Final dice prototypes and a Saddlebag student film!
almost 2 years ago – Fri, Apr 14, 2023 at 11:10:37 AM

Hey folks!

I just got the latest dice prototypes in, and they look great. These represent the inclusions, colors, and treatments of both the geleton and Bulette Takes the Liar dice sets. They're not using my specific molds, which, if you'll remember, needed to be repaired, but outside of some font differences, this is what you can expect in your rewards!

On the beanie side of things, we're waiting on a revision to the latest prototype, which was much too stiff. We've identified the issues leading to this and are confident we can get it sorted out in pretty short order. Thanks for your continued patience with it! I can't wait to get these made and shipped.

On another note, I wanted to take this moment to shout out and support this really, really cool student project.

Taris Ryxus & The Griffon's Saddlebag

It's always so exciting when I see how these magic items inspire other artists and creators out there. I'll most often be asked if it's okay for someone to practice their 3D modeling with the items (to which I always say yes!), but it was last year that I was reached out to by a film student. They'd already made a short film recreating their RPG adventures before, and wanted to ask if they could make another one featuring their time with the Saddlebag itself.

Obviously, I said yes. Further, I sent them one of the original leather bags to use in it.

Now, the film's already been shot, and they're looking for some extra funds to go the extra mile with its post-production polish. The project only needs a bit more funding to reach that goal, and I wanted to share it with all of you! I think, together, we'll be able to help them finalize this video project, and that's really exciting!

So if you're interested in helping a fellow community member fund their Saddlebag-related project, head on over to the Kickstarter page and support the effort with a few bucks! If you decide to back it, thank you! That's super cool of you!

Okay, that's it from me for now! I'll be back soon with another update, I'm sure. Talk more soon! And until then, keep on adventuring!

-g

REMINDER: Orders are locked in 24 hours!
almost 2 years ago – Thu, Apr 06, 2023 at 09:20:02 AM

Hey folks!

Just wanted to remind you all that orders are being locked in just under 24 hours at noon (Eastern time) tomorrow. Make sure you've got what you want added to your order! You'll be able to change your address or payment method up until those are locked and charged later on—I'll be sure to give you advance warning for that milestone, too.

On the production side of things, the dice are looking great, and we're finally getting to the bottom of the beanie situation. Those should be ready to get moving soon, which will mean that everything will be ready to go into production soon.

There are also two ongoing Kickstarters I want to shoutout!

Dungeons Pop is a set of three popup maps in a lovely case that can be added to with other ready-to-use popup additions. These come ready right out of the box and are filled with wimsy and charm in three archetypical [read: often-used] classic locales—taverns, ruins, and towers! I'm really excited about these!

L'arsene's Ledger is the next Kickstarter campaign from Loot Tavern featuring over 300 of their upgradable, multi-rarity magic items. If you've enjoyed the content from this Kickstarter (or have also ordered their Heliana's Guide to Monster Hunting), be sure to check this one out, too! You may even see a special Saddlebag-themed item there, too!

That's all for now! Talk more soon, and keep on adventuring!

-g

Orders are being locked and pre-orders are closing on Friday, April 7th!
almost 2 years ago – Thu, Mar 23, 2023 at 07:07:02 AM

Hey everyone! I wanted to give everyone a final deadline for updating their orders and pre-orders! 

Friday, April 7th, all orders will be locked, and the pre-order store will be closed for all physical goods.

You will still be able to change your address on Backerkit in the meantime! Addresses will be locked closer to shipping, at which time I'll also charge cards for any remaining balances. Like this update, you will receive advanced notice for when you can expect these milestones.

To change your address, log into Backerkit as a Backer using the same email address you used for Kickstarter (unless you've manually changed it on Backerkit already). To make it simpler, you can search your email inbox for the Backerkit Survey link that was sent to it. You can use the link there to log in and make any final adjustments you need to.

If you have any questions about your accounts or orders, please send me a direct message here on Kickstarter so we can be sure I'll see it and can verify any information with you securely.

That's all for now! Talk more soon!

-g

A quick dice update (with video!), PLUS two just-launched campaigns worth your support
almost 2 years ago – Tue, Mar 21, 2023 at 12:24:57 PM

Hey everyone! Quick and to-the-point today!

Below are the latest test pours of the dice. These aren't using the special molds I've had made yet, since those are getting repaired (see the last update on that), but their contents are approaching finalization!

Here's a video of the Geleton d6:

And a video of the Bulette Takes the Liar d20:

I'm currently going through final considerations with these two designs, but I'm really happy with how they're looking.  I hope you are, too!

The last problem child product, the beanies (seriously, why are these so hard?), are still getting worked out. I'm eager to get you good news on those ASAP. I've just signed on with my various fulfillment warehouses and will be getting them all ready to start receiving products as they're finished.

Two just-launched 5e campaigns worth your support

The Book of Extinction by Mage Hand Press

The Book of Extinction is a historically- and scientifically-informed monster book of  over 130 creatures that existed once on Earth. Mage Hand Press has worked with the Center for Biological Diversity to have these creatures verified for (magic notwithstanding) historical accuracy. Also within the book are new playable races that embody and ending: the last members of a species. With post-campaign promises of charitable contributions, too, this is an easy-to-justify addition to any table's assortment of beasts. Plus, your druid will thank you!

BIG BADS by Hit Point Press

The Big Book of Big Bads is a 250+ page compendium of boss monsters (and companion book of magic items) that are story-driven and ready for inclusion in your world. I, personally, get the latest Big Bad Booklets from Hit Point Press's Patreon each month and always look forward to them. I'm super excited for this all-in-one collection of these BBEGS and their various lairs. This is a first-party Hit Point Press project (think Humblewood), and is virtually already ready to ship. Just like the Book above, this campaign is a great one to support.

That's it from me for today! Thanks for your support, as always, and I'll see you again soon. Keep on adventuring!

-g

Update! Prototypes, small hangups, progress!
almost 2 years ago – Fri, Mar 03, 2023 at 10:04:29 AM

Bottom line up top: things are in good shape. Current hangups/frustrations are with dice production times (manufacturing defects with the steel mold) and the beanie. I don't know why making a beanie has been such a pain point. Things are lining up to have the trigger pulled on production. Only a few more things needed before we're in full manufacturing swing!

Shipping timeline will be much more concrete as soon as everything is in production: things need to be made and then shipped to the warehouse, which will take some weeks. With these updates, I hope you can see the process as transparently as possible and the effort and coordination that goes into getting products ready for shipping. As always, thank you for your patience and continued enthusiasm!

—

Hey folks!

I got some new prototypes in the last month, as well as some image updates from other producers to show how things are moving along on their respective ends. Physical updates, in the video below, include: backpack, washi tape, and lenticular pins. In the images below that, you'll see dice manufacturing imagery and an update on the deluxe book covers (they look good now).

Let's dive in!

Bag, Tape, Pins

TL;D Watch:

• bag is ready for production. You can see the final design updates for maximum utility here.
• washi tape is good to go following a minor update to the item pattern design and size.
• lenticular pin is very cool, just needs to have the frame "tightness" opened up a bit more.

Dice

My dice partners have been working to fix some manufacturing defects in the steel mold for the dice sets. While new inner cores are being made, which can take two to three weeks, they're working to finalize the colors, inclusions, and production methods used. You can see how the mold's defects produce a less-than-ideal result in the image from them below. Notably, over-rounded edges and weird corners.

Deluxe Book Covers

In my last update, you could see how the gold and leatherette covers had their placements inverted! Whoops! That's fixed now, as you can see the image from the printers below. Lookin' good!

Other bits and pieces

All the printed stuff (cards, booklets, journal inserts, etc) is now being made to make sure it's good to go. I don't expect any issues there. The journals and dice bags are in their final round of prototyping, from which I also don't expect any new issues. There's one coin whose finish isn't quite right yet, but it's a minor adjustment. Criir miniature production is ready to start whenever everything else does. Banners and bookmarks are in good shape and should also be ready to start with the rest of production.

That's it for now, adventurers! Until next time, keep on adventuring!

-g