It is traditional in the field of blogging that whenever one returns from an unplanned and unannounced hiatus, an apology should be offered.
Mea culpa. Mea culpa. Mea maxima culpa.
However, I bring much joyous news. While there was literally no time for blogging, much work has been done on the game itself: new classes, bloodlines, a gold-based XP system, a clearer (and yo-yo free) in-combat healing system, mounted combat, grappling, a lookup-free light system, grappling rules, player-owned regiment/business/vehicles, mass combat, NPC party members, professions, a revamped magic system w/ spell lists, environmental hazards, a revamped levelling chart, the entire item system, an un-simplified in theory but simplified in practice conditions chart, a new system for creating or modifying stat blocks (and noting them in as little as 1 number,) a Unified Economic Grid (UEG) and most importantly rules for intoxication have all been added.
As well, playtesters have been recruited and an unplanned *second* "product" has been added, a setting book with 20 suggested classes covering the world of the beta test, and a *third* "product," a pre-fabricated starting village.
Why has so much work been done when there was no blogging time? Why has the "product line" expanded so much? Why hasn't any of this made it to the blog yet?
Because I'm not working alone anymore.
From the beginning, g/x was planned to be a one-person show: I believe in paying your contractors in money and my budget is $0 for a completely non-commercial product. Ergo, I am my own contractors. And I was fine with this. I absolutely, positively did not contact anyone.
Someone contacted me specifically to ask for one of their team members to get a chance to work for experience and exposure. I contacted them, half out of courtesy and half out of a desire to talk them out of such a one sided trade. And what I got back was a clear and rational explanation that by allowing them to take on technical writing and layout duties I would legitimately be doing a favor for someone with talent, desire, and no foothold in the industry whatsoever. And it wouldn't suck for them if a couple of those playtesting invites fell off the truck, either.
So after much reassurance I am I-wouldn't-say-proud-but-I-will-say-happy to welcome Ragtag Heroes to the team as technical writing staff.
My first time working with a technical writing staff, in fact.
Help.
