FAQ
This FAQ is hopefully actually going to include questions and answers to things you might really want to know about me, Cyberstone or my other games. But in the event that the question you want to ask isn't here, let me know and I'll add it.
What is Earthstone?
Earthstone is a game setting I created (With some help see below). It is generally speaking a classic fantasy setting with a few twists here and there.
Earthstone started being developed in 1995 but it wasn't made public as such until 1998.
The Campaign game ended just after Easter in 2006. This was a natural end to the setting as much if not all of the sub plots had been played out and resolved. The freeforms which are run at Conquest are different however, as they have a set number of stories. So I can confirm that 2007 will be the final Earthstone freeform, and yes it will be a return to the High Court. As a final note on the subject however I would like to add that this does not mean I will not return to Earthstone at some latter point. If a good story comes long, and I feel it is best suited for this setting, Earthstone will be reborn.
All good stories have endings I feel, and Earthstone has been a good story for me to tell. However that is not the reason it ended when it did. It ended for several reasons. Firstly because I'm having ideas for the Cyberstone world and want to explore that for a while. Secondly the plots started to run to a natural end. And thirdly because I wanted to see how some of the items in the "end game" will affect both the world and my players.
Did it change much over the years?
Yes and no. A lot of the details have changed and morphed into different forms and a lot of stuff has been added at times, but the basic feel of the game is still the same. The rule system has changed the most, infact it has been completely changed twice. As well as several small tweeks.
Having said that, the main races are unchanged, and indeed several of the key foundations which were established at the beginning are still holding true.
Can I get a copy of the Game/Mythology?
Alas the short answer at the moment is no. However the plan at this time is to make the Rule system and the Mythology avaliable on CD. If you're interested in one these CDs let me know. If there is more interest I'll get to work on it faster. Please also note these CDs will not be free (but they will be cheap).
Who wrote all the stuff for Earthstone?
I wrote a great deal of the matterial used in Earthstone. However I am not the only person who worked on the project. Anthony Hartigan and Gillian Lord also work on Earthstone for some time. However since their departure much of their work has been rewritten. Partly because of Copyright issues, but also because the project has developed over time and their work needed to be updated. Several other people have also submitted ideas or plotlines while playing the game.
While I have retained editorial control of Earthstone, it can not be said that I alone did the work. Many talented people have added to it over the years.
Where can I join in a game of Earthstone?
Currently there is only one places Earthstone is played (as far as I know), the freeform run at Conquest. The 2007 game is going to be the last.
Cyberstone is the new campaign setting I'm working on. In some ways it is sequal to Earthstone in that it is set on the same planet. However 5000 years has passed, and a lot has changed. This setting will involve to development of Cyber technology in a futureistic setting. There will be no magic, Zendarie, Gorsa, Garnresh, Warpspawn etc in this setting. But there will be big corporations, AIs, dark secrets, and distortions of the past.
I started developping Cyberstone in 2005 as an idea, but the game itself didn't start until the 15/6/2006. I am hoping it will run for some time, but only time can tell these sorts of things.
Can I join the Cyberstone game?
At this point the campaign game is full, but contact me if you are interested, and prepared to commit the time. There is also a loose plan that freeforms might appear at a convention at somepoint in the future.
The comic of Earthstone was a good idea which I simply don't have the time to devot myself to at the moment. Anyone interested in taking up the idea should contact me about it.
Appart from the few images left in the Gallery there are some more images which I have but they are not online anywhere. The people in the comic look they way they do because, I'm not very good at more organic shapes and creatures. So early on in the projects planning stage I considered the time it takes me to make an organic looks human, and also took into account the number of people who will be in the comic. As such I thought it would be more productive to produce a toy like character, which needed little or no "bones". The faces on the characters are in fact a line drawing taken from a photo of someones face. (Mine to start with, but more will be used for other characters later on.) I am also currently experimenting with importing Pozer figures for the people which is why there are so many delays for the Comix at the moment.
What do I use to make my Gallery images?
I use softwear called Lightwave (7.0) to create all the models and do all the render work. In a few rare casses I download models and then alter them to suit my needs, but generally speaking I create like to create as much as possible myself. I would love to do more, but time and budget is limited. If you like my images you can also view them and others on Renderosity.
Yes. In fact most of my images are stills from animated sequances. However the files are to big to put on this site. Pester me at a con if you really want a look.
The page was updated on the 30th of January 2007