I do not (yet).

I do have a project I hope to publish soon titled Selection: Roleplay Evolved, which is an apocalyptic biohorror strategy game. I don't post much about it here because this is a 90%+ OSR community and Selection is...decidedly not OSR. To give you an idea how very much NOT OSR this game is, let me outline its namesake mechanic.

QuoteYou capture monster DNA by killing them in combat, and then you can choose between archiving the DNA for later use, grafting it onto your character, or you can Select Against it by giving it to a special character called the Arsill, who will burn it to create a jamming signal, thus blocking the antagonist from designing or using monsters with that specific ability for one session.

There are several purposes for this mechanic. It lets you skip the leveling up Skinner box by taking on a difficult encounter in the first session, giving you late-game abilities which you can start using at the beginning of Session 2. But the real thing it's supposed to do is create a dialogue where players internalize how the monsters work and they talk to each other about which monster abilities they want for their characters and which monster abilities they think are too dangerous. Like I said; strategy game.

I'm much more active over on Reddit's RPGDesign. For instance, here's where I first revealed some of the artwork.https://www.reddit.com/r/RPGdesign/comments/gnkjsr/selections_first_batch_of_artworks/

However, around the time of that reveal there was some civil unrest in that sub (I was one of its mods at the time; I think this was a deliberate attack) and I've basically stopped posting new content on Reddit. Commenting questions from other users? Yes. But I think I may have been painting a target on my back by making my own posts because a game this far out of the norm is clearly more dangerous to established games than one of the dozens of heartbreakers which litter the sub.

I've put the project on ice, in part because creating monsters in the system is still a pain, so there are problems to iron out. But mostly, I'm waiting for a moment when whoever attacked the subreddit can't possibly respond. If I'm wrong and no one attacked the sub, then all I'm going to do is waste a little time. But if I'm right (and I'm pretty sure I am), then launching when they can respond will just end in me getting sabotaged and cancelled.

Quote from: Fheredin on October 16, 2022, 06:01:06 PM
I do not (yet).

I do have a project I hope to publish soon titled Selection: Roleplay Evolved, which is an apocalyptic biohorror strategy game. I don't post much about it here because this is a 90%+ OSR community and Selection is...decidedly not OSR. To give you an idea how very much NOT OSR this game is, let me outline its namesake mechanic.

QuoteYou capture monster DNA by killing them in combat, and then you can choose between archiving the DNA for later use, grafting it onto your character, or you can Select Against it by giving it to a special character called the Arsill, who will burn it to create a jamming signal, thus blocking the antagonist from designing or using monsters with that specific ability for one session.

There are several purposes for this mechanic. It lets you skip the leveling up Skinner box by taking on a difficult encounter in the first session, giving you late-game abilities which you can start using at the beginning of Session 2. But the real thing it's supposed to do is create a dialogue where players internalize how the monsters work and they talk to each other about which monster abilities they want for their characters and which monster abilities they think are too dangerous. Like I said; strategy game.

I'm much more active over on Reddit's RPGDesign. For instance, here's where I first revealed some of the artwork.https://www.reddit.com/r/RPGdesign/comments/gnkjsr/selections_first_batch_of_artworks/

However, around the time of that reveal there was some civil unrest in that sub (I was one of its mods at the time; I think this was a deliberate attack) and I've basically stopped posting new content on Reddit. Commenting questions from other users? Yes. But I think I may have been painting a target on my back by making my own posts because a game this far out of the norm is clearly more dangerous to established games than one of the dozens of heartbreakers which litter the sub.

I've put the project on ice, in part because creating monsters in the system is still a pain, so there are problems to iron out. But mostly, I'm waiting for a moment when whoever attacked the subreddit can't possibly respond. If I'm wrong and no one attacked the sub, then all I'm going to do is waste a little time. But if I'm right (and I'm pretty sure I am), then launching when they can respond will just end in me getting sabotaged and cancelled.

This actually sounds great, reminds me Rippers for savage worlds but with more emphasis on grafting monster parts. Ran a year long campaign using rippers and my main complaint was the "ripping" mechanics didn't quite feel right. More of cyberware than the body horror I was aiming for

Quote from: Ruprecht on October 13, 2022, 03:05:32 PM
Chaosium is based out of Berkeley California after all.

Chaosium closed its California office in 2015. It doesn't even have any employees in California any more.
The company was founded in Oakland, and at one time had an office in Berkeley, of course. It's last CA office was in Hayward.

Quote from: PulpHerb on October 14, 2022, 12:31:06 PM

Quote from: wmarshal on October 14, 2022, 08:49:57 AM

Quote from: Abbo1993 on October 14, 2022, 08:18:45 AM
My understanding is that Lynne Hardy is the one behind all of these changes and the one to run Chaosium recently, most of the shitty changes to the books have her name on it.

The responsibility for the nonsense lies with the company ownership. If not Lynne Hardy  Chaosium would have just had another person in a similar position do the same nonsense. Don't fall for the fantasy that "if it wasn't for that dratted employee everything would be fine."

It is notable that this did not happen until the founder was dead.  Even though there were periods where he was not involved (and may not have had ownership) it seems like Greg's presence was much larger in the company than we realized.

Unless you were a good friend of Chaosium's founder, Greg Stafford, I would politely caution you from speculating on his beliefs. One thing I can guarantee you is that Greg's unfortunate passing had nothing to do with any of this. Nobody was waiting for him to pass away before we did or didn't do something. Greg was actively involved until the end and was very happy and comfortable with how the company was run.

Quote from: rmeints on October 17, 2022, 05:49:38 PM

Quote from: PulpHerb on October 14, 2022, 12:31:06 PM

Quote from: wmarshal on October 14, 2022, 08:49:57 AM

Quote from: Abbo1993 on October 14, 2022, 08:18:45 AM
My understanding is that Lynne Hardy is the one behind all of these changes and the one to run Chaosium recently, most of the shitty changes to the books have her name on it.

The responsibility for the nonsense lies with the company ownership. If not Lynne Hardy  Chaosium would have just had another person in a similar position do the same nonsense. Don't fall for the fantasy that "if it wasn't for that dratted employee everything would be fine."

It is notable that this did not happen until the founder was dead.  Even though there were periods where he was not involved (and may not have had ownership) it seems like Greg's presence was much larger in the company than we realized.

Unless you were a good friend of Chaosium's founder, Greg Stafford, I would politely caution you from speculating on his beliefs. One thing I can guarantee you is that Greg's unfortunate passing had nothing to do with any of this. Nobody was waiting for him to pass away before we did or didn't do something. Greg was actively involved until the end and was very happy and comfortable with how the company was run.

Sorry about all the speculation, and thanks for coming to this thread. I think in general what people, or at least myself have noticed a few things that made us skeptical over how we are treated at least in the scheme of things and whether we will be even welcome as fans or customers. At least personally I've been a fan of chaosiums games in the past. The latest 40th anniversary update adding pronouns to character sheets which seemed to replace the available character sheets seems to be to take a firm stance in social politics. Personally I found it a little off putting because of the possible motivations behind it but that is pure speculation.


Currently what I have for chaosium is mostly what others on this forum have contributed

Quote
Chaosium has Lynne Hardy who labelled Masks of Nyarlathotep as racist and therefore Larry DiTillo as racist also. She did this while acting as Chaosium's political commissar on the 7e version of Masks the results of which were BLM supporting additions and gender and race swapping NPCs to conform to woke quotas... In RuneQuest Glorantha they are progressively removing white people. At first the Pelorians were to remain pale but given recent artwork I doubt that. I think the only one that could still be white are Ygg Islanders who are a sort of Scandinavian people. But since the Opening of the seas most of them have left the island as Wolf Pirates and have now thoroughly mixed with other cultures. Cults (and game mechanics) have been rewritten to please the leftest females around Jeff Richards as well...growing Sandy Petersen under the bus on social media despite official response on this forum that Chaosium has people with wide ranging viewpoints that are supported by the company. What should tip them over is Pendragon 6e given that David Larkins is heading this up and there have been calls for all NPCS to be a 50%/50% gender split and it's a given that female knights will be mandated."-Gagarth

Now I'd love to think this is a whole lot of nothing. I've had a lot of fun with chaosium in the last and runequest was a labor of love and it showed. I mean is there a big push to be "socially conscious" or whatever term people are using these days.

The only speculation I will indulge about Greg Stafford is whether or not he deserved an honorary PhD in Arthurian Lit for The Great Pendragon Campaign. (Spoiler Alert: Damn straight he deserved it!) Sadly, because he published in "popular media", academia will pretend it doesn't exist.

Currently what I have for chaosium is mostly what others on this forum have contributed

Quote
Chaosium has Lynne Hardy who labelled Masks of Nyarlathotep as racist and therefore Larry DiTillo as racist also. She did this while acting as Chaosium's political commissar on the 7e version of Masks the results of which were BLM supporting additions and gender and race swapping NPCs to conform to woke quotas... In RuneQuest Glorantha they are progressively removing white people. At first the Pelorians were to remain pale but given recent artwork I doubt that. I think the only one that could still be white are Ygg Islanders who are a sort of Scandinavian people. But since the Opening of the seas most of them have left the island as Wolf Pirates and have now thoroughly mixed with other cultures. Cults (and game mechanics) have been rewritten to please the leftest females around Jeff Richards as well...growing Sandy Petersen under the bus on social media despite official response on this forum that Chaosium has people with wide ranging viewpoints that are supported by the company. What should tip them over is Pendragon 6e given that David Larkins is heading this up and there have been calls for all NPCS to be a 50%/50% gender split and it's a given that female knights will be mandated."-Gagarth

Now I'd love to think this is a whole lot of nothing. I've had a lot of fun with chaosium in the last and runequest was a labor of love and it showed. I mean is there a big push to be "socially conscious" or whatever term people are using these days.
[/quote]

I am curious about all the "leftest" women around me! In truth reading that dude's comments is like looking through a funhouse mirror while drunk. There's shapes and images there but they are all upside down and distorted. 

Quote from: richaje on October 18, 2022, 12:12:24 PM
In truth reading that dude's comments is like looking through a funhouse mirror while drunk. There's shapes and images there but they are all upside down and distorted.

Are you discussing the summary of Chaosium?  What sounds distorted about any of those claims?  Every one of those is a claim that is either true, false, or perhaps somewhere in between.  Which claims do you believe aren't true?

Quote from: richaje on October 18, 2022, 12:12:24 PM
Currently what I have for chaosium is mostly what others on this forum have contributed

Quote
Chaosium has Lynne Hardy who labelled Masks of Nyarlathotep as racist and therefore Larry DiTillo as racist also. She did this while acting as Chaosium's political commissar on the 7e version of Masks the results of which were BLM supporting additions and gender and race swapping NPCs to conform to woke quotas... In RuneQuest Glorantha they are progressively removing white people. At first the Pelorians were to remain pale but given recent artwork I doubt that. I think the only one that could still be white are Ygg Islanders who are a sort of Scandinavian people. But since the Opening of the seas most of them have left the island as Wolf Pirates and have now thoroughly mixed with other cultures. Cults (and game mechanics) have been rewritten to please the leftest females around Jeff Richards as well...growing Sandy Petersen under the bus on social media despite official response on this forum that Chaosium has people with wide ranging viewpoints that are supported by the company. What should tip them over is Pendragon 6e given that David Larkins is heading this up and there have been calls for all NPCS to be a 50%/50% gender split and it's a given that female knights will be mandated."-Gagarth

Now I'd love to think this is a whole lot of nothing. I've had a lot of fun with chaosium in the last and runequest was a labor of love and it showed. I mean is there a big push to be "socially conscious" or whatever term people are using these days.

I am curious about all the "leftest" women around me! In truth reading that dude's comments is like looking through a funhouse mirror while drunk. There's shapes and images there but they are all upside down and distorted.
[/quote]

It might be but it's not just one random person who feels this way. Even my wife rolled her eyes at the pronoun section on the character sheets. Now I think I did check up on pendragon and I think lady knights were still considered at game masters discretion but not included by default.


The issues brought up I think were this
https://www.belloflostsouls.net/2021/07/rpg-call-of-cthulhu-creator-faces-backlash-after-transphobic-statements.html

This comes off as "throwing Petersen under the bus" and probably what Gagarth was talking about

And
https://basicroleplaying.org/topic/15830-has-chaosium-gone-fully-woke/

This here I ran across recently when I checked out the 40th anniversary character sheets. The way chaosium responded t this post before locking it down was concerning. Instead of addressing the OPs concern, he was dismissed and praised other commenters for dog piling on him for it. Then there was a comment by another chaosium staff member who just kinda laughed and then shut down the thread.

So does this essentially mean that conservatives, or anyone right of center is going to be told to get fucked? What was wrong with Sex on the character sheet especially for the 20s? Why are characters being race or gender swapped instead of new characters being made? I mean this is a pattern I've seen soon before companies start actively driving off players with the wrong politics. Saying stuff like whoever voted trump isn't welcome to buy our games or trying to label gamers as nazis or fascists or istaphobes.

If you think I'm overreacting this has been a trend for just about every single entry on the lists red category and why I felt this project was necessary

Quote from: Ocule on October 18, 2022, 12:37:29 PM
So does this essentially mean that conservatives, or anyone right of center is going to be told to get fucked?

As a consumer of Chaosium products since 1980, I nervously await a reply to this from the company.

Quote from: Godsmonkey on October 18, 2022, 01:53:54 PM

Quote from: Ocule on October 18, 2022, 12:37:29 PM
So does this essentially mean that conservatives, or anyone right of center is going to be told to get fucked?

As a consumer of Chaosium products since 1980, I nervously await a reply to this from the company.

We intend nothing like that. That has never been our message.

So you're just unaware that the pronoun topic is controversial? It would make sense given that you seemed entirely unaware about how hated NFTs were.

Quote from: rmeints on October 18, 2022, 01:56:52 PM

Quote from: Godsmonkey on October 18, 2022, 01:53:54 PM

Quote from: Ocule on October 18, 2022, 12:37:29 PM
So does this essentially mean that conservatives, or anyone right of center is going to be told to get fucked?

As a consumer of Chaosium products since 1980, I nervously await a reply to this from the company.

We intend nothing like that. That has never been our message.

That's good to hear. Thank you for coming over to hopefully clear the air.

Quote from: Ocule on October 18, 2022, 12:37:29 PM


It might be but it's not just one random person who feels this way. Even my wife rolled her eyes at the pronoun section on the character sheets. Now I think I did check up on pendragon and I think lady knights were still considered at game masters discretion but not included by default.


The issues brought up I think were this
https://www.belloflostsouls.net/2021/07/rpg-call-of-cthulhu-creator-faces-backlash-after-transphobic-statements.html

This comes off as "throwing Petersen under the bus" and probably what Gagarth was talking about

And
https://basicroleplaying.org/topic/15830-has-chaosium-gone-fully-woke/

This here I ran across recently when I checked out the 40th anniversary character sheets. The way chaosium responded t this post before locking it down was concerning. Instead of addressing the OPs concern, he was dismissed and praised other commenters for dog piling on him for it. Then there was a comment by another chaosium staff member who just kinda laughed and then shut down the thread.

So does this essentially mean that conservatives, or anyone right of center is going to be told to get fucked? What was wrong with Sex on the character sheet especially for the 20s? Why are characters being race or gender swapped instead of new characters being made? I mean this is a pattern I've seen soon before companies start actively driving off players with the wrong politics. Saying stuff like whoever voted trump isn't welcome to buy our games or trying to label gamers as nazis or fascists or istaphobes.

If you think I'm overreacting this has been a trend for just about every single entry on the lists red category and why I felt this project was necessary

They could have just reworded "sex" as "gender", and would still have had full plausible deniability in terms of it being any attack on gamers.

But no, they chose to use "PRONOUNS", in a game set in the 1920s. A total anachronism. An intentional assault on the setting and a fuck you to its fans (who are notoriously meticulous about historical accuracy).

Quote from: RPGPundit on October 18, 2022, 07:25:48 PM

Quote from: Ocule on October 18, 2022, 12:37:29 PM


It might be but it's not just one random person who feels this way. Even my wife rolled her eyes at the pronoun section on the character sheets. Now I think I did check up on pendragon and I think lady knights were still considered at game masters discretion but not included by default.


The issues brought up I think were this
https://www.belloflostsouls.net/2021/07/rpg-call-of-cthulhu-creator-faces-backlash-after-transphobic-statements.html

This comes off as "throwing Petersen under the bus" and probably what Gagarth was talking about

And
https://basicroleplaying.org/topic/15830-has-chaosium-gone-fully-woke/

This here I ran across recently when I checked out the 40th anniversary character sheets. The way chaosium responded t this post before locking it down was concerning. Instead of addressing the OPs concern, he was dismissed and praised other commenters for dog piling on him for it. Then there was a comment by another chaosium staff member who just kinda laughed and then shut down the thread.

So does this essentially mean that conservatives, or anyone right of center is going to be told to get fucked? What was wrong with Sex on the character sheet especially for the 20s? Why are characters being race or gender swapped instead of new characters being made? I mean this is a pattern I've seen soon before companies start actively driving off players with the wrong politics. Saying stuff like whoever voted trump isn't welcome to buy our games or trying to label gamers as nazis or fascists or istaphobes.

If you think I'm overreacting this has been a trend for just about every single entry on the lists red category and why I felt this project was necessary

They could have just reworded "sex" as "gender", and would still have had full plausible deniability in terms of it being any attack on gamers.

But no, they chose to use "PRONOUNS", in a game set in the 1920s. A total anachronism. An intentional assault on the setting and a fuck you to its fans (who are notoriously meticulous about historical accuracy).

Replacing 'sex' with 'gender' may have been more era appropriate. I think many at the time tried to avoid the 's' word. Going to 'pronouns' instead is not just a virtue signal, but an attempt to force players towards being Woke.