An Update?!
12 months ago
– Tue, Apr 25, 2023 at 12:00:54 PM
Hello Backers!
We have just uploaded a special Old-School Essentials Conversion Booklet for Watchtower on the Hill in the DriveThruRPG digital rewards library. This booklet contains all of the monster entries in the module converted for OSE play and is free to all. If you have a DTRPG library, simply log in and grab the PDF. If you did not make a DTRPG account, you should still be able to use the original link and access it, but please email us if you need a new link or something else is preventing the download.
For any backer that pledged physical-only copies of Watchtower and would like a PDF of the conversion booklet, there are a few ways to get this:
1) It will be hosted for free on our website (johnnyrookgames.com) once we get the recently attacked website back up and fully operational.
2) I uploaded a copy to our Kickstarter channel in our Johnny Rook Games Discord server this morning, free for anyone to download.
3) Email us, [email protected] and we will just send you one :)
There will be a further update in a few weeks that gives every digital backer a free copy of the ORIGINAL Watchtower print from 2010. We're holding off on releasing it until our current Kickstarter rewards are shipped (Warrens of the Great Goblin Chief), to avoid any confusion in products. We'll update everyone again when this content is released and with a means for our physical-only backers to get a pdf if they wish one.
Dom!
CEO, Master of his own Vertigo, Keeper of dead RPGs, and All-Around Good Dude,
Johnny Rook Games, LLC
Final Update (Extra Bonuses!)
over 1 year ago
– Thu, Nov 17, 2022 at 06:02:39 PM
Hello Backers!
This will be the final email that you will receive from us regarding the Watchtower on the Hill campaign. We can now officially close the project.
We had a wonderful campaign and we once again would like to thank you all for backing us and helping to get our book published. It has been really great to see the Watchtower in print again.
While working on the new campaign, there have been some developments that allow us to do some extra bonuses for backers of the Watchtower campaign. These bonuses are for digital backers only, however, as we are not printing these. For any digital backer who received a PDF version of the Watchtower and their DTRPG code, you will soon also see:
Bonus 1: The ORIGINAL Watchtower on the Hill PDF from 2010. Several backers wanted to see the original to compare texts, so we decided, "why not?" I have to do a little re-packaging on the original file but when ready, you will see it added to your digital portfolio on DTRPG.
Bonus 2: An Old-School Essentials conversion booklet for the Watchtower content. This is just a small document that contains statistics and possibly some minor rules alterations that allow easier compatibility to the OSE role-playing game. We're making the Warrens book and future reprints compatible with OSE (and by extension BECMI-style games) and decided to do a small backwards compatibility book for the Watchtower. Again, once complete, this will be automatically added to your digital portfolio.
When? A rough current estimate is sometime in mid-December. The revisions of the current campaign book and just running the current campaign are taking up a lot of time and I'm doing all the OSE stuff between books simultaneously. So, around the time that we're able to go to print with the new book you should see the new digital content pop up.
If you didn't get a pdf of the Watchtower and still would like to get one, they are available in the new campaign right now. You would need to get one of the pledge levels to either get a pdf directly via pledge or to gain access to the add-ons page to add on a pdf though. If you get both the Warrens and the Watchtower PDF, they carry a $5 discount for the set.
The New Campaign
Warrens of the Great Goblin Chief is currently LIVE and FUNDING on Kickstarter now. If you haven't backed yet and think you'd like to, there are only 10 days left at the time that I'm writing this update. We are still $400 away from the funding goal and can use everyone's support to push it over that line.
UK Backers: We finally got our VAT this week
Yes, it only took 5 months over their estimated 2 week turnaround to get us a VAT number. So, for any UK backers, if you back our future campaigns or buy stuff from our upcoming web-store, we'll be able to get your VAT payments up front and hopefully clear your customs direct to door.
That Janky Website
(Reposting from our Warrens Update)
A good friend of ours gave us some server space and we were able to re-launch the Johnny Rook Games website last month. I set up the site and threw it live, but it's admittedly just minimal. I tried out several of the freebie templates for quick site building through wordpress and the one that's there now is the "best" one, but it still has much to be desired. Because I'm wearing a lot of hats this month, the website is going to take a backseat until I can get the Warrens finished. So, pardon all that dust, the site will be a fully armed and operational battlestation soon. You can certainly still join the official mailing list there (it looks like a template/spam thing, but it's really the real-real), and can find a couple links to our facebook page and Discord. If you'd like more direct communication on the daily, Dante and myself are very active over at Discord.
A Final Thanks
Once again, thank you all for your support. Launching the first book was a huge step for us re-establishing ourselves as a publishing company and we could not have done it without you. There's a lot more ahead for us and we hope you'll stay with us for the ride. Remember, these Westgate Adventures! books are only reprints but we have three entirely new game systems getting ready for publication that have been in the works for... well, quite some time. There's much more ahead.
We will always still be available to you for customer service if you have any problems, comments, concerns, manifestos, etc., regarding the Watchtower. You can message us at any time via Kickstarter or our email below.
From all of us here, we wish you all the very best, a wonderful holiday season, hope to see you as backers again, and hopefully to meet everyone one day in person at a con or other event. Maybe even at a game table...
With that, we declare Watchtower on the Hill officially Closed.
-The Team
Johnny Rook Games, LLC.
Johnny Rook Games (Semi-Functional Website)
[email protected]
Early Bird Pledges for Warrens Ends in an Hour!
over 1 year ago
– Sun, Oct 30, 2022 at 09:16:34 AM
Quick reminder that there is less than an hour left to take advantage of the early bird pledge for our new Kickstarter Warrens of the Great Goblin Chief! Discount ends at noon central US time!
Link Below!
Warrens of the Great Goblin Chief
Shipping Nearly Complete - New Project Live!
over 1 year ago
– Fri, Oct 28, 2022 at 04:00:59 PM
Hi backers!! An exciting day here at Johnny Rook Games! We just launched our second book, Warrens of the Great Goblin Chief, and have already been awash with joy from the number of backers from the Watchtower campaign that have already backed the new book. Please pass on the link and help us get this funded!! At the time of this email, we're already over 30% funded in just the first few hours. Hopefully, this trend will continue :)
Project 2: Warrens of the Great Goblin Chief
Watchtower Shipping and a Note to INTL Buyers
From our info here, it look like all but one package still needs to be delivered. The remaining book was to our backer wayyyy out in New Zealand. Thanks to you! It looks like the book has cleared customs and is on the way to the door.
For all other INTL backers, let us know if you did not get your package yet. It looks like everything else was delivered but we haven't seen the official "delivered" status from Pirate Ship yet from several countries. It might just be how the system works - or doesn't. But if you didn't get your book, we can try to figure out where it is, etc.
If you did not yet get the book, and you're still on the fence about backing another project form us, we highly suggest pledging this weekend to get the benefit of the Early Bird discount. You can always change or cancel your pledge later.
Kevin Update
A very special thank you to everyone that has donated to Kevin's cause. His family is very grateful to the support. There's still a long way to go. In case you missed the update, check out the video I made for Helping the Real Kevin on our YouTube page:
Help the Real Kevin
Business
We did finally get our website operational, so stop on by and sign up for the official newsletter! There's not a lot on the site yet otherwise, and it's just a wee-bit messy, but we'll clean it up soon.
Johnny Rook Games
Discord: https://discord.gg/u6SV6PxkzC
Thanks for a successful campaign everyone! Unless there are other issues, we will email only one more time to officially close the first campaign.
Dom!
CEO, Waster of All Time, Eater of Double-Stacks, and Connoisseur of Fine 0.7mm Mechanical Pencils,
Johnny Rook Games, LLC
Help The Real Kevin
over 1 year ago
– Sat, Oct 22, 2022 at 07:32:30 PM
Hello Backers, this is an unusual email. I wanted to wait until just about everyone received their copies of Watchtower on the Hill to discuss an important situation behind the scenes here at Johnny Rook Games.
There is a real person named Kevin that helped to inspire the creation of Watchtower on the Hill. The real Kevin has been my life-long best friend and I wanted to name the central character of my first module after him because the real Kevin was instrumental in developing my personality and interests that led to the creation of the Watchtower module and the many more that will follow.
Long story short, I had just reconnected with Kevin during the course of the Kickstarter campaign. On the day that the campaign ended, I emailed Kevin to tell him the good news and instead received a message from his sister telling me that Kevin had a brain hemorrhage and collapsed earlier that day. Since then, the real Kevin has been hospitalized, recovering from a severe stroke.
The real Kevin needs real help.
Tonight, I'm posting a (rather lengthy) video on our YouTube channel that discusses the role that Kevin played in shaping my life towards the creation of my games. If you have the time, please watch the video and if you have the ability, Kevin has a GoFundMe page that you can donate to in order to help his finances. All links are below as well.
Kevin's GoFundMe site
Help The Real Kevin Video YouTube Link
Kevin's CaringBridge site (follow his recovery)
I would have sent this update sooner but I did not want this to appear as if it were part of the project in the first place. Kevin's stroke was a completely unexpected situation that happened after the campaign ended.
Johnny Rook Games will email once more when all books have reached their destinations and we officially close the campaign. Our next campaign begins in a few days, once we get updated book quotes and can verify our pledge rates. You can follow the new campaign:
Warrens of the Great Goblin Chief Preview Link
Thank you all and be well.
