Update 33 - My heart on Kinfire
over 1 year ago – Fri, May 05, 2023 at 11:59:19 AM

tl;dr - Orders closed, with cleanup and final straggler reach-outs this month. We are charging cards next month. Please check your inbox (and spam) for emails from us so we can get your stuff to you on time!

–

Hello Seekers!

Some great progress to share with you in this update. 

Let’s get to it….

          CONTENTS

          01. PRODUCTION UPDATE

          02. ORDER FINALIZATION AND UPCOMING CARD CHARGES

          03. CONFERENCE UPDATE

          04. REMINDERS & ETC

/// 01. PRODUCTION UPDATE

We are getting close to the finish line! Cutting and shaping are in progress. Then each game box is being hand-assembled at Gameland. Over 1700 individual components, thoughtfully divided between 21 quest folios, a welcome box, and a loot box to make your game night a little easier… this is going to be the most challenging part.

Fates willing, we’ll be on the ocean in a couple weeks and will send a quick update when this happens!

In the meantime, we snapped some photos of the sample that we took out to GAMA. Check this out:

If you want to check out more (along with some other great games), see Christopher High’s write up on GAMA Expo 2023.

Last month, we also got to see samples of the printed card sleeves – included in the upgrade kit and available as an add-on.

We’re beyond excited to get this in your hands as soon as we can! We can’t thank you enough for being a part of this journey and supporting our incredible dream.

/// 02. ORDER FINALIZATION AND UPCOMING CARD CHARGES

Nearly all of you have completed your BackerKit surveys – thank you! Crowdfunding is a very unique experience that thrives off a community of believers, and your willingness to stand with us after all this time… just means so much!

If you don’t know what I’m referring to, you may not have filled out your BackerKit survey yet. Please keep an eye open for emails from us and/or BackerKit about completing a survey for Kinfire. We need you to confirm your reward and any add-ons one last time, and we need to know where to send your items! If you’re not sure, just reach out to [email protected] and someone will help you.

Two Exceptions:

• Folks who backed us on Kickstarter using an appleid, you may not be receiving emails from us. Please reach out to [email protected] to finalize your order.
• Folks who ordered from the pre-order store (i.e. not pledged during the KS campaign that ended Sep 2023) do not need to fill out a survey.

>>> FYI, credit cards on file for all orders will be charged on June 30 for shipping, taxes, and any add-on purchases. <<<

Occasionally, a stored credit card will fail. This happens for a lot of reasons (expired cards being a common one). We have to delay shipments to backers whose credit cards fail, for any reason.

But never fear! We’ll reach out in early July if your card declines, to fix it in Backerkit.

Please know that we’ll never ask you for credit card information, passwords, or other private information directly through email, chat, Discord, or any other suspiciously inappropriate place. If you suspect something, email [email protected]. Otherwise, stay safe! Stay vigilant.

/// 03. CONFERENCE UPDATE

We’ve revised our conference schedule. Here’s a look at upcoming conferences where you can visit us:

UK Games Expo (June 2-4 in Birmingham, UK). We’re partnering with GamesQuest and All About Games to demo Kinfire and our next Kinfire project. If I’m lucky, I’ll be at the booth when you stop by. Shoot me a DM in Kickstarter or Discord if you plan to go!

Gen Con Indy (August 3-6 in Indianapolis, IN). Come hang out with us at Gen Con at the Foreteller booth! This is the time when we expect backer fulfillment to begin. Kris, our project manager, is reminding us that anything can still go wrong at this point (... something about fires, pandemics, and “acts of God”). With fingers crossed, we’ll see you there and you’ll either have your own copy waiting at home or with you to play.

Pax Unplugged (December in Philadelphia, PA). More details to come! We had so much fun last year, we can’t wait to do it again.

Pssst…. If you or someone you know would like a sponsored pass to one of these conventions and some cash to mitigate some of the guilt, let us know! We’re always looking for demoers. We expanded our Gen Con presence this year and are looking for a couple more folks to help demo. Just fill out this form: https://forms.gle/w4W6HH3fiuq2YRjM8.

/// 04. REMINDERS & ETC

>>> Survey completion is at 82% (+0%)

• Unfortunately, we didn’t hit our goal of 90% by April 30.
   
• Need assistance on your order? Please email [email protected]. Whatever you need from updating your name to requesting order changes, just reach out and we’ll help you soon as we can.
   

>>> Upcoming announcement: new digital home!

• Stay tuned for our next update, where we'll unveil the new digital home of Kinfire! This will be the place to get an in-depth look at the game, dive into the lore, and order everything Kinfire.
   

>>> Upcoming preview: other projects we’ve been working on! Stay tuned 🙂

–

Whelp– a lot lies ahead!

Until next month, wishing you all great games and great company.

ahj00ma

Update 32 - Your print is in progress
almost 2 years ago – Fri, Apr 07, 2023 at 11:37:22 AM

tl;dr - The game is in mass production and we’re on track for fulfillment to start in August. Shipping rates are updated and reflected in surveys (cards to be charged in June). Preview some custom music tracks in the rest of this update!

--

  Hello Seekers!

Seven months since we wrapped our first Kickstarter campaign and things are moving along (* knocks on wood *). It’s been such a journey and we’re so appreciative of your continued support. We can’t wait to see the game in your hands!

In the meantime, it’s a joy putting these updates together for you to share our progress and excitement. Check it out and let us know what you think.

          CONTENTS

          01. PRODUCTION UPDATE

          02. SHIPPING RATE UPDATE

          03. MUSIC SAMPLES FROM THE AUDIO NARRATION

          04. REMINDERS & ETC

/// 01. PRODUCTION UPDATE

Mass production has begun! We’re on track to have units on the water in June, which puts us on track for fulfillment to begin in August.

For a preview, check out the pics we shared in Update 31.

/// 02. SHIPPING RATE UPDATE

As promised, we have updated shipping rates to share with you today, starting with some great news: we’ve been able to reduce shipping rates for most of our backers!

For 66% of our backers, the shipping rates have been reduced slightly. For the other 34%, the rates are the same as what we posted in the campaign. There are a handful of locations where we are taking a small loss on the shipping rate, but we decided to not increase rates over what we posted in the campaign. 

The above rates and taxes are now fully reflected in BackerKit. These are flat rates (we are not charging backers extra for add-ons). 

You can review your surveys for shipping and taxes before orders are locked on April 30, 2023.  Note that you have not yet been charged any shipping or taxes (we did not charge shipping and taxes during the Kickstarter Campaign). Shipping & taxes will be charged (together with any add-on purchases or new pre-order sales) in June.

Looking for your survey? Go to https://kinfire.backerkit.com/.

>>> RETAILERS: We will reach out to you individually in April to verify your store and give you your custom shipping quotes.

Important Fine Print

The following information was posted in the original campaign under the shipping table. I'm re-posting it here as a reminder and ICYMI: 

* EU-1 Norway & Switzerland: We are unable to ship customs friendly to these countries.

** Rest of Asia: Japan, South Korea, Vietnam, Philippines, Singapore, Taiwan, Malaysia, Thailand, and Indonesia.

*** Rest of World: Unfortunately, we're not shipping to the following countries & territories: South America, Iran, Russia, Ukraine, Kazakhstan, Cuba, Belarus, Burma, Sudan, North Korea, Syria, or Afghanistan. If we don’t ship to your country, we will regretfully need to refund your pledge. We'll be in contact with you in April.

Note: We are unable to split up orders into multiple delivery locations. We allow a maximum of 1 delivery location per backer, regardless of reward levels or number of copies ordered.  

VAT & TAXES

Based on your location, your pledge may or may not be subject to sales tax, VAT, or GST. Any applicable taxes will be collected by the pledge manager,

USA: You may need to pay sales tax depending on your state of residence at the time of purchase. Your pledge will be shipped from within the USA. You will not pay sales tax at the time of delivery.  For Kickstarter backers, we will charge sales tax in California, Illinois, Missouri, Minnesota, and Florida. See Update 26 for more detail. 

Canada: GST will be collected in the pledge manager. Your pledge will be shipped by a fulfillment partner from within Canada. You will not pay GST at the time of delivery.

EU: You will need to pay VAT based on your country of residence (normally between 19-25% of your total pledge plus shipping). Your pledge will be shipped from Germany. You will not pay duty or VAT at the time of delivery, except from Norway and Switzerland.

UK: You will need to pay 20% of your total pledge plus shipping in VAT. Your pledge will be shipped from within the UK. You will not pay duty or VAT at the time of delivery.

Australia & New Zealand: GST will be collected in the pledge manager. Your pledge may be shipped by a fulfillment partner depending on the rate to your location. You will not need to pay GST at the time of delivery.

All Other Countries. You will not be charged any taxes. Your pledge may be shipped by a fulfillment partner depending on the rate to your location. Please consult your local tax authorities to determine potential duty or tax liability.

How did we come up with shipping rate estimates last year and why is there a difference?

We received a number of questions and comments during the campaign about our shipping rates. I thought I’d recap some of the information we’ve already shared so far, as well as offer some additional context to help you understand how we thought about this.

When we launched our Kickstarter campaign last August, we didn’t yet have access to 2023 shipping rates from our fulfillment partners. Additionally, we only had estimated dimensions and weights from our manufacturer, so final rates could change if the size/weight of the game changed.

For the Kickstarter campaign, we decided to post estimated shipping rates. We understand that this game counts as a substantial entertainment purchase for many people, so our goal was to help backers plan for the expense. We decided to err on the side of over-estimating shipping, even though it definitely did not help sales. We did this figuring it’d be easier for the average backer this way.  We also delayed charging for shipping and taxes until the actual rates were available (rather than potentially overcharging you first and refunding later).

The shipping table that we published in the Kickstarter campaign was based on 2022 rates and a % growth estimate. We assumed a ~10% growth rate because we observed that 2022 rates had jumped ~10%+ from 2021. This was a shock to some backers, who were used to seeing rates increase 4-6% annually before the pandemic. However, back in the summer of 2022, the Suez Canal blockage and Omicron shutdowns of 2021 were still fresh in our memory. Additionally, in 2022, US freight rates were peaking at 28% year over year and we saw trucker shortages, fuel cost increases, the ongoing war in Ukraine, and other signs that shipping rates might continue to be unpredictable. Thus, 10% felt like a reasonable guess.

Fast forward to today, we’ve updated our shipping table to reflect the latest rates & fees from our fulfillment partners and the final dimensions & weight of the game. If you check out the updated shipping table above, you’ll see that no backers will pay more than the original estimate, and 66% of backers will end up paying slightly less. Overall, we feel that we’ve done our best to navigate high uncertainty, as backer-friendly as possible.

/// 03. MUSIC SAMPLES FROM THE AUDIO NARRATION

We partnered with Forteller Games to produce premium audio narration for Kinfire Chronicles: Night’s Fall. The audio narration features custom music, professional voice actors, and thrilling sound effects for the ultimate immersive experience. Best of all, it comes packaged in Forteller’s easy-to-navigate mobile app that makes it convenient to bring to game night.

Adam Lehenbauer, Forteller’s executive producer, poured his heart and soul into creating a legendary soundtrack. He sent us some music tracks to review that blew us away:

•  Din’Lux Theme. Din’Lux is a great metropolis and the last known bastion of civilization in Atios [listen now] [read more]
•  Vinna Theme. Vinna is a small village within the protective radius of Din’Lux. It’s also the first location you visit in the game [listen now] [read more].
•  Danger at Sea. Din’Lux is surrounded by the Great Sea, known by residents for its great stench and rocky shores that has made beachfront property unattractive for all but the poor [listen now] [visit the interactive map].

“Kinfire Chronicles: Night’s Fall is a gaming experience that is very different from ones we have had in the past” said Adam, when we asked about his process. “The music was largely hand tailored to fit the locales and to bring an interesting new sound to the fantasy genre while still feeling familiar. Like games in the past that were genre-breaking, Kinfire Chronicles: Night’s Fall brings a whole different perspective and a brand new type of story…and we wanted to reflect that in our sound design too. “

Adam went on to share his perspective on the cast and narration: “All of the characters were deeply considered, not only for their performances but for their connection to the world and its events. We put a troupe together that we feel really pushes the performances of the individual and enhances the whole. Incredible Dream has been (you guessed it) Incredible to work with, their team had wonderful perspectives, comments, and suggestions to help us bring the audio experience that Kinfire Chronicles needs, to light…Board game fans are not going to want to miss this one.”

For more updates, including casting and more voice samples, make sure you’re subscribed to the Kinfire newsletter!

The premium audio narration adds over 5 hours of immersive narration to your Kinfire campaign. Listen now to the Kinfire audio sample https://youtu.be/OzmqtKgrxrk. The narration is already included in the upgrade kit for all premium-level backers. For all other backers, you can add it to your preorder for $14.

The Forteller app invites you to an unforgettable performance. It's your tabletop. Our stage.  For more information, visit https://www.fortellergames.com.

/// 04. REMINDERS & ETC

>>> Survey completion is at 82% (+1%)

• If we can manage 90% by April 30, we’ll plan something special for the community as a thank you.
   
• Need assistance on your order? Please email [email protected]. Whatever you need from updating your name to requesting order changes, just reach out and we’ll help you soon as we can.
   

>>> FYI credit cards will be charged in June for shipping, taxes, and any add on purhcases. We will provide more details on this in our next Kickstarter Update on May 5.

–

Before we go, wanted to mention a new game that some friends of ours (including Cathy Bock, Incredible Dream's Story Editor) at Binxadinx Games have been working on: Rocket Ranchers. In preparation for their first crowdfunding campaign, they’re running a pre-campaign and would appreciate your support.

Until next month, wishing you all great games and great company.

ahj00ma

Update 31 - How Revealing...
almost 2 years ago – Fri, Mar 03, 2023 at 08:49:36 AM

tl;dr - Surveys, preorder store, and $30 off discount extended to April 30, 2023 (cards will be charged June 1). Production is on track and we've got some reveals!

Hello Seekers! 

Can you believe it's already March? I've got another full update for you but we'll start with an important announcement:

/// DEADLINE EXTENDED TO APRIL 30 - CARDS CHARGED JUNE 1

We are extending our BackerKit store and survey to April 30, 2023 (previously, March 10). 

We’re doing this for a couple of reasons:

1: The date extension gives new backers, and backers on the fence, more of an opportunity to get the $30 discount available on BackerKit until April 30.

2: It gives us a little more time to nail down shipping rates. It's been something we haven't been able to get around to, but we will take care of it this month.

Your credit card will be charged later (on June 1). You'll be charged for new purchases, sales tax, VAT, shipping, and any upgrades all together in one go (you won't be charged again for the pledge you made during the Kickstarter campaign). 

With this in mind, we are keeping our community challenge (of reaching 90% survey completion) but extending that deadline to April 30th. Complete your survey by going to https//kinfire.backerkit.com.

Questions? Drop them below or in our Discord. You can also get personal assistance by emailing [email protected]

/// PRODUCTION UPDATE

We are making good progress towards our August 2023 date to start fulfillment. We're currently wrapping up the print review process. We've had several iterations on color and are expecting the latest production sample to arrive in the coming days. Once approved, the materials will go into mass printing and assembly-- we'll be sure to update you when that happens.

For the rest of this update, we prepared 5 reveals to share with you.

....

This section might contain spoilers, so feel free to skip to the bottom.

....

One reason why we've been picking on colors is that we've got these GORGEOUS, full-color acrylic standees...

REVEAL #1 - Back in Update 12, we shared some WIP sketches of our re-designed Seeker standees. 

And look at them now:

It's so exciting to see these characters come to life! Some of the colors turned out a bit darker than we liked, so we've gone back to tweak them a bit. Even though we're still adjusting them, thought you'd like to see how these are shaping up!

REVEAL #2 - On the topic of acrylic standees, here's a glimpse of the enemy acrylic standees. 

I was tempted to throw all 45 of them in a GIF but we wanted to keep plenty of surprises waiting for you. 

What I love about our acrylic standees is that the acrylic is shaped to fit the outline of each character (versus having a standard, uniform acrylic shape). It's a small detail that elevates each piece. 

Additionally, each quest features unique enemies with their own unique combat behaviors (no recycled bandits here!). Our enemies come in different shapes and sizes, and so the standees need to be up to the task!

The Enemy Acrylic standees are part of the upgrade kit (sold separately from the base game) and can also be purchased as an add-on. These are components that you can use to replace the cardboard standees that come with every copy of the game. 

Which brings me to...

Reveal #3 - Here's a peek at what's inside one of the Quest Folios:

Reveal #4 - And... something our team's been gushing about... check out how the folios are set up in the box:

Reveal #5 - Last but not least, some of you wondered what was going on here:

Din'Lux was not yet ready to show you when we launched the Kickstarter campaign. But after months of hard work, we're proud to finally give you this glimpse:

Din'Lux, the great City of Light, the last remaining stronghold in Atios. While most of the world has been transformed by a mysterious storm known as the Darkness , Din'Lux still stands, protected by its kinfire lighthouse. It is a beacon in the night, a symbol of hope to all who have survived. Read more about its design in Update 15 and Update 17.

We put so much effort into the details of this city so that its stories will blossom over the course of your campaign. Can't wait for you to experience it!

/// REMINDERS & ETC

>>> Survey Completion is at 81% (+1%)!

• If we can manage 90% by April 30, we’ll plan something special for the community as a thank you.
• Need assistance on your order? Please email [email protected]. Whatever you need from updating your name to requesting order changes, just reach out and we’ll help you soon as we can.

>>> Shipping update coming soon!

• This is in progress! Update soon. Stay tuned.

>>> Audio Narration updates coming soon!

• We’re partnering with Forteller to develop an audio narration experience for Kinfire, which is included in the Upgrade Kit for premium backers and is available as an add-on.
• Our team is very hype about this and we can't wait to share more with you!

--

Thanks again for your continued interest and support! 

ahj00ma

Update 30 - CHIT'S GETTING REAL
almost 2 years ago – Fri, Feb 03, 2023 at 11:18:41 AM

tl;dr - We're reviewing print proofs and are planning to share some photos (possibly videos) on that in the near future. In the meantime, read about our manufacturer (Gameland), check out our 2023 conference plans, and brace yourself for some incredible updates coming soon.

/// PRODUCTION STATUS

We were bracing for a slow month in January as people shake off the holidays and resist the temptation to hibernate. Instead, we got a bunch of updates from manufacturing that we’re extremely excited about.

We’re working through all the samples as fast as we can in order to give you all a neat preview of what everything will look like. But for now, here’s a quick taste:

In the last update we shared that molds were underway and here’s an update on how the plastic destiny chits are looking:

Upgrading the destiny chits to plastic was the very first stretch goal because Kevin felt so strongly about investing more into this component. The destiny bags and chits are such a central component of Kinfire’s combat that he wanted it to be a nice experience. Imagine reaching into a velvet bag, feeling around for that one buttery-smooth chit you’ve been hoping for. Moreover, this component upgrade makes the chits more able to withstand some gentle jostling and jangling– mayhaps the occasional, slap-down-eye-contact-jazz-hands reveal?

Last but not least, in Update 29, backer Justin Ho asked if the box insert would accommodate sleeved cards

We weren’t sure if our manufacturer had begun the molds for that item when he asked. We’re happy to report that they are able to adjust the size of the well in order to fit sleeved cards.

For sleevers out there, please note that the welcome box cards are not shuffled frequently. The status and armor cards get returned to their decks between play. Only the exhaust cards will carry with you until you’re able to rest at an Inn.

We've shared this previously, but as a reminder: your seeker deck will get the most action and the seeker boxes will fit sleeved cards. For these reasons, we were excited about the final stretch goal from Update 22, which upgraded the custom sleeve set* to include 6 designs (one for each seeker). The set includes 150 sleeves: 25 per seeker, covering the 18 cards in your deck with room for sleeving any exhaust you pick up along the way. You all helped us achieve that and we hope you’ll enjoy.

*NOTE: The custom sleeve set is included in the upgrade kit for Premium backers. You can also purchase it a la carte as an add on (log into backerkit to adjust your survey or purchase on the preorder store if you're not yet a backer).

/// MANUFACTURER SPOTLIGHT: GAMELAND

We had a vision for Kinfire Chronicle’s unboxing experience that would make this epic campaign adventure game feel manageable for the average player. We know all-too-well about the stress of keeping your play group intrigued (but not overwhelmed) in the moments of a first reveal. We also wanted each leg of the journey to bring new surprises and joy, each time you return to the box.

In order to achieve an experience that felt both well-considered and high-quality, we needed the right partner. So it’s a pleasure to tell you a bit about our manufacturing partner on Kinfire Chronicles: Gameland.

Gameland was founded about 17 years ago by James Ying. James started the company with 5 staff members and they’ve quickly grown to over 90 employees today. Gameland is based in Ningbo right outside of Shanghai with access to the Port of Ningbo-Zhoushan (the busiest port in the world). In addition to manufacturing games within their own walls, they have longstanding relationships with well over 100 suppliers for those special components. They’re built a business around partnering with innovative game publishers to manufacture premium games, including Too Many Bones, Hall of the Mountain King, and Cloudspire.

Importantly, they also own final assembly and QA in-house– which are critical elements for us. Kinfire Chronicles requires a lot of hand-packing of very specific components into 21 quest folios, 6 seeker boxes, 1 loot box, and 1 welcome box that come in each box.

In the past several months, what has stood out for me about working with Gameland is how they show up to each meeting with enthusiasm for the game, ideas for making the product even better, and practical ideas on how to get more for players within our constraints.

If you’re designing a game and looking for a manufacturer to work with, there are a lot of great options all over the world. Our best advice is to talk to a few to find the best fit for your project.

 /// CONFERENCES 2023 - PLEASE SAY HELLO!

We’re still planning out our conference schedule this year but thought we’d share a small update on where we plan to be. If you’re around, please stop by and let us know you’re a backer! We’d love to have you join for demos and 101s.

•  OrcCon [Feb 19 | Los Angeles, CA]. If you’re LA-based or just happen to be in the area on Sunday February 19th, be sure to stop by OrcCon to give Kinfire Chronicles a try in person! I’ll be running demos myself from 2-8pm in International B. We’ll share a signup sheet in the discord next week in case anyone’s interested.
• GAMA [Apr 24-27 | Reno, NV]
• Origins [Jun 21-25 | Columbus, OH]
• GenCon [Aug 3-5 | Indianapolis, IN]
• Pax Unplugged [Dec 7-10 | Philadelphia, PA]

Tell us about your favorite conferences in the comments below and we’ll see if we can make it!
 

/// REMINDERS & ETC.

>>> Survey Completion is at 80% (+2%)!

• If we can manage 90% by March 10, we’ll plan something special for the community as a thank you.
• Need assistance on your order? Please email [email protected]. Whatever you need from updating your name to requesting order changes, just reach out and we’ll help you soon as we can.

>>> Shipping update coming soon!

• As we get closer to fulfilling your orders this summer, we’re assessing 2023 shipping rates and are working towards an update for you. Stay tuned.

>>> Audio Narration updates coming soon! 

• We’re partnering with Forteller to develop an audio narration experience for Kinfire, which is included in the Upgrade Kit for premium backers and is available as an add-on. 
• We’ve had over 150 actors respond to our casting call and Adam, Forteller’s amazing audio director, hasn’t been seen since.
   

--

Thanks for reading through another meaty update. Our team is working super hard on a number of fronts to create exciting experiences for you. We’re very excited to share it all with you soon. But most importantly, none of this would be possible without your support and the bets you've made on our team. On behalf of all of us, thank you!

Best,

Jane

Update 29- New Year, New Adventures
about 2 years ago – Sat, Jan 07, 2023 at 03:43:29 PM

tl;dr- We’re on track to fulfill by August 2023. In the meantime, preview the welcome box upgrades and join the discord for an opportunity to preview our online world bible... but don’t forget your survey!

Happy New Year, Seekers!

I hope you all had a wonderful, restful, and reinvigorating holiday season. Our team had some much-deserved R&R, and now we are back and ready to rock. One thing that’s been on our minds over the break is how thankful we are for all the support we’ve received this past year. We’re feeling well-equipped to navigate the many adventures ahead.

A goal we have this next year is to further develop and support our growing community. We’d love any feedback or ideas you have, on things you’d love to see from us! Share your thoughts in the comments below.

So far, we received some positive feedback about our transparency and detailed updates so we’ll continue to share as much as we can. Here goes!

///Production Status

As mentioned in our last update, we sent off the pre-press files back in November. For the past month we’ve been addressing feedback to improve the quality of the print, as well as reviewing and approving samples. We’ve already started manufacturing custom molds for things like the plastic destiny chits and all those nice inserts that will keep your box organized (including the quest folio card trays that we added in after the campaign, see Update #26). This part of the process takes several weeks.

If this isn’t your first Kickstarter, you’ll know that most manufacturers in China shut down for about a month in observance of Lunar New Year (January 22). The break was factored into our production plan. We are 100% on track 😎.

But before those words come back to haunt me, I want you to know that we’re doing our best to monitor several global situations that can impact our timelines, including: COVID-19, supply chain, and freight. Countries, including both the US and China, are still experiencing waves of the disease. Additionally, China is rapidly shifting its approach to the pandemic, which creates uncertainty on how quickly people will adapt and manage through the adjustment. This, combined with the war in Ukraine & Russia, is contributing to weirdness in global supply chains and freight.

What does this have to do with receiving your copy of Kinfire Chronicles? Hopefully nothing, and we start to fulfill shipment of the game by August 2023 as we’d planned.

What is Incredible Dream doing about it? The team’s done its best to deliver files to print as quickly as it can and give ourselves some room for the unknown. We’re trying to stay aware of these issues so that we can work with our partners early and communicate proactively with you.

In my years producing games and animation, one adage that sums up years of trial-and-error is “hope for the best, plan for the worst”.

We do this because we care. We hope to earn your trust.

///SPOTLIGHT: Welcome Box Upgrade

As briefly described in Update #21, your support during our Kickstarter campaign helped us unlock upgrades to the Welcome Box. This stretch goal is a pure quality-of-life improvement to the game. If you’re like me, the mention of fabric pull tabs, art, and insert trays gets me giddy. But who doesn’t like some visuals:

Here’s a video on the white box sample for the Welcome Box:

And here's a video showing how the welcome box fits in with everything:

The fabric pull tab was something we were really hoping to include in the game, but it didn’t make the cut as a crucial part of the experience and the added cost was tough to justify at a small print run. We were thrilled when it was unlocked because it’ll make the unboxing experience just a little bit fancier... a little bit easier.

Why? The welcome box fits tightly in the game box. Something you’ll notice when you receive your box is that there’s not much empty space in it. Indeed, at 6.4kg (14.1lbs) there’s a lot of gameplay content that you’re getting. However, when we were first planning the box, Kevin spent a lot of time min-maxing dimensions so that the components would be tightly packaged together. 

This extra step of planning minimizes how much items knock into each other during transportation, which (hopefully) translates to less damaged goods on arrival and a longer-lasting product.

///Love world building?

Calling all narrative aficionados! We are looking for volunteers to participate in an "alpha test" for an online world bible that we wanted to publish for Kinfire. For more information, join our Discord and look for more updates during January.

///Survey & Shipping Reminder!

We’re up to 78% of surveys completed! If we reach 90% by March 10, we will come up with a special community gift for you all. Completing these surveys early is essential to helping us plan our logistics, which helps us keep shipping costs lower and shipping speeds optimized. Everyone benefits, so please do your part. Here’s how:

•  When: Complete your survey by March 10, 2023 (extended from December 31). You can always finish everything now and edit it later (when you decide you really do need to have that extra upgrade, after all). We will charge credit cards when the survey closes for any new purchases, add-on items, and taxes that are due. We’re currently still planning to charge shipping separately but will evaluate 2023 shipping rates and provide an update next month.
   
•  Where: Everyone has a unique survey invitation in their inbox (whichever email you used to pledge during the Kickstarter or preorder in BackerKit). This was sent weeks after the Kickstarter campaign closed and we’ve sent regular reminders as Incredible Dream via Backerkit. If you can’t find it or need help, email [email protected] for support.
   
•  Moving in the next few months? Shipping addresses won’t be locked until about a month before the game ships. But if you’re still unsure what your address will be, some people will ask a friend or family member to receive the shipment.
   

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Thanks yet again for your support and feedback! See you next month.

Jane Hoffacker

CEO