Please consider patronizing one of the latest Open Design projects, Dark Roads and Golden Hells:
http://www.koboldquarterly.com/k/front-page9819.php
I actually found out about this from from the front page's twitter feed and decided I really wanted more planar stuff in print.
This should be a great experience and ultimately a great product!
Hi Dan, nice to see you here! Perhaps you could explain this whole patronage concept better than I would be able to...
Colin McComb just signed on. Woot.
hope that sweetens the pot,
Sci
Also should mention Wolfgang Baur is on board.
Holy cow...that's quite a cast!
It is, and its a LOT of fun too. Working with these legends always is, I'm addicted to Open Design projects. Check out the results of some of our recent brainstorming here: http://www.koboldquarterly.com/k/front-page9949.php
Ooh, Wolfgang Baur! He did Frostburn.
The deadline is August 1st, so being at 80% now means that it's very likely to make the cutoff. If they go well over the cutoff, the project gets goodies! Like extra art budget or more page count.
And some stuff called Planes of Chaos and In the Cage: A Guide to Sigil.
Considering the epic ideas being discussed in the threads, low level adventuring in the planes, angels as antagonists, concepts like "hope", "love", and "time" as actual loot, extra page count would be very good and if anyone has an artist they'd like to see more of, now's the time to suggest them. We'll be deciding how much of the book will be in support of Pathfinder, 4th Ed, or if it will just be multi-system compatable right after its green-lighted.
If you're uncertain whether or not to join up, be aware, the price to join goes up after the project is greenlighted. So its easier to get the level of Patronage that provides the greatest amount of involvement (Senior Patronage) now rather than later.
And some stuff called Planes of Chaos and In the Cage: A Guide to Sigil.
Planes of what?
Yeah, he also did Secrets of the Lamp.
That reminds me, someday I hope to try and email the staff of Inner Circle about the Violet Dawn topic I made, as well as the Planescape Sulwynaari tie-in with Crystalle (I know the Violet Dawn staff is quite familiar with 2E fluff as they admit in the free primer that the Dark Sun setting served as a major inspiration for their setting, and their books definitely read like 2E monster manuals and Forgotten Realms books in many ways. However, most of the stuff on Crystalle was from Dragon magazine 174, which it's quite possible the staff has never read. Plus, I was hoping to also get some info on the status of the company since, while they're still selling their products, they've been completely silent since early 2010, which is a real shame.)
I would definitely email them, I often bring this site up in discussions of fantasy - too many great locations, characters, GM resources, and fiction here not to spread the word!
Twitter is saying Shemeska is joining the project...
Heavies everywhere!
This is my first Open Design project - if the brainstorming and general vibe thus far are any indication, I expect it to be a pretty great experience, to say nothing of the final product. If any Planewalker folks haven't checked it out I would certainly encourage doing so.
Who is Shemeska? Did a google search and only found furry pics/character writeups.
Shemeska is the avatar of Todd Stewart, a writer for Dragon Magazine and Paizo. A lot of "her" stuff is here, and "she" ran some amazing campaigns whose story hours can be found on Enworld. (will provide links in a bit)
Dan put up a blog post describing some initial ideas on the project:
http://www.koboldquarterly.com/k/front-page9949.php
Something else that fence-sitters should think about, if the project is NOT greenlighted by its deadline date, everyone gets their money back and the book doesn't get made. Really, when is another chance like this going to come along?
Just to confirm the Twitter rumor, because of several patron requests, Wolfgang offered me a spot for pitching ideas and contributing to the project. 
I'm buried in a project for Paizo at the moment, and will be busy till after GenCon, but after then I'll be jumping into the Open Design one. *grin* This should be seriously fun.
Nice to see Shemeska still being alive even if his story lines are atm quite dead,
I was a great fan of those, and hate to see them in this particular state of disrepair,
anyway..
For what it's worth it looks like I am joining the project as well. Funded by a generous early BDay gift from my lovely wife.
Woot.
Here is some explanation of open design using the Bacon Sandwich analogy by Doomed Paladin. :
Someone approaches you and says, "I've got this great idea! It's called Bacon Sandwiches! I need help developing it though."
You say, "That sounds great, but what do you need from me exactly?"
They say, "A donation of money to purchase the materials to make them and your opinion on how they should look when we're done. A couple of other people have given me some already. Some, more than what I'm asking of you, so they get to make bigger decisions about the sandwich, like how crispy the bacon is, if there will be tomatoes, or cheese, or miracle whip, and what kind of bread we use."
You reply, "Here's what I can give you now. Can I give you more later? If I do, do I get anything other than the "privilege" of doing work for you?"
"Sure, but the longer you wait the more of the decisions will be made and the less input you'll get to put in on the finished meal. When they're all done I can sell you one 'at-cost' with what you've given me already. If you invest more you could get one plus a drink for less than you'd pay otherwise, and if you invest more than that, I'll have enough to make Bacon Sundaes for a select few."
Or, probably best, send them to the Kobold Quarterly faq: http://www.koboldquarterly.com/k/faq
You should put the image up too, if possible.
http://buffetoblog.files.wordpress.com/2010/02/bacon-sandwich.jpg
Dan made a great post on where the project is going with the Law/Chaos relationship:
http://www.koboldquarterly.com/k/front-page10186.php
I've also picked up a sponsorship of this as well. I'm looking forward to getting involved and watching how things develop...
Awesome news Clueless. Excited to see your ideas for the cosmology.
And now in the latest new on the dreaded Planewalker / Open Design Cross Pollination of Doom comes:
Loki as a Senior Patron! Live in fear!
As we near the deadline, I figure I should make a final push for people to join while the entry price is cheaper.
The project has me very excited. I find myself going through the day, thinking about new locations and new interactions for the cosmology being planned out. Here are three major things that stand out to me about this project:
1) Relationship between Good and Evil: The celestials and the fiends are the major conflict, but this a giant Cold War between the two sides. Spy games, manipulation/guidance of mortal souls, and the struggle to define the Ideals (War, Art, Freedom, etc) are major parts of this battle.
2) Planar Paths and Waystations: Portals were done masterfully by Planescape, so a major focus as been other means of travel. Sailing on the Black Ships of Leng, hitching a ride from a Valkyrie, walking the Nine Alignment Roads.
Traveling the roads one might find taverns with portals, and maybe one day your character can own them. You might also enter the Market, a place overseen by the Guardians who seem to be concerned only with stopping any conflict that might interrupt the flow of trade between the planes.
3) Relationship between Law and Chaos: One of my favorite parts, the idea that Order and Chaos can be lovers, can work together to create great Art, and meet at places such as the Great Casino which exalts the Laws of Probability (and thus Unpredictability).
hey cutters,
The first round of pitches for our planar locations have just been posted to the kobold forums for discussion and critique, and features more than one excellent entry from our resident Planewalkers....
They (and everybody else too, to be fair) have created some top shelf stuff. At least one of them is going to grab a contract for sure. Once the voting is done, I plan to post the winning entries on the main website for all to see.
No spilling the dark of whos behind what until then, okay?
Some good stuff there. Whatever doesn't make it into the official product will surely find a place in my personal lore depository.
Actually, when all's said and done, I'd love to strengthen the ties between the Dark Roads stuff and the stuff we do here.
Maybe I can persuade you.... since my secret Primer identity is actually Dan Voyce.
I got started as a freelancer because of Planewalker.com and the adventure I wrote here ('Desire and the Dead'), so I'm keen to pay you all back with the best homage and extrapolation of classic planar material that I can. All help greatfully appreciated!
As a side point, i've been reminiscing about my previous Planescape experiences over on the Kobold Quarterly site. One of the next two blog entries I write (not sure which one quite yet) is definitely going to plug all you lovely Planewalker people!
http://www.koboldquarterly.com/k/front-page9890.php