"The Eldorah Project is a DM collaboration project. This project involves a large-scale campaign where groups of players play simultaneously across several world maps, sharing an evolving setting. As the game progresses, each individual campaign of each group of players contributes to the evolution and direction of a primary storyline. The first primordial world, known in this game as 'Eldorah,' and all related world maps will evolve over time due to the actions of every participating player."
About a year ago, I shared this original pitch on the LFG page as I began my search for DMs to join the project. Thanks to the awesome community on D&D Beyond, the Eldorah Project became a tremendous success. We had dozens of DMs and hundreds of players participate, each contributing their ideas and perspectives. I had the pleasure of connecting with every one of them, and many have become good friends. At its peak, about a dozen DMs were collaborating and hosting campaigns in the same world simultaneously.
As the project grew, we decided to stop recruiting new DMs and players and paused our advertising efforts. This decision came as we realized the need to organize our extensive lore into a comprehensive book. Our vision expanded to publishing this book as a D&D-themed settings guide on Kickstarter. To facilitate this, I began drafting an Operating Agreement to form an LLC, ensuring that profits from the product would be managed ethically and effectively.
As a physicist, I applied my extensive experience with mathematics to carefully balance resource allocation in the Operating Agreement. I believe that this was crucial not only for creating a successful indie game development studio but also for fulfilling our mission to generate significant and continuous funds for charitable causes. Then, as we worked towards this goal, another exciting development unfolded.
Throughout the process of collaborating with DMs and interacting with players daily, I gathered valuable feedback and insights. One recurring theme was the challenges players and DMs face when trying to enjoy D&D. The difficulty of forming a stable group of like-minded players is a common struggle, but it doesn't end there. Scheduling conflicts, a lack of spare time, varying levels of experience, and other issues also hinder the gameplay experience. As both a player and a DM, I understand these challenges all too well.
In response, I began designing tools and a game aimed at addressing these problems, collaborating with very talented veteran DMs. Recently, we completed these designs along with 137 pages for the Operating Agreement. Essential tools and rough prototypes were developed in Python and GoDot. I built a calculator and integrated a narrative enhancement system into a Tkinter UI for testing. The tests yielded excellent results, and a prototype showcasing these tools was developed in GoDot.
Despite these successes, I’ve decided to seek out experts in game development to ensure that we produce the best possible product. My expertise lies in physics rather than programming, and at some point I realized that a novice shouldn't be responsible for building the infrastructure needed to secure user data from online threats. Therefore, we are now searching for experts in this field to help finalize a fully functional prototype.
To prepare for coming obstacles ahead, to fill the remaining roles in our to be formed LLC, and to prepare for a beta launch for our game:
The Final Sign Up Phase Begins!
By signing up, you'll have the opportunity to play in our developing D&D setting, which will eventually be transformed into a new type of D&D-oriented game. This game will resemble a video game in some ways, but it won't be constrained by typical video game limitations. Instead, it will feature carefully implemented novel concepts designed to create a unique D&D experience. While I can't disclose all sensitive details at this time due to a pending patent, I believe this game will become the best way to experience D&D. It will be incredibly useful for veteran DMs and especially beneficial for new DMs starting their first campaign. Our goal is to address all of the challenges that DMs currently face while creating an extraordinary experience for both DMs and players, and we are now closing in on that goal!
Sign up as a DM, a player, or both, and join the beta test of our upcoming game!
**Exclusive Opportunities for Early Participants:**
The first 20 DMs to host a campaign in our setting and sign up for our upcoming beta test will be rewarded with the "DM Founders" role in our Discord server! As a DM Founder, you will be a vital part of our game's development journey. To express our gratitude, we are offering exclusive benefits, including:
A free digital copy of our settings guide when we launch on Kickstarter!
Free discount codes for all of their current and future players.
The option to join any number of campaigns as a player for free.
An open invitation to participate in our application process for a variety of roles! This project will be attempting to create opportunities for DMs, artists, game developers, writers, and voice actors. If you have a talent that you'd like to apply to a project like this then feel free to reach out to us!
Additionally, the first 150 players to maintain "active player" status in our Discord server will receive the "Player Founders" role! These players are vital to our success, as their participation will help us raise the funds needed to properly compensate the developers and artists working on this project. By securing these funds, we aim to avoid reliance on external investors, ensuring the best possible outcome. The "Player Founders" will enjoy the following exclusive benefits:
1. A free digital copy of our settings guide when we launch on Kickstarter!
2. A permanent 50% discount on their player subscription. (This permanent discount will be applied once we hit 150 active players.)
3. At the point in time in which we hit 1000 "active players" I'd really like to make all future digital content free for those with the Player Founders role, and for those with the DM Founders role. I believe that you all will continue to be, and have been, critical to the success of the project, and I will always be grateful for your support and participation.
We've made this all possible through an affordable subscription model. Recognizing that paid DMs often charge $20+ USD per weekly session, we've set our subscription at just $6 USD per week. "Player Founders" will enjoy an even greater benefit, paying only $3 USD per week as long as they remain in our Discord server. This reduced rate, to be rewarded exclusively to these players, is one way that I've thought of in an effort to thank you all for your support. While we aim to lower the price further in the future, $6 USD per week is currently the minimum amount needed to sustain the project.
Lowering the subscription fee to $0 has been considered, and such a drastic change to the payment model might be feasible, but it's been realized that the subscription paywall is necessary for age verification. D&D, and games similar to it, involve a lot of repetitive personal interactions. To prevent creeps from using our game as a platform for their behavior, we need a paywall in place for age verification. This currently seems to be the only effective means to ensure that the game remains available only to people that are 18+. Therefore, changing the payment model at any point in the future currently seems to be a highly irresponsible path, and we apologize if you can't afford it at its current price. In the future, we hope to improve this system so that more people can afford to participate. Eventually, this will involve adjusting the cost to be a function of the standard of living within your region of the world.
What Does Our Road Map Look Like?
Check out this link to view the full PDF for yourself! Inside, you'll find an explanation for each step on a path towards various exciting goals.
What's the story behind the setting? Great question! In the link below you can check out the narration that I wrote which lays out the core story behind the lore of our fantasy setting!
Hey! This campaign sounds really cool and something I’d be interested in trying out! Can I message you on discord? I can send my availability and I just have a couple of questions!
Hi Viper Moth! That's awesome! My discord name is in the post! I'd be happy to help you and your friends with character creation and whatever questions you may have so don't worry if you're new! I also might be bringing in some friends of my own, but that'll depend on everyone's availability.
I've lowered the price to $8 per session! I've decided that I'd like to to prioritize starting this campaign as soon as possible over making money, and this seems to be a very affordable price point (below the average price/session it seems).
Hello id love to join but I come with another so if u have room for 2 that be great. My friend is new but I've been playing for about a year. I would like to talk some things over about race and class options but I can tell u my friend really enjoys playing Barbarian or Fighter. She is a bit shy so please give her a little time to worm up 😄
If u would like to have us please contact me at my discord
Hi Dave, that's awesome man, do you have a discord account? My discord is wonder#0850, feel free to send me a friend request so we can talk more about this.
Hello, I’ve been playing for a little over five years now, huge fan of tolkien, and enjoy a mix of rp and interesting combat encounters. I’d love an opportunity to join your table!
Original Project Pitch:
"The Eldorah Project is a DM collaboration project. This project involves a large-scale campaign where groups of players play simultaneously across several world maps, sharing an evolving setting. As the game progresses, each individual campaign of each group of players contributes to the evolution and direction of a primary storyline. The first primordial world, known in this game as 'Eldorah,' and all related world maps will evolve over time due to the actions of every participating player."
About a year ago, I shared this original pitch on the LFG page as I began my search for DMs to join the project. Thanks to the awesome community on D&D Beyond, the Eldorah Project became a tremendous success. We had dozens of DMs and hundreds of players participate, each contributing their ideas and perspectives. I had the pleasure of connecting with every one of them, and many have become good friends. At its peak, about a dozen DMs were collaborating and hosting campaigns in the same world simultaneously.
As the project grew, we decided to stop recruiting new DMs and players and paused our advertising efforts. This decision came as we realized the need to organize our extensive lore into a comprehensive book. Our vision expanded to publishing this book as a D&D-themed settings guide on Kickstarter. To facilitate this, I began drafting an Operating Agreement to form an LLC, ensuring that profits from the product would be managed ethically and effectively.
As a physicist, I applied my extensive experience with mathematics to carefully balance resource allocation in the Operating Agreement. I believe that this was crucial not only for creating a successful indie game development studio but also for fulfilling our mission to generate significant and continuous funds for charitable causes. Then, as we worked towards this goal, another exciting development unfolded.
Throughout the process of collaborating with DMs and interacting with players daily, I gathered valuable feedback and insights. One recurring theme was the challenges players and DMs face when trying to enjoy D&D. The difficulty of forming a stable group of like-minded players is a common struggle, but it doesn't end there. Scheduling conflicts, a lack of spare time, varying levels of experience, and other issues also hinder the gameplay experience. As both a player and a DM, I understand these challenges all too well.
In response, I began designing tools and a game aimed at addressing these problems, collaborating with very talented veteran DMs. Recently, we completed these designs along with 137 pages for the Operating Agreement. Essential tools and rough prototypes were developed in Python and GoDot. I built a calculator and integrated a narrative enhancement system into a Tkinter UI for testing. The tests yielded excellent results, and a prototype showcasing these tools was developed in GoDot.
Despite these successes, I’ve decided to seek out experts in game development to ensure that we produce the best possible product. My expertise lies in physics rather than programming, and at some point I realized that a novice shouldn't be responsible for building the infrastructure needed to secure user data from online threats. Therefore, we are now searching for experts in this field to help finalize a fully functional prototype.
To prepare for coming obstacles ahead, to fill the remaining roles in our to be formed LLC, and to prepare for a beta launch for our game:
The Final Sign Up Phase Begins!
By signing up, you'll have the opportunity to play in our developing D&D setting, which will eventually be transformed into a new type of D&D-oriented game. This game will resemble a video game in some ways, but it won't be constrained by typical video game limitations. Instead, it will feature carefully implemented novel concepts designed to create a unique D&D experience. While I can't disclose all sensitive details at this time due to a pending patent, I believe this game will become the best way to experience D&D. It will be incredibly useful for veteran DMs and especially beneficial for new DMs starting their first campaign. Our goal is to address all of the challenges that DMs currently face while creating an extraordinary experience for both DMs and players, and we are now closing in on that goal!
Sign up as a DM, a player, or both, and join the beta test of our upcoming game!
**Exclusive Opportunities for Early Participants:**
The first 20 DMs to host a campaign in our setting and sign up for our upcoming beta test will be rewarded with the "DM Founders" role in our Discord server! As a DM Founder, you will be a vital part of our game's development journey. To express our gratitude, we are offering exclusive benefits, including:
Additionally, the first 150 players to maintain "active player" status in our Discord server will receive the "Player Founders" role! These players are vital to our success, as their participation will help us raise the funds needed to properly compensate the developers and artists working on this project. By securing these funds, we aim to avoid reliance on external investors, ensuring the best possible outcome. The "Player Founders" will enjoy the following exclusive benefits:
1. A free digital copy of our settings guide when we launch on Kickstarter!
2. A permanent 50% discount on their player subscription. (This permanent discount will be applied once we hit 150 active players.)
3. At the point in time in which we hit 1000 "active players" I'd really like to make all future digital content free for those with the Player Founders role, and for those with the DM Founders role. I believe that you all will continue to be, and have been, critical to the success of the project, and I will always be grateful for your support and participation.
We've made this all possible through an affordable subscription model. Recognizing that paid DMs often charge $20+ USD per weekly session, we've set our subscription at just $6 USD per week. "Player Founders" will enjoy an even greater benefit, paying only $3 USD per week as long as they remain in our Discord server. This reduced rate, to be rewarded exclusively to these players, is one way that I've thought of in an effort to thank you all for your support. While we aim to lower the price further in the future, $6 USD per week is currently the minimum amount needed to sustain the project.
Lowering the subscription fee to $0 has been considered, and such a drastic change to the payment model might be feasible, but it's been realized that the subscription paywall is necessary for age verification. D&D, and games similar to it, involve a lot of repetitive personal interactions. To prevent creeps from using our game as a platform for their behavior, we need a paywall in place for age verification. This currently seems to be the only effective means to ensure that the game remains available only to people that are 18+. Therefore, changing the payment model at any point in the future currently seems to be a highly irresponsible path, and we apologize if you can't afford it at its current price. In the future, we hope to improve this system so that more people can afford to participate. Eventually, this will involve adjusting the cost to be a function of the standard of living within your region of the world.
What Does Our Road Map Look Like?
Check out this link to view the full PDF for yourself! Inside, you'll find an explanation for each step on a path towards various exciting goals.
Link to the Road Map PDF:
https://drive.google.com/file/d/1u2l0qpTK7FnTcWBb1VK1ye4cbAIEq1IB/view?usp=drive_link
Below is a visual for the Road Map, built using the prototype for our first world map:
https://drive.google.com/file/d/1659XezkxIB0EfCKDaFDGgdI2rnAiM9vh/view?usp=drive_link
What's the story behind the setting? Great question! In the link below you can check out the narration that I wrote which lays out the core story behind the lore of our fantasy setting!
Link: https://drive.google.com/file/d/1iqWW-im0vBqRjnL879BSm7ik70d81s5F/view?usp=sharing
MY DISCORD USERNAME: wonder137 (but please, contact me via a reply here first)
Game: D&D 5e
Group type: Online
Experience: New players welcome!
Location/Time zone: Online with a VTT and Discord.
Ages: Most be 18+ to participate.
[More details will be added to this post shortly!]
Hey! This campaign sounds really cool and something I’d be interested in trying out! Can I message you on discord? I can send my availability and I just have a couple of questions!
I also may have some friends that would want to try it out too!
Hi Viper Moth! That's awesome! My discord name is in the post! I'd be happy to help you and your friends with character creation and whatever questions you may have so don't worry if you're new! I also might be bringing in some friends of my own, but that'll depend on everyone's availability.
Oh ok perfect, that sounds great! Thanks for getting back to me so quickly, I’ll send you a message on discord shortly!
Awesome!
I've lowered the price to $8 per session! I've decided that I'd like to to prioritize starting this campaign as soon as possible over making money, and this seems to be a very affordable price point (below the average price/session it seems).
Oh that’s amazing, I’ll let my friends know!
I just lowered the price to $2 per hour!
Hello id love to join but I come with another so if u have room for 2 that be great. My friend is new but I've been playing for about a year. I would like to talk some things over about race and class options but I can tell u my friend really enjoys playing Barbarian or Fighter. She is a bit shy so please give her a little time to worm up 😄
If u would like to have us please contact me at my discord
Spiff32#0089
Should have a pic of teemo
Hi Spiff! Yes, there is room for you and your friend! I'd be happy to answer your questions over discord, I'll send you a message.
Hi SlicedDiced! I'd be happy to answer any questions that you have, I just accepted you friend request.
sounds good to me as anew player to dnd i would love to have my first game with you
my discord is KSI Hype dude#5448
Hey Sneak_hunter! I'll send you a friend request!
I’d be interested
Hi Dave, that's awesome man, do you have a discord account? My discord is wonder#0850, feel free to send me a friend request so we can talk more about this.
We have roughly 4 to 5 seats filled at the moment, just need a few more applicants to get this going!
Im down im available most weekends and Mondays
Hello, I’ve been playing for a little over five years now, huge fan of tolkien, and enjoy a mix of rp and interesting combat encounters. I’d love an opportunity to join your table!
Awesome, my discord is wonder#0850, send me a friend request, and we'll talk more about it there! @Nathanielwyer2 @SmallTownArtist