If you're reading this, you've likely heard about Mottokrosh Machinations's roleplaying game Hypertellurians. You might even have read or played it—after all it's online in its full form right on this site. But very soon, it will also be available in PDF and hardcover form, on DriveThruRPG, and in person at UK Games Expo 2019. So what's new or different in that version, compared to the online HTML version?
A few things! First of all, it has a ton more art. It features original art by Karen, Anna, and Olga, plus Patreon art by Dean Spencer and Enmanuel Lema Martinez, plus public domain art from old pulp magazines, "magically" enhanced from their tiny original sizes, plus additional royalty free vintage drawings.
Art
Let's have a look at some of it. You've already seen the awesome cover, but here is a piece by the same artist, showing a couple of warriors taking a well deserved snooze.
A good chunk of Hypertellurians is the vast number of powers your characters can have. Here is an Alien for example, in the middle of using its Phase power to step through walls, as envisioned by Olga Protska.
Of course the art has to show the types of characters you can play in this game. Now, considering the variety of concepts that the system can accommodate, that's easier said than done. Still, here is a Beast, in the middle of shapeshifting, by Dean Spencer.
I don't believe there are more than a dozen pages without either an illustration or some graphical flourish in this tome. Speaking of flourishes...
Graphic design
In order to make the book as useful as possible during play, special care has been given to the information design during the layout. Where possible, information that belongs together is seen together on the same spread. A clear and comprehensive table of contents (also on one spread, of course) leads you to the right information quickly. Annotations and examples explain the core concepts.
But you don't have to take my word for it—let's just have a look at some sample spreads.
New material
Hypertellurians, as a game, has been online on this website almost since its inception. Just recently it's been updated with the latest content from the upcoming book, making it the final version.
As well as incorporating the previously separate GM section, the game now contains tips on both being a better GM and a better player. After all, it's a group game, and everyone can do their part.
And while the final rules don't contain a full bestiary or complete grimoire of spells, they do contain sample monsters and NPCs, easy rules for making your own, and a few handfuls of spells and items. Maybe like a demi-grimoire. A deminoire? Importantly, they're all cool.
Accessibility
A graphic heavy book like this might raise some concerns about legibility. It is no secret that some people prefer plain white backgrounds to make reading, and perhaps printing, easier. To address those concerns, and at the same time indulge my obsession with paper textures and cramming as many illustrations in as possible, I refer to the game's creative commons license. The online version of the game, which contains the same text, has all the accessible benefits you might expect from a website, to make it easy for screen readers to read it, or to simply enlarge the font for the vision-impaired.
UK Games Expo
That's right, Mottokrosh Machination is exhibiting in Birmingham at this iconic gaming convention at the end of May. We're stall 1-196 in hall 1 at the NEC—pretty much in the northwest corner. Here's what you can expect at our stand:
- Demo games! We'll be running 45 minute demo games of Brutal Imperilment in the Bag of Infinite Holding with the Hypertellurians rules. Every hour on the hour. Come by with friends or by yourself.
- Books! Of course we'll have our shiny new Hypertellurians 102-page hardcover books for sale (barring a catastrophe), fresh off the presses. On top of that both the Brutal Imperilment in the Bag of Infinite Holding and A Bride for Dracula softcovers will be on sale.
- Bundle! We'll have some sort of bundle if you want it all, at a discount of course.
- Competition! We'll outline the details of the competition soon (keep an eye on my Twitter), but the top prize will be an original drawing of your player character by cover artist Anna!
- Meet & greet! As well as myself, cover artist Anna Katarina Molla, core playtester and contributor David Fuller, and playtester and albino Shetland pony centaur player extraordinaire Kara Payne will be there, happy to chat, take pics, run games, and sell books. (Use hashtag #Hypertellurians if you take pics of us at the con!)
- After hours! We're massive gamers, so we'll be around gaming outside trade hall hours all over the place. Who needs sleep, at UK Games Expo?
What's next?
What, the physical release not enough for you? Blimey. Well, how about a Mottokrosh Machinations community, where you can discuss, praise, or rip our games apart? More on that soon!
I'll leave you with this sweet couple of Ultranauts, as painted by Karen Reding.
Actually, I lied. Here's one last drawing, lovingly entitled "Fuck 'em up, honey", from Anna.
