I know from my inbox that many of my blog subscribers are not MG3K players. Today’s blog is not for them. Here’s a little note for them (special): “Send chocolate.” ;)
For all of you MG3K players (which means you support me and my publisher by buying decks, cards, boards, etc.), this blog is all about the future of the game. The nitty gritty. The juice bits of news. So keep reading. You’ve earned an “in.” Oh. And, I love you more. So there.
Two weeks ago, the MG3K backer backed out for a sweet real estate deal. There has been some crummy stuff going on since then but nothing that held a candle to that. In the end, I’ll just have lots to whine out at www.FullofPigs.com on March 20 (you *know* I already ordered by hoodie). The truth of the matter is: Windstorm doesn’t usually fly with investors. Jennifer is a Virgo (control freak, fast thinker, smooth talker, smart cookie, tough as nails) and she pretty much doesn’t answer to anyone (except God). So losing Mr. Money wasn’t so much of a downer, I just would have appreciated a nice phone call from him instead of a cold email. But, hey, I’d rather have chocolate than flowers but who ever listens, right?
Because Mr. Money is all gone, Jennifer had to rethink what to do. I asked her (in my tiny, little girl voice) if she wanted to drop the game. She answered, “Don’t be an idiot and talk normally.” That snapped me out of it. She asked me to give her twenty-four hours to make a new game plan. One day later she called.
Here it is:
MG3K will grow over the next year to include a d20 rpg, a video game, a board game, an even better online version, an official, fully interactive website, and a card game (a one deck game, like Uno). Fiction feeds and published novels will be added to the line up. All of these supporting items will drive players toward the core game—the Mardi Gras 3000 Customizable/Collectable Card Game.
This is how Windstorm works: Create a body of supporting products around a core idea. It has kept them alive for 17+ years while dozens (literally) of other indie presses have folded. The plan for MG3K had been much simpler—publish the first wave of cards (the Limited Edition) and then, with the clout of Mr. Money and his money, pitch the game to a bigger, traditional game publisher. No way now.
I was honestly afraid that Jennifer would say, “I love you, sweetheart, but I’m a book publisher. I’m thirtysomething years old and I’ve been in this business 60 hours a week since I was sixteen. I don’t have any interest into morphing into a book and *game* press.” It’s an answered prayer that Jennifer sees every new hurdle as a new adventure. God bless her over-achiever soul.
None of the new MG3K items (with the exception of the online game—MG3K HSOL—which is now under the management of Gille Hawkins justonegrrlathotmaildotcom for more info) will launch until the Second Generation launches.
Second what?!
We’re now classifying products in the MG3K line in generations. Here's the definitions and when (and what) you should expect in the future:
First Generation products are what all of us have right now. A complete list is below. These products ship in 9 x 12 sheets. There have been three editions of the Starter Deck in the First Gen. The decks and boosters in the First Gen will sell out and then not be reprinted. The Challenge Boards, Standard Boards, Vinyl Board Cover, Boxes and Notebooks will stay in print in their current form. (Boxes will *not* be available through retail outlets.)
Second Generation products are what will be coming out in the summer of this year. This includes almost all of the First Gen products, repackaged with retail stores in mind. This means that the Starter Deck will be packaged smaller and will include a bound Player's Handbook. The dozen+ boosters will be grouped into "decks"—Terrapyre Expansion Deck, Celestial Expansion Deck, and the Universal Expansion Deck (inclusive cards). Expansion decks will come packaged with bound excerpts from MG3K fiction (cool!). Second Gen products will stay in print. See list way below. So, basically, the First Gen products will be boiled into concise decks.
Third Generation products will be packaged with retail stores in mind and will include all new products. This includes a series of Jump Boards, randomly packed boosters of Instants, themed Starter Decks, etc. A partial list of these products is way, way below.
I value Windstorm’s ability to be flexible. They are never rigid. They always seem to be able to morph and adapt. Don’t confuse this with weakness. Remember the adage of the best sword blade—it must have just the right amount of give.
FIRST GENERATION
Starter Decks
Starter Deck: First Edition (8x8: 76 cards and board)
Starter Deck: Second Edition (9 x 12: 110 cards)
Starter Deck: Third Edition (9x 12: 112 cards)
Celestial Boosters
Celestial Dreams Booster
Celestial Gold Booster
Celestial Royale Booster
Celestial Armor & Weapon Booster
Celestial Morph Booster
Celestial Flora Instant Card Booster
Celestial Single-Character Life Force Booster
Celestial Six-Character Life Force Booster
Terrapyre Boosters
Terrapyre MyPyre Booster
Terrapyre Visions Booster
Terrapyre Armor & Weapon Booster
Terrapyre's Companions Booster
Terrapyre Nightscape Booster
Terrapyre Prayers Instant Card Booster
Terrapyre Single-Character Life Force Booster
Terrapyre Six-Character Life Force Booster
Inclusive Boosters
Armor Booster
Skill Booster
Transportation Booster
Weapon Booster
Lair and Outpost Booster
Something Wicked Booster
Terrain Boosters
Terrain Booster: Road & Lava
Terrain Booster: Pines & Leaves
Terrain Booster: Snow
Terrain Booster: Rocks & Rubble
Terrain Booster: Grass, Soil & Swamp
Terrain Booster: Water Terrain & Bridge Instants
Terrain Booster: Water & Sand
Terrain Booster: Road & Oil
Terrain Booster: Roof Tops
Level Boosters
Level Combination Booster
Level One Booster
Level Two Booster
Level Three Booster
Level Four Booster
Level Five Booster
Level Six Booster
Expansions
Challenge Board: Brimstone
Challenge Board: Fast City
Boards
Clear Vinyl Board Cover
Purple Mist Board
Red Mist Board
Blue Mist Board
Green Mist Board
Pink Rays Board
Pink Graffiti Board
Boxes
Rock Trading Card Storage Box
Brick Trading Card Storage Box
Game Notebooks
Got Game? Game Notebook
Celestial Game Notebook
Terrapyre Game Notebook
SECOND GENERATION
Starter Deck: Fourth Edition
(5x7.5: 78 cards, player's handbook, and playing grid)
Celestial Expansion Deck
(5x7.5: 78 cards, bound excerpt from “Bloodlines”)
To include:
Celestial Dreams Character Booster
Celestial Gold Character Booster
Celestial Royale Character Booster
Celestial Armor & Weapon Booster
Celestial Morph Booster
Celestial Flora Instant Card Booster
Celestial Six-Character Life Force Booster
Terrapyre Expansion Deck
(5x7.5: 78 cards, bound excerpt from “Angelus”)
To include:
Terrapyre Edge Character Booster
Terrapyre Visions Character Booster
Terrapyre Armor & Weapon Booster
Terrapyre's Companions Booster
Terrapyre Nightscape Character Booster
Terrapyre Prayers Instant Card Booster
Terrapyre Six-Character Life Force Booster
Universal Expansion Deck
(5x7.5: 62 cards, bound excerpt from “TBA”)
To include:
Armor Booster
Skill Booster
Transportation Booster
Weapon Booster
Lair and Outpost Booster
Something Wicked Booster
Non-Player Character Booster
Prop Booster
Celestial Power Up Expansion Deck
(5x7.5: 180 cards)
To include:
Twelve Celestial Life Force Sets
Eighteen Level Card Sets
Terrapyre Power Up Expansion Deck
(5x7.5: 180 cards)
To include:
Twelve Terrapyre Life Force Sets
Eighteen Level Card Sets
Terrain Expansion Deck*
(5x7.5: TBA)
To include:
Road & Lava
Pines & Leaves
Snow
Rocks & Rubble
Grass, Soil & Swamp
Water Terrain & Bridge Instants
Water & Sand
Road & Oil
Roof Tops
4D Clover
Ice Tunnel & Snow
City Tunnel & Oil
*The Terrain Deck may be broken into several decks by theme.
THIRD GENERATION
Themed Starter Decks
TBA
Jump Boards
Junk Yard Dogs
Sewer Rats
Warehouse
Rumble!
Graveyard
Night Club
Arboretum
Challenge Boards
Deep Blue Sea Challenge Board
Space Station Challenge Board
Instant Boosters
Randomly packed groups of eight to twelve Instants. Booster type *may* be designated Terrapyre, Celestial and Universal... or they may not ;)
This is a lot of change and a lot of work, everyone. But I’m excited and hopeful and positive. Want to get more involved? Want to do layout, image selection, grouping, or...? Email me. I’m serious, okay?
E.J.
