I just purchased Deadfall building essentials ,and Streets of Blood, and am left wondering if something is missing. I expected enough stuff to build a small town (to replace FDG's Rio Draco, with it's 6 or 7 facade options) yet there doesn't appear to be enough fronts for 5 buildings and only two have sign-age. Where are the Sheriff's Office, Jail, Barbershop, Saloon and Undertakers, to name but a few? I feel I've bought a complex and expensive system that doesn't address my initial requirements. Am I missing something?

See this thread
***RELEASED*** Deadfall: Building Essentials

CapnG ninja posts ahead of me! Well, better straight from the source, then from me anyway.

The only thing I can add is that kitbasher Jaynz has posted some examples of what's possible with a little creativity, if that's up your alley. I'm not proposing this is how everyone needs to cope with the current scope of the available sets - it's just a way to fill the void a bit until they have had a chance to release more of the sets they clearly plan to.

I'm hoping you'll find that what you've bought is actually a very useful and flexible set that allows for a lot of reuse and expansion. There's an up-front investment for becoming familiar with and building some of the TLX pieces, but my experience (with other sets) is that it's worth it.

Er that was me ...posting a quote from CapG from over a month ago

Gaa! An even more ninja-like post, concealing your identity like that! Now I'm paranoid... ANYONE around me could be YOU!

Anyway, maybe not THE source, but a FINE source none-the-less.

I'm sure everything will get covered in a way or another...

You currently can create a small town with building essentials, it's just somewhat complex because you don't have much variety just, well, the essential
But I'm pretty sure Matt has a lot more to propose...

Well, I got to admit that Deadfall really needs a booster of some sort. I would work on one myself, but it's pretty clear that I've already stomped on Matt's toes a bit (hence my extreme hesitation to continue working on Deadfall material). A "Saloon" booster, or "Sherrif/Jail" booster would be a godsend.

But, as it stands, it is kinda hard to recommend Deadfall as a 'go to' solution for western/steampunk-style minis gaming at the moment. You'll really need "competing" products at the moment to make your towns and shops, or have time to do a good deal of Photoshop work. :S

Our upcoming Swift Scenics release Tumbleweed Pass will provide additional options to cover much of the requested material (and hopefully keep rabid western/steampunk fans satiated until I can find time for the TLX expansions).

The man saith "Steampunk" - Yes!
Because these guys:
Need somewhere to do things like this:


Of course, will still want the train...

If I didn't use the TLX format... and since I'm doing my own stuff...

What if I just outright DID it? I really want to wait for WWG to get more done, but I really think that between supporting Terraclips, the TLX lines, and updating/replacing their older catalog, they're just not going to be able to get all this done in a swift (no pun intended) manner. :S

(It's one key reason I wanted to ask about licensing TLX to make it official, and maybe give WWG some well-deserved coin, but I'm starting to think Matt and Denny aren't talking to me. )

Jaynz, just a small suggestion, but wait for GenCon to finish, add a few days to all returning home/sobering up, THEN PM/Contact them!

I suspect they are rather busy at the moment...

Only because that's what I suspect people use it for not because that's how I intended it. Actually my grasp of the whole steampunk genre is pretty weak, I see it as basically "19th century plus erroneous gears".



All in due time but not for a while. After Tumbleweed I'm taking a break from Deadfall to let the batteries recharge.



Not really Jaynz, I just don't have an answer for you vis licensing (not my department you see). As for Denny, he's a very busy man these days. In the meantime nothing's really stopping you from filling in whatever perceived gaps you feel exist, just so long as it's for your own personal use and not public consumption here on the forum.

There's all sorts of steampunk (despite what the video below says).

Imagine steam powered equipment that combines the scale and abilities of ~1950's electrics, devices from Flash Gordon and mechanical prosthetics, all wrapped in a 19th Century brass, leather and flanged iron aesthetic with a bunch of exposed workings. Then imagine all this happened in the 19thC and after that no one bothered much with electricity or updating the aesthetic.

A search on Google Images under 'steampunk' or 'steampunk architecture' may help (for steampunk architecture all you really need is some extra brass work on doors, windows and chimneys).

As for what steampunk is meant to be about (I think Grump found this one):

To reiterate something I said in another thread, Matt and I don't have anything to do with licensing issues and whatnot because that's way over our pay grade, so we're not really the ones to ask. That's Denny's rice bowl, and Matt's kind of understating things when he says Denny is busy. I know Denny's been pulling long days AND weekends on a project of his own, and that's going to be the case for a few more weeks. Customer service emails get taken care of before business inquiry emails, so it's just a matter of waiting for a pleasantly slow day and then spending some quality time with the business inquiries.

He'll get to your request when he has a chance.

Going to batch reply this one.. bear with.



I did space on it being GenCon this weekend. I guess I mind-wiped this one since I wasn't going to be able to make it. But if I'm giving Denny a proprosal, should I REALLY wait until he's sober? Seems like I lose an advantage that way.



Some guys actually do take it to that point. Steampunk is really retrospective fiction. Basically it's "science fiction" as told by HG Wells, Jules Verne, with a heavy does of either Western or Victorian aesthetic and themes thrown in. So, you can get Deadlands, Wild ARMs, Arcanum, Ultima: Mars, and many many other games based on the concept.

Honestly, I would probably recommend letting the 'steampunk' side fall to kitbashes, at least for a bit, though. Most of them will be retrofitting Shellendrak with machines, piping, gears, etc, to make the aesthetic work. Otherwise it's really a LOT of props work rather than requiring whole new sets.

Example: Let's say that I'm doing "Tesla's Laboratory". Most of the build can be done with existing TLX product (depending of if you want a more Victorian or Western look). SOME of the walls might require the iron-plating look, with piping. But mostly you're dealing with steam-punk props for the lab equipment, tools, and so forth.



Could you PM me what you're planning for this set, so I'll avoid duplication of effort? I was planning to revisit Deadfall once my second mall board is done (which won't be too long now).



Actually, based on the last response, I thought I killed your puppy somehow. I'm not exactly one with social grace, so I figured I stepped on your toes really bad and was getting due treatment. So I was kinda serious, kinda not with that one.

As for making stuff for my own. I like doing that, but I also really love to share, get feedback, and so forth. It's kinda hard for me to sit on a project that I'm excited about, even if it's a kitbash. But, of course, I want to stay within the rules. Now, if I'm doing totally unique stuff that isn't reliant on WWG products, that's a different issue and I'll just post those on my site - though I kinda actually want to throw them your way first.



I know. Like I said, though, I was more seriously wondering if my faux pas (in not finding the email link) hadn't actually pissed them off. I understand that he's busy, of course, but I guess a bit of my artist's need for affirmation and reassurance was showing through. I should really stop that.

Truth is, though, I really want to help out as much as I can and avoid duplication of effort. Papercraft has been a hobby of mine since I was about 8 years old or so and made my own MASK vehicles, so it really is one of my THINGS (TM). I just want to make these things and know that people can enjoy them when they're done.

That's far catchier than it has any right to be...



Hence my use of the qualifier "very", Chris.

That one surprised me as well when I first saw it. There's a lot of good music out there with a Steampunk theme, though - look up Abney Park ( http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aXY1yxEKMGg ) for one of the best groups.

That is the first time I have ever heard someone explain what they like about steampunk that makes any sense to me.


Thank you, now I get it, and understand why it could never be for me...

But you like 'mice with swords', Scrub. Just imaging what it would be like if someone started inventing steam powered devices to help them on patrol, etc. ... Bingo! Steampunk Mouseguard!

- Yeah, I know. Steampunk fanboy starts seeing steampunk opportunities everywhere. Bit sad really.

Who DOESN'T like 'Mice With Swords'? It meets all the daily requirements.

Alexio

Badgers?

(with effort I'm not linking to the infectious badger video that the grump inflicted on us earlier this year)

Steve

Badgers, Badgers, We don't need no stinking Badgers!!!

As for steampunk Zen...
Between an engineering degree that pounded physics into my head (do you have any idea how little shear force brass gear teeth can stand) and actively reenacting 1860s living history on weekends, my mind just cringes at the whole concept.

Is there going to be a release of mini flats like what was in Streets of Blood (as a bonus)? I'm actually going to start running a Deadlands game in two weeks, and I LOVE the quality of that standee, but I'd like, y'know, more.

I can't believe I walked into being the straight man for that.

+1

Standees are something that need even more vocalization here on the boards and to be backed up by purchases. I LOVE to see them in the sets and wish more people made that known.

+2

+3

I loved the small encounters that were designed for just relesed sets. Didn't run the encounter per se, but love the themed standees...

+4

So, whose arm do I need to twist for standees? (Never mind that the Reaper Bones Kickstarter drained some money, I have some left for WWG!)

Tell me about it. My gaming group and I need to hold a painting party come next spring...