Good & evil clash in this epic tactical combat adventure about angels, demons, and the saints caught between!
Latest Updates from Our Project:
PM CLOSING + Manufacturing Update. New Rulebook, Dice Designs, & More!
over 2 years ago
– Thu, Sep 01, 2022 at 03:42:08 AM
This update is urgent for those that are considering upgrading or adjusting their pledges -- the Pledge Manager closes on September 5th! We have the new rulebook available for download + lots of great info in this update, too! Read on for details...
URGENT: Our Pledge Manager is CLOSING September 5th!
As of this update, there are only 6 days left until the PM closes. We will charge cards on September 9. All of this is to prep for manufacturing. The additional $3 shipping will be added to pledges that include a game before then.
This week, we are set to begin the first manufacturing test run of a prototype copy of Deliverance. This means all cardboard & cardstock components, the box, the inserts, etc. We're going to have the entire game made so that we can review before we hit the big "mass manufacturing" button (which should happen in October based on current timelines).
The rest of the timeline update currently looks as follows:
1. Manufacturing: September - November.
2. Freight: November - January.
3. Final fulfillment: January - February.
If you'd like to see the copy with your own eyes, you can! I'll be at LTN Con this October meeting fans, playing Deliverance, and showing off the fancy Deluxe components like Neoprene Mats, metal coins, angel minis, and the acrylic standees!
If you'd love to meet me at a convention, or you wanna play tons of board games (including the freshest Deliverance Prototype that exists), consider joining me at LTN Con this October 14-16 in New Albany, Indiana (near the Louisville Airport)! Attendance is limited, so lock in your tickets here if you're interested: https://lovethynerd.com/ltncon/
I am looking for yourfeedback on the rulebook! We only have a few weeks before the final rulebook gets printed. There are a few missing things we need to add like a standee pic (and an error or two I found already), but I need your help to share what needs clarifying, what could be done better, etc!
Many of you have offered to help, and now is the time! Join our Discord Server to discuss and collaborate, or share your feedback in the Kickstarter comments of this update!
The Deliverance Campaign!
We're 100% complete with the "near final" draft of the Deliverance story. All that is left is a final review for consistency's sake. The campaign story got me emotional at times, and made me feel like I just watched 300 at other times. I'm SO excited to have you experience it. Big thanks to Ian Tyrrell for his co-authorship on this project -- the narrative is so much better with your help.
As far as play testing, we are about 90% complete with all the missions. Out of 14 missions, we have designed them all, completed playtesting on 11 of them, and are nearly complete with the remaining 3 missions. I'm confident that we could release the Campaign now without much issue, but the balancing of the 3 missions that remain will help!
And for those of you that love punishment, we have added an extra difficulty level in the Skirmish mode called Infernal Difficulty. I have resisted calling this "Impossible difficulty" because it IS possible, but I expect you might have a pretty tough time overall 😆
You are welcome to find that in the rulebook and give it a go on Tabletop Simulator now, if you dare 😇
Dice design update!
We have done a fair bit of re-evaluation for each dice side and here is where we are now. I am not totally happy with everything (see my notes below), but this is a nice improvement over the first sample. We're 90% the way there IMO :D
Dice Design Update (The 3d render incorrectly shows the #2 side pips as external, which we fixed -- it just didn't make it into the pic for our update)
First, the improvements:
All pips are now the same same size/shape
Most sides have a little more negative space, so they are more easily differentiated on each side.
Next, the incomingchanges:
I am working on the #6 design a bit more, because it got a bit too simple in our iterations + the vertical spacing of the pips do not look balanced due to the inconsistent spacing (the pips are square, but the space in the center column is greater than the horizontal rows between the pips).
The pips on the #2 side of the 3D model appear to be "outie / external." This has been mentioned as a clarification to the manufacturing team already, but I thought it important to note for you!
Minis
I hoped to have a pic for you of our new minis, but they didn't make it here with the other samples. Instead, the manufacturer is still working on the changes. They weren't happy with the quality and didn't want to send the samples my way yet. Instead, they sent them back and required updates. They told me the next batch will be here between September 8th - 15th. Since this is the version that is coming to me after my initial change requests, I expect these will be likely to get my approval, which will keep us to time.
This situation makes me sing the praises of my manufacturer, Longpack. I appreciate how our rep is looking out for us at every turn, and doing their best to make Deliverance awesome for everyone. We're one of their 100 largest projects they'll do this year, so they really want to make us happy so that we will return! They're doing a great job for us.
Acrylic Standees
The samples for the Acrylic Standees are going into production this week, and I expect to have sample pics to show next update! I can't wait to see what they'll look like on the Neoprene Mat and the map tiles... It's going to be amazing. They are going to be larger than the normal cardboard standees included with the game, but they will still fit within the box insert!
For those asking to give -- Here's how you can help!
Deliverance has cultivated an incredible fanbase of supporters, and many of you have privately asked me if you can help with expenses. You are extremely generous! Here is how you can help in a way that isn't just a one-way blessing toward me.
In addition to upgrading your pledge which so many of you have already done, adding a Deliverance t-shirt ($24) or the 3-shirt bundle ($60) is a great way to contribute. We currently have sold over 500 t-shirts (wow), and we get amazing price breaks if we reach 600!
The 3 t-shirt options - Get one for $24, or get the bundle for $60!
I am really looking forward to seeing you all showing these off at conventions!
Concluding thoughts
Thank you all for supporting and following this game's development, and thank you for being supporters of me! It feels like we're about to get into that "I have so little to report" phase where we're waiting for manufacturing and shipping to complete. I'm doing all I can to deliver, and I appreciate how involved you all have been.
I made sure to give credit where I could on the back of our rulebook (because our quick reference cards do such a great job I was able to use the back of the rules for that), but if you worked on this game without getting credit, I desire to give that to you! Just send an e-mail to [email protected]!
Kind regards,
Andrew Lowen & the Deliverance Team
New Prototype Sample Pics Inside!!
over 2 years ago
– Mon, Aug 01, 2022 at 11:26:27 PM
This update is the result of a lot of hard work, but is so uplifting for me as a designer to see -- this is the fruition of over 6 years of effort to bring this game to you! We still have a few things to wrap, but boy you're gonna wanna take a look at these pics!
Prototype Sample Pics Incoming!!!
BUT FIRST: A few important announcements & housekeeping...
THE PLEDGE MANAGER CLOSES SEPTEMBER 5!
If you're a retailer, look out for an e-mail to finalize your orders early August.
If you're a backer, make sure you finalize your details, upgrade your pledges, and purchase any add-ons before we close!
I'm using a lot of caps, but IMPORTANT REMINDER: I shared this in our May update, but I thought it prudent to reiterate to everyone -- we're increasing shipping charges by $3 per Deliverance copy.
IMPORTANT ANNOUNCEMENT #2 for "Base Game" Pledge Backers:
The Deliverance Deluxe version is soooo much more popular than the Base Game. We have sold less than 100 base games, and over 2,400 Deluxe games. Because the Deluxe game is so popular, we're going to focus on that. As a result, we're not going to bring this version of the base game to retail. We will be making a myriad of adjustments to make a future retail base game more affordable (and will reduce the quality of components accordingly). We will also be making changes to the angels expansion. Therefore, we will NOT be offering the current Kickstarter Base Game or upgrades for the Kickstarter Base Game in the future.
What does this mean for Base Game backers? This means that you might want to upgrade your copy of the base game to Deluxe. You will not be able to upgrade the Kickstarter Base Game in the future due to the changes incoming. The choice is yours of course -- we will still deliver your reward! The cost of upgrading for "base game only" backers to Deluxe is $30 (shipping is the same). If you purchased the Base Game expansion to get the other Deluxe angels, the price difference is only $3 (which factors in shipping).
Note: The Deluxe Game is included in the "All In" pledge!
For the folks that need help upgrading or changing your pledge, you can contact BackerKit Support using this e-mail: [email protected]. You can also contact me to get it sorted at [email protected] or through our Discord Server (Username: Lowenhigh#1451). What I'm learning through operating as a publisher is that Kickstarter messages aren't a great way to get your support request answered -- I really want to funnel all incoming communication for support requests and help through my e-mail, but because we have over 600 users on our Discord server, you can often get your questions answered quickly there, too!
Okay, all that stuff out of the way, are you ready for the fun stuff?
Metal Coin Samples
First, the giant metal Initiative Token. It is inspired by Harvey Two Face's Coin from the old Batman Series (the cartoon b/c that's the best Batman that exists). It represents the struggle between angelic and demonic forces of Deliverance:
Beauty
Hatred
Next, the metal Courage Tokens. I am so inspired by you all providing feedback that THIS was the way you wanted to go... I am so happy I listened to you. I have to give multiple pics, because you need to see the way light interacts with these tokens... wow!
Angle 1
Angle 2
So beautiful!!
You get 16 of these Metal Courage Tokens + 1 Large Initiative Token in the "metal coins" addon. They are *extremely* satisfying to use. Personally, I am already thinking about in which of my other games I can use these tokens 😆
Neoprene Mat New Design
The Neoprene Mat is a thing of beauty as well -- I have to see what it looks like in person to be sure of the colors, though. I want the mat to be vibrant, and so I need to see it in person to be sure it's right (all of these samples are on their way to me now).
The Town of Fallbrook -- there is much to be explored :)
The town is covered in fog, and placing map tiles on top of this mat will reveal what lay hidden behind the fog!
What secrets lay hidden here?
The Plastic Dice (Pre-Coloring)
The dice are going to look SO good when we have the final plastic colors done! Remember, we're going with a marbled white + translucent purple colors. I expect to have colored "final" dice samples for you all in the next update! For now, here are how beautiful the icons turned out:
Die faces: 1 - 2 - 3
Die faces: 4 - 5 - 6
You can still add more dice sets to your order -- the Plastic Trays will hold 8 dice (1 set per player). If you own a Deluxe copy and want to upgrade to a full set of dice, you can add +2 sets of dice on to your order!
Miniature Samples
The final production minis are going to be sooooo exciting to finally hold. I can't WAIT to see them in person. Notice they have an ink washed effect on them -- this helps bring out detail for those folks that aren't talented painters.
Back row: Shula, Gabiriel, Christine, Uriel -- Middle row: Taolu, Azrael, Michael -- Front row: Mikko, Sardius
If you'd like, you can still upgrade to the painted set of minis -- it's not cheap ($600), but you get an additional set of minis that are professionally painted by the talented folks at Splintered Brush Studios (they painted our minis for the campaign).
They will arrive in an insert that looks like this (adjusted a bit to fit the new Metal Coins):
The Minis Insert. This is only 1 part of 3 inserts that are included with the game. The other 2 hold the cards, cardboard, and other game components.
The insert is probably the least "cool" pic I have, but also super important to the integrity of the game you'll eventually receive in the mail!
Campaign + Timeline Update
We're getting close to mass manufacturing! As you can see, most of the big bottlenecks have been overcome with our miniature samples.
For those wondering, we are still working on the samples for the Acrylic Standees (in addition to the final dice samples). It turns out that some of our image effects don't read very well on transparent glass, so we have worked to update these so they all look awesome. My artist Dan Maynard took some time to really make the standees pop! That was just completed, so I hope to have Acrylic Standee samples for you in next month's update!
We still have to finish a few things in the Deliverance Campaign, which are all closely tied to the playtesting of the missions. I am thankful to have a whole team of testers working on our game's campaign. Everyone has put a lot of time into this to make it something truly memorable. I expect some of you will forge memories that will rival your greatest memories in gaming while playing through this Campaign! We're about 90% completed with all playtesting, which will wrap up in the month of August.
For those looking forward to our updated Rulebook, this is something that I have delayed due to the importance of the Campaign. Now that we're closing in on the finish of this testing + designing of the Campaign book, we're going to turn our attention to the rulebook and get all of you + our Tabletop Simulator players a much desired revision!
On the manufacturing side, we're finalizing our cardboard punch-outs and all the other elements, and are aiming to print a "white box" sample for our shipping partners. We'll figure out exact sizes, weights, etc. once our manufacturer does that, and this will allow us to make completely accurate Freight plans.
Keep praying for the shipping situation out there! It will help every single board game publisher a lot if the rates go down!
One more thing -- sorry for your wallet! 😜
I'm really excited about a game that has a week left on KS -- It is a quick 2-4 player tactical combat game with lots of opportunities for clever card plays that reminds me a lot of my competitive 1v1 CCG days. It's called Mantle of the Keeper, and if you love games like that, I recommend checking it out! I also love the hearts and faith of the designers Ben and Zac, which I can attest is written into every bit of the game as well! I'm all in on this one as a backer.
Thank you all for supporting Deliverance. We have BIG things planned for the future!! I can't wait to share them with you :)
Kind regards,
Andrew & the Deliverance team
What a month! I have a lot to share and so little time to do it!
over 2 years ago
– Fri, Jul 01, 2022 at 04:36:39 AM
Hi everyone! It's been a crazy month for development as well as for my life. I looked at the date, realized today is update day, and started writing. I'll be revealing the new Neoprene Mat artwork, giving a status update on the timeline, sharing info about our progress, and more! Read on :D
Progress has been awesome!
Here's a timeline update for you on various elements:
Minis: Tooling of the production molds is ongoing. We expect to receive production-quality samples by 15-20th July!
MetalCoins: We expect to receive samples for both designs by 15-20th July!
Plastic Trays: We should receive samples for the two main trays by 10th July, tray 3 (that contains the minis) will be produced after the mini samples are finished.
Neoprene Mat: The file is confirmed, and we should have the sample in 7-10 days!
Dice: I have been told by the factory that I will receive a 3D sample before the mold is created. We should have the 3D samples in a week or so. The 3D samples will only have a white base color with gold ink filled for us to check the design, shape, etc. The final dice samples are to be created after this is approved.
Acrylic Standees: Our artist Dan is working on the designs to submit to the factory now. Not sure on the timeline for these, but samples will come after we get them done!
Print Files: We're working on getting these ready for our manufacturer, and making great progress thanks to the awesome and ever diligent Adam Glass. I expect we should be ready to go with these files by the end of July or beginning of August (this is one of the most critical elements to the timeline)!
Campaign Book: We're getting close to the end with this too. The Campaign Book has all the missions complete, but campaign testing & story development is still in progress. I hope to wrap this by late July / early August, too!
Overall, this means that in next month's update, we should have a TON of pictures of samples for you, including all the fancy goodness (except for Acrylic Standees which are still in progress).
When are we charging cards / closing the BackerKit Pledge Manager?
For those that have asked, we are going to close the pledge manager when we begin manufacturing. This is slated for early August. We're looking good on the timeline. I will post again about this in our end-of-July Kickstarter update with a final countdown.
The Neoprene Mat is SO AWESOME.
For those of you that may have missed it, we doubled the amount of art on this mat, because it made the game functionally more awesome. Now, when you put a tile down on the map, it really feels like you're diving into the town -- the fog lifts and the various parts of town on the map tiles open up to reveal new things.
Feast your eyes on the Neoprene Mat in all its glory!
A question for you guys -- I think the Darkness Board is a good thing to print on the mat, because it makes the mat more functional, BUT what do you guys think? Would you rather the mat be purely decorative, or include functional components like this? I always preferred functional, but I'd love to hear what you all think on that.
Darkness Board Alternate Art
Inspired by the awesome Neoprene Mat design by our map artist Yoann Boissonnet, we have an alternate art for the Darkness Board (the chipboard of Deliverance):
Darkness Board Alternate Art
We adjusted the art on the map so that the most important elements were included. Hope you all love it!
It is important to note that the scale is much smaller than the Neoprene Mat. Check out the size of the card spaces on the mat vs this board -- the size on the Darkness Board is the same scale on the Neoprene Mat 😲🤯
Campaign Development Update
This is an older image of the Campaign Book, but I felt like this section needed *something* to illustrate :D
This is the area that I could talk ALL DAY about... It's something that I take such joy in! My favorite part of Deliverance is making new content, and the Campaign has soooooo much new content.
Our playtesting team on Discord has been putting in a LOT of hours to make sure that missions flow smoothly, angels feel balanced and awesome, and challenges feel... challenging 😆
The first Campaign Book draft was completed this week by our graphic artist Chip Cole, but I can't show it to you because SPOILERS.
Speaking of which, even for our veterans of Deliverance that have played the game many times, there are some really special moments in the Campaign that will shock you.
In fact, one of our missions is "by request only" for our play testing team, because it's SUCH a surprise that I didn't want to ruin it for anyone...
My testers have been freaking out with shock and surprise when they see what I did in the campaign.
I can't wait for you to see it, too!
There are brand new "never before seen" bosses, complete with epic challenges! Speaking of which...
Luthiel, the Poison Fang. A never-before-seen Lieutenant in the Deliverance Campaign! Spoilers hidden of course -- mostly :)
This Lieutenant will keep you on your toes, and may send you to an early, plague filled grave (especially with the wrong strategy)!
Oh, and speaking of plague...
Our family's war with sickness
This is a personal family update, and it might explain why I have been less than active on many of our social channels, Kickstarter comments, etc. this month.
Our family of 8 has been plowed with 6 separate sicknesses in the last 6 weeks. It's the most severe round of sickness I have ever experienced, including fevers as high as 105.5º. I feel like we're going through a tiny modicum of what Job experienced, which was a physical sickness caused by a spiritual enemy.
We have been to urgent care a bunch, nearly made a trip to the ER for our 2-year-old, and have consumed more antibiotics in the last 6 weeks than our family has in the last several years combined. It's completely crazy.
Every time I think we're through it, something new begins. They all seem completely independent of one another, and yet I recognize that they are all intimately connected. My spiritual armor is on, and my eyes are open to what is happening... With the understanding of what Job went through, and how none of it was his fault, I press on with the knowledge that we're doing something great that the enemy wants to suppress. We are being accosted by demonic foes, and I think it is to impede progress on Deliverance (among other things).
By the grace of God, we have made incredible progress on Deliverance in spite of this. Most of my weekends have been full of naps to catch up on sleep lost to taking care of sick children during the night, and weekdays have been spent working nearly full-time between Deliverance and naps to stave off the worst of my own sicknesses. My staff at my small company have been extremely gracious to take on much of the workload there to compensate for our illnesses.
Between the help of our staff and the assistance of our amazing Deliverance playtesting team, we're on track. Without their help, there is no way we could have made this progress.
Please keep us as a team in prayer -- we really need it! Thank you all for your support.
Kind regards,
Andrew & the Deliverance team
Lots of info... where to begin? How about ART! :D
over 2 years ago
– Wed, Jun 01, 2022 at 11:10:28 PM
I feel like this every update, but boy do I have a lot to share! I write notes for myself to get organized, but I do enjoy writing free-form as well. I have a lot to share with you all! How about we start with some awesome art?
The New Neoprene Mat Design - 50% More Art!
You heard that right -- 50% more art. Our tests with the old mat art led us to the conclusion that the tiles should feel like "expanded" areas of the full town. That meant that our town had to be smaller, but we didn't want to reduce the art quality. Not only did we double the amount of art, but the same excellent detail was used for every new bit of space. You may notice that things look a little bit more grand in scale, and that is exactly the plan! Our All-In backers just got a serious upgrade, and we might have tipped our hand at a few expansion hints within this pic of the town of Fallbrook. Notice anything interesting? :)
For those interested, you still have time to upgrade to the All-In pledge before we close the PM. We have retailers setting pre-orders for this at nearly $220, and with the increases in costs for future print runs, to get yours for only $149 is the best deal you'll likely ever find for the full bundle of all gameplay content, metal coins, acrylic standees, minis, the large initiative token, and the neoprene mat!
And speaking of the Metal Initiative Token... that has been upgraded as well! Now you'll feel a lot more like the spiritual war is encapsulated in this one coin. Not only is it satisfying to hold this CHONKY coin in your hand, but the claw marks now dig 1mm thick into the coin face.
This is the first player token's scarred back surface. It also has a perfectly beautiful side, representing the angel vs demon conflict taking place in Deliverance!
May Manufacturing Update
Our manufacturer is hard at work on the various samples for Deliverance.
They are currently about 2 weeks into the 50-day timeline for miniature molds, which bodes well for the project. I expect to receive samples of the production-quality miniatures in July (SO excited to upgrade my personal copy of Deliverance with these lol). As long as we're good to go there, we should be able to get manufacturing started in July. However, I know you all agree that we need them to be right, even if any changes on this front might delay us until August. I will keep you posted on this as soon as I get 'em in hand!
We received a first sample of the miniature tray included in the Deluxe/All-In editions, which looked good except for one mini being upside down -- I'd like them all to be sitting upright! That's a quick fix and won't delay our timeline. Here's a pic:
This is 1 of 3 plastic insert trays included in Deliverance -- the others hold all the game components, including a removable token tray with a lid!
Next, we have our dice design that requires a few adjustments. There is a minimum effective size for the engraved portions of the design: We need engravings of at least 0.5mm width, and we're a bit too short currently. Here's a pic of the model where they show us what needs increasing:
Our dice design needs slight tweaks due to manufacturing limitations!
We are working on adjustments, which we will be sharing on our Facebook Group and Discord Server later this month. We're always looking for more folks to join those places to offer feedback, engage with fellow fans, and play Deliverance games on Tabletop Simulator!
We are waiting for samples for our metal Courage coins + the Initiative Token, Neoprene Mat, minis, and dice (if we get an approval on the updated dice design). More will be coming, like Acrylic Standees, but not yet!
Convention Appearances and Campaign Insights!
For those of you that are excited about the Deliverance Campaign, I have really great news for you, but first, here's where we're currently at with the Campaign!
We are play testing through the 14 campaign missions with our team of volunteer testers on our Discord Server and with physical prototypes at conventions. The goal is to get them tuned so they are engaging, balanced for where they're at in the campaign, and to feel unique among experiences you'll have with Deliverance.
If you went to BGG Spring, you might have seen me wearing my Deliverance Shirt getting a bunch of games in with veteran fans and new folks alike!
Campaign Mission 1 -- the perfect soft introduction for new players to Deliverance!
Campaign Mission 2 -- One of many times that Og, King of Bashan destroyed everyone... lol!
Another Mission 2 attempt -- This was the last test of Campaign mission 2. Og mopped the floor with us, but we had fun and ALMOST got him! 😉
Now for the Campaign News...
When I originally conceived the Deliverance Campaign, I thought it would eventually take on a "Skirmish Mode" experience, and that the purpose would be to get players used to playing the "One Shot" Skirmish games at game night.
What I realized though, is that the potential for the Deliverance Campaign to explode everyone's heads through unique content is extreme... Deliverance is a game that much of the "rules" are written into the cards themselves. Therefore, we can have our Fallen Prince and Lieutenant bosses do absolutely crazy epic things that players find easy to resolve, because of the ample "explainer text" available on the character cards.
And because a Campaign book is essentially just a bunch of explainer text, the sky is the limit.
What does this mean, though?
Instead of getting you used to how Skirmishes work, we're doing something more. We're giving you brand new bosses and encounters that would be really hard to deliver any other way. Through the use of Lieutenants, we're delivering some crazy epic battles that are sure to be very memorable. Here's an example...
Droxael, the Suppressor is a very interesting Lieutenant boss that shows what is possible within the pages of the campaign. Normally, a fight like this might be too "one dimensional," but as a single battle in a Campaign, it's perfect. We don't need to print the physical card, thanks to our Campaign Book getting the spiral-bound stretch goal unlocked (you can lay it flat on the table and play with the boss right there)!
We now use these bosses to challenge players in ways that they have not experienced before. The only limit to what we can do with these bosses is our imagination. And that means you're going to have fun, probably die a few times, and adjust your build so you can conquer the challenge these foes have for you! After all, what intrigue is there if your same build works for every single boss? You're going to need to adjust your Talent cards between Campaign missions if you want to overcome the evils of the Deliverance Campaign :D
Shirts and Dice on BackerKit
Many of you have asked us about the shipping on the dice. We made an error on our end that added $2 per set of dice for shipping! Ouch. This is a mistake -- before we charge for actual shipping and close the PM, this is going to be adjusted to $0 if you have a Deliverance game in your order. I'm currently working with BackerKit to do this, so you can add dice to your pledge now without fear of paying a lot in shipping -- the numbers will be adjusted back down!
In addition, if you want to snag a Deliverance T-Shirt, we're going to be suspending sales of those after our Pledge Manager closes, potentially permanently! I'm not in the business of selling t-shirts -- I'm in the business of making great games! And yet, we have sold over 450 shirts... Wow!
If you want an epic Deliverance shirt, now is the time to lock it in. Our Pledge Manager will close at the start of our mass manufacturing, which is currently estimated to begin in July.
If you need help with adjusting your order, send me a message on Kickstarter, or via e-mail at [email protected] with your requested changes. I can also send you your BackerKit link if you need it!
Conclusion
This month has been completely nuts. The family has been sick for 3 weeks straight, Deliverance work has been super demanding to keep everything on track, my kids are always demanding (especially that 9-month old), and my company Next Level Web has been going through some growing pains. It's added up to a complex work-life balancing act. All that is written to say that I appreciate your prayers, and your patience with me as I get through your messages.
My interactions with you has been the greatest pleasure ever. Words can't fully express how I feel... You guys are really the BEST fans in the whole world, and I am so thankful to be on this journey with you!
Kindest regards,
Andrew
P.S. - A few bonus pics from BGG Spring!
What a great convention to attend! Tons of tables and lots of open spaces full of folks willing to teach games to new players! Super inviting and welcoming!
Anachrony was incredible, but had soooooOoOoooOOOoo many components. The Exosuits were some of the coolest components I have used in a board game!
A special shoutout to my buddy Bryan. He flew in from Seattle area to join me at this convention. I'm thankful for you Bryan, and I had a blast! I can't wait for next time :D
Dice Renders + Timeline Update!
almost 3 years ago
– Tue, May 03, 2022 at 05:09:47 PM
It's the last day of the month, which means a fresh Deliverance update for you! I had a great meeting with our manufacturing team where I was updated on timelines, we have a first look at some Dice Renders for your review, and an opportunity to play test the Deliverance Campaign for those that are inclined :) Read on!
Timeline Update!
The most important thing first -- I had a great meeting with our manufacturing team at Longpack Games, and we have an updated timeline for you. Our team at Longpack expects to conclude our manufacturing of Deliverance in the next 3-4 months, barring any more unforeseen delays. This puts us close to the time I was hoping for! 4 months would allow us to begin freight shipping in August, which would mean Deliverance arrives in time for the Christmas season.
Between our manufacturers, we have multiple things we're working on at the same time. Here is a list of tasks with timelines that all fit into this 4 month period:
Longpack Manufacturing:
- Machining out miniature molds & sending PVC production samples (50 days)
- Finishing metal coins & sending new samples for approval (20 days)
- Working on dice samples for review
- Working on plastic trays
Lowen Games:
- Working on the Deliverance Campaign (wrap in ~2 months)
- Rulebook & Campaign Book graphic design
- Final art asset creation
- Prepping all files for our print sample
- Figuring our final shipping & fulfillment estimates
My primary concern is making sure that Longpack has what they need to make progress, which means prepping print files as they work on the various molds required for the game. They are doing all they can despite government lockdowns in Shanghai. I was informed that they expect lockdowns to be lifted after this week, which will allow them to get back to full production capacity. Pray for these folks -- Without giving away too much, they are all meeting me in the evenings from their houses/apartments/hotel rooms, and I am very concerned for their wellbeing.
Dice Renders!
First of all, thank you all for all of your feedback through comments on our last KS update, in our Facebook Group, on our Discord Server, and through messages regarding the look of the dice that you wanted! I had a mind to stick to simple designs, but the overwhelming feedback was "give me a combination of option 2 and 3" -- the real motivation behind the feedback was that you all wanted fancy dice that also were easy to read. To that end, we ended up ditching our "stained glass" idea in favor of a solid metallic gold color for the fancy pips, along with the "frosted" plastic.
We are using the following designs for each side:
We had feedback that requested the "3" and "6" to be designed in the differing ways, but we believe that these designs allow for super awesome, and we also had some valid feedback that some of the dice numbers had inconsistent spacing between pips (this will be adjusted in sampling - explained below).
In our meeting with the manufacturer, they let us know that there is a minimum width that the manufacturing team needs for dice coloring. This is why our spacing will be adjusted during our sampling -- Because of this, I can't say the final product is what you see here, *but* we are very close!
Speaking of these dice, if you like them, we have created a new Add-on in BackerKit for additional pairs of dice for those that want them! We will also update the removable component tray to fit up to 4 sets of dice. If you own a Deluxe/All-In edition, you get 2 sets of dice, and Base Game backers get 1 set. If you want to have a set for the max player count, you'll want to have a total of 4 sets of dice. You can add pairs of these dice for $4.50 per set to your pledge in BackerKit now (Edit: Make sure you add to your existing pledge, or it will charge $5 shipping on their own)!
Our BackerKit Pledge Manager will close when we begin final manufacturing, so you don't have long if you want to add these to your pledge.
Important: We expect our pledge manager to close in June.
For everyone that is wondering when your card will be charged for shipping/add-ons, it is looking like June!
Also Important: Shipping estimates + $3
We are working on our final shipping estimates, and it looks like we nailed the local shipping prices, but under-estimated on the ocean freight container prices. We estimated $6,000 for a container of games, and they are currently $22,500 😲🤯
As many of you are aware, all companies have boosted their shipping charges. I want to be transparent with you, so you know why I have to raise ours. It's not USPS or local mail carriers that have insane rates -- it's the freight across the ocean that has spiked.
A big game like Deliverance can fit about 4,000 games inside a container. It used to cost $4-6k for a container, and now it costs $22,500. That means it will cost $5.62 per game just for ocean freight. We planned for $2 per game to freight, using a buffer of 25% extra to be safe, and were still blown out of the water with the price (pun intended). As a result, we have to increase our final shipping cost by $3 per game so that we can deliver. We can absorb a bit of cost, but because we are a new company (that wants to make more games), we don't have a lot of wiggle room.
I know the shipping increase is not your favorite thing to hear, but we haven't come to this decision lightly.
Help play test the Deliverance Campaign!
Are you a rabid Deliverance fan that doesn't mind a few spoilers?
We are using Tabletop Simulator to make our final adjustments to our Campaign, and we need a few more play testers! For those that are interested, head over to our Discord Server and let me know you want to join in playing & giving feedback about the Deliverance Campaign!
Og was tested this week, and crushed the souls out of my most veteran play testers... Balancing was needed LOL!
We will assign you a mission and you'll get to play a secret, never before seen boss in a fun one-off scenario, then provide feedback! You might even get to experience an epic Deliverance challenge -- if that doesn't sound awesome, I don't know what does :D
We will protect you from as many spoilers as we can, so story text and a few other things will be hidden :D
As always, thank you for your faith and patience as we develop this awesome game!
