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2014/09/29 14:20:30
Subject: Re:Shadows of Brimstone (Warhammer Quest like game with a Wild West v Cthulthu Mythos Setting) - KS
If these are MAS bases, may I post these in the BGG SoB forum to plug the CMON/MAS bases KS?
I am sorry to report that the bases are not MAS... :( They're a combination of "Plast Craft: Pre-Cut Sceneries - Irregular Stone Paving," old 40K scenery, modelling pumice, and broken cork pieces.
The Tentacles and Hellbats are molded onto the small rock piles.
2014/10/04 13:28:51
Subject: Shadows of Brimstone (Warhammer Quest like game with a Wild West v Cthulthu Mythos Setting) - KS
My Q:
"Could you let me know if non-EU International packages are being sent out at the same time as the US orders, or are they being left to be done separately?"
FFP A:
"Hi Rory,
Yes, that should be the case. We haven't shipped any yet because we are waiting to hear back from someone about better international rates."
So, we can stop wearing out our F5 keys, they're not coming yet.
And them not being up front about this despite beginning shipping over a week and a half ago is probably the first actual frustration I have with them. They've had nearly a year to get their ducks in a row for shipping, and really should've noted what was going on at some point in the last half dozen updates.
Maybe I skimmed one too quickly, but I don't remember a "US shipments in Sept/Oct, EU at the end of Oct, ROW: ???" line.
2014/10/04 13:47:56
Subject: Re:Shadows of Brimstone (Warhammer Quest like game with a Wild West v Cthulthu Mythos Setting) - KS
Just a quick reminder that the Shadows of Brimstone Pledge Manager closes this weekend at 11:59 PM PST on Sunday, October 5th. It looks like about 500 backers still need to complete their order in the Pledge Manager. Do not delay. Please go and do this immediately.
If you have not completed your order, another reminder email was just sent to you. If anyone has not received an email invitation to the Shadows of Brimstone Pledge Manager, please search your mail for the word "pledgemanager" as it may show up in another folder/tab that you don't see. If you still cannot find the email invitation, it means that the emails are being blocked for some reason. You can contact us right away (email both support@pledgemanager.com and admin@flyingfrog.net) and provide an alternative email address.
We'll have more news about production, shipping, and info on the Essen Pick-Up Details soon. Right now, we just need to get everyone through the Pledge Manager process.
Thanks,
Scott
Hopefully that means the week of October 6th will find us getting a nice substantive update containing lots of info about production and shipping...
2014/10/05 23:35:17
Subject: Shadows of Brimstone (Warhammer Quest like game with a Wild West v Cthulthu Mythos Setting) - KS
"Ok, heres a box next to Lords of Waterdeep, both boxes, and the insides of both. Their inside holding trays are both different. Which seems weird, cuz they are the same dimensions. The Swamp of Death box main tray (next to the cards) is longer but thinner, so the books dont fit just right in there, so they are slightly bent. Maybe the board pieces are longer. Haven't unpacked those yet. Both came with 1 d6 and 1 d8. The box was packed with a baggie of d6s for each set."
2014/10/10 04:36:14
Subject: Shadows of Brimstone (Warhammer Quest like game with a Wild West v Cthulthu Mythos Setting) - KS
"Ok here are some tile pics. They are thinner than Descent tiles, but seem pretty sturdy. Seem sturdier than Sedition Wars but about the same thickness. Sturdier because they are smaller pieces of tile."
2014/10/10 15:32:22
Subject: Shadows of Brimstone (Warhammer Quest like game with a Wild West v Cthulthu Mythos Setting) - KS
Yeah, 3rd/4th Ed Space Hulk was weird like that. Still, the connectors on these tiles do look very similar to the Hulk tiles. It'd be nice if they joined.
Thanks for your patience as we go through the process of getting Wave One shipped out to Backers. It has been a bit overwhelming handling this volume and we've had to ramp up with temporary help in the warehouse. Even so, it is a massive undertaking!
ROW Shipping
That stands for "Rest of the World" shipping. Basically, all of the places outside of the USA and Europe. We've heard a lot of concern about ROW Shipping - when will it start, why is there no plan?!? There is a plan, but first let's talk about the issues that we are facing. Shipping is expensive, especially, for heavy, heavy game boxes like the core sets. Each one is like a brick - filled to the brim with goodies. This is how Flying Frog makes games! We don't want a half empty box when you open it. We fill it with as much stuff as we can!
Anyway, let's look at a quick example: John Smith is an amazing and supportive backer from Australia and he's backed the project at the $150 Outlaw Level. Because he was an international backer, he also had to pay an extra $25 for shipping. So, He's getting both core games in Wave 1 and all those stretch goals in Wave 2. Our actual shipping cost to Australia for each of these Waves is estimated at over $150, so over $300 shipping to get John Smith his games that he payed $175 for. So, we are already negative $125 for John before we even add the cost of the games and stretch goals! We have well over 200 backers in Australia. So, as you can see, that is not really feasible.
Instead, we are working on a plan to freight the packages to Australia and then have them individually sent out once they're 'down under'. There will be individual solutions for different areas with large groups of backers. ROW countries with just a few backers will just be sent directly at a major loss. So, you can see that it is not simple and we are making the best decisions we can to get backers their games ASAP, without endangering the company.
Essen Pick-Up
We are very excited to attend Essen Game Fair for the first time next week! We are planning for an Essen Pick-Up as well. The only scary part of this plan is actually getting the games to Essen in time for the show. Honestly, it has been very touch and go for the last two months as for will we have it or won't we have it in time for Essen. We finally got news that it would arrive in Germany in time, but could not get to the actual convention in time - unless we paid a lot of extra money to expedite delivery within the country. We, of course, want everyone to get their games as soon as possible! So, we paid the charges and, unless there is some disaster, we should have the games at Essen on the second day of the show (Oct 17th). Because of the great cost in getting the games in time for the show, I encourage every backer attending Essen to please pick up your games at the show! Here are the details:
We will not have our own booth, but instead, we are part of the huge Heidelberger Spieleverlag Booth. They are our distribution partner in Germany and we will be at Hall 1 B-103 for all four days of the show. You can pick up your Wave 1 goodies from us there Oct 17-19. We will also be meeting fans, signing any Flying Frog games, discussing Shadows of Brimstone, and even doing some demos! It should be a lot of fun!
We are not doing an RSVP for the Essen Pick Up. To pick up your games, simply come to the booth with your photo ID.
If you are wanting a friend to pick up your games for you, they must have your full name, address, and email address as they appear on your Pledge Manager Order. They would also need to provide a photo ID of themselves that we will take note of and assign to your account as the person who did the pick-up.
So, that's it. Simple and painless. So, if you are a Backer coming to Essen, be sure to come to the Heidelberger Spieleverlag Booth and see us to get your games!
Shipping Continues
Don't worry, while a team of us are in Europe handling shipping in the EU, a second team is remaining at Frog HQ, continuing the progress! There are still many stragglers who have been emailed several reminders, but never completed the Pledge Manager. If you have not completed the Pledge Manager for Shadows of Brimstone, please contact Pledge Manager Support (support@pledgemanager.com) as soon as possible so that we can send out your games.
That's it for now. The next update, I hope to show lots of new game progress and pictures from the Essen Game Fair. For now, we just have our noses to the grindstone, getting people their games as soon as possible!
Yippy-Ki-Yay!
-Scott
"Why is there no plan? Why didn't you think of this stuff before or start working it out earlier?"
I particularly like how they mention paying a lot of extra money to get product to Essen slightly earlier than it would normally be shipped within the EU (which seems pointless to me, as backers have already paid to have it shipped to their homes), and then cite high shipping costs as the reason why ROW orders can't be sent at all yet!
2014/10/12 14:56:25
Subject: Shadows of Brimstone (Warhammer Quest like game with a Wild West v Cthulthu Mythos Setting) - KS
Well, the 'reading between the lines' there is that the extra cost of getting the boxes there for pickup is probably significantly less than the cost of mailing them out individually, so the more people they have getting them at Essen, the less they'll have to mail out individually.
Not to judge FFP too harshly, but I'm starting to feel that all these pick ups aren't just about meeting and greeting fans, giving some a chance to snag their boxes early while at events, and more a mission to hand out as much as they can and let said backers deal with getting them home.
Especially with Essen, where they flat out say there shouldn't be a limit. I think in their ideal world *ALL* of the EU backers managed to get there.
Plus, it now occurs to me what a kick in the pants it'd be to pay for shipping, and then pay transportation AND for entry into the convention just to get to lug the boxes home ourselves. It's basically 'pay extra to get your shipment' without actually requesting to take money directly.
Ugh. I like to think I've been pretty upbeat and positive about this whole project for the last year, but this is starting to grate a little. Shipping to Canada might not be cheap for boxes of that size, but it shouldn't be crippling either.
And if it is, that probably hasn't changed much in the last year, so why is this still being figured out?
2014/10/14 07:20:49
Subject: Shadows of Brimstone (Warhammer Quest like game with a Wild West v Cthulthu Mythos Setting) - KS
Azazelx wrote: Maybe they're waiting for the next USPS price rise in some way?
As one backer pointed out on the KS, they can afford to ship, as standard practice, the two boxes for $199.95, with free shipping anywhere in the world, which brings into question their "Our actual shipping cost to Australia for each of these Waves is estimated at over $150" statement from Update 45. Don't get me wrong, I'm not saying shipping is cheap. But I can't see them pricing that and thinking less than $25 a box allows for any kind of profit margin.
2014/10/16 12:54:03
Subject: Shadows of Brimstone (Warhammer Quest like game with a Wild West v Cthulthu Mythos Setting) - KS
Azazelx wrote: Maybe they're waiting for the next USPS price rise in some way?
As one backer pointed out on the KS, they can afford to ship, as standard practice, the two boxes for $199.95, with free shipping anywhere in the world, which brings into question their "Our actual shipping cost to Australia for each of these Waves is estimated at over $150" statement from Update 45. Don't get me wrong, I'm not saying shipping is cheap. But I can't see them pricing that and thinking less than $25 a box allows for any kind of profit margin.
Elaborate, please.
I've priced out shipping my boxes to California, and based on size and weight, I'm looking at a minimum of around $55.
Shipping these beasts isn't going to be "cheap" even with a bulk discount.
2014/10/16 13:19:28
Subject: Shadows of Brimstone (Warhammer Quest like game with a Wild West v Cthulthu Mythos Setting) - KS
I've priced out shipping my boxes to California, and based on size and weight, I'm looking at a minimum of around $55.
Shipping these beasts isn't going to be "cheap" even with a bulk discount.
The point is that they can allegedly do it just fine normally with their webstore and yet somehow can't do it now.
If they can ship *anything* totaling $200+ *anywhere* without additional cost, then surely $175 (outlaw plus shipping fee) isn't an order of magnitude off. At least for the first wave.
The move to 2 waves of shipping may well be cost prohibitive, but I imagine that's at least part of where this drive to have people pick up copies at conventions is coming from, especially the international folks. Every picked up pair could well be another $25-50+ in their pockets for offsetting shipping costs or other expenses, and between the 3 they've had or are having, I imagine that'll be 'hundreds' of pairs handed out once Essen is done.
2014/10/16 14:35:40
Subject: Shadows of Brimstone (Warhammer Quest like game with a Wild West v Cthulthu Mythos Setting) - KS
I've priced out shipping my boxes to California, and based on size and weight, I'm looking at a minimum of around $55.
Shipping these beasts isn't going to be "cheap" even with a bulk discount.
The point is that they can allegedly do it just fine normally with their webstore and yet somehow can't do it now.
If they can ship *anything* totaling $200+ *anywhere* without additional cost, then surely $175 (outlaw plus shipping fee) isn't an order of magnitude off. At least for the first wave.
The move to 2 waves of shipping may well be cost prohibitive, but I imagine that's at least part of where this drive to have people pick up copies at conventions is coming from, especially the international folks. Every picked up pair could well be another $25-50+ in their pockets for offsetting shipping costs or other expenses, and between the 3 they've had or are having, I imagine that'll be 'hundreds' of pairs handed out once Essen is done.
I'm not convinced.
This is the first time they've done any tooling for mutli part plastic miniatures.
I'm guessing it cost a lot more than they were expecting.
And a $25-50 margin per package may not even cover the cost of keeping their warehouse open.
There are lots of factors that figure into this. I think there's a lot of oversimplification going on.
