July Update (You'll Want to Read This)
about 3 years ago – Wed, Jun 16, 2021 at 06:52:58 PM

Howdy pardners!

Firstly, I want to thank everyone for your tremendous patience as we get through this shipping nonsense together. And when I say "together" I mean literally everybody. As you may have heard, no Kickstarter was left unaffected by what's going on. I know that delayed shipping/delivery/production has always been something of an unspoken tradition, an accepted/expected "plot twist" of the global Kickstarter market, and when this container shortage first happened we all thought it was just another lame excuse not to fulfill on promises, but it turns out this isn't a joke at all. It's not just affecting Kickstarters and board games, it's affecting every industry that relies on global shipping for their supply chain. If a product is coming from another country, it's affected.

This isn't just out of China, either. We already asked about hauling the freight by train to the European coast and shipping from there and the answer was the same. Containers are short everywhere. And even if you can find one, good luck getting it on a boat - those are full, too.

Jesse over at Quakalope put out a good video about the current state of affairs. And while he kept it to his limited understanding of one facet of the global economy, it still shines a light on just how big the tip of the iceberg is. If you haven't already checked it out, I encourage you to do so.

The container shortage was something absolutely nobody could have seen coming. Sure, it existed in the litany of possibilities of things that could go wrong, always. But it was never something that could be predicted on a calendar. And without developing in-house manufacturing, there was no way around it. Like a traffic jam on the interstate during a road trip, you know it's going to happen. You just don't know when, and there's really nothing you can do about it but sit back, be frustrated and cross your legs until the next rest stop.

All this said, I'm not entirely convinced as everyone else that this is "the new normal." I rarely buy into the doom and gloom narratives. This isn't the first time global supply has been congested. These things happen and so do corrections. The pendulum keeps swinging and will ultimately find its way back to the right side of the clock. I'm one of the few who believes it'll ease up sooner rather than later. Before we know it, we'll be back to where we needed to be.

A major positive is we already produced the games. A lot of creators are facing rising costs in production and it's crushing their bottom line. This is why we didn't waste time in the beginning and went into production when we could. So, where others are scrambling just to ensure the game their backers put their money into doesn't die on the vine, all we're really waiting on is a container and a boat to carry it. That's not a dig at other creators. Not everybody could do what we could and it wasn't their fault and our hearts go out to them. I'm just keeping perspective here. It's not all bad. It's merely inconvenient.

So what do you do with inconvenience? We make it productive. We use this time to improve on the product and the expansions. We put the hours into playtesting to perfect the new posses and their gameplay. We tweak and tinker with materials to produce the best form factor. We go into limited production runs of prototypes to bring the digital into the real world and see if it translates.

Speaking of prototypes, look what came in the mail!

You guys have no idea the pain I went through to get these from the post office. It took longer for the local office to get them to my office than it took to produce them and get them to the local office! It was like they were running their own little container shortage drill. But it was sooooo worth it. I mean, just look at these puppies!

As you can see, I went ahead and made a box for each posse just to see how it'd all look. As I suspected, they came out brilliant! It's always been my intention to carry through the aura of an old school poker match into each posse and this just seemed like the right way to go. So, to answer a question a few of you have asked, yes the expansions will include their own card boxes!

I even put a character design on the sides so you can quickly identify the posses if they're stacked vertically.

And before you ask...

And what good are boxes without cards? You better believe I printed out all the decks to go with them! I want to break these out for a real-deal playtest. Gone are the days of sloppy-cut card stock I printed myself. It's never real until it's real. It's time to get a feel for how these posses will really feel on the table.

You may have noticed in the first picture that the expansion loot wasn't left behind. I produced those as well, because I want to see how it all plays out on the table. The very first thing that became readily apparent was the actual value-add of these cards. The standard loot adds infinite replayability already. But finally getting to see what the sheer number of expansion loot cards actually look like, it defies the mind.

And this is just volume 1! Now, this collection of cards technically hasn't been unlocked yet, but we are super close and you can help by purchasing them here! The Volume 1 expansion loot is hands-down best way to enhance any game you have going, with or without expansion posses. These cards add serious color and flavor to your battles and are a must have for any High Noon fan.

But beyond that, it's also time to see what the actual value of the stretch goals are. Illustrating the true value has always been an uphill battle in an industry that has grown to expect free stretch goals in the form of 3 dimensional plastic. But now we can really show off just how much free stuff you're getting with the unlocked stretch goals.

Now, bear in mind that traditional campaigns give away one or two cards as a stretch goal. We gave away 9 at every one met, including 21 guaranteed at the Metal and Money pledge. I've personally played a dozen games with these cards and I can tell you, every time they're drawn, they generate an audible gasp from everyone at the table. These loot cards are serious game changers and you're all getting them! Well, depending on your pledge level, that is.

I'd love to share with you the other Kickstarter Exclusive loot cards I've got, but we need to unlock those posses to get them! So let's turn our attention to the current target: Bandero Blondes and Grizzly Greenwood. 

If we can unlock that posse, not only will you be getting 18 additional cards (including the break-action shotgun, slug shells, huntsman boots and Black knife) but I'll also be...

giving away a free Bandero Blonde/Grizzly Greenwood bundle to one lucky winner!

You have to pledge to qualify, so if you haven't pledged already, get in there and do it! Add the Expansion Loot Vol. 1 and Bandero Blonde/Grizzly Greenwood bundle to your pledge today!

Guys, that's all I have for you right now. Things are delayed. That couldn't be predicted or avoided. But I've never felt better about anything I've ever worked on in my life and that's not just melodrama. I wouldn't even be feeling that way if it weren't for the unparalleled support from all of you. You guys are the fuel that keeps me and the team moving and creating. We can't wait to share this game in all of its iterations and expansions with you. We can't wait to share the joy we have playing this game with you. We can't wait to experience your experience with you.

Thank you so much for all you've done for us. Thank you so much for all you've given. Thank you so much for all you've continued to give. It is my honor to ride with you.

What did you think about this update? Are you excited to try out the Kickstarter Exclusive loot cards? What about that free bundle?! Let us know in the comments! Join our Facebook group and Discord server to get involved and play with us. And share this update with your friends to help unlock the Bandero Blondes and Grizzly Greenwood as a little word of mouth can go a long way! And don't forget to get your copy of High Noon (and some expansions) today!

Pledge Manager Update (And So Much More!)
about 3 years ago – Thu, May 20, 2021 at 08:31:39 AM

Howdy Pardners!

While we wait faster for those containers, we've been putting the time to good use. For starters, we've gone ahead and extended the pledge manager and pre-order pages out until we get word of the shipment confirmation. We'll have plenty of time from that point to get last chance emails out to any remaining outstanding backers to confirm their pledges. But until then, we figure why artificially shorten the window to unlock all of these great expansions?

Speaking of outstanding backers, there's still about 160 backers we're waiting on to complete their pledge manager survey. So if you're one of those backers, get on in there and pick out what you want so we can lock things in! If you didn't get an email with your link, check your spam folder. If it's still not there, reach out and we'll shoot another one to you.

Meep Up! Con was a blast. HUGE thanks to Carman, Andy,  Dina, JC and the gang for  hosting an incredible event and thank you to everyone who showed up to try out the game with us. It was a fun time had by all and an honor to share time with you. We can't wait to do it again!

We're planning some really fun events and tournaments full of awesome prizes including cash and games. Right now, we're all scheduled to be virtual, with games hosted on Tabletopia and organized through our Discord server, so if you haven't joined yet, I encourage you to do so. Announcements will likely be posted in the Facebook group as well, so be sure and get in there too.

And speaking of Tabletopia, I've got two yuge updates! First up is the brand new expansion posse for you all to try out. Now that the Cowboys have met the Samurai, it's time to bring on the NINJAS! My friends, allow me to introduce you to the "Lady Jade:"

Stalking the Kenzo Envoy from across the ocean, Yoshida and her shadow assassins from the Okuga Clan have come to thwart the Emperor's attempt to establish a trade alliance with the United States and these deadly shinobi will stop at nothing to accomplish their mission.

Silent and graceful, the Okuga Shinobi ignore movement penalties from cover as they leap and tumble over everything between them and their targets. Yoshida is especially agile with her dance of death that allows her to lunge across multiple targets for multiple attacks. And if her blade has been laced with her signature Jade Poison, those attacks can be lethal to even the strongest of opponents. The Shinobi themselves are especially cunning with their use of their kusarigamas to attack and ensnare their enemies.

While the Okuga Shinobi can deliver devastating blows on their targets, they are assassins first and work best against those who least expect them. If caught out in the open - or at all, really - they are as good as gone, so always be sure to use the terrain to your advantage to shield your silent soldiers against their adversaries' blades and bullets.

The Okuga Shinobi are live on Tabletopia and available to play exclusively through our Discord server, so hop on in and schedule a game with us or any of the hundreds of other members of the High Noon Discord community! 

And if you like them, consider adding them to your cart in ourPre-Order store!

The last part of this update has been a long time coming. We've talked a lot about the Kickstarter Exclusive loot cards that come free with every unlocked stretch goal expansion. There was a bit of confusion over this during our Kickstarter and a lot of that stemmed from the perceived value (or lack thereof) of the cards themselves.

Without playing the game, it's hard to understand the critical nature of loot and how it not only affects your posse but the entire game and its replay value as a whole. In fact, the loot cards are just as valuable to the gameplay as the posses themselves. But again, it's super hard to get that point across without letting players experience them.

So that's what I did.

As of this update, 21 of the planned Kickstarter Exclusive Loot cards are now available to playtest on Tabletopia through our Discord server. This way you can really get a real feel for how all of these unique items and characters interact and expand your High Noon experience.

I'm really excited about these new cards and I feel like a kid in a candy store every time I play and I know you will too. So what are you waiting for? Join our Discord server and play with us and all this new stuff! And then get on over to the pre-order page and grab yourself some High Noon!

What did you think about this update? Are you excited to try out the all-new ninja posse? What Kickstarter Exclusive loot are you looking forward to getting your hands on first? Let us know in the comments! Join our Facebook group and Discord server to get involved and play with us. And share this update with your friends as a little word of mouth can go a long way! And don't forget to get your copy of High Noon (and some expansions) today!

Pledge Manager Update (and a Convention!)
about 3 years ago – Thu, May 13, 2021 at 12:52:09 PM

I've been trying to push this update out, but it's been a crazy busy couple of weeks. That said, it seems oddly appropriate, I finally get this published on the 12th. (Waka waka wakaaaaaa!)

Hey everyone! It's been quiet around the comments section, the Facebook page and - heck - even the Discord channel. It's always a bit slow when I have my son for family-first reasons, but this I think has been abnormally so.

Part of that has to do with the fact that the shipping delay has pretty much neutralized much of anything to talk about. We don't have any control over the availability of containers. But we are actively seeking alternative ways to get the game out to you guys. If that opportunity arises, we will jump on it. Not only do we want these games in your hands so you can play High Noon, enjoy it like we do and tell all of your friends so they go out and buy copies, our factory also doesn't like things sitting on pallets in their warehouse, clogging up their real estate. Literally everyone wants these games shipped. If we can get them out, you bet your keister, we will. And that's pretty much all there is to say about it.

As for the pledge manager, we're at 75% completion of surveys with a little less than 200 of our backers still outstanding. We've sent reminders and we'll keep doing so to ensure everyone checks in. But just on the backers we've had so far, we've already raised an additional $20,000! And we haven't even begun our marketing of our pre-order page yet!

Now, before any of us go popping champagne, it's important to understand a lot of this additional funding has been put toward unlocking expansions. If - at the end of the day - we don't achieve enough sell through to unlock those expansions, we'll give everyone the opportunity to move their money toward other items, but ultimately we can't bet on the final fund until cards are charged and it's safe to assume some - or a lot - of backers will pull their extra monies out altogether. So, to those asking what this means for our fixed timeline of unlocked stretch goals, we simply can't make any guarantees until every card has been charged. So, for now, let's keep the excitement going but also stay level-headed about our expectations.

As far as expectations go, however, I'm very optimistic about the near future. Our retailer backers have just started discussing their orders with me and those numbers are really looking nice. Remember, retailer orders contribute to the overall funding and stretch goal unlocks. Also, we begin our pre-order marketing campaign in the next couple of days, and those pre-orders also contribute to the unlocking of stretch goals. And you don't have to wait on our marketing to drive that horse. Feel free to share the pre-order page with your own network of friends, family and local game stores. If your local game store is interested in ordering wholesale, simply have them shoot a message to us with their email address and I'll add them to the pledge manager at the retail level so they can enjoy all of the wholesale prices.

In this downtime, we've also been working with our factory to drill down some more competitive pricing and MOQs. From those efforts, we've been able to squeeze the unlocked expansion goals even tighter, which you should notice in the pledge manager, scraping off up to 100 orders per item needed for unlocks! All these little things can add up pretty quick, which is why I feel very good about the next few weeks.

This weekend, we'll be presenting at the virtual event, Meep Up! Con so if you haven't had a chance to see the game in action or play a round, this is a great opportunity to connect with us and see what all the fuss is about. Admission is free, so be sure and register so you don't miss out on this fun event!

Pledge Manager Smoke Test is a GO!
about 3 years ago – Wed, May 05, 2021 at 11:46:37 AM

The time has come!

We've begun our Smoke Test of the pledge manager with 5% of our backers getting their links to the pledge manager. This is the first step in going live with the Pledge Manager and will allow us to work out any kinks that may arise during the process. Once the Smoke Test is complete, everyone else will be getting their links as well.

If you received your link as part of the Smoke Test, please complete your pledge asap so we can let everyone else in on the action ;)

LIVE Q&A Tomorrow (5/1/2021) at 10pm EST
about 3 years ago – Fri, Apr 30, 2021 at 11:42:34 PM

Tomorrow (Saturday) at 10pm EST, tune in to our Youtube channel or the official Facebook group to join our LIVE Q&A session where we discuss High Noon, the Kickstarter, the pledge manager, and anything else you want to talk about!

Got a question? Drop it here in the comments and we will address it on the show!

Be sure and subscribe to the Youtube channel or join the Facebook group (or both) to get the notification of the stream!