Updates on Layout, New Previews, Surveys, and More!
about 2 years ago – Wed, Aug 24, 2022 at 11:46:24 PM

You came again to the Great Mountain and called out for my wisdom, and lo, I come forth at last with good news! The laborious grind of progress has been a taxing one, but it has yielded great bounty. A score of carnivorous apes have toiled at the wheel of pain for many moons to power the very computer on which I type, so savor these words! Much blood was spilt in their rendering.

Layout & Previews

In short, things are proceeding brilliantly. Layout is still plodding along as well as can be expected. On that front I currently have nothing to show, although I am being told by my design team that an updated version of the player's section and some heretofore unseen content will be available to backers as a sneak peek before the end of the week. When that media is available to me, I will be sure to post it here!

BackerKit Surveys & Add-Ons

I am currently awaiting the final spreadsheet from our fulfilment team to populate BackerKit surveys. Once I get numbers from them (which are supposed to arrive within the next 48 hours), I can complete the last step in the BackerKit process. From there I can release the surveys when it is deemed most appropriate. Surveys will be released in two phases. The first, called a 'smoke test' will release to a small, randomly selected portion of backers. This is simply designed to determine that everything was done correctly and that the relevant information is processed properly. Once the first phase is complete, the remainder of surveys will go out en masse. With these surveys, you will have the opportunity to add additional copies of Swords & Chaos to your order if you wish to do so. As I have stated previously, it's a difficult balancing act, these surveys. You want to wait to release them as long as possible so that shipping costs are as accurate as possible, but you want them out early enough that everyone gets a chance to fill them out. Before I declare a firm date for survey release, I will need to arrange a meeting with the printers and my production team to determine when they expect the print run to reach an end. When there's fresh news on that front, I'll let you all know. 

Getting S&C if you missed the Kickstarter

If you missed out on our Kickstarter but still wish to acquire a copy of Swords & Chaos, fret not! I am working closely with one of the most powerful sorcerers in the art of web design that I know, and we are forging a brilliant new website where physical copies of Swords & Chaos can be preordered! The website is nearing finalization, and once complete will allow you to order physical copies of our products to be shipped to whatever address you wish. We are partnered with a Consolidator and Third Party Logistics company, with whom I signed with this week, who will make the process streamlined and incredibly easy for us here at BSF and, most importantly, you. Fulfilment on these later orders will likely be completed in tandem with Kickstarter fulfilment, as the two are being handled by two separate companies with their own pallets of books we've sent them in advance.

The website will serve as the long-term home for Blackspire Fantasy products, and will serve as a one-stop shop for physical and digital* goods. As we release further game material, they will become available on our website. 

*new and existing products will still be available for order through DriveThruRPG, as would be expected.

What I've Been Doing In the Meantime

It's no secret that publishing is often a game of "hurry up and wait," and there's plenty of downtime where you're waiting on another part of the process to be completed, for someone to reply to an email, or any other number of things. I find myself in that situation often as of late. To make up for this, I've been occupying my time with some pretty exciting side-projects that have started to bear fruit. The first of these is a proper GM Screen for use with Swords & Chaos! I've developed a prototype screen that I'm using in my own games, and I'm very happy with the results. It's a four-panel screen, with each screen measuring 8.5 inches wide by 11 inches tall. The interior features quick reference rules for:

• Things you can do on your turn
• Combat maneuvers
• The benefits of an eight hour rest using the three different 'modes' of healing in Swords & Chaos
• Unarmed combat and wrestling
• Situational combat modifiers
• A table of what would be considered Mild, Dangerous, and Lethal damage based on level
• The Roll the Body check
• Time tracking in rounds, minutes, cycles, and hours
• Light sources and their effective ranges
• A list of useful substances
• A list of dangerous substances
• Carousing
• Breaking through surfaces
• Corruption
• Saving Throws
• Movement and how it is affected by movement pace and terrain
• Vehicle speeds
• Swimming, drowning, and suffocation
• Common expenses
• Common purchases
• Containers and their capacities
• Adventuring gear
• NPC services and costs for henchmen and hirelings

I'm planning on producing a run of screens printed on cardstock with brilliant oil paintings featured prominently on the outward facing side by the incomparable Brian LeBlanc, with whom I have already spoken extensively on the matter.

I've also been working on a starter adventure tentatively called The Tower of Yagar-Thun, based on playtest material that was played at both my home game and several tables at GaryCon 2022. This adventure dramatically expands upon the material featured in the original playtest, and is heavily inspired by Fritz Leiber's Lankhmar stories, and Robert E. Howard's The Tower of the Elephant, among others.

Lastly, I've been doing a bit of work for the guys over at Troll Lord Games. I can't exactly say what they've got me doing, but it's wicked cool stuff, and I never would have imagined I'd be involved with such a project.

Rest assured, however, that these other projects are secondary and tertiary to Swords & Chaos. We're getting very close to physical production now. I can feel it.

-J

Layout & the Very Beginning of the End
over 2 years ago – Thu, Jul 21, 2022 at 12:12:58 PM

Your sacrificial offerings have not been in vain! 

We have heard your calls, your prayers, and your lamentations! "An update!" you demand. "All the treasures of Old Atlantis for an update! By the black heart of Imbaru the Chaotic, an update!" Well heed well, rogues, for I have much to say!

Lots of things have happened since we last spoke back in June. For one, the text has been finalized and edits are entirely complete. All 179,000 words (or roughly 290 pages of raw text) are in the capable hands of our Art Director and layout team. 

To that end, all of our commissioned art has been delivered! This means there is nothing to delay our team from completing visual layout, which is already well underway. I expect the book on my desk before the end of July for final approval. 

Barring any unforeseen issues with their storefront, we expect the pdfs to be available on DriveThruRPG very shortly after my final approval of the files. Codes for redeeming electronic copies will be distributed via email to those who pledged to tiers that award pdf copies, and will be redeemable at DriveThruRPG.com.

Production on physical books are scheduled to begin immediately after my final approval of the files, and are expected to be shipped out from the printers in mid September, with final delivery to backers in November. 

Shipping is currently very expensive, and we're doing what we can to mitigate the cost. We are currently exploring all possible options with 3rd Party Logistics and Consolidation companies in the effort to find the absolute MOST cost effective way of shipping you your copies of Swords & Chaos. Dialogues and inquiries have been opened with three different logistics companies, and we're also currently investigating the cost/benefit of handling the entire operation ourselves. Whatever we decide on, know that we will arrive at our decision well in advance of sending out BackerKit surveys, and that our highest interest is delivering our product to your door as safely as possible while trying to avoid charging you more than necessary.

Oh, and it wouldn't be very much of an update if I didn't SHOW you something cool, right?

Until next time,

-J

P.S. We've been doing some exciting work on some GM screens and a beginner adventure module, but it's too early along to say anything for certain. Thought you might find that interesting regardless.

Surveys, Shipping, and Other Things
over 2 years ago – Sat, Jun 18, 2022 at 12:58:39 PM

Hello all!

Work on Swords & Chaos is forging ahead with great haste as our deadlines approach.

In the meantime, I thought I should give you all an update on surveys. 

I've spoken with some experts on the matter, and they have helped me complete the designing of the surveys. The only thing I'm waiting on is shipping estimates from our fulfillment company, which they say will take a few days to get to. Once I have estimates in hand, I should be able to send out surveys. I'm no longer sure when that will be, but I will post another update as soon as I know.

Something important to keep in mind is that shipping costs are constantly changing, and the closer to ship date (November) we can send this out the more accurate shipping will be. I would hate to either overcharge or undercharge, as neither would be fair to you nor ideal for me. I want what you're asked to pay in shipping to be as accurate/close to actual rates as possible.

IN OTHER NEWS: 

I'm expecting the very last of the editing to be finished today, if it isn't finished already. I should have the finalized text in my hands by the end of today, all going well.

The very last of our art briefs have been sent out and the last pieces of art are trickling in.

All said, we're doing very well and things are on schedule.

-J

State of the Game: Everything is On Track! Expect Surveys Next Week!
over 2 years ago – Sat, Jun 04, 2022 at 12:04:57 PM

Long has it been since last we've spoken, dog-brothers and sword-sisters! I raise my drinking horn to you, and bid you sit at my table for a time while I tell you the good tidings! Swords & Chaos has been repeatedly revised, and is nearly finished with the final editing pass.  The raw text document sits at 280 pages and 174,007 words.

Additionally, art has been coming in from all over the four corners of the world! 

As we currently have it planned, we're aiming to have editing completed by (or near) June 10th, and then everything will go to layout for final placement. All going well, that should be completed between the 20th and the 30th. After that, the book will come back to my desk for final approval, and then its OFF TO THE PRINTERS!

Once Files are approved, we will be able to deliver digital copies to those who ordered them, so expect those sometime in early July. We're still on track for November delivery for physical books.

I've also received a number of questions regarding surveys, additional orders, and fulfilment. Rest assured, surveys are coming via backerkit. I have arranged a meeting with veteran backerkit users to guide me through survey and fulfilment design so that I can ensure a seamless and user-friendly backerkit experience for all of you. This meeting will take place midway through next week, and we're hoping to have the surveys sent out by Friday the 10th or Saturday the 11th of June.

We Did It
over 2 years ago – Thu, May 05, 2022 at 07:29:07 PM

So it is that we come to the end of our crowdfunding adventure. Now we can continue the process of revision and graphic design with our utmost attention. To all those who have contributed, I wish to personally extend the heartiest of thanks, and shall raise my glass to you this night. Without your golden coins, those pesky printers would never be appeased!

Cheers, you lovable dogs!