More PDF Downloads Available For You
9 months ago – Fri, Jul 21, 2023 at 03:44:23 PM

Hi All,

Letting you know there's a new drop of PDFs available for you to download! Use the same link to access your Backerkit profile:

https://rdpsyche.backerkit.com/

This time, you can download

• Lovecraftian & Noir (224 Cards)
• Sci Fi & Cyberpunk (224 Cards)
• Vikings & Clans (60 Cards)
• Epic Fantasy DARK (60 Cards)

Just like last time, each set is available in both BxW and color, and both versions are available in both letter and A4 sizes.

And, just like last time, if anyone has any problem accessing the PDFs, or if the links are faulty or weird, let me know. Last week, we had problems with the color Epic Fantasy links. I replaced all the Epic Fantasy uploads with new ones, labeled "Epic Fantasy 2". Then, we had problems with those. That should now be fixed, and Epic Fantasy 2 should be good to go for you to download in BxW or color, for letter or A4 paper sizes.

I'm out of town next week, so there won't be another content drop until the week after. The next drop of PDF content will be on Monday, July 31st.

I'm really excited to hear you guys are linking the content, and that it's immediately sparking ideas for characters and stories. That's exactly what it's meant for, and I say absolutely keep it up. Enjoy the new deck downloads, and let me know what you think of them in the comments.

Cheers,

Clark

New Digital Downloads Available!
9 months ago – Fri, Jul 14, 2023 at 10:04:37 AM

Hi All,

Good news - the first drop of PDF downloadable files are available on Backerkit! To get them, access your Backerkit profile using this link:

https://rdpsyche.backerkit.com/

If anyone has any trouble accessing the files, or if any of the files themselves aren't correctly matched with the right file name, please let me know right away and I'll address it.   

All sets are being made available in both color and BxW, and each of those is available in both letter and A4 paper sizes.

The color pdfs feature simplified, more graphic versions of the card face backgrounds that should look better coming out of a home printer. 

These simplified color versions won't save you any printer ink, however. I recommend choosing whichever version fits your preferences best, as far as aesthetics vs economy goes.

We've started first by adding color versions of the full Epic Fantasy Companion, the BxW versions of which were available as part of the original PDF offering. We've also separated the original, full Core Set download into two: there are "Core Cards" PDF files, and "Contemporary" PDF files, both in either color or BxW, in both paper sizes.

There are also PDF downloads available for the first time for the Core Set Expansion, and the full Horror and Urban Fantasy Companion Deck.

We'll be continuing to add sets, so expect more decks in PDF form to be added next week.

Let me know in the comments what you think of the color versions, and how you like the newly released content in the Core Set Expansion and the Horror & Urban Fantasy deck!

Cheers,

Clark

Mid July Progress
9 months ago – Wed, Jul 12, 2023 at 11:58:35 AM

Hi All,

Here’s a look at some recent progress.

PDF Downloads

We had another meeting over the weekend about the PDF downloadable versions. We did a thorough brief of what we needed to do production-wise, and the different deliverables we want in the end. We’ll be doing both BxW and color versions of each deck - you can decide for yourself which version works better for you and your home printing setup. The card face designs for the color PDF versions will be a more simplified and graphic take on the art in the final version. We’ll also be doing each version in both 8.5"x11” and A4 paper sizes, for both the US and international backers. The layout work is currently underway, and I should have finished versions of the Core Set, the Core Set Expansion, the Epic Fantasy Companion, and at least one additional 224 card Companion Deck for you by the end of the week. The Core Set and the Epic Fantasy Companion are already available in black & white - we'll have color versions of both of those. The Core Set Expansion and additional Companion Decks will be all new in both color and BxW. I’ll be posting them to Backerkit, and you’ll be able to log in to your pledge manager account, and download them from there.

I’m also going through all the recent comments, and trying to address some of the more pertinent ones here for everyone to see and benefit from. One of the requests that came out of the last update was for a clear breakdown of the progress on each item in the campaign. I think that’s a great idea, and I’m happy to lay it out for you. (I'm sorry the resolution on this spreadsheet image isn't great - I've tried a bunch of different ways to get KS to display this more clearly, but this seems to be the best I can get it to look.)

Design work on the Large Box has been waiting on the new 224 Card Companion packaging dimensions. Now that's complete, we can create an arrangement for the different sets, and configure the box around them. The design for it will consist of re-configuring several of the existing art assets, and we have designs in progress. Spot UV placement will be done once the design is locked in. Steve, the lead designer at Shuffled Ink, has just returned from a vacation, and now that he's back, we're starting in on this.

For the Anthology, the main body of the book is completely laid out. All the stories are complete and in place. I still have writing work to do on the foreword of the book, the copyright page, and the copy for the back cover. The art for the front and back covers is complete. I've continually been pushing anthology work in favor of working on the main production on the cards, and on fund raising. I'm using a separate vendor for the anthologies, and the production turnaround time for them is one-fifth of the time needed to print all the card sets. We were just looking at the anthology layout files up on the screen during our production meeting over the weekend, and I got really excited about it all over again. It looks fantastic. 

I'll be diving more into questions from the comments in short order. I'll also do another update in the next couple of days, letting you know when the first installment of PDF versions are up on Backerkit,  and instructions for how to download them. 

Talk to you in just a few!

Cheers,

Clark

End of June Update
10 months ago – Tue, Jun 27, 2023 at 11:41:14 AM

Hi All,

Here's another update for you! Things continue to move forward. Since the last update, the work on revising the packaging for the main seven companion decks is complete. Here’s a look at some of the results:

And, here’s the most thrilling thing ever, so prepare yourself:

We have new UPC symbols!

Turns out, I had ghetto bar codes. There are several online sources you can use to get UPC symbols from your products. But the best source is GS1, a non-profit, international organization that creates a prefix that is specific to your business. Using them is a much better way to ensure there aren’t shipping or scanning problems at home or internationally going forward. Well, get excited, because we now have the most luxe bar codes in international commerce!

With these new bar codes, there were small revisions to the package layouts to the Core Set, the Core Set Expansion, and the 60 card decks as well.

Here’s the good news about all of this: getting this additional round of revisions and fine tuning to the package designs done now means that once we can pull the trigger on printing, it will all be done already. Which prevents potential production slowdowns, since we’re addressing issues now and not during proofing and prototypes. With all this fine-detail attention being paid to the design files now, I’m hoping that will result in an extra smooth and speedy production process.

PDF Printable Files

I’ve seen comments asking about progress on the home printout PDF versions. I had said in a previous update that I was working with a new design group on the revisions to the Companion Deck packaging, and that once that work was complete, I was going to get them started on laying out and generating the pdfs. I had calls this weekend that got the work started, and it’s currently in progress. I’ll show you the results as soon as we have something, and once we do, they should be able to get set up for downloading more or less immediately. I plan to use Backerkit for this, just as I did for the initial BxW pdf downloads of the Core Set and the Epic Fantasy companions. If there’s anyone reading this who didn’t take advantage of these print & play versions, they’re still available to you - just sign back in to your Backerkit profile.

Change of Addresses

I’ve mentioned this before, but I want to make sure everyone it pertains to knows: I still have not locked addresses. I’m waiting until production begins. So, anyone who has moved since the initial Backerkit survey went out is free to sign back into their Backerkit profile and change their mailing address. Once it’s time to lock addresses, I will go back through all the Kickstarter DMs I've received regarding changes of address, and make sure the new address that was specified by these folks is their current mailing address in Backerkit. But there’s no need to depend on me to fix it for you, because you all still have access.

Production Update?

This I’m sure is the main question on everyone’s mind. Yes, there is movement, and things are looking very positive. I will say more once I have more specifics. Please know I’m working very hard at getting everything locked down, so I can give you clear & accurate information.

I also want to talk a sec about the time in-between project updates. Often, there’s a week or two where I’m feeling (and probably you are too) that a project update is due. Usually, if there's a delay in getting it out, it's because I’m waiting until a particular task or aspect of the project is complete, so I can report it finished and show you a look at the results. In the last update, I let you know about the re-sizing of the Companion Deck packaging, and showed off the new art. This time, we’ve been on the verge of wrapping that up and being done for a number of days, but there was always one more little thing to fix. Now, I can well and truly report that it’s in the ‘done’ column, and show you the finished files. Same goes for the PDF downloads - I wanted to have had the brief with the designers before doing the update, because saying they’ve been briefed & that the work is happening is much more substantial than saying “I’m totally gonna brief them soon”.

I hope to be in touch in the VERY near future with good news. Please try and hang in there just a bit longer.

Hope everyone’s summer is off to a good start.

Cheers,

Clark

Package Revisions, New Art, and Print Progress
11 months ago – Fri, May 19, 2023 at 02:16:56 PM

Hi All,

It’s been a very busy month. You’ve seen the prototypes for the Core Categories, and the Epic Fantasy and Horror & Urban Fantasy Companion Decks. I now also have (with a slight color improvement) prototypes for the Contemporary, Steampunk & Victorian, and Sci Fi & Cyberpunk Companions.

An unexpected Design Change

After getting the prototypes and having a conversation with the printer, it was clear I had to change the configuration of the packaging for the 224 card Companion Decks. The original concept for them was a square 2 piece box, and I made all 7 pieces of cover art to fit this configuration. However, the square wasn’t a perfect fit for the card count. There was too much room left in the box, and it would’ve cost more to create some kind of bumper on either side of the cards to keep them in place. So we pivoted to a tuck box that could be designed to fit the card count exactly. Problem is, the result was more of a rectangle, and so I needed to convert my square, 3-character cover images into rectangular compositions that would accommodate the logo and title information. So now, one character each for the top, front, and back panels. We’re busy finalizing the graphic design side of this, but here’s a look at the new final art:

Many of the characters needed areas of their bodies completed or filled in, and I pulled in project artist M. Wayne Miller to assist. In some instances, it also gave us the chance to give existing characters some upgrades:

For some of the characters from the 3-character compositions, I felt they just weren’t strong enough conceptually to stand completely on their own. So, they got replaced with all new, cooler-looking characters. I’m very happy with the results:

I want to mention that the new Companion Deck packaging will still feature spot UV.

I’m also working with a new design group that should be able to help me with any remaining layout tweaks, and also, with getting both the color and BxW home printer versions of the decks laid out and available for you. Up until now, the choice for me has been between working on the printable files, or continuing to drive the final project forward. Now, the design group can work on the the digital download versions while I continue to get the printed cards completed.

Reassurance

Here’s something I’d like to address. I’m still seeing comments that claim this project is dead, that I’ve lied to you, scammed you, or stolen your money. I want to make it clear in no uncertain terms that this is not the case. This is still very much a live project that I have every intention of fulfilling, and I’m working every day to move it closer to that goal. Though there are things about this that remain outside my control, I’m still striving for fulfillment to happen this summer. Please ask yourself: would I have spent the last month re-working 21 pieces of packaging art if my intention was to skate off with your money and not deliver? I’ve been forthright with you that there is indeed a funding gap. I’ve also let you know there is a solution: an interested investor, who's given me a clear goal regarding proving market viability. Work on that is going swiftly and successfully:  I’m out there promoting the product, and in response, I've gotten serious interest and excitement from college and university bookstore buyers and game retailers. As far as an availability date, I'm telling them the same timeline I’m telling you.  Meanwhile, calls and meetings with the printer are still happening. Designs are getting adjusted, and final costs and payment schedules are getting established. If you’re frustrated and impatient about the rate of progress, I understand, and I totally get it. But if you’re going to be frustrated, at least be frustrated about the right things. I’ve poured too much love, care, and creative energy into this project to even consider not seeing it through.

I’ll aim to update you again right after Memorial Day weekend.

Cheers,

Clark