Forar wrote:
Having too much fun at Gencon, woooooooooo!

was briefly in Kevin's presence, but didn't get to talk to him yesterday.

wilycoyote wrote:
He is already in a big holle, but seems to think just standing there digging to make it deeper will somehow sort it out in the end

 Mike1975 wrote:

 warboss wrote:

 Mike1975 wrote:
From what I understand PB honestly thought ND was going to do things domestic.

That seems like a very basic question to ask your subcontractor about the million dollar project you're hiring them for. I doubt that many people when asked about cheap plastic toy figurines instantly jump to the conclusion of "made in america" outside of palladium.

Completely Agree....but we are talking PB and they have a history of doing things just as bad so.....

 Lynx7725 wrote:
Spoiler tags to keep things shorter:

Spoiler:

Sorry we have not posted any new updates in the last few weeks. We've been trying to figure out how to deal with some unexpected problems that have delayed the manufacture of the steel plastic injection molds.

So we'll bring everyone up to speed with this weeks update of whats going on. Back in early August we uploaded all the 3d model parts and plans for what parts get sprued together for each robot in the plastic injection molds. We then had to wait for a the company making the molds to have free space in their production line to look at the parts and get back to us with final sprue layouts. In early September they got back to us with notes on a few detail problems they found with the parts. Mainly some of the raised details being to small to be machined out in the molds and some small areas with knife edges. We knew that our first time making plastic injection molds would be a learning experience. Now we know that the smallest drill used by the machines to cut molds is 0.3 mm in diameter and when the cavity is cut into the mold it leaves a 0.15 mm rounded edge. We have some raised details that are 0.1 and 0.2 mm wide and they all need to be fixed up. Also when two of these round fillet edges are to close to one another the gap between them makes a very fine knife edge of steel in the mold. We have to fill in these areas or make them a bit wider, if we don't the knife edge can get broken off during mold polishing or in the popping of plastic and then that detail is gone from the miniature. In order to properly check all the hundreds of parts for potential problems, we have acquired a new software last week that enables us to preview a parts mold cavity. Our modelers are starting work on checking and making the fixes necessary for the parts to work in the molds and look great.

These fixes are going to take a few weeks to get them all done right. Our planned Backer rewards shipping starting in late October and November is going to get pushed back. We don't know the exact date yet, but once all the parts are fixed it will take about 1 to 2 months for the molds to be made. Then they can go into production, which will take another few weeks. So its not likely that we will able to ship in time for Christmas, but sometime in early 2016.

chaos0xomega wrote:
wait Kev is manic/depressive bipolar? whered this come from?

Surviving Depression, especially at Christmas time

The holiday season is a time of joy for most people, but for some it is a time of spiraling darkness that threatens to consume everything.

I’m writing this for you: The people lost to depression. Please don’t give up. I have had my own struggles with depression. I was able to find my way out, but I know many people – dear people – still engulfed by depression. A few seem lost in it and I worry for them. Others fight a difficult and debilitating ongoing battle with it.

Part of the problem is our loved ones don’t understand depression or they are scared by it – or more to the point, seeing their loved ones change before their eyes. Fading away into the shadows and silence.

I think the average person thinks of depression as feeling sad and down, or angry. I mean, we’ve all felt depressed, right? We know what that feels like. Except that’s not “clinical depression.” For one thing, you don’t snap out it after a few hours or a bad day or two.

Depression is more like despair. I’ve heard depression described as being paralyzed, but that is not really accurate. You feel numb and disconnected. You have a sense of what’s going on around you. You know you should be doing something, but you are helpless to do anything about it. You can’t deal with it. You are there as a spectator to your own, slow motion 100 car pile-up that you cannot seem to avoid. So you do nothing, because you can’t do anything else. And that makes you more angry and sad. More despondent and overwhelmed. It is as if someone has stolen your joy. The spark that motivates you and makes life worth living.

Before long, you lose yourself inside your despair and problems – you shut yourself off to the world around you and the people you love. You don’t call. You don’t visit. They think it is because you don’t care, when it’s really you care too much. You feel worthless and you don’t want to burden them. Besides, you don’t know what help is available exactly, or what to do. And when you sink farther into the darkness, or a loved one tries to help, you get angry at them. You may snap at them, call them names, yell, or just snarl or moan and say, “I’m fine. Please, leave me alone.” Or “I can’t deal with this right now.” Before crawling back into some corner where you just want to be left alone.

Isolation is bad. Don’t close yourself off. Try to talk to someone. Anyone who cares. They love you. They need you. Try to find your joy. Anything that brings you joy. (NOT drugs or booze! That’s not joy.) And do NOT think this is the end. Don’t you dare give up. Seek help. You may need professional help. It is very, very difficult to snap yourself out of depression and come to functioning terms with it. In many cases, it’s impossible without professional help – especially if your depression is the result of a chemical imbalance inside of you or emotional trauma.

Please do not be ashamed of needing help. If you had the flu or broke your arm, you would see a doctor. THIS IS NO DIFFERENT. Even today there remains a stigma about seeing a therapist and/or psychiatrist. The first talks and helps you come to understand what you are going through and ways to deal with it. The second is a medical doctor who prescribes medication. Don’t make excuses for not getting help, that’s the depression tightening its grip on you. Fight it. No, money is not an excuse either. Find a free clinic, talk to a friend, a family member, a priest, your flippin’ family doctor, anyone who can help you – who can toss you that life line. Do it. And if you are feeling suicidal, call the free programs. Call a loved one. Life is precious. YOU are precious. Help is there.

Tens of millions of people (probably more) suffer from mental illness. Oh, there is that ugly, ugly, word, “mental illness.” You may be thinking, “I don’t want mental illness.” Well, you don’t want cancer either, but if you had it, you would go to the doctor, get treatment and fight like the dickens to beat it. This is no different. If the word is too horrible and embarrassing, call it something else, something with less of a stigma, but please get help for it.

Maybe this will help you: I, Kevin Siembieda, have seen a therapist off and on for years; Rob Justice, a great guy. We even became friends. He helped me beyond measure to get through some very difficult times: My divorce, the Crisis of Treachery and other things. Before that, my son, Adam, was diagnosed with Attention Deficit Disorder and we saw a family counselor who helped. Erick Wujcik battled manic depression his entire life. His periods of depression, usually lasting 2-3 years at a time, were terrible for him, but he fought through it. Never gave up. Found what gave him joy and kept him going. Erick is the one who introduced me to Rob. Palladium editor, Alex Marciniszyn, has managed his anxiety and depression for more than 30 years now. You can too. Trust me. Trust us on this, you can make your life better.

The hustle and bustle of Christmas, the stress of family, the joy all around you that is somehow eluding YOU, can push you into despair and suicidal thoughts. Please, don’t. Please, seek help. Please, turn to the people who love you, as well as seek professional guidance. People care. I care or I wouldn’t be putting myself out there and writing this. You are not alone. Things can get better. It might not be easy, but it is worth the fight. You don’t need to be strong. You don’t need to hide your secret depression (just the opposite), but you do need to fight it and find help. To find joy again.

Hang in there and may the holidays bring you joy and hope and love. Merry Christmas and a better New Year.

– With Love and Concern, Kevin Siembieda

Asterios wrote:
its hilarious how it shows the value of RRT:

Spoiler:

 Forar wrote:

Whelp, there are 5 events listed, each with 6 seats available, lasting from 3-4 hours. Some run by our very own WRRD, others run by some other guy.

Clearly RRT is 'heating up' this summer!

Asterios wrote:
well here is what they can do,