February/March Update + Letter from PM Graeme + Art Preview
over 1 year ago
– Wed, Mar 08, 2023 at 07:13:08 AM
Hey backers!
We have a really important update from the team this month which is why it took some extra time to put together for you. This is your combined update for February and March and will start with a member of the team who would like to speak to you directly. After you hear from him, additional update information will follow.
Meet Graeme!
Hi all!
My name's Graeme, and I'm the project manager at Hit Point Press charged with shepherding the behemoth of a book that is Fool's Gold: Into the Bellowing Wilds across the finish line!
I wanted to be the one to write to you in this update to chat about what we've accomplished, what we are currently working on, and what is left to wrap up in the coming months. As you all know, while we have been hard at work battling with cryodon stat blocks in the writing room and fighting against foreclaimers with art utensils, we certainly have some catching up to do.
Because of that, it's with a heavy heart that I have to let you know in this update that we aren't going to be able to meet our anticipated PDF release of Q1 2023. We simply need more time to finish editing the book, and I'd like to break down for you in more detail how we got here and what we're going to do about it.
To be put rather bluntly, we underestimated just how much time it would take to meet the promises that we announced for the book itself during the Kickstarter campaign. And as you've seen, it's had a significant impact on how much we have been able to complete within the expected timelines. Writing a whole campaign setting, then adding an adventure that spans 10 levels, +35 Creatures, 30 Spells,+30 Magic Items, 8 subclasses, 4 new races, 3 backgrounds and more, all lovingly packed inside of 1 book? I'm getting dizzy just typing it!
That said, our writing team have been true champions, working daily to craft, finesse and assemble all of the above under the fantastic guidance of the Fool's Gold team.
And they made it happen! It took longer than we hoped it would, and we added many, many, many more pages for you all to enjoy, but they made it all fit.
So, what comes next?
Now, it's time to wrap up the final editing pass and hand it over to the design team. To expedite this as best we can; we are supplementing the editing team with additional editors to get us through this phase. Meanwhile, the design team has already begun working ahead wherever they can, taking the text the second it's finished its review.
Next, as soon as the design team aligns the final text block and places the last remaining art piece, we will launch into one final review of the PDF to ensure it's in tip-top shape before delivering it straight to your inbox. We now expect this to be completed by End-June.
Upon releasing the PDF, the book's physical production will begin. We have been quoted a 70-day production time; however, we also know that these dates can't always be taken at face value *cough cough, Heckna production*, and the last thing any of us want are further unfortunate delays. As such, we anticipate the production on all items should be completed by the end of September.
The next step involves shipping everything from the manufacturers to our distribution partners. We've been told that shipping between these two destinations typically takes 40 days. Again, however, as we are looking to account for all negative possibilities, we expect products to arrive from across the ocean before the end of December.
Finally, but most importantly, the last stop is your gaming table. Shipping will begin from our distribution centers in January of 2024. I know this date is much later than we hoped, and I want to stress that these dates are estimates. However, I assure you that we are working hard at every turn, without cutting corners, to beat these estimates and ensure that you are adventuring in the wilds as soon as possible. All items from your rewards will ship together, but in light of the delays, we’ll do what we can to make arrangements with our fulfillment partners to ship out complete reward packages based on what has arrived to the warehouse. This means that if you have a tier that doesn’t have physical book content (like the Tarrasque tier), it would not be tied to when the books arrive.
Personally, it felt important to me that I be the one to reach out to you all during this update. As "The Scheduling Guy," I wanted to acknowledge and own that this hasn't gone as planned and let you know on behalf of all of us at Hit Point Press that we never make these changes lightly, and it's disappointing for everyone when it becomes necessary.
As a small token of our gratitude for your continued patience, we are making our ENNIE award-nominated collection of Big Bad Booklet PDFs, Issues 1-6, available for all backers to download via Backerkit later today. We know this isn't the content you've been waiting for, but we hope it will be an enjoyable bonus in the meantime!
You can bet I'll be back in the next update and every update after that until Fool's Gold: Into the Bellowing Wilds ships to ensure you know exactly how things progress each month.
Sincerely,
-Graeme.
Reward Progress + Preview
Thank you, Graeme! Now back to your regularly scheduled disembodied voice to break down rewards.
To reiterate what Graeme discussed above, here are the expectations regarding book distribution and production.
- Delivering the PDF: The end of June.
- Physical production: From the end of June to the end of September
- Freight to distribution partners: From the end of September to the end of December
- Shipping to your home: Shipping begins in early January 2024.
Physical rewards not tied to book content continue to undergo quality assurance (including the tarrasque! I know lots of you are super eager to see pics, and we'll share them as soon as we've got 'em!).
Everyone that pledged for the digital STLs should by now have access to the pre-supported versions as well.
Art is still coming in, so please enjoy the sneak peeks below!
Mohsnian Playable Race - Sneak Peek
Here is your first look at the playable race known as the mohsnians! Sometimes called crystal golems, mohsnians are people whose bodies are made entirely of living crystals. Mohsnians are known as some of the sturdiest folk in Ambria. They can regrow shattered limbs and repair their bodies with gold.
Mohsnians carry an inner light within their gemstone bodies, which helps them excel in all sorts of adventuring escapades. Here is a mohsnian Oath of Survival paladin, an exciting new subclass that focuses on keeping yourself and your allies alive by channeling primal energies. Perfect for the dangerous jungle of the Bellowing Wilds!
Perhaps you recognize similarities between the mohsnians and your favorite kilt-wearing barbarian, Gorthan? He is actually a half-mohsnian. That’s all we can say for now…
Have questions? Reach out!
Leave a comment, e-mail us at [email protected] or join the Hit Point Press Discord!
Cheers,
