Tuesday, April 16, 2013
Autarch's Latest Kickstarter - Domains at War
The last time I tried mass combat in an RPG with actual rules was the old Battle System rules for AD&D. That did not work out so well.
I'll know better in 6 months or so if Autarch can pull it off with Domains at War. Judging from the ACKS rules, I'd say they have a pretty god chance for success. I'm in for 35.
I must say, I was impressed with the airing out of the Autarch track record at the Kickstarter site:
Backing a Kickstarter entails risks as well as rewards. As project creators, it's important to us that you are aware of the risks and have a chance to evaluate what we're doing to minimize them.
* DISAPPOINTMENT *
Any time you pick up a new gaming product, there's a risk that it will fail to live up to your expectations. Using Kickstarter increases this risk. Because you will be the first to get your hands on Domains at War, you won't have the chance to read reviews or get word of mouth feedback before deciding to invest your gaming dollars in it.
To minimize this risk, we made the Free Starter Edition available for you to download before pledging. Its simple rules are the core of the Domains at War system, and should give you a good idea whether it's something that will appeal to you. If you're still not sure, you can start with a $5 pledge and download the manuscripts of Campaigns and Battles, then increase your pledge if you like what you see. If not, you can cancel it at any point before the campaign ends.
Because we'll be using the Kickstarter funds to cover illustration, layout, and printing, you won't be able to check out the final production quality of Domains at War before deciding to pledge. However, Autarch has earned a reputation for high production values and excellent customer service with our previous Kickstarter projects, and we are eager to live up to this standard.
* DELAYED REWARDS *
Although it may be reassuring that we've done successful Kickstarter projects before, you should be aware that we also have a track record of not meeting our estimated delivery dates. It's not uncommon for game creators to run late, but we are firmly committed to getting our Domains at War rewards to you on or before the promised dates. The key to doing this will be to learn from the mistakes we made in each of our previous projects.
ADVENTURER CONQUEROR KING: Funding ended 8/6/11; PDFs delivered 2/1/12; hardcovers shipped 4/12/12. We launched this Kickstarter before the requirement to set an estimated delivery date, but it's fair to say we expected to have the rewards ready sooner than we did.
Our mistake with this first Kickstarter was to not limit the scope. Unlike Domains at War, we did not have the manuscript for ACKS finished when we launched the Kickstarter. This worked out well for a new company; the process of communicating with backers gave us lots of great ideas for how to make ACKS better, and we're glad we took the time to incorporate this feedback into the finished product. The problem was that ideas resulting from this collaboration also made the book longer than we originally anticipated, leading to delays.
Now that Autarch has been around a little longer, we're still dedicated to collaboration with backers, but we can apply this to other projects we have on the drawing board. As a Domains at War backer, you'll have the chance to provide input on drafts of the upcoming Auran Empire Campaign Setting, which we intend to contain all the information you'll need to play out D@W battles and campaigns in this fantasy world. We now have the luxury of waiting to crowdfund a product until it already has the invaluable benefit of feedback from the people most likely to use it at their gaming tables.
PLAYER'S COMPANION: Funding ended 3/16/12. Estimated delivery for PDFs 5/12; actual 12/16/12. Estimated delivery for hardcovers 7/12; actual 1/28/13.
hardcovers shipped 4/12/12.
Some of the delays on this project were due to not learning from our mistakes - the bonus goals added substantially to the scope of the project. We also ran into a new mistake, a bottleneck in our work flow with the internal organization of the PDF.
What we've learned is to plan for at least two ways to achieve each step on the way to creating the rewards. Domains at War has a higher funding target than any of our previous Kickstarters because we've double budgeted for key elements of the process; even if a supplier or contributor takes the money and runs, we'll have funds on hand to cover our backup. To further avoid bottlenecks, we've also set internal deadlines to tell us when it's time to stop waiting for plan A and go with plan B. We hope that this extra redundancy in Domains at War's scheduling will allow us to actually beat our estimated delivery dates if everything goes smoothly, and still meet them even if it doesn't.
DWIMMERMOUNT: Funding ended 4/14/12. Estimated delivery for PDFs 6/12, 8/12 for hardcovers. Current estimate 8/15/13 for Labyrinth Lord version, 12/25/13 for ACKS version.
The Dwimmermount rewards are still outstanding, and mistakes we made in setting up this project mean it's been a long and difficult journey to the point we're at now where we have full confidence in our estimated ship dates. The lesson we've learned is that there is no getting around bottlenecks that depend on the unique work of an individual. To avoid delays, their work has to be finished before the Kickstarter launches, and others need to be able to take the remaining steps toward fulfilling the rewards even if individual issues intervene.
Only Alexander Macris could have written the complete draft for Domains at War, just as only James Maliszewski could have written the Dwimmermount draft. Having that draft already in place so that someone else could use it to deliver the rewards is an essential safeguard against delays. Although Alex is far and away our most valuable player, Autarch is a LLC with seven members in two cities. Barring a disaster big enough to affect the entire Eastern seaboard, one of us should be able to fulfill our promises to you with Domains at War.
* UNFULFILLED REWARDS *
By far the worst risk you face in backing a Kickstarter is that you'll pledge your money and never get the rewards you were promised in return. You can reduce this risk by only backing creators whose track record demonstrates that they're worthy of your trust. We hope that our (eventual) successes with ACKS and the Player's Companion, and our commitment to stand by our Dwimmermount backers despite all of the difficulties on that project, speaks to our trustworthiness.
To minimize your risks of giving us money and getting nothing in return, we've made sure we can set delivery estimates within a six-month window following the time we'll charge your credit card. Being within this window gives you the best chance of getting your credit card company to process a chargeback if it looks like we're going to fail to deliver your rewards or respond to your request for a refund. There's absolutely no reason to think this might happen; we've gone above and beyond the Kickstarter terms of service in offering refunds to Dwimmermount backers. Still, we really hate the idea that you might get completely burned by putting your faith in us, and it's reassuring to know we're leaving your own options open in the event that something goes totally wrong on our end.
* CHALLENGES *
Although we're confident that our experience as publishers will let us handle any problems that emerge, Domains at War involves kinds of printing we haven't handled before. During the time we've been developing this Kickstarter we've received proofs of our maps, counters, and play aids. We're confident that we'll be able to produce these rewards with the same quality we've brought to our other projects, and we plan to share the basis for this confidence with you in weekly project updates.
* ALTERNATIVES *
We hope you'll decide it's worth taking on the risks involved in backing this Kickstarter, but it's important to emphasize that this won't be your only way to get hold of Domains at War. We expect that all the items that go into the Complete Domains at War Set will be available in stores within a few months of the time that Kickstarter backers receive them. (Retailers who back the project will have them sooner!) All these items, as well as the PDFs and the components of the Deluxe Domains at War Set, will be available for purchase online around the same time. The only things you won't be able to get once the Kickstarter closes are free shipping, the rewards that involve creative contributions to the finished product, the chance to provide feedback on this and future projects, and acknowledgement in the credits for having helped make Domains at War a reality.
Labels:
acks,
kickstarter
Subscribe to:
Post Comments (Atom)
Tenkar's Tavern is supported by various affiliate programs, including Amazon, RPGNow,
and Humble Bundle as well as Patreon. Your patronage is appreciated and helps keep the
lights on and the taps flowing. Your Humble Bartender, Tenkar
Blogs of Inspiration & Erudition
-
-
Deeper & Deeper Into The Station From Hell - The Red Room's Orbital Decay & Night Owl Workshop's Colonial Troopers - Session Report - Tonight's DM Paul's Colonial Troopers/Orbital Decay campaign and tonight's game picks right up where we were in last week's session. Our scientist Pu ar ...5 hours ago
-
More thoughts on Only Heroes Get to Resist - I've never implemented this rule, but I keep thinking about running a game that would use it: One Heroes Get to Resist I have a few more thoughts on it, n...6 hours ago
-
QuarHammer - I stumbled, addled, into my local semi-rural game store in search of off-brand Contrast paint to finish up Ionus Cryptborn, and while wandering around, I ...15 hours ago
-
More (Mostly Pointless) Messing About - I thought I would try an experiment: I re-scaled one of Bergman's 1:100 Char B-I (bis) models to 1:200 and printed it on my Mars Pro. It's the yellow ...15 hours ago
-
-
grodog's Founders & Legends and GaryCon XVI Convention Reports - 14-25 March 2024 - Part 3 - GaryCon XVI – Thank YOUs and SwagContinued from *Part 1 – Arrival through Founders & Legends and Interregnum Tuesday* and from *Part 2 - GaryCon XVI – 20-2...17 hours ago
-
#AtoZChallenge2024: V is for Vampire - [image: Dracula by Edgar Alfred Holloway] Dracula by Edgar Alfred HollowayLong before I was ever known as the "witch guy" I was the "vampire guy." A lot of...18 hours ago
-
Stonehell: Dipping their toes in the sewer - Session 227 was played on 9/24/23 Morgana, Magic User (Rob) Blotto, Goblin Fighter (Lanse) Koltic, Cleric 7 (NPC) Aroon, Fighter 5 (NPC) Jameth, Fighter 5...19 hours ago
-
AD&D ability tests, streamlined - As I've mentioned in my Hyperborea review (check it pout!), I really liked how the game tries to streamline AD&D ability checks: This is a simpler versi...19 hours ago
-
Gammarauders (1987) - From the web: Each player plays a large cybernetic creature known as a bioborg, which wanders about a radioactive science fiction landscape. Bioborgs are...20 hours ago
-
On preparing adventures for the Ghostbusters RPG - With my mind on a lot of things lately related to West End Games' classic RPG *Ghostbusters*, I was thinking of putting together a blog entry offering so...1 day ago
-
d100 Wasteland Weirdos - Possibly some Charginspire leaked onto our new album. Sampler short https://youtube.com/shorts/Yj7jn40iomM?si=dflfJ10EdYYJqMYr My Gunderholfen solo play...1 day ago
-
Standoff at Sandfell Sea Fort - By MalrexThe Merciless MerchantsOSR/1e/2eLevels 4-7 Eerie lights? Strange noises? Ships are sailing blind into the rough shores of the Bay of Saurvorn. Why...1 day ago
-
A World in a Magazine - Four years ago, I wrote about my history with miniature games and getting back into them during the lockdown. Summer 1995 saw me seduced by the world of ...1 day ago
-
Miskatonic Monday #278: The Viscount Who Left Me - Between October 2003 and October 2013, Chaosium, Inc. published a series of books for *Call of Cthulhu* under the Miskatonic University Library Associati...3 days ago
-
Living Rooms, Beyond the Living Room, and The Open Form Broadside - Living rooms set to liven up your RPG adventures, and a broadside journal set to stimulate those little grey cells... Rob Kuntz's latest releases! *Livin...3 days ago
-
Return to the Known Lands – Session #43 – Beware of Strangers with Magic Swords, Pt. 2 - PCs: - Frakus (Dw FM 3) - Osan (Elf F/MU 4/2) - Omes (Half FM) - Arro (MU 3) NPCs: - Marnes (CL 4) - Burdar (Dw FM 1) -...4 days ago
-
New Printable Scenery Campaign: Ramshackle & Ruin - [image: New Printable Scenery Campaign: Ramshackle & Ruin] I don't know how many of my peeps here are into 3d printing, but I'm always collecting the STL ...1 week ago
-
Play as Sculpture, Play as Prism - Watching my eldest child and friends engaging in imaginative play, I'm often struck by the fact that what seems to excite them is deciding who gets to be...1 week ago
-
OSR: Mirrors, Cubes, Rods, Staves, and the Deck of Motley Things - I've written another 10 pages of the Treasure Overhaul (title pending), a condensed magic item compendium for old-school games. Unlike the first two prev...1 week ago
-
Session #12 & Adventure Sites Compilation - Firstly, I wanted to let everybody know that Adventure Sites I by Coldlight Press is now available as a free download on DriveThruRPG. It includes my own...1 week ago
-
The Evolution of Gaming, or Why My Thoughts on Gaming have Changed Drastically Over Time - I have been thinking about this for quite a long time and though I am not an eloquent man, I thought I should put these random and chaotic thoughts down in...1 week ago
-
The Release of How to Make a Fantasy Sandbox and the Isle of Pyade - The Release With the successful conclusion and fulfillment of my Kickstarter, I am releasing How to Make a Fantasy Sandbox and The Isle of Pyade to the publ...2 weeks ago
-
Clerics of the Flanaess, Part 2 - Sorry it took so long to get to the next article in this series, but here we are! This continues the details of specialty clerics for the World of Greyhawk...2 weeks ago
-
On the Sector Turn - It's very simple. There are many important things cybertechtronically enhanced secret agents need to do: Buy illegal tanks with railguns. "Convince" the...2 weeks ago
-
Arsenic & Old Lace (a Review)... - The free-kriegsspiel revolution (or FKR; sometimes free-kriegsspiel roleplay) has been getting a lot of attention lately, which seems inevitable given re...3 weeks ago
-
The Light Dawns - THIS!!! Yes, a thousand times, this! Back in the day, I referred to this as “neo-classicalgaming,” which is to say, the sorts of games that came ou...3 weeks ago
-
Improvised Awful Lights Missions - Asking about The Awful Lights, a commenter asks: *I'd love to hear about how this is run - with the Handler determining mission location and objectives ...3 weeks ago
-
Jim Ward's Adventure in Gygax's Wonderland - Last weekend at GaryCon, many of us raised a glass to the memory of Jim Ward, who passed away just days before the convention. Ward was very helpful to m...3 weeks ago
-
It’s Tolkien Reading Day - I recently started rereading *The Silmarillion*. I had last read it over two decades ago. I liked it then but I’m really enjoying it this time! Despite b...4 weeks ago
-
Osr anchorites? - It's been a long time since I listened to any osr podcasts. Anchor was a lot of fun. I'm not sure if the community is still going? I deleted the app ...5 weeks ago
-
Chaos War Dogs - Welcome back to the Vault! My gaming partner and I had a fun day at the Meme Team doubles last weekend, placing mid-table results wise. My eye is now lo...5 weeks ago
-
ShadowDark Magic Items - The next campaign I run will use the ShadowDark RPG. I'm not sure when that'll be (I'm hoping a little later this year), but ShadowDark is my choice. I'v...1 month ago
-
Xandering, Jaquaysing, or Arneson-ing the Dungeon? - Yet another gamer firestorm arose shortly after the passing of Janelle Jaquays when it was noted that Justin Alexander had changed a rather well known p...2 months ago
-
GLOG Class: Bioweapon - I got this idea from mad gods on bear blog. Crab Evo from Kagaku Sentai Dynaman A thousand soldiers were slain. Too many to be tragic--this is just a fact...2 months ago
-
The Economy Engine, v0.2 - I made a thing. For D&D 3rd edition, so it might not be that interesting to a lot of people. But I made it and I think it’s cool. The 3rd edition Dungeon M...2 months ago
-
*'s in SpaaaaaAaaaace - A lot of SF (including a certain 2D6 RPG grandaddy) deal with ancient aliens taking humans from Earth and dropping them, fleas and all, on one or more w...2 months ago
-
[MODULE] The Webs of Past and Present & Cloister of the Frog-God (NOW AVAILABLE!) - Can you have enough frog-themed modules? I am pleased to announce the publication of two adventure modules, *The Webs of Past and Present *and *Cloister of...2 months ago
-
What Else Have I Got in Me? - Brechewold's been done for a little while. Still incredibly pumped to have this labor of love out in the company of LotFP's marvelously creative body of ...3 months ago
-
Housekeeping 2024 - Coactus Illustration © Heather Gwinn. A gift she gave me in 2013 for an edition of Miscreated Creatures which I hope exists someday. Coloring by me. I am a...3 months ago
-
Last move - to self-hosting! - As my vote regarding Substack in the “marketplace of ideas”, I’m moving to self-hosting. I’m now at (and hopefully staying for a long time at) Blog: ht...3 months ago
-
Sex-Crazed Falling Stars, Free Weather Magic, and Adventures: News of the Hill Cantons - *Grandma Gaya, the Rav-Witch of High Kezmarok*, seeks the stout of limb and humble of mind in the *obtaining of fallen stars* from an upcoming prophesied ...3 months ago
-
Time Rolls On - Today is December 31, 2023, in the mid-afternoon. In less than ten hours it will be 2024. 2023 2023 was a good year. But all years are good years. Both goo...3 months ago
-
Play Report: Skull Mountain - At the end of the last Skull Mountain session the PCs had retreated to safety at Owen's redoubt, met with visiting elves, and recovered from injuries ...5 months ago
-
-
Moving On... - So, my D&D 5e experiment has blown up the lab in a puff of green smoke leaving my face blackened like Wile E. Coyote after a failed roadrunner Acme trap...10 months ago
-
How to Keep Megadungeons Fresh - People often consider megadungeons boring. Not because the play style is boring, but because they are in the same locale for a majority of the campaign. If...11 months ago
-
ODIOUS UPLANDS and COMPLETELY UNFATHOMABLE DCC AT LAST - NOW AVAILABLE in PDF and Print on Demand:ODIOUS UPLANDS and COMPLETELY UNFATHOMABLE (DCC)CLICK HERE TO BUY NOW! SO YOU SURVIVED OPERATION UNFATHOMABLE? Od...1 year ago
-
The Blade Itself - I just finished listening to the audiobook of The Blade Itself, volume one in Joe Abercrombie’s The First Law trilogy. This was my first exposure to his wo...1 year ago
-
Master Treasure Seeker: A Dungeon23 MegaDungeon - Introduction - Sean McCoy, author of Mothership, posted an article on his substack titled Dungeon23 and it's taken the indie RPG scene by storm. So, I'm throwing my hat...1 year ago
-
Genteel Magistrate at FenCon XVIII - Victorious author Mike Stewart will be a guest at FenCon XVIII this weekend at the Sheraton DFW Airport hotel, 4440 W. John Carpenter Freeway, Irving, TX, ...1 year ago
-
Osamu Tezuka (1928 - 1989) - [image: Osamu Tezuka - Shonen Magazine Cover, 1970]Shonen Magazine Cover, 1970 [image: Osamu Tezuka - Shonen Magazine Cover Illustration 1970]Shonen Maga...1 year ago
-
Helvéczia: Journal de Campagne, 3 - We resumed play this past week, joining the company still within the farmstead where those that remain of the seven knaves are restrained or incapacitate...1 year ago
-
This is an Important Game Mechanic - *"That's the GM's Regional Map from my AOWG. And it's a damned good regional map. It's not a good map for a Simple Homebrew Campaign. It does some s$&...1 year ago
-
Clean Your Room - Looking back at my little blog here. That last post… wow, I was having fun playing WOW Classic! That was August of 1999 and I was having a blast… it was ...2 years ago
-
-
My RPG Zine Trilogy is on Kickstarter! - I can't believe I didn't post about it here! The Dead are Coming, Screams Amongst the Stars and Running Out of Time are on *Kickstarter right now!* Thes...3 years ago
-
Maximum HP 004, one week to go - Just one week to go for Maximum HP issue #004, the undead. We are pushing through stretch goals and wracking up contributions for the best issue yet. We...3 years ago
-
Steve Jackson Interview - James Maliszewski recently did an interview with Steve Jackson over on his Grognardia blog. Steve chats about the beginnings of The Fantasy Trip and upcomi...3 years ago
-
The Hero’s Journey 2nd Edition, Campbellian roleplaying at its best! - (this review done using the reviewers own purchased copy) I have been a James Michael Spahn fan since he wrote his Swords & Wizardry Companion. His writing...3 years ago
-
Undermountain Map Origins - As documented on the Ruins of Undermountain sales page, "TSR didn't actually use Ed Greenwood's original maps," at least not in their entirety. This post d...3 years ago
-
WB:FMAG Total Print Sales - Hello Folks, The last time I did a quick sales report was in September 2018. I pulled reports from Amazon, Lulu and DrivethruRPG from October to current fo...4 years ago
-
The Minotaur for Old-School Essentials - *Minotaur* *Requirements:* Minimum STR 9, Minimum CON 9 *Prime Requisite:* STR and CON *Hit Dice:* 1d10 *Maximum Level:* 8 *Armor:* Leather, including shield...4 years ago
-
WIZARDS OF POHJOLA - Init +0 Melee Atk • sword or dagger +1 (1d5 or 1d3) Ranged Atk • hot iron sparks +3 (1d4+2 to two targets within 20' but not closer than 5') AC 14 HD 12d...4 years ago
-
The Withered Crag custom print version for sale again - Just re-enabled the direct sales button for the custom print (classic style detached cover) version of F4 The Withered Crag, and also for F3 Many Gates of...4 years ago
-
Dungeons & Dragonmead Fall Schedule - *As you know, I run public classic Dungeons & Dragons games at **The Loaded Die**/Metro Detroit Game Night's Board Game Nigh at **Dragonmead**, in Warren...4 years ago
-
-
D&D Sling Damage vs. Large Targets - In many early editions of D&D, weapons were assigned two damage values: one for small/medium targets (i.e. man-sized) and one for large targets (giants and...4 years ago
-
James A. Smith, Jr. Memorial Video - A beloved father, devoted friend, and D&D Dungeon Master extraordinaire. We miss you! To view video, click here Memorial Video Note - The original video...5 years ago
-
Let's Talk About Pacing! - The idea, I think, is that the RPG is ultimately about the long game. Even rolling back to the early days of Basic & Expert, the goal of the player was...5 years ago
-
Profane and Profound Prep Part 2 - This is part 2 of my work to edit my magic items for a DMsGuild release, along with adding cursed items along the way. Here is part 1. Bone of a Saint 8000...5 years ago
-
SHORT BREAK. - I'm going to take a break for a week or so and will start up again in the New Year. Thanks for reading and we'll start with Level 6 when I get back.5 years ago
-
Iain Lovecraft, 3D Sculptor - Nope, it's got nothing to do with Cthulhu. I just did a video conversation with Iain Lovecraft, who designs 3D miniatures and terrain. If you're not doi...5 years ago
-
New website! - Slowly but surely, all the content here will make its way — in updated form! — to my new website: timbannock.com. For fairly obvious reasons, that site wil...5 years ago
-
Please Update Your Link! - If you're seeing this, it means your link to the Greyhawk Grognard blog is out of date. Please update your link to www.greyhawkgrognard.com (RSS feed is h...5 years ago
-
Mord Mar - Session 6 - We weren't able to play Mord Mar last week, due to a family funeral. This week we played on Monday for the first time, due to kids returning to school and ...5 years ago
-
A Small, Quiet Plea - There has been a great deal of discussing political agendas, social grievances, and personal attacks within the little corner of gaming that is my hobby....5 years ago
-
Don’t Sleep It’s Broken - Expanding/editing my comments from What Makes Something Broken G+ thread: “Broken”, for me, is anything that makes normal character choices, tactics, or ro...6 years ago
-
Swords & Wizardry Light-Themed Birthday Party - Last month, my wife and I helped our oldest to celebrate his birthday in style. Ever since 2013, we have hosted a themed birthday party for our now-15-ye...6 years ago
You totally don't need to wait 6 months! The text is complete, fully playtested and playable, and available for download as soon as you back. Even if you want to have all the fancy maps and counters and stuff, I've got prototypes and am itching to try 'em out.
ReplyDeleteOnce I'll have $20 in my paypal account (I'll try to get this ASAP, either by selling some stuff on eBay or getting paid for some work for 15mm.co.uk), I'll go in for the $20 level.
ReplyDeleteWhat I found more interesting than the airing of their dirty laundry was they thought it was important to list what they had changed. I also like the fact they have seen the wisdom in:
ReplyDelete1. Having the manuscript ready before looking for money. While not 100% predictable editing and art aren't quite as random as the writing.
2. Dialing back at least a little on the stretch goals. If there is anything beyond #1 that gives me faith that Majus will deliver on time (and why I think Spears of the Dawn and Adventures Dark & Deep Player Manuals delivered early) is limited or no stretch goals.