The MCDM RPG

 https://www.backerkit.com/c/projects/mcdm-productions/mcdm-rpg

I recommend checking out this in-development game on Backerkit. The designers are top notch, well respected, and known for delivering what they promise.

While it won't be a giant killer (who the hell has the money to take on D&D) it is gaining a significant amount of grass-roots support with over 20,000 backers as of this writing.

Spend the 51+ minutes watching the intro video, you'll know what this game is being designed to do and have a good solid idea if it is something you would want to play.

I just backed it since I feel this deserves to be supported. Sure, it isn't expected to release in full until June of 2025, but the makers clearly state why - they want it to be great in all ways.

Goodbye Old Game Year, Hello New Game Year

Another year of gaming has come to a close and a new year of gaming is beginning.

This waning year our group continued my campaign and introduced my brother's campaign. We alternate running our adventures which can sometimes confuse a few of the players as to which character they are playing at a given session. My brother is doing great as DM, being a novice isn't slowing him down or dampening his enthusiasm and I am proud of how well he is taking to the job of Dungeon Master.

My Hammered Game Table is back in action, having been taken out of storage and set up at my brother's house. He and his wife have fully embraced the game and went so far as to rearrange their house to create a large gaming space to fit the 8+' x 4+' table and turned an entertainment center into storage for gaming paraphernalia.

They have also been buying miniatures, and crafting their own terrain and decor for the adventures in his campaign.

The gaming group seems to have stabilized at 7 members for the time being.

I've just introduced Federation Commander to one member of the group, but it remains to be seen if any others will take to the game.

In the coming year there is a strong possibility we will add two new players to the group bringing us back up to nine which makes for a target rich environment for the monsters.  ;)

One of the possible new member played an old school version of D&D years ago, and the other, his wife, will be completely new to role playing. This will be fun rekindling his enjoyment and sparking new interest for her.

As for my campaign in the new year, I anticipate doing more dungeon crawling and less wilderness exploration. My players have begun to show greater appreciation for indoor environments than for the great outdoors. While both are dangerous, the party has lost more characters in  the wild than in the dungeons so far.

Here's hoping your games in 2019 will be grand, wild fun.

Happy Gaming!

JOHN HENRY! - The RPG

In response to Stu Rat's comment to the Something Wicked post.

JOHN HENRY!

The Role-Playing Game

The year is 1870 and your hearty band of railroad workers

is facing their toughest challenge yet. You've braved the 

elements, the freezing cold, the scorching heat, wind, rain,

storms. You've survived landslides, cave-ins, and accidents

of all kinds. But nothing prepared you for the horror you

now face. You and your crew are fighting for your very

jobs against the nightmare that is mechanization!

The mighty steam hammer has come to take yer jerbs!

In JOHN HENRY! - The Role-Playing Game players take

on the roles of railroad workers with special talents and

skills, working together to beat back the tides of progress.

Classes include Steel Drivers - the class of JOHN HENRY himself!

Montebancs, Thieves, Prospectors, Cooks, and others.

So pick up your copy today and SWING THE HAMMER.

Stu, your comment had me howling. Great response I could not resist posting about. Sorry to say, nope this wasn't what the clue is about, but keep going! If it helps me come up with more fun to write posts, all-the-better!