It’s Zine Month! and while I’m not launching a new project, there are plenty of other projects to celebrate.
On the off-chance you aren’t aware of what Zine Month is: since 2019, indie TTRPG creators have allocated the month of February to launch and crowdfund analog adventure games of all kinds. It initially got its start through Kickstarter’s Zinequest event which was designed to highlight adventure games formatted as A5 or Digest Zines (US Half-Letter).
In 2022 it was a little… unorganized.
Since then it has grown and become a more community-driven event with support from creators like Charlie Fergaves who established the Zine Month initiative to push crowdfunding into the control of the creators. Charlie also gave us an excellent mascot in Zimoth.
Zine Month 2020 is where I got my first start with PRIMEVAL_ (ZineQuest 2) and has launched a number of projects and careers within the TTRPG scene. So I’m very excited to talk about it some more and highlight some upcoming projects.
Zine Month 2023
I started a thread over on Twitter for creators to share links to their projects. It’s encouraging to see some veterans with new projects but I’m also excited for the number of new names; many of which appear to be first-time creators.
Head over there and check it out. I’m sure there will be at least one zine you’ll be excited for. And if you have an upcoming project, share it in the thread. We want to hear about it!
Here are a handful of ones I’m most excited for. If I get a chance I’ll share some more as the month goes on. Click on the banners for links.
Warped Beyond Recognition – Quadra
This one has been on my radar for a while and has been teased as a Mothership Third-Party Project for a while. I think it might have been even one of the first ones pitched under the 0e license (though I might be wrong about that).
Warped is is brought to us by the incredible Quadra, whose blog – traaa.sh – has been a huge part of the Mothership player and creator community. It’s where we saw some of our first alternate house rules, where I got my first MoSh Warden’s Screen, and a great collection of after-action reports.
Highly recommend you bookmark this one for when it launches.
Miru II – Hinokodo
Hinokodo has quickly become a designer that I admire and eagerly await each new release. Plus we both share the same type foundry as our go to for new fonts and typefaces.
MIIRU (sic) is a sequel to 2022’s MIRU, a solo analog adventure game. It’s well designed both graphically and mechanically and the previews I’ve seen of this guarantee it to be just as good. And we can never have enough solo games.
Dead Air – Fiona Ruthven
I don’t know much about this one or the creator but the premise sounds dope.
A dark comedy solo RPG about running a radio station after nuclear armageddon.
I have a background in radio and telecommunications so this is an instant back as that’s a soft spot for me (hence the theme of this newsletter). The design is an excellent combination of minimal tech manuals and diegetic diagrams. Perfect fit. If you like things like Tales from the Loop, Mutant Year Zero, the Metro series, or Endure, this is probably going to be a good one to grab.
It’s a small thing, but I also really like their section banners. They double down on that in-world infographic/wayfinding aesthetic.
While the project has the support of veteran Anna Blackwell (Apawthecaria, Delve) it looks like Fiona is a first-time creator so be sure to give them some support!
More Projects
I’m separating these ones a bit as they either bigger than your typical zine or they’re not campaigning in February. But they’re still worth a shout.
Cloud Empress – Watt
I’ve mentioned it before but Cloud Empress by Watt is a setting and system/Panic Engine Hack inspired by things like Ghibli’s Nausicaä and Herbert’s Dune. The art is beautiful, design gorgeous and utilitarian. I’ve gotten some behind the scenes peaks at content and spoken with Watt on the general direction of where it’s going and I cannot speak highly enough of this one.
Cloud Empress’ crowdfunding began earlier this year but will end in February so definitely go and check it out.
BREAK!! – Grey, Naldo
While not technically a zine (coming in at a hefty tome of 470 pages in full color), BREAK!! is probably one of the most anticipated projects in the Indie TTRPG scene; dating back to even the G+ days.
The two-person team behind it has been working on it since 2013 and sharing their progress along the way. Their Devlog has been hugely influential for myself and I’m sure many other designers as well. It’s documented everything from their thought process on mechanics, changes to rules, thoughts on graphic design, sketches and WIP art, and even test prints.
Some of my favorite ideas stem from their rules for world building and how to interpret that in a 3D scale (look at that map! Imagine having it at the table) and concepts for movement and combat and how to simplify terrain while keeping tactics interesting. I’ve tested that last one in some of my own homebrew games and it works really well.
Can’t wait for this to launch. It’s going to break the internet (sorry, couldn’t resist).
That’s it for now. Thank you for tuning into Transmissions from the Archive, go back some Indie TTRPGs, and hope you’re here for the next broadcast.