New Stretch Goals! Ways to Play! And more...
5 months ago
– Thu, Jun 27, 2024 at 06:17:09 PM
Hi, everyone!
We hope everyone is having a great week – we’re back with more behind-the-scenes fun stuff and news, starting with the latest development:
“Ape Management” Fabric Patch Live Action Memento Stretch Goal has been unlocked!
Now included with all physical orders at no extra charge: a 3” embroidered fabric iron-on patch of the Ape Management organization from Conquest of the Planet of the Apes! Ape Management was the bane of apes in the film, and now you can use it to help immerse your players in gameplay with this unique Live Action Memento! (For an explanation of the Live Action Memento rules, see update #3.)
This Ape Management patch Live Action Memento will only be available through this Kickstarter pre-order campaign and will not be available at retail.
Up Next: Another Live Action Memento and a map for gameplay —a Simian Coin and a Map Tapestry of Ape City!
We are so appreciative of your support, we wanted to add a couple of additional bonus items within arm’s reach. When we reach $235,000, all physically shipping pre-orders will include a 2” gunmetal “Gridgen” coin, a replica of the currency used in Ape City.
Then, at $245,000, Level “Delta” and above packages will include a 12x18” fabric tapestry map showing the key locations in Ape City. This amazing map by artist Moreno Paissan can be hung on your wall and used as a reference map during your own adventure campaign.
Both the collectible coin Live Action Memento and the Map Tapestry will only be available through this Kickstarter pre-order campaign and will not be available at retail.
Press links:
Lawgiver: Planet of the Apes Podcast on Spreaker/iHeart radio posted a spotlight on the game:
Thanks to Tom Elliot for the info-cast! If you’re looking for more interesting podcast material, be sure to check out his Twilight Zone Podcast as well!
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You blew it up! Ah, damn you! God damn you all to hell!
Effekt Podcast with Dave Semark and Matthew Tyler-Jones interviewed Andrew E.C. Gaska on the Planet of the Apes RPG Kickstarter starting at time-index 00.49.28.
The Many Ways to Play:
One of the exciting things about the Official Role-Playing Game of the PLANET OF THE APES is the sheer variety and depth of stories and adventures that can be told within this universe. Whether you play as an Ape, a Tribal Human, an Astro-naut, or a Mutant, there are many types of tales to be told.
GOING APE
The planet of the apes is governed by three types of great apes—the orangutans, chimpanzees, and gorillas. If you haven’t downloaded the Quickstart yet, we recommend you have a look!
Inside, you’ll see that there is no mention of "Gorilla Soldier”, “Chimpanzee Scientist”, or “States-orangutan” archetypes. Instead, it is Ape Soldier, Ape Scientist, and Statesape. There is a good reason for this.
For centuries, Ape society has revolved around a quota system that kept them in proscribed careers—chimpanzees as erudites, orangutans as administrators, and gorillas in service roles. While we see the quota system at work in the first film, they also mention that it’s been recently abolished!
This gave us the opportunity to broaden our ape career options so that you can play chimpanzee statesapes, orangutan soldiers, and gorilla scientists. Most apes have stuck with what they know, however, terrified to try other fields. The PCs represent a generation of apes that are stepping out from under the quota system that kept every ape segregated.
In short, Ape society is evolving, and the PCs can lead the way.
YOU ARE A TIME-LOST ASTRO-NAUT
Astro-nauts marooned on the planet of the apes are strangers in a strange land. As outsiders, they can see all that is wrong with ape and mutant societies and stand against them. Unfortunately, as outsiders, they also must take the brunt of what is wrong in these civilizations. Because of this, astro-nauts have little to no inherent support system and must build one of their own. As talking humans, astro-naut PCs will find little to no help in ape circles, and in fact will most likely be hunted instead.
A powerful Astronaut campaign could revolve around finding the tools, technologies, parts, and know-how to repair their spacecraft and leave this upside-down planet once and for all. Astro-nauts could also scour the globe, seeking out intelligent humans in the hopes that some survived the nuclear devastation wrought upon the world. What other ape, mutant, and unknown cultures await them across the seas in other lands?
BE A TRIBAL HUMAN
Playing a Tribal Human PC is a challenge recommended for experienced gamers. As Tribal Humans typically cannot speak or even grunt, players are encouraged to keep silent at the game table, instead communicating their intentions through action, emotion, pointing, pantomime, and even crude drawings.
While most tribal humans are somewhat docile and simplistic, PCs are a cut above the rest. Either through re-enactments made by elders or direct confrontation, assume that all PCs know about the apes. Through direct mimicry, some PCs may even have learned to utilize tools.
All PC tribal humans start out mute. Through expressive body language, they can communicate their intentions to other tribal humans with no dice rolls needed (if there are only tribals present, just tell them and the LG what you want to convey). Some ways to communicate with other cultures include pantomime at the table, Mutant telepathy, the Remarkable Ability called Gestural Language, and eventually—after spending much time spending XP and with a tutor, the power of speech.
Team Spotlights:
We’re back with more members of our incredible creative team spotlighted below!
David Avallone, writer, fiction and character biographies, ANSA FILES Sourcebook
Avallone is a writer and filmmaker. He writes on BATWHEELS for Warner Brothers Animation, and in 2024 he has released a few new comic book series, including ELVIRA MEETS HP LOVECRAFT for Dynamite, and DRAWING BLOOD, co-created with Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles creator Kevin Eastman from Image. He hosts a couple of podcasts, including the award-winning THE WRITERS BLOCK. His comics work includes many iconic characters, like Zorro, Vampirella, Red Sonja, The Shadow, Doc Savage and John Carter/Dejah Thoris. His writing career began with STAR WARS stories for the West End role playing game, and he's gone back to prose only recently, with short fiction on classic characters Kolchak and Nick Carter. Among many other things, his father Michael wrote the novelization of BENEATH THE PLANET OF THE APES.
Greg Cox, Writer, intro and character biographies, ANSA FILES Sourcebook
Greg Cox saw the first three APES movies at a triple feature when he was only eleven; some say he’s never been the same since. He’s since written the official movie novelization of War for the Planet of the Apes, and also contributed a short story to the Planet of the Apes: Tales from the Forbidden Zone anthology.
He is The New York Times bestselling author of numerous books and stories based on such popular series as Alias, Avengers, Batman, Buffy the Vampire Slayer, CSI: Crime Scene Investigations, Daredevil, Farscape, The 4400, Ghost Rider, Godzilla, The Green Hornet, Iron Man, Leverage, The Librarians, Roswell, Star Trek, Superman, Terminator, Underworld, Warehouse 13, X-Men, Xena: Warrior Princess, and Zorro. Cox has won six Scribe Awards, including one for Life Achievement, from the International Association of Media Tie-In Writers.
Dave Semark, Writer, campaign scenarios and adventure hooks, ANSA Sourcebook
Semark is a multi-award-winning writer and game designer with a wide range of gaming credits and over forty years of experience creating, playing, and GMing roleplaying games. He is a mainstay of Free League Publishing’s Alien RPG, and has worked with other big industry players, including Modiphius, Monolith, and Firelock Games. As both a historian and lifelong role-player Dave enjoys nothing more than delving into different worlds and the lives of those who inhabit them, and is currently working on his first publishing project, a gritty western RPG called Tales of the Old West - that is when he’s not enjoying good beer and food, taking care of his German Shepherd (Diggy), or disagreeing with his co-host on the Effekt podcast.
