Update

 With all the Weapons Test 023 zines well on their way to backers and my desk and head finally clear I thought I’d do a little post-mortem update on where things are at for my projects. I’ve talked about some of this but the gist is this. If you’re not concerned with how the sausages get made skip to the end for what’s next.

At the start of this year I posted about how this year was going to be a bit of a turning point for me, transitioning from hobbyist into full time rpg guy. I’ve had some lucky breaks already and figured that I might as well make a go of turning this into a career - despite all the doom and gloom about the industry, much of it warranted, I know many people who do ttrpg and adjacent work for a living.

The plan was to take savings from previous jobs and projects, put those into a new project up front, then take the profits from that and pay myself a wage, using any additional funds to start the next project, repeat, etc, and so on.

And it worked! I had a successful KS campaign for zinequest, and was on track to use that money to get everything out to backers but also slipstream into the next thing. Unfortunately, things didn’t go as smoothly as all that!

As well as general delays (to be expected with any project, especially working with more people than I had done before and doing a physical release for the first time), I found out in July that my Universal Credit (the UK’s super fun catch-all benefit for people who need help with housing, disability, etc) for the month would be zero. Never did find out the reason, but while I scrambled to get rent together the current project had to take a back seat, and some of the funds meant to get the next thing going had to go on bills. I was lucky enough to get some work and help from friends which meant I still had a place to live, but I still had zines to print and ship, and once I finally got signed back on to UC the algorithm decided I’m now eligible for a whole lot less.

So, a couple of months of bad luck later I can say the project is finally done, but it’s left me in a bit of a sorry state. The next thing I had lined up, my Pokémon Go style rpg Demon Watch, as well as the new updates to GRAVEROBBERS that I’d hoped to get out around Hallowe’en/Guy Fawkes Night, as well as some Mothership stuff I had in the pipeline with some cool folks, are all shelved.

Not all bad though! I do have some work to keep me going (but am very much looking for more still, graverobbersguide(at)gmail(dot)com), and despite this year’s setbacks I’m still hopeful. The brief taste I had of doing this full time convinced me that I really don’t see myself doing anything else.

So, what does all this mean? Well, don’t expect many blog posts or updates on projects for a little while. I’ll be working in the background, seeing what I can get done by myself and doing some very cool paid projects for other people that I hope you’ll be hearing about soon.

In the meantime I’ll be launching a kind of side thing, a way to keep the juices flowing and get some cool regular game stuff out to you all. Far from feeling burned out, I’m energised and ready to do some good shit 💪 So that’ll be coming out tomorrow, pay attention to this blog and my socials if you’re looking for free Mothership compatible stuff! I’m also still working on the Odai 57 ashcan, and looking at ways to get low-budget Graverobbers releases out too.

Social(s), yes, I’m on Bluesky now. Had avowed myself away from new platforms but if I’m going to keep in touch with folks, up to date on cool stuff I can’t afford and able to broadcast what I’m doing this seemed like the best bet. I’m on Twitter a lot less as well. You can follow me there, dgchapman.bsky.social

Anyway, that’s all! Just keeping you all abreast of what I’m up to. I appreciate all the support, it really does mean the world. This hobby and this little blog has, without hyperbole, changed my life, and I’m very grateful to all of you who like my stuff, whether that’s pledging to crowdfunding things, offering jobs, sharing and posting about things I make, leaving nice comments - or, most importantly of all, playing my games and having fun.

Onwards and upwards! Fun new MoSh-y thing tomorrow.