Charging Cards and Updated Timeline
over 2 years ago – Thu, Dec 02, 2021 at 01:51:58 AM

Hi All!

I know it’s been awhile since you’ve all received a solid update, and I apologize for that. Let me just say that the past 2 months have felt like being shot out of a cannon on a daily basis, and I’ve just been trying to maximize the results of the crazy times.

It hasn’t been all radio silence, though, because I’ve been communicating with a great many of you on an individual basis, trying to answer your questions, and iron out hiccups with the pledge manager. And I’m STILL deep into working on all of that, so if I haven't addressed your particular thing yet, please be assured that I for sure will.

48 Hour "Charging Cards" Heads Up

Today is December 1st, the day I put out there 2 months ago when the Pledge Manager opened that I would be locking completed orders and charging cards. I went to go and do that - and then Backerkit gave me an unexpected "48 hour alert" option, so I took it. For those of you who have made your add-on decisions and completed your surveys, I’m sure you will be happy to have this bit of bookkeeping completed.

But for those of you who have NOT finished the Pledge Manager, or who have alerted me to issues you’re having, DO NOT SWEAT IT. You don’t need to do anything - absolutely NO ONE will be locked out of the project. You’re all totally legit and deeply valued backers, and you can’t get kicked out or left behind. This round of locking down orders is only the first in what will likely be several rounds of charging cards.

If you’re a backer who’s got a question or a problem that I haven’t had the chance to address yet, my advice is SIT TIGHT, and let’s work on getting your issue fixed. I swear I’m doing my best to address each of your issues. If I haven’t solved your issue yet, feel free to send me another message via Kickstarter to remind me of what’s up (though some of you have already done this, and thanks for the reminder. You’re on my list, I promise.)

Updated Timeline

Several of you have been asking for an updated completion and fulfillment timeline, and I think that’s totally a fair question. Right now, I’m aiming for a February 2022 fulfillment. Why is this?

1. We had to change production course mid-way through this campaign to pivot away from the global shipping and fulfillment drama. The time spent exploring and solving the logistics of that cost art and production time.

2. The Pledge Manager. The set up of the Pledge Manager was a freaking BEAST. (Which PS included finding a workable shipping solution for literally EVERY PLACE IN THE ENTIRE WORLD.) And then, a lot of individual backer customer service on the back end. I will freely admit that so far, the PM is the one thing I truly underestimated in terms of the hours it would take to launch, troubleshoot, and maintain. The good news here is that with production moved to Orlando instead of China, The product (for US backers) ships out directly as soon as printing is complete. And for you International folks, your rewards will go direct from the printer to our fulfillment partners in your regions.

There is more I can tell you about progress on each individual component, and I will follow up with another Update. But the big headline is: the HORROR & URBAN FANTASY and STEAMPUNK & VICTORIAN Companion decks are complete and AT THE PRINTER, and the complete CORE SET and EPIC FANTASY, DYSTOPIAN & POST APOCALYPSE Companions are right behind them. Production is very much underway!

How the Deck Lineup Changed Since the Kickstarter
over 2 years ago – Mon, Oct 11, 2021 at 05:03:21 AM

Hi All!

Now that the Pledge Manager is up and running, several backers have inquired about the changes in the lineup from the Kickstarter campaign to the present. If you've been following along, the project Updates over the past year have outlined this entire evolution, during which many of you commented and offered constructive input along the way.

But for everyone else who had the gall to be out LIVING THIER LIVES instead of following each and every project update, I’d like to take you through the process.

The first interesting thing to note is that none of the changes to the deck lineup were done for budgetary reasons, as some have surmised. All of them were very organic, creative-content based decisions that came out of the evolution of the writing process.

The first change came when, in writing content for separate HORROR and URBAN FANTASY companions, I found the material was too redundant, and overlapped a lot. So, the two Companions were merged into one, to make the HORROR & URBAN FANTASY Companion.

This obviously created a hole that needed to be filled with content to replace it. First, this allowed me to bring the FAIRY TALES & FOLKLORE Mini Companion into the set, which was a stretch goal we didn't get to in the campaign that was clearly very popular with backers.

It also allowed me to introduce the EPIC FANTASY DARK Mini Companion. This one was was borne out of having too many good card options for the main EPIC FANTASY Companion. Rather than cut a bunch of great stuff, I created a new Mini Companion that grouped all the undead, demons, curses, and necromancy into one separate, self contained mini. It also allowed me to add 60 more cards of fantasy content, which I knew from experience was going to be very popular with both writers and role playing gamers.

Meanwhile, the writing for the originally planned PIRATES Mini Companion was proving to be just… meh. At this point, one thing I’d learned was that each one of the Companions were developing very powerful, distinct personalities. They were all VERY different from one another. And the PIRATES Mini just didn’t have that same pop. However, content relating to piracy, smuggling, and general illicit adventuring while operating out of a ship as a home base? All this had two other very obvious potential homes: SCI FI & CYBERPUNK, and STEAMPUNK & VICTORIAN. So both of these Companions inherited the existing pirate adventure content, which was split between the two of them. This also opened the door for both Companions to really expand their “underworld & outside the law” character & story possibilities, and become much stronger & dynamic sets because of it.

Last, the CONTEMPORARY: MATURE AUDIENCES Mini Companion also came out of the writing process. I found there was a not-small portion of cards in the CONTEMPORARY set that as really compelling and for sure dramatically legitimate, but also either pretty adult, or potentially really polarizing. These didn’t seem to me to belong in the flagship Core Set that could easily be purchased by 12 or 13 year olds in a game shop or a bookstore. PSYCHE is not for kids, but I never wanted it to exclude younger teens who otherwise might really grow their creativity, writing skills, or D&D adventures by using it. I’ve met a lot of parents at shows & conventions who love Reckless Deck for their young teens, but are concerned about content that might be too adult. In regular Reckless Deck, there are literally only 2 or 3 cards in the entire set that might be not kid-appropriate. But in this case, there were DOZENS. I didn’t want to tell those parents: “yup, there’s a TON of kid inappropriate material in here, and good luck finding it all, because it’s all over the place!” A separate mini that captured all of that intensity in one separate place seemed a good compromise for both the younger teens, and the adult users who really just aren’t into that style of character creating, and don’t want that content up in their face all the time.

Which Companions & Mini Decks are you most excited for? Sound off in the comments below!

Cheers,

Clark

Pledge Manager Upgrades & Fixes, Part 2
over 2 years ago – Thu, Oct 07, 2021 at 06:31:37 PM

Hi again!

Hope you saw the update from a couple of hours ago. The walkthroughs of how to switch into the CARDS ONLY pledge tier needed their own update, with its own easy to find heading. And, I didn't want the rest of this important and very cool information to get lost in the shuffle. Keep reading, cause this one's important - it could either improve your Pledge Manager experience, or even change your choices on things like coins or playmats.

Coin Choice Wonkiness

Some backers alerted me to the fact that there was some strangeness when it came to picking your choice of Steampunk & Sci Fi coins. Steampunk wasn't showing up, and the Sci Fi coin was appearing twice. We found the problem, and it's fixed. you might want to return to your Pledge Manager and check in on your coin choices -  especially if you wanted the Steampunk coin in Antiqued Silver.

Playmat & Mouse Pad Choice Wonkiness

Backers have also reported that the text options for playmat and mousepad options weren't aligning with the visuals. This is also fixed. Both the Passport Tier pledge questions for the playmats, and both the playmat and mouse pad add on options are now all in the same order as their pictures, consistent with their SKU names, and pretty easy to connect by name with the visual.

Improved Coin Images

Some backers have asked for images of each coin in the various color finishes. I was waiting for actual prototype photos before I posted images of the different finishes, but the number of requests led me to try some Photoshop magic with the 3D renders. Let me just say, the results are WAY better than I expected. So every coin now has an image of both sides in gold, silver, and copper, and the pledge questions for Passport tier holders now have corresponding images of the finish choices. I HIGHLY recommend you check them out - they may seriously influence your decisions about which coins you want in which finishes. Take a look:

A Sixth Playmat Option

I've added a sixth playmat and mouse pad design option to both the Pledge Manager and Pre-Order platforms. Why? Because I received a stunning piece of art at the 11th hour, and I want to make it available to you. In the last update, I showe'd you PANDORA'S BOX, by concept artist Lauren St Onge. I think this image is an absolute knockout, and ever since I received it, I’ve been lamenting that there isn’t a playmat or mouse pad option for it. After 3 days of that, I finally just said “f*ck it, I’m doing it!” So now, you can:

•  Add on the playmat or mouse pad version of Pandora's Box to your order, or, 
• If you’re a Passport Tier backer, you can easily revise your Pledge Manager to switch your playmat to the Pandora’s Box design if you like.

If you’re happy with the playmat choice you already made, you don’t need to do a thing. I realize that by adding this option, I’m riding the line between offering a cool opportunity and creating a bit of chaos. I felt the utter coolness of Lauren’s art was worth the risk. And, this is the last time I‘ll be introducing a new playmat or mouse pad image. Here are images of both the mouse pad and playmat layouts:

Thanks to everyone for all of your feedback, questions, and enthusiasm over these past few exciting days. And most of all, thanks for your patience, as I've continued to try and iron out some issues. Hopefully we're at the tail end of the troubleshooting, and you guys can enjoy a glitch-free Pledge Manager, and I can get back to finishing the art!

Let me know your thoughts (or any further problems) in the comments below!

Cheers,

Clark

How to Upgrade to the CARDS ONLY Pledge Tier
over 2 years ago – Thu, Oct 07, 2021 at 01:00:43 AM

Hi All!

I've been hard at work over the weekend trying to address your questions about and issues with the Pledge Manager. One question has come up a LOT:  Since I have re-opened the CARDS ONLY pledge tier, I've heard from a lot of backers who want to do it, but don't know how. Here's how you do it:

Upgrading Your Pledge to CARDS ONLY

• If you HAVEN'T completed your Pledge Manager yet:

1. Once you click GET STARTED, you'll see this screen. In the top left, you'll see your PLEDGE LEVEL. Click on that.

2. The next screen will be a pop up window with your pledge level. At the top right, you'll see a link that says SWITCH PLEDGE LEVELS? Click that.

3. This will bring you to a pop up window with both the CARDS ONLY and PASSPOER TIER 2.0 Pledge Levels as options to upgrade to. Choose CARDS ONLY (unless you want the Passport Tier.)

• If you've ALREADY COMPLETED your Pledge Manager, and want to change tiers:

1. Going back into your PM brings you to this screen. In the top right corner, you'll see a button that says EDIT YOUR ORDER. Click that.

2. The next screen will be your order confirmation page. In the top Left, you will see your PLEDGE LEVEL. Click that.

3.  The next screen will be the same pop up window with your pledge level as we saw in the first walkthrough. At the top right, you'll see a link that says SWITCH PLEDGE LEVELS? Click that. (That leads you to the same screen as the last screenshot of the previous walkthrough, where you can select CARDS ONLY or PASSPORT TIER 2.0.)

Just a reminder that changing your pledge to CARDS ONLY gets you this bundle at the backer price of $199, not the post-Kickstarter add on price of $245. And, by switching pledge levels, you won't receive duplicates of the Core Set, or any other items in your original pledge level. Then, you're free to go through and add on anything else you might want, like coins, playmats, or the like.

I'll tell you all the rest in an update immediately following this one.

Clark

Pledge Manager 2 Days In - Changes & Fixes, part 1
over 2 years ago – Wed, Oct 06, 2021 at 08:26:02 AM

Hi Everyone!

WOW, the Pledge Manager took off like a ROCKET! Thanks to all of you who dove right in. And I appreciate all of you who have been asking questions and alerting me to things that aren't clear or aren't working right. I know you all had to wait a long time to get this PM compared to other campaigns, and I love that you've all kept your enthusiasm high over the course of these months. Since the PM has now been open for a little more than two days, I wanted to check in and let you know what I've changed or fixed, and to address some common questions with all together.

The Return of CARDS ONLY

I got a lot of requests to make it possible to upgrade to the Cards Only pledge tier. So, by popular demand, CARDS ONLY is back, and available for you to switch into. And if you're not already in that or the Passport Tier, I'd recommend it, becasue the saving are CONSIDERABLE. As backers, you can still get it at the campaign price of $199. For non backers who pre-order, their price is $245. And they still save because the actual retail value of it is $277. So if you go from a bunch of individual add ons of this and that Companion to Cards Only, you're saving close to a hundred bucks. (And don't worry, Passport Tier backers - your backer savings is even steeper. Pre Order folks pay $379, and its retail value is $446.)

Digital Download Issues

A quick glance through the comments shows there have been some issues with people getting their print & play PDFs of the Core Set and the Epic Fantasy companion. Every backer who backed at the Core Set level and above is eligible to get them if you want them, and backers who backed at the $1, Coin Only, or Anthology Only who add on the Core Set can also get them - all they need to do is message me. After doing some troubleshooting, it looks like there is a place in Backerkit where I can manually disperse them, kind of like hitting refresh on your browser. I'm trying to do that once in the morning and once in the evening, just to make sure everyone gets theirs within a 12 hour window. So if you don't immediately see a link to download them, and then still dont get them in your inbox within 12 or 24 hours, just message me or leave a comment - I'll just email them to you, as I've already done many times for other backers.

There has been some confusion that the downloads are not the full versions of the Core Set and Epic Fantasy. Not true - they are the full versions. There have also been requests for digital only, with no physical purchase required. This is also totally an option, but you need to access the PRE-ORDER STORE to get them, and they're not free. If you're someone who wants the Download versions only without buying any of the physical decks, follow this link to the Pre Order Store:

https://rdpsyche.backerkit.com/hosted_preorders

Retailer Bundles

I also got requests from retailer backers to have a way to buy Companion Decks. I LOVE LOVE having retailers carrying my product, so I was all for this. I created Retailer Bundles of both the Core Set and Companions, availalbe to add on both the backer platform (for existing Retailer Backers) and in the Pre Order Store (for new retailers just jumping on board). The Core Set Bundle has 8 copies of the Core Set, and the Companion Deck Bundle gives you five copies of any one Companion Deck. You can add on as many different 5 copy bundles as you like. Sadly, mix-and-match bundles of five are not available.

More to say in another installment!

Clark