A New Pledge Level?
over 7 years ago
– Fri, Jan 27, 2017 at 11:23:12 PM
Who knew the 30 slots in the Sentinels pledge level would fill in just two days? I have seen many expressions of regret about this, and have been thinking about what to do about it. Everyone who pledged before around 12:00 today got an email from me soliciting their opinions; to my relief, the responses I have received have been universally positive. (All right, a couple were a little skeptical, but only from concern for my ability to pull it off.)
And backers also offered suggestions. Opening the Sentinels pledge for more entries, or setting up a new pledge tier for more entries in the Guide, were two of them. There was also concern for my poor artist! I share that concern.
Thank you for your feedback.
I also want to do something for my international backers; there are a lot more of you than I anticipated, and pledging for a file entry on top of pledging for the print editions with your shipping fees may get a bit much.
I've also thought about the final page-count of the Guide; assuming I can work the art, there may be room for a few more files in a book that may not have that many fewer pages than the core gamebook.
Speaking of working the art, I've put a feeler out to one of my other gamebook artists; this may be doable.
So, if it is doable, what will the new pledge-level look like?
The Cape Files: 50 Slots. Pledge $175 or more, and you will receive the PDF editions of Wearing the Cape: The Roleplaying Game, Wearing the Cape: Barlow's Guide to Superhumans, and Wearing the Cape: The B-Files, plus your own cape in Barlow's Guide or The B-Files!
By going with an advanced but completely PDF pledge-level, this will enable backers who can't afford the print editions + dice + shipping + cape file costs to get their favorite character into one of the two books. Naturally if they want it all, they will still be able to get all the dice and print editions as Add-Ons. I will be expanding the Add-On menu anyway, and I will also be changing the Add-On options to allow multiple print editions to be bought by backers who want more than just one copy.
So, what do you think?
The Guide is Unlocked!
over 7 years ago
– Thu, Jan 26, 2017 at 07:39:03 PM
I didn't even make it to lunch; you have funded the project and unlocked the first stretch goal Add-On in less than 48 hours of the project's launch. Thank you.
So that's the first announcement. There are more.
1.) The sample of the gamebook linked to on the campaign page will be changing shortly. In response to a backer's comment, I asked my layout person to see if she could add links from the index to the sections of the book in the sample. Not only did she do that, but she also fixed it so that to link back to the index all you need to do is click on the star-crest in the lower left hand corner of every page. Beats scrolling back to the index every time!
http://media.wix.com/ugd/4f8e34_de1bb518433344d2bb199f76a8255b64.pdf
2.) I am considering some small Add-Ons to fill the gap between stretch goals. One possibility up for consideration is some 8x10 photo-quality art prints, that can be slipped into the gamebooks for shipping. Possibly the covers of the first three Wearing the Cape books. Add-On cost: $10. Thoughts?
3.) I've already sent messages to the Sentinels backers (other than those who pledged late last night or early this morning), letting them know what they can do to get the most out of our artist. I'll message the rest today. (And may I say how stunned I was to see the Sentinels pledges fill up so fast?) But to add a little more detail, and let everyone else know what's going on with the Guide, there will be three ways that Sentinels backers will be able to impact the Post-Event World.
First, they have their characters (capes, villains, super-soldiers, etc.). Just as with the Cape Files in the gamebook sample, they'll get two dedicated pages, one for their numbers and the other for their background/description and art piece.
Second, if they use the WtC:RPG power rules to create new and interesting Power-Types, I will try and find space int the Guide for them! A Power-Type description (with variants and stunts) takes up a single page.
Third, as I mentioned on the campaign page, I am very interested in hearing what fans of the series (or just of superhero gaming who read the campaign background) think happened elsewhere in the Post-Event World. Some has been covered in the books, some I know and haven't written about yet, but the world is wide.
So if a Sentinels backer creates a character from South Africa, or Ireland, or anywhere else on the face of our green Earth, and goes crazy explaining what happened there during and after The Event there and how it shaped his character, then that to may wind up in the Guide's Places section. If it's interesting, and doesn't break my world, I'll be happy to work with it.
So, interesting times. Thank you, and looking forward to the next steps.
And We're Funded.
over 7 years ago
– Wed, Jan 25, 2017 at 10:51:55 PM
And in less than 24 hours. That is very, very cool.
Thank you, everyone. Of course we have a long way to go. I know that many of you are looking forward to all of the Add-Ons offered in this campaign. I'm looking forward to making them a reality.
Next up, of course, is Wearing the Cape: Barlow's Guide to Superhumans. It is entirely possible it will be unlocked by lunch time tomorrow. For Sentinels-level backers who may have been wondering, you will receive a WtC:BGS PDF as part of your pledge reward; I apologize for not making that clear in the description.
Looking ahead, I am working on some added thank-you rewards. Some of them may be Add-Ons; others, like the introductory adventure I hadn't planned on but now will write, will simply be there for everybody. I'm always happy to take suggestions!
Meanwhile, goodnight. I will be going radio-silent until tomorrow afternoon, then I'll be back. Buckle up, everyone, it's going to be a wild month.
