For those who know and who do not a few years ago I created a gaming series of titles called USE ME which stands for ‘Ultra Simple Engine for Miniature Engagements’.  This series now has nine titles written by four authors including myself and a couple of its titles are now in their second print runs as well as being in download format too.  More on the latest titles elsewhere but here I want to fill you in a little on my idea for another USE ME.

I have told the trade and several gamers who are friends that there will be three more USE ME releases in April 2012 in time for Salute 2012 in London.  I am committed to penning one of these titles.

So left to my own devices (I have a total free hand this time to create a title that I want to see out there) I thought and thought…what to do.  It came to me that solo gaming is more popular now that it ever has been and that though the USE ME range has many war settings it has no speciality settings.  So it would be solo and it would be special.  I have always liked the notion of hunters and dangerous prey plus when you add in science fiction another of my personal favourites it took me to something great:  Alien Safari.

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This USE ME title will therefore concern itself with several facets of being a human being or an advanced alien on an dangerous world. Firstly the notion of a Death World where the planet itself will try to kill your characters by use of its own flora and fauna. The second is an Alien Safari where a group of hunters will attempt to flush out and capture or kill alien creatures for a reward or sport. These combine into a rules set that focuses upon a small group of characters who enter a gaming area that is Unknown containing threats that act Solo according to a developed engine of mechanics.  Take your party onto an alien world full of mystery and peril. Walk the surface not knowing what the next step will bring. Death or Fame. Compete for fame, bring back trophies by collecting them in play.

I have had a lot of feedback on this so far as an idea (thanks to Bob, Omer, James, Craig, Rob etc) and intend to begin work on the manuscript for it really soon.

So keep ’em peeled for more information on this website.  If you have input let me know too, my virtual door is always open.

GBS

* This piece of art was created by Edward Jackson based on a chat about this idea.  I like it so much it will be the cover art for the title!