Ruins and Ronin - new edition?

Seems to me that I heard that Ruins and Ronin is being redone, mainly for artwork and layout. Can anyone confirm this? I really like the game, and I'd love for a new version that addresses the issues I had in my review.

I do say I've grown to love the idea of not having an honor system, since it really does let me have games that are more free-wheeling and just fun. When ronin are not bound by the constraints of an honor system, I find that they tend to be more like adventurers in regular D&D, which is a plus for me. Not great for a realistic recreation, but awesome for samurai action without lots of overhead.

eBay sales

2300 AD, AD&D 2e Monstrous Compendiums, a painting, and some Gurps 3e stuff, all available on my eBay Page.

I really like the LotFP specialist

Wish I'd thought of it. Starting with 1 in 1d6 chance of doing all the skills, and then adding +1 bonuses to skills as you level up is pretty damn awesome. Much better than the other thief variants I've seen.

3d computer-generated art

This hasn't been a huge problem with most OSR books, but it's starting to pop up in other projects. Unless the 3d art is really good, it looks like crap. Especially when someone just pastes a 3d character onto some random background.

You know, stuff like this.

I understand it's cheap, and many publishers don't have much cash, but black and white line-art is just as cheap, and almost always looks much better.

Selling some stuff on eBay

Stuff for sale, USA only.

L5R 2e and 3e stuff, including City of Lies

Mongoose and Gurps Traveller, including Behind the Claw

Gamma World 3rd edition

Sales Report

Just wanted to show the sales report for my book, Sword & Board: A Basic Fantasy Supplement. I have sold 111 print copies since the book went into print around a month ago, not counting a couple freebie copies I sent out. I'm pretty happy with that. I am making no money on these, and I have only advertised here and on a couple forums. I imagine the very low price per book has helped with sales. If I had priced the books at $5 even, I'd have likely had similar sales, and would have even made a $120 or so.

I hope that at least some of the stuff is actually making it onto gaming tables. I know it was a grab-bag, but it's the kind of things that interest me.

Demons and Devils as Gods

This is one of the few things I believe 4e got right. I love the idea of using Asmodeus and Orcus as gods in the world. It makes them seem much for powerful and influential, which is a good thing.

Before, there was this heirarchy that demons and devils were really dangerous and evil, but still not quite as powerful as the various gods. So in a way, just not as scary. Making them gods levels the playing field, because it makes the players realize they just aren't going to be able to finally and definitively destroy Asmodeus and Orcus, no matter how powerful they get, unless they themselves achieve godhood. Even then it would be really hard for them to defeat the two.

In any world I run, gods are pretty much unkillable, just like they were presented in Planescape. It makes a heck of a lot more sense to me than the 1e version, where any high level group can go god-hunting if it wants to. Granting this ability to the lords of the Abyss and the Nine Hells seems like common sense to me.

This also makes the formation of cults make more sense, as the bad guys will actually be granted spells by their demon patrons. Before, they had to worship a different god, and also follow their demon of choice. This fixes that issue.

Variable Costs Table

This is a continuance of the inflation post, since people asked for something. Feel free to use it, adjust it, etc.

Situation                                                 Fame                             Cost Adjustment
PCs are just starting out                         Unknown                       0%
PCs got trashed, some died                    Big Gossip Item             -10%
PCs were mildly successful                    Minor Gossip                0% to +5%
PCs were successful but some died        Popular Gossip             0% to +5%
PCs were successful, all returned           Popular Gossip              0% to +10%
PCs were very successful                       Famous                          +5% to +15%
PCs accomplished major feat                 Famous                          +10% to +25%
PCs are Big Damn Heroes                      Very Famous           +25% to +200%

In all cases, if PCs saved town or a particular business they buy at, prices drop from 10% to 100%, as a reward.

Inflation

After PC's have raided a few dungeons, and they've brought back thousands of gold pieces to the local village, does anyone every have inflation occur? I think it would be interesting if it did. I can see the look on the players faces if they come back and suddenly the inn rooms are 50 gp a night, instead of 1 gp. Particularly if this rate applies only to them.

It would actually make a lot of sense for this to occur. There is no Better Business Bureau, so who's to regulate the prices? If all the various innkeepers, craftsmen, and merchants start talking with each other, I could definitely see them coming to an agreement about a new pricing structure for the PCs.

Even in the modern world, poor people can be charged differently than rich people. Doctors are particularly famous for doing this. So why not have it happen in a fantasy setting?