Those Dark Places: The Gamma-Sigma 12 Report - available now!

'The Gamma-Sigma 12 Report' is an official adventure for 'Those Dark Places Industrial Science Fiction Roleplaying' published by Osprey Games.

Well, this doesn’t sound good. Listen to this message we received.

“Is anyone out there? This is Resource Station Gamma-Sigma 12, we are under attack from a life form…

(static)

Our escape ships have launched only half-filled – cowards! - and there are no vessels left here to get us off the station – there are about twenty of us here and we’re scattered all over, requesting…

(static, crashing sounds, an inhuman screech)

Ben! Ben, they’re through! Get the gun! Patricia, take this and get ready! They’re through!

(screech)

Just shoot! Fire! Fire!

(gunshots, screeching, a cry of pain)

Dan, no! Keep firing! Keep…

(static, transmission ends)”

The nearest warship is two weeks out – you’re six days away on your route. We’re sending you as an advance team to get on board and secure and extract civilians before the big guns show up because Resource Station Gamma-Sigma 12 sent that mayday on every channel available, unencrypted, to make sure someone heard. That means any other company or private enterprise could be on their way there right now to claim the station and take the Calium-3 for themselves. So time is of the absolute essence.

Review the information included, including the station layout and statistics. We don’t know the condition of the station, who is there or what the threat is so go in hot...

... and expect trouble.

CONTENT WARNING: This adventure contains physical, psychological and body horror, so be sure to check with your players if they're good for that kind of game and use any safety protocols you might have, especially if it is being used in a convention. 

FIRETEAM - Rules Light Sci-Fi Action Roleplaying now OGL

FIRETEAM - Rules Light Sci-Fi Action Roleplaying now OGL

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

January 25th 2022

Northampton, UK: Jonathan Hicks of Farsight Games has made the rules-light sci-fi action roleplaying game 'Fireteam' available with an OGL for gamers to create their own material for the game, as well as use the rules system for their own settings and campaigns.

Using the WotC OGL, the game engine -  the 'Hi5 System' - is now available for gamers to utilise in their own games, to modify and adjust as they see fit, and also enables them to release their onw material for profit. The Hi5 System is a dice pool engine that uses D6s, and any roll of 5 or 6 on a single die is counted as a success. It is fast, light and intuitive and suitable for fast-action games of combat. The original book is written by Jonathan Hicks and illustrated by HodagRPG.

Jonathan Hicks: 'The roleplaying game community has been more than kind to me so I wanted to give something back. The game engine is simple and fast and I want gamers to take the rules and run with them. I'm looking forward to seeing what they come up with, and how they can improve on the original!'

The OGL has already been added to the PDF and is available now.

-------------------------------------------------

Jonathan Hicks is the designer and writer of many RPG games including Those Dark Places, Advanced Fighting Fantasy and Against the Darkmaster. Born in the historic city of Lichfield and now residing in Northampton Jonathan has been at the gaming table since 1983, and has more than a decade of gaming articles, reviews, interviews, and designs across multiple genres under his belt.

HodagRPG creates Fantasy, Sci-Fi and Superhero RPG Illustrations. Mostly for fun, although occasionally he takes the odd commission.

THOSE DARK PLACES: THE GAMMA-SIGMA 12 REPORT

 

'A FUTURE HISTORY OF THOSE DARK PLACES' in development

One thing I'm excited about as I write this sourcebook and supplement for Those Dark Places (10k words and counting!) is that I finally get to share my ideas and rules for extended campaign play, so that your PCs can improve over time and longer stories can be told.

TDP is great for one-shots but the more I design adventures the more I want to try and create an extended campaign that players can experience. I hope the new campaign and experience rules help with that, without compromising the simplicity of the core rules.

Happy New Year!

So, let's talk about what I've got planned for Those Dark Places in 2022.

Now that my commissioned work is all but done I can spend more time focusing on TDP. There are three projects on the go right now:

- 'The Gamma-Sigma 12 Report' is finished and pretty much fully laid out. I'm missing a single piece of art but still deciding as to whether I need it. That will be out later this month.

- 'Darker Places' (working title) is the 15mm skirmish game and is still in design/playtest, though the basics are designed and just need to be put through the paces. I have no idea when this will be available; I don't want to release it myself and would rather it be a physical rulebook. I might be opening it up to public playtesting, but that's a work in progress.

- 'A Future History of Those Dark Places' is a sourcebook I have just begun work on that will detail a timeline leading up to the game's present time, details of the major corporations and prominent personalities, life on Earth, new rules for vehicles and starships, and a guide on character development and experience, so that you can improve your TDP PC over a campaign. TDP is designed with the one-shot in mind so this will help gaming groups enjoy a full campaign, or a 'tour'.

I've got lots of other ideas and plans but these are the three main projects I have. I won't be commiting to a timeline or a release schedule but I will be giving plenty of notice before release.

Have a great 2022!

Art by Nathan Anderson