Daniel Solis

Watch the skies! The Fate More kickstarter is live, with Do: Fate of the Flying Temple as a headliner. If you loved Pilgrims of the Flying Temple but wanted to play with the Fate system, here's your chance! :D

It's time for another preview of the art coming up in Do: Fate of the Flying Temple, the new Fate-powered RPG set in the Do universe. Y ou saw Jacqui Davis' cover last time , so this time I wanted to show off Dionysia Jones' amazing work on the double-page spreads. Here was my art direction: The three pilgrims gather in the middle of ancient ruins to discuss what they will do now that the temple has disappeared. They agree that their mission of helping people in need should continue, regardless of the temple’s existence. It’s just the right thing to do. They agree to this new pledge with an all-together handshake as shown in the placeholder art. [1] In the distance, amidst the ruins, we might see the silhouette of the dragon observing this pledge intently. The dragon will be learning from the pilgrims while they go on their adventure, so they must set an example for what will potentially be a very powerful force in the universe to come. Still, each pilgrim approaches...

Check out the cover art Jacqui Davis just finished for Do: Fate of the Flying Temple! It's so pretty! Fate of the Flying Temple is the new RPG written by Mark Diaz Truman set in the universe of Do: Pilgrims of the Flying Temple , first introduced in my story game waaaaay back in the ancient mists of 2011. This updated edition is redesigned for use with Evil Hat's very popular Fate Accelerated system. I'm on layout and art direction duties this time around, recruiting an A-team of illustrators to handle the art. This is the first of many pieces to come in future months so stay tuned!

Mark Diaz Truman has been designing the Fate Accelerated version of Do: Pilgrims of the Flying Temple we're calling Do: Fate of the Flying Temple. This is a much more accessible RPG format for tabletop gamers, built on the very popular Accelerated version of the Fate Core engine. Mark was kind enough to host a playtest on Indie+ for some Do fans! The storyline in this game is set some time after a pilgrimage, when the pilgrims return to the temple to find it has disappeared! In its place is a single dragon egg that is just about to hatch. It's up to the pilgrims to find out what happened to the temple, how their impressionable baby dragon is involved, all while still helping people and getting into trouble. Here are the pilgrims: Pilgrim Festive Blanket (Aaron) Aspects:    Avatar: Welcoming and open    Banner: You gotta fight for your right to par-tay!    Dragon: Helpful instincts Approaches:     Good (+3): Flashy   ...

Justin Lowmaster has put together some tips and files for playing Do: Pilgrims of the Flying Temple on Roll20, the virtual tabletop service. Check it out here! Thanks, Justin!

(Art by Amy Houser from Do: The Book of Letters ) Yesterday I ran a very fun session of Do: Pilgrims of the Flying Temple for a group of five players! Together, they answered a letter from a third-grade class asking for help with a big problem. Actually, lots of small problems. Small, adorable panda problems. Dear Pilgrims, My name is Sam. I am in third grade, and our class is having a lot of trouble with our classroom pet. Our teacher, Miss Hollsworth, asked us what kind of pet we would like this year, and we decided that we would like to take care of a panda bear. It took some time to find one, but this morning we came to school, and there he was! We decided to name him Xing-Xing, and everybody gave him lots of hugs. When Miss Hollsworth left to get our morning snacks, we were playing with Xing-Xing and climbing on him, and someone accidentally knocked him over. We were very surprised when he broke into ten thousand little pieces when he hit the ground! It’s okay, though, ...

It's been a while since the news that Do and Happy Birthday Robot would be going out of print . We're working to set up our files for print-on-demand for those who still want to get their hands on a physical copy, but any new hardcover copies are not planned for the foreseeable future. Beyond the books, I've been thinking about whether either brand would be a good candidate to enter  the burgeoning storytelling board game market. In particular, Do may be well-served by converting many of the mechanics into card components. I can see a deck of cards expediting several parts of the storytelling process without changing any of the core rules. But would a direct port of Do into a card game be a worthy endeavor or should a Do card game be its own unique thing? Still set in the same universe, of course, but with entirely different mechanics more akin to a co-op strategy game? Happy to hear your thoughts on the matter!

There is big news from Evil Hat's Fate Kickstarter! The latest stretch goals include a new Do game built from the newly streamlined Fate Accelerated system. This is great news gamers out there who loved Do 's Avatar-meets-Little-Prince setting, but wanted a more character-focused style of play. This is also great news for the legions of Fate fans who haven't yet had a chance to explore the worlds of Do . In Do: Fate of the Flying Temple , the Flying Temple has mysteriously drifted away from its home in the center of the sky. It's up to the Pilgrims to explore the worlds of Do to uncover the mystery. Along the way, they must raise a young dragon left behind after the temple's disappearance. Pairing that approachable rule set with a family-friendly setting like Do feels like a perfect fit! If you want fresh new Do , go back the Kickstarter now and tell your friends!

It's Thanksgiving here in the States, when we gorge ourselves on mashed potatoes, cranberry sauce, and, of course, a lot of turkey. Here's a new letter for Do: Pilgrims of the Flying Temple from one special turkey's perspective. Dear Pilgrims of the Flying Temple, Gobble gobble. I'm a turkey. I'm to be served to the farmer's family for the upcoming holiday! I have mixed feelings about this, as you can probably understand. This family has been so good to me through the years. When I was just a featherless chick, they kept me warm and plumped me up. Together, we won all the county fair turkey fashion shows. Oh, what a sight I used to be on the runway! Unfortunately, my feathers aren't so glossy these days. My confident stride is a little wobbly. I just need a favor from you before I head to the dinner table. I'm only a turkey, so I can't really talk to Mr. Farmer. Could you express my thanks for all the care he and his family have given...

Long-time pilgrim Sophie Lagacé shared this lovely play report from last weekend, plus some follow-up comments on this thread . Below is the actual play report in Sophie's words: At Pacificon this weekend, + Edmund Metheny ran + Daniel Solis ' Do: Pilgrims of the Flying Temple for the Young Players' room.  I played with the kids and served as scribe.  Here is the letter (contributed by + Ariele Agostini for Do: The Book of Letters )  we answered and the story that ensued: "Hello! I am writing to you because I'm stuck on my bed. I just dreamed that the Evil clan of Tvel.. Twl.. 12 Bed Mosters declared war against me, and I just woke up. I know I should not be afraid, so I sent two of my teddy bears to take a look, but they haven't come back.  Then I sent all the others but none came back.  Now here on the bed I'm left with only Poldo and Capt. FluffyEar but the monsters are pulling my blanket and I can hear them laugh and chuckle and ...

Earlier this year, shortly after Do: Pilgrims of the Flying Temple won a special judges' award at Origins, Booklife requested an interview. Do's editors Ryan Macklin and Lillian Cohen-Moore joined me to discuss the finer points of editing RPGs, how to edit mechanics, and writing for games. Here's a snippet! BW: As editors, how does your approach differ when you edit a game versus other kinds of manuscripts? Ryan Macklin: I’m primarily a game editor. A game has many different contextual channels, more than fiction or even most text books. Games books need to serve as instructional text (along with examples and other methods that facilitate learning) and sources of inspiration. That means text flow is as much of a page design consideration as what’s on a given page. Since people learn by different methods, including having others read a book and teach, a given section needs to take that into account, as well as blend in evocative tone and color to facilitate learning the...

Last night, all eyes were on the Ennie awards at GenCon. Do: Pilgrims of the Flying Temple was nominated for Best Interior Art and Best Game . As Rob Donoghue says, Do defies categorization, so our chances were slim and it really was an honor just to be nominated. Thanks to everyone who voted! Meanwhile, the Indie RPG Awards were announced and we cleaned up! Check it! Most Innovative Game Gosh, this is the one award that I appreciate the most. I'm still learning what it takes to be a good game designer. With the support of great folks at Evil Hat Productions, playtesting feedback over many years, and Mark Sherry's math skillz, Do turned out to cooler than I could have hoped. Thank you! Best Production It took a lot of TLC to get this book laid out just right, but it wouldn't be any good without the amazing art. All credit goes to Liz Radtke, Kristin Rakochy and Jake Richmond for the art contributions. I also want to give a special mention to Amy Houser, who ...

Hello, Ennie voters ! Do: Pilgrims of the Flying Temple is nominated for two Ennie Awards: Best Interior Art and Best Game ! Now it's up to you to vote. We're in competition with some very prominent and great products, especially in the Best Game category. I want to thank all the Ennie judges for the hard work they do in making their selections. Okay, down to business. We have a small retail footprint compared to the other entries. When something like Do goes to a public vote, most voters will understandably overlook the product they don't recognize. The Best Game category will be tough for that reason. So, I want to focus your attention on the Best Interior Art category. Flip through the page spreads shown above. Young illustrator Liz Radtke poured everything into this project over several months. We paid as fairly as we could afford, but she deserves so much more. It is gorgeous and we have Liz Radtke to thank for it. I also want to thank Kristin Rako...

Get Do: The Book of Letters while it's still in stock! This expansion to Do: Pilgrims of the Flying Temple adds many more letters and some tips for writing your own. Plus! Tons of excellent art from Amy Houser .

Clark Valentine kindly shared his family's play session when they played Do: Pilgrims of the Flying Temple . Check it out below! PILGRIMS Pilgrim Loud Frog, played by T. (age 9) . Pilgrim Loud Frog gets into trouble by waking people - or things - up. He helps people by jumping high. Pilgrim Tall Thinker, played by C. (age 39). Pilgrim Tall Thinker gets into trouble by bumping his head into things. He helps people by giving wise advice. Pilgrim Creative Dancer, played by M.R. (age 11). Pilgrim Creative Dancer gets into trouble by thinking too far outside the box. She helps people by being clever, flexible, and athletic. The Pilgrims received a letter from a young girl named Agatha, who had a monster under her bed and a sister sleeping in the next room; the letter can be found on Page 9 of The Book Of Letters . Here is the story they all wrote together. THE STORY Pilgrim Loud Frog jumps into the rafters above Agatha with Pilgrim Creative Dancer, and ties ropes aro...

Well, this was interesting news to hear last night! The Origins Award occasionally gives a special prize to innovative games that don't quite fall into an existing category. The Vanguard Award doesn't go out every year, which always makes it a surprise when it's announced. Sure enough, I was surprised to hear about it! I can't take credit for this award, obviously. True credit goes to the entire team who helped make the game possible. My uncountable thanks go out to... Fred Hicks, Rob Donoghue, Lenny Balsera and Evil Hat Productions for publishing and support. The game wouldn't be what it is without your guidance. Ryan Macklin and Lillian Cohen-Moore for editing. You honed my soft words into sharp crystal. Liz Radtke, Kristin Rakochy, Josh Roby, and Dale Horstman for art. You're what compels people to turn every page. Ben Lehman, Myles Corcoran, Dev Purkayastha, Kirk Mitchell, Peter Aronson, John Wick, Richard DiTullio, Ryan Macklin, Jared Sorens...

Lyndsay Peters keeps sharing the love for Do: Pilgrims of the Flying Temple with new players. This time, she teaches her friends Randall and Anna. Here is their story. They were playing the 10,000 pandas letter from Do: The Book of Letters . THE PILGRIMS Randall - Pilgrim Drunk Bottler In trouble: is probably spilling something unfortunate on someone Helps people: by showing everyone the perfect liquid refreshment Anna - Pilgrim Shiny Felter In trouble: is easily distracted by shiny things Helps People: by connecting them with their true feelings Brian - Pilgrim Clumsy Dancer In trouble: Knocks things and himself over... constantly Helps People: by showing people that all of the worlds problems can be solved with one thing: DANCE Lyndsay - Pilgrim Wiggly Feelers In trouble: very ticklish and prone to tickling people Helps People: Has a great sense of smell and can tell when people are sad THE STORY Pilgrim Clumsy Dancer’ macarena flips over the shoebox with the pandas the ...

Lyndsay Peters wrote another letter for Do: Pilgrims of the Flying Temple . She's a big fan of writing her own letters for her games. This time, the letter was inspired by a video with NSFW language . Glad she kept this letter G-rated so I could share it with you. :) Hey Girl!! I live in a little town, just a quiet village. Every day, like the one before? I hate this town. ANYWAY. Here's my problem, girl. Tonight they're having a ball. It's pretty much the only interesting thing these people do. So I need my dress to look amazing, to show those girls always talking about me that I CAN HEAR THEM! Problem is, this town sucks. There's Bernice with her wigs, but other than that it's just sheep and pigs. I am not wearing a matching sweater to this ball. So here's what I need you to do. Make a good impression for me. Of me. Because girl, I'm special. And after the ball, nobody should forget it! If you need inspiration, make it like pretty in pink, b...

Labyrinth Games & Puzzles in Washington D.C. just hosted a big event called a Taste of Storytelling, featuring Happy Birthday, Robot! and Do: Pilgrims of the Flying Temple . The store owner was very kind to host my wife and I over the weekend and give us a tour of the city. We saw lots of cool schtuff and there was way more to see than we could fit in one Saturday. We'll return soon! But the main event was on Sunday and it was awesome. About thirty attendees played six different sessions of either Do or HBR. It was my first time actually being in the room while others taught and ran my games, which was a surreal and exciting experience. Probably my favorite moment was when everyone fell quiet at the same time, long enough to overhear me ask "So... what could possibly go wrong with using a sword as a baseball bat?" During short one-shot games like these, I've been trying to relax the writing requirements of Do . Upside: It speeds up play quite a bit when pe...

January was a good month for Do: Pilgrims of the Flying Temple and possibly the start of an auspicious awards season for our favorite flying troublemakers. Thebig news is that Do won a fancy schmancy award! Check it: RPGamer names Do: Pilgrims of the Flying Temple as RPG of 2011 Whoa. This was totally unexpected, mainly because Do 's status as a proper RPG is so tenuous. Still, I'm delighted to share the honor with everyone who helped make the game possible. Gamehead reviews Do: Pilgrims of the Flying Temple This is probably the most thorough review of the game I've seen yet, with special attention paid to the long-term Pilgrimage mode of play. Generally, Do is played as a one-shot, but I'm glad to see some love for the long journey. That's where the coming-of-age vibe really comes out. And here are some international reviews! Fanzine Rolero reviews the game in Spanish. Rede RPG is a Portuguese site that will soon translate some of the free games on m...