Numenera - Monte Cooks New Project

If you are reading this and don't know who Monte Cook is then you must be some evil hellspawn (and even then you don't really have an excuse). Either that or your just new to the hobby, either way all you need to know is that he designs games, and he is awesome.

After leaving the D&D Next R&D group Monte started work on his latest project Numenera a Si-Fi - Fantasy RPG with a heavy focus on the story.

Monte has gone to Kickstarter to fun the project and before the first day was up he had already made double of the original goal of $20,000 and he has already released what he will do with the game when higher goals are met.

The game is described as,

"Numenera is set a billion years in the future. Civilizations have risen and fallen on Earth. Even though the current inhabitants live at about a Medieval level of technology, the leftover remnants of these advanced societies lie all around them. Some of these are extremely helpful: advanced tools, valuable means of communication and learning, transportation, defenses, and weapons. Others are dangerous: genetically altered monstrosities, flesh-warping radiation, creatures transplanted from distant stars, and clouds of out-of-control nanobots, just to name a few. This setting, called the Ninth World, provides all manner of opportunities and challenges to those that call it home."

There isn't much information about the game yet, but it's setting and promise of story driven gameplay has already got me excited about this. I will be pledging my money to it as soon as I get paid. $60 dollers will get you a hard backed full colour printed version of the corebook, plus PDF's of the Player's Guide and corebook and a character creator app, easilly worth the money in my opinion.

Or if you have a lot of money to throw around how about dropping $10,000 to have Monte Cook himself fly to your house and run a game for you.

I will be keeping up-to-date with this project and will be covering how it progesses. So far it certainly looks promising.

**UPDATE 11/08/2012**
Today Numenera achieved its first reach goal at $60,000. That's three times the original goal. Needless to say people are very excited about this game. With this goal reached Monte has said that the book will be extended from 300 to 400 pages, adding new setting material. Here is the full description:

"At $60,000, I will expand the main rulebook. I had been thinking about 300 pages, but we'll make it 400 pages. This means considerably more setting material, creatures, NPCs, and, of course, more gorgeous art.REACHED!"

**UPDATE 12/08/2012**
Funding is still going strong with another $10,000 gained and another goal reached. This time around Monte has promised to write a 32-page illustrated adventure that will be available as a PDF and print on demand. Here is the full description:

"At $70,000, I will personally write a 32-page adventure for Numenera. This will be released as a PDF and print-on-demand book, softcover, with art and maps--the whole shebang. I'll add the pdf in for free to anyone who gets THE REAL DEAL and the print adventure at all levels $180 and above."

Hopefully the funding will keep on coming and Monte and his team can come up with something truly special for us all.

**UPDATE 14/08/2012**
In just two days Numenera has gained another $20,000. Meaning another two stretch goals have been reached. Meaning Monte will be completing his trilogy of adventures to be released along side Numenera. Below are the descriptions:

"At $80,000, I'll write another 32-page adventure and distribute them into the existing reward levels as described above. REACHED!"

"At $90,000, I'll complete the trilogy of adventures and do the same. Just to be clear, this means that everyone ALREADY getting the THE REAL DEAL will get a 96 pages of adventure for no extra charge. The same is true for people selecting THE ULTIMATE EBOOK FAN level. Those contributing $180 or more will get them as print adventures.  REACHED!"

There are only two more stretch goals to go now, but with over a month left more may be needed if the this enthusiasm keeps up.