Justin Andrew Mason - Paths to Adventure: July 2016

Sunday, July 17, 2016

Signature Spellcrafting: The Art of Presentation

Today I published my second RPG product through this blog. Signature Spellcrafting: The Art of Presentation is a small 12-page system-agnostic role-playing game supplement that includes a signature spell worksheet. It is available as a free PDF download via DriveThruRPG.

If you are the player of a spell-casting character seeking to personalize your magic, a game master pondering new and wondrous magical effects for powerful artifacts, or a game creator just looking for an intriguing method of designing creative spell descriptions, this book is intended for you.

Herein you will find a system-agnostic method for creating vibrant and descriptive spell effects. Without affecting the existing mechanics of whatever role-playing game platform your game utilizes, signature spellcasting provides a means of creating unique themes and styles for the visual representation of magic revealed.

You can get this product for Free (pay what you want) exclusively at DriveThruRPG.

Tuesday, July 12, 2016

Tales from the Tabletop Full Color Comic Book & T-Shirt Design

Tales from the Tabletop: Year One (60-page comic book) published by AAW Games / Adventureaweek.com is now available as a Free PDF or for purchase in Full-Color Print. Print copies will also be available at Gen Con 2016! Also, check out the all new Tales from the Tabletop shirt design from OffWorld Designs.

Tales from the Tabletop is a tabletop gaming comic drawn and colored by Jacob Blackmon and published by Adventureawek.com via the Dungeons & Dragons Memes Facebook page.

Each week we post a new comic with one or more blank caption/dialog balloons, and this comic is shared via the Dungeons and Dragons Memes Facebook Page where readers are encouraged to post their own witty dialog suggestions. The AAW Games team selects the funniest dialog, the winner’s caption is used, and the final comic is re-posted for the world to share.

This first issue of the comic book includes all of those captioned comics -- plus the runner's up for each week the comic ran in the past year.

Ad that I designed for AAW Games to help promote the comic book and
limited edition t-shirt on social media.

In addition to designing the series logo, and contributing to submitting content ideas and suggestions for the weekly comic, I also put the core design and layout of this book together including the cover layout and each individual page design, and all the individual advertisement designs included within.

You can pick up this book for free (in PDF) or purchase a print copy at DriveThruRPG. You can purchase the T-Shirt at OffWorld Designs.

Here are a few photos of the print proofs of the comic book we ordered prior to placing the massive Gen Con booth supply order:

Monday, July 11, 2016

Ads for Tales from the Tabletop

This past week I created a few new ads for AAW Games / Adventureaweek.com's Tales from the Tabletop comic book which I couldn't post about until the book was released. The comic book (you can read more about it in this post) is now available as a free (pay what you want) PDF download as well as a full-color print.

Friday, July 8, 2016

Tavern Sign Crafter Update (Version 2.2)

Click here to try the Tavern Sign Crafter Version 2.2

Tonight I made several updates to my Tavern Sign Crafter web application with the official update to Version 2.2. These updates include the following new features:

Sign Emblem Library Increased
Over 50 all new emblems were added to the emblem library. These emblems have been integrated into both the Tavern Sign Generator as well as the custom Tavern Sign Crafter. These new emblems include: axes, coinpouch, bat, tome, bull, castle, tree, compass, diver, undead dragon, dragon bust, duck, fish, hand/palm, rat, gear, pipe weed, fiddle, harp, hawk, hookah, kangaroo, meat haunch, anvil, lotus, longship, muscles, pig, firearm, medicine, potion, cock, bomb, spider, sun, raven, crow, sabres, scales, crawling lady, jester, mounted knight, toad, tower, squirrel, centaur, rabbit, scorpion, and tortoise.

Flexible Emblem Positioning in the Crafter
Instead the previous three emblem placement options of "top, middle, and bottom", Version 2.2 introduces greater flexibility by offering a total of 13 emblem positioning options.

Flexible Text Positioning in the Crafter
Instead the previous five text placement options of "top, top middle, middle, bottom middle, and bottom", Version 2.2 introduces greater flexibility by offering a total of 20 text positioning options.

Tuesday, July 5, 2016

2016 ENnie & Indie Groundbreaker Awards Nominations

I'm very excited that several of the tabletop role-playing game products that I worked on over the past year have been nominated for eight ENnie Awards and two Indie Groundbreaker Awards. These were all fantastic products with amazing teams working on them. Some of these projects I contributed directly to content, others I only helped in making them become a reality -- in any case, I'm very proud of the work done for each.

Snow White by AAW Games / Adventureaweek.com

My Contributions: graphic design, layout, stationary, cover design, game design, minor content contributions, advertising, marketing, and Kickstarter campaign design.

Nominated for Best Cartography 2016 ENnie award
Nominated for Best Electronic Book 2016 ENnie award
Nominated for Best Writing 2016 ENnie award
Nominated for Product of the Year 2016 ENnie award
Nominated for Best Art 2016 Indie Groundbreaker award
Nominated for Best Setting 2016 Indie Groundbreaker award

Aventyr Bestiary by AAW Games / Adventureaweek.com

My Contributions: writing, game design, graphic design, layout, stationary, cover design, advertising, marketing, and Kickstarter campaign design.

Nominated for Best Monster/Adversary 2016 ENnie award

Adventureaweek.com Website

My Contributions: graphic design, software development, website design, IT management, ad design, marketing, and customer support.

Nominated for Best Website 2016 ENnie award

Southlands Campaign Setting by Kobold Press

My Contributions: graphic design, ad design, marketing, and Kickstarter campaign design.

Nominated for Best Cartography 2016 ENnie award
Nominated for Best Setting 2016 ENnnie award

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Featured Reviews

Endzeitgeist reviewed Maw of the Dark Tide published by AAW Games.

Justin Andrew Mason’s “Maw of the Dark Tide” requires a bit of templating work, but oh boy is it worth it! The floating fortress is unique, the artifacts are cool and the super-boss is BRUTAL when built according to specifications... 5 stars + seal of approval..

You can read this full article and other product reviews by clicking here.

Endzeitgeist reviewed Wrath of the Jötunn published by AAW Games.

This module at once manages to evoke themes of old-school masterpieces, the sense of myth, the sense of plausibility and the new-school focus on a captivating narrative, with tons of read-aloud text, diverse challenges... My final verdict will clock in at 5 stars + seal of approval and this is furthermore a candidate for my Top Ten of 2017.

You can read this full article and other product reviews by clicking here.

Endzeitgeist reviewed Winter's Roar - Vikmordere Bestiary published by AAW Games.

Justin Andrew Mason and developer Stephen Rowe are both names that I associate with quality; in this instance, however, they delivered something that exceeded my expectations. My final verdict will clock in at 5 stars + seal of approval and this is furthermore a candidate for my Top Ten of 2016. Get this!

You can read this full article and other product reviews by clicking here.

Endzeitgeist reviewed The Vikmordere published by AAW Games.

This is a really good, system-neutral first look at the Vikmordere, one that does not SPOIL any of the modules featuring them, while giving players a good first grasp of these peoples. My final verdict will clock in at 5 stars + seal of approval.

You can read this full article and other product reviews by clicking here.

Endzeitgeist reviewed Raider’s Haul – Vikmordere Magic Item Compendium published by AAW Games.

I love this book and while it may not be 100% perfect, it is very close to that... at least for me. My final verdict will hence clock in at 5 stars + seal of approval.

You can read this full article and other product reviews by clicking here.

Endzeitgeist reviewed Madam Margareth's Magic Potion published by Playground Adventures.

Fun, educational and suitable for children of all ages (and even open-minded adults who enjoy this kind of thing), this little educational adventure is absolutely awesome – 5 stars + seal of approval. We need more of them! Seriously, so much more! "

You can read this full article and other product reviews by clicking here.

Endzeitgeist reviewed The White Wyrm Awakens published by AAW Games.

Justin Andrew Mason’s fifth mini-dungeon for ITWG is friggin’ AWESOME. High-concepts, awesome benefit, evocative culture and dungeon – superb. 5 stars + seal of approval, given sans any hesitation."

You can read this full article and other product reviews by clicking here.

Endzeitgeist reviewed Assassin's Breach published by AAW Games.

"...this has the potential to be pure, unadulterated awesomeness and elicit multiple WTF-reactions from your players. My final verdict will hence clock in at 5 stars and I’ll add my seal of approval as well... now to plot how to integrate the inn in my next campaign..."

You can read this full article and other product reviews by clicking here.

Endzeitgeist reviewed Summoner's Remorse published by AAW Games.

"Justin Andrew Mason pushes the boundaries of the series in this module, providing a rather atmospheric, awesome mini-dungeon for your perusal – from cool adversaries to nasty atmosphere, solid challenges and a sense of urgency, this one delivers more than a file of its length conceivably has a right to – excellent job, well worth 5 stars + seal of approval."

You can read this full article and other product reviews by clicking here.

Endzeitgeist reviewed Stowaway on the Singing Sea published by AAW Games.

If you have good roleplayers in your group, this’ll be pure gold... My final verdict will hence clock in at 5 stars.

You can read this full article and other product reviews by clicking here.

Endzeitgeist reviewed The Unreachable Terror published by AAW Games.

Justin Andrew Mason’s “The Unreachable Terror” pushes the envelope of the format in a great way. Concisely written and flavorful, this is well worth a final verdict of 5 stars. clicking here.

Endzeitgeist reviewed Mysteries of the Endless Maze published by AAW Games.

Justin Andrew Mason’s Mysteries of the Endless Maze is an amazing little puzzle-dungeon... All in all, a well-crafted mini-dungeon worth of a final verdict of 5 stars.

You can read this full article and other product reviews by clicking here.

Endzeitgeist reviewed The Burning Tree of Coilltean Grove published by AAW Games.

Justin Andrew Mason’s mini-dungeon here is simply awesome – beyond the obvious roleplaying potential... This is a great use of the format and well worth a final verdict of 5 stars.."

You can read this full article and other product reviews by clicking here.

Endzeitgeist reviewed The Lapis Maiden of Serena Hortum published by AAW Games.

"Justin Andrew Mason’s Mini-Dungeon is compelling – either as straight-forward hack and slay or as an infiltration, this one offers a nice story, a cool backdrop, diverse challenges and even a bit of social interaction, this is a great example of what can be done with a straight-forward, smart application of the limiting mini-dungeon-formula. My final verdict will clock in at 5 stars."

You can read this full article and other product reviews by clicking here.

Endzeitgeist reviewed Ways of the Old published by AAW Games.

"Justin Andrew Mason’s fourth mini-dungeon does it right: We have a great, flavorful build-up; evocative read-aloud text…and non-combat means to resolve the danger. Traps and even a bit of investigation set-up (optional) are provided – this is great and makes the formula work in spite of its brevity. My final verdict 5 stars."

You can read this full article and other product reviews by clicking here.

Be sure to check out Endzeitgeist's Patreon for Roleplaying Game Reviews.

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