2018: The Year in Review

Photo: Justin sitting in his office prepping to
speak at panels during Aethercon VII 2018.

My 2018 in Overview – 
 
Published in 2018: 475+ Maps (250+ sans BBM), 990+ VTT Elements (360+ sans BBM), 76 Advertisement Designs, 36 Adventures (2 Hardcover Books), 12 Product Logo Designs, 6 Kickstarter Designs (raising more than $285,000.00 USD), 7 Web Applications, 3 Decks of Cards, and 2 Website Designs.

Misc in 2018: 14 Topical Blog Posts, 40 General Blog Posts, 6 Streaming Podcast Appearances, 3 Convention Panels, 43 scheduled meetings, and (8) 5-Star Reviews from EZG including one nomination for product of the year.

My 2018 In Detail –

• Big Book of Maps Volume 1 (230+ Maps) Published (Became Best Silver Seller at DTRPG)
• Published the complete Fantasy Icon Series (620+ Map Icons)
• Big Book of Maps Volume 2 Kickstarter success – Out-funded Volume 1
• Published the first quarter of the Starship Builder Kit series (100+ Starship Segments)
• Mini-Dungeon Tome (130+ Maps & 30+ Adventures I wrote) was Published
• Published 5 Volumes in the Alien Planetscapes series (45+ Maps)
• Published 5 Volumes in the Adventure Starscapes series (54+ Maps)
• Published 5 Volumes of the Planet Portfolio series (60+ VTT Elements)
• Holiday-Themed Mini-Dungeon series published (6 Adventures + 6 Maps)
• Released about a quarter of the Science Fiction Maps for the BBM2 Project (35+ Maps)
• Released first half of Science Fiction Map Icons for the BBM2 (200+ VTT Elements)
• Cartography published in the Carcosa adventure (5 maps)
• Published the first 5 VTT Map Sets for Dungeon Crate (5 maps)
• Two PFRPG Spell Decks I designed were published and a third deck for Heir & Back Again
• Developed 7 Web Applications, including: Mini-Dungeon Adventure Assistant, BBM2 Digital Distribution Tool, Backer Management Apps for MDT, Occult Secrets and Adventure Omnibus, and 2 new application interfaces for Adventureaweek.com
• Designed 6 Kickstarters (raising more than $285,000.00), including: The Big Book of Maps Volume 2 (funded $23K+), Occult Secrets of the Underworld (funded $11K+), Tales of the Old Margreve (funded $105K+) “The Dreams in Gary’s Basement” Gary Gygax documentary (funded $120K+), Adventure Omnibus (funded $25K+), and another Kickstarter project that doesn’t launch until January.
• 12 New Product Logo Designs, including game series, company logos, and even some gaming-themed booze!
• I was consultant on the Gary Gygax documentary by Dorks of Yore, and supported the technical aspects of the fundraising project.
• 76 Advertisement Designs including Print, Web, and Social Media for nearly two dozen add campaigns including AAW Games, Kobold Press, PTA, and others.
• AetherCon VII contention website and applications.
• And, finally, a vast plethora of “off the record” technical support to dozens of my friends and peers in the gaming industry including maintenance of the Adventureaweek.com website.

It’s been a very busy year, and next year looks to be even more so. 

Reflecting back on this year’s productivity, I’m pretty happy with what all was accomplished. I had hoped to do a bit more, but that will become my 2019 goal. Thanks to all my publishers and game companies who hire me for freelance work. And to the fans who make it all possible! It’s because of you that I get to live the dream. 

I'm sure there are a few things I overlooked adding, but that was the gist of my 2018 creative output. Here's to a great 2019!

Weekly Dungeon Map #000 ~ #sundaydungeonmaps

Weekly Dungeon Map #000. A new map released every Sunday on Twitter by @jmason333. #pathstoadventure #sundaydungeonmaps #vtt #cartography #maps

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Get the high-resolution VTT map files by clicking here!

Weekly Adventure Hook #000 ~ Tall Tales & Dragon Tails

Adventure Hook Index Card #000. A new card released every Saturday on Twitter by @jmason333. #pathstoadventure #adventurehookcards

 

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Tall Tales & Dragon Tales

The adventurers find themselves taking respite at the Shattered Inn & Tavern in the small town of Shadowfen. Though the food is barely passible, the ale is of superb quality. While they make use of the establishment’s amenities, an old drunken veteran, named Clifton Calises, limps his way into the tavern and orders a meal. As the old warrior partakes of his dinner he begins loudly telling stories about the adventures of his youth to any patrons who will listen. One story is about his final adventure: his adventuring allies were killed by a fierce dragon. He barely escaped with his life. They were seeking a magical totem known as the Warrior’s Heart which grants the strength of ten men any who wear it. The tavern-keeper, Braun Stilton, rudely interrupts the story by shouting, “No one wants to hear your drunken fantasies and tall tales again old man! Stop telling your lies, and eat your meal before I toss you out!”

The admonishment hushes the man to grumbling silence as he finishes his meal, but if requested to do so, Clifton will continue his story: They had uncovered the location of the artifact, but found it guarded by a fire-breathing dragon which killed his friends. He still has a map to its location, but has always remained too afraid to return. He will sell the map to the adventurers for moderate sum if they will agree to kill the dragon and return its head to him to be mounted in his home.

His story is true, the artifact does exist, and the map leading to a small cavernous complexabout a week’s journey away is accurate. The cavern is guarded by an adult red dragon. The artifact (actually known as the Slayer’s Plight) does grant its wearer a substantial enhancement to strength, but also carries a curse. Any dragon within a mile of the artifact is magically drawn to it and compelled to consume its wearer. The curse cannot be removed without destroying the artifact. It can be found in the dragon’s hoard within the cave.

December 2018 Exclusive Dungeon Crate VTT Map Set Released!

My exclusive December 2018 virtual tabletop map set for Dungeon Crate is ready to roll. Subscribers can find a new VTT map set and other digital goodies in every month's digital crate (included as part of the monthly subscription). Check out DungeonCrate.com to find out more about getting a monthly box chock full of amazing tabletop RPG resources mailed directly to your doorstep.

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