As Keith said in his year-end update thread, I'm currently working on a setting project. I hesitate to call it the "default setting" for Twilight: 2013 because it won't be the only one out there, but it is an area of the world that should be familiar to many veteran players. Specifically, I'm looking at the Czech Republic, the western portion of the former Czechoslovakia. My working title is "Survivor's Guide to the Czech Republic" but that's subject to change up until Keith finalizes the PDF.

I'm not going to talk about too many details here for a variety of reasons, but I am willing to answer questions to a point. The main body of the project is going to run about 50,000 words - so probably between 60 and 80 pages, depending on how layout goes. Expect it to be heavy on prose and light on mechanics. I am working on some additional character creation options that are specific to the setting, but, depending on what word count I hit with the main body of the manuscript, those may wind up being presented in another format.

My due dates for the manuscript are 01 Jan for first draft, 01 Feb for final draft. Between those two dates, I'm going to need two to four advance readers who have current subject matter expertise in Czech culture, language, politics, geography, military, and/or intelligence affairs. I'll post more specifics later this weekend or early next week.

- C.

Looking forward to its release

I spent a week in Prague about 12 years ago and was even occasionally only mildly inebriated some of the time. Does that count as "current subject matter expertise in Czech culture, language, politics, geography, military, and/or intelligence affairs." or do I have to wait for the finished product like everyone else?

Joel, in this time and age get back to the line Granted, it's more than I can brag about

Anyway, it's good to see a sort of official starting point for campaigns like Poland was for Twilight:2000

The great thing about the Czech Republik ... besides its hot woman - is the fact it can be a jumping off point for any campaign into any of the surrounding countries... its so centralized.

Some quick questions;Will you have Czech specific weapons and vehicles?OOB;s?Also,will it it include how the remenants of the Czech goverment interact with the other countries?

On a side note,will 93 studios be doing other regional books as well?Sorry for all the questions.

Looking forward for it too!

Ok this looks like it will be cool, but I would like to see some more info on the US.

Alexi

Ok this looks like it will be cool, but I would like to see some more info on Norway.

I'll put you on the list. Way down on the list.


Don't forget the beer. But yeah. Especially with the 2013-era status of Central Europe, a lot of different places are theoretically accessible.


With only 50,000 words, the basic setting information is filling up fast. I've spoken to Keith about the possibility of a Shooter's Guide focusing on the Czech small arms industry. I wouldn't rule out a corresponding vehicle guide, either.


Not in the sense that they were provided in Twilight: 2000 products. I'm not a big fan of straight enumeration of men and vehicles without any real sense for the unit's current status and agenda. However, there will be information on the still-extant fighting forces in the area.


Writing that was a major part of my weekend, actually.


That's a business question for Keith. I will say that sales of this product will likely have a strong influence on his willingness to fund future such books.


I'm not really sure how this was intended, but commenting in the teaser/PR thread for my current project to tell me to go write something else is not the best way to motivate me to take on your proposed work.

- C.

Ouch, I understand, and will shut up. I am waiting for it to come out though....

Alexi

It is safe to say that the plot will include an international presence in the region, as a jump-off point for NATO characters and plot hooks? I've always found Czechoslovakia / the Czech Republic an intimidatingly important part of Eastern European / Russian history, but I don't know nearly enough about the country to comfortably GM a game consisting of local characters. Also, are you planning on writing the book closer to a classic Shadowrun regional sourcebook (highest order of division by subject topic), or like the new ones? (highest level of division by region, subdivided by topic).

Yep. There are several fragmentary Western European forces floating around the setting, plus one that still has a fair degree of unit cohesion and was a major contributor to the Czech defenses during the Siege of Prague. The reason you cited is exactly why I'm putting them there.


No comment. Don't want to commit myself in case I decide to change the organizational scheme at the last minute. I will say that I'm going to be focusing on several different areas within the country, each of which should support a different campaign style. This is gonna be a toolbox for the GM and a sandbox for the PCs.

- C.

Tegyrius - are you able to give us any indication on when you're hoping to finish this project?

Bear in mind that I'm only the writer. Once I turn in the final manuscript, production and distribution are entirely out of my hands and I can't comment on that schedule at all.

With that said, my writing was slowed by unexpected holiday commitments and a surprisingly long-lived sinus infection. I have five chapters' first drafts in front of the playtest group and the sixth and final is still outstanding. I'm hoping to wrap it soon and start on revisions, which should proceed fairly rapidly unless I receive a flood of last-minute tester comments.

I will admit that part of my hesitation has been due to a complete lack of Czech SMEs. We had only a handful of interested parties and Keith hasn't received signed nondisclosure agreements from anyone. At this point, I'm expecting that as soon as we release, a previously-unknown Czech fan community will miraculously appear and begin ripping the entire project to shreds.

- C.

I can proofread.

Copyediting isn't really the problem. I need people who know the Czech Republic to perform plausibility checking on the story and setting.

- C.

Tegyrius - if you get a chance please have a look at the PM I've sent you on this subject.

Thanks,

Mahatatain.

I have no information worthy for interest to the players except for one useless bit of trivia. The 2nd ACR has a museum over there. I was in the first round for interviews as a curator when it started up.