Hello all, but especially those who have already paid for the early access version of this game.

I would like to apologize for the lack of updates since last September as I have been undergoing one of the busiest periods of my life as I juggle both my postgraduate degree and the development of this project. However, even as much as updates have been sparse, I would like to assure all of you that this project is very much alive.

Here’s a list of some of things we’ve been up to:

> Expanding the character creation system to include story-based advancements

In addition to the existing personality building sheets, we will be implementing a “beats” system where you will be able to “level up” your character by playing them out. Think of them as cliches unique to your character archetype, where you and the story will progress simply by you roleplaying as your character (e.g. having a flashback to an important moment in your life or giving a grandiose speech about your ideals).

Beats are divided into Minor Beats (small character moments which happen every session), Major Beats (significant moments which act as major turning points in your arc), and Climax Beats (grand moments which signify your final arc in your story).

Every character is made up of at least two archetypes. As with most features in Lumen Ryder, it is infinitely customisable and you are encouraged to hack and tool with it as much as you want.

This set of beats comes from the Final Villain archetype

There will be around 24-30 character archetypes to mix and match from in Lumen Ryder Core with an additional 12 in Lumen Ryder Austen. Character archetypes are now not limited to kaijin, ryders, or allies - so you are free to play to tokusatsu conventions as much or as little as you want by having the “younger sister” or “cafe owner” archetypes be main ryders.

> Ally Play Overhaul

Allies now have a greater degree of freedom in combat with a “point-spend” system where you can freely spend Assists anytime during battle to use your Ally Moves. However, spending too much Assists will result in gradually intensifying Complications which make things more difficult for the Ryders/Kaijins. At higher levels, Allies will be able to spend more Assists without consequence.

We’ve been playtesting this mechanic to great success and it’s proven to be satisfying. Allies now feel just as important as the Ryders!

> GM-Less Options

Another key feature that has emerged from playtests has been a GM-less (or rather GM-full) approach to running the game. Should it suit you and your table, players will be able to take on the roles of multiple characters from different factions at once, regularly coming to a head in Player VS Player battles. This is reminiscent of many Kamen Rider series like Faiz, Gaim, OOO, and Revice where the story frequently switches between the heroes, villains, and anti-villains as they get entangled in each other’s schemes (shoutout to Avataro Sentai Donbrothers). This sort of play will fit campaigns about social or political intrigue the most.

However, you will still be able to play the game with a Gamemaster should it suit you as well as the game will support both GM-less and GM’d play.

Because we are designing the game to be used as a sandbox-esque toolkit or box of toys, we aim to give you enough tools to truly make the game your own.

> Lumen Ryder Austen

Dinosaur and period drama fans rejoice! The first setting book for the Lumen Ryder Multiverse is well underway. Chocked full with forbidden romances, long buried family secrets, and dinosaur themed powers, you play as Ryders fighting in an interfamily tournament to secure their family’s position in Regency Era Engaldn. Inspired by Kamen Rider Gaim and Geats while keeping true to the core themes of Jane Austen’s work, it deals with themes of intergenerational trauma, colonialization, and finding a path for yourself in a heavily bigoted world where your social position is decided for you: always asking, what will you do to fix your family?

Some Final Words

As such as is the case with many indie rpg productions, none of us on the team are doing this full time and I hope you will be patient with us as well as trust that we are 110% committed to bringing this project to life. As of now, we are getting the remaining sections of text edited as our lovely layout artist is drafting out style guides and moodboards for both books. Additionally, a new round of art for Lumen Ryder Core is being commissioned.

None of this is a pipe dream or an overly ambitious overreach. The core system for the game is done and there are only a few pieces left to complete before Lumen Ryder Core enters its polishing and assembly stage.

I do aim to be more consistent with my updates in the coming months as my workload peters out. I thank all of you very much for your patience and I hope to receive more thoughts from all of you as we parse through the feedback forms and try our best to make this game the best it can be.

I am hoping to get a major update out by August of this year which will hopefully be the last update for Lumen Ryder Core before we send it to layout.