An Update and Asking for Input/Advice
about 3 years ago – Sat, Apr 03, 2021 at 04:09:19 PM

Hey everyone!

Production Update!

Things are moving now. There is little stopping us from shipping the 2-player starter set, now!

All the components have arrived, all the incidentals have been bought (shrink wrap equipment, bases, packaging, etc.) and we are prepping everything for assembly. 

This part is taking a bit. We are taking each figure, individually placing them in their pouch, and getting everything ready for the box. I have some helpers here and there, but it is slow-going. But I will be back with an update once all the figures are in their pouches and when we set up for assembly!

The PDF is doing well!

Since we put our PDF up for sale (with a free option available, too), we've seen a lot of activity. Those who have purchased it have left good reviews (if you haven't left a review, please grab the free version and give us all the stars and a good review (but only if we deserve it)!

We're asking for Input/Advice

So, this is is a relatively minor problem, but it is a problem we have to wrestle with. The price of metals has gone up significantly in the last year,  which is making the price of each model more expensive. That isn't SUCH a big problem for most figures, but overall, it means less profit for us. Ah well. There's more important things than money. But the larger issue is with the larger figures, specifically, the Yetin kit and the Gryphon Kit. Those models are already large, and with all the options they have, the fact it, we are going to lose a lot of money making them. 

Now, we aren't doomsayers. But we are optimistic realists. So here are our options:

1) Refund everyone for the Yetin and Gryphon kits, take the hit in funds, and shrug. (not our favorite option). 

2) Strip the Yetin Kit and Gryphon Kit way down to the basic parts and have less options, perhaps no options other than the most basic ones. (still not a favorite of ours)

3) Try to raise a bit more funds by a) temporarily re-offering those kits for sale (to you all first, then the public) at the cost-corrected price, THEN making a limited number of those kits, and selling them as convention exclusives this year at Origins and GenCon. That way, we could control the costs, market them as limited/exclusive, and hopefully that would push us up over the bump. (this is the one we see as having the best potential outcomes)

We are looking into other solutions, like making them resin instead of metal, but until we hear from the manufacturer about what is possible, those are the options. Please reach out and let us know what you think. You are ultimately the ones we want to make and keep happy, so if any of those don't sit well with you, we want to hear that. 

Thank you again for all your support, and I'll see you soon with another update!

 - Opti

Rulebook Download Clarification and Help
about 3 years ago – Wed, Mar 24, 2021 at 12:25:00 PM

Hey folks, 

Thank you to everyone who helped me track down why most of you hadn't received an email from backerkit regarding the new rulebook drop.  We've figured it out and I'm back with updated info. 

So, it turns out that Backerkit assumes that creators would send out all their downloads at the same time, so when we sent out the previous downloads (whether they were the pocket rulebook, or in some cases, STL files), backerkit didn't send a download link to anyone who'd previously received one.  So, in order to access your PDF rulebook (or any other downloads), you can do one of two things:

1) Go back into your email history and find the original backerkit email which was sent some months ago. It will have the download link for you, which will have all previous downloads, as well as the new. 

or

2) you can go directly to https://www.backerkit.com/ and login to your account, navigating to the digital downloads section, where you will find what you're looking for. 

I am going to see if I can resend the download links again, but if none of the above works, please reach out via email or PM, and I will make sure you get your downloads straightened out. 

Thanks so much for your help and patience, everyone!

 - opti

The Final Version of the Rulebook is out!
about 3 years ago – Tue, Mar 23, 2021 at 02:54:38 AM

Hey folks!

As you may or may not have seen yet in your email inboxes, the final digital PDF version has been released. It has extra lore bits, more art, and some fixed typos and other small errors. 

If you didn't receive an email from Backerkit with your download link, please reach out to us and we'll get it taken care of!

Now that fulfillment is done on the PDF, we are also releasing the PDF for purchase on DriveThruRPG. There will not be a print-on-demand option there until we fulfill to all our backers yet, but that may be an option in time. 

So, here is what we are asking of you as we continue to wait for the physical fulfillment of the game. Can you share the following pages? The first is for the Free Version of the Gangs of the Undercity Rulebook. It is in B&W, has limited lore, and the Freebooters section and Campaign section aren't included. But it is FREE. So anyone can download and share among friends and print it out as much as they like! The second is the full version of the rulebook, which is only priced at $10 for 180 pages of Undercity goodness. Y'all helping to spread the word would mean the world to us, and it would get more hype building up as we get ready to actually sell GotU once we get out your stuff. 

Here are the links:

Free Version: https://www.drivethrurpg.com/product/351221/Gangs-of-the-Undercity-Core-Rulebook-Free-Version

Full Version: https://www.drivethrurpg.com/product/351216/Gangs-of-the-Undercity-Core-Rulebook

Thanks for being a part of this with us, everyone!

 - Opti

Drakaina Letters #3
about 3 years ago – Mon, Mar 22, 2021 at 06:31:55 PM

Continuing Drakaina Letters updates! The drama and narratives that may hold some hints as to what happened and even what is to come! Each gang leader received a message from Drakaina, the former leader of the Flaming Skulls, inviting them to a meet. The meet doesn't go as planned, that much we know. And now, here's what happened before... 

Here's the third one, Drakaina's letter to the Bulls of Heaven:

Chirashree,

The yetin know better than anyone both the need to throw off the past and its despair, especially the pain of your entire culture under threat; and the Bulls know better than anyone the power of a united community to both endure and overcome that oppression.

Don't mistake me, though, we in the Undercity all share this particular oppression. The wealthy, the powerful, and every person in the Overcity, blithely going about their days, are complicit, while we scratch and scrape for survival.

For one reason. We are not united. We are scared.

When I think about the future, I am utterly confident that THIS will be the beginning of freedom. In the past, every battle we fought against our oppressors and their representatives, the Lawjacks, left us with a solitary hope: sitting in the Undercity, isolated, secure enough from their depredations... because they never bothered to complete their conquest; their subjugation was already complete. Those who seek escape from this oppression seek it vainly through obedience and submission.

To robbery, slaughter, plunder, Neo Babylon gives the lying name of “government”; they create desolation and call it peace.

Neo Babylon! Raiders of the world: they will dig to any depth in their pursuit of wealth and power. If you are rich, they are rapacious; if you’re poor, they lust for dominion.

You may hate war, but you are not afraid of it. You want nothing but peace, but you will never have it as things are now. I aim to rectify this situation with an alliance that could allow us to face the overwhelming force against us and demand better.  In the past, you’ve fought for noble causes, in the Wars of Scars and in Lutesia, so fight with me now. If we are to succeed, we will need your strength, your bravery.

Let's meet, and talk, and see if we can't change the world. First day of the Twelfth Month, the old Mess of Porridge factory in South Zigtown, when day becomes night.

Drakaina

Oh, hi March.
about 3 years ago – Tue, Mar 16, 2021 at 11:37:24 PM

Well, things have been plugging along! But I have some real updates for ya!

Art!

Art and additional writing is all done for the fancy, full-sized rulebook. It is in layout, and when it is done, it will replace the PDF and everyone who got the PDF will get the updated one. I know I said it was in layout in the last update, but our wonderful layout artist put it on the shelf until we got the final art, which just came in today. The updated book has more art, as per our stretch goal, some small corrections, and the Drakaina Letters - missives to each gang giving context and lore hints about the greater story. 

Here's a preview of the arts!

Fiction Anthology!

The fiction Anthology is 7/10 done and moving fast. The minute it is done, it will be released to all backers, regardless of pledge level. We may end up doing a small, physical print run, but we'll see. It will, at very least, be available on DriveThruRPG, so if you love it (which we think you will), please share it and talk about it!

Manufacturing Update!

Well, things have started moving! We got our shipment of boxes, cardboard accessories, dice, and pocket rulebooks in! See the pics below!

We also got our bases for the minis (25mm and 40mm) and flight pegs for the drones.

And, our first installment of minis has arrived! Snapper, the Lawjack Captain (Adum Smyth), and the Riot Lawjack have arrived, and Ansa, Mormeghul, Hassling Lawjack, Domino, Char, and a few others will arrive tomorrow. 

It is still a waiting game, but the waiting is getting much less! Things left to do:

-Layout for Full Size Rulebooks (happening now, hopefully done in the next day or two).

-Full size books need to be printed (we have a few options, but at this point, whoever gets back to me soonest might just get the job).

-More minis need to get here. I supposed they would all arrive at the same time, but seem to be coming in 69 pound batches. 

-Clamshell packaging and foam mini sleeves need to be purchased (takes 1-2 weeks to arrive, but I need the minis to get here first).

Here's the proof we are doing a thing!

See you next update! (which will be in just a few minutes when I upload the next Drakaina Letter)

 - Opti

Packaging, Dice, Tokens, Grit Poker Chips, Pocket Rulebooks