BackerKit Surveys are live!
almost 3 years ago
– Fri, Jul 16, 2021 at 07:03:56 AM
Hi all -
We started the BackerKit smoke test last night and since we had no issues the surveys have been released to the remaining backers! While completing your survey you will have the chance to order add-ons and switch between tiers if you'd like. If you have any questions or issues don't hesitate to ask, and I will try to be prompt in responding.
In addition, along with the BackerKit surveys we have also launched a BackerKit pre-order store! If you are already a backer you probably won't need this, but if you are late to the party or have a friend who wants in, then this is a second chance to place new orders. The pre-order store can be found here.
Finally, while major updates will still be posted to Kickstarter, more frequent updates can be found on our Discord channel. This is a great place to see new art and work in progress, like this!
Hope to see you all soon, and thanks again for helping to make this project come to life!
- Matt
Post Campaign wrap up, BackerKit, Discord invites
almost 3 years ago
– Wed, Jun 30, 2021 at 05:40:04 AM
Hi all -
With the campaign officially over we are now transitioning to the post-campaign stage, and I wanted to give an update on how the campaign ended, our tentative timeline, and next steps.
Timeline
As mentioned in the campaign, our tentative timeline is to ship all physical and digital orders in approximately 1 year. So what happens between now and then?
Short Term
Kickstarter collects pledges and releases the funds. We pay BackerKit to get surveys sent out and the pre-order store opened (more on that below). We launch our discord (even more below). Sita and I generate an initial list of which leshy to include, working with the Design Tier backers on their choices as well.
Medium Term
We finalize just over 1 leshy a week for the next year. This includes turning sketches into full illustrations, tweaking stat blocks for balance in two different systems, ensuring the design meshes with the stats and that the book has a healthy spread of options. Illustrations and stat blocks are formatted for publication and everything gets heavily edited, then edited again.
Spring 2022
With most of the book finalized and the page count stable, we prep the book for publication. Samples are ordered from the printer, along with samples of the Bookmark and Sticker from their respective manufacturers. We get final weights and get ready to ship.
Summer 2022
A couple hundred books get shipped to me from the printer, packaged with any add-ons, then shipped to you!
Stretch goals
We managed to hit all but one stretch goal during the campaign. This unlocked:
- 10 heritages written by Linda Zayas-Palmer
- 5 additional Epic level leshy
- A digital compendium for use with virtual tabletops
- The Three-Leshy-in-a-Trenchcoat bookmark (one free per physical order + unlocked as an add-on)
- A die-cut leshy sticker (one free per physical order + unlocked as an add-on)
The only stretch goal we missed was to add an additional 10 leshy. We came really close, and immediately received an outpouring of support to try and get us over that last leg. As such, we are considering that goal reached as well, and will be including the 10 bonus leshy in the book! The book will now contain 65 leshy and 10 heritages, which we could not have done without your support!
BackerKit
Because of the swell of support we saw towards the end of the campaign, and the sheer number of backers, we will be utilizing BackerKit to manage post-campaign pledges. This is where you can select your ruleset of choice, purchase additional add-ons, or adjust your pledge. The store is in the final stages of prep right now, and will likely go out to backers late this week or early next week. Before BackerKit sends out surveys, Kickstarter first needs to finalize collecting pledges and release the funds. This might be slightly delayed as there are a few pledges with payment issues that Kickstarter is attempting to resolve. Once it does then everything should flow smoothly. BackerKit will then send out a "smoke test" inviting a small number of backers to complete their surveys as a test, before emailing the rest of you. Once you receive your email you will have a couple of weeks to respond, so keep an eye out!
Discord
Finally, we now have a discord channel! The server can be accessed here: https://discord.gg/a9aAnsqCqP
Updates will still be provided through Kickstarter and emails, so joining the server is not required. However, it will provide more frequent information, allow you to easily ask questions, and interact with other backers. The server is not exclusive to backers, so feel free to share the link around!
That is all for now! More updates will come as things progress and when the BackerKit emails are ready. In the meantime, take care, and thanks again for the support!
- Matt
Two more stretch goals down!
almost 3 years ago
– Sun, Jun 27, 2021 at 09:27:54 AM
New unlocks!
We have soared past both the 10k and 11k stretch goals in just the last 24 hours, which unlocks a bunch of new upgrades for the Bestiary. First, all physical orders will now receive a free bookmark, containing the stat block and illustration for Three-Leshy-in-a-Trenchcoat. These book marks are also now available as add-ons for physical orders for $2 each with no additional shipping cost. All orders - digital and physical - will also receive a digital copy of the bookmark.
Next, the 11k stretch goal adds 5 more leshy to book, all "epic" level creatures. While most leshy in the book will be low to moderate levels, these 5 will be much, much more powerful. Exact level/CR is still in the works, but will fall somewhere around an Ancient Dragon to Tarrasque. I'm pretty excited to work on them!
As always, thank you all for the support. I've always believed in this project but never imagined the outpouring of support and enthusiasm we would receive. With only 2.5 days left we are in the final stretch, and I'm excited to see how much further we can go!
- Matt
