NEWS

ARCHIVE

EVENTS

WHAT'S NEXT?

ARCHIVE

April 23rd, 2005

Politics as Usual

Politics as Usual is now off to the printers. We are printing gazillions of copies because the anticpated demand is extraordinary. Copies should enter the distribution pipeline in early June. YOU NEED THIS GAME!

Millennium Wars Advanced Rules Book

We are now able to concentrate on moving forward with the Millennium Advanced Rules Book. This is another winner in our Millennium Wars line of products! We have been going over all of your questions to come up with one definitive source for all Millennium Wars rules. This new book is more than just clarifications and large type. Two full expansion kits -- one for Information Warfare and one for Guerilla Warfare -- and new missions for all five Millennium Wars titles are also included. Um, YOU NEED THIS GAME, TOO!

National Games Week

We are now a Level 2 Sponsor for National Games Week. Woohoo! If you are a retailer or educator, and are not taking advantage of National Games Week, YOU'RE MISSING OUT! Go to National Games Week for more information.

December 21st, 2004

Trade Shows, Trade Shows, Trade Shows!

One Small Step just got back from the GenCon show in Anaheim, California. I have no idea how this show stacks up against the GenCons held elsewhere throughout the year, but it was a major improvement over the same show last year. They did stick us in the worst booth at the show, but because of some crying and arm twisting, they made it good.

We will be participating in, at least, the two large Strategicon conventions this year -- Orccon and Gateway. We have not committed to Gamex, yet.

A new Los Angeles convention is starting up called Conquest. It runs down the street from the Strategicon show on the same weekend. Strategicon has the inertia, and new consultants to help them address some of their shortcomings. Conquest has a cool name, some energetic personnel, and the deep pockets of AEG -- one of its partners. One convention will probably kill the other in short order. We're going to just try to stay out of the way until the two cons sort it out.

We are also scheduled to have a booth at the Anaheim GenCon, and (for the first time) a booth at the GAMA trade show. GAMA is an industry-only convention in Las Vegas. We look forward to shaking some more hands and hooking up more retailers. If your local hobby store doesn't carry our stuff, YELL AT THEM! They suck and you should let them know.

The Horizon

One Small Step is geared up to enjoy 2005. We have a number of new products, including our recently released Motoring Madness!. Politics as Usual should go to the printer any day now. The Millennium Wars Advanced Rules Book will follow before mid-year. Our flagship miniatures game Bravo Company and our vanguard role-playing game Quest should hit stores by year end.

One thing you will definitely see us change this year is the reducing of our product base so we can focus better on our new releases rather than devote time to all of our legacy products. Right now we have about 30 products. That should be closer to five or six product lines, with several products per line, by the end of the year.

I don't know what else you could possibly want from us. Nag, nag, nag, nag, nag!

June 1st, 2004

Crawling Forward

You may not have seen much from us during the past few months. Brian and Sierra's new pod Harper has both of them busy, and I have only recently escaped the clutches of Lockheed and NASA. (There are some disturbing stories there of some very disturbing people. If you're lucky, I may share some of the stories soon.) But don't despair! We have been chewing away at some backstage obstacles.

Dents and Deals

In the process of manufacturing, storing, and shipping games, from time to time one gets crunched under a bigger box or scratched by some nasty thing. If the damage is severe, we salvage these for spare parts. But if the damage is minor, we put them up for sale in the new Dents & Deals section of our Ordering page. In some cases, we may have some used games from various manufacturers that we would also like to find a good home for. These items may also find their way into our Dents & Deals section.

Here They Come

Jaunty Jalopies 2 has been renamed Motoring Madness. We have completed the character art and box art. The decks were finished printing months ago. The release is now firmly scheduled for July 1st.

Politics as Usual, Dan Verssen's hilarious card game of Presidential politics, is still in playtest. We tried to complete the game to take advantage of the current election, but we just couldn't move that fast. (I'm also not convinced that the game is venomous enough to feel right in the atmosphere of the current election...)

We are still moving forward with Bravo Company and Quest.

Bravo Company is a set of miniatures rules and source books. It's not like the industry needs another miniatures game system, but unlike most other forays down this merry path, the books will be cheap, let you use the figures you already have, and actually play fast. Trust me, you haven't seen this before.

Quest is another multi-universe role-playing game. Yeah, big deal. Of course, Quest needs no referee. And this is no lame flip-book game or solo random dungeon generator. Nuh-uh. This is real story, real adventure stuff. Don't believe me? Sign up to be a playtester, if you can handle it.

That's all for now. Nothing more to see here. Move along.

October 11th, 2003

New Challenges

As OSS moves towards 2004, it is forging ahead with new products and tackling new challenges. The first was to wrap up changes to the website, which you can see in process as you mouse around. We are printing the last of the components for Jaunty Jalopies 2 and gearing up for the production of Politics as Usual.

Future Toys

For 2004, I have put two new designs on the forefront. These have project names of Bravo Company and Quest.

Bravo Company is a set of miniatures rules and source books. It's not like the industry needs another miniatures game system, but unlike most other forays down this merry path, the books will be cheap, let you use the figures you already have, and actually play fast. Trust me, you haven't seen this before.

Quest is another multiuniverse role-playing game. Yeah, big deal. Of course, Quest needs no referee. And this is no lame flip-book game or solo random dungeon generator. Nuh-uh. This is real story, real adventure stuff. Don't believe me? Sign up to be a playtester, if you can handle it.

That's all for now. Nothing more to see here. Move along.

May 5th, 2003

Happy Cinco de Mayo!

Millennium Wars is shipping! Wahoo!

I guess you've noticed the new look of the website. This was a long time in the making. The pursuit of the other projects put this on the back burner. Way back burner. No, the one behind that one. Yeah. That's it. Way back there. Anyhow, we now present and support our products in a significantly more convenient, intuitive, and useful format. The site is a living work. There is quite a bit I want to do that we will grow into, including, perhaps, some online games. Wouldn't THAT be fun?

The restructuring and refocusing of this company has taken me over a year to complete. It's not easy to run a useful game company and hold a full-time job, so I took the last six-months off work. Time to return to the grindstone, but do not despair! We have some published some new amazing products, like Jaunty Jalopies and Millennium Wars, and more exciting products are in the works.

I have a staff now, such as it is, and can accomplish quite a bit even with 40 hours a week allocated to a more mundane set of responsibilities. We are also always looking for more talent. If you can draw, paint, edit, write, design, layout, etc., and you want to be involved with our crazy team, drop us an email and state your abilities. We'll do our best to place you. Pay? Forget it! We supply some food and appropriate credit, and we'll work you like the slave monkey you are, but that's all you get. Well, that and some bragging rights, experience, the chance to see products evolve, and the ability to have some influence on their evolution. Ooooo!

So join up, play our stuff, share your thoughts, and for Pete's sake, have a good time!

Mmmm. Tequila.

April 15th, 2003:

Happy Tax Day!

These last few months have been very educational for me.

The war in Iraq will have some sort of impact on our sales for the Millennium Wars: Iraq game. Couldn't tell you whether it will be a positive or negative impact. Ask me in six months.

Concerning the news coverage, I have had the pleasure of seeing Al-Jeezera, French, German, Chinese, and Japanese news in English, along side CNN and BBCA. My appraisal is that anyone who tells you that US news coverage is crap is right. If they tell you anyone else does it better, they're wrong. There is no Journalism. There is only sensationalism and editorializing. Most journalists do not want to provide facts. Most do not want you to have the truth. Worldwide, it's all proselytizing.

The best thing I saw about the coverage: On a huge poster of Hussein on the outskirts of one of the cities, Marines were adding graffiti. In big letters at the base, one Marine wrote: "Mean People Suck." Huzzah.

The OSS team went to a GAMA show in Vegas. Never been to one before. Learned a lot. Met some people. Did a lot of listening. We'll see if that pays off. By the way, gamers, as a general rule, are very crappy Poker players. Paid for my trip. Thanks, guys!

Oh, and Nachos are not funny.

Millennium Wars

It's been a long hike getting Millennium Wars ready. We finally received the counters, today. All 1,400 pounds of them. That's no exaggeration. We will begin assembling kits and should be shipping to pre-orders next Monday. For those of you who have not pre-ordered, your time is up. Sorry, but the deal only lasts for so long.

Website

The website redesign is still in process. I'm looking at least a month away.

Jaunty Jalopies

Now that Millennium Wars is in the bag, we will wrap up Jaunty Jalopies 2. As you probably know, it is a stand-alone expansion for Jaunty Jalopies. Very cool stuff. Six new characters all have Sidekicks for more and varied special character powers. We're targetting May, which probably means June. No doubt, some day, we'll get this scheduling thing down.

Politics as Usual

The art contract is in process for Dan Verssen's next card game, Politics as Usual. Poltical hijinks for the whole family in this wacky portrayal of political double-dealing on the road to the White House. More data to follow.

February 23rd, 2003:

General

Yeesh! We haven't posted anything new in a while, and a lot has happened. First, we are redesigning the website, That will take a while. Second, we are in a wrestling match with the industry, that seems to be going through some tough times, so BUY MORE OF EVERYONE'S STUFF!

Millennium Wars

I'm pleased to report that the game components are finally at the printers. We are using three different printers to ensure the highest quality at the best price. The counters and boxes are not expected for two more weeks. I'm told the cutting is a tricky business and takes a long time to do properly.

Jaunty Jalopies Set #2

The art for the second set is in process of being wrapped up. I am hoping two more weeks, but I can't count on that. In the meantime, some last minute playtesting is in process. The second Jaunty Jalopies set will play standalone, but may also be combined with your original set for the coolest racing possibilities. The new set will also have six new characters and their sidekicks!

Next Step Irregulars

We are collecting applications for groups who are interested in Playtesting upcoming games and running demos of our newest releases. Participants will receive way-cool OSS t-shirts, and redeemable coupons for discounts and free OSS products. To apply, write a short letter describing why you are the coolest person in your neighborhood, and state your desire to be a member of the OSS team, and send to oss_submissions@yahoo.com.

OrcCon 2003

We had a booth at last weekend's OrcCon game convention in Los Angeles. The draw was larger than it has been in quite a long time. While it seemed that many bailed out on Sunday, the Saturday attendance was remarkably good. Look for us to have an increasing presence at future conventions. We will be sponsoring tournaments, running demonstrations, and generally causing trouble.

Politics as Usual

This is another Dan Verssen card game in which three to six players take on the persona of various political hacks while vying for the US Presidency. It's loads of politically incorrect fun in the political arena. The artwork has been contracted. I will post some samples as soon as I get them -- maybe two weeks. We're shooting for a May release (but knowing us, June is more likely).

What's Next

We have a ton of good products in various stages of production. Alpha Team is a two to six player adventure game in a space opera melieu. Bravo Company is our first stab at a miniatures game. It uses a new system that makes for very realistic and fast, if you can believe it. If you are interested in being a playtester for either of these products, or anything we are doing in the future, send a message declaring your desire, and what you intend to bribe us with, to oss_submissions@yahoo.com.

December 12th, 2002:

Jaunty Jalopies

There are now finally plenty of Jalopies copies in the pipe, and we can get on with other things. I will post a Strategy Guide and FAQ as soon as possible. There WILL be a second Jaunty Jalopies game. The working title is Motoring Madness. You may play it stand-alone or combine it with your regular Jalopies set. ETA February.

Millenium Wars

We had a choice of either pressing the production staff to finish the game by Christmas (allowing us to meet our promises of an end of year release), or to go for a bit more quality control at the expense of the deadlines. We have chosen the latter. The release of Millenium Wars is now slated for January 2003. We apologize for any inconvenience this may cause, but we believe we are making the correct choice.

November 19th, 2002:

General

We now have an online shopping cart. Click on the Ordering button to try it out. You can buy any of our existing products through the Shopping Cart. We have PayPal providing the back end, so your transaction is secure, and you can use most any credit card or your PayPal account. You do NOT need a PayPal account to use the service.

We will be making adjustments for shipping and sales tax over the next few days, so if you see prices change, don't fret. It's just fine-tuning.

Jaunty Jalopies

Jaunty Jalopies are in the pipe. If your retailer does not carry Jaunty Jalopies, advise them that is available from Wizard's Attic. If they won't order it for you, click on our Ordering button, and we'll be happy to sell you a copy.

Millenium Wars

We are still in the production stage, and are likely to be there for about six more weeks. You CAN order the game, and even take advantage of a pre-order discount, through our online Shopping Cart. Check out the Ordering page for more information.

We expect to have the product in the pipe at the end of December, or perhaps January, if things go their usual catastrophic way...

November 7th, 2002:

Jaunty Jalopies

Finally! The Jaunty Jalopies games will begin shipping tomorrow, Friday, November 8th!

Trying to create product, especially product with the quality of Jaunty Jalopies, is rough when you are working full time. I have taken some much needed time away from work, and hope to use this constructively to bust out as much product as possible before resuming my occupational chores. Look for Millenium Wars before the end of the year!

For those of you who are looking for Jaunty Jalopies information, here's the direct link: Jaunty Jalopies Enjoy!

Millenium Wars

Millenium Wars is now in final playtest. The artwork is also nearing completion. It will release in the 4th Quarter of this year, but we're looking at or near the end of December. Keep your eyes peeled.

September 8th, 2002:

Jaunty Jalopies

We found a local printer who seems perfectly suited to us, and the job has been sent. We're now looking at a four week window before the product ships.

Millenium Wars

Millenium Wars is in final playtest and art mode. We're hoping to publish the Return to Iraq game before the actual impending conflict begins. (Boo!)

August 11th, 2002:

Jaunty Jalopies

The artwork has been finished for some time, but we are having a hell of a time trying to find a printer who can complete the job. I expect to have selected one in the next two weeks, and I'm allowing a four week production cycle, so we are looking at the beginning of fourth quarter. People who have made pre-orders, note that we have not deposited your checks nor run charges on your cards.

June 14th, 2002:

Jaunty Jalopies

I have posted some of the completed cards in the Jaunty Jalopies section of the Product section, along with a few more details about the game. We are seeking to release the game in mid-July.

April 25th, 2002:

Website

The SKU numbers for all products that are available have been updated. The new SKU numbers override any old ones for the same product, so please take note.

Playtest Groups

We are taking tentative solicitations for playtest groups for upcoming products. Specifically, we're looking to publish some miniatures products and need some energetic groups to try them on and see how well they fit. Please enquire with oss_submissions@yahoo.com.

March 23rd, 2002:

Jaunty Jalopies

We have completed the first leg of the artwork. It will be a month before that is complete.

We are also planning two expansion sets. Stay tuned.

Our current and imminent releases are:

Jaunty Jalopies captures the hi-jinks of a fictitious cross-country road race from the barnstorming days of the 20th century. It is a card game for two to five players. Jaunty Jalopies is the brain-child of Dan Verssen, designer of Modern Naval Battles, Hornet Leader, Seven Seas, Star Trek Collectable Dice Game, and a host of others.

Millenium Wars is a set of two-player wargames, each depicting a current military and political situation. The scale is operational to strategic. The first set of the series, Modern Six-Pack #1, includes the present conflict between Pakistan and India, a potential conflict with Iraq, and a possible failure in the truce between the Koreas. Millenium Wars is the product of the creative genius of Joseph Miranda, designer of over 70 published wargames and editor of Strategy and Tactics magazine.

Stay tuned, and hold onto your butts!

Copyright (c) 2006 - One Small Step