This is when I started to realize that instead of making tweaks in the form of house rules, I could instead set out and make my own rules system.
Having made the decision to take the plunge and start the process of creating my own rules I started bringing the pieces together and expand my ideas. Finding out what I needed and try and find out how to go about things. Lots of learning, reading blogs, game development and the history of D&D took place.
I had the embryo of a rules system, with combat rules, basic abilities and magic.
Started running the first playtest online using Owlbear rodeo and simple notes as character records. Learned a lot about how play flows with different concepts.
Ran a series of skirmishes with a few friends to test out part of the mechanics, and it started to work really well.
WotC and OGL scandal that unfolded and the D&D rules ended up as Creative Commons made me realize that I could now take my backburner project, and publish it without having to rely on the OGL. So the OGL scandal made me start working on this project with much more interest.
Using Obsidian.md I put together a first version of what would become Hawk Tales with Basic Character creation, low level play and 30 or so monsters. This was then used to run the first set of playtests.
A series of online and in-person playtests at conventions, all in all over 60 game sessions 2 hour or longer, and more of short test skirmishes. Hundreds of notes later I felt it was time to go back to developing again.
Took all my notes from playtest and re-wrote the rules, now included all levels of play, more spells and monsters. Playtests continues with convention play at VGHC6 and Gamehole Con.
To improve my online play, I've started adding Alpha 2 rules for Questline VTT.
Next year I plan to update the rules again and then publish the raw form in Markdown, PDF and the web. This will be a raw, un-edited version of the rules to get more feedback.
Online campaign and conventions playtests, with a more structured campaign to reconquer the Shield Lands, and maybe even provide Furyondy with a new heir, we will see what will happen.
Deities and Planes, Mass Combat, Campaign and World Rules.
Re-write the rules again incorporating the knowledge gained from another round of playtests
Bringing it together and edit it into something that can be published digitally, PDF, Markdown and Webb.
Expansion of the rules with more feats, monsters, magic items, artifacts, curses and more.
