Johnny O'Neal, from Brotherwise Games, discusses the thrilling launch of the new Cosmere RPG. He shares insights from Gen Con and unveils stunning artwork that brings the game to life. The conversation dives into the importance of canon and accessibility, balancing new content with established lore. They also explore character dynamics, including a playful guessing game about Cosmere characters. Johnny emphasizes community involvement and future expansions, making this an exciting peek into RPG development in Brandon Sanderson's universe.
The Stormlight RPG aims to immerse players in the Cosmere through interactive gameplay while maintaining canonical storytelling with Brandon Sanderson's guidance.
Johnny O'Neal highlighted the positive reception of the Mistborn deck-building game, designed as a standalone product for both fans and newcomers.
The developers prioritize inclusivity in the RPG by accurately representing mental health and disability, enhancing the narrative experience for all players.
Deep dives
Launch of the Stormlight RPG
The launch of the Stormlight Role-Playing Game (RPG) was a major topic of discussion, highlighting the excitement surrounding its development and debut at GenCon. The developers, including Johnny O'Neil from Brotherwise Games, expressed enthusiasm about finally revealing this project after a lengthy period of secrecy and playtesting. They indicated that they've been internally testing Mistborn content since early in the year and are now moving to broader alpha playtesting. The anticipation has built around the RPG as a way for fans to experience the world of the Cosmere through interactive gameplay, fostering deeper engagement with the lore.
Details on Mistborn Deck-Building Game
The podcast shared updates about the Mistborn deck-building game, slated for release on November 7th. It was emphasized that this game would be available directly to retail, distinguishing it from many projects that rely heavily on crowdfunding. The game is designed to be a standalone package, packed with everything needed for gameplay and is expected to appeal to both Mistborn enthusiasts and newcomers. Feedback from early playtesting at GenCon has been overwhelmingly positive, with many praising its engaging mechanics that allow players to fully immerse themselves in the Mistborn experience.
Canonical Lore and Collaboration with Brandon Sanderson
A key focus of the RPG is to ensure that all content remains canonical to the Cosmere, which affects the storytelling and gameplay mechanics. The development team collaborates closely with Brandon Sanderson to maintain consistency and provide enriched narrative experiences tying back to the published works. The discussions involve ensuring new lore is integrated smoothly, and any significant adjustments come from direct input provided by Sanderson himself. This careful balance aims to expand the universe while respecting the established lore, ensuring that fans see new facets of beloved characters and settings.
Approach to Disability Representation
The podcast emphasized a deliberate approach to represent mental health and disability within the RPG, which mirrors themes found in the larger Cosmere narrative. Mechanics are crafted to allow players to engage with disabilities respectfully, avoiding penalties for physical impairments, thus providing an inclusive play experience. The inclusion of a character named Lift was discussed, who embodies these themes by ensuring she's equipped to navigate challenges without disadvantage. This guideline reflects a sensitivity to portraying such characters with accuracy and respect, emphasizing player agency and the diverse experiences of individuals.
Future Products and Ongoing Community Engagement
The creators outlined plans for future supplements and adventures within the Cosmere universe, aiming for a consistent release schedule that keeps fans engaged over time. There are aspirations to produce various types of content, such as handbooks, world guides, and smaller e-supplements tied to new releases from Brandon Sanderson. The developers are focused on ensuring quality and fulfilling the community's expectations without overwhelming them with excessive products. Engagement with fans through platforms like Discord and social media channels allows for feedback that could shape the direction of future products and adventures.
In this very special episode, we're joined by Johnny O'Neal of Brotherwise Games to talk about the new Cosmere RPG and its Kickstarter campaign. We also get a first look at some incredible art for the game, so be sure to check out the video for this episode if you're an audio only listener!
If you somehow missed that the Kickstarter campaign was a thing, you can check it out at https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/brotherwise/the-stormlight-archive-rpg.
This episode, we have Ian (WeiryWriter), Evgeni (Argent), Verónica (Cheyenne Sedai), and of course Johnny O'Neal as guest!
Chapters:
00:00:00 Introductions
00:03:56 Mistborn Deck Building Game Distribution
00:07:25 Shards of Creation
00:08:50 Canonicity of the RPG and future Supplements
00:11:24 Most Fun Bit of Lore to Add
00:16:03 Reasons for Including Mistborn in the Kickstarter
00:18:28 Show and Tell
00:29:18 Mistborn Setting Heroic Paths
00:32:33 Scope of the Scadrial World Guide
00:36:39 State of the Mistborn Adventure Game
00:40:29 Incorporating Mental Health and Disability into the RPG
00:43:35 Future Schedule for the RPG
00:47:53 Coming up with Radiant Ideals
00:50:54 Continuation of Mistborn House War?
00:54:02 Who's That Cosmere Character
01:06:59 Outro
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