Conquor

So, the party decided to split up last turn, which lead to a bunch of short back and forth with one side. The following (hopefully) captures everything that happened and gets us caught up.

Wilds players keep out, there are spoilers!

Friday, September 18, 2015

Tile of the Week #93

Here is today's Tile of the Week entry. Continuing the intersection and elevation change theme, this is a cave crossing with two cliff-like drops along the way. A finished hallway also connects to this geomorph, creating a four-way intersection.

Player Version



All Tile of the Week images are free for private use. You can download the images above using right-click / save as. Each tile is a 100px per five-foot square image, sized for compatibility with Dungeons in Blue geomorphs. The entire Tile of the Week Collection is also available as a pay what you want bundle if you're feeling lazy.

And, in case you missed the announcement, I've just released a bundle deal of Hexed Places, sandbox-style outdoor hexes suitable for use with most OSR-style games. I hope you'll check them out!

Friday, September 11, 2015

Tile of the Week #92

Today's Tile of the Week entry is a four-way intersection with an elevation change illuminated by a pair of everburning flames.

Player Version



All Tile of the Week images are free for private use. You can download the images above using right-click / save as. Each tile is a 100px per five-foot square image, sized for compatibility with Dungeons in Blue geomorphs. The entire Tile of the Week Collection is also available as a pay what you want bundle if you're feeling lazy.

Thursday, September 10, 2015

Wilds - Goals and Objections

When Ingvild starts unlocking the next door, Durego shakes his head and moves back down the hall. "Where are you going?" whispers Rawon.

"This is a waste of time and dangerous to boot. I'm going back up to Pillar Hall. We need to get back to what we're here to do." The priest moves past Ohwatoo, who is still watching the pit room, and starts up the ladder.

Monday, September 7, 2015

The Wilds - More Doors

After a little contention, the group finally agrees to some cautious exploration before heading back up the rope ladder for another stab at the necromancer.

Saturday, September 5, 2015

Friday, September 4, 2015

Tile of the Week #91

Here is today's Tile of the Week entry, a simple four-way intersection with stairs leading up/down on three sides. These stairs could go up or down, so there are no direction arrows. I use several different stair types for different situations. Here's a snippet from the Dungeons in Blue FAQ that explains:

What's the deal with stairs? Shaded, unshaded, arrows, no arrows?

Shaded stairs are paths off the current level (up or down). Unshaded stairs are elevation changes within the current level. Arrows indicate direction, and stairs without can be interpreted as either up or down staircases.

Player Version




All Tile of the Week images are free for private use. You can download the images above using right-click / save as. Each tile is a 100px per five-foot square image, sized for compatibility with Dungeons in Blue geomorphs. The entire Tile of the Week Collection is also available as a pay what you want bundle if you're feeling lazy.

Monday, August 31, 2015

The Wilds - Tight Quarters

As the group discusses the plan for getting down in the hole, Saurabh speaks up, "I think Ingvild has a good idea. Let's save the levitation for escape, not for getting down. We have a rope ladder, and these rocks are big enough to serve as a secure tie-off. Use a length of rope to suspend the ladder from the rocks, cover the exposed parts with some of the debris here, and get moving." [Recall that at least some of the previous room occupants have used the crevice as a disposal chute.]

Friday, August 28, 2015

Tile of the Week #90

Here is today's Tile of the Week entry. Number 90 depicts a large chamber surrounded by big pits and stairways. If you've played any Path of Exile, you may recognize the inspiration for this map.

Player Map




All Tile of the Week images are free for private use. You can download the images above using right-click / save as. Each tile is a 100px per five-foot square image, sized for compatibility with Dungeons in Blue geomorphs. The entire Tile of the Week Collection is also available as a pay what you want bundle if you're feeling lazy.

Thursday, August 27, 2015

The Wilds - Nothing Like a bit of Rain

It takes the party over two hours to cover the remaining distance to the Maze. The continued rain has done the imposssible: made the area even more of a mucky mess. As the party gets close to fog-shrouded walls, Ava takes a pass around the ruin. She returns and reports no sign of activity within the walls. The party advances cautiously, well-aware of the steel-jawed traps that might lurk in the mud.

Monday, August 24, 2015

The Wilds - The Kobold Conversations

When the other members of the party see that Ohwatoo is getting answers from Skarg, the questions pour in. "One at a time!" growls the mage, bringing some order to the process. Turning back to the kobold, he asks, "Now then, how many of these swamp walkers have you seen?"
Skarg scowls and looks down at his fingers, muttering. "Skarg remembers seeing more than one pack. Maybe seven or nine. Or eight. Not sure."

Saturday, August 22, 2015

Tile of the Week #89

Here is today's Tile of the Week entry, a series of hallways with multiple stairways forming a long descent. Yeah, it's a day late, I thought I had more queued up than I actually did.

Tile 89 - Player Version



All Tile of the Week images are free for private use. You can download the images above using right-click / save as. Each tile is a 100px per five-foot square image, sized for compatibility with Dungeons in Blue geomorphs. The entire Tile of the Week Collection is also available as a pay what you want bundle if you're feeling lazy.

Also, if you missed the announcement post I made on G+, there's a new triple pack of expansion tiles available too. This is the first three sets of a new tiles series that incorporates all the various water/corridor types I've put out as separate packages: sewers, cross-tile water, mines and grand hallways/caverns.

Thursday, August 20, 2015

The Wilds - Tense

When we left our party, they were cleaning up the mess after their fight with the brutes, gnolls and kobolds. The last few lines of the last turn...

As Raúguey gets close, there are squeals and shouts from inside the hut. He pauses a few feet away. "Can anyone make out what they're saying?"

Grendor frowns. "It sounds like 'Don't kill us, we surrender! We will leave this place forever and never come back! Don't kill us!'"

"It's a trick," says Durego. "Light them up!"

And that lead to...

Monday, August 17, 2015

The Wilds - Cleanup, Hut Three

Most enemies are down, but we stuck with combat rounds this turn, because there are still fleeing gnolls and cowering kobolds around. Since there are no visible enemies, initiative isn't really a factor.

Friday, August 14, 2015

Tile of the Week #88

Here is today's Tile of the Week entry, a half-tile river crossing that transitions between classic dungeon corridors and natural caverns.

Player Map



All Tile of the Week images are free for private use. You can download the images above using right-click / save as. Each tile is a 100px per five-foot square image, sized for compatibility with Dungeons in Blue geomorphs. The entire Tile of the Week Collection is also available as a pay what you want bundle if you're feeling lazy.

Friday, August 7, 2015

Tile of the Week #87

Here is today's Tile of the Week entry, the fourth of four quarter-sized cavern tunnel/intersection tiles. This one includes a set of stairs and a nice little natural drop-off.  There's also a little fire ring at the bottom of the cliff. Guards?

Player Map



All Tile of the Week images are free for private use. You can download the images above using right-click / save as. Each tile is a 100px per five-foot square image, sized for compatibility with Dungeons in Blue geomorphs. The entire Tile of the Week Collection is also available as a pay what you want bundle if you're feeling lazy. Finally, in case you missed it, I just did a quick recap of all new PBE Games products.

Thursday, August 6, 2015

Wilds - Wet War

OOC: A general note on conditions: this place is a mess. The water is ankle to shin deep most places, and the pools are waist-deep or more. The ground is thick mud. There are a few boulders that stick up from the water, but it's clear the rains have done a good job flooding this place. The structures you see are made from rough-cut timber and elevated a few feet (on boulders and logs). It looks like the roofs are covered in hides, as are the doorways you can see.