Coming this 2019 - Cat's Dream

From what started as just a Creative Pay it Forward challenge I embraced last 2013, the game is finally ready for release.  Cat's Dream is a solitaire tabletop rpg adventure that invites you to follow a cat and see where the story leads you.

This initial release is the Basic Journey Rules, with a small collection of optional rules you can use to enhance your game.   I am still looking at ways to have a limited run of the book printed and available for purchase.  But one thing is certain, this year the PDF shall be available for all of you interested in trying the game.

Thank you again to everyone who made this game possible, with special thanks to Jovan who requested for a game inspired by Studio Ghibli, and to my TAG TEAM SUPPORTERS (To my Tag Team Supporters: Rocky Sunico, Mina Sunico, Rob Abrazado, Lemuel Herman, David Korabell, and Tania Arpa, as well as the  other supporters who were there when I began this project; Ryan Schoon, Rob Deobald, Riverhouse Games , Karlo Licudine, David Harrison, Che de Leon, and James Lo.) who helped finance the creation of this game.

Update for March 2018

Been a very active month for us here at TAG Sessions. Let it be known it has been so hectic, I've neglected to update the blog fast enough.  However, I do hope you will agree with me that blog post delays are fine if it means more games and books being developed and tightened sooner.

Firstly, A Single Moment was the Deal for the Day at DriveThruRpg last March 25, 2018. The response was quite phenomenal and we are extremely grateful to you all for continuing to be very supportive of our revolutionary two-player role-playing game. In the works are another set of supplements for it, including a set inspired by Broadway Musicals, and a second set that teases a few more new systems for it (just as Ten More Playsets introduced the Detective Stories rules).

Second, the Powered by the Apocalypse Wuxia game is now going through Beta testing. Currently, it is to be called Once Upon a time in Jianghu, which is going to be proudly released with the fantastic support of Gallant Knight Games. Over thirty people have tested the game so far and bit by bit we're getting their feedback on how to make the game system easier and clearer, how to make the setting more evocative, and how to make the game experience more awesome. The game is quite a big project for us, with the Beta document itself being over 39k words. But so far, the responses have been very exciting and I do hope this means the game will find its release within the second or third quarter of this year.

Third, my Studio Ghibli inspired solitaire RPG, Cat's Dream is now approaching its official release. With gorgeous evocative artwork by the amazing Ivan Frani (whose work also graced another book of mine, Sickening Queens), the game is an expanded version of a free game I posted online in this blog before. This book will have expanded tables for more adventures, as well as optional rules for group play in case you want to play it with your friends, or if you have any parents who want to play this with your kids. A glimpse of the concept cover (which may still be subject to changes) is here and I do hope you like it.

Then, there's the Vampire novella I'm working on for the Storyteller's Vault. The short novel series will be stories of vampire events set in the Philippines to serve as an introductory taste of the upcoming Philippines: Contested Isles supplement.

All in all, we're at full swing developing and writing stuff for you all to enjoy!  Still also in the works are A Second Moment and Dreamscrapers, both of which are slated for deeper development later this year (as we realized both need some more in depth investigation and editing of ideas to work sharper). But rest assured, TAG Sessions is alive and well with lots of stuff in the pipeline.

2018 's 12 New Games Challenge and March Update

So I've been kinda slower this year so far in hitting my 12 New Games Challenge. Despite having given myself focus on getting more TAG Sessions releases out, I've realized I've been stretching myself thin with so many projects, stretch goals, and experimental games... and I only mean that in a bad way in the sense that it has kept me from being active in other ways.

I have barely been able to update my personal blog, The Garapata Can Speak, nor our couple's blog, BaduyPride, for years now.  And I've been juggling time to find the opportunities to visit my family, to be able to travel and to watch movies.   Thankfully, my anchor my love and my heart, Rocky, remains forever supportive and stoic in reminding me to both reach for the stars and to remain realistically grounded. The last few days have been a challenge, with him at Singapore for work stuff, but I love the fact that despite the physical distance, I know he is in my heart and I am in his. And that our passion for each other and our passion for tabletop gaming both continue to grow with every single day that we continue to share our lives.

So, back to the challenge, it is now March 15 as of this blog post's writing and so far, the only new games we've played so far are the following:
1) Pasion de las Pasiones
2) Protocol: Virtuax

Set for this Sunday is the third new game, a session of jim Pinto's Protocol: Dead Things in the Walls.
The beauty of Protocol is how simply elegant the systems are, and yet how wildly different the experiences they can offer given each game has its own little twists and touches.

Workwise, I've been busy toiling away at the keyboard, hoping to hit the following projects this year:
a) Project "Beautiful Song, Deadly Blade" 
Which is a Powered by the Apocalypse WUXIA game which tries to capture the narrative drama that unfolds in such books and movies. While it seems to be a zeitgeist project (with so many other creators working on something similar), I'm thankful that everyone seems to be approaching them in their own ways. I do hope the people who take part in the BETA testing would have favorable things to say. If you are interested, do shoot me a message asap!  The current code is OUaTiJ, and beyond that I cannot say more for now.

b) A Second Moment
The deluxe edition and sequel to the almost-award winning two-player tabletop rpg, A Single Moment, continues to be refined and tightened. After the very colorful events of the previous year, I think the baby deserves to stand on its own two feet once again and bid farewell to the past. It was definitely a learning year for me, given it was my first game to ever be released as my first attempt at a fully professional solo venture. This Second Moment will be a chance to show I have not lost my touch. While I doubt one can ever hit lightning twice, once can at least learn from what the past has given and use those teachings to make things far better.

c) Dreamscrapers
My Steven Universe inspired game has taken a back seat, especially with the first two projects above taking center stage. But I definitely still hope to get back on the saddle and finish this Young Market friendly RPG which includes drawing as a mechanic in accomplishing things.

d) Neko Yume/Cat's Dream
The Ghibli-inspired Solitaire RPG is also hoping for a professional release this year. The artwork for it is just spectacular and I cannot wait to see the whole thing get completed and release. It is a project I never thought I'd ever release and I do hope people enjoy what I've made once it is out.

In addition, there are a bunch of other projects, stretch goals, and the sort which I cannot really talk about yet, but I feel tremendously honored and humbled to have been invited to be part of.  Then, there are also the Community Creators stuff that I've been working on for 7th Sea, 2nd edition and I do hope to soon release stuff as well for Pugmire, as well as for one of my old favorites, Vampire the Masquerade!  2018 continues to be an exciting and thrilling adventure.  I do hope you're all still choosing to be supportive of me in this wonderful journey.

Thank you.

Updates on A Single Moment and other stuff

So one week has passed for A Single Moment.
So far, we've had an admirable number of sales.  I am anxious to find out how people find the game. So far, I've only found a few responses online from people who have given me the kindest words.

Daniele Di Rubbo posted print outs of the Virtue, Key Cards and Characters on Google Plus. It was quite touching to see the image and I asked his permission to post it here as well.

He has even mentioned that there are plans to try running the game with his friend, Davide, at the upcoming IndieCon on the second week of May.  That is for certain going to at least get the game on more people's radar.

Progress slowly continues on Dreamscrapers, the Adventure Time-inspired game, as well as on the other projects I have on my desk.  Neko Yume's indie release is getting delayed as the artist is too busy with other projects.  I'm reworking also some of the other brand-inspired stuff to stand on their own as new game systems.     And there's the freelance work for.. a certain Pirate game. :-D It is truly a only-in-my-dreams situation that has come true and I am still trying to embrace the fact that this is happening.  And while there have been recent shifts in our circle of friends , there have also been the birth of new avenues that may lead to even more awesome things.

Life remains exciting and great!