THE GAME'S AFOOT
Tumbledie Games, the new LLC co-owned by Andrew Fling, Kevin Baringer, and Kyle Wiggin, just launched Trove, a new role-playing game on Dec. 21 - the first day of winter, the most perfect time for a tabletop game.
Trove was in development for four years, much of it while the trio creators were on opposite coasts. Fling, a longtime seacoast improv and stage actor, had moved to the northwest six year back (having returned this summer).
The friends' initially intended to create a supplement to Dungeons and Dragons, the best known tabletop role-playing game.
"After working on it for a while we realized that Dungeons and Dragons was not the system we wanted to work through," Fling says. "So, we decided to make our own system, which is why it took four years."
Putting D&D and Trove on a spectrum of roleplaying games, D&D would be more on the combat simulation side, while Trove would be on the storytelling side, he explains.
The recent release is a continuation of the game's development; a good game requires lots of testing, Fling says. Trove was rigorously tested by its developers and friends, but it's important that it's tested by a broader base of players.
"Most of the play-testing we did was internal, always us running games and taking notes, commonly called Alpha testing," Fling explains. "Now that it's available to the public, what we're hoping to get is feedback from people reading the book and playing, commonly called Beta testing."
The game is available on https://tumblediegames.itch.io/trove. So, why buy into at this stage? Good question, with a better answer, he says.
For the $10 minimum buy-in price (more if you want to further support development), you receive all future updates at no extra cost.
"It's one price!" Fling says. "So, it's kind of buy-in now and eventually you'll get the full book for a reduced price."
Fees are earmarked for further development - more digital character sheets, and cover art for example.
"The end goal is making absolutely sure this thing works, that it will be a game that has been play-tested," Fling says. "It's about improving the system ... and eventually having a physical copy."
The only requirement beyond Trove's rule book is a 20-sided die, a few six-sided dice and some paper and pencils, "then you're good to go."
A number of familiar names pitched in on the project, writer; playwright and actress Jacqueline Benson edited, and actor/artist Ryan Salvato supplied illustrations. Then there's Jeff Bernhardt, who Baringer bumped into at a coffee shop during the earlier development years. After getting the lowdown on the project, Bernhardt passed Baringer a $10 bill. "Jeff was our first funder and so we put him in our acknowledgment page." Now Trove is released, "It feels amazing," Fling says.
"The designing of the game helped the three of us get through the pandemic," he says. "We were all stuck in our houses. I was renting a room in Seattle, going from room to work. It was hugely helpful to all of us. Now to finally have the book up and available is incredible."
ROH GROWING GAINS
Rochester Opera House theater fans are reaping the rewards of its latest building acquisition, designated as theater housing.
"We bought the building in '21, and worked on it for a year," ROH Executive Director Anthony Ejarque says. "It's in walking distance to the theater and the rehearsal studios. It probably (houses) about 10 people."
There are a number of reasons for the purchase, he adds.
"It's helping a few things. This (area) has a regional talent pool, ... the best are always in demand."
"Now that we're offering housing we can attract people from outside the area and have greater diversity - it elevates the production,"Ejarque says. "We're also able to be a bit more inclusive, which is exciting."
"Disaster," the musical (Jan. 6 to Jan 29, http://www.rochesteroperahouse.com) uses seven guest artists, some familiar, along with regional performers. Chris Bradley, who walked the seacoast boards for years before moving to NYC, is back to perform alongside his brother Jamie Bradley, (still of the seacoast) for the first time in longer still. "This is Chris's first performance at the Opera House since moving to New York," Associate Artistic Director and Education Director Jenry Towle says. "He's returning because of a perfect-storm of an offer he couldn't refuse: knowing that Taryn (Herman) is directing, Miles (Burns) is music directing, and knowing the team that is on board. It made it just a great time for him to come back to the seacoast." Also back, Mary Jardine, "who grew up on the seacoast, and has graduated college," Towle says. "She's an amazing performer. She's coming back to make her seacoast debut as an adult, professional actor." The housing option also opens the door for special educators for classes and workshops, as well as technical crew, "so we can really up the production quality to match the cast." The "Disaster," cast also features Ejarque, on stage for the first time since pre Covid times. "Sadly Billy Butler is ill. ... So, I"m stepping into the role of Tony, a principal, the sleazy nightclub owner," Ejarque says. "With Billy unable to perform, the only other guy right to play a sleazy nightclub owner is me."
And there is yet more expansion coming for the ROH fiefdom.
"We are now going to be opening a theater store (in) a piece of vacant property downtown," Ejarque says. "We're putting in a box office visible on the street, and it will be open during the week."
The space will include a shop featuring ROH swag and works by members of the New Hampshire Makers and the League of Craftsmen, and art by Rochester and New Hampshire artists, on consignment."
The hope is people will come in to look at local art, purchase a gift, and at the same time be reminded to buy tickets to the next show," Ejarque says.
"Should be great."
A FIRST FOR SANCTUARY
Comments