Summertime Update!

It is hard to believe more than six months have transpired since we have updated the news going on here at the studio. Rather than lament about how we should have posted more frequently, how about we just move on to the information? The work for the first expansion for GRID has been completed, and the editing process is underway! We had hoped to release this expansion this month, but it will likely be delayed until July or possibly August. This was one of the reasons we did not want to set a firm date because things happen.

Despite the delay, we are currently working on writing the second release happening later this year or possibly early next year for Primal Spirit. This first expansion is focused on a remote part of the Pangea world that is the incredible setting for the game. A new tribe will be offered for use by both the players and the director, and lots of other good updates and rules will be found within its pages. Additionally, there will be a new scenario that can act as a starting point for a world changing event for groups looking to run a full campaign! We are excited to be bringing this expansion to the game and look forward to sharing more information as we get closer to a release date.

As always, continue to check here and across social media for new information on what we are working on and any other important news we have to share.

Heading to the Printer!

The editing process wrapped up last week on our newest game title! Today we finished the edits and finalized artwork and, once everyone was satisfied, the game was sent off to the printer! While we await their approval and initial proof copy, we get to let out a collective sigh for having completed yet another game. We won’t be resting long though, because we have a full schedule of releases for next year which include the first expansions for both GRID and Primal Spirit!

So what about this game that we have kept pretty quiet for the past year? What can we share at this point? It will, of course, use the D20/D6 system that we have designed for use in all our other games. This game sets itself around an alternate universe setting with a lot of mystery, intrigue, investigation, paranormal events, and a dash of horror for good measure! It will also provide guidelines for solo play! Suited for smaller groups, this RPG will give players a bit more of a sandbox environment to explore their surroundings and decide which side of the law they want to be on or even navigate between both. It is, like all our previous games, compatible with the others allowing for truly unique mash ups across our different sci fi, fantasy, and horror titles.

That wraps up the news for now but always remember to check back here and across social media for more information in the coming weeks!

Summer Wrap Up!

As we get closer to Fall, we have been looking back over everything that happed this Summer. The writing and art have been completed for our new game, and it is now in the editing phase. We are on track to release the game this November. This will be the last game we release with our current D20/D6 system and while we still have some expansions coming next year for the games using this system, we are looking forward to launching a whole new system in the next few years.

What also has been going on is the Virginia location for Griffons Lair has been moving steadily along. The lease was signed last month, and work has been progressing for a month now in getting the store ready for its opening later this month! We have been assisting with this journey directly, not just with design and the build out, but also with helping steer the direction the store will go and what it will bring to the tabletop and wargaming community in Staunton, VA. We have fulfilled the initial order of our game line the store will be carrying on day one and have discussed bringing in the other lines as well as our new releases! It is an exciting time and the partnership between the two businesses has never been stronger!

We cannot wait to see what happens not only later this month, but also through the rest of the year. As always, keep checking back here and across social media for the latest news and updates.

Trademark Registration Complete!

Received word earlier this week, along with the signed and sealed acknowledgement that the Lunar Cycle Games logo is officially a registered trademark! This had been something that the studio had wanted to do for some time, and we started the process last year knowing it would likely take up to a year to complete. While it was not that long, it still was until almost June when the process was finally finished.

This is just one more step towards our new rebranding and reinventing the business that, while originally slated for this year, has been pushed until our 10-year anniversary in 2027. We made the decision to keep going with our current schedule and wanted to release everything we had planned for this year and next before making drastic changes. In addition, our increased collaboration with Griffons Lair has continued without any indication of slowing down. Several more videos have been created and talks for further projects are happening continually.

Work on our latest game is progressing nicely with the writing almost 80% complete and the artwork in the 60-70% completion range. Still scheduled for a November release, continue to check back here and across social media for further information.

The long road back...

As I sit here and write this, it has been almost five months since the entire studio staff contracted Covid. While everyone else recovered, albeit with some lingering effects, I took a turn for the worst. Pneumonia settled in on me while I was trying to recover from Covid, and I ended up in the hospital and had to be put on a ventilator. While I was in a serious drugged state where I had tremendous delusions for seven days, doctors and my family did everything they could to ensure I would recover. That I am writing this now is testament to their efforts and I am eternally grateful for everything they have done.

The business, as could be expected, halted during this time, and we are just now looking at getting back to work. While most of the staff have other jobs, as this is still primarily a labor of love, we do have quite a few people that have become interested in what we do. While I do not feel I have let anyone down, I do believe I owe these words to explain our situation and our commitment to come back. We had two loose release dates scheduled for this year, but we will not succeed in achieving them. However, we will begin again in the coming weeks to work on the many projects we still have planned. While my recovery is finally near complete, it will still take some time for the studio to get to back into the full swing of things.

I want to thank everyone out there who has been following us, whether from the beginning or recently. Keep checking here, and eventually on our other social media sites, for future news and eventual release dates of new designs. Thank you again, and it is absolutely wonderful to still be here.

Proofs are Back and Quick Start Rules Released!

There has been a lot of exciting things that happened in the last 24 hours. First was that the proof copy has arrived for our second game release: Chronofields! Everything looks great and we have given the go ahead for printing to commence. Additionally, the quick start rules for Chronofields have been made public over at Drive Thru RPG. We had released a few physical copies of the quick start rules back during Free RPG Day earlier this year to a handful of retailers, so it’s possible you already have a copy! The quick start rules over at Drive Thru RPG are PDF format only so that we could offer them for free to everyone who is interested. If you haven’t picked up your copy yet, head on over there and get yours today!

The cover art for the quick start rules is displayed above. The full game releases in the coming days, and the artwork is completely different. We did this specifically so that everyone could tell the two versions apart without having to guess.

The Waiting Game...

Tonight was a very good night for everyone here at the studio. The final editing had been completed late last week, and the final artwork was approved today for our upcoming expansion for True Agenda scheduled to release in June. All of the files were converted and sent to the printer, so now we wait. Hopefully next week we will get confirmation that everything looks good and we can get our proof back by mid-May.

In addition to this, all of the paperwork was completed and files submitted to the U.S. Copyright Office. We generally like to try to get everything off to them before the product comes out, because it usually takes 2-3 months before we receive our certificate of registration. It’s not a big deal to have it before release, but if it works out that way, then it’s always nice.

Did I mention something about waiting? Hardly. This doesn’t mean there is currently nothing to do. There are two projects on the design side of things to assist some local businesses with their branding and advertising. We also have another two game-related releases still coming this year. In addition, there is an in-house design idea gaining momentum. So while it is great to mark another project complete, we are far from being able to grow complacent. Not that I feel anyone really wants to, but it is nice to think about on occasion.

One down... three to go

We here at the studios hit the ground running in the new year. The final piece of artwork for the upcoming game expansion for True Agenda has just been completed. The writing was finished yesterday and has moved on to the editing process. We are months ahead of schedule considering the release date is not until midyear! However, while it is exciting, we have three other projects slated for release this year, including a brand new tabletop roleplaying game, so there will be little chance for rest. One of these projects is due for release next month! However, even with such an aggressive schedule, there is excitement in the air here. With the business anniversary coming up in March, an ambitious timetable suits us perfectly as we look to kick off our third year! We appreciate everyone who has been following along on our journey and look forward to sharing more news in the coming months.

Commissioned design work

September has been pretty exciting so far with a local business wanting some design work done. They want a “team mascot” idea and over the last couple of weeks I have been working with their manager to determine exactly what they desire in terms of font, size, and applications. This piece could end up on a variety of media that range from banners and signs to more custom work like decorative pins. This has been a multiple-step process and has been very exciting to see the design progress. Next week will be another round of design reviews in the hopes to settle on one particular layout. Then we will discuss final coloration and any other fine tuning before the final piece can be completed. Stay tuned here, and on social media, for a look at the final, approved design!

The proofs are back...

...and there's gonna be trouble. Hey now! Hey now! The proofs are back!

Bad song parodies aside, we received the proof copy from the printer of our first expansion for True Agenda today! Everything turned out very well, and the front and back covers were spot on. Although I was a bit surprised at how dark a few pieces of the interior art ended up, I still think they are fine and fit the overall mood of the particular adventure they help illustrate. 

Just a few short weeks now, and everyone will be able to get their copy, either from our website, or from Drive Thru RPG, in both print and digital formats. Links will be added to the website once everything goes live and we can start filling orders.