We're close to sending the Storyguide Screen and Reference Guide to press, the Mythic Europe map is getting fine detail adjustments (as well as big and blatant corrections), and the entire Definitive Edition book is being proofread by multiple staffers after integration of all the corrections from our backers. It's a long and precise process, keeping track of literally thousands of small changes. Thank you again to everyone who submitted feedback!
Softcover Print-on-Demand
The last stray source file corrections have been made, and our last round of proof copies were ordered, received, and approved. This means we now have the ENTIRE 5TH EDITION LINE of sourcebooks ready for digital print-on-demand in the US, UK, and possibly even Canada and Australia (though we need to test those production channels). When the Definitive Edition sets are ready to ship, we're now ready to ship the softcovers along with them!
Dice Progress
We've found an American supplier able to manufacture dice, including the full process of injection molding, number coloring, and polishing. Plus they're able to work with recycled material! We eagerly await an estimate from them for producing our recycled Ars Magica dice. If pricing works out, I for one am excited at the prospect of NOT having to hand-color 6,000+ individual dice with ten sides each. This new supplier also creates the possibility of full sets of 100% recycled RPG dice in the future, which is something we'd love to do in our Replay Workshop line.
Prototype Ars Magica Dice, inked and tumbled/polished
Here's a photo of the sample dice the manufacturer provided from our custom Ars Magica dice file, after inking and polishing to give them their rounded edges. You can also see that our ivy design has changed a bit to facilitate manufacturing. Note that these are translucent resin dice -- basically 3D printed -- and not injection molded recycled dice, plus the colors are off. However, they do a good job of demonstrating the effectiveness of the painting/polishing process!
Serenissima Obscura
We're excited about the crowdfunding launch of Serenissima Obscura, from our friends at Vortex Verlag. I've known some of those folks since our Lion Rampant days, before Atlas was even started! The campaign has passed its funding goal and is about halfway through the duration of its campaign. I've mentioned this in past updates, but I'm intrigued by this compelling vision of Renaissance Venice not only for its own sake, but because it will include a guide for using the setting as an expansion of Ars Magica, taking advantage of the open license!
Thank you for your support as we take the time we need to make Ars Magica Definitive Edition the best it can be.
