2017 World of the Fifth Sun

2015 World of the Fifth Sun summary
2016 World of the Fifth Sun summary
2017 World of the Fifth Sun goals

Contributor levels for 2017

With content on the World of the Fifth Sun blog, RPGNow, and Aioskoru Website on Google and with this being a new year, I wanted to expand upon a contribution tier system which we tried for November's 5e x 5 launch. I'm going to try expanding it across all of the products that I made or helped make. Anyone who has bought or contributed to any of the products already counts has them count towards these amounts and may already have qualified for the contribution benefit(s).

Because of this, I am creating a structure within each and one across all four categories. Next year, these amounts may increase to due to new product and/or price increases.

It can be categorized into 4 major categories.
A) Solo Gaming (SG)
B) Aioskoru World (AW)
C) 5e x 5 (5x5)
D) Map making (MM)

and one combined tier
E) Ultimate Contributor (UC)

All purchases and contributions from the first July 2016 purchases up to now and those into the future are included when I figure out who is qualified in the current tiers including bundle packages.

(SG - AoO) $1.50
Solo Gaming contributions include the Ezine #1, Solo Game Engine, and Fact Generator. The current tier "Army of One" (AoO) is set at $1.50 contributing to any or combined among those three. This level will let you gain early access to upcoming solo game products such as the Flexible Story Engine and the Drama Escalator for the 2017.

(AW - FJ) $2.50
Aioskoru World contributions include the Aioskoru World Guide, Aioskoru OGL Maps, Aioskoru Outline maps, and the Aioskoru World Atlas. The current tier "Fantastic Journey" (FJ) is set to a $2.50 contributing to any or combined among those four. If you bought the Aioskoru World Atlas at any price or in any bundle, you are automatically in the FJ tier. This level will let you gain early access to upcoming campaign material for the 2017.

(5x5 - RC) $4.00
5e x 5 contributions include the 5e x 5 OGL SRD, Characters, Spells, Monsters, Equipment & Treasures, Combat & Conditions, Ezine #1, Future, or Modern. The current tier "Rules Conversion" (RC) is set to $4.00 contributing to any or combined among these nine. If you bought the 5e x 5 core, then you are automatically in the RC tier. This level will let you gain early access and a 30% discount on upcoming titles for 2017.

(MM - DC) varies
Map making contributions so far only includes the book Quick free world maps using GIMP filters and Donjon fractal maps. If you have that book, you are in the "Design Cartography" tier. This level will let you gain early access to and a 30% discount to the planned upcoming Intermediate free world maps book.

All Four Contributor categories
Ultimate Contributor (UC)
If a person contributes to AoO + FJ + RC + DC = UC for 2017

Future Project Goals for 2017 and further

Here is a list of projects that come to mind looking over the current landscape of products and the blog. This list is mixed blog and RPG products.

On top of the goal* list is:
Because of commitments made during November and December, some projects are placed high on the list.

Done
5e x 5 Modern Equipment

Soon to be ready
5e x 5 Future Equipment

Short term goals*

5e x 5 Fantasy formatting
Aioskoru Fairy Language - this is rated high for the blog material
Aioskoru Campaign material - content feature sections of the Aioskoru world
5e x 5 Future - system with cybernetics, robots, mecha
5e x 5 Modern - system with psionics
5e x 5 Psychic Powers - Fantasy mind powers

Peter is working with the 5e x 5 Monsters to add some CC and Open Images to the book

Mid Term Goals*

Also in the works is:
Release Fairy/Celestial & Demonic PWYW and the others for a low price: Common, Goblin, Elf, Orc, Dwarf, and Halfling.
5e x 5 Equipment & Treasures II
5e x 5 Monsters listed by CR & Terrain
ABS12 Flexible Story Engine
ABS12 Flexible Drama Escalator
ABS12 Fantasy solo game system

Long Term Goals*

Planned
5e x 5 Magic Item categorized list
More JAGs content
More Reviews & Played Reviews
Intermediate quick free maps using

Distant Possible Projects
5e x 5 Monsters II
5e x 5 Characters II
5e x 5 Combat & Conditions II
RPG vs Story Adventure

*Goals are subject to change, reorder, or be dropped for unforeseeable reasons.

2016 World of the Fifth Sun summary

2016
2015 World of the Fifth Sun summary
2016 World of the Fifth Sun summary

Maps

2016 began where I left off in 2015, with map work. I first produced an Aioskoru Highway map.

I had been working on Aioskoru languages as well, revealing that I had 175 elfin and orcish words in mid January. These words would expand along with Common, Goblin, Dwarf, and Halfling throughout this year in spurts.

In February of 2016 I returned to FAE, which I had paused studying due to RMU the summer before. I considered bidirectional approaches.

In March, my Quick free world maps using GIMP filters and Donjon fractal maps. I used a new technique to make more accurate 3D maps than the prior methods I had tried, using grayscale maps.

I also started my Dice, Cards, and Probability series of posts.

ABS12

In April, I began my A Basic System 12 (ABS12) system creation. I did this to give me a system that I could fool around with different mechanics. The entire series of posts shows my struggles, victories, and problems creating a system from scratch. Although the current system might not be entirely polished nor great, however I think the actual value is within the process posts. It's sort of a journal showing how they came to be.

In late April, I wrote a post that would serve as a basic model to me when comparing different game system attributes. I tried to fit together a Master chart of attribute words used to describe characters and monsters. Attributes, skills, and special gifts

In May, I wrote a post that would influence how I set monsters up for Aioskoru World Guide monster list. In my Looking at OGL stat data: Black Bear eight Open Gaming License (OGL) systems were examined comparing Black Bear stats.

Stories vs RPGs

Also in May, I started the series that would become the book Stories vs RPGs. In it, I compared character approaches, theory, and methods in story writing vs role playing games.

In May, I started my Search for a current fantasy main system. I would post a summary of process, comparisons, and criticism/praise beginning in June's Search for a current fantasy main system Part 1: suggested games and evaluating their samples

In late May, I created my ABS12 Solo Game Engine and Fact Generator.

I wrote a microfiction piece "Bargain for Eternity" at the end of May.

In June I began writing a RPG and Story Scenes. This is a short series that I hope to do more with at a future time.

In June, I started what would become In search of Centaurs using the ABS12 system.

In July, I wrote my Test Played series using the game information that I had gathered in the Search for a current fantasy main system process.

Quick free world maps using GIMP filters and Donjon fractal maps

I released the book Quick free world maps using GIMP filters and Donjon fractal maps on July 4th which included all of my blog post and a few new sections unique only to the book such as how to create the topographical maps and how to alter the biome maps to add new symbols. This was my first RPGNow book listed.

I also created some JAGS content such as some NPC templates, wild west creatures, and a d20 to JAGs conversion.

New Maps w river flow

July also saw my experiment with maps return, with me trying to find a way to figure out rivers quicker. This lead me to experiment with wilbur which resulted the map below which is the area for In Search of Centaurs story in Western Ekouinmanus Kapos.

Fantasy Constructed Languages: Fairy Celestial

In August, I began my Fantasy Constructed Languages series where I try to create a Fairy/Celestial language. Unlike the Common, Goblin, Elf, Orc, Dwarf, and Halfling this would be a constructed language entirely created from the sounds on up to the grammar. This series lets you look into my journey from a blank slate and see how I've created 194 words so far with some grammar rules and sentence structure.

RPGNow Aioskoru and solo game books

I also released the Aioskoru World Guide, ABS12 Flexible Solo Game Engine, Aioskoru OGL maps, ABS 12 Fact Generator, In search of Centaurs, and then Aioskoru World Atlas. Although it may appear that these were created simultaneous, really they had been in the works since late of October of 2015 - most of the work taking place at the end of 2015 in October to December, as mentioned in the last post. They had been on hold for several earlier months of 2016 while I looked into some theory and practiced game design. The Aioskoru World Atlas has some of the river techniques only recently discovered at that time.

I made two YouTube videos for the Aioskoru World Atlas and the Aioskoru World Guide

5e x 5

In September after an agreement with a partner Peter Rudin-Burgess who had created the first region of Aioskoru which he that he named Melos. We created a project named 5e x 5 to convert 5e SRD into a d100 attribute and skill based system.

For two months all other projects went on virtually on hold. Most of my posts at that time concerned either 3.5e or 5e, except one fantasy language post.

At the end of the project, we released the 5e x 5 OGL SRD using a kickstarter like tier system. We did the tier system to help generate contributions even though the actual SRD was PWYW. Keeping the system OGL and free if need be is the spirit of both Aioskoru and 5e x 5.

The motivational draw that I presented for contributors was an unavailable 5e x 5 Modern and Future conversion, which I began in November.

Since then, I've made strides into converting 5e x 5 Modern Characters, Modern Equipment, and recently began Modern Psionics.

For future I have converted 5e x 5 Future Characters, Future Equipment, Future Cybernetics, Future Robots, and recently Future Mecha.

Ezine #1

We released a collection of Peter and my blog posts named 5e x 5 Ezine #1. In addition, for contributors, we offered 5e x 5 Fantasy Weapons & Armor II as a motivational draw to contributors of the ezine.

5e x 5 two-column

We released a two-column version of the 5e x 5 books priced individually or by bundle with some savings.

That two-column version has received background images in the fantasy Character book and in the Spells book. 

In the next post I'll look at the next year and future current goals of World of the Fifth Sun blog. Ken Wickham

Where next? Looking back to where I've been.

With that fun project 5e x 5 wrapping up, except for some maintenance and Future & Modern expansion, it'll be back to my projects.

A. I will be continuing my Fairy constructed language, which is helping me to continue with the other languages as well.

Other fantasy language postsCreating a fantasy languageElfin and Orcish amount of words so farFantasy Constructed Languages Part 1: SoundsFantasy Constructed Languages Part 2: Parts of speech - nounsFantasy Constructed Languages Part 3: Parts of speech - adjectives

B. I might continue to make JAGS western stuff.

For my wild west game using the JAGS system.
JAGS RPG is a universal game system that can be found as a free download at http://mchacon8.wixsite.com/jagsrpg
JAGS wild west bestiaryBrown BearMountain Lion, Cougar, Puma

C. I might continue to make Ekouinmanus Kapos

Ekouinmanus Kapos Region of Aioskoru
https://sites.google.com/site/aioskoru/campaign-guide-ekouinmanus-kapos---horse-centaurs  

D. Maybe delve deeper into map making

Aioskoru, Western Ekouinmanus Kapos Map SeriesAioskoru Solo Game: Map of area Western Ekouinmanus Kapos Lakes and rivers using GIMP and Donjon fractal mapsAutomated rivers: first automated river attemptsRiver Beds using Donjon and WilburAioskoru: Northwest and Southwest Semimanus
Joined map and a little coloringThe puzzle of the rivers

Aioskoru: Northwest and Southwest Semimanus

I'm experimenting with different ways to make texture and water. The top one is my first map with water. The bottom one I did today, attempting to make the texture smoother. These two maps somewhat connect

River Beds using Donjon and Wilbur

Aioskoru, Western Ekouinmanus Kapos Map Series
Aioskoru Solo Game: Map of area Western Ekouinmanus Kapos
 Lakes and rivers using GIMP and Donjon fractal maps
Automated rivers: first automated river attempts
River Beds using Donjon and Wilbur

I think I'm headed this way more for my intermediate and advanced technique of using the Donjon maps using Wilbur in addition to GIMP. They seem more lifelike and do a great job of creating rivers automatically. No drawing required.

It does however interpret rivers, mountains, and hills sometimes different than my other techniques, such as the topography map.

Here are three map areas that I have worked on in the past. I place the original clip that the map was based on after the new image.

[Click map to enlarge]

[Click map to enlarge]

The map above is the lower part of this next grid map, focusing around the four white mountain icons.

[Click map to enlarge]

As you can see, the rivers in the above image don't match up with the rivers from the original image.