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Due to a never ending stream of spammers, I am taking our official messageboard down until I can find time to update it with better security.

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Nova Praxis Status Update

Due to "real life" issues, I'm having a hard time getting through the final read through and getting the last edits in. Shooting for a PDF release on the 18th. I'd wanted to hit the 11th, but I'm afraid it's just not possible.  

Frankly, I've spent more time editing than I would have liked. But it needed a few more coats of polish, so it's getting it.

The current version is a big improvement over the last playtest doc, with large portions being re-written for clarity and readability; and I made a few organizational changes.  

There have been a few mechanical changes as well. Most notably, the WR on all weapons has been reduced, and so has the ARs on all armors. The bonuses provided by Agents have decreased as well. Bonuses/modifiers have been lowered pretty much across the board. And the execution difficulties on most Savant Programs were reduced.

Extended actions work a little differently now. And what FATE Core calls "Boosts", Nova Praxis now calls "Effect Aspects". 

My plan going forward is thus:

1. Get the PDF released on the 18th.
2. Get the GM Screen PDF done (1 week).
3a. Layout for the print version (1 month).
3b. Incorporate any errata collected since the PDF release. Send files to printer. Release PDF update. Printing may take up to 2 months or so depending on their schedule.)
4. Finalize the outline for the GM Companion (1 week).
5. Publish the GM Companion (4 months? Too early to say).
6. Finalize outline for The Vantage Strain (Should happen parallel to GM Companion's development).
7. Publish the The Vantage Strain (5 months? Still too early to say).
8. ?? What happens after this point depends on fan feedback, sales, my sanity, etc.

FATE Core Compatibility

I've had several people contact me to ask if Nova Praxis will be compatible with FATE Core.

The answer is YES!

I've spent the last month going over Nova Praxis with an eye toward making it as compatible as possible. So if you are a FATE Core fan, you'll be able to pick up and play Nova Praxis with no problem. 

There are two major factors in play here. 

First and foremost, there are parts of FATE Core that are less than ideal for representing certain elements of the Nova Praxis setting. So we'll need to make some adjustments to capture the feel that we're going for, and to make sure the rules properly support things like resleeving, augmentations, etc.

Second, the OGL for FATE Core has not been released by Evil Hat yet. That means that certain terms are currently off limits. For example, instead of using the phrase "create and Advantage" or "success with style", we're keeping the classic FATE terminology of Maneuver, Assessment, Declaration and Spin. Mechanically it all works the same way, but some of the terms are different by necessity. I'm planning to post a document whenNova Praxis releases that clearly highlights how it differs from FATE Core and Strands of Fate.

That's the good news. FATE Core features several improvements to FATE's core rules, and Nova Praxis will be better for it.

The bad news is that these changes have set our development time back a bit. Right now we're working very hard to get the PDF released at the end of the month. It's looking likely, but it is possible that there might be a delay as we iron out that last few remaining bugs. I very much want to hit our February release window, but I'm not willing to sacrifice quality for expediency. So we'll just have to see how much we can get done in the next week or so.

Nova Praxis Status Update and Map

Just wanted to post a little update. 

Today I finished the last major editing pass over the first half of the book. The second half should be finished by mid-February and I'm planning to make the final version of the PDF available by the end of the month.

After that, we'll be going back into layout mode to convert the PDF layout to the print layout. Normally that only takes a few hours, but Nova Praxis is different. The PDF is formatted specifically for tablets and computer screens. The print version will be a full sized hardcover, so that means it's going to take a lot more effort. I'm hoping to nail it down and get the print copies ordered by the end of March.

After we wrap on the core book we'll start hammering on the Companion and The Vantage Strain.

In the mean time, you can check out the poster map that will come with the print copy. It also makes for a cool desktop wallpaper.