Pledge manager update and manufacturing part 3
over 4 years ago
– Fri, Oct 18, 2019 at 01:50:01 AM
Expected Delivery: March 2020
Hey everyone, I hope you’re having a good week!
This is going to be a short update as there isn’t too much to talk about, but it has been 3 weeks since the last one, so I thought I’d add a bit more behind the scenes stuff!
Pledge Manager
The Pledge Manager guarantee date has now passed, this means if you have not yet completed your survey, I can no longer guarantee the items you want will be available.
To be clear:
This means when you login to BackerKit some items may show as sold out, or no longer appear, this means you will not be able to get those items.
If an item still shows, then it is available and once you’ve completed your survey the item will be guaranteed.
Manufacturing
The manufacturing process is going well, since my last update there was a big holiday in China which resulted in a week holiday for their staff, so the samples aren’t ready just yet, but I’m hoping to get them very soon.
This won’t cause any delays as the break was planned for, it just means not as much has been done as you might expect in the last 3 weeks.
Behind the scenes: Why are things running out?
I’m sure a few people are wondering how I'm running out of stock of some items even though we’ve not started shipping yet, and I wanted to touch on this.
When I placed the order with our manufacturers several months ago, I had to do some calculations based on the numbers I had at hand. We had sold 6982 copies of The Isle of Cats and 4744 expansion packs at the time, mainly through the Kickstarter.
Typically, I would “play it safe” and order an additional 50% for retail, late pledges and pre-orders, for a small company this is still a huge amount of additional games and risks large amounts of money if the games don’t sell.
However! With The Isle of Cats I’m very confident in the game and the reception it will get when it releases, so I didn’t want to play it safe. I ended up ordering as many games/expansions as I could afford. This was just under 20,000 games and 10,000 expansions. At the time I felt this was very risky, an additional 13,000 games (nearly 200% more rather than the 50% I’d normally order) and 10,000 expansions (100% more).
Being completely honest it was a very scary decision to make as not selling those games would have proven problematic in more ways than one. Yet, in the last few months the pre-orders have not stopped, retail and distribution orders keep coming in and things have sold much faster than I could have ever anticipated.
In fact, I’ve now sold 93% of the games and 98% of the expansions.
As a result, I’m already looking into a second print and working on the details for this as we speak, but those games will arrive much later into the year and at the current pace, well after the first print sells out.
Hopefully this gives a little bit of insight into “why things are already selling out” and why, as much as I’d not want to even think about selling out this early in the first print run, that it is very much a possibility.
If you’ve got any questions, I’m happy to answer them in the comments below.
Until next time
Over the next couple of weeks, I’ll hopefully receive the next round of samples for The Isle of Cats and will share them when I can. I’m also going to be looking into a second print run and working on rebranding The City of Games with the launch of a new website!
- Frank
Pledge manager update and manufacturing part 2
over 4 years ago
– Tue, Sep 24, 2019 at 01:36:46 AM
Expected Delivery: March 2020
Happy Monday everyone, I hope you have all been enjoying your September and have managed to play lots of games. I feel it is important to remind you that once in a while your cats deserve extra special treats and perhaps today is a good day for that (cats, you can thank me later).
Pledge Manager closing and charges
On the 1st October (next Tuesday) I will be running the first charge on BackerKit. If you added extra items and paid by card, this is the day your card will be charged.
Pledge Manager guarantee date - October 15th
For anyone who has yet to complete their survey, I am setting October 15th as the last day to guarantee you get your items. If you have not completed your survey by this date, then I cannot guarantee you will be able to receive your rewards.
I will keep the Pledge Manager open for as long as possible, but all survey completions after October 15th will be fulfilled in a first come, first serve fashion. Some items (such as the Late Arrivals expansion) are starting to run out and with the current order rate I expect them to sell out in October.
Manufacturing part 2 - Samples!
I mentioned in the last update that we were now in step 4, the printed and white samples phase and they have arrived so I wanted to share some photos.
There were two packages, one containing the white samples and the other containing the printed samples. In total they weighed 12kg (27lbs), hopefully the final games will be a little lighter!
The white sample looked fantastic, the punchboards, cards, rulebooks, and player boards were all perfect and I couldn't be happier. We've used the best materials and I'm very pleased with how these all looked and felt.
While the white samples allow me to check the sizes of everything, materials, and quality, the printed samples allow me to check the colours.
There were a lot of sheets, it took 5 hours to go through all the printed samples but I am extremely happy with how they look. Everything is aligned correctly within the cutting areas and no typos were found.
Keep in mind, these aren't printed onto the final materials so some finishes will be slightly different.
The boats now feature all the new animals and are looking great too.
You'll see I've also added the various cat stories and some additional lore to the sides of the inside of the box, so I'm pleased to confirm this will be within all copies of the game!
Samples - My thoughts and some transparency
Overall I was very happy with the samples, the quality was fantastic and I'm so excited to see how the final product is going to look.
There were a couple of issues which I'll mention for transparency reasons, but they aren't anything to be concerned with. I just feel it might be interesting to let people know some of the things that happen in the process.
1) The paper on the player boards (which would have the artwork on it) was incorrectly positioned on one side of the board. While the front was perfect, the back was inset meaning the paper was about 1cm from the edges, this wouldn't have looked great so I've made sure they get this right with the next sample.
Interestingly we had the same issue on the expansions of The City of Kings and it just seems to be the standard way these things are done. I've no concerns with the issue being fixed in the next round of samples.
2) One piece of artwork for the back of the expansion box was at a low resolution and looked blurred, I've resupplied the artwork to make sure this is as clean as the rest of the components.
3) Having played around with the final components I decided I wasn't happy with the size of the box, I've decided to increase the depth a little bit to make sure things can fit comfortably. While everything (KS Pack/Expansions) could fit inside the box, it required a bit too much effort and sleeved cards wouldn't fit. This means the box will now be 10cm deep rather than 8cm, it will still be the same width/length (30cm) as before.
4) During the prototyping and sampling steps I put a lot of effort into estimating the weights of each product (game/expansion). This is used to calculate the costs of shipping for our Kickstarter and also our freight costs for shipping the games to the various fulfilment centres.
This time around my estimate was a little further off than I would have expected, it seems a few of the materials have changed since I printed The City of Kings and the density of them has increased, making the weight of them heavier than I had assumed. Don't worry though, this wont impact you or change the prices of anything!
You may be surprised to hear (I know I was) that The Isle of Cats + Kickstarter Pack weighs just over 4kg, or 9lbs, and the expansion adds a little more to the weight as well!
Conclusion
We are currently in a really good place, the issues with the samples are all very minor and won't cause any delays. I'm waiting on updated samples for the corrections and expect to have them within the next couple of weeks. From there we'll be working on the production sample which is when we'll have full visibility of the final game!
Until next time
The next update will be in a few weeks once I've received some updated samples and I have something to share. While waiting on those I'll be working on Project Honey and continuing to plan the shipping and fulfilment phases of the project.
Have a great day,
- Frank
Pledge manager update and manufacturing part 1
over 4 years ago
– Tue, Sep 03, 2019 at 02:16:35 AM
Expected Delivery: March 2020
Hey everyone, happy Monday!
It has been 2 weeks since my last update and I wanted to let you all know what's happening with The Isle of Cats.
Pledge Manager
The Pledge Manager is now live and a lot of you have already filled it in (thank you), but there are still a lot of you who haven't. It would be great if everyone could fill in their survey as soon as possible (it really helps with planning!), but here are the details you need to know.
I have not received my survey email?
You should have received several emails by now, if they haven't arrived then you can request a reminder via this link:
https://the-isle-of-cats.backerkit.com/
If this doesn't work please check your spam filters, and finally if you still aren't getting your email, send me a message on Kickstarter. It's very important you complete their your survey so I can ship you your games.
When will my card be charged?
- If you pay via PayPal, your payment will be taken instantly.
- If you pay via Credit Card, you will be charged on October 1st.
When does the pledge manager close?
Once I have run the credit card charge on October 1st I will be looking over stock levels and timelines and making a decision on the closing date for the pledge manager, at which point I will send out an update.
However, right now I strongly advise everyone to complete the survey prior to October 1st to ensure you get the items you would like.
Manufacturing
The summary of this section is everything is on track and I'm happy with where we are at in terms of manufacturing. With that said, I know some of you would like to know all the details and I thought I'd spend a little time today detailing out the various steps I will be going through during the process.
Step 1 - Finalising the game files
The first step is to make sure all the game files are complete, and while the game itself was finished prior to the Kickstarter, there were a few things to do. The main highlights were:
- Editing, so checking spelling and grammar.
- Replacing old artwork with stretch goal artwork.
- Updating the boats with new artwork.
Step 2 - Preparing the files for the manufacturers
While designing The Isle of Cats and creating prototypes there were a few files which I created in ways which were great for me, but not so great for my manufacturers. This step is one that always takes a lot of time and most of it is spent preparing the punchboards. There are 13 punchboards in the game (including the expansion) containing hundreds of individual pieces, each of these components needed to be placed on a sheet with the cutting lines carefully aligned.
Step 3 - Digital samples
When I first send files to Whatz they create a series of digital samples for me to check and approve. This takes a couple of weeks and involves them going through every file and checking it meets all their system requirements. They'll often change the arrangement of files, for example taking the rulebook PDF and laying out the pages on giant sheets of paper so they can print 8+ pages at a time and then cut them out.
During this time they also check things like the UV and Emboss layouts for the box cover, and punchboard cutting lines, to make sure nothing will be problematic further down the line.
Once they finish this task I receive all the files back and have to very carefully check there are no mistakes. For instance this time around I noticed 1 card had been duplicated, with another missing.
This is where errors can easily crop in and must be checked many times over. For a previous project I noticed their was a font error with 0's and in the samples all 0's were missing, this of course could create a major problem if it wasn't spotted.
Step 4 - Printed samples and white sample
With the digital samples approved Whatz then print all of the files to paper and send them out to me for approval. This is so I can check I am happy with the final colours, as colours can look very different when printed to how they are on screen.
Alongside this they also work on creating a white sample, this is a full copy of the game without any printing. So they make a blank box, create the decks of cards, produce the foldable player boats, create the punchboards, but all of them are blank. The purpose of this is so I can test all of the measurements are correct, and to make sure the materials are the ones I wanted.
I also use the white sample to give guidelines to Whatz on how the game should be packed into the box before it is shipped.
Step 5 - Production sample
With everything approved production is ready to begin, in this step a single full copy of each product (game, Kickstarter Pack, expansion) will be sent to me for the final sign off. At this point changes to materials and artwork will cause delays and cost money, so it's really critical I get everything right in steps 3 and 4.
This step is about checking the final look of everything and to make sure nothing is missed.
Step 6 - Mass production
With the sample approved Whatz switch on the machines and everything gets created.
Step x - Other stuff
There are a lot of other things going on alongside this, for example the wooden cat figures (meeples) have their own timelines. I've been working on those since the Kickstarter finished and they are already in mass production as they will take a very long time to make (we're producing over 1.5 million meeples in our first print run).
Some of you may be wondering about timelines on the above steps and this isn't something I can share. While I have a good idea of how long the entire process takes, each step can vary a great deal, here's why!
Let's say in step 3 (digital samples) I spot a lot of issues, I can go back and forth with Whatz for weeks getting these right but then steps 4, 5, and 6 might all go smoothly. Likewise, I may sign of steps 3 and 4 straight away but find in step 5 (production sample) that there is an issue that's going to require time to fix. You can never be sure at which step an issue will arise, but you can be sure there will be some throughout the process. This is why timelines have to be carefully planned for the entire project and I prefer to focus on delivery (March) rather than specific timings of each step.
Currently I've just finished step 3 and Whatz are now producing the printed and white samples, I expect to have these within a few weeks and will share photos when they arrive!
I hope this provides some interesting insights into the process that will be happening over the next few months.
Until next time
As I wait for the next round of samples I will be focussing on arranging shipping, looking into my convention plans for next year, working on others games, and of course, playing World of Warcraft Classic (who can resist?).
I hope you have a fantastic week and I'll be in touch again in a few weeks!
- Frank
!Important - The Pledge Manager is live
over 4 years ago
– Tue, Aug 20, 2019 at 01:41:04 AM
Hey everyone,
I am pleased to confirm the Pledge Manager is now live and you will be receiving an email from BackerKit within the next 24 hours.
In order to receive your items you must fill in the Pledge Manager.
If you have not received an email from BackerKit by Thursday 22nd then please let me know, do not message me before then as it can take a few days for the email to get to you. Also, please check your spam filters for emails from BackerKit before messaging me.
What is a Pledge Manager?
A pledge manager is a website which allows us to manage your Kickstarter rewards.
It will allow you to view what items you are going to get, how much you have paid, and most importantly, it lets you tell us your shipping details. You can also add additional items during the pledge manager and pay any outstanding fees.
If you do not complete the Pledge Manager, we will not know where to ship your game to.
How does it work?
Over the next 24 hours you will receive an email from BackerKit asking you to complete your survey, there will be a link that takes you to the BackerKit website.
Once you have clicked on the link you will need to go through a short form to make sure your details are correct.
Page 1
1. Select your country from the drop down list so we can make sure you have the right shipping costs.
2. If you wish to change your pledge level (e.g. upgrading to the expansion) you can so so by clicking this link.
If everything is correct click "Get Started!".
Page 2
3. You will see all of the items you selected during the Kickstarter listed here, you do not need to add these items again.
4. If you wish to add extra copies of the game, the Bag'O'Cats (see below) or any of our other games you can do so here.
5. Once you have checked all the right items have been added, you can click next.
Page 3
6. Enter your address and then click next!
Page 4.
7. Confirm your details and click "Place My Order", your items will be with you in March!
Important: If you added extra items, or your payment failed on Kickstarter, then you will be asked to add your payment details here to cover outstanding charges.
- PayPal payments will be charged instantly.
- Credit Card payments will be charged on October 1st.
If your payment went through on Kickstarter, and you did not add extra items, there should be nothing to pay on this screen.
You can!
You will be able to add extra copies of the game, expansion, and our previous games in the Pledge Manager. You can also add the Bag'O'Cats!
Bag'O'Cats
A lot of people asked whether they could get extra cat meeples during the Kickstarter so I have created the Bag'O'Cats, this is not needed to play the game.
Your copy of The Isle of Cats included 30 small cat meeples, and the Kickstarter Pack includes 6 large meeples.
The Bag'O'Cats contains an additional 30 large cat meeples which allow you to upgrade the 30 small meeples in the game.
Limited availability
Please note, all of the additional items in the Pledge Manager (Vadoran Gardens, The City of Kings, and the Bag'O'Cats) have a limited quantity defined. This is because we only have so many available and once they have gone, it will be a while before we can print more.
The Bag'O'Cats is limited as we've already sent these to print, they are the longest item to produce and we has to start printing them the day the Kickstarter finished.
Until next time
For the next couple of weeks I will be focussing on my house, for the past 6 months Sara and I have been focussing on getting The Isle of cats to print and put the house on the pause. Now, it would be nice to have the house finished so we can have a bedroom again.
While working on the house I will be having daily chats with my manufacturer to make sure the samples are progressing, and checking in on emails to make sure no one is having issues with the Pledge Manager. My next update is planned for a couple of weeks time and will include details on the manufacturing process.
Have a fantastic week.
- Frank
A cute companion, Gen Con, and the Pledge Manager
over 4 years ago
– Tue, Aug 13, 2019 at 01:02:50 AM
Expected Delivery: March 2020
Hey everyone, how's your Monday going?
It has been a couple of weeks since my last update and I have a lot of things to share with you, it's amazing how much can happen in 2 weeks!
Shipping estimates
For those of you who don't like reading updates but want to know what the current status is, the first line of every update I send will include the current delivery date. If you see the date change, then you will know that update contains details on what has happened. I don't expect the delivery to change, but this is a quick way for you to stay updated!
New Animals
Dragolisco and I have been working hard to get the new player board animals ready for print, and I'd love to show you how they are looking.
Family side
Standard side
I'm really happy with how these have turned out and look forward to hearing which is your favourite!
Payments and the Pledge Manager
The payment window has now closed, and Kickstarter is in the final steps of processing all the money, hopefully it will be transferred into my account within the next few days. Once the money has arrived, I can activate our Pledge Manager (BackerKit) and begin the next steps.
I plan to send out the links to our Pledge Manager on Monday and Tuesday next week, they will be sent in 2 batches as I plan to do a small test prior to inviting everyone. When the first links are sent, I will send an update via Kickstarter to let you know how it works, what you need to do and of course, to make sure you look out for your link!
Please note. While it's incredibly unlikely, if the funds haven't arrived from Kickstarter prior to Monday, then the Pledge Manager will be delayed. This will not impact the delivery dates, but I want to set expectations accordingly.
Pledge Manager charge date
I will talk about the Pledge Manager in more detail next update, but for those of you wondering when the charge date is for upgrades, it will be the 1st October. If you do not know what this means, do not worry! I will explain everything next week.
Manufacturing update
I am pleased to confirm the game is 100% finished and all artwork and editing has been completed.
Last night (or well, early this morning) I sent the final files to our manufacturer in China to begin the production process. There are many steps involved, including months of sampling and proofing, but I will keep you updated and provide photos as I can.
The first samples will be digital files, so nothing interesting to share but it wont be long before we start getting physical samples to look at. My next Kickstarter update will be focussed on the Pledge Manager, but my update after that will start to talk about the manufacturing process in detail and give you some idea of what we can expect to see, and when!
Gen Con
Thank you to everyone who came and visited us at Gen Con, what an incredible few days it was! I must have spoken with over 2,000 people and I know Sara demod The Isle of Cats to just over 200 people, if you had a chance to play then I hope you enjoyed it!
It really was great to meet you all and to see some of the faces of the people who backed the game.
Until next time
Over the next few days I'll be finalising the Pledge Manager and working with our manufacturer to check there are no errors with the files. I'll be in touch again next week with a Pledge Manager update, until then, have a fantastic week everyone!
- Frank
