Happy New year to you all, followers of the LoSS site and on Google+.
And what has the year wrought for LoSS?
Stats
LoSS has been publishing for 1 year and 1 month!
166 posts
5 issues published representing the Core game rules of LoSS.
10,429 Views!
150 Followers.
An interview on the illustrious Drink Spin Run podcast.
5 pwyw pdfs on Gumroad
5 hardcopy issues available through the website
And what does the New Year hold for the game?
Drive Thru RPG
Well after much thought the LoSS materials will be switching over to Drive Thru RPG. Both the print and digital versions of future issues of Loss will be available there.
"Revised" core rules
As for the first 5 issues, they will be combined into a single game book for release on DriveThru. The pdfs will still be pay what you want and the overall price of the hardcopy should be the same or less than buying the 5 issues here.
This won't be a "second" edition though. The compiled version won't contain any new rules, background or artwork that weren't in the first 5 issues. It'll just be compiled into a letter size format, will have a full table of contents and all the rules will be organized into their own sections. So all you people who bought the first issues, thanks for the support but don't worry, the new drive thru version won't have anything new so you won't be missing out if you decide to give it a pass.
New Issues of LoSS
As for new issues? They will continue to be released, probably with a longer page count per issue with more time between issues. They will be the Letter size format with Black and white interiors.
The first few issues will be primarily adventures and campaign material for the world of Kartharka.
Play some games
My 2016 will hopefully be full of gaming. I didn't get in a lot of actual table time with LoSS this year what with peoples schedules and all so I hope to have a regular game going soon. Still plenty of slots available for people to try the LoSS game so let me know if you want to play in the next session.
I also want to actually "play" some games this year. I've been wanting to get some time in on the other side of the ol' DM screen for the past couple of years so I'm looking forward to logging some time in as a player.
Demonboard
When I first published the Demonbaord issue (over a year ago now!) I wanted to show people that making a 3d dungeon was easy, cheap, and fast!
So you've seen a lot of that board over the past year. And while it admittedly looks great, plays fine and has held up well, I really want to improve it.
I've held off on using standard gaming miniatures, and using more advanced modelling techniques for the past year because I wanted players to see how much you could do with so little, that every single person could have an awesome 3d dungeon of their own with no skill whatsoever.
Well over the next year I'm going to show you all just how far you can push the limits of the demonboard quality if you are willing to invest a little more time, and learn a few more tricks.
Fortunately for you all I'm still far too broke to attempt anything that isn't also "cheap". But keep your eyes peeled for details on the new improved Demonboard I'm working on.
Let's get this stuff done proper!
When Loss started out it was just a throwaway idea that I did on a whim. I wanted to put out a quick and dirty zine of my own to have a place to drop some ideas I was working on and give me something to do.
Well it's certainly grown from there and it's time to start really making it shine.
Things like: editing, spell checking, tables of contents and page numbers. Making the text easy to read and refer to, organizing things in a way that makes sense, actually having some kind of consistent layout design between issues.
You know those things that make something look, ummm, good.
Usually my goal is to just get it out there and have fun but now I'm looking to grow the audience a bit and clean, organized, and edited books are the way to do it. So you may see a bit of a gap before the next issue of adventures comes out as I'm also compiling the first book but when they do they should be pretty sharp so hopefully worth the wait.
Honestly, what it LoSS?
Over the past year I've been trying to write that same paragraph again and again. What is the game?
I've tried to put out something new, crazy, different, energetic and fun, but when you get down to brass tacks and put it in terms of rules...
LoSS is a roleplaying game.
The players take the role of heroes looking to make their mark on the world.
They are a a little stronger, faster, and wiser than the average citizen.
The characters can increase their power by earning favors for completing adventures.
Favours can be cashed in for money, equipment, or to have something done for them.
The characters have a fame and infamy score. These affect the world around them either making the people they encounter help them, or hurt them.
Fame is earned by completing adventures and performing heroic deeds. Infamy is earned by failing at adventures or performing evil deeds.
The combat system in LoSS is simple. Everyone starts a combat with an amount of Endurance. This represents how long they can fight before they let down their guard. Once their endurance is gone they are left open to a killing blow. Endurance is lost by losing a combat or by making an attack as both things will tire a character.
To attack you roll 2 dice and add your attack score, the defender rolls two dice and adds their attack score. The higher number wins the combat.
Endurance is regained between encounters by "resting". There is no healing magic.
The LoSS experience system awards "veteran" points for surviving dangerous combats, performing dangerous deeds, completing an adventure, or for roleplaying.
Veteran points can be spent to purchase increases in stats, or new skills which the character may use.
The magic system in Loss consists of "sorcerers" summoning spirits and demons. These spirits and demons may then perform tasks for the summoner. This may be something "magical" such as breathing fire or flying, opening a door, or even attacking their enemies.
Magic items are essentially special items with spirits trapped within them that are still able to perform some magical power. Such as shooting fire, creating light, or causing the bearer of the item to fly.
If a character wishes to do something other than attacking, for example, climbing a wall. They roll 2d6 and add any applicable stat. They will be trying to beat a number determined by the Demonlord deciding if the task is simple, difficult, or very difficult.
That pretty much sums up the game. Not too wild or different from other rules lite games. The rules are very similar to most other Old School Roleplaying games. The way they are balanced and work together makes for a good system though I think and lends itself well to "adventure" gaming based on trying to accomplish a specific goal.
Other Stuff for the year
Oh yes, there's still plenty more other stuff going on. I'm starting to paint up some more miniatures for the game (it is nice to be painting some old lead again).
The Lair synth continues on as well, I hope to get some actual music done this year but we'll have to wait and see.
I also hope that this is the year I get the injection molder actually up and running and then we'll really get some interesting stuff happening. Unfortunately my dreams of a Kartharka miniature line require a few hundred dollars more than I have lying around. If anyone's interested in buying original art from the first 5 issues for an exorbitant amount of cash let me know and maybe I can get this thing up and running.
Thanks!
To all of you who read, watch, listen and follow, thanks for giving a poor guy a break and a reason to keep playing with toys.
~Ripley Stonebrook
