The boat has docked! Solo Module expanded and finished! Digital rewards scheduled!
over 2 years ago – Tue, Mar 22, 2022 at 09:56:09 PM

Hi everyone!

Sorry for such a delay in updates. With the goods being on a slow boat from China, there wasn't much to report other than GPS coordinates (well, not really, we didn't have access to those), but as of last week we have confirmation: 

The boat has reached New York!

We are told that it is in the queue for unloading and are waiting for an estimate on how long that will take, or more specifically, how long it will take for the goods to get the rest of the way from the port to Quartermaster Logistics for fulfillment. We've been preparing QML with all of the order data and other assembly instructions, so they should be ready to hit the ground running as soon as the shipment reaches their warehouse. If I had to guess, that might mean packages start going out in the next 3 weeks or so (but don't quote me on that until we get actual confirmation from the folks actually doing the shipping).

International backers, please note that the bulk inventory shipments to the regional fulfillment centers in the UK, Australia, and Asia will leave QML at the same time as domestic packages, and since there is an extra cycle of freight + packing at those regional centers, your items will take a few extra weeks. We will of course keep you posted, but please understand the many gates and checkpoints involved in this process... worldwide logistics is complex! We'll do the best we can to get these to you as smoothly and timely as possible!

In the meantime...

The Solo Play Module and Foes and Factions Supplement are done and in final proofing!

We're in the final process of reviewing the Solo Play Module and F&F Supplement as I write this update with the aim of having them approved and print-ready no later than next Monday. Here's a sneak peek: 

We know you've been waiting a while for the digital rewards, and these have been the key items holding up that process. Frankly, much of the delay was our commitment to making sure the Solo Play Module is as fun and solid as it deserves to be. As almost a complete standalone game in and of itself, it really demanded proper time in the hopper. And in that process, decisions had to be made... such as deciding to EXPAND IT FROM THE ORIGINAL 48-page PROMISE TO A WHOPPING 72-pages (PLUS COVER)! 😎 It is now 150% more bang for your buck!

Once these have cleared proofing and are sent to the printers, we will bundle them up with the rest of the digital rewards and begin distribution of those items through Backerkit. So expect to get those notifications sometime next week! We will, of course, post an update once those are ready.

It has been a long road to get here, and wow have we learned a LOT. Our original estimate of shipping in December was adorably optimistic, but in the grand scheme of things, with everything going on in the world affecting international manufacturing and shipping, a four-month delay isn't too bad... You'll still be receiving this bad boy within NINE MONTHS OF THE CAMPAIGN. Compared to a lot of other games here on Kickstarter, that's pretty good! (We're still waiting on some games from big companies that ended in 2020...) And with all of the lessons learned this first time out, we expect our next products will be able to ship even faster (or at least closer to better-estimated delivery dates).

Speaking of next products... we're already hard at work on the next TWO projects to be revealed later this summer... 

The D6MV library of games will be growing this year! Stay tuned for more news!

Shipping update: an eye in the sky...
almost 3 years ago – Tue, Feb 22, 2022 at 07:10:37 AM

Hey everyone!

Hope you all had a great weekend. Backerkit was able to lock most orders last week, but there are still 33 of you with open surveys waiting to be completed. Just a reminder: IF YOU MISS THIS FINAL CALL, YOUR PLEDGE WILL NOT SHIP IN MARCH/APRIL. Late pledges will be held for the second wave of shipments that will likely go out in MAY/JUNE.

We were shown this cool vessel tracking app by one of our freight partners and thought it was kind of nifty so we thought we'd share. While we aren't sure exactly which of the little green arrows is our boat exactly, we figure it is somewhere in the circled area by now:

The light red line is the (rough) path it is taking to reach the port of NY. Currently, it is scheduled to pass through the Panama Canal around March 6 to ultimately reach NY on March 14. Hopefully, our logistics partners can have things ready for speedy clearance so it can be unloaded and trucked to Quartermaster in Orlando that same week (but port congestion is still a concern).

Some of you may be wondering why we're taking the long route to deliver to NY instead of the shorter route docking in Long Beach, California. The short answer is: considering the ongoing backlog and stacked traffic still clogging Long Beach, this long route may still be faster. The last report we saw suggested there were currently around 80 vessels lined up at Long Beach waiting an average of 18+ days to unload. So those extra 2 weeks on the water to reach NY should actually get the books on US soil faster. The NY Port Authority seems to have its increased traffic relatively under control compared to Long Beach.

Admittedly, another reason for picking this NY vessel was that because of the Long Beach delays, there weren't any Long Beach-bound ships leaving Shenzhen anytime soon, so the NY-bound departure was the earliest available.

All in all, things are moving, and there's little more we can do but wait. In the meantime, Drew and Eric are still getting the SOLO PLAY and FOES & FACTIONS supplements print-ready, which we hope to have for you very shortly. (Drew was a guest at Pensacon this past weekend, which was a bit of distraction, but good PR nonetheless. 😎)

We'll keep you updated!

This is it! Backerkit orders are being locked THIS WEEKEND!
almost 3 years ago – Thu, Feb 10, 2022 at 06:34:38 PM

Hi everyone!

Hope you are all doing well and enjoying the brand new Year of the Tiger! Now that folks are starting to return from Chinese New Year holidays, we're getting some updates and ramping up our fulfillment engine in anticipation of getting these beauties out the door!

Everything is currently on the water and headed our way. I believe things should reach US soil in the next two weeks, but we're still waiting on confirmation on that as well. Of course, reaching port is only half of the journey as things still need to clear customs, get loaded onto a truck, and then be driven to the final destination at Quartermaster Logistics. Full warning: that can and has taken as long as the trans-global journey from China! With Omicron putting scores of dockworkers and truckers out of commission, the shipping crisis continues to be a burden to keep an eye on... (At least the vaccination has meant more likelihood of a speedy recovery and fewer tragic complications...) We will keep you posted on that freight progress, but FIRST THINGS FIRST:

Backerkit orders will be locked at 10am CST this Saturday morning!

In order for Quartermaster to be ready to turn these orders around quickly, we need to start preparing final order and inventory data for them several weeks in advance. They handle dozens of large fulfillment projects at a time, so we need to be ready and early with our info. So to that end, we're locking Backerkit this weekend so that we can get them the data to start entering into their system next week.

What does this mean for you?

• 1) If you haven't done so already, PLEASE FILL OUT YOUR SURVEY IN THE NEXT 48 HOURS! There are only about 100 of you who haven't yet, so please check your email for those reminders. If you aren't sure if you have, you can log into your account by going to carbon-grey.backerkit.com and signing in using your Kickstarter-related email address. If that doesn't work, send us a message and we'll reply with your unique link.
• 2) Any balances due (shipping, Add-ons, etc) will be charged 48 hours after the lock has been initiated. So your Credit Cards will be charged on MONDAY. If that poses any problems, please let us know. If Backerkit is unable to run your credit card, they will send you a notification to update or confirm your payment information. They will automatically retry every week, but please don't let any failure go unaddressed. Those extra weeks weeks mean your order is not complete, which leads to...
• 3) Any orders or surveys that are not completed by the end of next week (Feb 18) will fall into a "Phase Two" shipping window. Since QML needs to draw the line somewhere to start processing and planning, that is where it will be drawn. Any orders completed after that date will queue up for shipping in a separate fulfillment batch sometime after the first batch is completed. We can't be more specific as to when that will be until we are more confident in when Phase One will begin (pending the freight from China), but it will probably be 6-8 weeks later. So FAIR WARNING: PLEASE BE PROMPT! 😊
• 4) Hopefully this doesn't need to be said (but we find that usually does): Any orders left incomplete after 6 months of this Lock Date will not be guaranteed! We may be out of inventory on certain items that far down the road, or shipping rates may have doubled (*again*), so super-latecomers may be faced with extra fees or simply forfeit their Kickstarter pledge funds entirely (we appreciate the support)!

Digital Update

We were initially waiting until the SOLO MODULE and FOES & FACTION SUPPLEMENT were ready for printing to lock Backerkit, but the Quartermaster deadline took precedence. Drew and Eric and the team have been hard at work finishing up both items (with some personal family matters introducing some unexpected delays), and they should both be ready shortly. As soon as they are, we will bundle everything up nicely and push out a great big digital distribution of goods through Backerkit. 😊 I will be getting a status update from them today, so look for that ETA shortly. We may even slip in some extra digital surprises to compensate for the extra wait, who knows.😎

What's next?

If by that you mean "next project"... oooh, are we chomping at the bit to say more. 🤐

We have no less than 5 really exciting projects on the boards now. We're just waiting on a few quotes, signatures, or approval nods to confirm where they will land on our 2022 schedule before we can formally announce them.  They're all SO CLOSE, but we just want to be absolutely certain before we make any public announcements. (We've learned a few lessons about letting things slip out prematurely...) So stay tuned! This is going to be an exciting year for Magnetic Press Play!

In the meantime...

If you haven't already seen it, the graphic novel campaign for ARSENE LUPIN, GENTLEMAN THIEF is ending TOMORROW!

This is a gorgeous and super-fun new edition of the classic crime capers of the original dapper burglar who inspired a century's worth of film and media, including the recent live-action LUPIN series on Netflix and the fan-favorite anime series LUPIN THE 3rd (which celebrates its 50th Anniversary this year... and you can even preorder our LUPIN THE 3rd Anniversary Artbook as an Add-on)!

You don't want to miss out on the fabulous package of exclusive, limited-edition bonus items that have been unlocked to be included with all physical pledges for FREE! Right now, that's about $40 worth of exclusive collectibles that will not be available anywhere else once this campaign is complete. And you can get this whole beautiful art package for simply pre-ordering the $30 base tier or $40 Limited Edition Cipher Edition tier!

If you also backed the recent OGRE GODS campaign or choose to pre-order OGRE GODS after the fact from the open Backerkit shop, you can get FREE SHIPPING on your ARSENE LUPIN pledgeby bundling both packages into one! Both campaigns will ship in May, so it's the perfect way to save on the skyrocketing cost of shipping these days.

Please check it out and help spread the word!

Advance copy pix! Backerkit closing dates! Production status! And something else you might dig...
almost 3 years ago – Mon, Jan 24, 2022 at 03:19:45 PM

Hi everyone!

Happy (belated) New Year! It has been a few very busy weeks since our last update, and we apologize for not checking in with news considering the last update mentioned Backerkit locking around Jan 17th. Some dates are being adjusted to account for various behind-the-curtain things (both good and bad), but TLDR -- we're still aiming to start fulfilling in March!

The factory has delivered all of the palets of cartons to the shipping company, and they are scheduled to depart Shenzhen on Monday! Assuming no Kraken attack along the way, they should reach US shores (Tampa, to be precise) around February 23rd. Hopefully port congestion there won't be too bad, and things can make the final leg to Quartermaster in Orlando within a week or two of that. They should then be able to have packages and international hub freight turned around within about two weeks of that! It's so close, we can practically feel it in our hands...!

Okay, full disclosure -- we are actually holding a finished copy in our hands right now. 😎 We just got in an advance copy in the mail this week, and as sweet as the factory photos looked, it is EVEN SWEETER. Seriously, the pix they sent of the minis were taken so close, the size and amount of detail was very misleading -- nice, but not as tight as the actual minis when held in person. Nice, clean, solid plastic, and really sharp details. It's surprising how much they were able to maintain through the multiple stages and materials.

So at the risk of sharing redundant peeks at the final product, here's a flood of new pix!

So what's up with Backerkit? When are orders going to be locked?

Great Qs. Here's the deal: 

We don't want to lock orders until digital rewards are ready to be distributed. That means ALL digital rewards, including the Solo Module, Foes and Factions Supplement, etc. And because of some health-related downtime over the holidays, those two items are taking an extra week or two to complete. We're aiming to have them finished for proofing the first week of February and ready for print before Valentine's Day. As soon we can confidently set that date, we will lock all Backerkit orders (with at least 48 hours notice, if not a few days more). So expect more word on that final date the first week of February. As soon as those files are sent to the printer, we'll put the digital files on Drivethru and distribute all digital rewards.

Note that Credit Cards aren't actually charged until we lock orders, so please be sure your shipping address and payment info are correct by then!

In the meantime...

We are working on our next games (not just one, not even two, but THREE games in the active development pipeline!) and we are excited to reveal more details about those in the weeks ahead. There are just some pieces that need to be nailed down before we can officially announce anything. They will be worth the wait, though!

Until then, while it isn't a game, we are excited to share this upcoming Graphic Novel Kickstarter launching next week from our creative partners at Neurobellum! 

A beautiful new edition of Maurice Leblanc’s classic crime capers featuring the original gentleman thief, ARSENE LUPIN, illustrated by Vincent Mallie. This dashing anti-hero became the inspiration for over a century’s worth of film, television, comic books, and animation hits that continue to this very day, including the recent live-action LUPIN series on Netflix and the beloved anime series LUPIN THE 3rd (which itself celebrates its 50th Anniversary this year). It is offered in two editions: Book Only and the Limited "Cipher" Edition with a collection of exclusive artifacts and puzzle-solving extras!

The artwork is stunning, painted in a style that feels very much like a Studio Ghibli/Miyazaki tale (which is only fitting since Hayao Miyazaki's first directorial feature film was LUPIN THE 3rd: CASTLE OF CAGLIOSTRO which drew a lot of plot inspiration from the Arsene Lupin novels)!

As before, folks are encouraged to pre-register to get a free, limited edition linen cardstock print with their pledge, with a second exclusive print free to those who pledge on Day-1. Just visit http://www.magnetic-press.com/early-access-arsene-lupin/ to register before the campaign launches this Tuesday Jan 25 at 10am CST!

Production update! More pix!
almost 3 years ago – Thu, Dec 30, 2021 at 01:54:58 AM

Hi everyone!

Hope you all had a wonderful Christmas/Holidays and are gearing up to close 2021 in a special way! We're barreling towards the end of the year with the finishing touches being put on a lot of stuff! Not only is Quartermaster pushing to get three other campaigns out the door this week (in case any of you backed SHANGRI-LA, FALSE GUARD, or THE WALL), but Starry Games is also looking to start assembling and shrink wrapping CARBON GREY boxes next week!

They've completed all printed items, including the books, cards, boxes, punch-out cards, fold-out map, and GM screens, as well as all of the vacuum trays and dice. They've sent some more pix (in addition to the ones shared earlier) to further confirm:

They also sent 120 photos of the entire rule book, page-by-page, in advance of actually sending a physical copy. We're pretty confident it will look sweet. 😊 Here are just a handful of pix:

Those are just random samples of the pix they shared. The full folder of pix is HUGE, so you'll have to trust us that everything is looking sweet. 😊

The only remaining item for them to complete are the miniatures, which are being molded and cleaned as we speak. Those are the only pieces that could hold up final assembly (but as of their latest report received this morning, they don't sound too concerned).

So, as of now...

Assuming Starry completes assembly next week, they anticipate having everything on a boat departing Shenzhen by January 17th (if not sooner). Delivery speeds have picked up a bit from their worst congestion during this ongoing shipping crisis (although the costs have not come down a penny...), so we expect that would put them in Quartermaster's hands by the end of February. If that turns out to be accurate, they should be able to start shipping in March. But of course, we will keep you posted along the way!

Additional items such as the stretch goal bonuses, Solo Play Module, Foes and Factions, etc, are all being produced domestically, so we should be in fine shape to have those on that same timetable.

Right now, aside from the boxed items from China, the only pressing thing on our end (well, on the designers' end, Drew and Eric) is finishing those two aforementioned expansion modules.  But they're on schedule and don't seem concerned either. As soon as those remaining pieces are done, proofed, and ready for printing, we will set the Lock Down date for Backerkit. That is currently looking like January 17th or so. We will give everyone several days' advance notice before orders are locked.

At that point, credit cards will start to be charged and all digital rewards will be issued. We need to lock orders before we can create those distribution scripts in Backerkit.

That's where we stand as of today! It's getting close!

I know we teased a reveal of what's next in the pipeline, but various details have come up that need to be ironed out first, and we don't want to make any premature announcements or promises until we're sure of everything. So stay tuned! We will have some exciting things to reveal soon! 😎