Profit Factor

I have always preferred using the inside-cover map of the Koronus Expanse. The full-color one buried in the book proper is full of errors and lacks the “cool factor”. However, FFG has never released the inner-cover map in digital format. The OEF files don’t come with it, and even the best scan left me unimpressed. Additionally, I wanted a map that I could edit as needed for my personal campaign.

So this is where a friend of mine comes in (http://cronevald.deviantart.com/). A fantastic illustrator and comic artist, I got him to draw me a map. Originally I just wanted a line-art map for my campaign, but he decided that simply wouldn’t do.

So now I am happy to present, and offer to the community, a killer map of the Koronus Expanse. Below are some thumbnails and links to the large files. The linked images are huge; 4650x3150 uncompressed TIF that print at 15.5x10.5 300dpi. Enjoy.

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Recently on the FFG forums there was discussion about the “best” mix of classes for a small group. A lot of the responses mentioned having a PC Navigator, which I personally disagree with. The role of Navigator is one of the easiest to have as an NPC in any campaign. When running a game, in many ways, I actually prefer it. Warp travel becomes a plot device that I can use without feeling that I am infringing on a player when I “need” something to happen.

That doesn’t mean that all of the process must be dictated by me though. I really wanted a way to allow the players to participate, but have always found the rules for Warp Navigation in Rogue Trader to be a bit lacking. They’ve always felt clumsy and slow, especially to use for an NPC. To that end, I was happy to find some house rules via RPG.net that the original poster was willing to share.

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Basics

Every GM is different. Some write novel-length campaign notes, while others simply scribble a few things down and run with it. Either way, the GM needs some way to organize and keep track of game information. I’ve found that Evernote is hands down the easiest way of doing this.

Their tagline is “Remember Everything”, and as a GM, that’s kind of your job right?Here are some key features:

• Free. There are some small ads, but nothing crazy. Virtually all features are available in the free version. There is a Premium version which is pretty inexpensive and brings some advanced options, but nothing you can’t live without.
• Cloud. Your notes live on their servers. This means you won’t lose them if/when your hard drive crashes. Also, you can access your notes via their desktop app, mobile app, or just via the web. I can get my notes on my PC, my MacBook, my iPad or my iPhone if need. Always sync’d and ready.
• Image-text-search. When you insert images that have text within them, some manner of technowizardry on the back-end processes that and lets you search the text inside that picture as if it was actually text. So you can snip a section of official game PDF into your note, and then search on it.
• Search. Speaking of search, it indexes everything. So you have a nice simply search bar to find anything inside your notes.
• PDF Files. You can also upload/insert PDF files. These can either display as pages inside a note, or work like a traditional attachment. 

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This will be where I blog about random stuff pertaining to the Rogue Trader RPG and likely other 40KRPG products. Of the few sites online it seems most are detail active games or are generally in-character. I hope to keep my posts here focused more on the game as a whole, not just specifically with the campaign’s I am either running or playing in.

Speaking of games I am part of. Currently I run a 4-player game and play in a separate 6-player campaign. I’ve done play testing for the 40KRPG system and bought my first 40k figure almost 20 years ago.

Upcoming topics I hope to cover include using the Evernote app for organizing games, ship combat, NPC Navigation, and a host of other topics.