Now that Signs of Sorcery is out in print, it is time to address the elephant in the room.
Friends, it has been my privilege to look after this wonderful, intricate gameline for the last six and a half years. I've gone from being the new kid to one of the oldest serving developers - one by one, my friends and colleagues have stepped down, and handed the games they were lucky enough to guide over to newer friends. Now it's my turn.
This isn't due to a falling-out with Onyx Path. I have the greatest respect for Rich, Eddy, and the rest. It's a combination of time pressures, my health, simply being tired of horror games, and the creeping realisation that after a decade writing rpgs all I've ever done is work on games other people own. I decided, back when I was designing Deviant, that the next game I designed would be mine, and I can't do that and watch over Mage. Last year, I finally had a good idea for a game of my own, and my dayjob is successful enough (though that has brought the time pressures!) that I can stop freelancing. Ten months ago, I told Onyx Path I was stepping down after Signs, but that I'd do a full handover.
Think of it this way. I have had a good term as Hierarch, but my Obsessions now outweigh my duty, and it's time for me to Seek the Imperial Mysteries.
As is proper, though, I have trained my apprentice.
Meghan Fitzgerald has been one of my favourite people to work with, chat with, hang out with at Conventions. She's one of three other writers (another's Malcolm Sheppard, my oldest and best friend in freelancing and Mage's wise old master) on the game's development slack, where we do things like come up with Seer of the Throne Ministries to namedrop and figure out how crossover mechanics are going to work. Meghan has done a fantastic job Developing Night Horrors: Nameless and Accursed, taking my pile of notes on how Scelesti and Tremere work in 2e and turning them into a full book. I've been reading the drafts, and giving advice when she asks - but that's not very often, because she gets it. That book's going through Art Direction now, and marks the handover - she's its Developer, I'm credited as line Developer. Starting with Tome of the Pentacle, Meghan is fully in charge.
I won't be around as much. The astute may have noticed I've not been around as much lately already (my actual paid work for Onyx Path ended with Sign's art notes many months ago), but if she wants me (and I have time) I'll be happy to write on future Mage books.
My only regret is that I never did write for Hunter, and therefore have a credit on every game line. But I had six years of the best gameline. And that's enough.
Good night. Travel well.
-Dave
Friends, it has been my privilege to look after this wonderful, intricate gameline for the last six and a half years. I've gone from being the new kid to one of the oldest serving developers - one by one, my friends and colleagues have stepped down, and handed the games they were lucky enough to guide over to newer friends. Now it's my turn.
This isn't due to a falling-out with Onyx Path. I have the greatest respect for Rich, Eddy, and the rest. It's a combination of time pressures, my health, simply being tired of horror games, and the creeping realisation that after a decade writing rpgs all I've ever done is work on games other people own. I decided, back when I was designing Deviant, that the next game I designed would be mine, and I can't do that and watch over Mage. Last year, I finally had a good idea for a game of my own, and my dayjob is successful enough (though that has brought the time pressures!) that I can stop freelancing. Ten months ago, I told Onyx Path I was stepping down after Signs, but that I'd do a full handover.
Think of it this way. I have had a good term as Hierarch, but my Obsessions now outweigh my duty, and it's time for me to Seek the Imperial Mysteries.
As is proper, though, I have trained my apprentice.
Meghan Fitzgerald has been one of my favourite people to work with, chat with, hang out with at Conventions. She's one of three other writers (another's Malcolm Sheppard, my oldest and best friend in freelancing and Mage's wise old master) on the game's development slack, where we do things like come up with Seer of the Throne Ministries to namedrop and figure out how crossover mechanics are going to work. Meghan has done a fantastic job Developing Night Horrors: Nameless and Accursed, taking my pile of notes on how Scelesti and Tremere work in 2e and turning them into a full book. I've been reading the drafts, and giving advice when she asks - but that's not very often, because she gets it. That book's going through Art Direction now, and marks the handover - she's its Developer, I'm credited as line Developer. Starting with Tome of the Pentacle, Meghan is fully in charge.
I won't be around as much. The astute may have noticed I've not been around as much lately already (my actual paid work for Onyx Path ended with Sign's art notes many months ago), but if she wants me (and I have time) I'll be happy to write on future Mage books.
My only regret is that I never did write for Hunter, and therefore have a credit on every game line. But I had six years of the best gameline. And that's enough.
Good night. Travel well.
-Dave
Comment