ModCube - AdeptiCon Pics and What's Upcoming!

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**Anpu-adom**

Good news all around, RiTides. Thanks for keeping up the communication.

**Theophony**

Anpu-adom wrote:
Good news all around, RiTides. Thanks for keeping up the communication.

Someone's slacking with no update this week.

**RiTides**

Massive production update is posted!

https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/1388589874/modcube-part-tokens-part-dice-fully-modular/posts/1293529

Production Update #2 - Lots of pics!

Token Production Progress

Here is our second production update, let's get right into it! First, a pic of our laser cutting intern Carlos hard at work bagging tokens sets:

And a shot of the tokens cut so far (we have more shelves, since we're out of space on this one):

There are around 720 token sets shown in the image above (there are 250 Dogfight (X-wing) sets in the white tubs, sorted into their individual colors, to be combined later). This means we're nearing the halfway mark on total token production!

Here are some crazy numbers. With 80 tokens in the normal sets, and 128 tokens (due to half tokens) in the Dogfight / X-wing set, we have cut a whopping 70,000 tokens at this point. Way to go Carlos!!!

Cube Production Progress

However, we have a piece of news that is not as good. We did not approve the surface finish of the (what was planned to be final) samples received from the cube production factory this week, due to an added ridge that showed up after their EDM (electrical discharge machine) finishing process on the outer surfaces, which is intended to give them a slight texture:

It's a bit hard to see in the images, and honestly in-person as well... but it is a blemish and as the one who had to make the call on this, I thought really hard about it. The delay to re-do the EDM finishing process is 3 - 4 weeks (counting from last week)... and I initially told the factory to proceed before deciding it simply was not acceptable. I felt that, if I were the customer (and as someone who will use these cubes a lot myself) getting it fixed was worth it.

This puts us scheduled to be delivering on-time, rather than early, with new sample cubes due to us at the very start of August, and the "first to ship" cubes (which will now be delivered by air) due to us at the end of August, assuming we approve of the sample. We will keep you updated, but hopefully you'l agree that getting a better surface finish on the cubes will be worth a 3 - 4 week delay.

Final Token Set Pictures

As promised, here are the final token set pictures of the sets cut so far. As noted above, we are close to the halfway mark on tokens cut (720 sets so far, out of about 1700 needed). These first 3 sets were extremely popular, with over 250 each of SciFi Vehicles and Dogfight ordered, and over 200 of SciFi Infantry! Updates to each set (if applicable) are listed below the images:

No updates to the SciFi Vehicles set!

As suggested by a number of backers, Pinned was removed (since it just results in a Gone To Ground status in this edition), LD Test and Jink were added, and Malediction / Blessing were numbered 1 - 4 to distinguish different effects. The numbers of some of the tokens were adjusted slightly (3 each of the flyer and multi-wound options, instead of 4).

We decided we did not want to remove any target lock options, so we simply increased the total number of tokens in the set (since this is the most popular set and only available in default colors, so it doesn't have to fit on one sheet and we can mass produce them). The number of half tokens for the most common actions / statuses (focus, evade, stress) were increased as a result, and 2 "Special" tokens were added to account for various upgrades. The total is now 128 tokens (the equivalent of 90 full tokens)!

Upcoming Production

This week we're going to start cutting the SciFi Mysterious Objectives sets, which will put us over the halfway mark! For the next two weeks, our production queue will focus on the following: Game Creator, Malifaux, Warmachine / Hordes, and Blank. We may also move to cutting the ModCube Tools to fill in gaps during production.

After that, Infinite, SW Armada, and SW Imperial Assault will be produced, at which point we'll have over 85% of the token sets cut! That still leaves 7 set themes left to produce, but those final sets have lower quantities ordered and so they will be easier to produce at the end (particularly for anyone that selected them in a "first to ship" tier).

This week will be the final survey reminder email sent to $1 backers, since from experience I know that sometimes $1 backers don't want to continually receive survey reminders (but you can log in to your prior reminder emails and upgrade your pledge anytime). For non-$1 backers, there are 65 of you left to submit (accounting for 139 sets) so please get your selections in if you can!

Finally, please comment below if larger updates every 2 weeks like this are good with you - we had some comments about too many updates and we'd like to have lots to report each time =).

Until next time, keep on modding!

Theophony, I'm planning to only make an official update every 2 weeks if that is OK - then I can also make meatier updates. If you guys have questions you can always ping me here or in the comments in the interim, I am almost always available! Let me know what you think

**MeanGreenStompa**

So cool! Wife and I are in for two sets of the Star Trek compatible modcubes and can't wait to get them and try them out!

**Alpharius**

And so dies the dream of a Kickstarter shipping early...

**Cyporiean**

Alpharius wrote:
And so dies the dream of a Kickstarter shipping early...

It does happen, but no one really cares when it does. Folks are more likely to complain than to praise.

**Eldarain**

On time will feel like early considering past experiences.

**Alpharius**

I'm only kidding here!

I'll be MORE than OK with a Kickstarter that ships...on time!

**whalemusic360**

But you were the chosen one!

Also kidding, gets here when it gets here.

**Sinful Hero**

Can't wait for the complete Infinite set.

**RiTides**

Thanks for the support, guys! And WM, having watched Episode 3 recently I could actually hear ObiWan saying that

Yeah, I was extremely torn about the surface finish question - so much so, that I actually paid the 50% fee to start the production run, then called and stopped them before they actually began running the parts and told them I wanted it fixed. They totally agreed with me, and it had just escaped their notice (it really is hard to see from most angles, and when going to pick up the cubes and compare old to new, I often mix up the two at first).

But it IS definitely noticeable from certain angles, and makes the cubes not perfectly flat on that surface, and I think well worth waiting 3-4 weeks to fix. What really swayed me was what I would personally want as a customer... and I know it's to have it fixed, given the timeframe we're talking about (if they had estimated more than that, I would have likely preferred to have just gone ahead with it).

Obviously, I still have to approve the next set of samples, but I am very hopeful it will be right this time. I've been very impressed by the company I'm working with, and they have sent me numerous sets of samples and been very easy to work with and make adjustments (this is actually my second time working with them, although this is a much larger project than the first). I'll keep close tabs on their progress on continue working like mad on the tokens on our end!

Sinful Hero, re: Infinite set, yes I'm looking forward to that one myself

but it by far requires the most changes over what was originally shown of any of the sets, so that's why we're jumping on a few of the others first that are ready to be produced, even though it was one of the original sets. I anticipate having all the Infinite sets done by the first week of August.

**OrlandotheTechnicoloured**

Don't worry,

getting it right is far, far, far more important than being early (or even on time)....

You're certainly not going to want to decide it needs to be fixed when stores start getting cubes back because some people don't think they're quite right (even if most never notice)

**Alpharius**

As long as Rhode Island's First Son doesn't start another Kickstarter before this one if fulfilled...

**RiTides**

Thanks, Orlando, and that's what I ended up deciding, too.

No danger of that Alpharius

. Our focus after this will just be selling these on the website and hopefully in some stores, too (already have interest from several, but waiting to finalize anything until after getting all of the Kickstarter sets produced, of course).

**Alpharius**

I know you wouldn't do that - but I couldn't resist the chance for a tweaking of the tweaker!

**RiTides**

Just a micro text update to say that by the end of today we'll have finished producing the following sets:

SciFi Mysterious Objectives
Warmachine / Hordes
Malifaux
Game Creator
Blank

And we're going to be starting in on Imperial Assault on Monday

. We saved two heavy hitters for next week: Infinity and Star Wars: Armada, which should take most of the week (unless something like Star Trek: Attack Wing leapfrogs one of them, since it's very close to ready to go). But progress is looking good, and I'll be posting pics of each completed set next week!

**Anpu-adom**

**Solar_lion**

Just this last weekend we played a 12000 per side game. Kept thinking how useful these would have been with the number of units on the table. Looking forward to showing them off for the next one!

**MasterSlowPoke**

RiTides, I think people have asked this before, but, if everything goes to plan, will we be able to pick our pledges up at Nova, or will that be a bit too much of a logistical nightmare? I'm in the first to ship group, but I'd rather you save on the shipping cost to be honest.

**d-usa**

I finally made it back from vacation, I guess I should reply to the survey...

**RiTides**

Solar_lion - Awesome

and I've sent you a PM about the sets for volunteering at AdeptiCon!

Master - I've been talking to the Nova guys, but because I won't have any to sell and will be in the midst of packing up Kickstarter orders, we may not end up getting a table / booth, or if we do it may end up being a bit last minute. However, there are some local players who are hoping to use their cubes at Nova, and if you are in the "First to ship" group it's much more likely that I can get them to you there. If possible, ask me about this again in a few weeks and I should have a much better answer!

d-usa - *Table flip* If you're in the "First to ship" group and want all purple tokens, I'm going to find you

. I'm kidding of course, and I actually love the purple, but there haven't been too many of it selected so we've cut less of it (easy enough to fix if you do want it!). I think it might not have photographed well (perhaps I should have recruited your expertise there).

On that note, in the update on Tuesday I am likely going to ask if folks would be OK with my locking down the "First to ship" orders next week, even though all sets haven't been shown, so that I can give the factory the precise numbers on the cube color quantities to pull out and air ship. I'll still allow folks in that tier to make changes to their token sets if needed based on the final sets to be shown (via PM) but I need to lock in the cube colors for that group due to the air shipment.

**d-usa**

I'll hunt down the email tonight and do the survey. I think I will be a double black kinda guy, but you are making double purple sound pretty interesting there

**Portugal Jones**

Heh, I just caught up listening to 'The Independent Characters' podcast, where they mentioned this, and immediately went looking for a thread to see what was up. I know I'm going to be buying a few sets!

**RiTides**

That's awesome, Portugal Jones! The Independent Characters have been amazing about the project

both for their enthusiasm (in-person at AdeptiCon) and being able to share it to a much wider audience than we ever could! Their interest in Firestorm Armada is what originally got us planning that set, and now I find myself tempted by Halo Fleet Battles, which uses similar mechanics.

d-usa - Maybe it's reverse psychology, and we just made a lot of extra purple tokens that I want you to select

**OrlandotheTechnicoloured**

Purple is pretty cool,

but yellow and orange are where the cool kids are

**Alpharius**

OrlandotheTechnicoloured wrote:
Purple is pretty cool,

but yellow and orange are where the cool kids are

Close!

BLUE and ORANGE is where it is really at!

And let's hope the INFINITE set doesn't get bumped...

**Blacksails**

Finally got my survey in. Sorry for being lazy.

Two sets of cubes, two sets of tokens. Black cubes, silver on black tokens for Sci-fi vehicles, and a set of the FSA tokens.

I may end up having to get some X-wing tokens at a future date if the game takes off here with some friends.

**RiTides**

Thanks Blacksails, it really helps as we've only got the intern for another week, and then the remaining sets I'll be back doing the cutting for! He's going to have knocked out the vast majority, though, so the timing worked out really well

Today he should have finished Imperial Assault (and circled back to do the Poison / Burning Only Malifaux sets, which we skipped) and I'll be putting out the update with pics tomorrow. I've also queued him up to begin on the ModCube Tools this week to fill in the gaps between working on sets.

**Blacksails**

No worries, I'm terrible for paperwork. Got me in gak at work recently, actually. You'd think I'd learn after 8 years of this nonsense...

Sounds like things are chugging along quite nicely! I'm excited to hold the finished product and get some games in with them.

**d-usa**

Finally turned mine in for black and gray with double X-wing tokens.