Path of Exile Release Date Announced!

Path of Exile by Grinding Gear Games, is an action RPG that's been in open beta for quite a while now. I've written about it before, so I'm not going to spend time describing the game. The thing I will talk about is the October 23rd launch date for Release 1.0.

PBE Games - New Release Double-header

I'm happy to announce two new PBE Games products out this week. First up is the next Dungeons in Blue geomorph pack, Tunnels and Passages, which includes twenty-four classic blue dungeon tiles designed for use with your favorite virtual tabletop. This set is focused on getting from point A to point B in the dungeon. Most tiles are heavy on corridors and passages, light on rooms and chambers. There are still plenty of interesting and dangerous places to visit though!

The second release is the first product in the One Page series. Number One : Minor Treasures is a single page treasure table containing twenty unique, ready-to-use treasures, suitable for any fantasy campaign. Every entry includes a brief description of the item and an estimated value in gold pieces. Many also include a minor hook or bit of information to inspire further adventure.

The One Page series is brand new, but the next four products are mostly done. I'll probably be pushing out one per week for the month of October. I'll also be setting up Number Two : Outdoor Oddities and Landmarks as a pay-what-you-want product, so you can try before you buy if that's your thing.

Final note, the quarter is done, so that means I'll be publishing a new quarterly report on title sales. Stay tuned.

(And if you're a Wilds reader, never fear, the next post will be up sometime tomorrow).

The Wilds - One Stone Unturned

Prudence overcomes aggression, and the party elects to leave the scraping noises beneath the rock alone, for now. As Durego said, "It's not like whatever it is is going anywhere." The party retreats out of the cave into the jail, taking a careful look around as they fall back, and closing doors behind them as best they can. The two forced doors no longer close completely, but Durego and Raúguey use some of the manacles hanging on the walls to fasten the doors shut, sort of.

Dungeons in Blue - Entries and Exits Set One Released

The mapping streak continues this week, with Dungeons in Blue Entries and Exits Set One. These geomorphs are focused on getting into the dungeon and delving deeper into the depths. Each tile contains either a surface access point or stairs leading to the depths, plus connections to the current level, of course.

This set rendered at 100px per five-foot square and fully compatible with the rest of the Dungeons in Blue line. It includes twelve tiles (EE1-EE12):

• Six 50x50 foot tiles.
• Six 50x100 foot tiles.
• A map legend image detailing all map markup.
• A one-third scale summary map showing all tiles.
• A short readme PDF.

All maps are ready-to-use PNG-format files compatible with most virtual tabletops. Use them as-is, or combine them into larger maps using your favorite image processing software.

I've also updated the free Dungeons in Blue Master List with information on the latest releases, a new map legend, plus a preview of the next few Dungeons in Blue releases. The Master List includes preview images of all Dungeons in Blue products plus a small set of free sample geomorphs, so it's well worth grabbing. Upcoming products include:

• Edges and Alcoves Set Two - more side and edge geomorphs.
• Entries and Exits Set Two - the companion collection for the current release.
• Tunnels and Passages - a big set of connection tiles with lots of corridors, caves, and passages.
• Parts and Pieces Pack - a bundle deal that includes all the above-mentioned stuff, plus the previously released Icon Pack One and Icon Pack Two (all at a discount of course).

And speaking of discounts, it's been over six months since the release of Deadly Blows and Koslac's Crossing, so I've dropped the list price on both these products. You can see all these and more on PBE Games' publisher page.

Thanks for reading, happy dungeons!

The Wilds - Black Water in Blackpool

"Stand back, just in case," says Raúguey, hefting the crowbar and eyeing the bar-lined door at the end of the water-filled hall. When the others nod their ready state, he jams the bar into the gap by the lock, and heaves. There's a creak, and then a sudden SCREE-SNAP as the lock mechanism twists, then breaks in the rusted frame. The door sloooshes inward then grinds to a stop against the submerged floor.

Photo of the Week - Mantis Makeover!

Today's photos were taken in my back yard. The first is about a month old; the second I took just a couple days ago. I'm fairly sure both these shots are of the same praying mantis (it's not like my yard has a ton of hiding places for big insects.

Young Mantis on Sage

Older and Wiser Mantis on Basil

Images copyright Mark A. Thomas
Creative Commons CC BY-NC 3.0

Wilds - Back to the Dungeon!

With a clear course of action in front of them, the party, at the urging of Saurabh and Raúguey, elect to spend a day exploring the area around the current camp to see if they can find a better site for the mules and guards. The old fire pit and trails in the ruins have made folk cautious. Leaving the camp in place and guarded by the usual suspects, the main party heads out to explore, using the old road as a guide, but diverting off the rough path to investigate anything interesting.