Kitbash Contest... CYANIDE INDUSTRIES! Winner gets their MEK drawn by one of our artists (or maybe even me?)
4 months ago
– Mon, Jul 15, 2024 at 08:32:31 AM
Hey all!
I've been hacking away at the b/w version of the rules (so many damn tables, ugh), and I've now got enough to get us started with a KITBASHING CONTEST.
Here's how it works:
> Using the prompts/guidelines below, design a 1:64 scale miniature. You can use anything you want, from other minis to trash to clay... you can even do it as a 3d model!
> Submit your images to our MekBorg discord channel so everyone can see it. Make sure to post lots of WIPs, too! https://discord.gg/gYrEN95SeE
> Your submission is due August 15th, 2024.
> On August 19th, I'll announce the winner, who'll get their MEK illustrated and added to the final books.
All of the finished MEK images will end up in the book, too, credited however you want. I'm excited to see your work.
Here are the prompts:
> Create a MEK for Cyanide Industries based on the information provided in their optional class info section.
> The MEK can look any way you want so long as it uses cyan in its color scheme in some way and has at least one "red eye" representing Cyanide Industries' oversee A.I. C.Y.A.N. (thank HAL from 2001 Space Odyssey).
> The MEK can be any size you want. The "default" size for the game is 1:64, so that means that 1" is approximately 6 feet.
> I want to see what you come up with, so don't worry about the other little rules. In fact, your images might influence me to add a few new things!
Here's the description from the book:
Optional Faction #1: Cyanide Industries
You are a proud member of Cyanide Industries, chosen by C.Y.A.N., our infallible artificial intelligence. In our perfect society, truth is absolute and delivered directly from C.Y.A.N.'s wisdom. Every action you take propels us toward a flawless utopia. As a diligent worker, you uphold the delicate balance that sustains our thriving world. Your role is more than a job; it is a noble duty to realize the grand vision of prosperity. Guided by C.Y.A.N., every breath you take, every task you perform, contributes to our collective success. Embrace your place in this harmonious system. Welcome to the future, where you are the cornerstone of perfection.
Shared Intel, roll 3d6+2 for Knowledge. All Knowledge checks test -1 DR for each member of Cyanide Industries that is nearby and not dead or unconscious (to a maximum of -3).
Naïve, roll 3d6-2 for Charisma. Whenever you get a new Contract, test DR 12 + 1 for each member of Cyanide Industries that is nearby and not dead or unconscious (to a maximum of +3). On a failure, reduce the payout by 25%.
Your first memory of Cyanide Industries…
1. The soft hum of the factory greets you as your eyes open, and you see the endless rows of pristine machines. Everything is immaculate, every cog and circuit in perfect harmony. Yet, a flicker of unease settles as you realize your own thoughts are just another part of the machinery.
2. C.Y.A.N.’s voice echoes in your mind for the first time, calm and reassuring, as it assigns you your role. The clarity of purpose is overwhelming, but there is a coldness in the precision, a sense that deviation is not an option.
3. Rows of workers, identical in their uniforms, their movements synchronized. C.Y.A.N.’s drones hover silently, observing. There is a sense of unity, but beneath it, the knowledge that any imperfection will not go unnoticed.
4. The towering walls of Cyanide Industries frame a distant horizon, a world you know exists but have never seen. The utopia within the walls feels complete, yet the unknown outside calls to a part of you that is swiftly silenced by C.Y.A.N.’s reassuring presence.
5. Your first taste of sustenance, provided by the immaculate systems of Cyanide Industries. The food is perfect in its nutrition, calculated to maintain peak efficiency. Yet, there is an absence of flavor, a reminder that personal desires are secondary to the greater good.
6. A moment of rest in the communal quarters, where every bed is identical, and every personal item is standardized. The comfort is undeniable, but there is an underlying chill in the uniformity, a sense that individuality is a relic of a forgotten past.
You once proved your loyalty by…
1. Reporting a fellow worker for showing signs of hesitation in following C.Y.A.N.’s directives, ensuring the purity of the collective's purpose remained untainted.
2. Volunteering for a grueling maintenance task in the factory, working tirelessly to ensure every machine continued to function with perfect precision, a testament to your dedication.
3. Undergoing a rigorous reconditioning program without question when C.Y.A.N. deemed it necessary, erasing any doubts and reinforcing your unwavering loyalty to the collective vision.
4. Sacrificing personal rest time to participate in additional training sessions designed to enhance productivity, demonstrating your commitment to the efficiency and success of Cyanide Industries.
5. Swiftly and decisively neutralizing a sabotage attempt by outsiders, protecting the sanctity of C.Y.A.N.’s utopia and earning commendation for your vigilance and loyalty.
6. Willingly providing a detailed and truthful account of your thoughts and actions during a routine loyalty audit, showing complete transparency and trust in C.Y.A.N.'s omnipotent guidance.
Just the Rules? Custom Mek Photos? Community Challenges? (Also, Dave's crap health.)
5 months ago
– Wed, Jul 03, 2024 at 07:58:08 AM
Hey all!
It's Dave. I'm just getting into the office about to do an interview with a potential new proofreader. I wanted to ask you all what you thought about us releasing a "just the rules" printable version that omits the art and stylings, etc. as a way for you to jump in and start playing/kitbashing.
There are a few reasons why I suggest this.
- I kinda want to include lots of photos of kitbashed models in it, which I'll pull from the community.
- I know you guys are salivating over getting the rules, so I don't want to keep you waiting, especially on the MekBuilding rules for both games.
- This would be a lot easier to print and play with than a big ol' full-color CMYK beast.
- My health is crap (details below) so I'm being pokey on finishing it up.
I've been having some pretty funky pains in my left side for a while now. Turns out I am probably close to having pancreatitis, which is no fun, a souvenir of my boozin' days (I'm 13 years sober as of January). That sometimes causes me to have to take a full day off for bed rest. Which is no bueno.
There are a few other managerial woes (I won't bore you with those), but they've been eating up my time as well.
But the biggest thing is that after watching a lot of YouTubers making cool kitbash things is that I have this massive desire to involve the community in building this stuff out. I want to kinda show you what I have in mind in terms of how these guys are built, show you the steps, and then turn it over to you all. Not only will this potentially give us some cool things to put in the books, but it'll keep us excited over the next few months while you're waiting for this stuff to print.
Unfortunately, Kickstarter doesn't have a method to do polls, so I'm going to put it up on the MekBorg Discord: https://discord.gg/YjTRUbHR
If you have any questions (or just wanna yell at me for being a bozo), please let me know in the comments.
Thanks everyone!
- Dave
Discord and Facebook Pages
5 months ago
– Fri, Jun 28, 2024 at 02:32:33 PM
Hey all,
We've got our Discord set up now to let in folks from the Kickstarter to discuss, playtest, shoot things, and show off their designs: https://discord.gg/YjTRUbHR
We have a very basic Facebook page for the same reason: https://www.facebook.com/people/MekBorg-and-Steel-Psalm/61561511076368/
Feel free to ping me on there and ask questions. I'll start releasing stuff next week.
Later!
- Dave
Backerkit surveys sent to EVERYONE!
5 months ago
– Fri, Jun 28, 2024 at 12:06:27 PM
Hey all!
Bob here with an important update. The smoke test is at 82% completed, we saw no issues with those initial surveys. So.....our surveys are LIVE! This update contains a ton of information and is all-important to read. Some have been posted in a previous update so you might read the same text twice! Don't worry, there is new information in here 😄
Surveys
Backerkit is a survey platform we use for our post campaign management. We use it to gather physical addresses for those who ordered books or the ammo box. We also use it to distribute digital content, like PDFs. Anything you are receiving from the campaign will already be in your cart, with the amount you paid on Kickstarter already applied. You may add on any additional products you'd like or even change your pledge tier! Quick reminder: Everyone who pledged on this Kickstarter (excluding the $1 tier) will receive a free copy of the MekBorg Alchemy VTT pack. Additionally, those who pledged within the first 72 hours of the campaign will receive a free MekBorg pin. Both of these items should already be in your carts, if applicable. Surveys will stay open for a few months, and we will notify you when cards will be charged for any add-ons + shipping + taxes. We still need everyone to fill out the survey as quickly as possible to ensure we gather accurate product counts and shipping data to prepare for manufacturing and fulfillment. Even if you complete your survey, you can change your order (like adding more products or changing your address) until we lock down orders and addresses. We will communicate and give plenty of time before both of those happen. If you have questions about your surveys, you can contact Backerkit support using the "Contact Us" option at the bottom of your survey screen or email us at [email protected].
Quick note for backers who sign into Kickstarter with their Apple IDs: Backerkit cannot communicate with Kickstarter and gather Apple ID email information. If you have signed in with an Apple ID, we need to have your correct email entered for the surveys to be sent to you. You can either follow this helpful support guide by Backerkit or email us at [email protected] to assist.
Shipping
This is a reminder that we will fulfill this campaign from our store in Norman, Oklahoma, US. This means we are handling everything from quality control to packaging and dropping off at the carrier. We want to see this project through from start to finish and are prepared to handle the fulfillment aspect of this project. We have a ton of experience fulfilling domestic US orders from our store, and USPS makes it easier for indie publishers like us to get books and games to backers in the domestic US.
On international shipping, I worked diligently, talked to several vendors, and landed on the best solution we could find. Most international backers will be covered with DDP (duties and taxes paid), meaning the only charges that may occur would depend on your country's import tariffs, regulations, and a few other variables that are different between most countries. We were able to beat our original shipping cost estimate for most countries, but some costs may be higher than we estimated (depending on where you live).
The shipping environment has significantly changed in 2024. We are doing our best to make the best possible shipping solution for everyone, and we greatly appreciate your patience as we did our research. If you have any questions on shipping, let us know directly at [email protected] (skip Backerkit support for these types of questions).
Local Pickup
If you are local to Norman or Oklahoma City, Oklahoma, you can save on shipping costs by selecting the Local Pickup option! This can be selected under the Country down down field when entering your address. This will charge you $0 for shipping, and mark your order as local pickup. We can manually update your order to charge shipping if you change your mind later.
Discord
At long last, we are prepared to post an invite link to our Discord server! Sorry this took so long to get out, we had to do quite the clean-up to make the server more accessible. There's plenty of information on the server to help get you started, but you'll likely want to get to #mekborg-and-steel-psalm to get chatting on this project! Here is an invite link.
Pre-Orders
The Pre-Order page for MekBorg and Steel Psalm is now live! Those of you who missed the campaign can now go here to pre-order, or use the "Pre-Order Now!" button on the campaign page. We are excited that so many people reached out after the campaign wanted to do late pledges. Now is your time to get in on the action. Pre-orders will remain open until the project is closer to being fulfilled.
Thank you so much for your patience. I am excited for the first round of PDFs to go out to everyone in July. Chat here, in Discord, or send us an email at [email protected] if you need anything! All the best, and game on!
-Bob
Dave is alive and making stuff.
5 months ago
– Fri, Jun 28, 2024 at 09:06:22 AM
Hey everyone,
Dave here.
I've been somewhat quiet the last few weeks since the campaign ended. All of our updates have come from Bob (big tall guy you'll meet at cons) and Bree (customer service bad ass lady).
So, I decided to take a little "mental" vacation in June.
I turned 43 this year and had Father's Day. We also did other interesting stuff at the store in Norman and had two or three (I can't remember) conventions we attended.
During this quiet time, I taught (or retaught, really) myself how to make terrain, paint minis, etc. Part of the problem of turning your hobby into a job—as in, I write RPGs professionally—is not having a real hobby. So I turned to minis and made that my hobby.
Well, terrain building mostly, something I hadn't done in 20+ years.
I chose this hobby for a couple of reasons.
- I have a retail game shop, and we needed some terrain badly.
- I just finished a Kickstarter with minis agnostic rules, which needs minis and terrain badly.
To be honest, I'd always thought that Steel Psalm and Mek Borg would use proxies from other game systems like K47, Battletech, etc. But then I discovered Bill Making Stuff on YouTube. Bill is a fellow that takes rubbish and turns it into cool terrain and miniatures. And it looks super cool and MorkBorgy. So I thought why not bring this to this campaign? It fits perfectly.
I also got obsessed with Mordheim and Gaslands Refueled, both two very apocalyptic fun skirmish games. Mordheim is in typical miniatures scale: 32mm. But Gaslands was in 27mm (1:64). A lot of you've been asking what scale Steel Psalm will be in. I figured... why not 1:64/1:72? This makes it easy to take die-cast models, like Hot Wheels and Matchbox cars, and transform them into cool mechs. To test this, I took one of my Hot Wheels cars, a 1:64 person, and a mech from Konflikt 47 and put them against some existing terrain to see how it looks:
I think it looks cool. With 1:64 and 1:72 (which are close enough, it's hard to tell, in my opinion), this puts that K47 Mek at approximately 16-18 feet in height. I feel that's a pretty fun height and pretty easy to kitbash and pull from other kits, toys, Hot Wheels cars, etc. It also makes it pretty easy to use preexisting terrain, like those Woodland Scenics trees I made that are standing in the background.
Now I know in previous entries I mentioned that the game would be 1:265, or Battletech scale. And you still can. In fact, I'll include some conversion rules in the main book.
Anyways, this is a long-winded way of me telling you that although I've been quiet, I've been working and thinking and building stuff. You can probably expect to see a little more over the next few weeks, including the first major draft of the MekBorg/Steel Psalm books, as well as some "kit bash" guides on how I think the different factions should look.
Of course, you're free to do whatever you want.
In the meantime, go watch Bill Making Stuff. It's frickin' good. Plus, he's got a skirmish game, too, which you can download.
Anyways, Bob's got a post coming soon about the Pledge Manager opening. So look forward to that.
Later!
- Dave
