We're not quite in the final 24 hours, but getting very close! With these last hours, I wanted to review some important topics, most especially our current Stretch Goal situation! Let's get reviewin'!
We're in the Final Days countdown for this Crowdfunding campaign. Curious Cats of Mau finished the crowdfunding campaign tomorrow, March 21st at 2:00 PM EDT (or until we a backer train after that point). There's still time to herd a few more cats and get them curious enough about the game to join in, but we're definitely getting closer to the finish line. With that in mind, I wanted to touch on some of the basics over these final days to make sure everyone has the information they need to support this project in the way that works best for them.
Whether you've newly discovered the monarchies or are an established member of a Great House, these are some good topics to review over this week to make sure we all end up where we want to be.
(An aside, if you're a new backer, make sure you check out our Final Week Countdown / Resource Update. It has links to the manuscript previews, cool cat fiction, and a ton of Actual Play sessions.)
Refresher Course
Note for New Backers: Please check out the updates listed above. There's a lot of information there that will be important to know about before the end, like how we're not including international shipping charges in our pledges for this campaign and instead will be charging them in our pledge manager before we ship out the books, and you can also read the entire draft manuscript before the end of the campaign and any pledges are processed.
Note for Since-the-Start Backers: It's probably a good idea to review that stuff as well. Never hurts to make sure you haven't missed anything! And it's fun to listento those podcasts and watch the Actual Plays.
We've had, and will have, a bunch of new backers join in during these last days. I want to take a moment to highlight some key Update posts that new backers may want to check out (and existing backers may want to read as a refresher!).
MANUSCRIPT PREVIEW - As noted, the complete Preview Manuscript for the book is available for you to review prior to the conclusion of the campaign. If you're a backer, you'll have access to this preview manuscript after the campaign. Remember, though, there are still some minor edits, development and proofing that need to be done. But, you can consider it about 98.7% finished. Making the manuscript available for review before the campaign ends ensures that everyone knows exactly what our goal is - making this book - and are on board with our aims for this project. Thanks for your support, we're all in this together!
PLEDGE TIERS -This update breaks down your best starting point for figuring out which Backer Reward Tier to choose to help support this project in a way that works for you.
The first decision you need to make in figuring out your reward tier is whether you want to receive the PDF version or the hardcover edition (which comes with bonus PDF versions).
HOUSE MAU: This is the PDF-only reward tier. So, if you're saving trees or saving shelf space - or avoiding the shipping charges that are absolutely ever-increasing - this is the reward tier option that you should begin with. The PDF will be fulfilled by our partners at DriveThruRPG.com - when it is ready, you will receive a link to add it to your DTRPG library at no cost for you to download at your leisure.
HOUSE KORAT: This reward tier includes the hardcover version of this book. Shipping costs ARE NOT included in the cost of your pledge. You will be charged for shipping after the campaign through the pledge manager. In addition, this option also includes the PDF version, so you will get a digital copy as described above.
ADD-ON OPTIONS - The other half of our Reward Tiers update, including information on the second step of pledging. There are several Add On options that you can add as part of your pledging process, including The Realms of Pugmire core rulebook in PDF or hardcover or deluxe hardcover, a Guide Screen (in either dog or cat flavor), and a Realms of Pugmire dice set and dice tray! We've also got digital bundles of older edition product that are well worth checking out!
Choose Wisely
Choosing the correct Reward Tier for your desired rewards, and then filling in any "gaps" with add-ons, ensures that you'll be claiming all of your desired rewards as a thank you for supporting this project and bringing this world to life.
Remember, your PLEDGE AMOUNT is equal to your REWARD TIER + ADD ONS only - Any International Shipping costs will be collected at a later date. You will also be able to select Add On options in the Pledge Manager after the campaign, but remember that only funds added during the campaign count towards Stretch Goal funding targets.
Also to note, only those who participate during the campaign are able to have Stretch Goal rewards added automatically to their rewards lists. If you're waiting to pre-order at a later time, it's better to pledge to the House Cymric tier now and then simply upgrade your pledge later to include these bonus rewards.
Tomorrow I'll be posting one further "Final Day" update, covering What Happens Next and outlining what to expect once the campaign ends.
But until then, we're going to hopefully hunt down a final Stretch Goal achievement as we race through our final day of the campaign!
Over the past 28 days as we've worked through this campaign we've not only funded the book but also unlocked SIX Stretch Goal targets! That's right - we've unlocked one of the Stretch Goals that I had just posted a few days ago and thought would take us until the end of the campaign!
Within these Stretch Goals are some milestone markers that allowed us to maintain our pace through the middle parts of the campaign, and a cool new supplement that provides the perfect jumping on point for your game! Let's review and see what we've accomplished so far...
MILESTONE MARKERS
Helping us maintain our pace during the regular "Funding Plateau" and between new content goals, these milestone markers are great celebratory moments allowing us to keep our focus, and fun rewards going out to all who supported this project during the Crowdfunding campaign.
REDBUBBLE BACKER T-SHIRT – A Curious Cats-themed Crwodfunding Backer shirt will be hosted on Onyx Path’s Redbubble store for a limited time. Only backers will be notified when the shirt becomes available for purchase.
REDBUBBLE PET DESIGNS – A Curious Cats design will be hosted on Onyx Path’s Redbubble store and made available on pet merchandise, including pet mats, pet blankets, and pet bandanas. Backers will be notified when these options become available.
DIGITAL WALLPAPER – Cool Curious Cat artwork will be used to create a wallpaper for your computer desktop. This digital wallpaper will be added to the rewards list of all backers supporting this project.
MOBILE WALLPAPER – Curious Cats artwork will be used to create a wallpaper for your mobile device lockscreen. This mobile wallpaper will be added to the rewards list of all backers supporting this project.
I love the idea of ordering a T-shirt for myself and a matching bandana for my pet. I mean, just for photo day!
ADD ON OPTIONS
The support that this campaign has received has allowed Onyx Path to offer alternative options for one of their Add On items. Now you'll be able to select the cat-focused Realms of Pugmire Guide Screen or the regular dog-themed version
ACHIEVED! - At $30,000 in Funding -NEW ADD ON: CAT ARTWORK GUIDE SCREEN - A three-panel Guide Reference Screen with charts and information for running a Realms of Pugmire game will be created and offered as an Add On to the hardcover reward tiers for +$25. This screen will have the same interior contents as the Realms of Pugmire screen, but the outside artwork will be changed to be cat-focused!
NEW CONTENT
We've just unlocked a supplement as part of our campaign that will be a great tool for Guides wanting to launch a game in the monarchies!
JUMPSTART PDF - An introductory scenario designed to introduce new players to the game, along with ready-made characters and a basic rules overview, will be created as a Jumpstart PDF supplement and added as a bonus to the rewards list of all backers receiving the Curious Cats of Mau PDF.
I'm excited about this one! I'm always a fan of Onyx Path's jumpstart releases - the perfect launching pad to get my players into a new game, or the best quick option for those days when we just wanna play something new without digging too deep.
While we were planning this Stretch Goal and getting it up on the big board, writer Travis Legge was already making his pitch to Eddy! Travis said:
We’ve announced a new stretch goal at the Curious Cats of Mau BackerKit! This is for a jumpstart that will include the necessary rules to play, pre-made characters, and a ready-to-run scenario. I’ve sent in a pitch for this and Eddy has been kind enough to give a thumbs up to it. I’m REALLY excited about this story and I’d love to work on it, but we need to hit that stretch goal to make it happen!
I'm big fan of Travis' work and got excited when he was excited, and now I'm happy we've already hit our target and added this to our bonus rewards!
WHY STOP THERE?
It's great that we've unlocked 6 Stretch Goal rewards... but what about a lucky seven?
With just over a day left in our campaign, I think one more Stretch Goal is certainly within our grasp. Let's do our best to unlock this before the end!
At $40,000 in Funding – STREAMING OVERLAY – A set of overlays for your online Curious Cats game will be created, for your use when streaming your cat-centric Realms of Pugmire game. This reward will be added to the rewards list for all backers.
YOUR REWARDS!
That's right! You backed this project to help make and publish Curious Cats of Mau! Our primary reward - the big thank you that we'll send out in appreciation for your support - are PDFs and/or hardcover copies of this book! BUT AS A BONUS, you may also have the Curious Cats Jumpstart PDF Supplement, a digital wallpaper and mobile lockscreen wallpaper, an opportunity to add to your wardrobe and your pet's wardrobe, plus a new add on Guide Screen option!
Not Much More Time
We've been curious, but now is the time for action!
Unfortunately, we seem to continue to move forward at a regular pace, and our campaign will some come to the inescapable end. We've achieved our primary goal of funding the book, but there is still one possible Stretch Goal rewards that is almost within grasp! I know this last funding target may seem daunting, but it wouldn't be a STRETCH goals if we didn't have to really STRETCH to reach it! That last one may take a little bit of work. It's certainly within reach, but won't be easy, so let's keep at it!
So, as every update concludes: let's keep the enthusiasm rolling! Keep spreading the word and letting others know about this project. They've got this final day to jump in and share the Stretch Goals we've achieved!
And every backer who joins in as we approach the end is not only able to enjoy the additional rewards already added by the early fans and backers, but also help reward those early backers by maybeunlocking thatfinal Adventure scenario!
Remember, only the funds generated during the Crowdfunding campaign go toward achieving these Stretch Goal targets, so the time to act is now! Together, we can bring this game to life and make great things happen!
Curious Cats of Mau enters OVERTIME MODE on Thursday, March 21st at 2:00 PM EDT.
We will finish up as soon as our backer train ends after that point! So let's see if we can't hit a final Stretch Goal and then keep that train running for an extra 10 or 20 minutes!!
