Final Rules for Review, Box Insert Mock Up, and More!
about 6 years ago – Tue, Apr 03, 2018 at 08:59:46 PM

Hey Team,

I'm going to try to keep this update short, but that never really works out that way once I get going so we will see how I do. First and foremost, I want to acknowledge the unfortunate elephant in the room; it is officially April 2018 and we haven't gotten the game to you guys and gals yet.  I'm deeply sorry for the fact and profoundly appreciative of your patience in getting everything done so the game can be as high quality as possible.

2017 proved to have many more road blocks than we anticipated (both personally and professionally with the graphic design elements), and this greatly altered our timeline.  However, as Pantics pointed out in the last update, we have a very defined list of "last items" to clean up and get finalized, then all that's left is getting the actual games printed and shipped. To this end, I wanted to let you all know that we're looking into expedited shipping to shorten this lag between expected and actual delivery, and (assuming it is something we can afford) we will be doing whatever we can to speed it up.

I want to personally assure you that we're not pointlessly pursuing perfection or anything unattainable, we simply didn't account for some of the hold ups.  I would also like to thank so many of you for sharing the Shigeru Miyamoto quote, "A delayed game is eventually good, but a rushed game is forever bad." You patience and understanding really is quite amazing.

Thank you.

Rules for Review

While I'm in the process of thanking you for help, I would like to express just how deeply I appreciate all the help we've gotten on the proofing process from everyone.  It helps to have as many eyes as possible on things because no matter how much we look at things, we will always overlook something. (for example, the comments about the small text size in the last update was wonderful and we're working with our designer to get them all the right size for playability)

To that end, we have a big one for review here: the final rules.  This is where the real meat and potatoes of editing comes in and even though the three of us have looked at this until our eyes bled, I'm sure there are a million little things we've missed.

The rules are now posted on our Proofing drive for review. Click here to check them out and let us know about any edits, exclusions, or inclusions we may have over looked!

Because we're trying to get everything done as quickly as possible, we will be sending the final rules over to the designer for booklet creation this Saturday, April 7th, so if you're interested in helping, please provide your feedback before then either here in comments or on the Master Proofing File found here.

Insert Mockup

We also have the insert being actively worked on with the team over at AdMagic.  They are in the process of getting the official modeling ready so we can finally see them in real life.  I wanted to go ahead and show you guys the mockup that I created for them so you could get an early look at what the inside of the box might look like.

Each of these wells are designed to hold sleeved cards and a full set of expansions. Truth be told, I'm pretty excited about all this, but I do want to stress that this is purely my creation and I am not a 3D modeler or fabrication expert, so this is VERY subject to change based on the input from the factory.  That said, this fits all of the qualification I was hoping for: single box solution, easy to get what you need to play quickly, allows for sleeves, and built to protect the items contained therein.

Love to know what you think.

Thanks again for the support and patience. Let's get this behemoth over the finish line together!

Game On

Ben

March of the Wrathborne
about 6 years ago – Thu, Mar 08, 2018 at 12:12:30 AM

Good day, everyone, 

This is Pantics checking in on a much needed update. I am not as meme-savvy as Ben (or as verbose), but I am giving it my best try today!

First off, I am deeply sorry from the core of my being for our absence. Over the last few months, our small team has braved health and family emergencies, and just about every type of "real job" crisis. But this is how life is for all of us at some point, and we owe it to you to keep moving on this project with the utmost care and attention that your game deserves. 

I cannot change the past, but I can ensure a lapse never happens again. I hope with all my heart to regain any trust that has been lost along the way.

A Touch of Class

The team has gone through several rounds of revisions for the Class Cards. Considering that our Graphic Designer was given the monstrous task of overhauling every card layout, creating every icon, and finding an aesthetically pleasing home for every single asset, he's produced incredible results. We hope that you will be pleased with what we have so far. 

Advancing the Attack! 

There are still some minor tweaks and polishing to be done to these decks, but we hope seeing the transformations revitalizes your excitement and enthusiasm for a game that never had the chance of existing without you.

Here's a taste of the new Weapon deck.

Although our team will always have a soft spot for Ben's prototype style, we hope that the updated cards bring a well deserved polish to your Weapon Cards!

Rules are meant to be broken...

Ben, Casey, and I are revising the game rules to incorporate new features and ensure that all our language is clear and concise . I will post another update with the finalized language for your review. 

Next week our vigilant Graphic Designer will compile our final language into the quality designed rule book your game deserves. Jovial Games has done amazing work on this project, and I know you will be pleased with the book you all helped to bring to life!

Itemized Inventory

With a few minor exceptions, the Item Deck has also been overhauled!

Here's a taste of the new Fabled design, using some of our more powerful items.

Breaking the Mold?

Randover Games is working closely with our ever-patient manufacturer, Ad Magic, to finalize the custom plastic insert for Wrathborne Champions. This is uncharted design territory for our team, and our design might be as complicated as possible...

Our plastic insert will include separate compartments for each individual deck of cards, with enough allowance for sleeves. 

And in accordance with our promise for a one-box solution, your game box will store 12 individual weapon decks and class decks, with plenty of room for more Minions.

Let's Wrap This Up Already...

Last but not least for this now quite lengthy update is the Box Art! 

Our illustrator, Ruk Trumata, never disappoints, and we hope you are as pleased with his final art as much as we are. 

Our illustrator and graphic designer are working closely to solidify the overall box design, and we expect to have these assets finalized very soon. This is one of the last hurdles before we push CTRL-P. 

What's Left?

• There are some minor layout revisions to be done to the Minions of Wrath Miniboards. We are actively working on finalizing these assets and verifying that all of the game specs are up to day. (This will be it's own separate update)
• Rule revisions and rule book creation as mentioned way above.
• Custom Box Design confirmations with manufacturer.
• Layout and design of the game box/packaging.

On an extremely serious note, thank you for your understanding. Thank you for your patience. Thank you for your support. Thank you for being an amazing individual.

I welcome your comments, rants, criticisms, and anything else you'd like to share with us. Please feel free to message me via Kickstarter, or directly at [email protected] and I will get back to you as soon as possible.

Minion Mini Board Proofs and Metal Tokens are Here!
over 6 years ago – Wed, Jan 31, 2018 at 11:18:01 PM

Happy 2018 Team!

I hope this update finds you happy and healthy in the far flung year of 2018 (I feel like there should be some "World of Tomorrow" music inserted here). We have some great news on the progress of Wrathborne Champions, so lets jump right in!

Minion of Wrath Miniboard Proofs are in!

We just received our Minion of Wrath Miniboard proofs for publishing, and I wanted to get them up to you guys and gals ASAP. 

 

We have a few minor issues noted already, such as the Minion Level numbers not being centered and a few kerning issues, but I really wanted to get you guys the next proofing as soon as possible, so I decided to get these up and let us all look at them together.

Much like the last proofing set, you can leave all your comments and thoughts on the official Proofing File by clicking here.

Then, to see my responses and updates, you can check out the Master Proofing file to see what the response is by clicking here!

I would like to take a moment to give a huge thank you to those who have already spent the time to look over the files I previously provided. Getting through all these and not over looking things has proven to be a nearly impossible task for me and I truly appreciate it.  You guys and gals have caught some wonderful things and that is going to make the final product that much better.

Thank you.

Metal Tokens are Really Real!

Check it out!

We have received all of our metal tokens and I have to say that I'm honestly blown away by the quality.  They are sharp and clean with wonderful color depth and feel.  They are light enough to not dent a table but sturdy enough to really feel great (I mean, they are metal).

With the length of the development process being so long in my hopes to get everything right, it is a profoundly wonderful feeling to have these on hand and be so happy with the end result.  I honestly can not wait for each of you to get one of these tokens for yourselves; I really think you will be just as happy as I am with their quality.

Final Thoughts

I wish all of you a profoundly prosperous new year and I hope this update finds you well. I deeply appreciate both your patience as we continue finalizing our assets and your assistance in helping me find those things that need to be finalized.

You have all been amazing and your support means the world to me.  Thank you again for helping me make this dream a reality.

Game On

Ben

Happy Holidays, Bills Paid, and Proofing Time!
over 6 years ago – Fri, Dec 22, 2017 at 06:42:35 PM

Happy Holidays, Team!

I hope each and everyone one of you are doing amazingly this holiday season! 2017 has been a roller coaster of a year for the three of us at Randover Games. However, in spite of some bumps in the road over the summer and fall, I am beyond lucky at how the beginning and end of the year have come to pass.

We started 2017  off with you guys and gals making Wrathborne Champions a reality, pushing us well beyond our expectations and goal and into the remarkable land of stretch goals. As we move into 2018, we have wonderful progress to share on those stretch goals in addition to the manufacturing process in general.

I was hoping we could end the year on a high note and I am glad we are going to! So let's get to the news.

 

Proofing

Lets not bury the lead here, our next giant hurdle is getting all the files as perfect as possible and proofing is our last chance to catch any errors before we send everything off to the printer.  At long last, we have two of our largest populations back from the graphic designer and are ready for a bit of public proofing!

Start by checking the files out...

Click HERE for the folder that contains the items we have ready for proofing. You won't be able to edit them, but you should be able to access and look at them (please let me know if this isn't the case).

Once you've seen them...

You can add any notes or comments directly to our Backer Proof Input table HERE -or- you can grab a copy of our DOC Form HERE (if you don't know/like spreadsheets). If you do grab the DOC version, please click on the File Menu and select "Make a Copy", then hit "Done" so that you leave a clean copy for others to use!

Finally...

I will regularly use the DOCs and Input table to update a Master Table with your input.  This master table will include notes from us and from the graphic designer in addition to status on the issues so you can all know we're actively engaged on all of your concerns!

Check out the Master Table HERE!

As a quick note, please don't feel pressured to review these files; it is the holiday season and you should be having fun doing things you want to do!  If you just want to check out the cards and give them a look for your own curiosity, that's wonderful too and I highly encourage it but don't feel obligated to "work". That said, if you do wish to help out, we truly appreciate it.

Bill, Glorious Bills...

Normally, paying bills is a huge drag (truly the bane of most adults), but Wrathborne Champions bills are something else, entirely. These bills mark the significant progress made towards getting the final game (along with all the stretch goals and bonuses) into the hands of our backers!

We are happy to announce that we've finalized our bills for our both our Tokens and our full game manufacturing! Our partners at AdMagic and Eleven Metal have provided the complete invoices and the money is now out of our coffers and locked in!

What does this mean for you and us and the game? For us, it means we were able to get our finances in order prior to the calendar year ending (saving us from being hit with additional expenses that would cut into the Kickstarter Funds). For you and the game, this means we're locked in on a price and are able to use all of your support completely to make the game as good as it can be without any worry of unexpected expenses (such as the graphic delays) reducing the quality of the final product.

In short, getting these bills paid now means we will be able to fulfill our promise of make you guys and gals the high quality game we planned for, and that is a fantastic feeling.

Surprise Box Art!

First color render of the Wrathborne Champions box art!

There is more work to be done on this, and it certainly isn't final, but I love the work Ruk has done to bring the combat to life! 

Last but Certainly not Least...

Randar, Pantics, and I want to wish you the very best this holiday season.  We hope you are well, we hope you are having fun, and, most of all, we hope you are happy. Whether your preferred activity is a bustling house full of family and friends or a quiet night at home, we truly hope you spend the rest of 2017 as happy as can be.

Happy Holidays and Game On

Ben

New box art image draft and real live tokens!
over 6 years ago – Tue, Nov 07, 2017 at 03:34:06 PM

Hey Team!

Happy November everyone!  I hope this update finds you happy and healthy! Here is some news on Wrathbrone Champions!

Real Tokens are Real

So, I have the tokens in hand and they look absolutely amazing! I'm extremely impressed with how clean all the lines are and how precise our graphic designer's work is replicated in real metal. The special pewter coating combined with the darker underlay really makes it pop in hand and stand out against the tabletop.

Additionally, the tokens solid and sturdy without being overly heavy (thanks to the zinc core). This means that while it looks quite hefty, you shouldn't have to worry about it scratching up your tabletop as it gets passed from player to player. All in all, I'm extremely happy with the end results and cannot wait to get it out to our backers along side the games themselves!

New Box Art Draft!

Based in no small part on all of the amazing input from you guys and gals, we have decided to go with the "#3" options from the box art demos I presented on the last update! After some internal conversation and revisions with some input from others in the industry, we are moving forward with the following basic design!

Ignoring the placeholder tagline, I'm really happy with this direction and can't wait for Ruk to get it all colored up!  We've given him the go ahead to make this the cover art and he is hard at work making it a reality!

Proofing and Timing

Finally, we are actively working on the proofing process, however it is taking a bit longer than we anticipated.  While the number of edits so far have been a manageable amount (<100) working through them all is proving to be a time consuming process, both for Randover Games and our graphic designer. Because of this, we are going to shift our timings to be a little more proactive.

Instead of holding off until we have all of our internal proofs done, I'm going to be presenting them to our backers "as they are completed" to make sure any of you who want to be engaged in the process have the time to give it a look instead of dropping a giant amount on your laps and saying "2 weeks to print!" or something like that.  So, please keep an eye out for more common future updates with smaller bits of information presented.

Also, while I don't want to jinks us or anything, I think it is only responsible for me to be honest about our timing on the game and our original release schedule of April of next year.  To be blunt, the graphic work has taken far longer than I ever would have (or, in fact, did) predict.

This means, even at a good pace for the rest of the year, we will be running into Chinese New Year for our production timing. If this proves to be true, we could be looking at delays between 2-4 weeks just to get the manufacturing done that we didn't account for.  I predicted we would be spending that time with the product on the boat being shipped over, so it wouldn't be an issue, but at this point it is a very real possibility. 

So, while I don't want to call anything just yet, I wanted to warn everyone that it is certainly a possibility and while we will do everything in our power to avoid it, we could see a delay.  I really appreciate everyone's understanding if this does come to pass (but hopefully it won't).

So, with all of that said, Happy Holidays to everyone out there and I wish you and yours the very best as we move towards the end of the year.

Game On!

Ben