New edition: yes & no...
The new edition of VI·VIII·X Hackssential has completed its process, and yesterday I received the print proof, the final step before publication!
As the title suggests, on one hand there’s a lot of excitement and joy for reaching this milestone. On the other hand... it's a clear “No”: we’re not going ahead with publication just yet! And that’s due to both a mistake on my part and a printing flaw that I just can’t accept.
My mistake? I accidentally used a file version that wasn’t the latest one (yes, total rookie move, and I still can't believe I did that!). I uploaded an outdated version of the rules text... I’m honestly still in shock over it.
The second issue is with the cover: the print quality didn’t turn out well at all. It looks flat, with all foreground elements reduced to monochrome shadows, no detail, no impact. Definitely needs a rework.
Even if there had been only one of these issues, I might have hesitated, but both together? That made the decision easy: hit pause, fix everything properly, and redo the print proof.
The one bright side? The online version of the Hackssential Rules is already available on its dedicated page! I invite everyone to start reading the updated VI·VIII·X rules while we wait for the physical release (at this link).
And while we wait for the official publication announcement, I want to share two little academic gems I found online, both related to RPGs but from very different angles.
The first is an essay that “seeks to create a deeper and more holistic understanding of how US American Christian evangelicals imagined the game Dungeons & Dragons from 1979 to 1991”: Satanism! Subversion! Suicide!: Christian Evangelical Imaginations Regarding Dungeons & Dragons, 1979-1991.
The second is a thesis that might suggest how RPG content creators (and maybe others too) could be replaced by machines someday. Or rather, quoting the author, “I want to explore a possible prompt structure that can enable AI to act as a director, dynamically generating stories based on player actions while following designers’ intention”: A possible prompt structure for AI director in narrative games.
While waiting to the final release of the new VI·VIII·X edition, happy reading!
May the fun be always at your table!
Whoa! I'm glad you caught the error before publication! Great job in QC!
I started playing D&D in the early days of the Satanic Panic. Thankfully my mom was open minded enough to play a session with us to see what it was all about. She became a fervent defender of the game, espousing the benefits of playing, including strengthening skills in mathematics, reading comprehension, problem solving, and teamwork.