Sometimes truth is stranger than fiction.
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Where's my book at yo! |
I have received shipments from 2 of the 4 Kickstarters in this post. All of the Kickstarters in this post are way past due date.
Oldest of the old -
Far West - 11/21 "Completing the layout is taking me longer than I'd hoped for, due to some sort of virulent plague hitting the Skarka household."
As of 4 days ago, Gareth is now healthy and back to work. This isn't going to hit a December 2013, which will push it over 2 years past it December 2011 announced release date. How much of that delay is the result of Con Crud and random plagues we may never now, but apparently one needs to account for it while planning a Kickstarter.
Next up is the
Quantum RPG - last update was 9/29 - " The past nearly two months have been awful. I've struggled mightily to get the final art pieces in, even going so far as to seek additional art help for Hugo with no positive results. I've hesitated to discuss art struggles as my own writing and design struggles have been significant, but I feel all struggling aspects of this game now need to be discussed, not just my own. At this point, I may have to release the book missing some of the monster art and without a poster map. I seriously hope this doesn't happen, but I can't wait for the art any longer.
Financially, I reached the wall where continuing to work on this game without a paycheck is not possible. I then had to spend time looking for, finding, and then accepting a new part-time job. It's not exactly the sort of job I want to shout to the roof tops, but it pays the bills. It also takes a great deal of time away from what I want to be working on (the game), but after the "busy period" I'm in right now at work ends in a few weeks, things to will settle back down to where I can crush the remaining chapters." Quick summary - I've spent the money and now need to work a real job. I can't pay for the art and I've run out of ideas and excuses to stall. I asked Nystul for more advice and he had none to give except "avoid all social media". Maybe I'll just try to fade away and not log into Kickstarter ever again.
Myth & Magic Player's Guide - where the fuck should I start? The 9/26 update claiming that 99% of the backers had shipments coming within 14 days. the 10/23 update where he failed to acknowledge that 99% of backers had not received their packages 28 days later? My hounding of him until he posted my name and shipping info in the comments section f the Kickstarter and then promptly sent my book. Or perhaps today's update, where it seems he claims that not everyone got their stuff because of a postal screw up?
"My apologies, but the holiday and end-of-year season takes everything out of me. Sort of the name of the game in tax and trust/estate law -- not to mention the home-front craziness.
I have a lot of returned mailings to send out, mostly wrong addresses, some mailings that slipped through the cracks, and a lot of international mailings. Everything will get done by or right after the holidays. The list grows and of course so too does everything else in my life at this time of year. I generally take a week right after the holidays to decompress so that will provide me the time necessary to punch it out."
Read the comments section of this Kickstarter - it's an eye opener. A few angry assholes is just that, but many angry assholes means someone is a major screwup
Appendix N -
I'm still getting emails from folks asking how I got my stuff in June and now it's december and they don't have theirs. I don't have an answer (but will include some copies of the first 2 Appendix N adventures in the 12 Days of OSR Christmas Giveaway that kicks off a week from today).
From today's update - "Sorry for the lateness in updating. I will start doing short, weekly updates on Mondays.
My main guy I hired to help me get these modules shipped out found a better second job (more money, but worse hours) a couple of weeks ago, so I am trying to find more help. My day job has kept me working 12-16 hour days recently (with emergencies) and this is why shipping the first batch of modules has slowed down recently.
However, I have much of December off (catching up on unused vacation days), so I have already started picking up the slack. Plus, my three boys have been helping me out too. I have also started packaging the products in a new way that is MUCH faster and it will allow me to ship more each week.
We should be a bit over 50% shipped by the end of next week. I am working at trying to ship around 100 orders a week and I will start posting the weekly numbers in my Monday updates.
Beginning next week, all shipments will now include:
The Ruins of Ramat (Levels 0 & 3 versions), The Vile Worm (Level 1), Three Add-On Adventures (The Golden Orb, Gifts of the Only & The Perplexing Disappearances in Brambury), two detached covers with maps-on-the-back and eight player's handouts on card stock. This will officially give you twice as much as is available in the retail versions. We are keeping track of who has been shipped what (and NOT on index cards), so if you have already received your first shipment, we will include these others in your next shipment.
I am currently working on updating the Dagger Kids RPG screen and text along with my own "DCC-ish" add-on charts and hope to have the pdfs of those to you in early January."
At least John seems to be trying and adding in extras. Not so sure how it makes financial sense for him, but I appreciate the gesture. Please let me know when these enhanced packages start arriving in the wild.