📚 How indie designers can support public libraries

EP product catalog, hidden traitor games, supporting libraries, EP on Bluesky, and Undaunted 2200: Callisto

Oct 23, 2024

Welcome to Exeunt Omnes, the official newsletter for loyal fans and sworn enemies of Exeunt Press, creator of games such as Exclusion Zone Botanist and Eleventh Beast. You can find digital games at games.exeunt.press and physical products at shop.exeunt.press.

TL;DR Summary

💀 Exeunt Press product catalog
🤥 I’m not the traitor. Trust me.
📚 Supporting public libraries
🦋 Follow Exeunt Press on Bluesky
🎲 Recently played: Undaunted 2200: Callisto

💀 Exeunt Press product catalog

FARBO Co needed a restock, and Plus One Exp will be selling Exeunt Press games at PAX Unplugged again this year. Seemed like a good time to put all the EP game details in one place to make the process easier!

The EP Product Catalog (free) has details on all the core games, including promotional text, dimensions, format, and MSRP.

It does not include everything made by Exeunt Press. Check out the Exeunt Press Shop for a full list of products.

If you are a retailer and would like to set up a wholesale order, send an email to games@exeunt.press.

DOWNLOAD: Exeunt Press Product Catalog (Winter 2024)

🤥 I’m not the traitor. Trust me.

At Skeleton Code Machine I recently wrote about hidden traitor games, and the connection between social deduction games and semi-cooperative games.

Having a hidden objective doesn’t necessarily mean a player needs to be a hidden traitor. In a recent game of Mothership RPG, I handed out secret cards to each player. Each card had a background (e.g. “You are an android.”) and some mechanical impacts. The cards were kept secret both from other players and from me as the GM.

Quite a few people commented that they have tried this in their games. Alien RPG might have built-in mechanisms for something similar.

The four secret backgrounds are explained in the article. Check it out!

READ: Hidden traitor and semi-coop mechanisms at Skeleton Code Machine

Skeleton Code Machine is an ENNIE-nominated weekly publication that explores tabletop game mechanisms. It’s been called a “Seemingly endless source of gaming ponderings” and a “Goldmine.” Check it out at www.skeletoncodemachine.com.

📚 Supporting public libraries

Amelia S. Givin Library, built in 1889. On the National Register of Historic Places.

📘 Best Adult Program in Basic Literacy Award!

The Introduction to Tabletop Gaming class that I taught at Bosler Memorial Library won an award! Check this out:

Introduction to Tabletop Gaming, a program Bosler hosted earlier in 2024, was recently awarded the Best Adult Program in Basic Literacy from the Pennsylvania Library Association. This was done through the PaLA’s PA Forward initiative, which covers 5 literacies in library programming: Basic, Civic/Social, Financial, Health, and Information Literacy. Because of the popularity of the program, the overwhelmingly positive evaluations of the program, and the cross promotion activities the program was determined worthy of recognition by PA Forward!

This was a class I offered for free at the library as a way of supporting them. It was so much fun and everyone was so engaged; it’s great to see it recognized! If you have some game design experience, I strongly encourage you to reach out to your local public library. They are usually looking for help with programs and classes!

📘 Make Your Own One-Page RPG Class

I’m happy to announce that I’ll be offering another class at Bosler in May 2025! This one will also be four sessions, but focused on How to Make Your Own One-Page Roleplaying Game. I plan to go from concept to publication, and maybe run a little itch.io game jam for the participants at the end.

📘 Amelia’s Auction Indie RPG Bundle

Lastly, the Amelia S. Givin Free Library (shown above) is running their annual online auction. Exeunt Press has contributed a Solo Indie RPG Bundle valued at $130 to help raise funds for the library. It’s basically one of every solo game plus the deluxe bundle items. If you are local to the region, want to get some games, and donate to a good cause — place a bid! Note that if you win, local pick-up only unless you contact them and make arrangements ahead of time.

📘 How you can help your library

If you are an indie game designer, there are a lot of impactful ways you can help your local public library beyond direct monetary donations. Here are a few ideas:

Host events or workshops: If you’ve ever made a game and published it somewhere, you know enough to teach others. Most libraries are looking for people to run classes or workshops as part of their education programs. It can be a single session, or multiple sessions. It can be focused on one-page RPGs or on general game design. I have a list of tips for teaching a class at your library, and would be happy to answer any questions!
Donate copies of your games: While most library collections are carefully curated, it doesn’t hurt to ask if they would like copies of your games. You might be able to donate copies to a fundraiser such as an online auction.
Collaborate on game nights: An increasing number of libraries are hosting board game or TTRPG nights and can usually use help. Consider attending and helping to organize events.
Promote library events: If you are on social media, you can help promote events for the library. Obviously this works best if they are related to tabletop gaming.
Be a vendor: Libraries will occasionally run “Comic Cons” or similar events and will need vendors. This is a great opportunity to help the library and get some exposure at the same time.

Actions like these not only support your local library, but also help strengthen and improve your local community. Give it a try!

If are thinking about teaching a game design class at your library, let me know! I’d love to hear about it. You can post a comment or email games@exeunt.press.

BID: 2024 Amelia Givin Library Online Auction

🦋 Follow Exeunt Press on Bluesky

Exeunt Press has a presence on most of the big social media platforms, including Instagram and YouTube.

Recently, Bluesky (similar to Twitter) has experienced a large influx of new users and has become quite a bit more active. The Board Games Feed has been particularly full of posts and photos.

Expect to see more activity from Exeunt Press on Bluesky, such as the extra Dungeon! photos this week.

FOLLOW: Exeunt Press on Bluesky

🎲 Recently played: Undaunted 2200: Callisto

I’ve had the chance to play Undaunted 2200: Callisto (Thompson & Benjamin, 2024) a few times, and have become quite obsessed with it. As I mentioned over at SCM, plinking away at opposing units and watching them have less and less cards to play — negative optimization strategies can be so satisfying!

PLAY: Undaunted 2200: Callisto

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Check out games.exeunt.press for all the latest games and resources!

- E.P. 💀