Let's Talk About That Last Update
about 2 years ago – Sun, Apr 17, 2022 at 05:57:36 PM

Hi All,

So, there was a lot of contention about my last update. I read through all your comments, and I have some points I think are important to address:

• First, there are no NFTs whatsoever involved in this Kickstarter. I am not trying to bait and switch you, or pull some kind of massive whammy that changes the physical decks you were promised into anything else.
  
• I am not trying to sell you anything. And, I'm not trying to pitch you on my next project before I deliver this one. I was letting you know that I got a new job, and that Reckless Deck had been acquired by a company that wants it to continue on, while offering you all some extra free perks, if you want them.
  
• HeroMaker Studios is a newly launched ENTERTAINMENT COMPANY.  Its primary focus will be DIGITAL COMICS. In working for them, I get to see Reckless Deck continue on and reach literally millions of people. Meanwhile, I still get to continue as the individual who shepherds Reckless Deck, and connects directly with creatives like yourselves to help make your art, stories, and gaming as amazing as possible. But now, I also get to help create all new comics characters, tell new stories, and shape a whole new comics universe. And yes, there is an NFT component to the company. I and the team of artists I now lead have been working hard to make some amazing looking art and characters for the first launch.
  
• Someone mentioned in the comments that "I failed to read the room". I think that's a fair assessment, actually. I'm well aware that NFTs are a contentious topic, and that people have strong feelings about the pros and cons of them. But yeah, I definitely did not expect the level of vitriol we saw on Monday. I'm aware there are drawbacks to NFTs. But I also see them as a way for more artists to be employed, well paid, and to have another avenue for selling their work. And, I think this is a way for digital art to finally have some of the same market value and "specialness" that original paintings or numbered prints do. As a working digital artist, this is something I and my colleagues have been talking about for literally years.
  
• We are 6 months past our initial projected delivery window. In the comments, there might have been some pretty wild exaggerations in the comments about how long it's been. (just sayin'.) Please try and keep in mind that we had COVID during this project, major worldwide supply chain issues, and that I'm one guy. I don't have full time employees, or a fully staffed game company - I've been transparent about that since the very beginning. Despite some delays, I, our designer Mary Ann, and our printers at Shuffled Ink are still working extremely hard to get you your rewards.
  
• Refunds are not being offered at this time. The money from your orders has long since been invested into the production of all the products. Please know that absolutely none of your project money went towards producing NFTs in any way. I would offer you refunds if I truly believed I was in over my head, or if the the project was seriously off the rails, and I seriously questioned my ability to complete the project. But everything is still well in hand, and  you will most definitely, without question be get your rewards as promised.

Stay tuned for the next update, which will IMMEDIATELY FOLLOW this one. This next one will be the update you really wanted, I think. I hope it gets you exited again, and maybe even earns back a little of your trust. 

If you made it all the way to the end, thanks for reading.

Clark

Big Announcement
about 2 years ago – Wed, Apr 13, 2022 at 12:13:10 AM

Hi friends!

In my last update, I hinted at something big in the works.

And then I went MIA.

I didn’t mean to keep you hanging. The specifics and scale of what I’ve been up to (and the NDAs) made it difficult to share more… until now.

I’m proud to have you be the first to know that RECKLESS DECK is becoming part of HeroMaker Studios.

This is a huge moment in my career as a creator. For the last five years, I’ve been a one-man show. It’s been challenging to keep all the plates spinning. With this acquisition, I now have the support of a broader ecosystem and a world-class team who can help make everyone’s experience better (including mine).

This is also a huge moment for our community. We now have what we always wanted: a dedicated place to gather, meet, and share ideas. A platform to create endless new characters and launch new stories. And a global community of creators, fans, and collectors to jam with.

Keep reading for more about HeroMaker Studios and how you, as my VIP, can plug in to the community at the ground floor.

ABOUT HEROMAKER STUDIOS

HeroMaker is a new Web3 comics and character ecosystem poised to take the industry into the metaverse with a creator-first community and economy. Very soon, on this platform, there will be the most robust character and avatar generator this side of the Omega Nebula, powered exclusively by RECKLESS DECK.

Here’s why all this matters to you in the long term:

•  Character Generation: For the first time, you’ll have access to visual character generation for your project or your vision. No specialty skills are needed other than your imagination.
   
•  Capabilities: If you want to make cool stuff and find new ways to express yourself, you need to be here. HeroMaker is a playground for creators who want access to the best tools, training, exposure, and expertise.
   
•  Customization: The tools and technology HeroMaker is building will let you spin up new avatars, new characters, new universes, and new storylines.
   
•  Community: You’ll be able to continue to level up your skills, engage in the Hall of Heroes forum, and meet with other professional and up-and-coming creators like you.
   

HeroMaker Studios knows who you are to me. As the year goes on, you’ll receive exclusive unlocks and access to new tools and functionality before the community hears about it.

For example: Before our Avatar Generator launches to the HeroMaker community, you’ll get exclusive access, and be the first to take it for a test drive. Stay tuned for more details and timing on this.

KUMITE: THE FIRST HEROMAKER RELEASE

HeroMaker Studios has officially launched its first character NFT series, KUMITE.

The project launches with 9,600 custom illustrated 2D NFTs, each genetically generated from a custom code set with over 240 different characteristics. It’s a massive undertaking – and here’s a “backstage” detail for you: every one of the KUMITE NFT characters is based on the RECKLESS DECK idea generating system.

Check out the official trailer below:

If you’re interested in checking out and collecting the NFTs, skip the line and join the allow list as my VIP here: https://herom.kr/allow

You can also start interacting with me and the HeroMaker Studios community on our Discord server over here:https://discord.gg/heromakerstudios

The world needs new stories and new heroes. Let’s bring them to life.

Stay Reckless,

Clark

P.S. In my next update, I’ll share a full PSYCHE production update, including an exclusive perk for you as thanks for being on this journey with me.

Big January Update
about 2 years ago – Tue, Feb 01, 2022 at 10:19:22 PM

Hi Friends!

I know many of you have been clamboring for an update, and you're right to do so.  There has been a great deal of progress on many fronts. That's one of the reasons you haven't heard from me until the end of this month - writing updates takes TIME. Time I've been choosing to spend completing art myself, and communicating with other artists, writers, and our printer in order to get this project ready to ship to you. We have a lot of ground to cover, so you might want to strap in.

PRINTING PROGRESS

Already In Progress. As you all should know, printing is already underway. Our friends at Shuffled Ink let us know early on that doing all the different components was going to take some time - which was a perfect opportunity to feed them finished sets while still working on the in-progress stuff, rather than having to deliver all the finished files at once. So yay them. I have already SEEN AND APPROVED the proofs for: HORROR & URBAN FANTASY, STEAMPUNK & VICTORIAN, DYSTOPIAN & POST APOCALYPSE, and the EPIC FANTASY Companion decks. I would imagine I should have photos to share of physical proofs for these in a couple of weeks.

On Its Way Out the Door. Due to a recent development (which we will discuss in a moment), the progress on remaining content is in overdrive, and a LOT of stuff will be on its way to the printer all at once, and in very short order. Cards are approved and the instructions are complete for the CORE SET. It, as well as the CORE SET EXPANSION, and Mini Companions FAIRY TALES & FOLKLORE, CONTEMPORARY: MATURE AUDIENCES and EPIC FANTASY DARK are all content approved and currently in layout. They should all be delivered to Shuffled to begin printing in the next 5 to 7 days.

What magical event has allowed us to hit the accelerator so hard, you ask?

 REINFORCEMENTS: ANTHOLOGY AUTHORS 

With so many dangling threads still in play, I recently put a call out to our Short Story Anthology authors to see if anyone wanted to jump on board to help write the remaining content. They had already proved themselves not only to be stellar writers with great knowledge of different genres, but also to be to be a charming and enthusiastic bunch who are a pleasure to work with. Boy Howdy did they answer, and they did -and continue to - KNOCK IT OUT OF THE PARK. 

Anthology author SJ Pendergraft wrote a haunting & gorgeous story titled "The Seventy Seventh Septimus". However, she was also a Second Lieutenant and Military Police Officer in the US Army, and she has stepped in and absolutely crushed it as a content provider/military & counterintelligence consultant for the ESPIONAGE & BLACK OPS Companion. She and I are finalizing content, and it should be ready to go to final proofread before the end of the work week. The cover art is already done, so it should be ready to begin  production on by early next week.

Author Lyndsay E Gilbert wrote our Anthology story "The Long Night of the Hair", but she sometimes writes Fairy Tale-style fiction. And lo, she almost single-handedly whipped the FAIRY TALES & FOLKLORE MINI COMPANION into completion. It's now in the card layout and final proofreading stage. And, she and authors Max Martelli, Ed Price, and Theodore Thompson are cranking out great content for the VIKINGS and TRIBAL AND NOMADIC Mini Companions. Once I combine and edit all their ideas on these sets, we will be at 100% CONTENT COMPLETE.

NEW ANTHOLOGY ARTIST

As much as I was so looking forward to the 14 interior black & white illustrations to accompany each of our Anthology stories, the time it's taken me to complete the Companion Deck cover art has made it clear I needed to pull in someone else to take those illustrations off my hands. I needed to take my ego and personal desire to do them out of the equation, and focus on getting you your decks as quickly as possible. And so I was able to sucure an absolute ringer for us: my friend and fellow illustrator REIKO MURAKAMI. 

Reiko has done work for Marvel, DC, Tor Books, and Wizards of the Coast (among others), and has been nominated for Chesley Awards multiple times. (And, she's part of our very excellent Providence-Boston figure drawing group, though sadly we haven't got to meet in a long time thanks to COVID.) She's a stellar artist, and I can't believe she was free to do this. I think her work is perfect for the Anthology illustrations, and that she'll make some stunning images to go with these stories. 

A LOOK AT NEW ART

And now, while all those completed decks begin production and Reiko is handling the Anthology art, I can focus on finishing the cover art for the last two Companion decks, SCI FI and LOVECRAFTIAN. I absolutely HATE sharing work in progress - I feel like it's that last 5 percent that really makes a piece shine - but you guys have been waiting a while to hear from me, and you deserve a reward for your patience. So, here is a look at the very close to done art for the SCI FI & CYBERPUNK Companion:

This series of seven covers is one of the things I've done that I'm most proud of as an illustrator, and I can't wait to show you the series of all of seven of them complete.

BIG NEWS ON THE HORIZON

Lastly, I want to close by leaving you hanging. Something VERY BIG has happened in my life and to Reckless Deck. But, I can't quite tell you about it yet. It involves a new chapter for me, a big leveling up for Reckless Deck, and a special invitation for all of you, to be part of this new thing that's happening. Expect a Project Update very soon specifically about this big news of mine.

Thanks for reading! 

Talk Soon,

Clark

Pre-Christmas Progress Breakdown
over 2 years ago – Thu, Dec 09, 2021 at 10:50:44 PM

 Annnd, we're back!

Now, let's take a look at all our various Kickstarter components, and track where they're at on the road to becoming reality.

THE CORE SET & COMPANIONS

This is where my main focus is right now - getting the Core Set and the 7 Comanion Decks complete and in the printer's hands. Here's where we stand:

Already off to the printer and in production (woot): 

• STEAMPUNK & VICTORIAN
• HORROR & URBAN FANTASY
• DYSTOPIAN & POST APOCALYPSE

And because I've hammered you already with a lot of talky talky, here's your full art reveal of the DYSTOPIAN & POST APOCALYPSE cover art!

I'm gonna cover why I really loved writing this set in particular in a future update, But let's get back to business:

Inches from the finish line:

• EPIC FANTASY
• THE CORE SET

The EPIC FANTASY Companion needs a) one last art beauty pass, and b) a final card proofread to catch any typos or grammar weirdnesses. It should be ready to hand off to the printer by the beginning of next week.

Both the card content and the final cover art for the CORE SET are good to go. It needs a final proofreading pass, and I need to finish writing the instruction booklet. After I do that one last thing, we'll hand off the Core Set to the guys at Shuffled Ink for production. 

Has finished art but content isn't final:

• ESPIONAGE & BLACK OPS

This is one of the sets that requires an extremely specialized knowledge base. Several people (including a couple of backers) with military experience have participated here and have added a TON of amazing content & verisimilitude. However, I'd still love to connect with more people with direct experience in government or counterintelligence.  BACKER CALL TO ACTION: If you know anyone who has this background, and think they might like to chat about their experiences & be a contributor, PLEASE put us in touch!

Has final content but still needs finished art:

• SCI FI & CYBERPUNK
• LOVECRAFTIAN & NOIR

I have a plan and I know where I'm going for both of these covers. I just need to rock out the final art. 

THE "TUCK BOX" COMPANIONS

I call them this because they include both the 60 card Mini Companions and the 100 card Core Expansion.

While I'm busy completing the finished art for the LOVECRAFT and SCI FI Companions, our designer Mary Ann and I are going to pivot to laying out the tuck box sets, and feed those to Shuffled.

Assets ready to go, just needs one last proofread and to get dropped into final layout:

• BLANK CARDS
• CONTEMPORARY: MATURE AUDIENCES
• EPIC FANTASY DARK
• CORE SET EXPANSION

Has finished art but content isn't final:

• VIKINGS
• FAIRY TALE & FOLKLORE

Two more "specialized knowledge base" sets. Vikings still needs a deeper dive, though so far, I'm excited about the balance between "historical realism" and "fantastic realism", where the Norse gods are actual characters, and intersect with (and interfere with) your characters' lives. And the Old Norse translations of certain things gives this set a huge personality all its own. FAIRY TALES, on the other hand, has way, way too much content, and needs a big, fat edit. 

Needs both final art and final content:

• TRIBAL & NOMADIC

This was always gonna be our problem child. I've taken my best "white guy first pass" at this, but it needs more serious input from either experts or first-hand indigenous people. I have feelers out to both Brown University and to the outreach offices for the tribal casinos in Connecticut. If there are any backers with knowledge of historical tribal life, or a with a background in cultural anthropology who would like to participate, Please comment! You guys were the ones who were really vocal about wanting this, and we discussed crowd-sourcing this during the campaign. If you're interested in contributing to this one, please comment or message me. This set has to meet a standard that none of the other decks need to live up to. I will do this one right or not at all, and since I've already promised I'd do it, I guess I better stick the landing.

We'll cover the coins, the anthology, the playmats, the dividers, and the Hold Everything Box in a separate Update - but I can tell you the short version is, all of these are in good shape. OK WHEW, that was a lot of info, and thanks for sticking with me. Here's some rewards for your time and focus! First: the art for ESPIONAGE & BLACK OPS. You can see it in the Pledge Manager, but I'm pretty sure I never posted it in an update:

This one was SUPER fun to do, and I'm really happy with it! Hope you are, too.

And lastly, here's a link to a podcast called THE ARTIST APPEALS, where I talk to host Erin Sparler, and we talk about fitting both Reckless Deck and PSYCHE into her extremely effective system for bringing artistic endeavors into successful commercial ventures:

 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oX7KNqqejfs&t=1s 

Woo what a day for info dumping! More soon.

Clark

Cards Charged & Next Steps
over 2 years ago – Thu, Dec 09, 2021 at 05:22:19 PM

Hi All!

I've got a lot to report, so I'm going to do it in two parts. First, we've hit another milestone, and we should take a sec to take a closer look at it.

First Pass at Charging Cards 

In case you missed it Tuesday, I charged the cards for the Pledge Manager. I had said I was going to do it on the first of December, but  some backers had made special requests regarding charging cards, and I needed to have a meeting with my rep at Backerkit before I could proceed. Brandon and I had our meeting yesterday, I got the info I needed, and we pulled the trigger. Several of you reached out to say thanks, happy to have that bit of business sealed and done, which I appreciated. On the other hand, some others of you seem scandalized and angry about it, which I don't get. Each of you chose to back this project, and then filled out your survey. I was clear from the day the PM launched that I'd be charging cards on 12/1, and I've repeated that several times in project updated and in the comments section (and I just explained about the reason for the extra week.) Charging the cards for add ons & shipping is a totally normal and necessary part of any crowdfunding project, so if for some reason it looks or feels like I'm scamming you in some way, that's simply not the case.

If Your Card didn't Go Through

There was a high percentage of completed surveys, which was awesome. I now only have a small amount of backers I need to chase down. There were also quite a few declined cards, which I wasn't surprised about. If it were my card, it probably would have been declined too, so you know, no shame. If youre one of those people, totally don't sweat it. I realize it's been a hell of a year, and that it's the holidays. I won't make another pass at charging cards again until after the holidays are over. Brandon assured me we can continue to attempt to close surveys & charge cards right up to when fulfillment is about to start, so if some of you need time to get your finances back in shape post-holidays, that shouldn't be a problem. Just continue to ride along with the project -  read the updates as normal, participate in the comments, and ask me questions. I'm still thrilled to have you on board even if your credit card is temporarily shot, and we'll get you sorted out eventually.

Locking Addresses

I'm going to lock addresses tomorrow, 12/10. If any of you still need to update your address again since you completed your survey, send me a message on Kickstarter with the updated address today, and I will update it manually for you an my end. If, after I lock addresses, you STILL need an address update, that is also possible, and we'll take care of it. So don't panic.

If anyone has any questions about any of this, say something in the comments, or message me on Kickstarter.

And, in just a little bit, I'm gonna send you a second update, in which we'll do a breakdown of where we stand in the production process for each of our components. Talk again shortly!

Clark