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Thread: [Beyond the Final Frontier] Big Announcement!

  1. #1
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    [Beyond the Final Frontier] Big Announcement!

    Back in the day, GandalfofBorg created a couple of unofficial webzines for the two licensed RPGs Decipher produced, Lord of the Rings and Star Trek.

    The Hall of Fire, the LOTR webzine, has done well for itself and it's still going strong today. It passed out of GoB's hands some time back, but it continues to draw considerable support from the fandom and its current production staff.

    Beyond the Final Frontier hasn't been as successful, for whatever reason. It, too, passed out of GoB's hands some time back, but for whatever reason it hasn't been kept in front of the fandom and consistently produced like its cousin has.

    Well, for a variety of reasons, BTFF is changing hands again. This time, the new hands are mine. So, effective immediately, Beyond the Final Frontier is back in business.

    Over the next few days, I'm going to be revamping the existing support website to reflect the BTFF brand name. Essentially, the CODA support site will become BTFF. Content and submissions from the Tatterdemalion King, the previous editor, are being turned over as he finishes them, and they'll be posted as soon as possible. So if you submitted something for the oft-rumored BTFF #11, fear not: It will soon be seeing the light of day. First up is part 3 of Roger Taylor's "Blood & Honor" campaign, "Burdens of Proof," which should be up in the next day or so.

    You guys have been patient beyond words. Over the next few days and weeks, as I get myself adjusted to this new role, I'll be making more updates and announcements. So keep bearing with me just a little longer; I think you're going to like where this is going.
    Patrick Goodman -- Tilting at Windmills

    "I dare you to do better." -- Captain Christopher Pike

    Beyond the Final Frontier: CODA Star Trek RPG Support

  2. #2

    Thumbs up

    This is good news, as I'm currently narrating the "Blood & Honor" campaign, my players and I are definitely looking forward to its conclusion!

  3. #3
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    Cool, I look forward to seeing it. I love seeing new stuff like this!
    Ta Muchly

  4. #4
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    Good for you, Patrick! I haven't read too much of the mag in detail, but I'm glad to see that it's being revived.

  5. #5
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    So...are you planning to continue the e-zine format or simply act as a central clearing house for Trek RPG related material?

    Also, in what formats do you want submissions to be sent.

    I've got a lot of material which might prove useful including some revamping/reeditting of some of my previous submissions.

    Let me know what I can do to help.
    Last edited by selek; 05-17-2010 at 02:35 PM. Reason: Spelling

  6. #6
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    Quote Originally Posted by selek View Post
    So...are you planning to continue the e-zine format or simply act as a central clearing house for Trek RPG related material?
    Well, I want to continue as a webzine, but time constraints (job-hunting, writing, raising two kids, that sorta thing) might not enable me to do that.

    For the time being, as I get myself into the rhythm of what I want to do, I'm going to be just a central clearing house. Projects that I do will be "branded" with BTFF, so the often-delayed but nearly-complete Starships of the Star Fleet Technical Manual, for instance, will be the first BTFF sourcebook I put out. The Klingon book, if anybody ever decides to jump in an participate, will also be a BTFF production.

    If I can get people to submit, and get some time to do the layout or get someone else to do the layout/art direction kind of thing, yes, there will be more issues of the webzine.

    Man, that was long-winded, wasn't it?
    Also, in what formats do you want submissions to be sent.
    Either as a Word document or an RTF (Rich Text File) document. Most word processors, whether MS-produced or not, can handle one of those formats.
    I've got a lot of material which might prove useful including some revamping/reeditting of some of my previous submissions.

    Let me know what I can do to help.
    Well, the biggest thing people can do to help is to send submissions to strpg at patrickgoodman dot org. I'll still accept the single ships with just stat blocks, but to increase the chance of being able to put a webzine together, having some fluff text with the stat blocks sure makes things more interesting.

    We need adventures!! Lots and lots of adventures, spanning all eras. I'm about to post B&H3, and Huth advises me that there's another adventure almost ready...but we really need more. I know that someone out there must have something!

    More character options are cool, too. Come up with some Professional Development packages, that sorta thing.

    Okay, I'm going to go ahead and post this because I've got to go cook dinner, but think about contributing, guys!!
    Patrick Goodman -- Tilting at Windmills

    "I dare you to do better." -- Captain Christopher Pike

    Beyond the Final Frontier: CODA Star Trek RPG Support

  7. #7
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    Quote Originally Posted by PGoodman13 View Post
    Well, I want to continue as a webzine, but time constraints (job-hunting, writing, raising two kids, that sorta thing) might not enable me to do that.
    Amatuer. That's why they call it multi-tasking.

    The Klingon book, if anybody ever decides to jump in an participate, will also be a BTFF production.
    I thought about jumping into this, but hesitated for two reasons: first, it sounded like it was well-in-hand, and second, because it sounded well over my head.

    I'm happy to work on Klingon adventures if you need them for the sourcebook.

    If I can get people to submit, and get some time to do the layout or get someone else to do the layout/art direction kind of thing, yes, there will be more issues of the webzine.
    <<<Snicker>>>......well I've got a lot of submissions that I can shoot your way. A fairish number of articles and adventures I can toss your way. Some of them are near-duplicated of material I already supplied to TDK, but much of it is new, too.

    I work mostly with MS Office and with Open Office- which gives me some latitude in working with PDF's and various formats. I haven't tried to format an e-zine pdf using OpenOffice, but I can give it a solid try.

    Among my other projects, I'm working on stats for a multi-vector assault version of the Sovereign class, and I've got roughly a dozen ready-to-run adventures I've written for the Seventh Fleet fan club in Utah.

    Man, that was long-winded, wasn't it?
    I think we just tied.

    Either as a Word document or an RTF (Rich Text File) document. Most word processors, whether MS-produced or not, can handle one of those formats.
    Got it.

    Well, the biggest thing people can do to help is to send submissions to strpg at patrickgoodman dot org. I'll still accept the single ships with just stat blocks, but to increase the chance of being able to put a webzine together, having some fluff text with the stat blocks sure makes things more interesting.
    Are you kidding? I've got more fluff than a cotton-candy factory. I've got fluff coming out my ears!

    We need adventures!! Lots and lots of adventures, spanning all eras. I'm about to post B&H3, and Huth advises me that there's another adventure almost ready...but we really need more. I know that someone out there must have something!
    As stated, I've got an even dozen ready-to-run missions for TOSMovie, Next Gen, and Post-DS9, and a single Reboot mission, two additional three-part mini campaigns (RRT, and a PT-boat-style runabout squadron), and I'm producing new missions on a bi-weekly (or slightly better) basis.

    I've only hesitated to send them in because there was so little movement on the BTFF front and I didn't want TDK to feel like I was pressuring him.

    More character options are cool, too. Come up with some Professional Development packages, that sorta thing.
    Would Starfleet Marine packages and supplemental gear work?

    Okay, I'm going to go ahead and post this because I've got to go cook dinner, but think about contributing, guys!!
    Let the avalanche commence!

  8. #8
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    Hey Patrick...

    You know, I might be of the mind to pick up the torch again and do the layout work and finishing for the zine. If you want me, that is.

    I have the first 36 issues of The Hall of Fire as a resume, along with number 50. I have all of the resources to create the docs and then print them to PDF. Only thing I never had a great quantity of was cool fonts for publishing (Word and Adobe are the extent of my font base), although I have downloaded most of the free Trek fonts out there.

    Monthly, quarterly, or every four months - however you want to present the zine... I think I have taken a long enough hiatus from it, that I can commit to the zine. It will be a nice change of pace, too, not working in Middle-earth.

    Let me know if you need me. If you have everything covered, you won't hurt my feelings if you say no.

    T
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  9. #9
    To be honest, part of the reason for handing off the torch to Patrick was my constant rethinking of what the format of the magazine should be. I had decided that each article might work better, in use, as separate pdf files (easier to print, etc), and at that point, I asked myself why package them together at all.

    I'm still willing to provide layout and art services–I've settled on a 'look' that I feel works, while also being light on printers. If anyone needs maps, handouts or (occasionally) illustrations for their articles, let me know.

    One thing that is probably needed, however, is submission guidelines that include standardized formatting indicators. Pre-formatted RTF files actually take more time to lay out than raw text; I can supply examples of formatting indicators if anyone doesn't know what I'm talking about.
    Portfolio | Blog Currently Running: Call of Cthulhu, Star Trek GUMSHOE Currently Playing: DramaSystem, Swords & Wizardry

  10. #10
    Quote Originally Posted by selek View Post
    As stated, I've got an even dozen ready-to-run missions for TOSMovie, Next Gen, and Post-DS9, and a single Reboot mission, two additional three-part mini campaigns (RRT, and a PT-boat-style runabout squadron), and I'm producing new missions on a bi-weekly (or slightly better) basis.

    I've only hesitated to send them in because there was so little movement on the BTFF front and I didn't want TDK to feel like I was pressuring him.
    Don't worry about it; I got distracted constantly rewriting my own articles, and the usual life crises and such.

    As an editorial comment, though, I would suggest taking the mini-campaigns and combining them into larger episodes.

    Would Starfleet Marine packages
    Maybe with a very large disclaimer...
    Portfolio | Blog Currently Running: Call of Cthulhu, Star Trek GUMSHOE Currently Playing: DramaSystem, Swords & Wizardry

  11. #11
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    Quote Originally Posted by selek View Post
    As stated, I've got an even dozen ready-to-run missions for TOSMovie, *snip*
    ka-ching! You had me at hello. Load the tubes and fire away!
    Crimson Hand Gamers...why have your own site when there's Facebook?

  12. #12
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    For those of you inclined to such things, I've put together a Beyond the Final Frontier group on Facebook, so please come and show your support! The link is in my sig.
    Patrick Goodman -- Tilting at Windmills

    "I dare you to do better." -- Captain Christopher Pike

    Beyond the Final Frontier: CODA Star Trek RPG Support

  13. #13
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    re: the Klingon sourcebook
    Quote Originally Posted by selek View Post
    I thought about jumping into this, but hesitated for two reasons: first, it sounded like it was well-in-hand, and second, because it sounded well over my head.
    Dunno about well in hand, really. Got a pretty good outline, even have a little bit of material...but we need a lot of people to jump in and actually submit the rest of it. Lots of things haven't even been claimed/assigned yet.
    I'm happy to work on Klingon adventures if you need them for the sourcebook.
    That would be extremely cool. Short mini-adventures, covering all the eras (ENT, TOS, films, TNG/DS9) would be what I'm after for that. Jumping-off points to give Narrators a fun place to start, and an appropriate flavor.

    re: submissions in general
    well I've got a lot of submissions that I can shoot your way. A fairish number of articles and adventures I can toss your way. Some of them are near-duplicated of material I already supplied to TDK, but much of it is new, too.
    TDK assures me that he's working on stuff that's already been sent to him, so I'd be mostly interested in the new stuff.

    What kind of articles?
    Among my other projects, I'm working on stats for a multi-vector assault version of the Sovereign class, and I've got roughly a dozen ready-to-run adventures I've written for the Seventh Fleet fan club in Utah.
    Don't just send stat blocks with that ship...include some fluff to make it an interesting read. That's one of the things I have a problem with re: the ships that I've got up on the site now: They're pretty dry. Arid, even.

    And the adventures would be most welcome, either as stand-along submissions or as part of the next issue of the zine.
    As stated, I've got an even dozen ready-to-run missions for TOSMovie, Next Gen, and Post-DS9, and a single Reboot mission, two additional three-part mini campaigns (RRT, and a PT-boat-style runabout squadron), and I'm producing new missions on a bi-weekly (or slightly better) basis.
    I'd be especially interested in the reboot mission, but all of them would be more than welcome, as mentioned before.

    Also as mentioned before, TDK is right: Combining the mini-campaign pieces into a single larger episode/movie kind of thing would probably be best. If you've got all the pieces, though, we can probably do that in layout. Shoot them my way.

    re: character options
    Would Starfleet Marine packages and supplemental gear work?
    I'm one of the ones who never really had a problem with the notion of Starfleet Marines, so as long as you don't mind some of the fandom yelling at you...go for it. Just don't send in raw stat blocks (I know I've said this about a dozen times already, but I think it needs to be repeated...a lot); make the stat blocks part of a larger article.
    Patrick Goodman -- Tilting at Windmills

    "I dare you to do better." -- Captain Christopher Pike

    Beyond the Final Frontier: CODA Star Trek RPG Support

  14. #14
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    Quote Originally Posted by The Tatterdemalion King View Post
    I'm still willing to provide layout and art services–I've settled on a 'look' that I feel works, while also being light on printers. If anyone needs maps, handouts or (occasionally) illustrations for their articles, let me know.
    I think that, for the time being, I'd like to try something new, with either myself or Tomcat doing the layout and stuff. I mean no disrespect by this; the work you do is really good stuff. I just think that, with the transition, it should be something new when we do get the zine portion of things going again.

    That said...I'm more than willing to file this away for future use, if that's okay with you.

    Now, on the subject of maps and handouts...well, a long time ago, I asked you for a map for the quick-start adventure, and that would still be a really nice thing to have....
    One thing that is probably needed, however, is submission guidelines that include standardized formatting indicators. Pre-formatted RTF files actually take more time to lay out than raw text; I can supply examples of formatting indicators if anyone doesn't know what I'm talking about.
    I would be very interested in having a look at that; I'm going to be working on a submission guideline document to post on the site, and this kind of thing would be enormously useful.
    Patrick Goodman -- Tilting at Windmills

    "I dare you to do better." -- Captain Christopher Pike

    Beyond the Final Frontier: CODA Star Trek RPG Support

  15. #15
    Quote Originally Posted by PGoodman13 View Post
    I think that, for the time being, I'd like to try something new, with either myself or Tomcat doing the layout and stuff. I mean no disrespect by this; the work you do is really good stuff. I just think that, with the transition, it should be something new when we do get the zine portion of things going again.
    That's cool. What do think about the look of it? I know it's not very Trek-y, but I kind of think the LCARS looks a little... overdone. I mean, as a design element, it's very 80s. We're kind of coming back around to TOS-era 'clean but textured' look when it comes to publication design, I think.

    Now, on the subject of maps and handouts...well, a long time ago, I asked you for a map for the quick-start adventure, and that would still be a really nice thing to have....
    Yeah, about that. Did you want an overhead one, or an isometric three-quarters one like the location shots we all know and love? I ask because it's a game about a TV show–what the walls look like tends to be a lot more notable than what the floor looks like : )

    I would be very interested in having a look at that; I'm going to be working on a submission guideline document to post on the site, and this kind of thing would be enormously useful.
    I might have some of Steve's old SD text files floating around, somewhere, which might be more appropriate for actually showing people. I'm also in Robin Law's weekly game, so I have a bunch of playtest versions of GUMSHOE games, etc, that I can get some formatting exmaples from (naturally, I wouldn't want to actually send off the files).

    EDIT: Also, selek, The Intruders layout is 90% done. If you or Patrick want to move forward on any of the other stuff sent to me, go ahead.
    Last edited by The Tatterdemalion King; 05-23-2010 at 01:29 PM.
    Portfolio | Blog Currently Running: Call of Cthulhu, Star Trek GUMSHOE Currently Playing: DramaSystem, Swords & Wizardry

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