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Gaming Ballistic LLC Backerkit Store and Preorders

Created by Douglas H. Cole

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Latest Updates from Our Project:

Gaming Ballistic at CONVergence 2019
about 5 years ago – Sun, Jan 20, 2019 at 09:03:21 PM

Gaming Ballistic was selected for a dealer table at CONVergence 2019, which starts July 4 and runs through July 7.

This will be my very first “hey, my own table!” convention appearance, so I’m glad it’s here in the Twin Cities.

Come chat, check stuff out, or hit me up and hopefully folks can run some of my games (I’ll likely be at the table for most of it). Gaming Ballistic is looking to have a very interesting 2019, for reasons that will become more clear next week, I hope.

Until then: see you at the Con!

New Cover Work in Progress
about 5 years ago – Tue, Jan 15, 2019 at 09:49:42 AM

Juan's been busy with life, but we reconnected, and his comment was "Well, I hated the composition of my first cover, so I'm doing it over."

Here's the new composition as Work-in-Progress.

We should be seeing a final full-color version on Friday!

A quick test: happiness is a full book
about 5 years ago – Sun, Jan 13, 2019 at 05:13:32 PM

I did a quick test yesterday. The new maps went in as "maps as art." The full-page maps went in as, well, full pages, with no borders or anything but map in the way.

Here's an example of the first:

So that's how they fit into the book, in the same places that the art fits.

But here's the back of the book, in the maps section (in fact, these two maps are not facing pages, but I wanted to show both).

Finally . . . the scale bars and other items are on layers:

So an export or image-only file should be available. If I can embed the scale bars on an on/off layer so that importing the maps into a VTT preserves the scale/grid boxes and bars so you can use a Virtual table-top's native grid without having the images clutter things up, I will.

So that's good. Even better is that I'm at 106 pages of a target 112, which means once I put in the desired conversion documents, Kickstarter backer page, and a bit more, the book is right where it needs to be page-count wise.

Relative to where I need to be on this one for a prelim PDF release for error-crushing in the last week of January . . . this is a great place to be.

Maps are Done!
about 5 years ago – Sat, Jan 12, 2019 at 09:32:37 AM

Progress Report

Yesterday Glynn sent me the last of the seven map upgrades. I really think you will like them!

So that's it. He delivered, and now it's time to move into the final stages.

Funding Update

The Norns give, and the Norns take, and both up and down can come quickly.

If Backerkit isn't confused, we've got about $1,000 of pure add-ons. On a total project basis, we get both the offset print run and the maps at about $5300. The Kickstarter funds FINALLY came in, and that was $3,675. So we're about $700 short of the big run, but easily can fund the promised improved short-run printing. There's still 13 days left in the backerkit phase, so one never knows! So again, we're on track here with a possible strong upside.

Schedule

That means it's time for me to really start revising the document for final preliminary distribution. What does that mean? It means I'll go through it word by word, remove (hopefully) all the legacy material from old versions and from the Powered by GURPS expansion, fully complete the conversion to Dragon Heresy, and ensure that my Swords and Wizardry conversion notes, and the Dragon Heresy --> Fifth Edition notes, are complete. Plus insert the full-page maps in the back rather than as art in the front. Well, in addition to, not instead of.

That should start this weekend. If I'm good, it will finish this weekend, but I doubt it. Next week I'm hoping to get with my cover artist about a final update to the cover art; his schedule has been complicated but there's till more than time.

With luck and focus, I will be able to push out a PDF for everyone to review and comment on - ideally looking for typos and "WTF?" moments that should be absent but always manage to creep in. Once we have a bit of that (and I may well send that out early so I can clear the decks for other things in February) I'll finalize the PDF, export the print-worthy cover and interior pages, and get that to the printer.

Then it's game-time for shipping and delivery. There are few enough copies going out that I'll do this one myself. 

And then that'll be it; those that backed or bought Lost Hall 1e will get an updgraded PDF, either from DriveThru or my website, and then it's on to new projects . . . of which Gaming Ballistic has many in the pipeline!

80% on Surveys; Only 20 pre-orders from Stretch Goal!
about 5 years ago – Wed, Jan 09, 2019 at 08:57:43 AM

Survey Status

You guys have done great for the surveys . . . and have been generous with the add-ons, which I appreciate. We're over 4/5 - 82% to be precise - complete. There are 24 people who have not filled out their surveys, but of those, 17 have hard-copy material for which I need an address, so if you have already ordered, or would like to order, physical goods . . . I need a shipping address.

Funding Status

Those of you that have backed my projects before know I'm transparent in terms of where the money's going. You backed me, you get the straight dope on funding flow. In this case, after Kickstarter fees, we brought in $3,675 from that part of the campaign. Backerkit has brought in about $940 in not-shipping fees, for a total of $4615 to date that can be applied towards the dual goals of the project: the maps, and the print run.

The offset print run and maps together require $5,275, so we're about $660 shy of the goal

Even as-is, the digital short-run printing with CPI in the UK will produce up to 400 books if I choose. In distribution, these won't be self-sustaining at the cost-to-produce as they would with the offset run: That's OK (It's not ideal, but it's OK). No matter what, there's Dragon Heresy support out there, and more on the way.

The key to victory here is simple: 20 pre-orders of PDF and Print.

Schedule

Glynn has already finished five of seven maps. I gave a preview of what they'll look like a few days ago, but I like seeing it so here it is again:

He's done something fun with the entrance to the Hall itself, which is to draw the outside and inside lower hall as a single map, split into two halves. This will allow a notional battle to rage between the two seamlessly, which was in the original adventure but not really reflected on the maps.

That means barring Real Life, the maps should be done and ready by week's end. That will let me start finalizing the PDF. I've got a few conversion notes to put in, some stats and conversion notes for Swords & Wizardry to add, and an error check to do. Hopefully that will all be complete within the month of January; then we'll get a preliminary PDF out so folks can look for errors and typos that always slip in.

Basically, I'm on schedule. If we hit the offset run, expect your print copies in June (or before). If we don't, you should get them 4-6 weeks earlier.

Don't forget those surveys if you're doing physical product! And as always, a little word of mouth (of Facebook? Of Twitter?) goes a long way. We're about two dozen print pre-orders, or 10 "Starter Kit" with a copy of Dragon Heresy included, from the stretch goal that will both improve the book (thicker, heavier paper, lay-flat sewn binding) and get it out there in retail stores next to the core book.

If you have questions, you know Where to find Gaming Ballistic on the Internet!