AMA Intensifies: Mendez's Reddit AMA, Wednesday 12 to 8!
over 7 years ago – Mon, Nov 26, 2018 at 12:51:10 PM

Hey famurai. Last night I decided to announce yet another Ask Me Anything session, to be held on Wednesday 26 November from 1200 to 2000 hrs EST on reddit.com/r/rpg. The announcement post already has a flame war on it. Like, not even the AMA—that doesn't start until the day after tomorrow—just the post saying it's gonna happen, to which I'm not even responding. I'm a little nervous about this process, so it would mean a lot to me and to the project if you could drop by.

Funded!
over 7 years ago – Mon, Nov 26, 2018 at 05:15:40 AM

Hooray! We are funded! That means Thousand Arrows will become a reality, thanks to everyone who backed the project, including you!

We still have a few days to go, and that means we can still hit some stretch goals. If we reach $17,500 (still totally achievable!) the book will get upgraded to a hardcover edition for everyone. We'll also be adding two new rewards to the Spoils of War backer level and above: an enamel pin, featuring the awesome samurai character from our cover, and some custom dice. Mockups of these items will be included in the next update.

The next level opens up at just $21,000. This adds color art to the interior of the game, and allows us to offer a brand new reward level: the Big Name. As a reminder, this level is just like Spoils of War, but you will also get all your rewards wrapped in a traditional Japanese cloth called a tenugui, and get a cloth map scroll of the Warring States of Japan. This will be made by Heart of the Deernicorn, the makers of Fall of Magic, and the map should be just as gorgeous and collectible as the map in that game.

Looking forward to hitting the next goals, let's drive on for the rest of the week! Spread the word!

Happening right now: Mendez's impromptu Twitter AMA
over 7 years ago – Sat, Nov 24, 2018 at 05:15:56 PM

What's good famurai, it's Mendez coming to you live from … Twitter, apparently. Our friend Strix successfully goaded me into an impromptu Ask Me Anything session. So far most of the questions have been about RPGs in general and Thousand Arrows in particular.

• What do you hope players will feel at the end of a Thousand Arrows game session?
• What should I know going into this if I'm really unfamiliar with the genre?
• When you’re writing a PbtA system from the ground up, what’s your process for designing moves as a way of shaping the play experience?
• Which Kurosawa film is your favorite?
• What puppies did you include in the game?
  

I know you all probably have places to conquer and people to betray on a Saturday evening, but if you get a moment, please stop in and bother me. Hell, I'd love some questions about hip hop or comic books or something else unrelated. I wanna get to know y'all. Also you will distract me from compulsively refreshing the page to see if we've funded yet.

Upgrade Your Pledge to Digital Deluxe!
over 7 years ago – Sat, Nov 24, 2018 at 04:42:17 AM

This post is for backers only. Please visit Kickstarter.com and log in to read.

New Backer Levels! New Roles Unlocked!
over 7 years ago – Fri, Nov 23, 2018 at 10:30:46 AM

One week to go! To celebrate, we are opening up a couple of new backer levels: The Digital Deluxe level, the Martial Arts Lesson level, and the Ninjagram level. Check out the descriptions below to see if you want an upgrade.

We have also hit out 600 backers stretch goal! This opens up three new Roles for the game: The Corsair, the Artisan, and the Merchant! More complete descriptions below.

New Backer Levels

The first is the Digital Deluxe level! Get some extra rewards with your digital copy of Thousand Arrows. This reward level includes the stickers app of digital stickers for use on your phone or tablet, and wallpaper images that you can use to decorate your device.

Next we have the new Martial Arts Lessons level. Get a personal martial arts lesson from Thousand Arrows creator James Mendez Hodes. He will give you (and any friends you'd like to bring along) instruction in person if you live in the New York area, or at a convention or via video chat if you are located somewhere else. Mendez will work with you to design a learning experience that fits any level of physical ability and prior hand-to-hand experience. Want to learn traditional Japanese weapons or unarmed combat techniques? Modern self-defense? Something weird and random like capoeira or scholastic wrestling? We can hook you up!

Lastly, the Ninjagram level. When you least suspect it, you or someone you designate will receive a surprise message via ninja courier. Arrangements will be made for delivery after the Kickstarter is over, we just need to know where you are. This could be at a con, or maybe just on the street, depending on our ability to reach you. We have our ways...

New Roles

The Corsair, a sea reaver, bold and well-traveled. This role opens up the seas in your campaign! This requires a coast, or at least a major river, to be in play, but the elusive and deadly Japanese pirate is now available.

“Wakō” is a derisive term that means “Japanese raider,” but you’re likely to get that appellation anywhere on the Chinese, Japanese, or Korean coast. Pirates (or as they’re sometimes called in times of war, “the navy”) often started their careers as merchants or fishermen until one year the catch wasn’t good or the farmers didn’t sell them enough grain. Then their former trading partners became their prey. You might hail from a foreign land with a seafaring tradition, such as Portugal or Korea; Japanese pirate crews also frequently answered to Chinese captains.

The Artisan, a fine crafter of art and goods. This role really expands on the Create Art move, and gives you the chance to play a character dedicated to those fine crafts. This requires a workshop, and can pin the campaign down to a single place a bit.

You are a maker, a crafter who works with your hands. You may be an artist, such as a painter or a sculptor, or you may make more utilitarian items as a potter, mason, or carpenter. Regardless of which path you take, you are an artisan, someone who is skilled in their craft and creates beauty. Artisans and crafters are an essential part of Japanese society. During this period, they have less prominence as a class due to their lack of martial ability. The artisan class is not happy with this secondary status and will often press for more status and wealth from the warrior types.

The Merchant, a shrewd trader and deal-maker. Wars do not run without trade, and the merchants are making the most of the situation. Of course, accumulating too much wealth can just make you a target. The Merchant is a bit more mobile than the Artisan, but are very tied into city life and trade.

You are a trader, a purveyor of goods, but most of all, an accumulator of money. The merchant class is not highly regarded in this period, but wars cost money. Without traders, how would these lords finance their battles? You give loans to the powerful, and you can exert your will when the bill comes due. Of course, if you push it too far, they may just take your head as repayment.