Hey everyone!
 
Just want to let you know that our first adventure, Echoes of Noa 94, has been released.

I have sent coupons through the Backerkit system. Please check your downloads page or your email for the information.

Thanks for your patience, and I am happy to report we are already nearly finished with the next two, Madness at the Megalomart (also written by William Miller) and Threshold (written by me).  

 

The latter is undoubtedly going to be unusual in its approach, as I’m pushing it to be more of a narrative artbook with RPG elements rather than a full-on adventure. This is inspired by the TTA books by Stewart Cowley, so I wanted to recreate that aesthetic and theme. Nick Greenwood is coming on board as the solitary artist to accomplish what I hope to be the first of a series of transcendent adventures that can be approached for their artistic value as much as their gameplay value. 

 

So far, of the 65,000 words written, over 44,000 explores the setting through in-universe reports, transcripts, and logs. It is being presented as an archeological account of the extinct human race through the eyes of an alien historian thousands of years in the future. It is meant to mix cosmic horror with space opera, and I found the challenge exciting. So, I hope readers get as much enjoyment reading it as I did writing it. I am almost done with the book, but it may take a while for Nick to complete all the illustrations he wants to offer.

I'll have another update on the physical books very soon.

Chris

 

 

 

HEY EVERYONE!

Sorry for the delay. I wanted to have confirmation before writing this update.

The books are in print!

That’s right, books are being printed as you read this. As mentioned previously, we’re printing Amethyst and Ultramodern at the same time. This will save us money on shipping as the whole run will be taking up an entire container. I honestly don’t know how long this is going to take, as we’re printing four different books and two different GM screens. I'll have videos showing the production the moment Round Color sends them to me.

AMETHYST REVELATIONS

With the announcement that printing has begun, it would then make sense that Amethyst: Revelations, the latest installment in the RPG series, would be finished.

…and it is!

I got the final works from Nick Greenwood this week, so I can happily report that the digital PDF release of Amethyst Revelations will be on Thursday, April 18th.

I'll have a video up this week going through the book, page by page, discussing the content, the illustrations, and the processesfrom inspiration to realization.

ULTRAMODERN FOUNDRY EARLY ACCESS RETAIL

MEANWHILE, the early access retail release for the Ultramodern5 Foundry module goes live this Tuesday, April 16th. While we will keep the playtest files in the UM5 DriveThruRPG SKU, they will no longer be updated. The new SKU will be updated regularly from here on. Obviously, those who backed the new Ultramodern5 campaign will receive this module for free. Everyone else who purchased UM5 will be receiving a coupon. We’ll be moving on to Amethyst’s module shortly.

ADVENTURE STATUS

I am writing Threshold now. Echoes of Noah 94 is finished and waiting on a couple of illustrations. Madness at the Megalomart is also nearing completion. I’m looking for artists who can draw spaceships, so if you are one or know of one, let me know.

I’ll have another update in a few days! Thanks, everyone!

Chris

Hey again, everyone!

I’m back again with another update.  

FOUNDRY VTT

Yesterday, we released the early access files for the Foundry VTT. Today, we sent out the coupons for backers to acquire these files. The playtest files included with Ultramodern5 will no longer be updated—this new sku will become the final release. 

TOURING AMETHYST REVELATIONS

For those wishing to take a look at our newest release, check out the video below:

https://youtu.be/wwH93jJjtxk?si=4mDgRpSc01r0nhf7

Thanks again!

 

 

Hey everyone:

Just a quick update that we’ll be closing the pledge manager this month, and with 23 of you still not having closed your pledges, you run the risk of not getting any physical rewards.

For many, you are waiting for the print-on-demand (POD) coupon from DTRPG. 

I’m happy to say that the prototypes showed up today, and both the standard and premiums have been approved. I will admit, having examined them both, the differences between them are minimal, so despite the temptation to pay for the premium, take my suggestion and order the standard version.

Obviously, both POD editions will pale in comparison to the offset print, given we are maximizing page quality. Still, for those not wanting to wait or who didn’t back for offset, you can certainly get your hands on a physical version of the book now.

Like every time I offer print-on-demand, I send out coupons for previous purchasers of the PDF to acquire the POD at a reduced price. This is basically at the cost price set down by One Book Shelf. I will send out coupons for both the standard and premium editions of the game today, and you’ll find those in a separate email sent out from DTRPG.  

NOTE: If you do NOT receive an email from DTRPG with these coupons, it is either because you do not wish to receive emails from publishers OR it is in your spam folder. Check the latter first, and if you still require the coupon, email me at [email protected], and I will confirm your pledge and send the coupons via email.

To reiterate, and yes, I do need to, these print-on-demand books are NOT the physical rewards backers have paid for. Those are offset books that are being printed now. As mentioned, there are four different versions of this book—the standard and alternative covers, the deluxe, and the new leather edition. If anyone is interested in changing their pledge to secure one of the higher-quality books, best to do that now because we are only printing 100 leather books. 

Have a great month, everyone!

CHRIS

A couple of quick updates as I am sick with the flu this week.

POD UPDATE

I received a Print-On-Demand Prototype from DTRPG last week, and I decided to make a video comparing the new revised version with the original 2018 edition. 

 

I also decided to offer a STANDARD edition because the PREMIUM print is simply too damned expensive, like 90$ for a basic book. I ordered another round of prototypes, so that should be coming down soon. Once that occurs, I’ll be activating both versions for those wishing to purchase a POD edition. 

Remember, the POD is NOT  the offset print edition. That is being certified now.

FOUNDRY UPDATE

Another round of updates for Foundry are going up today. As before, they will be uploaded to the REDUX files on DTRPG. 

This may be the last set before the product goes officially live for sale. 

CHRIS

 

HEY EVERYONE!

I finally got my issues with Fantasy Grounds sorted, centered around my company possessing both a personal account and a business account. Once they deleted the incorrect account, I was able to create discount keys for backers.

                As stated in the campaign, while Roll20 and Foundry modules are being developed internally, the FG modules were created by SmiteWorks, so I cannot offer them for free. The highest discount I can offer is 50%. Alas, keys are unique for each purchase, so unlike DTRPG, I cannot make just one coupon everyone can use. 

                I bounded around potential solutions to make this work outside of emailing each of you individually. I thought of having backers email me who wanted them, but while Kickstarter operates an internal messaging system, Backerkit does not.

                I figured the best route would be to offer an online spreadsheet to which ALL backers have access. That’s right, I am going with the honor system. Refer to Backer Only Content

POD ULTRAMODERN5

Oh, I completely forgot to add with last time. I have a prototype for the new Ultramodern5 coming. Once approved, I’ll activate the new edition if anyone wants to order one of those physical books. IMPORTANT reminder: These are not the offset books promised by the crowdfunding campaign. These are just PODs from DTRPG.

Chris

 

 

The biggest drawback of one of the few positives regarding ADHD is that once you are laser-focused, it is damn near impossible to break away to do something else, even if that something is essential…like, you know, doing a crowdfunding update.

For the past three months, I have been deep in writing the third Amethyst novel, now called "Hallowed Kingdoms" (I added an 's'). 

I'm not going to lie; while I had about 10,000 words of notes, I did not officially start writing it until September of 2023. By January 20th, 2024, it has crossed 114,000 words. I planned on having it about the same length as the others, but that's in the past. Thankfully, right after my tasteful, PG-13 love scene (spoilers), I am nearing the end of this book, with the imagined ending likely hanging around 130,000 words. Thankfully, I'm not the only one who works.

Obviously, production tends to slow down around Christmas, further dampened by the Chinese New Year, which occurs in February. But I am happy to say that five books are currently getting certified by Round Color, our printing partner. This includes Ultramodern5, Amethyst Quintessence, Amethyst Factions, and two of three novels. Because it will take time to print what will be about 4,000 books, the plan is that Amethyst Revelations and the last novel will be finished by the time the others have finished.

For those aware, we are finally making progress with the VTT module. Late last year, the ALPHA version of these files, dubbed 1.0.0 was uploaded. Today, it will be 1.1.0, with the expected final release being 2.0.0 (according to its creator—I shall not question). 

After a lot of back and forth with Fantasy Grounds, I hope that by next week, I can finally have coupons made for all backers for all appropriate modules. This is on me. I was so focused I forgot I hadn't made these coupons. 

ROLL20

I am also happy to report that the ROLL20 modules are ALSO back on track. We'll have another update on those soon.

ADVENTURES
We hit a few snags last year regarding the modules. The first was a sudden death in the family with my artist, and I allowed them a few months to handle personal affairs. They are back, and illustrations have begun. Medical issues with my writer also suffered a few delays. As a result, the first two adventures, Echoes of Noa 94 and Madness at the Megalomart, will likely be released almost atop one another.

 

 

 

HEY EVERYONE!

I hope everyone has a fantastic holiday season.

We here at Dias Ex Machina are happy to announce two significant updates to Ultramodern5.

ULTRAMODERN5 REDUX 1.2

We recently went about updating Ultramodern5-REDUX before its upcoming epic offset print run. The fans supported unanimously, and I hope we have delivered.

As everyone who backed Ultramodern5 as a direct or supplementary reward received the PDF, all we did was add the revised 1.2 file to the UM5-REDUX entry on DriveThruRPG. All you need to do is head over to your account and download the updated file.

This new revised UM5 is over 20 pages longer and features more changes than I can count or even mention. All the fixes from the errata have been added, along with a bunch of new tweaks based on what we have learned in the past few years. We added rules for multiclassing, Hereditary, and Trained ability bonuses introduced in the revised Amethyst and even a few feats. We played with class balance and tried to make the book easier to read overall. 

This is not a HUGE revision. The book still looks the same. A few new illustrations were inserted, but everything else should be recognizable.

Currently, the POD option for UM5-REDUX has been deactivated as we work on securing a new prototype with the revised 1.2 edition. After that, a coupon will be sent out, allowing interested customers to purchase a revised POD. If you backed UM5 for an offset book, DON’T order the POD; offset books are coming (I mean, you still can; I won't stop you). That was the whole point of this.

ULTRAMODERN5 FOUNDRY ALPHA FILES

We finally have progress. A wonderful, steely-eyed missile man, Bryan Alexander Krejci, came on board a few months ago to finally convert UM5 to Foundry Virtual Tabletop. 

This will eventually be a purchasable title on DTRPG, but FOR NOW, we are releasing the alpha files on DTRPG under the Ultramodern5 REDUX entry. This means that, like the revised 1.2 edition mentioned above, you only need to check out your downloads on your DTRPG account. Feedback is much appreciated, and we’ll be updating these files over the next few months until we finally reach an official retail release.

IF YOU BACKED the newest campaign and have the VTT modules listed as a reward, no worries, you’re getting these as part of your perks, so hold tight. Until then, enjoy these alpha files. 

I hope everyone has a great XMAS!!

CHRIS

 

This is a broad email being sent out to all backers. So, if you receive multiple updates, they'll all include the same information. It was just easier this way. It's been a busy few weeks, but I wanted to disclose everything happening and going forward because I believe in complete transparency to backers concerning all projects.

Wow, that was an intense introduction.

The only reward still outstanding regarding Affinity is the audiobook. I am happy to report that I have received all the audio files concerning this project from the engineer previously tasked to work on it. I am a little frustrated I am being forced to take it on, but I said previously that this could be an exciting project to explore my creative freedom. However, I won't be able to tackle this until my writing obligations have been fulfilled.

All the writing for Amethyst Revelations has been completed, leaving just artwork. I was hoping to have all of that completed by the end of October, but it's looking like the end of November. As you know, we employ ONE artist, which can take a while. The novel, Hallowed Kingdom, has started, about six chapters in, with an expected finish by the end of the year.

This is the big one. The fans and backers have spoken. As a massive offset print run is being completed for Ultramodern5, I asked the community if they would weather a delay so I can complete a page one rebuild of the file in InDesign. This allows me to update the errata, fix a few more issues, and make the PDF smaller and easier to navigate. The response was overwhelmingly in support of the rebuild. So, I thank you all for that confidence. This is not a 3rd edition; this is just a polish on the original Ultramodern5–REDUX. You won't have to purchase a new book. I will release this rebuild chapter by chapter on DTRPG to everyone who already owns Ultamodern6—REDUX. This is to make sure there are no issues before sending this version to printers. Most everyone who follows me owns Ultramodern5, so this should all be good news. These files are going to start going out this week.

Of the six adventures coming as a result of the crowdfunding in June, three are written. However, the artist I tasked to work on these projects suffered a loss in their family. I will not cut talent like this under circumstances like this, so I have opted to wait until they are ready to take on this project. I hope we will be back on track by the end of the month. I do apologize for the delay; I don't like putting pressure on people during moments like this. This is a company of five people, and we care for our own.

I am happy to report that the Foundry VTT module has finally been taken on by a real steely-eyed missile man who has made astounding progress in a very short time. Be sure to check out our discord for daily updates on their progress. Not going to lie; this is a HUGE weight off my chest.

https://discord.gg/EJj6sEX

I also believe it's important to admit that something less than desirable occurred last week. Some aspect of my PC was hacked, which I thought originally compromised my Facebook. I finally got access to the company page on Wednesday, but the phishing had extended to my bank account. They somehow got access to my business account, resulting in my wife and I racing to the bank and me running full tilt and bursting through the doors to the nearest teller to get them to freeze my account before it's too late. While the bank is confident that they'll be able to recover my funds, these…well…fuckers…did manage to drain more than $10,000 from our business savings.

I'm not going to lie; this will hurt if we don't get this money back, but I give you my word that this will NOT affect the progress of any of our projects. We have ways to claw back some of this…for one, and I swear this is not a joke, so I decided to start making gluten-free crackers. Long story, but yeah…

Anyway, this was one of my short windows in the middle of this chaos, so I wanted to let you know that things are okay on our end. I will continue to work to justify your confidence and ensure we deliver a worthwhile project you will all enjoy. Your support is always appreciated.

Hey everyone!

Quick update today: I wanted feedback on a plan change. 

We’re about a month away from some significant product releases associated with this and other crowdfunding campaigns. This includes the big offset print run of Ultramodern5. HOWEVER, something has been nagging me, and since I consider backers invested in our success, I need to get opinions from the community. 

I want to rebuild Ultramodern5 REDUX.

I have already done this for the reprinting of Amethyst Quintessence and Amethyst Factions as I switch layout programs.

The advantage of this will be that Ultramodern5-REDUX will have a smaller file size, be easier to navigate, and, most importantly, offer me the opportunity to update the game based on the last two years of feedback, incorporating all the rules that have been amended and added with our errata.

This won’t be a third edition—it will be the same book as before regarding layout and art. It would just be version 2.1. 

I would assume most backers would support this, but it does come with the obvious drawback that the print edition will be pushed back by about a month. 

I’ll leave it up to you. Let me know what you think.

CHRIS

 

As what will come as a shock to LITERALLY NOBODY, Dias Ex Machina has made the difficult decision to sever our relationship with Bridge Distribution. 

As many of you have heard and many have unfortunately encountered, there have been repeated issues we had to endure. The first was the delay in starting distribution. Then, we had incorrect rewards and interruptions in communication. We hate to say it, but we were also ghosted in some cases for weeks at a time. 

We have opted to transfer our stock to Studio2Publishing. Now, Studio2Publishing is not new. We have been working with them for five years to distribute books to retailers. We plan to increase the quantity of stock and have them handle distribution for both Amethyst and Ultramodern5.

This will not interrupt any schedules; hopefully, the future will be without incident. I know this is the third distributor in three campaigns. I'm more frustrated than you can possibly be. For one, I still have to move existing stock from one warehouse to another and see how much stock is missing (because I know there is given their claimed inventory). 

This has been tossed around for months, and many publishers have enacted short-sighted but momentarily popular hardline stances regarding the use of generative AI. 

As someone whose background resides in technology (going as far back as working at Radio Shack in the 1990s), I’m fully aware of the progress of technology and the resistance faced when an advancement becomes popular. I saw the rise of electronic music, digital distribution, and people's lives destroyed by corporations employing technology to remove humans from the equation. I ran a photo studio for seven years and was the last standing as the chemical developing market disintegrated over only a few years. I saw picketing projectionists lose their passions as they were rendered obsolete. And unfortunately, both these professions were destroyed before the onset of social media to generate outrage. 

As such, I'm generally more cautious and thoughtful regarding new technologies. I have researched and tried out ChatGPT, and while I found its writing formulaic and altogether unoriginal, I find it a great resource when generating random names of things. I admit using Grammarly because I often have issues finishing a complete

For the past twenty years, I have used artwork to convey ideas—artwork I did not own. When Amethyst was a homebrew campaign, I asked permission to employ art from artists that were shocked that I bothered to ask (all but one said yes). This method of using art to convey ideas has continued to this day, and my primary artist, Nick Greenwood, and I have employed generative AI to convey these ideas to one another. 

When it came to employing generative systems in the creation of artwork, I decided not to forbid its use by the established artists I contract. These artists have a proven quality; if they maintain that quality, I don't care how they get there. 

It's important to note that this does not affect my art budget. I set a number regardless of the tools my artists use. If I can get more illustrations from an artist that employs a generative system, I won't complain. However, I will not use AI to circumvent these artists. I have also stated that if generative systems are employed, they must be transformative and adapted by the artist. This means that the artist must have contributed to the work significantly to create something new. The history of visual art is saturated with people deriving works from other works, and the idea of creating new work by transforming ideas from other works is as old as art itself. Music has been doing it for decades. 

Currently, Nick and I have been experimenting with training a system on his MASSIVE library of illustrations and creating new ideas along those same lines. We've also insisted on employing more ethical systems such as Adobe Firely. And while those generate less detailed images, they have given Nick an interesting direction to jump off. It also forces him to invest more time in creating a final image, contributing to the amount of transformation. 

Finally, when it comes to the outage, being in the industry like I have been for some time, I made a point to reach out to several professionals. This includes artists like Jim Burns, Andy Poon, and John Gallagher. These are individuals whose lives revolve around art. When I asked them directly, I expected a hardline rejection of the technology. But that didn't happen. Each one directly stated without distortion that they believed generative AI was a tool that could be exploited, but one creators could use themselves in their creative process.  

A technology's ethics derives from what we make of it. I denounce the use of generative AI as a means to save money or circumvent artists, but I won't prohibit its use by artists I employ as a tool in their arsenal along with WACOM tablets and Photoshop…as long we both agree on ethical guidelines. For an excellent example of how this can be applied, I suggest looking at Corridor Crew and how they have been employing artificial intelligence to create visual effects.

 I am open to conversing more about this. You can contact me on various platforms, but our Discord is probably one of the best places.

Back to work…