Miss the campaign for The Gaia Complex - Hardware 2119? Fear not! You can still late pledge right now and receive your book alongside the Kickstarter fulfilment.
Latest Updates from Our Project:
One week down!
almost 3 years ago
– Thu, Feb 10, 2022 at 07:13:03 PM
Hey everyone,
We hope you're all doing well. We've passed the one week marker for the campaign, we've funded and we're unlocking stretch goals - this is a great place to be! Entering week two is usually the time that things slow down a touch. To avoid us having a grind, we urge you to share the campaign with your friends and fellow gamers etc. Every shout out on Twitter, BookFace, Discord, Instagram or one of the other 9 million social platforms, can bring more backers and have a huge impact on the campaign.
Thank you all so much for your support of this campaign.
This also seems like a good time to provide a little insight to a few things too...
In our last update (click here), we showed the initial sketch for the 2-page spread that Jesús was working on. He's been working furiously on this sketch and we've already progressed to some initial colour tests. I thought we'd share the state of play for this image with you:
Though the left side is still up for disucssion, we're going ahead with the yellow Tuk Tuk (it is a repurposed taxi after all). Expect more progress on this soon!
The overall state of artwork for the book is looking really good. We have a high volume of art already finished and a complete framework for remaining art. Once the campaign is over, we'll be sharing a detailed overview of progress periodically so you can see exactly how much writing and art is still required for each section of the book. This 'progress tracker' was popular during our first campaign, so we'll be using it again here.
We also wanted to share a little look into one of the book's chapters. We'll aim to do this additional insight for each chapter in turn, but to start with, we're looking at Chapter 3: Corporate Insight.
This chapter delves into the corporations of New Europe in some more depth - specifically focusing on corporations that create and/or sell goods (this is a hardware book after all). Firstly, we have a number of short corporate profiles, delivered in the same style as the profiles in the core book (two per page) - we have 11 such profiles in Hardware 2119.
After these profiles, we go a little deeper with four 'Corporate Analysis' profiles. Each of these write-ups covers four pages and delve much deeper into the major arms manufacturers within the game. Two of these corps had short profiles in our core book, one was featured heavily in the core book hardware chapter and one is a new player on the market. Each of these detailed insights discusses the following points:
Introduction - Who are they and what do they do?
Vision and Strategy - What drives the corporation and how do they achieve it?
Public Image - What do the public think, how do they advertise and what's being said in the media?
Behind Closed Doors - What is really happening, the dirty secrets, conspiracies and lies.
Current R&D - What is in the pipeline (aka. what can I steal from them)?
Key People - Who runs the company, including directors and designers, plus what makes them tick, their vices and flaws (aka. everything I need to know in order to blackmail them)?
The wealth of information here is designed to give GMs everything they need to know in order to get players working for, or against, these corporate giants. Below is an example spread from one of these Corporate Analysis sections, featuring a newly finished peice of art (Western Brigg R&D Lab) from JJ Ariosa.
It is also worth noting that we have just unlocked our £8.5k stretch goal! This means that the book now includes a Data Seed from Jason Brick. We mentioned Jason in our previous update (click here). We're super excited to see what Jason cooks up for us. More on this in the future.
Thanks for reading. We'll be back soon with more insight to the content of the book. If you have not done so already, please check us out on Twitter or Facebook, or join the Facebook Community Group for extra TGC-related chat!
Big love,
Shep - Hansor Publishing
More Stretch Goals!
almost 3 years ago
– Sun, Feb 06, 2022 at 10:28:45 PM
Hi everyone!
It's been a great 24 hours for campaign progress. Welcome to all our new backers!
Since our last update, we've unlocked a few stretch goals and have just announced a few more. Lots to talk about, so let's jump in!
First of all, our unlocks!
2-page Art Spread
In our previous update, we spoke about the 2-page art spread that myself and Jesús had been planning. We unlocked this stretch goal yesterday and the man himself has got straight back onto the sketches and ideas. I thought it would be cool to show you a little of the art process as the image develops.
Overview: This book contains lots of new tech, including a whole host of vehicles. One of these vehicles is effectively what we know today as the Tuk Tuk. In 2119, this simple compact vehcile has been reimagined as a pitch for a cheaper alternative to New Europe's taxis. The bid to do so, however, has been rejected, leaving a surplus of these vehicles on the retail market. Thanks to the low cost, as well as the compact nature of what is officially called the Tuk 2k, many Mercs have already started modding them for more aggressive duties. As such, we give you the first steps towards the 'Combat Tuk Tuk' scene.
It it the bottom of these two sketches that we're taking forwards. There is loads more info about this vehicle and the new manufacturer, Howser Automotive, in Hardware 2119 (yes, your crew can buy and use their own Tuk 2k!). I'll be sharing some more details on this image as it develops and gets coloured.
Data Seed by Richard August
We have also unlocked the new Data Seed by guest writer, Rich August. We spoke a little about Rich here. I'm really excited to see what he cooks up for us. Rich, get writing buddy!
New Stretch Goals
This brings us nicely onto the new reveals! Let's take a look at what other goodies we want to jam into this book.
£8.5k - New Data Seed by Jason Brick
Next up, at £8.5k, we have another Data Seed from our next guest writer, Jason Brick. Here is a little about Jason:
“Jason Brick has been a gamer since he was 8 and a professional writer since he was 30. How long that is we leave to your own speculation. He lives in Oregon with five humans, three cats, and a possum he can't bring himself to shoo out of the yard.”
I first met Jason during my first stint as a Project Manager at Modiphius. Jason was working on the Conan RPG line at that time and rapidly proved himself to be both a talented writer and editor. Jason’s industry CV speaks for itself, but I’m honoured to have him onboard. You can find out more about Jason on his website (http://www.brickcommajason.com).
At £9.5k, we have our third guest writer come onboard - Benn Graybeaton. Here is a little about Benn:
“Forced to survive primary school with a dog-eared copy of Forest of Doom and a broken Red Box D&D set, Benn never stood a chance. A lifelong gamer, Benn worked with Modiphius Entertainment to produce the 2d20 ruleset for Mutant Chronicles before sharpening his skills on Dust Adventures, Conan, Infinity, John Carter and Achtung! Cthulhu. Outside of Modiphius he has worked on RPGs for Seeds of War, Kings of War, Devil’s Run, Hellboy RPG and provides NDA driven freelance rules consultancy for several other lines. Presently, Benn is the Rules lead for Nightfall Games’ Terminator RPG and claims to be #TeamSkynet.”
I first met Benn when I was writing content for the Infinity RPG line and he was the line manager for the game, after which we both worked together on the Devil’s Run RPG. Benn is a super talented games developer with credits on a huge range of lines. When I joined Modiphius, I was lucky enough to work with him on a few other projects and build on the friendship. When Benn expressed an interest in contributing a Data Seed to this release, I jumped at the chance.
£10k - Another Page: Vehicles
Finally, at £10k, we add yet another page to our Gear & Tech chapter, this time featuring more vehicles from industry newcomer, Howser Automotive, as well as a few extras for those looking for something with a more 'military' edge. More pages = more awesome.
That's it for now. We really hope to see these unlocked over the coming days. We really urge you to share this project on social media and with your gamer friends. Every backer goes a huge way to helping us provide a bigger and better book. Thank you all for the support so far.
I'll be back in a few days with a look at what's going into our 'Black Market' chapter.
Big love,
Shep - Hansor Publishing.
Tarkinn Industries PILEDRIVER
Stretch Goals Unlocked!
almost 3 years ago
– Fri, Feb 04, 2022 at 12:30:23 AM
Hi all,
Just a short update to say hi to all our new backers today - it's so great to see you all here. Thank you all so much for your support!
With the arrival of these additional pledges, we have also unlocked the first two of our stretch goals (discussed in the previous update). This means we have already increased the page count of the book by a couple of extra pages: one additional page of firearms and one of new cybernetics for our opening hardware chapter.
Having the opportunity to add more content to this book is a dream come true for us, so thank you for facilitating this opportunity. The next stretch goal to be unlocked is an incredible two-page spread art piece, which we can't wait to talk about!
We'll be back soon with details about more stretch goals and also to talk about a couple of the book's chapters in some more detail. Until then, we'll leave you with a write up for one of the new pieces of cybernetics in the book...
D-T 'Flex' Cyberarm
Diekumi-Tek have always made waves in the cybernetics market. Since their very first release, they have tried to push boundaries, creating items that defy human anatomy without breaking the traditions of size and appearance in the same way that Gravelin Industrial do. The Flex is a full cybernetic arm that has two additional elbow-like ball-joints that are placed in the middle of the bicep and forearm, giving the arm additional points of mobility. This huge increase in flexibility offers multiple advantages in close combat, as well as when climbing and performing technical tasks, making the arm extremely versatile in a range of situations. Due to the additional joints, the Flex is not able to mount any cybernetic weapons or storage compartments within the arm.
The Flex hand also features somewhat alien looking extended fingers, approximately 20% longer than a normal human finger. Each finger knuckle joint is able to bend in either direction, allowing the hand to grip on either side as though it had two palms. Combined with the arm’s unrivalled versatility, the Flex results in one of the most unusual, yet dextrous arm configurations ever created.
Thanks!
Shep - Hansor Publishing
FUNDED!
almost 3 years ago
– Thu, Feb 03, 2022 at 10:16:02 PM
What a surprise to wake up to – thank you all so much.
Hardware 2119 is now officially funded! It’s happening… expect this beauty on your book shelf before you know it. While we kick back and chill for the rest of the campaign (yeah, right!), let’s have a look at some stretch goals!
As stated on the campaign page, we’re not into loads of extra stuff to go with your book… we’re just all about the book! That means that our stretch goals are focused on adding content – extra pages, packed with extra writing and extra art. If we can get another 4, 8 or even 16 pages added to the book through additional funds, that means you get more content for your money and we get to do even more of what we love. WINNER.
With that in mind, let’s take a peek at the first few stretch goals…
The first two stretch goals, at £6.5k and £7k each see an additional page added to our opening hardware chapter; one additional page of new cybernetics and one of firearms – you can never have too many toys!
After this, at £7.5k, we see a very special addition – our first ever full 2-page art spread. Me and Jesús have been plotting this image for some time, but the cost/time investment of such a large piece, plus needing 2 extra pages to put it on, meant that we decided to hold back… until now! I’ve seen the sketch. It’s awesome. So, let’s make it a reality.
Finally from this first batch, at £8k, is the first of our guest writer pieces: a new Data Seed from Richard August. For those of you that don’t know, a Data Seed is how The Gaia Complex tackles adventures – simple one-page concepts, complete with suggested scenes and an outcome. You want a one-shot game? Grab a Data Seed. You want to run a campaign? Stitch a few Data Seeds together and BOOM! There are a few of these in our Quick Start and core book, as well as our PDF releases on DriveThruRPG.
As our first guest writer, we should probably tell you a little about Mr. August:
“Richard August is an RPG writer and designer from Manchester, UK. He’s currently the lead RPG designer for Steamforged Games, responsible for designing Dark Souls: The Roleplaying Game, Epic Encounters, and others. He’s also written for Chaosium, Modiphius, Cubicle 7, and many other publishers. He’s even better looking in person.”
I was first introduced to Richard at Essen Spiel some years ago when I was working on SLA Industries with Nightfall Games. After this, I came to be a fan of his writing on the Conan RPG line and started following his ventures in the gaming industry. I was lucky enough to work with Rich during my stints at Modiphius and Steamforged Games, growing to consider him a good friend. Richard was one of the first people I approached about writing a Data Seed for this book and I’m very excited about what he’s cooked up.
That’s all for now. We’ll share a few more stretch goals once we’ve got through this little lot!
Once again, that you all for making this happen.
Big love,
Shep – Hansor Publishing.
Meet The Team
almost 3 years ago
– Thu, Feb 03, 2022 at 10:40:56 AM
Hi all!
I wanted to take an opportunity to introduce a few people involved with the project. On our first campaign for the core book, we learned a lot about letting go a little. The Gaia Complex started as a huge passion project for me and I was determined to write every single word. In the end, this actually happened, but it was hard work. At the same time, 95% of the artwork was done by Jesús, arguably an even bigger slog.
This time around, we wanted to expand the creative team a little and as a result, the following fine folk already have their work in the book…
New Recruits
JJ Arisoa - Art
"Hailing from Brooklyn NY, JJ is a freelance illustrator and concept artist with over a decade of experience working on ttrpgs and board games. When not working on the art side of things they enjoy gaming, cycling, camping and are often found scribbling rpg notes surrounded by cats and houseplants."
JJ is an industry veteran, having worked on tabletop games such as Mice & Mystics, Roll Player and Summoner Wars. We’re super excited to have them working on content for The Gaia Complex and feel that their art style perfectly complements the existing look of the game. You can check out more of JJ’s work on their website (http://jjariosa.art) or Instagram (@upd09). JJ has already completed some art for this book, the first of which is shown here.
Hackjob Cyber Clinic, by JJ Ariosa
Glynn Seal (MonkeyBlood Design) - Cartography
“Glynn is an ENnie Award-winning Cartographer, picking up two Gold medals and a nomination at the 2021, 2019, and 2018 awards at GenCon for Best Cartography. Glynn has been interested in tabletop gaming (RPG, miniature, card and battle) since circa 1985 when he played his first games with the BECMI Red Box. Originally a Draughtsman, before venturing into a career as a Contract Manager and Project Engineer, his life was dominated with Design, Schematics, Site Plans, Visuals, Maps for Building Systems Software, 2D CAD, and 3D until October 2017, when he switched to full time freelance working as a game artist/designer.”
Glynn worked on the core book for the game, providing the maps for the various metropolises around the world. He’s a joy to work with, always upbeat and delivers his work super-fast. I was keen to ask him back to work on Hardware 2119 and he’s put together an overview map for the NeoMunich city area in the book’s ‘Black Market’ chapter.
Bart Wynants - Writing
“Bart is a freelance writer, designer, and cartographer with a background in technical writing and process management. He’s made it his mission to experiment with applying corporate methodologies to his own creative endeavours — an exercise which has earned him a spot in 60+ publications over the past three years. Aside from designing several short adventures for Raging Swan Press, Bart has done work on Nightfall Games’ Terminator RPG, and has written several Data Seeds for The Gaia Complex. You can find him on Twitter (@critographer), where he shares daily insights, articles, and RPG-related inspiration based on art, history, and folklore from all over the world.”
Though I’ve only known Bart for the last 12-18 months he has rapidly become my go-to person for additional writing tasks on The Gaia Complex. Bart has managed to get ‘under the skin’ of the game’s setting more than anyone else I know and has a creative flair which really complements my own. Having previously written a few Data Seeds for us in Data Seeds Volume 2 & 3, I asked Bart to not only provide one for this book, but also to contribute to a couple of the chapters as well.
Matt Jones- Writing
“Matt is a professional Games Master living in Nottingham, UK. He designs games, works as a freelance writer and fills his days watching classic movies and eating great food with his family.”
I’ve known Matt for what must be about 8-9 years now, having first met him at a game designer meet-up at Ludorati in Nottingham, UK. For a time, we both worked at the venue teaching people how to play games and generally living and breathing geek-stuff. Matt is a solid games designer and helped with the play testing of the 12.3 system, as well as contributing a Data Seed to the Data Seeds Volume 3 release. I invited Matt back to flesh out some of the concepts explored in that Data Seed as Hardware 2119 was the perfect place to expand those ideas.
In addition to these fine folk, we have a number of other guest writers who are contributing Data Seeds to the core book via our stretch goals (we hope!). We’ll be talking about these other fine folk in the next couple of updates.
