Quote from: Zachary The FirstWhat, if anything, do you see as coming out for support for Aces & Eights?  Anything we'd recognize as statted out locales from Cattlepunk? Possible adventure paths, after a fashion?  It seems like an awfully complete game, and I just didn't know what you guys had in the wings.  And if you do plan on future products with it, do you think the design quality will hold up with what you've had so far, and will it take on a more economical cast, perhaps?  Thanks!

One would think it's a complete game at 400 pages. But the Old West is such a huge canvas -- we realized early on we could never cover it all. SO we did the best we could.

We have several supplements in the works. Adventures, a book of NPCs, a Town Supplement (including rules for running business, getting involved in politics, building structures, etc). A GM screen. And a bunch of stuff I'm probably forgetting at the moment.

A&8 is a very serious/gritty game --- we didn't want to make too many references to KODT/Cattlepunk starting out to keep that point clear.

But down the road we're hoping to do some other settings for the rules. I'd personally love to see a one off setting book for CattlePunk.  But it's just an idea on paper at the moment. We haven't made any firm plans to do it just yet.

We're reprinting the A&8 core rule book and we have been listening to our customers and are providing more options this time around.

The same premium edition will be avaialble again (Hard back, leathered/tooled cover).

But we'll also be offering a Soft Cover version (full color through out just like the HC version). I don't recall the price but I think it'll be in the $29.00 range.

In addition for those players who don't need the full 400 page book we'll be offering a Player's Book -- which will include all the characer generation, skills, talents, quirks/flaws etc from the core rules. Probably the gun section and the alternative history stuff. I don't have an exact break down but we're looking at a full color soft cover book in the 20 dollar range.

So that should help folks' pocket books who are on a budget.

First time out the gate it was something of a gamble. We suspected there'd be a market for a detailed old west RPG but obviously we couldn't be sure.

So a lot of the planned supplements and so forth had planned were put in a holding pattern until the verdict was in.

I'm biased but I think everything we're working on currently is on a par with the core rule book.

But don't expect a "Supplement of the Month Club" with A&8.  These products will be slowly popping up over a course of months. Not weeks.

With everything else in the fire we're also working on HackMaster 5th Edition. Our goal is to give it the same level of treatment we gave A&8. (meaning it's at leat two years out).

Man oh man... this does sound like an utterly cool game, and in exactly the way Balbinus described in another thread, a propos creativity toolbox... too bad Noble Knight pwns my cash and sword & sorcery pwns my imagination right now.

Quote from: JollyRBWe're reprinting the A&8 core rule book and we have been listening to our customers and are providing more options this time around.

Wow, you sold out the first run already? That's pretty good going, congrats.

QuoteThe same premium edition will be avaialble again (Hard back, leathered/tooled cover).

But we'll also be offering a Soft Cover version (full color through out just like the HC version). I don't recall the price but I think it'll be in the $29.00 range.

As much as I love my leather-bound copy of Aces and Eights, this is probably a sensible idea. You might even get people buying both - one for the bookshelf, one for playing with.

Personally I'm pretty jazzed about the game.  I really like the idea of a classless game where you can change "professions" as you want.  Also, the mini games are great.  I especially love the one on brawling, and that's how my campaign is going to start, with a big bar brawl.  The mechanics use poker chips of various colours depending your ability scores and you can "bet" them every round to affect the strength of your attack, it's accuracy, and your endurance.  All in all, a pretty cool system and makes for a different kind of fight rather than "roll a D20 to see if you hit".  I really recommend checking it out.  

Also, if you're interested in seeing how a game might so, you might want to check out the kenzerco forums... there are some "play by post" games going on there that are interesting reads...

Quote from: theemrysPersonally I'm pretty jazzed about the game.  I really like the idea of a classless game where you can change "professions" as you want.  Also, the mini games are great.  I especially love the one on brawling, and that's how my campaign is going to start, with a big bar brawl.  The mechanics use poker chips of various colours depending your ability scores and you can "bet" them every round to affect the strength of your attack, it's accuracy, and your endurance.  All in all, a pretty cool system and makes for a different kind of fight rather than "roll a D20 to see if you hit".  I really recommend checking it out.  

Also, if you're interested in seeing how a game might so, you might want to check out the kenzerco forums... there are some "play by post" games going on there that are interesting reads...

Do you have a link to the fora?  That would be useful actually.

Most games are classless incidentally, that ain't a new thing, though the minigames approach is unusual and looks well done.

Quote from: BalbinusDo you have a link to the fora?  That would be useful actually.

Most games are classless incidentally, that ain't a new thing, though the minigames approach is unusual and looks well done.

Sure... //www.kenzerco.com/forums is the high level... Just look down for Aces and Eights.  

(I recommend the other areas as well though if you have any interest in Kalamar or Hackmaster)



Yes, I know a lot don't have classes and I was a big fan of Shadowrun.  I just find it works well for a "lethal style" of play.  A&8 is one of the first games with HP still in it that I felt was realistic from a combat perspective and wounds... Now, I'm just saying this is my opinion and what style I like...

Quote from: WarthurWow, you sold out the first run already? That's pretty good going, congrats.

Thanks. We were obviously pretty excited about that. Word of mouth and buzz from those who had purchased it sold this one.

Marketing has always been our weak suit. Although we DID do a better job with A&8 than we have on past projects as far as getting the information out there.

Quote from: BalbinusDo you have a link to the fora?  That would be useful actually.

Here you go  http://www.kenzerco.com/forums/forumdisplay.php?f=173

Quote from: JollyRBMarketing has always been our weak suit. Although we DID do a better job with A&8 than we have on past projects as far as getting the information out there.

The slick website dedicated to the game and the steady flow of beautifully laid out pdf preview downloads definitely helped keeping my interest in the game high.  It's very important to give the perception of progress and development to us rpg fans.

Quote from: theemrysSure... //www.kenzerco.com/forums is the high level... Just look down for Aces and Eights.  

(I recommend the other areas as well though if you have any interest in Kalamar or Hackmaster)



Yes, I know a lot don't have classes and I was a big fan of Shadowrun.  I just find it works well for a "lethal style" of play.  A&8 is one of the first games with HP still in it that I felt was realistic from a combat perspective and wounds... Now, I'm just saying this is my opinion and what style I like...

Fair enough re classes and classless games, sometimes folk don't know, you know?

I'm not personally into Hackmaster, though I know it gets a lot of love.

Have you tried an A&E combat yet incidentally?  If so, how did it go?

Quote from: BalbinusFair enough re classes and classless games, sometimes folk don't know, you know?

I'm not personally into Hackmaster, though I know it gets a lot of love.

Have you tried an A&E combat yet incidentally?  If so, how did it go?

I haven't played HM myself yet, but I played a lot of AD&D and do enjoy the "old school feel".  I really like the enhancements they've made.  That being said, I still do like 3.X and that's what I'm still using right now... of course, my time soon will be all A&8.  

I've only used a bit of the combat so far.  I got a few of my friends to have a quick couple of gun fights as an intro before making up "real characters" to play a campaign.  As they suggest in the book we started with some of the basic rules and will add the rest in as time goes on rather than do too many at once to start.  It went pretty well.  The shot clock was fun as they players investigated with aiming different places and as they both took cover at the edge of a building it made it interesting to cover the sillouette and see how it went.  It moved quick and lots of shots were exchanged due to accuracy and range.  They started to realize that keeping a few round and running up while the other guy was loading was very handy.  One of them for some reason always got dropped by groin shots, even when that's not where the opponent was aiming.  

Seriously though it was a fun system for that and I see it getting better as the advanced rules and shotguns are introduced.  It moved pretty quick once you get the hang of it and I'm looking forward to using it more.

Oh, I'll also add that combat is nice and lethal.  Even though you get 20+1d4 hp to start (everyone) and guns only do 1d6+1 damage or so (depending on gun of course), penetration really ramps it up (rolling max on die makes you roll again and add on).  Also, wounds are very much dependent on damage done rather than HP total (although that affects your penalties as well).  For example, there are rules for broken bones, internal bleading, being knocked unconcious, permanent maiming, etc.  Also, if you're playing an extended campaign, there's good chances of infection and such as well.  Just because you have 24 hp to start doesn't mean a 5 hp shot won't take you down depending on where you get hit...

I had to reorder it because of a stockage error.     I don't really have any knowledge of the company other than thumbing through my brothers Hackmaster books.  Though the reason he owns Hackmaster, is because they gave him a free Players handbook at GenCon a number of years back.  That was nice.  I think I can validate the purchase as my only western themed game.  Can't wait to get it.

Is the shot clock overlay removable from the book to place over multiple silhouettes or is it a chart within the book?

It's already removed.  There are two of them and they are slid in next to the inside back cover.