You know what this means...
almost 7 years ago – Wed, Jun 21, 2017 at 12:33:01 AM

Good evening Citizens of Guildmore! We are in the throes of fulfillment and we are loving every minute of it. Call me crazy, but it gives me no end of gratification to handle every envelope and label and see each of your names. All that's left is to get you your games and say thank you again. Here's pics of what we accomplished today:

It's just shy of 8:00pm EST as I type this, and as soon as I hit send it's back to work! I'll be working half days until this is done. And by half days I mean at least 12 hours. ;) Happy gaming and we'll see you on the other side of fulfillment.

Fondly,

The GuildMaster

Guild Goings-On
almost 7 years ago – Fri, Jun 09, 2017 at 06:07:36 PM

Citizens of Guildmore!

Yesterday I took the trip down to Impressions in Ft. Wayne to get all the fulfillment copies of Unreal Estate and Stroop. It was both uneventful and scary. It was the first time I had ever pulled my trailer with my Highlander, and while theoretically it is equipped to do that, I'm a bit of a Nervous Nellie.

Just when I thought that I'd gotten down there and things would be a breeze...the dynamic shifts when you add about 100 boxes into the equation:

I realize it doesn't look like much, and it is true that my trailer can hold a lot more. But I'm not sure my poor car was ready for that much weight. And I actually stopped two times before I really got going to shift around boxes and try to relieve some uncomfortable scraping noises.

But the next big step is complete, and it's on to fulfillment. Tomorrow from noon-3p I will be at one of our FLGSs, Out of the Box in Kentwood MI, fulfilling orders in person. Both Jason Slingerland and Jonathan Chaffer will be there to sign games as well as to teach and play.

One more thing: in case you have not checked out Pocket Ops, it's doing extremely well. And even if you have no interest in the game, I encourage you to watch the video. Jon Mietling has truly created a work of art.

That's it for now, Citizens. Have a GREAT weekend!

Fondly,

The GuildMaster

3:40PM
almost 7 years ago – Tue, Jun 06, 2017 at 03:21:11 PM

Good afternoon Backers! Yesterday was CRAZY and today is no different. I cannot emphasize how exhausted the Guild team was before we hit the hay last night, and we were back at it first thing this morning.

As I just sent an update only 5 days ago, right about now you're saying, "What's up, GuildMaster? What gives?"

Timing is everything

What gives is that yesterday mid-afternoon (at 3:40PM -- it was momentous, let me tell you!) I got a Facebook message from Aldo at Impressions that the games are in the warehouse!!! Can I get a collective "WOO HOO"?

So, in this week's greatest irony, within minutes of my typing this I launched our next Kickstarter for Pocket Ops. That means I will NOT be driving to Ft. Wayne today. However, I will be going on Thursday, and then the fun-fillment begins.

So you may ask, "Why launch your second Kickstarter when the first one's not yet fulfilled?" And you'd be well within your right to ask that. The reason is simple, we were ready.

Ready, steady...GO!

We had all of the logistics worked out to fufill UE before Pocket Ops launched. And we planned the Pocket Ops schedule so that those Backers have their games in November of this year. But then reality happened, reprints, lateness, blah, blah blah. I know you don't want excuses--you want your games--and truly they are right around the corner.

Feeling Fulfilled

I want you Backers--my game-creating, company-founding Backers--to know that I've not forgotten about you, and I want to let you know how things are going to work. Essentially fulfillment will take place over 3 steps: pre-Origins, Origins, and post-Origins.

Pre-Origins: We are locking down addresses (June 8, 6:00p EST) and will mail out as many packages as we can. I will also be doing a fulfillment party at Out of the Box in Kentwood MI. If you're in the area come on down: Sat Jun 10, 12-3p.

Origins: I will be selling Unreal Estate and Stroop at the show, and I will also have copies of both set aside for any Backers who attend. If you would like to pick up your games in person (and get an autograph from Jason and Corinne) send us an e-mail with "Origins pick up" in the subject line, and I will have them there for you.

Post-Origins: I will be mailing all of the rest of the games in the week after Origins. If I had my druthers--and a T.A.R.D.I.S--I would absolutely have made sure that everyone had their games in hand well in advance of Origins. But plan as I did, I was unable to pull that off. And for that I'm sorry. But there's no rest for the wicked, and I have every intention of making my promise to you of June 2017 fulfillment.

Questions? Comments? Cheap shots? Bring'em on. No one is more frustrated than me that we don't have your games yet in your hands. However, as a way to make up for this scheduling snafu, we have made a decision that we hope makes it right: everyone will be getting their set of Orphanage promo cards as part of fulfillment.

So there you have it, Backers. We are very excited to take the next steps in building the Guild, game by game. And we hope you stick with us.

Fondly,

The GuildMaster

Vote early, vote often ;)
almost 7 years ago – Thu, Jun 01, 2017 at 07:12:21 PM

Things are in full swing over here at the Guild as we enter our biggest month ever. Here's what's going down:

Mascot naming contest

There's just one day left to select your favorite name for our company mascot. You who supported Unreal Estate are the foundation of our company, and we'd really like you to have a voice in naming her. Voting will close and be tallied tomorrow, so get on over and VOTE NOW!

Unreal Estate on Steam

The team at Afterthought Games has been working to bring Unreal Estate to life digitally, and now we need your help! Unreal Estate needs your vote to get greenlit on Steam. Click to check out the game play and Vote YES on Prop UE!

Pocket Ops

While stealth may be called for in spy operations, in Kickstarter-land you have to be loud and proud and keep beating the drum. There is less than a week until we launch Pocket Ops. Many companies choose to go big for their sophomore campaigns. We have chosen to go small, and we know you won't be disappointed.

We are very proud of this effort by first-time Designer Brandon Beran and industry veteran Josh Cappel (on art and graphic design). For your pleasure here is the very first peek at the box cover. Did Josh do an amazing job or what?!?

 

And because you Backers mean the world to us, we're also give you first crack at the print'n play - click on over and check it out!

We hope you are as excited as we are as we step into the next chapter of the Guild's story. As soon as we know the exact circumstances of fulfillment we'll be in touch.

Fondly,

The GuildMaster

Closing up the BackerKit shop
almost 7 years ago – Tue, May 16, 2017 at 07:58:28 PM

Hello Citizens of Guildmore!

The last 2 weeks have been a flurry of e-mail, paperwork, and logistics. Both Unreal Estate and Stroop are on a truck, set to arrive at our Distributor soon. When those arrive, I'll get a call, and then I'll hop in my Highlander, trailer in tow, and drive down to pick them up!

Pre-orders are over, add-ons ending soon

We closed pre-orders late yesterday, but there is still time for you as a Backer to adjust your add-ons. We'll be closing those down on Thursday morning (May 18), wherein your card will be charged for anything you added on through BackerKit after the Kickstarter campaign ended. If you need to make any changes to your add-ons, please revisit your BackerKit survey before Thursday morning at 8:00am EST to do so.

We are charging your credit cards a few weeks before we will need to start the fulfillment assembly line so we'll have time to order our packing materials and follow up on any charges that don't go through. We will lock down your shipping addresses just a couple of days before we start printing the shipping labels (after the game shipment is sitting safely in my basement). We will send out another update when the deadline for locking in your shipping address comes. For now, you still have a couple of weeks to update your address if you have moved since filling out the survey.

Origins

Origins was the first tabletop gaming show I ever attended back in 2005, and in some ways Unreal Estate and the Guild can be traced all the way back to that. We are very exited to be an Exhibitor this year, and we'll be in the Entrepreneur area right near the Origins awards (booth #354). Please come by! Nothing would make me happier than meeting Backers face to face.

Two more things

We have two fun things going on, and I'd be remiss if I didn't give them attention here. Up until now, our mascot, the Leading Lady of the Guild, has been nameless. Do you know her name? Enter the "Name Our Mascot" contest.  We'll be accepting suggestions for consideration through midnight EST this Thursday May 18, so be sure to submit your best name(s) by then!

Also, at Origins we'll be decorating our booth with the the amazing art of...you. Yes, YOU! We want you to apply your talent to the Werewolf Cavern, and at the end of the show we'll draw one random entry for each age group (0-13 and 14+) and award a prize. Download the Werewolf Cavern now, and bring your art to our booth (#354) at Origins to enter. Enter the "Colors of Guildmore" drawing.

Can you feel it, Citizens?!? Unreality is in the air, and soon it will be on your gaming tables.

Fondly,

The GuildMaster