New Workflow and Some Future Plans
Added 2021-04-07 10:18:34 +0000 UTCHi everyone,
Now that I got the unfinished maps out of the way (sorry about the delay), I decided to post a quick update.
This post covers the following:
1) New workflow and its effects on rewards
2) Adventure content
3) Foundry VTT module status and future plans
New Workflow
As mentioned in a previous post I'm going to experiment with a new workflow for April and see how it works. What this means in practice is that I will make fewer variants, but aim to increase the number of releases per month. I will still make some of the variants, but mostly only those that are quick to do, like day/night versions and some color variants.
I might revisit some maps later and make variants of them, but those will be separate releases or updates to the existing ones depending on the number of changes.
My plan is to keep two different release tracks:
- Themed map packs focus on a chosen theme until about 10 maps are done (hopefully a monthly theme at some point) and then the theme changes to something else. Upcoming themed Foundry VTT modules, asset packs, and adventures (more about these below) will be mostly related to the themed map packs.
- Modular maps & deckplans are ongoing series. Currently, I'm working on spaceship sections, but different modular themes and deckplans will be added in the future.
How this affects the tiers?
For now, I'm not making updates to the existing tiers. Changes are likely, but before making any updates, I want to see how this all works.
For April's maps, the following changes will apply.
Explorer tier patrons will get:
- Same as now: Themed maps (Colony Outpost) with one variant (when applicable)
Adventurer tier patrons will get:
- Themed maps (Colony Outpost) with all included variants.
- Any modular maps or deckplans released
- Any released asset packs
- Any released adventures in PDF format
- No PDF variants will be released.
Heroes and higher tier patrons will get:
- Themed maps (Colony Outpost) with all included variants and possible adventure content.
- Any modular maps or deckplans released
- Any extra maps and Mythos Maps released
- Any released asset packs
- No PDF variants will be released.
- Themed Foundry VTT modules
- Modular map and deckplan series Foundry VTT modules
- Mythos Maps Foundry VTT module
- Layered PSD files (delivered via Dropbox access)
Adventure Content
I've been discussing a friend of mine, Christopher Smith, about getting him on board to include some adventures with my maps. Chris happens to be bilingual (English-Finnish) English teacher and a big sci-fi RPG geek, so producing high-quality adventure content is not an issue. Besides writing, Chris also has experience in virtual tabletops and he runs two RPG-themed Youtube channels (one in English and one in Finnish).
For starters, Chris has made high-level designs for two different adventures. One takes place in a small shake and bake colony, and the other is an operation targeting an imperial refinery outpost. We will be working on these adventures during April and May and see how this works out. 
Some reference images for the adventures
I've had some delay with getting the themed maps up to speed, but I have laid out plans for the locations in the aforementioned adventures and should get a map pack and some assets out this month.
Exceptionally this theme will be divided into two map packs: Shake and Bake Colony and Imperial Refinery Station. The release order is still unclear, but I'll let you know when this clears up. I have a meeting with Chris on the weekend and we will discuss more.
Upcoming Foundry VTT modules
Currently, I'm finishing Miska's Maps Module vol 5. With all pending maps, this is going to be a full pack of 10 dynamically lit scenes. After this, the upcoming modules will be based on the map themes. Modular maps and Deckplans are likely to get their own modules once there is enough content.
I'm also preparing a Mythos Maps Starter module. This will include some scenes from my previous releases, but for future releases, I'm considering similarly themed modules as for the sci-fi maps.
In general, I've seen a lot of very interesting development around Foundry VTT and it's very likely that in the future I will increase the focus on creating new and interesting content for Foundry VTT. Not just dynamically lit scenes, but ready-to-play adventure modules, animated maps, asset packs, etc. But, at this point, these are still on my to-do list, but if things go as planned, these should start becoming reality over the course of the next couple of months.