Project Update: March Update - Near and Clear
Ray here with a March update! Apologies for not updating in February - first it was CNY followed by a lot of back and forth between us and the printer, which is still ongoing but we're close! Very, very close.
PRODUCTION PROOFS
Here are some pics of our recent proof samples along with some tales of production samples to go along with them:
The Book looks great in hardcover, though this digital proof doesn't have the Spot-UV layer that will be in the final. The cover image also needs to be nudged to the right around 5 mm to account for the fold on the left.
Interiors for the most part were clean, but we found a couple of messed up pages that had to be corrected.
The Pizza Box looks great, but we had an extensive discussion about the green color on it, and how we needed to key it to a specific Pantone color rather than rely on CMYK which wouldn't be able to express the full quality of the illustration. We also had a couple of issues with the side panels and inside panels printed upside down, but you can't tell in this picture!
The Dice are nice and glossy and exactly how the renders look. No issues with these!
The Play Surface went through two revisions. We started with a glossy finish (top) but decided to go matte (bottom), which I think just looks a little nicer given the art. We also had to rotate the configuration of the images to make sure they folded properly.
No complaints about The Slugmix, which came out perfectly.
We did have to do a couple versions of the Enamel Pin, as somehow the original ended up being extra jumbo size. Something about inches and millimeters...
And we've yet to see the final proofs for the Stickers, though I'm sure they'll turn up great!
Here's another look at the book with the pizza box, all snug together-like.
SO, WHERE ARE WE?
So, moving! We're moving...
BONUS: A NOTE FROM MIKEY
Project Update: January Update: Celestial Moons
This episode of Slugblaster TV brought to you by:
ANOTHER sweet, sweet bundle of Slugblaster content designed by the awesome Wilkie's Candy Lab community during our second Wilkie's Goody Jam. New devices! New monsters! A Soundtrack! And a bunch more.
All earnings from these jams go to support teen mental health. This time we are donating proceeds to Strongminds. Strongminds provides therapy to low-income women and adolescents with depression in Uganda and Zambia. X Gone Give to Ya
Prepress
It's going well but it's taking a little bit of back and forth. A little slower than we'd like. That said...
Updated Timeline
Here's what we're working with now:
Deliver Final Print Ready Files to Factory (January 2024) - We did this, and now they're speccing things out.
Lunar New Year Shutdown (February 2024) - This happens this upcoming Thursday. Printers are back in office 02/18/24.
Printing & Manufacturer (February-March 2024) - Looking more like March, to be honest.
Ocean Freight (April 2024)- Boats! It's good to fill them up.
Fulfillment (May 2024) - Final leg of the journey.
Surveys Surveys Surveys
The surveys do not have shipping rates yet. We are charging for shipping later. We're still building out the prototype so... don't know how much it weighs yet :D
Alright, that's it from us for now. Stay groovy everyone!
Ray
Project Update: New Timeline
Ray here with a printing update!
Over the past couple of weeks we've been barreling towards delivering the print ready finals, and things are going really well! We've made significant progress on the design of everything, including the interior of the box:
We're super stoked at how things are cookin' and looking forward to getting the final proofs in our hand. That said, we do have a bit of bad news today: it doesn't look like we'll be able to begin printing before the Lunar New Year, meaning we're probably delayed around two months.
Updated Timeline
- Deliver Final Print Ready Files to Factory (January 2024)
- Lunar New Year Shutdown (February 2024)
- Printing & Manufacturer (February-March 2024)
- Ocean Freight (March-April 2024)
- Fulfillment (April 2024)
The Why
Basically, we were facing a situation where our window was becoming increasingly narrow and the hours longer and longer to meet the crunch. All of this is pretty normal for creative projects looking to hit market / fulfillment, but because we're making something we haven't really made before, there was a high likelihood that any round of back and forth with the manufacturer (box not quite right, colors not quite right, etc.) would've led to us missing the Lunar New Year cutoff anyway.
I didn't want Mikey and the rest of the team crunching through the holidays, and so I made the decision to push us back until after CNY, knowing that doing so pushes back our timeline a few months.
Plus! Doing so means we can definitely get the Solo Rules by Michael Elliot into the core book, which is a nice bonus :)
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Apologies for the delay, and thanks for understanding. Happy holidays, and see you next year!
Ray
Project Update: On Track! Solo Rules! Game Jam!
It is I, Father Wilkie, dressed for cheer in the likeness of your traditional Santa man! Can you not tell by this beard of hairs and swollen abdomen? What of my suit of red human clothing or my team of bound ungulates? Is it all not perfectly convincing? Here now, have a play-object from my donation sack. Lap sucrose from your fingers with good cheer as my most indentured toymaker gives you glad tidings.
We're Right on Track!
Solo Rules
Goody Jam
And that's it! Have a wonderful December, everyone! Stay warm and keep your loved ones close.
Grateful,
Mikey
This user is a top contributor to this community!
Hello! I was just wondering if there was a specific recommendation on an app for anyone who prefers digital character sheets to paper. Is there an app already out there that could be recommended or is there a standalone app that's been discussed or in the works perhaps? Thanks!
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Project Update: PDF download!
We're sweeping up the confetti and getting the lab cooking. We're very excited to see this beautiful new edition come together, and will keep you updated as it happens!
This user contributed to this community!
Any news on the timeline for PDF delivery? _Very_ hype to get slugblasting.
Previously backed this creator's crowdfunding project
This user is a top contributor to this community!
Hey guys will there be shipping to Australia, the campaign is a little vague on it and I wasn't sure if there was an update
Project Update: We Did It!
Mikey and I spent the last hour of the campaign playing / celebrating Slugblaster on the Discord just now (and where we'll be for another little bit if you want to join us):
https://discord.gg/hm8AH2EJ
It's been an amazing campaign, and we have a lot of stuff in front of us. We're going to do the final scope of the campaign - I think we have one more ($40k) Stretch Goal for the Community to vote for - and then get to work on making everything.
More to come. Talk soon!
Ray
Project Update: Grind Your Way to Fame
Become a Famous Crew!
Mountain Dew-Brained
"Strong Mountain Dew-brained sensibilities... A beautiful art-style combined with THE best page layouts I've ever seen in a game"
Thanks Zayda!
We Hit 35k!
3 Days Left!
💜
Mikey
This user contributed to this community!
Shipping prices are determined 2 weeks before cards are charged right? There is 8 days left before cards get charged, any word on how much shipping will be? Need to know soon or I'm cancelling my pledge.
Project Update: Week 4: Campaign Close in Sight!
Welcome back to another episode of Slugblaster TV, this time brought to you by Panic Energy!
Because nothing says XTREME like anXiety!
$32k: More Maps!
We hit $32k, which means we've unlocked More Maps!
Calorium is a plane of fire with strange airships, boiling soda lakes, a napping phase dragon, and the glow of a dying late-stage sun. Sounds like the perfect place to film some content!
The Waking Pits are Slugblaster's version of a cold, dark hell, complete with blackened skies, mammalian fossils, swarms of starving phosphorescent bugs, and The Trench - the abyss of abysses. You probably don't want to go there; that is, unless someone called out your ego for a trip. We've all been there, right?
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With this achievement unlocked, 4 pack-in game surfaces / maps will be included in your boxed set of Slugblaster! Now that's what we call progress!
$35k: Roll for Stretch Goal!
Says it all, really. The publisher in me really hopes we don't roll a 6. Gamer Ray, on the other hand...
Wilkie's Goodie Jam #2
Want to make some fun kick ass content for Slugblaster, and do it for a good cause? Join us as we raise funds for teen mental health and celebrate the close of the campaign! This jam's theme is DIY, which means Deez Interstellar Yonders!
All proceeds from the jam will be donated to Good Minds, a charity supporting mental health in Africa.
Come up with cool stuff! Donate to a good cause! Roll some tables and do some game designing!
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Alright, everyone. One more week!
Let'z get it!
- Ray