Shipping timeline, monthly mini-expansions, and a call for promos
8 months ago – Fri, Aug 18, 2023 at 05:20:54 AM

New Mini Monthly Expansions

Thinking about the world of the Hereafter has become a regular pastime of mine, but there's only so much I can fit into a staple-bound book. I'll be posting 1-2 page mini Cloud Empress expansions in each Cloud Empress Newsletter. The image above is an expansion covering gender expression in the Lowland Wastes. In two weeks, readers will learn about the horrible bone-skin giants who brought cities low before their fall into mortality and fable. Subscribe to the Cloud Empress Newsletter to find out more.

Shipping timeline

Although we lost about a week due to some illness on the project team, all project aspects are moving forward successfully. Our editor Roz has completed proofreading the Cloud Empress Rulebook and Cloud Empress: Land of Cicadas. You can grab uncorrected/non-final image versions of both PDFs on Backerkit now. Proofreading is underway for Last Voyage of the Bean Barge and the 5 adventure model bundle. Graphic design is lockstep with editing.  I am targeting the first week of September to send the final proofs to the printers. Current printing estimates mean the books should arrive in late September for the start of fulfillment.  Unfortunately, I anticipate shipping rates to be slightly higher than originally projected. I expect this to be $2-5 dollars at most. Where does this price increase come from?

• Changing the pamphlets into zines will more than triple the adventure bundles' expected weight.
• Peregrine Press our UK, EU, and worldwide shipping partner has outsourced parts of their fulfillment services increasing its speed, and also their rates.
• Up until a few weeks ago, I mistakenly thought I could ship the patches with the books and still ship these items via USPS media mail (I don't want to break strict post office media mail rules).
• I will personally be handling US fulfillment requiring some additional movers, storage, and shipping equipment to accommodate the thousands of books arriving at my house (I had no idea this project would exceed anywhere close to 2,000 backers when we launched).

I am sharing this now to give you all a heads-up. When I have the increased rates I will share them with you, ideally next month.

Promos for Release Launch

I'm starting to schedule a few actual plays and promotional opportunities to coincide with the anticipated physical release of Cloud Empress. Right now I'll be supporting actual plays on Amateur Hour and Wandering Monster. If you share or make ttrpg content I'd love to connect over the coming weeks to promote  Cloud Empress.

Project Overview

The timeline below highlights how far we've come! Editing is nearly complete and we are rapidly moving forward towards the print run. I anticipated releasing the final hyperlinked and bookmarked PDFs in September while printing occurs. I'm hoping to get postcards, posters, and the solo pamphlet printed in the next two weeks too. This timeline pushes us a bit into November, but I still believe the bulk of backers will receive their games in October 2023. Next month I'll be able to share the final PDFs, information about the Cloud Empress creator fund, and provide final shipping rates to lock shipping and charge cards.

That's it for August! Questions? Feel free to ask in the comments, I'll get them answered.

Uncorrected rulebook proof, patches, and survey results
10 months ago – Sun, Jul 16, 2023 at 09:17:53 AM

Uncorrected rulebook proof

Minutes ago you should have received an email notifying you of digital downloads available on Backerkit. I'm sending out a draft of the rulebook (proofreading imminent) to give you a bigger taste of the Cloud Empress project. I also know folks are already diving into Cloud Empress, and a nicer version of the rulebook will be appreciated. If you did not get the email for some reason, I will also be uploading the rulebook on the Cloud Empress development Discord. You can join the development Discord here!

Patches have been delivered

This week I received the Cloud Empress and cicada patches. Background textures in the original design had to be removed in order to successfully print the patches after consultation with the manufacturer, but I am very happy with the final result. Take a look at how cool these patches are!

Survey results notes

Thanks to the nearly 150 people who shared their reasons for backing the Cloud Empress Kickstarter. You shared the Nausicaa inspirations, amazing artwork, science fantasy setting, and ecological themes were the largest reasons for your support. 

When thinking about future Cloud Empress content there was a big interest in expanding the world contents, additional adventures/adventure locations, and a deluxe treatment of Cloud Empress materials. 

When considering steps to avoid taking for future crowdfunding campaigns, you shared you wanted to keep Cloud Empress centered on its core focus/tone, avoid bloated crowdfunding campaigns, stay clear of AI art, blockchain, and unethical partnerships, or making Cloud Empress use a Dungeons and Dragons rule set. 

Overall, throughout the survey, there was an outpouring of support for the project and Cloud Empress, with dozens of fantastic ideas that I plan to refer to for years to come. Thanks to everyone who participated in the survey! If you didn't have a chance to participate, there will be future opportunities to share your feedback on the Cloud Empress product line. 

Overall project updates

We are coming into the home stretch before printing. Initial layouts have all been completed and I am working, book by book, week by week to get each book finalized for proofreading. There are about 4-5 final art pieces in progress. If we maintain pace in editing, graphic design, and art creation, we're looking at sending the files to a US printer in mid-August. Once I receive the books/print materials, confirm their correctness, and weigh all the materials, you will receive another notification to confirm the final shipping amount. Under these estimates, all products will be shipped by the end of October. 

That's it for this month! If you have any questions, please post them in the comments.

Orders lock June 14th, Solo Rules, and Timeline Updates
11 months ago – Mon, Jun 12, 2023 at 06:36:33 PM

 Orders lock by the end of the day Weds. June 14th 

After June 14th, you can no longer update or change the items in your order on Backerkit. Locking orders helps me get an accurate number of items for production. Preorders will remain open until about late July. You have about two more months before I finalize shipping prices, shipping payments, and lock shipping addresses. If you did not receive or can't find your Backerkit survey, email worldsbywatt [at] gmail.com.

Solo rules are now available on Discord

Early playtests reports of the Cloud Empress solo rules pamphlet sound like folks are having a great time. The Cloud Empress solo rules are a unique take on solo roleplaying games where you play as the warden, referee-ing a game of bots. The rules attempt to create a streamlined gameplay experience that generates emergent character-driven experiences. If you'd like to try out the solo pamphlet, join the Cloud Empress development discord by emailing worldsbywatt [at] gmail.com or use the images below.

What were your reasons for backing Cloud Empress?

Cloud Empress is a game I intend to support for years to come. I'd love to hear why you backed this Cloud Empress campaign so my future expansion content gets you excited! 

Fill out this anonymous three-question survey and help shape future CloudEmpress crowdfunding campaigns.

General project updates

The project achieved several milestones in the month since our last update. The next big steps are to continue editing, make significant steps on the graphic design, and select a print partner to work with for the bulk of the print run. I still estimate campaign fulfillment in October 2023 unless I end up using a Chinese printing partner, which could push fulfillment back due to international shipping.

Here are a few quick updates:

• Tuesday Knight Games approved the Cloud Empress for publication. 
• The Hot Stuff on Shore Leave add-on has been successfully reprinted and delivered. 
• US Shipping supplies have been ordered and delivered. 
• Sew-on patches have been ordered and should be delivered in June.

 For a more detailed look at our progress, review the project map below!

Questions, concerns, comments? Leave them in the comments below and I'll get them answered.

Adventure bundle upgrade, confirm your pledge by June 14th, and a revised character sheet
12 months ago – Thu, May 18, 2023 at 05:06:09 AM

Cloud Empress adventure bundle upgrade

Cloud Empress is turning out to be a big game -- bigger than I expected! Last month I shared the Cloud Empress introductory adventure, Last Voyage of the Bean Barge would become a stand-alone mini zine. This month I'm excited to share I'm upgrading all of the Cloud Empress adventures in the five-adventure bundle from a pamphlet format to five 8-page mini zines (digest size). This upgrade means that each adventure zine gets more than three times the space for artwork, text, and negative space. Pamphlet layout is especially tricky, so I anticipate graphic design should be faster on the adventures too. Making the adventures digest size puts more Cloud Empress content in the same form factor and the 8-page mini-zine format is something I'd like to explore for future Cloud Empress adventures. There will be a slight cost increase on the printing side, but the difference is manageable in our current budget. 

Confirm your order by Wednesday, June 14th

94% of backers have confirmed their order using the Backerkit survey. If you have yet to do so, please respond to the Backerkit survey sent to your Kickstarter email account by June 14 th 2023. Confirming your order helps me finalize our printing numbers of individual items. If you do not have a Backerkit survey, please email me at [email protected]

Shipping language clarification

I've connected with two backers concerned about some of language in the Backerkit survey that they found concerning. Specifically the phrase "Shipping will be added and charged later."

The Cloud Empress campaign is using a Backerkit beta feature that allows campaigns to charge for shipping closer to project fulfillment. It's important to me that you have control over charges and changes to your order at each step of the project. I confirmed with a Backerkit staff member that you will have the ability to review the shipping charge before it is made. The Backerit staff member said, "[backers] will get an email notification that tells them that shipping has been added and that they can review their survey before you charge their cards." I intend to give you all a month to review shipping rates and charges. I will continue to work to keep shipping costs as close to the estimations in the Kickstarter campaign. As this is a new Backerkit feature I'm trying, your feedback is appreciated.

New Character Sheet & Manuscripts on Discord

Thanks to everyone who shared their feedback on the updated Cloud Empress character sheet last month. I'm back with another iteration. Character creation instructions are still included, but take up less space on the bottom of the sheet. There's some additional polish I'd like to do with line weight, stats and saves, the job icons, and proofreading, but I think I'm a lot happier with the overall composition. 

If you'd like to take the new character sheet for a test spin, I've uploaded it with the manuscript versions of the rulebook and setting book (including the first release of the full Cloud Empress hex map) on the Cloud Empress Discord. If you'd like to join the Cloud Empress Discord, please email me at [email protected]. Now that I have a solid hex map in hand, solo rules development will also begin in earnest. 

May status report

As for our general update, I've spent a hard month getting the Setting Book manuscript in better shape and submitted it for a final pass of development editing. The Rulebook has moved into sensitivity editing and development editing has been completed for each of the five adventures.  I've completed rough layouts to ensure all content fits in the page count during the manuscript revision process of the Rulebook, Setting Book, and adventure bundle. I'm getting quotes from printers again and looking at vendors who can print and pre-sort some of the many game elements ahead of shipment. Two leading vendors (one in Europe and one in China) would be shipping books internationally to the US, which may increase the overall delivery time to backers by 4-6 weeks. I estimate we are still on track for September or October Kickstarter fulfillment.

So that's it for May! Questions or comments? Email [email protected] or leave your thoughts below. 

The biggest Cloud Empress Kickstarter update yet!
about 1 year ago – Tue, Apr 11, 2023 at 06:38:25 PM

Backetkit Order surveys open until Mid-May

Last week I sent out Backerkit surveys. In the survey, you can confirm your order, change your pledge level, or purchase add-on items. Thanks to the nearly 90% of backers who have already completed the survey. If you did not receive a Cloud Empress Backerkit survey, check your spam/junk folder. If you still can't find the Cloud Empress backer survey, please email me at [email protected]. You will be able to finalize and change your orders until about mid-May next month.

New WIP character sheet

I'm a bit obsessed with user experience. I've redesigned the Cloud Empress character sheet in the hopes of making it feel a bit less overwhelming for new players. The character sheet is now in portrait orientation with the character creation information segmented on the left side of the page. I'm also working to develop a consistent design language across Cloud Empress materials and you'll be able to see some familiar line elements above. Download the new Cloud Empress Character Sheet at worldsbywatt.itch.io/cloudempress

Updated rulebook draft

I've spent the last ten days furiously rewriting the rulebook to include more setting lore and useable gameplay elements. Over the last three days, I've refined a 90-page document into a 56-page mockup that I am feeling happy with. This version of the rules has been sent to the project's editor for a second round of development edits. I've added the current plain text draft version on the Cloud Empress itch.io page and on the Cloud Empress discord. If you'd like to join the Cloud Empress development Discord, email me at [email protected]. Download the new Cloud Empress playtest rulebook at worldsbywatt.itch.io/cloudempress

Last Voyage of the Bean Barge - a separate zine!

Remember when I said that the rulebook manuscript was about 90 pages? The only way I can make the rulebook work is to cut out Last Voyage of the Bean Barge. Last Voyage of the Bean Barge will now be a short zine included with every copy of the rulebook (obviously free with every Kickstarter pledge and preorder too). Separating the adventure will allow more content to stay in the rulebook and should also make it easier to hide adventure details from new players reading the rulebook.

State of the Setting book

While I'm happy with the current state of the rulebook, the Setting Book (Cloud Empress in the Land of Cicadas)  will need quite a few rewrites in the next three weeks. Like the rulebook, the setting book has ballooned into a 90-page manuscript that needs cutting and just as many additions. I plan to significantly expand the number of hexes in the hex map to remove some narrative railroading for more open-ended exploration.  I'm excited about how the setting book develops, but I have to admit it's a bit like looking at the peak of a mountain from its base! As soon as the hex map is solidified, I can begin playtesting the solo rules in earnest.

General updates

Other than that, four of the five pamphlet adventures have started development editing, and the final pamphlet adventure should be delivered next week. Below is an overall progress update. The schedule slipped with greater rewrites and development edits needed than I originally anticipated, but the project is still on track for a September/October 2023 delivery.

Interview with pamphlet adventure author Samantha Leigh

Speaking of pamphlets, I've asked Samantha Leigh, writer of the Seed Vault adventure pamphlet, about her experience with Cloud Empress.

1. Tell me a little bit about the pamphlet adventure you are currently working on?

The Seed Vault takes place shortly after some Farmerlings dig up the entrance to a massive repository of seeds. Your party is looking for the seeds of a life-saving herb that went extinct years ago, but to acquire these seeds you may need to compromise with the Farmerlings, or deal with the ancient security measures within the seed vault.

2. What’s most exciting about writing for the project/something set in the world of Cloud Empress?

The biomes are SO COOL. They're all equally unique and fascinating. Reading the descriptions for each biome got me so pumped for being part of Cloud Empress. It was difficult to choose a favorite to write an adventure for!

3. What’s most challenging about writing for the project/something set in the world of Cloud Empress?

I've never written anything in this genre before! I've been watching/reading some of Cloud Empress's inspirations (Nausicaä) and specific inspirations for the Breadbasket biome (The Mist) to help brainstorm and get in the headspace of the genre. I'm excited to stretch my writing muscles and try something new.

4. What inspirations are you drawing on for your pamphlet adventure?

The idea came from the Svalbard Global Seed Vault, a real-life facility designed for the long-term storage of seed samples. I went down a whole rabbit hole of research on this place. I may or may not have a Discord channel devoted to it.

5. Where can people find you online?

You can find me pretty much everywhere as GoblinMixtape! I also publish my own games at blinkingbirchgames.itch.io.

6. Finally, what’s your favorite Studio Ghibli/Hayao Miyazaki film (if you have one)?

Howl's Moving Castle will always have a special place in my heart. I remember being entranced by it as a kid and then being equally entranced when returning to it as an adult.

There's your April update! Questions? Leave them in the comments.