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nerdfest09 wrote: Is there a rough time frame when they will be released for general sales yet? now that the ks stuff is up and floating i'm getting a little keen to find out how much a 6x4 will cost me and when i can get one to fight Azazelx on one day :-)
MajorTom11 wrote: Thanks for that.... Was feeling a bit picked on in this thread not gonna lie. I had no idea feelings were running so hot.
Like I said though, honestly if you are truly upset the best thing to do us take it over to KS, it is the place it will be seen, here, only maybe.
No problem. For what it's worth, my advice there was genuine and not given with a smartarse or the same tone as the parts of my reply that were to Cyporean - who was pretty much the reason I got hot in this thread at least, as her comments (about Dakka) are what set me off. Like I've said a couple of times. I'd rather let off steam here by being a bit snarky and making the odd smartarse comment here than being a raging dill weed in the KS comments. If that makes Cyp and her circle think that Dakka is a wretched hive of scum and villany... well, that's the price we pay.
Azazelx wrote: No, don't be silly. I expected backers' product to ship before retail product though, which is the usual method. Well, unless GENCON looms near.
That should still be the case, just because product earmarked for non-KS sales is in the container doesn't mean its shipping first.
While that should (theoretically) be the case, we know things don't always turn out that way. It's perhaps more of a concern for backers who have stuff coming out of hubs that aren't SWM themselves, as Justin will have less control. I know I won't be surprised at all if Combat Company is selling them before mine arrives. And while this wouldn't really have bothered me last December (and didn't with Mantic's campaigns), the possibility/likelihood of it, and the delays due to retail packaging grate a little bit.
Azazelx wrote: I didn't see that in any updates. Was it in comments somewhere?
It was either in the main comment stream, or one of the updates. In either case, its too much of a PITA to try to find where it is with KS's comment system. :/
Hm, well I missed it entirely. Since you're close to Justin it might be worth mentioning to him that if he plans to do something like this it might be good to mention it to the backerbase via an update, since all I remembered was stuff about "maybe" opening it up again earlier followed by "no, sorry" later. Clarity on that and some good news would always be welcome at this stage. At least until we get the "Sunk my Battleship" update... If it's going to happen though, it's time to pull the finger out on it bigtime, since he's hoping to have them ship from China in 4-6 weeks' time.
Azazelx wrote: I'd have thought that it would be more useful to do so before things got loaded onto a boat, due to international distribution details.
This we agree on.
Nod. More important than ever right now, with delivery/fulfilment (theoretically) so close.
I expected backers' product to ship before retail product though, which is the usual method. Well, unless GENCON looms near.
I don't necessarily expect it before retail but at the very least it should be concurrent. If backers are going to receive their stuff later than retail that should be specified up front in the Kickstarter.
Azazelx wrote: So it would be a nice gesture from Justin on an 8-9 month late project...
The only thing I want from Justin is to keep communication open and be honest about what is happening.
Agreed, open and honest communication is what I want. So, that's why the box update was frustrating but okay for me. What bothered me was how they didn't work that out ahead of time, but obviously I know this is SW's first time doing this and there are a lot of moving parts to handle. Hopefully that truly is the last delay.
Ah, the latest update mentions GenCon and the possibility (although not certainty) of still being in the shipping stage at that point... that is 3.5 months away.
/sad panda
This message was edited 1 time. Last update was at 2014/05/01 22:09:24
RiTides wrote: Ah, the latest update mentions GenCon and the possibility (although not certainty) of still being in the shipping stage at that point... that is 3.5 months away.
/sad panda
from the update..
Pledge fulfillment
With packaging wrapping up, the next big hurdle is shipping. As a reminder, orders in the UK/EU will be processed by Mantic Games, and orders in Australia will be handled by The Combat Company. I am coordinating efforts with those companies, and will work with them to ensure speedy delivery.
Orders in North America, South America, and anywhere that isn't in the UK/EU or Australia will be processed directly by the Secret Weapon crew. These orders will go out before product is made available to US retailers. As we near the end of the backer queue I will open up the inventory to distributors, but they'll have to wait a bit to ensure that your LGS doesn't get the product before you do. I'll keep everyone updated on our progress, and where we are with general retail sales. The one exception, to no great surprise I'm sure, will be GenCon. In the unlikely event that we're still shipping backers when GenCon hits I will take product with me.
I have ordered PLENTY of additional product, and not taking some to GenCon would mean leaving money on the table. There are still two themes that I plan to release using profits from retail sales of these first four themes. At this point I expect to have the SWM fulfillment completed prior to GenCon though, and even if product does go to the event while we're still shipping, the SWM team will be in the warehouse processing orders even as I'm sweating in the vendor hall.
"Unlikely Event" is the keyword, it seems more like a CYA sort of sentence then a "its going to take 3.5+ months to ship everything"
If packaging is finishing up they will need to book a container for shipping and a ship for it to go on this can take 2 or 3 weeks or he could be lucky and get one sooner but generally if your only shipping 1 container your of a lower priority so you have to wait for them to fit you in (EDIT: they are shipping 6 containers and it sounds like it's all booked already). Another 4 to 6 weeks on the slow boat so probably 8 weeks again they get to their destination shipping in July then? I'd say they have plenty of time to be done by Gencon on August 14th but you know them unforeseen events and all that at least they will keep shipping regardless of events and won't just shut down for a week or 2 (as some other KS have)
this the relevant bit
I'll keep everyone updated on our progress, and where we are with general retail sales. The one exception, to no great surprise I'm sure, will be GenCon. In the unlikely event that we're still shipping backers when GenCon hits I will take product with me.
I have ordered PLENTY of additional product, and not taking some to GenCon would mean leaving money on the table. There are still two themes that I plan to release using profits from retail sales of these first four themes. At this point I expect to have the SWM fulfillment completed prior to GenCon though, and even if product does go to the event while we're still shipping, the SWM team will be in the warehouse processing orders even as I'm sweating in the vendor hall.
EDIT:
Creator Secret Weapon less than a minute ago
Ah, YES! The tiles are still scheduled to leave China in May.
Creator Secret Weapon 1 minute ago
Some fun with numbers:
1.5 tons - the estimated tile weight
17,200 - the total number of tiles being shot
6 - the expected number of 40' containers going onto the ships
1,000 - ballpark guess on the number of pledges SWM will ship directly
I only have to keep track of a portion of this, but... wow.
Looks like SWM themselves have the lions share of the shipping to do if the international orders only account for 395 or so orders they should get done fairly quickly but they will arrive at the handlers a little later (or earlier for Australia maybe?)
full update
Spoiler:
The End Is Nigh! (so what happens next?)
5 comments
8 likes
Greetings backers!
So here we are, with the end in sight, and I wanted to check in on a few things before the next wave of madness sets in -- because once we start shipping, I probably won't have time to breathe!
Address Changes
BackerKit has unlocked all of the orders for us (again), which means that you can go in and update your address if you need to. If you sent me a message, email, or carrier pigeon with an address change, please still go into BackerKit and update it there. I will not be locking these down again until we're actually shipping. I will also post a notice prior to locking it down.
With packaging wrapping up, the next big hurdle is shipping. As a reminder, orders in the UK/EU will be processed by Mantic Games, and orders in Australia will be handled by The Combat Company. I am coordinating efforts with those companies, and will work with them to ensure speedy delivery.
Orders in North America, South America, and anywhere that isn't in the UK/EU or Australia will be processed directly by the Secret Weapon crew. These orders will go out before product is made available to US retailers. As we near the end of the backer queue I will open up the inventory to distributors, but they'll have to wait a bit to ensure that your LGS doesn't get the product before you do. I'll keep everyone updated on our progress, and where we are with general retail sales. The one exception, to no great surprise I'm sure, will be GenCon. In the unlikely event that we're still shipping backers when GenCon hits I will take product with me.
I have ordered PLENTY of additional product, and not taking some to GenCon would mean leaving money on the table. There are still two themes that I plan to release using profits from retail sales of these first four themes. At this point I expect to have the SWM fulfillment completed prior to GenCon though, and even if product does go to the event while we're still shipping, the SWM team will be in the warehouse processing orders even as I'm sweating in the vendor hall.
Ordering additional product
Having learned that BackerKit does not handle multiple order waves, I'm going to have a special pre-order code for backers -- including late backers -- that you can use to get additional tile sets. I'm not allowed to mention discounts here, so I won't. I don't know yet whether it will be possible to include additions in the pledge containers going to the UK/EU and AUS, and as soon as I have that information I will share it. It would certainly be best, so that I don't pay a fortune in shipping, and you don't pay a fortune in duties, but it's a moving target that can easily become a dangerous distraction from the important goal of getting the pledges shipped.
Vertical spacers... postponed
We've run into new issues with the vertical spacers that are intended to allow you to stack the tiles. These will no longer be shipping with the first round of product. I will make them available to backers, at no charge, when and if they become available. A bit of additional engineering is required though, both on the spacers and the boxes, and I'm not going to let this delay us again.
Unfortunately this, like the boxes, is a problem we couldn't really foresee until all of the tiles were finished. Because each set varies in size so dramatically, a one-size-fits-all solution was difficult to find. We managed it for the boxes, but it meant waiting until all of the tiles were complete. Because the spacers had been done in the middle of the process... well... we missed. Where Urban Streets, which is so flat, had plenty of room, Ruined Temple (AKA Forgotten City) didn't have enough.
The tiles will be shipped with foam between them - as was the plan for packaging - and the box still makes an effective transport case thanks to the convenient handle.
What about the frame?
The frames are ready, but they won't go out in the first wave simply because it would mean another delay. They take time to produce, and as such will only be included with the Display Board orders. As soon as the containers are loaded, however, I'm going to place an order with the factory for frame extensions, frame sets, and loose tiles so that we can play with expansions, customization, etc.
I think that's that, but....
I'm sure that folks have questions, comments, and some valid criticism, so feel free to chat me up in the comments.
Thank you all again for your patience, support, enthusiasm, and feedback along the way.
This message was edited 6 times. Last update was at 2014/05/01 22:37:49
I see the gencon mention as more of a CYA, especially considering SW isnt handling all of the international shipping, I'd gather he doesnt have any control over mantic doing timely shipping then he does of WGF doing timely production
but i'll also be sad if stuff isnt completed by gencon
1.5 tons - the estimated tile weight
17,200 - the total number of tiles being shot
6 - the expected number of 40' containers going onto the ships
1,000 - ballpark guess on the number of pledges SWM will ship directly
I only have to keep track of a portion of this, but... wow.
Breotan wrote: I wish we had a clearer idea of the ship date. I'm moving soon and need to know which address to use.
I'm in the same boat, but they've opened up the Backerkit to allow people to change addresses. If you have a friend near where you're moving to, ask if you can ship it to them, or someone near where you're moving from who can forward it to you.
Waylandgames have them up for preorder (ignore the available bit it's a mistake I'm not even sure the prices are entirely correct they seem to be a direct conversion from dollars)
(All conversions at today's rates not time of KS payments)
Automatically Appended Next Post: Re Wayland Games stock availability
Creator Secret Weapon about 6 hours ago
Yeah, that's a mistake and I have emailed them about it. The tiles are still in China.
I've asked them to send out a correction - because the freak out potential is huge
no clue when we'll do Trench Works as a great deal of new engineering will be required to pull it off, and WGF needs to make sure we can even shoot it on their machines. It will be the second campaign though, and won't hit until 2015.
This message was edited 5 times. Last update was at 2014/05/03 01:09:11
May 4 2014
INCOMING! Urban Streets Tutorial....
Comment
8 likes
I sent a sample of tiles to Mathieu Fontaine for the painting tutorials, and he's finished the painting for Urban Streets. As I post this he's busy typing up a step-by-step, with photos, that walks you through a basic paint job... up to this incredible example.
I'll get a link posted to the tutorial just as soon as it's ready.
I also want to share a link to the latest from On The Lamb Games, for their Endless: Fantasy Tactics game.... which just happens to pair nicely with the Forgotten City tile set. Just sayin'.
I'm going to have a special pre-order code for backers -- including late backers -- that you can use to get additional tile sets. I'm not allowed to mention discounts here, so I won't. I don't know yet whether it will be possible to include additions in the pledge containers going to the UK/EU and AUS, and as soon as I have that information I will share it. It would certainly be best, so that I don't pay a fortune in shipping, and you don't pay a fortune in duties, but it's a moving target that can easily become a dangerous distraction from the important goal of getting the pledges shipped.
Maybe he could have looked into that before the ships got loaded? Sometime during the last 6 months of delays? Oh wait, they're not loaded still.
Dangerous distractions indeed, like the fething stupid clips that he delayed the campaign for because they were so vitally important - and has now written off.
Reading between the lines it pretty much says "Sorry guys, too hard. There's not enough of you, so it's not/hasn't been worth my time or effort to sort out."
Pretty sure it was cited as a delay as they were quite important indeed by Justin in one of the updates. I remember thinking at the time about how little I cared about stackers if they were going to delay fulfilment.
Azazelx wrote: Pretty sure it was cited as a delay as they were quite important indeed by Justin in one of the updates. I remember thinking at the time about how little I cared about stackers if they were going to delay fulfilment.
In the update the spacers are listed as part of the delay, and in the comments..
1) The spacers had to be redesigned because we figured out how to make the tiles taller, and took advantage of that. The original spacer simply would not work. 2) The Urban Streets tiles were initially milled TOO LOW -- which put the roads BELOW the dirt level on the other tiles. This had to be corrected. 3) The product packaging had to be completely redesigned to account for the new spacers AND the changes in tile height. 4) Part of #3 included the need to spend time figuring out what order the tiles have to be packed in. 5) Due to miscommunication at the factory, the part numbers weren't making it onto the bottom of the tile, which had to be corrected. And that's that -- those are the big reasons for the delay.
Still didn't say there were vital though.
This message was edited 1 time. Last update was at 2014/05/04 04:32:49
The stackers are key parts of 3/5 of the reasons given above. There's a pretty substantial implication there, given that the campaign was delayed (yet again) at the time in order to (not) sort them out.
I think it safely covers the first question of yours beyond argument, though:
Cyporiean wrote: When the the stackers delay the campaign, or were mentioned to be vitally important?
Shown here on the frame, of course, with the hinge clips still attached.
AFTER:
And here with the simple fix to the back of the piece to add some detail and texture. It didn't take much to make it pop - and now I'm happy with it.
And here's the barrier on the tile, viewed from the front:
Production continues, and word is that the tiles are still on track to leave China this month.
At this point I'm honestly not sure what I'll do with all of the free time I'll have on my hands once these have shipped. There's going to be a very, very quiet month for me. I can live with that.
May 14 2014
The Non-Update Update
7 comments
19 likes
Hello backers!
This is just a quick non-update to say that things are still on schedule, and we're still rolling. The first of the boxes will go to print shortly, and then they're packing things up, putting them on containers, and then onto a ship.
In related news, the final count for tiles, including the KS order, my order, and distribution orders is 51,920 tiles.
Or 51,920 square feet of tiles - or 4,823 square meters.
That's more than enough to cover a football field, or build 2,125 4x6' tables -- which is 2,000 more tables than Adepticon uses for their 40kGT.
And that simply blows my mind.
Thank you all again for your continued support, patience, and enthusiasm.
The first in our series of Tablescapes Tutorials has been posted - an introduction to everything that will follow, with an emphasis on planning out your table.
Mathieu Fontaine has finished the clean Urban Streets tutorial, and I'll have it posted in a few days -- with links back to the introduction, and from the introduction to each of the theme tutorials as they're available.
But let's build up some excitement for the finished product, shall we?
Yeah, thanks for the work you put in this... I'm just not as stoked anymore.
I think I'm feeling Kickstarter daze. All of my projects are late, most of them are not talking to us anymore, and this one isn't moving as fast as I hoped it would considering it is bottlenecking Dreamforge.
GamesWorkshop wrote: And I would have gotten away with it too, if it weren't for you meddling kids!
It's a shame that it's been delayed like it has been but I'm glad we're still getting regular updates from Justin. Even if they are small updates like this.
Mathieu Raymond wrote: Yeah, thanks for the work you put in this... I'm just not as stoked anymore.
I think I'm feeling Kickstarter daze. All of my projects are late, most of them are not talking to us anymore, and this one isn't moving as fast as I hoped it would considering it is bottlenecking Dreamforge.
im in a similar KS daze, i've gone as far as no longer backing new kickstarters till all the stuff im waiting on finally shows up. I'll be giving future kickstarters a pretty hard look before deciding to buy as I'm suffering major burn out from backing something and then waiting forever for it to arrive which sucks the excitement out of the product for me. I'll back kickstarters from companies that have ran previous successful ones with close to on time delivery but any others will take a pretty sizable deal for me to really be interested
from facebook a neat use of the tiles and a prospective release date
Now that all of the tiles have been approved, we've been sending the test shots out to support some of the events we sponsor -- in this case you can see a 3x3' Ruined Temple table in the Malifaux room the KublaCon Game Convention... and they look GREAT!
Look for a retail release for the Tablescapes Tiles in August of this year.
