Latest from the Creator
PROJECT UPDATE
Project Update: Update #14 - Merch Previews & PAX Unplugged Cometh
Hello Backers! Another Halloween has come and gone, and with that another month and another update to ELDRITCH AUTOMATA. We want to continue doing monthly updates as we toil away on the book, with more frequent updates coming as we hit some big milestones. We have a lot to say in this update, as we’ve received a significant portion of the accessory rewards for the campaign and have a bunch of photos to share today!
Art
Gio is nearing completion on all the Automata Archetype Art and we’ll share a few more art pieces as they trickle in, like The Junker art in the banner above! We’re also hard at work with our Art Director getting the rest of the art for the book underway. We’ve also done a first look layout with our Art Director to see some of the mockups for the book and start finalizing the overall look and feel of the pages. We can’t wait to show you the work in progress as it all starts to come together, so here are a couple spreads and a preview of one of the Automata Archetype sections!
Writing
On the writing front of things, both guest operations are well underway with our guest writers. No Quest for the Wicked is turning “Heart of Entropy” into a full operation and Austin Ramsay (Beam Saber) has drafted a new operation, “Open Arms.” If you want to learn more about “Heart of Entropy” please consider listening to the original audio-play of it: https://noquestcast.podbean.com/e/eldritch-automata-heart-of-entropy-session-zero/ (also available on Spotify and Apple Podcasts). “Open Arms” involves the players making contact with a resistance organization that harbors anti-Automata sentiment. The players will have to integrate themselves with the resistance, gaining access to special Horror-based weaponry in the process.
Merch
We’ve started receiving all of the various accessories as well, and there’s a lot to share here! The dice proofs have arrived for the Seraph Dice and they look amazing, the details and “corrosion” in the dice look great with the Seraph symbol standing in as the number 6 so you’ll know when you’ve rolled a big success!
We also received proofs for the acrylic dice, and while there are some minor changes, we don’t mind sharing these as well. The final color came out a little different from our mockups due to how the dye sets in the mold, but we’re really happy with the final product here!
Dice aren’t the only things we received either! The archetype pins, flight patches, and deskmats all came in as well, and they look gorgeous! Here are some high-res shots of the patches and pins…
And here’s one of the desk mats in use at my desk! They fit a full-sized keyboard and mouse perfectly with ample room to still get a good look at the horror looming on the horizon and roll some dice.
PAX Unplugged Showcase
While the team is hard at work on the book, we’ll also be showcasing Eldritch Automata at PAX Unplugged in a big way. If you’re heading to Philadelphia on December 6-8 to attend PAX UP, we’ll be running dozens of demos of Eldritch Automata in our Horror RPG room, selling physical print copies of the Quicklaunch Guide, some PAX-exclusive enamel pins, and other goodies to show off at our booth! We’re at booth 3463, with the big Eldritch Automata banners!
Speaking of pins, here’s a look at the PAX UP-exclusive pin we’ll be selling, and a limited edition "Seraph Killer" pin that’s available as well. But you’ll have to work to get that one… stop by the booth for more details there ;-)
That’s it for this update, stay tuned for more coming later this month as we hopefully have a production update for you all!
PROJECT UPDATE
Project Update: Update #13 - Pins, Art, and Stretch Goal Updates
Hello Pilots! It’s our favorite month of the year, October! We have a MASSIVE update here with a lot of fun news, so sit back and enjoy!
Book Progress Update
Our focus is still on the manuscript right now and getting it prepared to go into the editing phase. We are eyeing to release the manuscript preview to backers in two parts to keep people satiated and collect extensive feedback on the archetypes and armory sections of the corebook. What does this look like in the grand scheme of things? It means you’ll get the first eight (8) chapters of the core rulebook, which gives players all they need to know about playing Eldritch Automata in a raw, text-only format. This isn’t going to happen overnight, and we want to at least get our editor to review the first eight chapters before releasing it. But we do want people to be able to start making their own characters and sharing their characters with us.
MERCH!
Shifting to the physical side of things, we’ve recently gotten the patches and enamel pins in and they look GLORIOUS. Honestly, every time a real physical piece tied to our game comes in it always leaves us in awe. They’re colorful and vibrant and will be perfect for repping your favorite Archetype.
Art (and Team) Update
Next, we are proud to announce we have hired an Art Director and Layout Artist to take over the management side of things and help us be more efficient. They’ve already taken to ripping and reorganizing all our folders (this is a good thing) and letting us declutter the past several years of assets and random image drops. We’re excited to welcome Paladin Mendenhall to the team! You might know their work from the award-winning Sina Una, and we’re excited to get their expertise on board as the book progresses.
Stretch Goal Progress Update
Stretch goal-wise, Nick is currently writing the location modules, starting with the Forge, and cleaning up a few things in the game mastering section of the book. “The longer I stare at this manuscript, the more I find myself revamping and adding.”
Our guest operations are in production and being written. We’ll have to address when the layout is getting underway if the guest operations are going to be able to fit into this book or if we’ll have to shift them to digital release.
Quicklaunch Guide v2
Finally, the Quicklaunch Guide revisions are done, and the print version is complete and sent off to the printer this week! To quickly cover it, here are the patch notes for v2:
- Area weapon descriptor tag has been updated in line with the Area change we implemented into the core rulebook.
- Ambush rules have been implemented into the Quicklaunch.
- Judariel art and page spread has been updated with new art and a new design. This is all visual.
- The Quicklaunch has gone through a facelift thanks to our editor Tori Queeno who has corrected our grammar, spelling, and punctuation, and helped us clarify a few rules.
That’s it for today, take a look at the gorgeous final products on the patches and pins, and go download the updated Quicklaunch Guide!
PROJECT UPDATE
Project Update: Pledge Manager Closing TODAY
Hello backers! Just a reminder that the pledge manager closes TODAY. If you haven't submitted your survey you have till 3 PM EST, then it locks! There will also be a pause in pre-order availability soon as we migrate pre-orders off Backerkit to our website.
If you lost your survey link you can find it here: https://eldritch-automata.backerkit.com/
If you lost your survey link you can find it here: https://eldritch-automata.backerkit.com/
PROJECT UPDATE
Project Update: Update #12 - Stretch Goals Updates & Changes
Hello Backers! We’re here to provide a game update as of right now as we await the remaining drafts from writers, Nick has thrown himself into writing and completing the stretch goals for the core rulebook in order to get everything for the final manuscript done as soon as possible. We’ve got an overview of some of these updates and changes below!
The 13th Archetypes
We are happy to announce that both the Forgotten and the Eldritch are complete and in the official manuscript. The Forgotten involves talents that utilize Strands, such as Blank Space, which allows the GM to help build out your past with you, and Last of the Real Ones, which lets you contact other characters you have Strands with – no matter the distance. Our 13th Automata Archetype, The Eldritch, boasts some of the most unique talents we’ve written to date. Rapid Assimilation lets you consume fallen Horrors and add additional weapon tags to your Signature Arm, while Bring Forth the Nest lets you create dangerous field effects that your Automata thrives in.
The Eldritch Arms
We’ve also completed the 10 unique Eldritch Arms and added them to the book. The Eldritch Arms are the ultimate evolution of what Automata weapons can become. We often hear that with great power comes great responsibility, but in this case, great power comes at a great price. Every Eldritch Arm has a specific Bane – often a static debuff that affects you as long as you are wielding it. From a mechanical standpoint, the Bane is counted as “in effect” when it is placed in your Automata’s loadout when launching for a battle. The Bane lingers for a Shift worth of time from when it’s removed from your Automata’s equipment.
Now we’re finalizing descriptions and getting these off to modeling for our highest-tier backer rewards and the Equipment Deck 😉
Mechanics Updates & Changes
We received some great feedback from the Quicklaunch and our games at Gen Con this year, which has inspired us to make some gameplay tweaks. We’re adding a small section addressing Panic Roll Cascade, tweaking the rules behind the Ammo flaw tag, and clarifying the explanations on some of the more confusing mechanics. We also took the time to revisit the Area descriptor tag, we knew this would be a popular tag but also feared it overtaking the game. In our quest to tighten up game mechanics and make every bit of Eldritch Automata feel used we changed the Area descriptor tag in order to keep in line with the ruleset had for Explosions.
- Area - Your weapon’s attack encompasses an entire zone, and can hit an entire group of enemies. Weapons with the Area tag act according to Explosion rules and act as if they had a Blast Power of 5. Additional successes cannot be used to add additional damage to your attack. However, you may buy the Area tag a second time to increase Blast Power to 7. (Cost 3)
We also revisited the Scorching Zone feature to bring it line with base rules we have for Fire. We’ve removed Scorching and tied in the talent of Scorched Earth from the Collateral to create fire with adherence to the Intensity mechanic.
These mechanical changes will all be available in the Quicklaunch update we’re working on!
Upcoming Events
In other news we are proud to announce we’ll be selling merchandise and official prints of the Quicklaunch at PAX Unplugged in December. So if you’d like to drop by and pick up a copy of the Quicklaunch and/or talk to the creator and lead designer of Eldritch Automata, stop by booth 3646!
That’s it for now. We’re hard at work getting everything ready, off to printing/manufacturing, and ready for PAX! Stay tuned for more news soon, and don’t forget to get your Pledge Manager survey finished, as we’re locking those down on OCTOBER 1!
PROJECT UPDATE
Project Update: Update #11 - IT'S TIME
Hello Backers! The surveys have now been sent out (please check your inbox, spam folder, etc.). We'll leave the surveys open for collection for a few weeks to ensure everyone has PLENTY of time to commit to their add-ons and pledges. For our early bird (first 48 hour) backers you should also see a $10 credit to your pledge. You can use that to add new Add-Ons or leave it alone, and it will apply to shipping later on once we bill for that.
Please reach out if you have trouble adding everything you want or selecting the correct pins, patches, t-shirt designs, and other add-ons.
We'll monitor this site and our inbox to ensure that everyone is able to submit their survey seamlessly! And don't forget you can pre-order now as well, if you didn't back the original campaign!
In other news, we're excited to reveal a new Automata design completed by Gio! Behold the Prototype!
The Prototype is on the razor’s edge of technology, outfitted with several powerful new capabilities. Activate the powerful Ego Terror ability to negate any Horror or Seraph’s Ego Field or Wondrous Machinery to guarantee a successful attack. But remember, everything has a price…
We'll be sharing more designs as they're finalized, as well as new art, chapter previews, and more! So, keep your eyes on the page as we continue with the development of the game.