Rule Formatting

[grendeljd]

Going off my Defiance experience [POD books] I think the 16 page block rule still stands. The core rulebook I did was 256 pages, and the supplement I am currently finishing up is 64 pages. Makes sense if you are still making printed copies...

I think it wouldn't be unreasonable to do 32 page Army List supplements, they would be super cheap as downloads which would be really appealing... not sure if it would translate to cheaper POD printed copies though [isn't the general rule of thumb being that more pages equals a cheaper per page rate?]. I haven't really looked at many games available on RPGNow and the like - anyone here familiar with common supplement sizes online these days?

I wouldn't think of separating UNE & Machine stats into separate army books either... in fact I'd even hesitate to separate them from the core rule book, unless you just include basic figures in the main rulebook [ala the original black box] and then have UNE & Machine together in one army list edition.

Personally, I'd buy a separate Advanced/Optional rulebook, separate scenario/campaign pack books, and separate army list books too, though I wouldn't be upset about one larger Alien Sourcebook book again either. Is it a concern, in anyone's opinion here, to basically be reprinting updated versions of every main book you already have out from the old run?

[Dave Chase]

Well I kind of like how the whole original LOS came out.

Why not release LOS as it's own small book, which covers inside and some of the advance rules.
Release Planetstorm (tabletop) as it's own rules.
In both only cover a limited amount of the other races and just concentrate on UNE and Machines. Have not only mention for the other races and a very brief background but include one squad/unit/etc for each race.

Then have the Alien source book and the AA book (Advance and Alternate rules) and the Scenario book 1 Objective Planetstorm that has scenarios for both table top and undergroud.
Include the basic campaign with book
Scenario book 2 Junction Point
Scenario book 3 Border wars, which would have some scenarios that involve all the different races fighting over objects and resources that most times does not include the machines
Scenario book 4 Machine Madness, a scenario book that involves machines and your choice army/race.

Design both LOS and Planetstorm books so that they could be placed into a binder in the appropriate sections. And please include some color or icon/symbol on each page so that it is easy to tell if it is a LOS or Planetstorm section/rule.
There should also be a pre-intergrated section in the LOS for the Advance rules so that future advance rules (equipment, weapons, special figures) will fit in that binder space.
And the Planetstorm book should have the alternate rules section already built into it for the same reason.

How I see the design/editing of this project of books going is like this:
Since the final design is so that IF one wishes that they could have one big book, layout all the material as one big book.
Then divide the sections into the various release books.
Once it has determine that each book has the correct material and rules included, add the needed

[Clark]

The original Scenario Pack was a stop-gap between the Black Box and the Advanced Rules. Similarly, Junction Point was put out as a lead up to Planetstorm.

The problem with more, smaller books is the cover. First is needing new cover art and the cost involved (a grand per pop?). On the print end, full colour on card stock plus the binding is one price and then b/w pages are about the same regardless if there is 32 or 256 of them. As a package, the cost per page drops as the book gets larger because the cost of the cover is divided over more pages.

[grendeljd]

Well I kind of like how the whole original LOS came out.

Agreed! I keep all my LoS books together and love looking through them all, even though I am not playing so often lately.

Why not release LOS as it's own small book, which covers inside and some of the advance rules.
Release Planetstorm (tabletop) as it's own rules.
In both only cover a limited amount of the other races and just concentrate on UNE and Machines. Have not only mention for the other races and a very brief background but include one squad/unit/etc for each race.

I'd be wary of too much overlap, especially if it ends up being designed to work as sheets in a binder for those who like it. Yes, you could just remove sheets that are duplicated, but wouldn't that be kind of aggravating to have to do?

Then have the Alien source book and the AA book (Advance and Alternate rules) and the Scenario book 1 Objective Planetstorm that has scenarios for both table top and undergroud.
Include the basic campaign with book
Scenario book 2 Junction Point
Scenario book 3 Border wars, which would have some scenarios that involve all the different races fighting over objects and resources that most times does not include the machines
Scenario book 4 Machine Madness, a scenario book that involves machines and your choice army/race.

Some good ideas here - I like the concept of a scenario book that doesn't involve machines, only inter-alien conflict. Mixing Planetstorm/Tile games in one may be cool too.

Design both LOS and Planetstorm books so that they could be placed into a binder in the appropriate sections.

My gut reaction to 'designing for binder placement' is that it comes across as being cheap. But I am guessing there are tons of gamers out there who would love the idea. I think trying to design it so you can mix Planetstorm rules in with the Tile version in that format is overdoing it. I'd at least keep the two separated. Designing the layout to accommodate 3-ring press wouldn't be hard, just work it into the inner margin size.

[Kindred]

actually... I had to slice the spine on a few of the books in order to get them to be usable in a binder...

[Dave Chase]

Well, making a binder version of all the rules is just one option.

How exspensive the books cost depends on many factors. Is this going to be a printed rules set only or are individuals going to be able to buy as pdf?

I see the LOS rules as being a subset of the entire LOS/Planetstorm rules. Ie, underground and indoors. The Planetstorm rule set is designed to allow free form tabletop, rigid map tiles and vehicles.

(Kind of like MageKnight game, Table top, Conquest (large armies) and Dungeons (indoor set maps.)

As for redunancy in books, that should be kept a min other than some over lap on other races (non UNE/Machines).

There will be some individuals who might want to check out LOS but not want a full rule set (and the larger price?) so they could buy the LOS indoor rule set.
Some will want table top only and some will buy the Alien books just for the extra background of cool looking, interestingly different races to use in their own game/world.

And of course for a limited edition run, there will be X copies of a hard bound complete rule set available for purchase just in time for Christmas 2012.
Why that long, to see if the demand is high enough to make it worth while to do such.

Dave Chase

[grendeljd]

How exspensive the books cost depends on many factors. Is this going to be a printed rules set only or are individuals going to be able to buy as pdf?

This is a must in the modern era of gaming, I think. There has to be a plan in place to sell downloadable versions of everything.

I see the LOS rules as being a subset of the entire LOS/Planetstorm rules. Ie, underground and indoors. The Planetstorm rule set is designed to allow free form tabletop, rigid map tiles and vehicles.

When Planetstorm first came out, I drooled over the idea of creating a multi-platform campaign - starting out with an above ground series of battles that would lead to an indoor campaign. THAT would be a great scenario book concept...

There will be some individuals who might want to check out LOS but not want a full rule set (and the larger price?) so they could buy the LOS indoor rule set.
Some will want table top only and some will buy the Alien books just for the extra background of cool looking, interestingly different races to use in their own game/world.

Yeah, thats why I think everything should still be modular and separate - your post earlier sounded slightly confusing over the idea of putting everything together in one binder. Making that an option by designing the layouts isn't a bad idea, but don't most fellows into "binder-izing" just hack their books up anyway? [I don't know personally, just going by Kindred's post above].

[smokingwreckage]

I think it was mentioned, but let me second the idea that a bunch of scenarios for alien vs alien would be very valuable...

[SgtHulka]

I think it was mentioned, but let me second the idea that a bunch of scenarios for alien vs alien would be very valuable...

Especially Fantasian versus UNE =). We played a ton of that with Planetstorm.

I'd also like to see more scenarios that aren't just guys attacking machine complexes. There are a few scattered throughout the scenarios that take place in warehouses and stuff, still using the tiles, and I'd like to see more of those, especially machine counter-offensives blasting through League of Alien bases or starships. I don't like machines being on the defensive so much, especially since the fluff talks about how they kicked everyone's butt. And I'd like to see scenarios set during Volgagrad! (is that what it was called?)

Okay, that all said, the scenarios for the original game were all awesome. If you guys didn't spend a ton of time playtesting it sure *seemed* like you did. So what I *don't* want is new scenarios that aren't as awesome as the old ones, i.e. if you don't have time to properly playtest them and give them the attention that the old scenarios were given, I'd rather just see re-prints of the old scenarios.

[Clark]

For each scenario we have "Designer Forces" but maybe we should also have some commentary for each about "alternate timelines" where the same forces didn't clash.  So instead of UNE attacking the Machine base, then invent a paragraph of fluff so that the Aliens could be involved, or fighting each other.

Some scenarios rely on movement more than others and that has to be reflected in the force selection.  I was working on a fix to the UPV system that could plug that but it is nowhere near being useful yet.

[smokingwreckage]

In scenarios as tight as LoS some might be unsuitable for certain PBA regardless of the usual UPV of those units. Perhaps commentary outlining what could be fielded?

[Clark]

I agree.  The key thing is the augmented and other sprint-capable figs that can bugger up certain scenarios.  That is why I was working on a new UPV system that takes movement rates into account, given the scenario.  Figures would have a standard UPV plus an "M" factor.  Some scenarios would have an "M" factor.  You multiply the two together and add it to the UPV of the force.