So I finalised the pdf of Reboot the Future end of last week. It’s now in the hands of Kickstarter backers and I move forward next week in getting the printed version out (both POD via Drivethrurpg.com and a printed version which will be available via a pre-order).

Getting getting over the finish line was extremely exhausting, caused mainly by having a final day of constantly fighting my inner Demons of Nope (“you can’t do this”, “Oh no you might be successful”, “why do get to do this”, “its crap, and when you put it out get ready for being burnt in the reviews/comments” etc). But once I had recovered, and had a bit of fun time basking in the glory (about an evening just paging through the pdf going “its done, my cyberpunk game is finally done!”), I had a bit of a reflection on Reboot’s future.

I’m not done with Reboot as a personal project. I love Cyberpunk as a genre, and more importantly as a RPG genre. But I can’t be doing with some of the clunky somewhat uncool rulesets that are out there. As much as I love Cyberpunk 2020, and I’ll probably get Cyberpunk RED to leaf through, I was done with the underlying system back in the mid-90s. Reboot the Future also hooks into conspiracy theory/ufology that opens up the potential to do quick focused games (and supplements) based on various wacky ideas outside of the usual Cyberpunks vs Corporations stereotype.

I’m going to grow its fanbase. When I did Project Darklight, it was a quick get this out and walkway type of job. Which as a publisher is a very valid way of doing things. Reboot is going to be different. I went into the Kickstarter with a grim determination NOT to offer any of the killer ideas I have for supplements as stretch goals. Well, I think they are killer ideas, but by giving them time to grow and develop outside any stress of getting them done for a Kickstarter that is rescinding in the review mirror and whose pot of money is rapidly dwindling, I will do them to a higher standard. And folk who missed the excitement of the first Kickstarter can discover Reboot on subsequent Kickstarters. Then there are all the ideas I have for micro-supplements, kick easy-to-digest low-cost pdfs, which can then be gathered up as print versions and kickstarted at a later date.

I’m going to open up the game to other writers. Something I’ve been slow on other games, including OpenQuest (believe it or not). So as an initial punt, if you are interested in writing for the game, either your own idea or me giving you a brief, get in touch via newt@d101games.com.

Its a simple and direct Cyberpunk. I’m of the school of thought that RPGs should be easy to pick and play, nicely organised, and not a labyrinth of additional options and subsystems. If you have to ask someone else to interpret it, that’s a hard nope to me bringing it to the table. It comes from my introduction to RPGs as an 80s Teenager, where my first games were Fighting Fantasy (whose main architect at least for the rules system was Steve Jackson who now teaches Games Design theory at University level) and Moldvay Basic/Expert – which is an exceptionally clean and simple iteration of D&D. Paul Mitchener, who I’ve collaborated over the years many times, shares this view, and Liminal at the table is one of the most heart warmingly accessible TTRPGs I’ve had the pleasure to run. So it was a no-brainer to use it as a base for Reboot. So gently getting this across to potential customers, and then seeing other people pick up on this, is going to be something I’ll be promoting.

It’s going to help other games I’m writing. Without getting into the fine detail, all my other games are fantasy. I’ve now opened up a world of sci-fi and contemporary gaming by having the rules for weapons and vehicles (esp vehicle combat) in Reboot. These can be used as a base for other games, the upcoming Blasters and Lasers for example.

Its my sixth game line! When I dropped supporting Glorantha, it left a big hole in my portfolio. Not a devastating one, but one I noticed. Reboot and the things that I’ve got planned for it, can fill that hole 🙂

Convention support. Well, I’ve been playing it at various online and f2f cons, and no one has gotten sick of it yet. But keeping with getting new writers involved, I’ll be encouraging others to run the game.

See you on the streets! So I’m all fired up to do more for Reboot the Future. I’ve finally got the Cyberpunk game of my Dreams!

And with the pre-order for non-backers (opening imminently!) and the shipping of physical books soon, so can you!