Wednesday, November 26, 2014

Trying to keep other things moving...

Obviously, the Expanded Petty Gods project is on the front burner... and in the oven... and there's plenty of stuff still in bowls and mixers on the counter... but I am trying to keep other things moving.

I just sent out what is officially version "Beta 3c" of the Basic Psionics Handbook to the readers/playtesters. I'm feeling REALLY good about where this is. The revisions have generally moved from the "sweeping" type (e.g., reworking the psionic combat methodology) to the "tweaking" type (e.g., the latest round refined a lot of the ability descriptions).

Weekend schedule willing, I'm hoping to dig back into the Creature Compendium Saturday evening/Sunday day. There's not terribly much to be done here--especially when I compare the amount of work remaining on it to the work that I've put in on the EPG project over the last month, and how much more is yet to come. For the CC, the revisions consist mostly some consistency edits, a handful of clarifications, the addition of a tad more "flavor" to a handful of entries, and then a full round of proofreading. My goal, even with the Expanded Petty Gods project going on, was to release the Creature Compendium mid-December. Fingers crossed, that could still happen.

Monday, November 24, 2014

COMPLETE PETTY GODS LIST (gods only)

Here is the complete list (as I have it) for the "Petty Gods" section of the petty gods book. This does not include minions. There will be a separate/similar post later for that.

If you see a credit that's wrong, or know that one that you've already written/submitted is not listed here, please email copy immediately to pgcopy(at)newbigdragon(dot)com. (PLEASE NOTE: If you share this email, please share it as it appears here and do not add a "mailto:" link; I want to be able to keep this address up as long as possible for this project, and would prefer that the spam-crawlers not find it; thanks for understanding.)

New/unwritten gods will not be accepted, except by express permission (or this book will never get done).


GOD NAMEWriter:FirstWriter:Last
AbondianceE.T.Smith
AdassecIgor ViniciusSartorato
AglaosEvan Van Elkins
AgletStuartRoe
Amber Blood SwordChris Tamm
Ammon Thrax GavinNorman
Anwyn WoodAndrewCrenshaw
Apar the BrightAshLaw
AriphasKatherine Ausborn
ArolohnsoBrian A.Cooper
Arvirive Eric Fabiaschi
AspixBenjaminBall
Atanuwe GregGorgonmilk
AtraJonathanBingham
Mike “Carlson”Davis
AttrecoppeaRagnarArneson
AudrumMatthew W.Schmeer
Aurus ArgentusPatrickWetmore
AusturaCraig Schwarze
Averted OnlookerLogan Knight
AvirgiriEricFabiaschi
Azwa GarrettWeinstein
Baj'LiqueJames Garrison
BarococarMatt Fischer
BartlebyPatrick Kennedy
BashiuusM.T.Black
Beast of Unbidden Challenges NathanCohen
BehzdLuigi Castellani
BengRob Griffin
BeorlAlanBrodie
BerenedrilTerje Nordin
BlentryPorky
Boden EricCampbell
Bogrump ChrisTamm
Bokrug Nicolas Senac
Boulubek KeithSloan
BubulmaxTim Stephens
Chaugnar FaugnRichard J.LeBlanc, Jr.
Chel-KlothDavidHaraldson
Chelk (see Chelk and Jodj)
Chelk and JodjJustinDunnuck
Chicxulub John EverettTill
Choozwiz (Christian)Rorschachhamster
Chu-bu KeithSloan
Chulg ThomasFitzgerald
Churfaz GregGorgonmilk
ClaviborAntoine MarcBelle
ClerchadMike "Carlson"Davis
ClobrekAntoine MarcBelle
CoproliasPeterRegan
Corotus ThallianJonah & PaulBrinkmann
Crom JamesMishler
CunnianMike "Carlson"Davis
CurdleMatt Schmeer
CuvounEricPotter
Davy JonesJonathanBecker
DeekerAl Krombach
Dekardinis TimStephens
Derral-OrthAshLaw
DetriaxJamesMac Bride
DigisklerosE.T.Smith
Diit’WentiiLegion
DinudSeanHolland
DiplodiasDaveTraube
Divine Worm LoganKnight
DogasfosIgor Sartorato
DrasheengTrey Causey
Elder ElementalRichard J.LeBlanc, Jr.
EllsbethJamesSmith
EraishoEricWirsing
E’rsaeSeanWills
ExpiurgePorky
Eye of VengalateAshLaw
Fallen OneRichard J.LeBlanc, Jr.
Fattu FeriPaulBallard
Feloren JensDurke
FimtakarStephen Bartok
FlissikMalcomBowers
FloogMalcom Bowers
FluxalleMichaelSmith
Fubar DarcyPetty
GadfielMatt Fischer
Galdu AurkituAnthonyRagan
GalishmaBen Djarum
GilthigoetR.J. Thompson
Ginny Milk EyeChris Tamm
GlariaEric Fabiaschi
GlorfallJohnstone Metzger
Glyrea Josh Graboff
Gnunnug GavinNorman
God of the Iron UrnGeof McKinney
God on the MountainMike “Carlson”Davis
Gor Nochri & Gar NachriDavid Haraldson
Gorgonmjolk JonasMustonen
Go'RuushMikeLizardi
Go'Ruush (co-credit)ChristopherConklin
Grand Planar GodsEric Fabiaschi
Grandpa ToadflapChrisTamm
Gremlyn (Murphee)Christopher Ziegler
GroínKevin Brennan
Grugzaret DavidWellington
Gyttjan PaulBallard
Haiah DanHarms
HarbordorimTimHuntley
Heka-KupBrianRae
HeolstorJeremy Holley
HexadronColin Chapman
HlinjassaSimonForster
Hlo-Hlo KeithSloan
HoddypeakKeith Sloan
HymenphaliaMatthew W.Schmeer
HweegarlJames Mishler
Insitor Josh Graboff
IracaecusJohnathan Bingham
IxomantSándorGebei
Jabim IgorSartorato
JaidenRichard J.LeBlanc, Jr.
Jale GodGregGorgonmilk
JessraMalcolm Bowers
Jexvenna DennisLaffey
jhillennethMatt Fischer
Jodj (see Chelk and Jodj)
Johnny HopperChris Tamm
JöögengeldAdamDickstein
Jus'enufStephen Bartok
KahladahtR. J. Thompson
KakanuawanaEzra Claverie
KalantosCraig Schwarze
KaldrabikkiaDungeon of Sketch
Karga SavashaRobert Morris
KhaldranathWilliamMaranto
Khaldranath (co-credit)Jim Brewer
KhorissaGreg Johnston
KilooloogungIgor Sartorato
King ShroomJens Durke/td>
King Under the MountainEvan Van Elkins
KrythyleWayne Rossi
Kwunndle AndrewBranstad
KypselusJosh Graboff
Lacta Lacrima (Lacrimosa)DuncanYoung
Lady of CauldronsRichard J.LeBlanc, Jr.
Lady of Lost AnglesNathan Cohen
Lady of RainsGrantStone
Lady of Tasks ForgottenLogan Knight
Little LightsDavidHaraldson
LlewelAlexandra Ausborn
LobonChris Wellings
Loe-HannJohnathan Bingham
Lord BarleycornRoger S.G.Sorolla
Lord DownallJoelSparks
Lord GreensayneMatthew W.Schmeer
Lord of Mediocre PlotsNathan Cohen
LumagogJames Garrison
LurielMalcom Bowers
Machuk TomKilian
Magpie Princess JamesMurphy
MagrundiJohn Turcotte
Maharb'aalNicolas Senac
MaladminMalcomBowers
Mal-laMSándor Gebei
Malnor ThomasMartin
Man in the MoonBarryBlatt
ManguaçaIgor Sartorato
ManidonoErin Palette
Mar NodJames Patterson
Mearra (overview)Eric Fabiaschi
Meer-SmahEricWirsing
MeiferThorbjørnSteen
MephassurosJP Glutting
MerramorinaEric Fabiaschi
MespilusChrisWellings
MicicaraEricFabiaschi
MicoJimPacek
MixmalixMalcomBowers
Moen HepnirJohnathan Bingham
MoorealethPatrick Stuart
MorbiphallugusRichard J.LeBlanc, Jr.
Mosht Al BloppCharlesTurnitsa
MoslamminJoshua Burnett
Moss-Worn Goat LoganKnight
Mystical Martan Tony A.Rowe
NaaragigaToddRoe
NanefesteradDennisCarter
Nanny BinxChris Tamm
NardreaEric Fabiaschi
NaughtRichard J.LeBlanc, Jr.
NazarashBlairFitzpatrick
Nebius johnathanBingham
NecoTroy J. Truchon
NeubMark Bober
NeuphThorbjørnSteen
NhucyyDuncan Eshelman
Nocton Zython BeardPortly
NoxTim Brannan
Nug JamesMishler
Numathoth GavinNorman
NweeEdward Green
NyctalopsRichard J.LeBlanc, Jr.
ObnomehtJonasMustonen
Ochlos VolgusEricJones
OdxitNdegeDiamond
OgrimoxGavinNorman
OklaLuka Rejec
Old MotherSimon Forster
Old SnickerJohnFeldman
OllolldeGavin Norman
OobooraAndy Thompson
OoomDamian Breen
OphurtonBlairFitzpatrick
Ormix ProlMalcom Bowers
Otda'BtatleBlairFitzpatrick
OttoMalcomBowers
Ouk DanCassar
Pafflur StefanPoag
PäkkaanAlanBrodie
PaleonumisIan McDougall
Palester OlhmAndrewCrenshaw
Panathoth GavinNorman
PandantilusErik Tenkar
Patchwork GodColin Chapman
PatisseriaJodi Mishler
PelchakoStudio Arkhein
PerichronaosPorky
PherosathoolaMatthew W.Schmeer
PhilespurioJohn Grant
PilikkeEmmett & PaulBrinkmann
Polly Studio Arkhein
PollycockleKeith Sloan
PossimiumTimShorts
QinmearthaJohn Grant
QualdoniJedMcClure
Quantum OgreCourtneyCampbell
Qu'panRichard Iorio II
Qurgan QuagnarEmmett & PaulBrinkmann
Qwarghourn James Mishler
RaselomPatrick Henry Downs
RasoobErinPalette
Ratacus GantErik Tenkar
Ravel-Unravel JamesWard
Rhan-Tegoth Chris Wellings
RosartiaShaunHaskins
Ruslivia Eric Fabiaschi
Sa'hwoAnthony Pastores
Saint BiritusIgor Sartorato
Saint GuntherRichard J. LeBlanc, Jr.
Saint VineriaFr. DavidEynon
Sant Brothers (Dewi, Iltud, Teilo)GeoffreyMcKinney
SatrumDan Proctor
ScrebbloCraig Schwarze
SeppophisJeremy Duncan
Seshati Pyhatia????????
SernisJoshGraboff
Sertetti Eric Fabiaschi
SilvarnoPatrick Wetmore
Skaal CharlesTurnitsa
SomnauAndrew Branstad
SorgaWill Arnold
SousrogaMatthew Baron
Sovereign BastardMatt Diaz
SyizarkhogIgor Sartorato
TallemajaMatthew W.Schmeer
TarvinBryce Lynch
TauThed Rune
TeptrigorJeremy Reaban
TermarrEric Fabiaschi
Termas TunnellerJonah & PaulBrinkmann
ThebMalcomBowers
Their WifeJason Kielbasa
ThufDavid Haraldson
Thwizeviblyz Matthew W.Schmeer
Tix-ka-tix ErikJensen
Tlacotani John Everett Till
Tonya MatthewSchmeer
Tremella GarrettWeinstein
TricruxiaJohn Stater
Tsrura EricFabiaschi
Turquoise Idol of Communion LoganKnight
Tybesi-OIgor Sartorato
TyopPatrick Wetmore
U'illaDamian Breen
UndekAtailtonMiranda
UngsiDungeon of Sketch
UroborialisMatthew W.Schmeer
Urglu TerjeNordin
VerloreSteve Collington
Verthish Matthew W.Schmeer
Vexarus Evan Van Elkins
Vindico VindicatumRichard J.LeBlanc, Jr.
VodeiJosh Graboff
VydiaLuigi Castellani
Wart MotherChris Tamm
Whisper WillDaleCameron
Wicked SkeinJohn Everett Till
XaxolxMalcomBowers
XinraelGregGorgonmilk
XooxEricPotter
Yeb JamesMishler
YkeluKevinBrennan
Yellow KingRichard J.LeBlanc, Jr.
YemelesKeith Sloan
YeolnumaJames Garrison
YessirJürgen Mayer
YggrdRob Griffin
YhoundehChris Wellings
YkeluKevin Brennan
YululunCraig Schwarze
Yurm ErolOtus
Ywehbobbobhewy MattSchmeer
Yyy Richard J.LeBlanc, Jr.
Zeekil MattJackson
Zikcub DougRusch
ZirkoniaJohn GavinLighterness
ZodrazTreyCausey
Zodraz (co-credit)BeardPortly
ZumbibooIgor Sartorato
ZuurrtEzra Claverie
Zyni MoeKeith Sloan
ZzyzzJustenBrown

Friday, November 21, 2014

Production Tip #1: RGB vs. Grayscale Images

I've decide as I continue to work my way through the Expanded Petty Gods productions I will start to post some production advice for all those self-publishers out there.

Today's advice specifically relates to the use of RGB vs. Grayscale images. More specifically, in instances where the book will be eventually released as both a B&W interior print version, as well as a PDF copy.

So, to begin, here's today's piece of advice...

If you're going to have a B&W interior (including grayscale images), and you know your product will be release in a PDF version, then make sure your source photos are in Grayscale..

Technically, this is quite easy to accomplish. In Photoshop, you simply change the color mode from RGB to Grayscale by going IMAGE > MODE > GRAYSCALE (see image at left). Also, most scanner programs have a grayscale mode. PLEASE NOTE: In most cases, it's best to retouch/image adjust in RGB before converting to grayscale.


Now let's answer the question, "Why grayscale?" There are two answers to this...

First, it actually makes for a more visually consistent (i.e., "professional looking") PDF. Check out the Digiskleros example from the Original Petty Gods PDF vs. the Expanded Petty Gods layout. In the first example, from OPG, notice the sort of "greenish" tone in the image? Now look at the 2nd example from EPG. Notice the consistency and richness of the black tones. Now, look a the 3rd image, where I take the greenish version from OPG and show it in the EPG layout.


Original Petty Gods with RGB Abondiance.


Expanded Petty Gods with grayscale Abondiance.


Expanded Petty Gods with RGB Abondiance "pasted in."

That alone should be enough reason to do it. But there's a second and equally-compelling reason. And it all comes down to file size limitations and restrictions. All of the OneBookShelf companies (including RPGNow, where most of us distribute our PDFs) have very established guidelines for production, but the following two, when taken at face value, are VERY misleading...
– All Images are RGB color
– All Images are 150 dpi/ppi
The reason they want images as RGB is because they are assuming the images themselves are in color, and if saved as CMYK, they would be tremendously larger. You'd think they would only be 25% larger, but a CMYK file size can often be more than 300% larger than it's RGB counterpart (it all has to do with file compression algorithms; or so the petty god of desktop production has told me).

Because grayscale images have less digital information in them, they tend to be smaller than their RGB counterparts. This means a couple of things for you... 1) it's okay to make your images grayscale, even though OneShelf says they need to be RGB, and 2) when your program compresses your file to make the smallest PDF it can, it will actually retain more "in between" information for your image (color images, especially JPGs, "squeeze" out a lot of the details of an image), meaning it will look a lot better on screen and when it prints from your desktop! Oh, and if you want that image to hold more detail, then always go with with TIFF over JPG.

Now, all this being said, for any artists sending me Petty Gods art, please just keep sending me the file types you would normally send!!! I'm doing any sort of adjustments and conversions on my end, to maintain as much production quality as possible! So, if you've sent me RGB JPGs in the past, then just keep doing the same, and I'll worry about all the stuff I noted above!

Coming soon... I discuss the power of the "Levels" control in Photoshop.

Wednesday, November 19, 2014

Petty Gods Layout Update: Petty Gods through "P"

On the Expanded Petty Gods book, I've got the rough layout done for the "Petty Gods" section up through "P." There are a few copy holes here and there throughout the book (going back as far as the "C" entries), and there are plenty of art "stand in" blocks (black rectangles which hold space for illustrations to come), but as a whole it's shaping up. I'm trying to keep the layout as flexible as possible, so that I can accommodate any unexpected layout issues that crop up.

The page count currently stand around 200. That includes the intro section, the "Cults & Cultists" section, and the "Divine Items" section. So, as expected, by the time the minions, spells, and appendices are added in, the page count will come in around 300.

I'm still thinking it will take through December to get most of the layout done, then through January to get proofing and final art pieces in.

Now that I've been able to get through more of the layout, review the entries that still need art, and know what kind of art-holes I need to fill in, I'm hoping to get a wave of art assignments out this week, with the hopes of having most of those back in by the end of Thanksgiving weekend.

I'm also trying to make the end of November as the absolute drop-dead date for any copy items that are hanging out there. Content items that remain incomplete at that point will likely be dropped.

Thursday, November 13, 2014

Petty Gods Update: A through F

Just a quick post to let everybody know it looks like I have all but 1 piece of the art accounted for the A-through-F entries for the "Petty Gods" section of the Expanded Petty Gods book. That doesn't mean the all the art is in for those entries, it just means that it is accounted for. So... a) I have the art and it's already in the layout, b) the art exists (in whole or in part) and I'm waiting on the illustrators to find/complete and send them along, or c) the art has been assigned.

At this point, only 2 descriptions from A-F are missing or incomplete. I have a rough draft of one of them, and am just waiting on the finalized version. The other one is supposed to exist, the contributor is working on finding it.

I've spent the good part of this week working on coordinating art needs with artist styles and availability, so layout hasn't progressed much (and I don't imagine it will until next week). But it feels great to look at the spreadsheet and only see 1 missing art-hole (I dare not call it an "A-hole") for A through F.

In the next couple of days, I will likely be posting lists of entries for the "Petty Gods" and "Minions, Knights and Servitors" sections, to confirm that no entries have fallen through the cracks. (Look for that tomorrow morning.)

Monday, November 10, 2014

Expanded Petty Gods Lives (#epglives)



Okay. This is me, officially announcing that I have taken over the reins on the
Expanded Petty Gods project.

Over the last couple of weeks, as I began to reach out to a few folks individually as well as the OSArtists group at Google+, I know there was some speculation. I, however, wanted to get a bit more accomplished before I made the official announcement. (As stated above, this is it.)

I've been lucky that this time of year there's always a bit of a lull in my workload (I have two big clients whose jobs I get put to bed at the middle-ish of October), which is why I reached out to Greg Gorgonmilk to offer my assistance in taking over the reins (something we had discussed briefly toward the end of this past summer).

So what have I been doing over the last few weeks?

MASTER SPREADSHEET
The first thing I did was create a new master spreadsheet (based off Greg's spreadsheets and expanded by the list of the gods from the Original Petty Gods PDF). As you'll see in the sample below, I broke out contributors' names (by first and last), as well as created a column for alignment and domains. Once the book layout is done, I'll be able to add page numbers for each entry, and spit out indexes for petty gods by alignment, writer, and artist (and possibly domain). The other thing this let me do was do a "matchback" to all art and content entries to see what I did/did not have, in the way of both copy and art. The OPG content came from Peter Gifford (who did the layout on the original version) and the archives that Greg had been making.



Based on the finalized spreadsheet, there will be a total of 300 petty gods in the book (including the 100 or so from the Original Petty Gods edition, but not including the minions/knights/servitors). I believe there are only a handful of these for which I'm still working on getting the source copy. There is a lot more art that needs to be done, which is where the major push will be over the next month or so. There is a separate spreadsheet for the 40+ minion/knight/servitor listings.

The email address I've set up for those interested in lending their artistic talents to this community projects is pgart(at)newbigdragon(dot)com (please send links to samples, and please put "Petty Gods Art" as the subject line). [No new/additional copy/non-art content will be accepted unless specifically requested, or already agreed upon to appear in the book.]


LAYOUT
Believe it or not, over the last couple-three weeks, I've gotten rough layout done on approximately 150 pages of what looks to be a 275-300 page tome. Originally, when I was looking to help Greg with the layout on this back as early as last October, we were going for more of a 1e/Futura-typeface-driven look, a la the AD&D Monster Manual. In looking to speed up the process on the layout of the entire book, I'm going to default to what has become the New Big Dragon "house look" for the internal pages for two reasons: 1) I'm really familiar with its nuances, which will allow me to tremendously speed up the layout process (e.g., because I can make odd typesetting decisions on the fly, based on how I've done similar things in the past), and 2) because this Expanded edition was intentionally a Lab-Lord compatible book, this Souvenir-typeface-driven look is consistent with that edition (and the editions that inspired it).



So here's an overview of the layout and what's been accomplished so far:
  • TITLE/INTRO SECTION - complete minus some art
  • SECTION 1: Petty Gods
    about 75 pages of this have been roughly laid out, encompassing all petty gods from A through L (what's there will take some layout tweaking as art comes in, but all of the typesetting has been completed as noted from A-L)
  • SECTION 2: Minions, Knights & Servitors
    I have not started on this yet, but intend to do it after finishing the remainder of PGs from Section 1
  • SECTION 3: Cults & Cultists
    About 7 pages have been laid out here; this includes all submissions previously made for this section; I'm also working on creating a d10xd30 set of listings (since there are 300 petty gods)
    that suggests cult names, membership, and practices for the PGs listed in Section 1
  • SECTION 4: Divine Items
    All copy for this section has been roughly laid in and typeset (about 20 pp), but there is no art (though, I believe this section will have very little)
  • SECTION 5: Spells
    No layout has been done for this, but I've collected all the spells (from the various entries)
    and put them in a master spreadsheet by spell name (which I'll be able to export and quickly layout). Entries will include contributor's name, and the reference related entries in the book. Expect this to take about 20 pages.
  • APPENDICES - have not been laid out at all, but will be easy
    (since it's big chunks of copy)
    A. Create a Religion In Your Spare Time for Fun and Profit
    B. Barsoomian Pantheon (a wonderful section by Michael Curtis)
    C. Reaction Tables (need to be written, but I have thoughts on organizing this)
    D. Petty Foods of the Petty Gods
    E. Petty Classifieds
    F. Other works referenced in this book
    (e.g., Dunsany's The Gods of Pegāna and issues of Underworld Lore)


TIMELINE
I believe layout will easily take the rest of November and into early December. (While I've had a lull in work which has afforded me the ability to blow through all of the above, I can't expect it to last forever). I also believe based on the number of illustrations still needed, it may take through January (or longer) to fill in all the holes. BUT! proofing can happen before all art is in. So the hope is that while art is being completed, so is the proofing/correcting.

No guarantees, of course, but (fingers crossed, knock on wood, etc.), release sometime in February?

[BTW, I'm out of pocket most of the day today, so anybody that leaves a comment below or messages me through Google+ will probably not hear back from me until this evening.]

Friday, November 7, 2014

Busy & Big

I don't think I've ever gone this long between posts. Just a note to say I'm around, working in the background on something big. I mean that literally. It will likely be 300 pages complete. 

You are now free to speculate, though I know a couple of you know what it is.


On a side, but related note...
I'm hoping to use the weekend to catch up on psionic and creature compendium input.