Work in Progress

Just a couple of shots of WIPs for future DSL Ironworks products.  More info is available at the DSL Ironworks blog.

Latest project...

Over at the Ironworks, I've been working on some ideas for deckplans using vector graphics...the basic premise is to have one page able to produce battle maps in a variety of scales (15 mm, 25 mm, or whatever suits you).  This is a mockup of the first test bed, a Kankur-class Frontier Courier, 200 dtons.  Both sets of maps (single page overview and 15 mm battlemap) were produced from one single page pdf using adobe acrobat X.  The battlemap measures roughly 22 inches by 34 inches.  I'm also working on putting together the 25 mm version, which totals 24 pages total.

Learning curve...

I put up a new cover pic for the DSL Ironworks Facebook page.  There was something about it that bothered me a bit, and I couldn't put my finger on it until Wayne (Scarecrow) Peters pointed it out - the lighting was fairly screwed up.  Hat tip to Wayne and Andrew Boulton for sharing some tips to help improve the pic. The top was one version of the original, the bottom the revised version.  The problem was the light was from the wrong angle, and the shadows were way too light.  I definitely like the revised version better.  I'll be revisiting this pic at some point when I have more time.

Greetings and salutations, readers.  Apologies for the long silence; it's been a hectic couple of months here on the home front, and I'm just starting to get things under control and get back to work.  On the business end of things, Quick Decks 2: Expansion Pack is undergoing final editing and correction today, so hopefully that should be available over the weekend.

On the personal front, I haven't had an awful lot of time to work on much relating to 3d, but I did drag out what I've got done on the Warsprite-class (based on a picture by Tom Peters) and began evaluating where I stand and what remains to be done.  At the moment, I'm working up deck plans, checking the volumes against the model to make sure they're at least fairly close, and debating what needs to get done first.  The majority of the model itself is roughed out, as well as the fighters associated with it.  For now, just a progress shot...

I missed the big announcement...

For those of you who aren't aware, I've entered the realm of Traveller publishing as DSL Ironworks.  In the craziness of getting our first product released, I forgot to mention it on my personal blog, which has been sorely neglected of late.

DSL Ironworks has it's own blog, located at  http://dsl-ironworks.blogspot.com/.  Our DriveThruRPG.com publisher page can be found at http://rpg.drivethrustuff.com/index.php?&manufacturers_id=4058.  And, you can even find us on Facebook Here.  Pretty much all of the product information will be released through the DSL Ironworks blog and on Facebook, as well as the major Traveller forums (COTI, Mongoose, and SFRPG).

At the moment, we're looking at four primary product lines.
1. Quick Decks - prebuilt deckplan sections that you can arrange however you like.  Our Starter Pack is already available, and the first expansion is in process.

2. Technical Manuals - Small craft ship books, aimed at a specific class of small craft, complete with deckplans, interior and exterior 3d renders, adventure hooks, stats, and notes about the design and development of the class.  The first one, TM1 - Reprieve-class Escape Pods, is finished and working it's way through pre-press.  It will be released as a PDF and full color softcover book.  The second, TM2 - Moke-class Launch, details a class of 20 ton launch and is currently in development.

3. Captains' Manuals - Ship books aimed at a specific class of starship, much like the Technical Manuals.  The first, CM1 - Astoria-class Corporate Transport, details a 500 ton starship used extensively by megacorps to transport executives, sensitive cargo, and a variety of other tasks.  It is currently in development as well.

4. Quick Minis - Given the dearth of good Traveller ship miniatures, I'm contemplating doing a line of paper minis geared toward starship combat.  These will also become an integral part of each of the Tech and Captains Manuals, including a sheet of minis with the PDF file.

This blog will still be active, although updates may be slow, and I do plan on continuing with some of my ongoing projects.  Thanks for checking out DSL Ironworks, and I encourage you to follow the Ironworks blog and facebook page; that will have our latest updates and information.

The future is coming...

Greetings again!  Just popping in to let all of you know I haven't dropped off the earth.  Work continues on a variety of projects.  I did get the cover for Freelance Traveller (September 2011 issue), which you can get HERE.

Plus, there is going to be a fairly important announcement made within the next month or so, which explains my relative calm and quiet of late.  But, I'm still creeping around, so fear not.

Technical Manual 2 Finished!

Sorry for the long silence.  I've been busting my hump trying to get my second Technical Manual finished and released.  I ended up going back and completely redoing the original deckplans to add a boatload of functionality, and I think the results have been worth it.  All maps are now fully scalable and zoomable vector graphics, I've added complete sets of maps scaled for 25/28 mm, 20 mm, and 15 mm, and changed the arrangement of files somewhat.  You can download it from COTI HERE and HERE, or HERE.