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hrothgarshoard · 4 years

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The Hoard #1

August 17, 2020

Welcome to the newest installment of Hrothgar's Hoard's newsletter. In many ways this is the first newsletter. I've never used my email particularly well or regularly over the years, but new times have forced certain changes. What I hope to accomplish with this newsletter is to keep you up to date on what is going on with the Hoard, including any news on Kickstarter Projects, show schedules, promotions, or just things I find interesting in the industry. I hope that you will find this helpful, and will strive to send out two newsletters a month. You may unscubscribe at any time by clicking on the link at the bottom of the page.

Kickstarter News

Our latest Kickstarter project ended with over $12,000 being raised for these great new spell and ability tracking cards. We had a lot of great input from backers on designs for different classes and the offerings expanded greatly from the original 11 class cards. We are now in the production and fullfillment stage. I'm getting about 30-50 cards processed a day and this should be completely fulfilled by October. If you missed this, or think a friend might be interested in it, you can still get in through pre-orders by going here:

LINK

Convention Schedule

Normally at this time, I would have recently returned from Gen Con, exhausted and cranky, easily my biggest show of the year. But 2020 has thrown a wrench into the machinery. All my shows this year have been cancelled, with the possible exception of a local Christmas crafting bazaar I usually go to just because I can support the community. This hiatus has made me do some severe soul searching on how I will approach conventions in the future. I'll talk more about that in other newsletters, but one of the big questions I have is how many people would be willing to exchange some time working in a booth at conventions for compensation in some form. At many conventions, I'm all by myself and could use help. I've put together a very brief survey that asks some basic questions and I'd appreciate some feedback. If you would have any interest in being a boothling for the Hoard, please take this quick survey: LINK Upcoming shows: Well, none really. I'm crossing my fingers for OhayoCon in Columbus in January, but haven't heard anything one way or the other yet.

Personal News

I'm not going to bore everyone with a lot of news from my personal life, but since you signed up to get this, I figure you might be at least mildly interested in what goes on behind the scenes at the Hoard. So here are a few things that are going on in the world of Hrothgar:

I got to spend this summer with my eldest daughter as an official employee. I've never made my kids work for my business (outside of assisting at GenCon), but she was home from college and couldn't find a job in the market this year. I hired her on and taught her a little cabinetry, how to use the major tools and how to finish products. She has a great eye for detail and quickly became better than me at the finishing process.

My youngest daughter, who is only 17, achieved one of her big goals this year. She wants to be an author and had as a goal to be published in a real literary journal before she was 18. She accomplished this with her short story titled "Kerman". If interested, you can read it starting on page 76 here: LINK

This year has offered me the opportunity to take stock of a lot of things. We are all pretty much resigned to staying at home as much as possible, so I've had some extra time on my hands. One of the things that I've done is signed up for a year's membership for Creative Live. If you aren't familiar with it, it is basically a library of self improvement classes focused on creators, artists and small business people. Whenever I have downtime, I've had a class going. I did one on product photography, a couple on general marketing, and even one on boudoir photography, because why not? So this newsletter is actually the first step in re-positioning my business to take better advantage of a market that is moving more and more online. Marketing has never come easily to me. I'm hoping that by taking these courses, I can find a marketing method which is beneficial to both me and you.

Promotions Currently, I'm not running any sales or doing any promotions. I'm focusing on the Kickstarter and getting that out as soon as possible. If you want to get in on that, click the button below to get into the Pre-order store. Just be advised that shipping on this will likely be in September/October. If you are looking for a non-character card item, please visit my online store at Etsy.

I am working on an event that I hope to hold in the fall, so keep an eye out for information on that.

I am currently using Etsy as my storefront. Take a look around there by clicking here:

LINK

#kickstarter #gencon #ohayocon #creative live #etsy #etsystore

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hrothgarshoard · 7 years

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Kickstarter projects backed

On my web page, over the years I’ve listed several projects that I’ve backed on Kickstarter. It was a clunky part of the page that didn’t really look all that attractive, even if the information in it reflected my personal views on several projects. So, I decided today to move that information here to my blog where I would add more kickstarter projects that I back as new entries. My hope is that it will be a little more organized and easier for people to find.

So, without further ado, here is just a copy/paste of the projects I’ve backed in the past.

SHROUD OF THE AVATAR

Pledge amount: $30

Pledge Reward: Early Alpha access and digital download

Estimated Delivery: Oct. 2014

Actual Delivery: Unknown

I backed this project because I grew up playing the Ultima series. I spend many a night at college going through Ultimas 4 and 5 (not sure if I ever finished them) and played Ultima Online for years. I backed this mostly for nostalgic reasons, but also in the hope that I could play in the Ultima universe again. However, since I only pledged at the digital download level, I have not been able to play. I live in the boondocks and do not have a connection reliable enough to download or play the game.

So, while I put the blame of not doing much with this project on myself, reading through the comments on kickstarter makes me believe that there are many others dissatisfied with the project. From physical rewards not having shipped a year and a half after the project ended, to graphic engines that look extremely old, this doesn't look like it measures up to the previous Ultima standards. Too bad, because Ultima was one of the games that brought FRP into the digital world.

2/10/17 EDIT: I recently talked to a friend who also backed this project. He plays the game on a daily basis and has very positive things to say about it. If and when I ever get a reliable internet connection, I may revisit this.

DWARVEN FORGE GAME TILES

Pledge amount: $305

Pledge Reward: 5 tile sets

Estimated Delivery: Oct. 2013

Actual Delivery: Probably Oct. 2013

If you haven't heard of Dwarven Forge by now, and you are into RPGs, you really need to check them out. Stefan Pokorny has launched multiple projects of miniature terrain made from his company design of "Dwarvenite." They are nearly indestructible and modular, so you can pretty much use them in any dungeon setting.

I will put one thing that should be obvious out there, though. Miniature terrain is great. BUT you must USE them! I got my shipment in, painted them up and then let them sit for probably 6 months before I actually worked on a dungeon. Once I did, they added a great level of visualization to the game, but I was stuck in my old battlemat and markers mentality and it took me far too long to start using them.

I am very satisfied with the quality of the product and its usability.

2/10/17 UPDATE: Honestly, I use this product less and less. It has nothing to do with the quality of the product, but more to do with me buying a 3d printer and printing my own dungeon tiles. More on that in a future post.

ST. FRANCIS IN ROME - THE RESTORATION

Pledge amount: $1

Pledge Reward: eternal salvation?

Estimated Delivery: not for a long time, I hope

Actual Delivery: I'm not quite dead yet.

This was a project that I backed for a dollar just because I wanted to help spread the word. I did my graduate work in Medieval History, so when I saw this project, I just had to be a part of it, even if it was a very small part.

The monks raised $130,000 to restore St. Francis's cell, and this past June it was reopened to the public. An official ceremony will be held in October. Take a look here for their latest update. https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/671087979/st-francis-in-rome-the-restoration/posts/1307245 I'm glad that this project was successful and completed through Kickstarter.

REAPER MINIATURES BONES II: THE RETURN OF MR. BONES

Pledge amount: $255

Pledge Reward: Core Set plus extras

Estimated Delivery: Oct. 2014

Actual Delivery: around the same time

I missed the first Bones campaign and was thrilled to get in on the second. I got the core set, plus several other sets. In all, I'm pretty sure I ended up paying less than $1 per mini and that included a few dragons and giants in the mix.

Overall, I'm very pleased with this campaign. The mini quality isn't great and with some of the minis they tried to put too much detail into a plastic mini, making it nearly impossible (for me) to paint. I've since bought an air brush and tons of paint, so I'll be busy for some time to come. I'd back them again in an instant, even though it would mean more minis that may never get painted.

Update 2/10/17: I’ve actually sold off most of these minis over the past couple years. I just don’t have the time or eyesight to paint these, so I’ve kept a few for my own campaign and have sold many of the rest off at cons. I still think that this was an amazing deal and a great product, and I’ll very likely support them again in the future. I just need to know my own time limitations and plan accordingly.

CUSTOM CHAINMAIL DICE BAGS BY VITALITY HANDMADE DESIGNS

Pledge amount: $60

Pledge Reward: Small Combo #1

Estimated Delivery: April 2014

Actual Delivery: June 2014

This project came out when chainmail accessories was beginning to become very common. My daughter has a summer birthday and I thought I'd get one of these as a gift for her. They arrived in June, so I was actually able to give it to her on time. I got one for each of my daughters

The quality is good and they get used. I can't help but think that $30 is a bit pricey for a dice bag. Still, I know it took a lot of work to accomplish and I wouldn't have been able to make it myself. If you want a dice bag, this is a good product.

2/10/17 UPDATE: My kids still use these bags, so I really have no complaint about this project. $30 may still be on the pricey end, but they have lasted well, my kids still use them and they show no signs of degrading. Overall a good project.

RHYTHM METAL DICE

Pledge amount: $17

Pledge Reward: d8 in brass

Estimated Delivery: July 2014

Actual Delivery: Still waiting

This was a project where I honestly don't know why I backed. I think it was because I wanted to get some metal dice. I had backed another project and pulled out of it because the creator was doing a poor job at backer communication. I became convinced that they didn't know what they were doing and backed out.

The Rhythm Metal Dice weren't overly attractive to me...they are just too complicated of a design. And $17 for a single die was overpaying pure and simple. So I just don't know why I backed this.

As of 11/2015, the dice still have not been delivered. There have been very few project updates. One did come in late Nov. 2015, but it was largely undecipherable. I couldn't figure out if they had the product in, what the shipping status was or what their plan forward was. I expect that this is $17 completely wasted.

2/10/17 UPDATE: There has not been an update in the past year. Fuck these guys.

HERO FORGE: CUSTOMIZABLE 3D PRINTED TABLETOP MINIS

Pledge amount: $60

Pledge Reward: 2 custom minis

Estimated Delivery: Oct. 2014

Actual Delivery: early 2015

This is one of those projects that is a great concept, but may not be the best for normal use. The Hero Forge software is actually very good and easy to use. The combinations available in faces, body types, poses, equipment, etc. really let you create a one of a kind miniature. As far as this part of the figure goes, it is great.

I bought one for each of my daughters for them to configure as they wished. Once they got around to doing it (which was a long time), they submitted the order and the minis arrived within about 3 days. GREAT!

One week later a dejected teenager hands me her mini in 3 pieces. She hadn't even gotten around to playing a game with it yet, but the staff had broken, as had the mini right at the ankles. A close inspection of the break revealed that the mini was printed hollow instead of solid. So in the particular pose that it was designed in, there was virtually no support for the mini at the ankle area.

I contacted Hero Forge and they immediately agreed to replace it which was good. But they also told me that this type of thing was common and that a little superglue was the best solution. This response troubled me a little. If they were having that type of issue with the printed minis, then it tells me that they either need to print the minis solid, adjust the programming so it happens less often, or both. "Superglue" shouldn't be a customer service option when dealing with minis.

2/10/17 UPDATE: I see people asking on boards every now and then about this product and the responses are generally positive, so I am willing to accept that they may have improved their product reliability. I hope this is the case because it really is a great concept. I sincerely hope they succeed as a company.

RAVENFELL 28MM FANTASY VILLAGE

Pledge amount: $1

Pledge Reward: Troll outhouse

Estimated Delivery: April 2014

Actual Delivery: April 2014

Tom Tullius at Fat Dragon Games makes gaming terrain that you can print out on your printer, fold on the dotted line and BOOM you have yourself some 3D terrain. This is a low cost alternative to the Dwarven Forge game tiles and other terrain solution.

I backed this because I liked the idea, but I honestly just didn't think I'd use it enough to make it worth my while. Tom is a very nice guy though and if you are into paper terrain, his line of products is outstanding. I'd highly recommend even though I didn't pledge for a large amount.

TOME OF HORRORS COMPLETE II

Pledge amount: $25

Pledge Reward: 3 minis cast in metal

Estimated Delivery: Dec 2014

Actual Delivery: Company bankrupt.

I backed this one in part because the project creator and I started talks on me providing cases for his line of miniatures. He had great plans for expansion, had run some other projects and it looked like it would be a good collaboration.

Well, his business went belly up, and fiasco ensued. The creator refused (probably on advice from his lawyer) to answer any questions/emails. I'm sure that there are legal actions in the works. What mucked things up even more is that Center Stage Miniatures got a license from Frog God Games to make their minis based on their (FGG's) book. Now, I don't know if the involvement went deeper than this and FGG was one of the creditors involved or what, but I found out today (Nov. 2015) that FGG has offered to give backers a dollar for dollar credit to backers of this project to use in their pdf store. Very cool of Frog God Games. I'm in the process of trying to claim this. Frog God Games puts out some good stuff.

2/10/17 UPDATE: I’m just adding this because I want to state how great FGG was to work with in this fiasco. They had no legal obligation to do what they did, but gave credit for their own product. I ended up getting a few .pdf modules. I’m not a big .pdf fan, but considering the situation, I felt it was more than fair. Kudos to FGG!

SAVING THROW: AN INSTRUCTIONAL WEB SERIES ABOUT RPGS

Pledge amount: $15

Pledge Reward: pdf of module

Estimated Delivery: June 2014

Actual Delivery: A little late, but not bad.

This project caught my eye because of its originality. They were proposing a web series where they would teach people how to play games. They also made a fun little spoof video that was fairly well made.

I'll be honest that I've never really even looked at the pdf module. I don't know what the content is or how good it was. That wasn't the reason I supported them. I just wanted to give a little something to promote a project that I thought was a good idea.

The video series itself was good, if a little basic (and had a little bad acting in it.) They did a multipart series on how to play Pathfinder. I'm an old-school D&D guy, so Pathfinder never really appealed to me and since there is a lot of overlap, I can't say that I was terribly interested in it. All the same, great concept and a good all-around series.

Saving Throw has also gone on to produce a bi-weekly series where they film a 5E D&D game being played. Now known as "Barky's Brigade", the series is well done. The adventures are well planned and (mostly) well DMed, the characters do a good job of acting in character, and I think everyone: players and viewers, have a good time with the show. If you haven't seen this, go to youtube and search for Barky's Brigade.

2/10/17 UPDATE: I’m pleased to see that the Twitch TV channel that Saving Throw has produced is growing and has regular programming on most every day. One of these days, I’m going to solve my internet problems so I can actually watch these live.

DWARVEN FORGE: CAVERNS GAME TILES

Pledge amount: Trade

Pledge Reward:

Estimated Delivery: April 2014

Actual Delivery: April 2014

This wasn't so much a pledge as a trade. I had exchanged emails with Stefan Pokorny and traded him several cases and dice towers for a set of the Cavern game tiles.

I found these tiles far superior to the dungeon tiles. The craftsmanship of the tiles were much more detailed. As much as I liked the dungeon tiles, these looked and felt better and were more true to gaming situations.

My only complaints with either of these gaming tiles is that they are a little heavy, and that they don't join together well. I'd like some sort of peg system to join the tiles together and may end up drilling inserts for metal pins between the tiles. This, however will take quite some time.

The only other thing I have an issue with (and this is true with all dungeon tiles I've seen so far) is that the walls of the tile take up 1/4 of the tile. When you lay a room out, a 20x20 room all of a sudden is only 15x15 because part of the tile is taken up by walls. I have not seen a solution to this yet.

2/10/17 update: Ok...there is now a solution to the above problem, but it involves a different product line from a different company. I still like Dwarven Forge items, but am slow migrating to the other solution.

ENEMY OF MAN: FEATURE FILM

Pledge amount: $15

Pledge Reward: Film and Script

Estimated Delivery: April 2014

Actual Delivery: Not yet filmed

MacBeth is my favorite Shakespearian play. In college, a friend and I (for a class on Shakespeare) enacted the final fight scene between MacBeth and MacDuff complete with choreography taken from Return of the Jedi, Ladyhawke, and The Princess Bride. I got an A in that class.

So when I saw a movie production on KS that was to feature this play and have some pretty darn good British actors lined up including Sean Bean, one of my favorite actors, I was down for it.

But, this seems to be another one of those productions doomed to go nowhere. The last update was in May 2015 with basically no news. I think this is another case of money thrown down the tubes.

TABLE TITANS VOLUME 1

Pledge amount: $30

Pledge Reward: Regular edition hardback

Estimated Delivery: Sept. 2014

Actual Delivery:Over a year overdue

I've read Scott Kurtz's PVP comic strip for years...over a decade in fact. He was an early pioneer in gaming comics online. His work is generally good and he gets involved with his community.

But Scott fucked up big time on this project. He was publishing a book of a comic already completed and published online. This was something that could easily have been completed by his 2014 delivery date. But he kept adding things that half his backers didn't pledge for and pushed back his delivery schedule time and again. The comic that he is producing now has been out for 2 years. His communication on KS has been abysmal and frankly he doesn't seem to give a damn that he is so far behind schedule anymore.

He claims books are now in the USA and will be out soon.

But you know what? Fuck Scott Kurtz. Fuck PVP, and Fuck Table Titans. I haven't read his strip in 6 months and probably never will again. Do yourself a favor and avoid Scott Kurtz like the plague.

2/10/17 update: OK...I did eventually receive my pledge reward. I sold it. I sold it quick and I doubt if I made any money on it. Fuck this project. I have no words on how disappointed I was with this. I feel better about the projects that have never delivered that I do with this one.

this concludes this post. I have actually backed several other projects which I will soon get to reviewing. I would like to do more reviews in general, so take a look and help spread the word

#ultima #dwarven forge #reaper #heroforge #saving throw #table titans

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hrothgarshoard · 8 years

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I am Neegan...and you should be too!

That’s right. I’m Neegan. I’m the sadistic big bad that just killed off two beloved (OK...only one beloved) characters on The Walking Dead. I took a bat to their heads and didn’t shed a tear when they breathed their last. I really didn’t. Their deaths were not only deserved, but they were long overdue.

And the thing is, you should be Neegan too. Don’t waste your tears on this band of adventurers who have wreaked havoc in the South for 5 years now. They’ve had too many chances and they should all be put to the club. Really.

Now, before you get too mad at me, let me say that I’ve played D&D since the late 70s. I’ve been the DM most of that time. It is a game, but a game that teaches basic group survival and tactics for the adventuring party to survive in a hostile world.

Sound familiar?

The Walking Dead is basically D&D in the post-modern era. You have to manage a group of adventurers, find weapons, find ways to survive, build a base camp, etc. If you don’t do things correctly, there is a good chance your character will die. And he should die. Dumb warrior charges into a hoard of orcs by himself, and he SHOULD die.

But the crew from The Walking Dead have been doing dumb stuff for years and they get away with it. Some weeks it seems like the writers are saying, “lets see how dumb we can make this character be this week.” They usually survive no matter how dumb they are, but occasionally they die.

But never all of them. And lets face it, they all should be dead, dead, dead by now. And we should applaud the writers for this.

Just stick a fork in them already.

Now, how can I say this? What makes this particular group of adventurers especially worthy of a TPK? Ahhh....let me count the ways.

1. Rule #1 of any adventuring crew: Never split the party.

Yet, on a weekly basis, we see one member of the party decide to go off on their own. Members that SHOULD know better. Rick has done it and he is supposed to be the leader. Carl, Daryl, Beth, the chick that Carl is hot on, Sasha....heck, has ANYONE in the cast not at some point decided not to do? Even characters who clearly have no business being out on their own decide to go out from some dumb reason. NEVER SPLIT THE PARTY.

2. But the crew is awfully big, right? So it doesn’t make sense to only have the full force go out all the time. Right? So set up a logical rotation for runs, for basic tactics, for anytime the front gate is opened. There should be a minimum of four people grouped together at a time. Each group trains as a unit. You have (had) an army guy in your group and a former law enforcement. Both should be schooled in basic (or advanced) small group tactics. Yet there is precious little evidence that any tactics are actually employed in raids. Get your battle tactics in place before going into dangerous situations!

3. Weapon/Armor selection

Most of the primaries are trained with guns, which is good. Many have knives. This is also good. Most also have machetes. 2 questions on this one....1st. Where did everyone get these machetes? Was Walmart overstocked? 2nd: have you ever actually tried to swing a machete? This is an awkward weapon at best and I would strongly suspect that it would have a tendency to get stuck in bone. Hunting knives make much more sense.

But my primary complaint here is the lack of armor. Every time they go out to take on Walkers, it is like they are getting ready to go to the beach. short sleeves, maybe jeans. And armor against these zombies would be so easy to use/make. Stop by a sporting goods store and get some catcher/football/hockey pads. Easy to move in and I doubt if all the sports gear has been raided by others. Can’t find that? How about some coat-hangers and turn it into a nice set of chain-mail armor? Ya, it is going to need repaired after every battle, but I’m guessing that walkers can’t bite through steel. None of that available? How about some duct-tape armor? Duct tape fixes everything. Building a durable suit of duct tape armor wouldn’t be too hard and will save your life.

Oh...and helmets. Put on a frickin’ helmet already. They can’t bite you in the face if they can’t get to your face.

Seriously.

4. KEEP YOUR CLERICS SAFE.

You are in zombie land. All sorts of bad stuff goes wrong all the time. Only a few people left have appropriate medical knowledge. Those people do NOT get to go wandering in zones that are not 100% safe. EVER.

Hershel was allowed to wander outside the walls of the prison. And then he gets killed. WTF was he doing out there in the first place? Rick decides to kill the doctor in the new sanctuary they found. Ya, he was a dick. Ya, he beat his family. But he was also a doctor. You are telling me that you couldn’t turn a basement into a jail? You couldn’t lock his ass up when he wasn’t doctoring or working in the fields? It was better to just kill him? Dumbass.

Then someone else in the town happens to have medical training. She saves Carl’s life. She isn’t great, but she has the training. And then you take her out on a run for supplies and she gets killed.

She ain’t a warrior. She ain’t a combatant. She can’t handle herself out in zombieland. Yet she is allowed to go out (or she would go out by herself).

No you won’t.

You’ll stay here where it is safe because that is where you best help the party. If you die, others will die and you don’t have the right to put others in jeopardy.

But out she goes. And she dies.

Dumbass.

5. HOW FRICKIN’ DUMB ARE YOU????

OK. In a game the DM reads you your situation.

DM: “You are surrounded by countless zombies. There are 8 people in your group, but only 3 combatants plus a mother, a teenager, a child, an infant, and an old woman who has been bitten and will turn soon. You are on the second floor of a house and have the stairways blocked so that the zombies can’t get to you. What do you do?”

Player: “Is there a place to hide?”

DM? There is a closet that locks from the inside.

Player: “What attracts the zombies?”

DM: “smell of anything alive, sound, possibly movement if it isn’t concealed somehow.

Player: I gut a couple of zombies and spread their innards all over us. That will hide us from them.

DM: ummm....you tried that a few years ago, remember? It worked for a few minutes and then you had to run for your lives. And that was with just you and one other guy; not a whole group of villagers.

Player: “naw, it’ll work this time.

DM: OK...you gunna leave one of your fighters with the villagers to protect them while you go get help, right? You should be able to make it to the armory.

Player: naw, we are all going.

DM: The small child is freaking out and the teenager has a panicked glint in his eyes.

Player: I use “intimidate” to get them moving. That’ll work.

DM: The infant is fussing and is picking up general panic from everyone in the group.

Player. I’ll put her under a sheet. That’ll keep the sound away from the zombies.

DM: Little boy points out that there is a closet that locks from the inside and maybe it would be a good place to hide.

Player: *smears zombie blood on little boy* “Get your act together or I’m tossin you down the stairs you little brat.”

DM: what are you doing with the old lady that is dying?

Player: I’ll let her babysit the infant while we get ready. then we’ll leave her behind to let her die.

Really.....seriously. How frickin’ dumb is this plan? On what universe would it have any chance of working? No leader this dumb should be allowed to live through a campaign. The DM should kill that character so someone else can step up and lead the party.

I could go on for days on all the stupid stuff this party does. In any D&D game, the DM should kill off these idiots. As dumb as I’ve seen some of the groups I’ve DMed for do things, The Walking Dead crew really takes the cake and in a game I’m running if they are still doing things this dumb after 5 years, then I’m Neegan.

This group doesn’t deserve to live. They’ve been given every opportunity and they are adamant in their refusal to learn anything.

Kill ‘em off and start anew.

It is the most humane thing to do at this point.

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hrothgarshoard · 8 years

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The Importance of Tracking

So, I thought today I’d relate to you a story of a backer and how important it is (on both ends) for it to be communicated when a package is shipped/received. This is certainly a 2 way street.

In my last project, I had a rather large order that needed to be shipped overseas. The backer and I had been in communication and he was looking forward to receiving his reward. I got everything together and shipped it off. Since it was going overseas, shipping on this package was about $70. I shipped it off in May.

Well, summer comes and goes and I’m busy with shows and getting stock together and I don’t think about a single package out of the hundreds that I ship. October rolls around and I receive a notice from USPS saying I have a package for pickup. I head on down and get my package (I get several various things a month, so there was no surprise that I had something waiting).

Lo’ and behold it is the package from overseas stamped with “Refused” on the top. I put it in my pile of things to look into, but I kind of figured that the backer didn’t want to pay import fees or whatever...I don’t really understand customs duties very well or how other countries handle imports. But since I am not in the middle of another project, this slips my mind.

Luckily, I get a message from the backer soon afterwards saying basically, “hey...I just realized that I never received my rewards.” This reminds me that I needed to contact HIM about this and between the two of us we find out a few things:

When USPS sends something overseas, it loses control of the package (this is pretty obvious). The item in question then becomes part of the other country’s mail system or in this case a company called Parcel Force Worldwide. I’ve never heard of them before, but there is a big tag on the package from them next to the “refused” stamp. I investigate the label a little closer and find that they had tried to deliver the package TO THE WRONG ADDRESS. After several weeks of trying to deliver the package to the wrong people (my customs label had a different address on it than the label they put on it), it was sent back to me.

So, now it is back in my hands and according to the agreement worked out between international mail companies, I have to be the one to initiate a shipping claim on this. I log onto the USPS website and find out that all claims must be submitted within 90 days of the original shipment; but since I didn’t even know about the package delivery problem until after 120 days, there is a good chance my claim will be denied. I’ve submitted one anyways with an explanation and some photos, so we’ll see, but it will take at least 24 working days (according to usps) for them to investigate this claim.

Now, both the backer and myself deserve a little of the blame for this project problem. Had he let me know in June or July that the package hadn’t been received, we may have been able to fix this while still in the other country. If I had checked into this to confirm delivery, the problem also could have been averted. But since it slipped the minds of both of us, it is likely going to cost both of us some extra $$$ to fix.

I’m re-shipping the rewards for him today. I want my customer to be happy with the product (if not the experience). He has agreed to re-pay the shipping if the claim is denied which is very generous of him. I think at best we’ll split the cost.

So the lesson here: both parties need to be aware of things like this. If you have backed a project and have not received it after you know it has been shipped, then keep an eye on thing and tell the creator if you don’t see it arrive in a respectable amount of time. If you are a creator and have shipped out a reward to a large backer, follow up and make sure he has received it. Little things can save you some money in the long term.

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hrothgarshoard · 8 years

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Kickstarter Musings

The PALADIN’S KEEP project is along and going. It had an outstanding first day and has picked up a few more backers on a regular basis. It hasn’t been YUGE, but it has been steady. If you haven’t taken a look at it yet, head on over. This is probably the nicest case I’ve made so far.

https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/1658949603/hrothgars-hoard-the-paladins-keep

I’m still in search of actual GOOD advertising. Anyone who launches a project knows that the second they hit the ‘submit’ button, they start getting spammed with companies promising to increase their exposure. Most of the comments pretty much read the same, “we have specially trained people....an exclusive list of publishers....blah, blah, blah.” Every time I google one of the companies, the reviews are mixed at best.

But this time, I probably got the absolute WORST lead-in from any “marketer”. I used to work inside business sales (meaning I sat at a computer and tried to sell other companies computers). Perhaps the biggest rule was to always remain positive...you want your mark....errrr....”business partner” to feel good about their product and the need for your product.

So, the other day I get a message that says: “ We have carefully evaluated your project. You have a cool game accessory, but project lacks visibility. That explains why project only has 44 backers.”

ONLY 44 backers? Well, a big fuck you to you too!

It really doesn’t matter what the message says after this. You’ve just turned me 100% off. If THAT is the best way you can come up with communicating to a potential client, then I sure as hell don’t want you talking to anyone on my behalf.

Ya...I may be a little touchy. But the (ex) salesman in me just absolutely hates that. How about, “...you have a cool game accessory and we can help you get in front of MORE gamers.”

Doesn’t that sound a little bit better? Does that leave a more positive taste in a client’s mouth than “you only have xxx backers”? Good god! Why would I want you contacting people on my behalf with that kind of thoughtless opening?

/rant

So, I’m in the standard Facebook ads. I put a good amount in during the first few days and have tapered it off a bit. I don’t know if those ever turn into backers or not. According to Kickstarter stats, I’ve gotten 3 backers from FB. Acccording to FB, I’ve had something like 1,000 clicks on my ads. So the direct capture rate isn’t great. And you never know how many of those were because I shared the post to my friends. I could be batting 0-1,000 as far as I know.

I am trying also a service called backerclub. It is a “Club” of “Power backers” who just may be interested in YOUR project. They don’t seem to have a huge subscription base, but at the least they ARE people who back other projects. The good thing about them is that if they don’t get at least $350 into your project FROM THEIR BACKERS, then I don’t have to pay anything. If they get $350 in pledges for me, I have to pay...ummmm...$350.

Which isn’t the greatest deal in the world, but the goal (as with any advertising) is to get MORE backers than you put in as the advertising investment. If I end up getting $3,000 in pledges from them, then this is a great deal. If I get exactly $350, then not so much. If I get less than $350, then I don’t pay....so there is that.

That is about all for this week. Next week I hope to be able to tell everyone what a great week we had. Please spread the word!

#dice #Tray #dice tower #dice tray #tower #kickstarter #advertising #backerclub

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hrothgarshoard · 8 years

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Paladin’s Keep

Paladin’s Keep is about to launch on Kickstarter. What is Paladin’s Keep? Great question!

As any who have watched my business develop over the past few years know, I work primarily in wood, making accessories for tabletop games. My first couple Kickstarter projects focused on miniature storage solutions; portable cases where you could take your minis with you to your favorite games. Next came dice towers, solidly built and made for transport. The dice towers were pretty much the most popular item I’ve done and that project more than anything allowed me to start signing up and going to major conventions like GenCon and Origins.

The Paladin’s Keep is an idea that was actually finalized at the latest Gen Con. I was selling (quite a few of) a hexagonal dice tray and one customer came up to me and asked if I could make a top for it, secured with magnets. “Sure,” said I. It wouldn’t be all that difficult to make an adjustment. We got to talking and he really wanted a dice tower, but with a larger tray than what I sold with my normal dice tower. Could I do something like that?

“Ummm....” said I, More out of caution than anything else. I hate to promise something when I don’t have everything worked out in advance. I was sure I could do it, I just wasn’t sure I would like the way it looked once I started putting everything together. To put a tower in would make the tray larger (and there are problems working with large pieces of wood), as well as deeper if I wanted the tower to sit down into the tray. This would make the tray walls taller giving it a boxy look (in my mind).

We came to terms and I promised I’d make one for him when I returned from GenCon. Well...a couple weeks after I returned from GenCon. I don’t know how many have been there, but that Con, more than any other I’ve been to, really drains you. A lot of people go there for their vacation. Me, I need a vacation when I return.

I got home, took a little break and then got to work. Started with the Hex tray like one of these:

I made the tray larger and deeper...enough to hold a tower from the Wizard project. Initially this meant a 2″ tall tray. I was later able to get that size down to 1.75″; not a big decrease, but a decrease none-the-less.

I found a nice wide cherry board to use as the top. Cut the hex shape and cnc’d a lip on the underside so it would fit into the tray. So far so good. Call it a night.

Go out next day and sure enough, that nice wide board had warped. Not a lot, but enough. This is one of the drawbacks in working with wide boards...they tend to warp. Solution: work with smaller boards. So I redid the top using 3″ boards glued together. Cut and cnc. much more stable. As a finishing touch, I added a couple magnets to the lid. It was coming together much better than I anticipated.

Now to approach the tower. I already had towers made from the Wizard project and I got enough good feedback on those that I didn’t want to change too much. In fact, the towers had already gone through one revision since the project launched a couple years ago. I made them a little slimmer and more angular which gave it more pleasing lines, and then I added a pair of magnets on the tower (matching magnets hidden in the tray) and suddenly the tower was much more stable.

So, I basically followed the same pattern here. Add a pair of magnets to the case, keep the magnets in the tower and suddenly you have a very stable dice tower system in the Paladin dice tray.

I’m very pleased with how this turned out. Pleased enough that I’m about to launch my next Kickstarter with this as the centerpiece. I’m planning on a launch for next Friday, with the project running approximately a month. If you are interested in giving me some feedback, please head over to the project page located here: https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/1658949603/1034932859?token=edfbe25e

Still working on the video and may do some picture retakes, but the basics are there.

I’m doing an early bird tier this time. Early birds will get their products by Christmas (so long as I get surveys back in a hurry) while other tiers get to wait in those long, cold, winter months. I have a Feb. ship date for non-earlybird, but will probably push that back to March/April. Jan/Feb. are too unpredictable where I live and I may not be able to get to the wood shop in order to do much work in those months. That, and glue refuses to set properly under a certain temperature. In fact, I think I’ll change that now.

Feel free to pass that link on to your friends. I’d like to get as much feedback as possible before I launch.

#Kickstarter #Hrothgar's Hoard #Dice Tower #Dice #game accessories #wood #GenCon #Origins #origins game fair

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hrothgarshoard · 8 years

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Dungeon Tiles

I rarely use technology the way I should. This is in some part due to the fact that I live in the boondocks and rarely have decent internet connections, so making use of things like blogs is difficult to do regularly.

But in an effort to make my website, indeed my business, more accessible to the 21st century, I’m going to make a commitment to do more things online, one of which is posting a regular blog on developments within my business, the hobby in general, and anything else shiny that grabs my eye.

This week’s shiny has to do with Dungeon Tiles. I’ve been a big supporter of the Dwarven Forge dungeon tiles and have backed several of Stephen’s Kickstarter projects. I also backed a project that made a bunch of 2x2 tiles out of vulcanized rubber, and most recently Fat Dragon Game’s 3D printer dungeon tiles and all the various accessories. I would estimate that I’ve put nearly a grand or so into dungeon tile projects over the years and while I generally like them, I’ve had one major complaint.

They don’t actually fit the miniatures whenever a wall is involved. And this is a huge frickin’ deal.

Each dungeon tile so far made is 2″ x 2″ with four blocks being represented on each tile. In theory, this means that four miniatures can be placed on each tile. But whenever a wall or corner is part of the tile, the wall or corner takes up about 25% of the tile, and then everything is off. A 20x20 room on your map actually becomes a 15x15 room and everything that was *supposed* to fit in the room is now cramped. Furthermore, with the 2x2 format, you can’t really share walls which makes representing many of the old school maps on your dungeon layout nearly impossible.

This has frustrated me greatly over the years to the point where I actually rarely use all those dungeon tiles I’ve bought. In fact, I’ve slowly been selling off sets of tiles at conventions; reducing my inventory show by show.

So, when I came across TrueTiles on Kickstarter, I was intrigued.

https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/1388863853/truetiles-dungeon-expansions-chasms-and-water

True Tiles is basically a 3D printed tile system that uses a 2.5x2.5″ format with narrower walls that allows you to actually use and build the whole room in a dungeon without losing space due to walls. You can also share walls easily and since the walls themselves have a low profile, you can even use oversized miniatures that would otherwise not fit in a tile-based system.

The tiles themselves lock together with a very simple bracket that fits overtop the walls. This is a huge improvement over the Dwarven Forge tiles which have no means of locking the tiles and even a little improvement over Fat Dragon’s tiles which use an under-the-tile clip which I’ve always found to be either too tight or too loose to keep the tiles together well. This allows you to make some fairly complex dungeon rooms quickly and easily.

Print time isn’t too bad. I printed several tiles at about an hour per tile at a speed of 75mm/s on my printrbot using a layer height of .15 and a fill density of 10%. This gave me a very sturdy tile with good detail.

For the record, I tried to print the tiles at .2mm and .25 and was unsuccessful; the printer just had too many errors at that point to make the tile worth continuing (I just shut it down). This is probably the fault of my printer and not the tile system itself. But I think a good setting for the tiles is about .15. You can increase the speed to fit what you think your printer can handle. I may try bumping my printer up a little more, but I’m not seeing a huge need to right now.

The best part about this project is that you can actually try a few tiles yourself before backing it. After my eventual disappointment with the other tiles I’ve gotten, I decided I really wanted to try out the new system before putting any money into it. I found the files for the basic wall, floor and corner for free on thingverse http://www.thingiverse.com/thing:1598221 and tried them out. I’d encourage you to do this also to get a feel for the tiles. I found them to be outstanding and decided to back their current kickstarter project. For $24, you get the basic set, the chasm and water sets along with any project unlocks they get to.

Click on the above link to check the project out. I’m hoping that this gets me back into building the dungeons our party goes through on a regular basis.

ummm....anyone want to buy some old (barely used) Dwarven Forge stuff?

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